Dumb Canadian Option Packages

jponline77 · 11-02-2015, 06:33 PM

My rant on my newly purchased BMW X3 is the option packages for 2016 Canadian models:

To me, useful features (the ones I really, really wanted) are:
- Adaptive cruise control
- True keyless entry
- HUD (with speed limit info)
- Paddle shifter, sport + mode
- Leather
- Panoramic roof
- Sport seats
- Harmon Sound System
- Sport Suspension

Useless features
- Surround view
- Connected Drive
- Concierge Service
- Remote Services
- BMW online

To get the options I really wanted, I had to buy packages full of features I didn't... The prices in Canada for options are crazy expensive compared to the US too...

Anyway, I got the car I love at a price that I'm willing to pay and when I stack it against the competition it still holds... I wish, however, they packaged these cars up a bit better but they probably did it on purpose.

Peter_R · 11-03-2015, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jponline77

Useless features
- Surround view
- Connected Drive
- Concierge Service
- Remote Services
- BMW online

To get the options I really wanted, I had to buy packages full of features I didn't... The prices in Canada for options are crazy expensive compared to the US too...

Anyway, I got the car I love at a price that I'm willing to pay and when I stack it against the competition it still holds... I wish, however, they packaged these cars up a bit better but they probably did it on purpose.

I agree with the you about the high cost of add on packages, but when it comes to features we all have different priorities. In my view the ones you say are useless are the ones I specify and feel are necessary for me in the UK.

I still agree about some of the useful accessories.

jponline77 · 11-03-2015, 09:12 AM

Agreed, features are totally a personal preference. Maybe the ones I list are not as useless as I think...

Tell me, those features don't sound useful to me but maybe I'm not seeing the utility. How do you find them useful? I ended up having to get packages that include these features. So, I'm getting them maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks,

JP

Peter_R · 11-03-2015, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jponline77

Agreed, features are totally a personal preference. Maybe the ones I list are not as useless as I think...

Tell me, those features don't sound useful to me but maybe I'm not seeing the utility. How do you find them useful? I ended up having to get packages that include these features. So, I'm getting them maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks,

JP

Most of the ones you are not wanting listed come as standard in the Professional SatNav for the UK. The connected drive stuff is complimentary for 3 years. With the concierge if you are visiting a city that is not fajmiliar to you, and want to a route to a particular place, you select concierge and ask them to route you. They confirm where you are then send the destination to your car. The rest is straight forward. Also if you need to book a hotel on route to somewhere and have been delayed for a long while, they will do it for you. I have not used the hotel booking part, but quite a few times I have asked them to send me to a particular place and they just send the information to the car.

pokerface · 11-03-2015, 03:52 PM

The surround view I find to be pretty useful. Makes it easy to get in and out of tight spots. HUD was not an option in the year we got ours but having tested it on the M3 I don't know if it's truly needed. I do agree with you in recent years the packaging is terrible. Every package I only seem to need or want half of the items.

02420X3 · 11-03-2015, 06:13 PM

The more time that you spend backing up and parallel parking the more you will learn to appreciate Surround View. Our X3s don't have the best visibility when reversing, and the cameras, both the rear view and the top view, come in handy. I don't have the front bumper cameras (not available in my model year), but I wish that I did.

Peter_R · 11-03-2015, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 02420X3

The more time that you spend backing up and parallel parking the more you will learn to appreciate Surround View. Our X3s don't have the best visibility when reversing, and the cameras, both the rear view and the top view, come in handy. I don't have the front bumper cameras (not available in my model year), but I wish that I did.

In the UK with our narrow roads and small parking spaces, many of us would consider it a necessity. I use it many times every day.

jponline77 · 11-03-2015, 10:40 PM

I definitely feel better about some of the options. When I demoed the car, I found the surround view difficult for me to interpret but I bet that's something you get used to with time. I didn't realize the concierge service was so useful. Definitely sounds handy when driving and needing to find a location that is hard to describe to these voice recognition systems.

kevink1 · 11-08-2015, 02:30 PM

I probably wouldn't even think of concierge, etc, when it might be useful. I'm just used to using navigation or my phone to look up directions.

11-02-2015, 06:33 PM	#1
jponline77 Private 11 Rep 60 Posts Drives: BMW X3 35i M Sport Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	Dumb Canadian Option Packages My rant on my newly purchased BMW X3 is the option packages for 2016 Canadian models: To me, useful features (the ones I really, really wanted) are: - Adaptive cruise control - True keyless entry - HUD (with speed limit info) - Paddle shifter, sport + mode - Leather - Panoramic roof - Sport seats - Harmon Sound System - Sport Suspension Useless features - Surround view - Connected Drive - Concierge Service - Remote Services - BMW online To get the options I really wanted, I had to buy packages full of features I didn't... The prices in Canada for options are crazy expensive compared to the US too... Anyway, I got the car I love at a price that I'm willing to pay and when I stack it against the competition it still holds... I wish, however, they packaged these cars up a bit better but they probably did it on purpose.
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11-03-2015, 09:12 AM	#3
jponline77 Private 11 Rep 60 Posts Drives: BMW X3 35i M Sport Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	Agreed, features are totally a personal preference. Maybe the ones I list are not as useless as I think... Tell me, those features don't sound useful to me but maybe I'm not seeing the utility. How do you find them useful? I ended up having to get packages that include these features. So, I'm getting them maybe I'm missing something. Thanks, JP
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11-03-2015, 03:52 PM	#5
pokerface Colonel 430 Rep 2,527 Posts Drives: F25 X3 N20 / F80 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	The surround view I find to be pretty useful. Makes it easy to get in and out of tight spots. HUD was not an option in the year we got ours but having tested it on the M3 I don't know if it's truly needed. I do agree with you in recent years the packaging is terrible. Every package I only seem to need or want half of the items.
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11-03-2015, 06:13 PM	#6
02420X3 Captain 63 Rep 983 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 35i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	The more time that you spend backing up and parallel parking the more you will learn to appreciate Surround View. Our X3s don't have the best visibility when reversing, and the cameras, both the rear view and the top view, come in handy. I don't have the front bumper cameras (not available in my model year), but I wish that I did.
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11-03-2015, 10:40 PM	#8
jponline77 Private 11 Rep 60 Posts Drives: BMW X3 35i M Sport Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	I definitely feel better about some of the options. When I demoed the car, I found the surround view difficult for me to interpret but I bet that's something you get used to with time. I didn't realize the concierge service was so useful. Definitely sounds handy when driving and needing to find a location that is hard to describe to these voice recognition systems.
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11-08-2015, 02:30 PM	#9
kevink1 Second Lieutenant 23 Rep 253 Posts Drives: 2015 X3 xDrive28d Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Oklahoma iTrader: (0)	I probably wouldn't even think of concierge, etc, when it might be useful. I'm just used to using navigation or my phone to look up directions.
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