[BIMMER UK 76]

Ordered my F25 X3 2.0d SE (due end Feb/early March 2011) to replace E60

Metallic Black Saphire paint, Oyster Leather and Sienna Wood

Auto Transmission
18" V Spoke alloys
Panoramic Sunroof
Heated front seats
Sports Seats
Window Blinds
Tinted Windows
Pro Media Package
X-Line Package
Folding Mirrors
Busniness Speaker Package

+

Xenons
Sports Steering Wheel

Counting days - we have snow early for a UK winter and E60 is shocking!!

Test drive next friday (hope I like it otherwise it will be an expensive inpulsive purchase!!!)

[sfax]

Nice one. Let me know when you get a production week. I have week 3 for an order placed Oct 24. Should be early Feb delivery. Long time to wait but I'm sure it will be worth it!

If you haven't already done so, I recommend that you add the sports steering wheel (especially if you have the pro media package). You can't add it online other than part of the dynamic package which ties you to Y-spoke alloys, but they have changed the rules and you can now add it as a standalone or you can combine other alloys with the dynamic package. I have the dynamic package plus the 309 19" alloys on my order.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Thanks for the advice, I will speak to the dealer about the sports steering wheel option, wasnt keen on the dynamic package but I did want steering wheel (not suprised they changed the rules!)

Ordered X line package but like the look of the X line pro package in the accessories - see bmw.com accessories http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/acc...er/finder.html (not on Uk site yet)

I will also order the Chrome Grille and Tailpipes before delivery

** EDIT ** just had a quick look on the bmw.com accessories list and the sports steering wheel is now available on its own!

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

Thanks for the advice, I will speak to the dealer about the sports steering wheel option, wasnt keen on the dynamic package but I did want steering wheel (not suprised they changed the rules!)

Ordered X line package but like the look of the X line pro package in the accessories - see bmw.com accessories http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/acc...er/finder.html (not on Uk site yet)

I will also order the Chrome Grille and Tailpipes before delivery

** EDIT ** just had a quick look on the bmw.com accessories list and the sports steering wheel is now available on its own!

Thanks for this. The cost of my order is already huge but I am very tempted by the titanium grill and chrome tailpipes! Is there a price list anywhere for these accessories? Not sure on xline pro with titanium silver. Will look good with the black.

I'm surprised you haven't ordered xenons with all of those options??

[BIMMER UK 76]

No price list yet online - I guess dealers part dept will have prices, I will call them next week

Tailpipes are a must guessing at £80 and £100+ for the titanium grille

Will need to also order ipod cable, blackberry dock, spare rubber mats and boot liner

Agree lack of xenons was a mistake but where do you stop

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

but where do you stop

Haha, so true!!

Won't the ipod cable just be a standard USB cable? Are you telling me you spend £2500 on professional multimedia package and you need to buy an extra cable to connect an ipod?

[BIMMER UK 76]

My wife started taking the **** after what seemed like the 100th time on the car bmw configurator

My colleague has a new x5 and he said you do need the special ipod cable for full use with idrive, it has ipod connector one end and usb plus phono other end to plug into car (apparently according to dealer it tricks ipod to allow download of music and pics??)

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

My wife started taking the **** after what seemed like the 100th time on the car bmw configurator

The word my wife used was "obsessed" after seeing much the same from me! The time spent would be at least halved if using the BMW UK website wasn't like going back to using a dial up connection.

Thanks for the info. I think I will get one as well. I guess the good news is that I have plenty of time!

[BIMMER UK 76]

I have used the car configurator several times since I placed the order, just don't tell the wife

[Ant Man]

When you test drive the 20d, could you try slowing down to very low revs in 2nd gear and then accelerating to see how much throttle / turbo lag there is?

I drove a brand new 320d in August and it was awful in the situation above, borderline dangerous when approaching a roundabout for example. One could count to 3 after pressing the accelerator before the car would pick up enough speed.

[BIMMER UK 76]

I drive a manual 520d and you quickly learn strengths and weaknesses of 2.0d - I think Pepsi does a similar size

My order and test drive will be in a 2.0d with auto transmission

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

My wife started taking the **** after what seemed like the 100th time on the car bmw configurator

My colleague has a new x5 and he said you do need the special ipod cable for full use with idrive, it has ipod connector one end and usb plus phono other end to plug into car (apparently according to dealer it tricks ipod to allow download of music and pics??)

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think you need a special ipod cable if you have the pro media package. It also looks like you get a phone snap in as standard if you have any bluetooth option, which I assume includes bluetooth as part of the pro media package. The snap in has USB and I think you can play audio files from an iphone / smart phone so I would have thought the other USB port would allow this too and you can just connect your ipod with a standard Apple USB cable.

This is all guess work based on what it says in the brochure. Perhaps someone else can correct me. Does your colleague have the pro media package on his X5?

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by sfax

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think you need a special ipod cable if you have the pro media package. It also looks like you get a phone snap in as standard if you have any bluetooth option, which I assume includes bluetooth as part of the pro media package. The snap in has USB and I think you can play audio files from an iphone / smart phone so I would have thought the other USB port would allow this too and you can just connect your ipod with a standard Apple USB cable.

This is all guess work based on what it says in the brochure. Perhaps someone else can correct me. Does your colleague have the pro media package on his X5?

Shocking but true - the ipod cable is needed even with the pro media (X5 & X3).

Normal Ipod cable will not work according to dealer

See photo of cable (note usb and phono output) and dock below

[sfax]

I would have thought the quality would suffer connecting this way too. Surely it would be better to have a digital audio feed to the amp rather than analog?

Never mind. I think I'll just use the 8GB on the hard drive and not bother playing directly from my ipod. It might have to see this setup in action to be convinced that it's worthwhile. Thanks for the info and pics, and if you get a price, please let me know.

I'm also not sure if you would necessarily need to have the BMW version of the cable. I have a USB to phono cable already (£25 from Apple) to connect my ipod to my amp at home but it's split left and right output channels rather than combined like this.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by sfax

I would have thought the quality would suffer connecting this way too. Surely it would be better to have a digital audio feed to the amp rather than analog?

Never mind. I think I'll just use the 8GB on the hard drive and not bother playing directly from my ipod. It might have to see this setup in action to be convinced that it's worthwhile. Thanks for the info and pics, and if you get a price, please let me know.

I'm also not sure if you would necessarily need to have the BMW version of the cable. I have a USB to phono cable already (£25 from Apple) to connect my ipod to my amp at home but it's split left and right output channels rather than combined like this.

Apparently the design of the cable somehow tricks the ipod to share the files with the car, or so im told??

Agree the phono is far from an ideal way of connecting, I have seen aftermarket versions of the split cable on ebay but will go for the genuine one myself.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

Apparently the design of the cable somehow tricks the ipod to share the files with the car, or so im told??

Agree the phono is far from an ideal way of connecting, I have seen aftermarket versions of the split cable on ebay but will go for the genuine one myself.

Thanks, that's what I understood USB audio interface to mean, which is part of the pro media package, but perhaps USB audio interface simply means you can transfer the music to the HDD and then playback from the HDD rather than directly. IMO the brochure suggests you can do this with an Apple USB cable but it's not clear at all really and I work in IT. I also don't trust the dealers to know a great deal about technical details like this either. Think I'll wait and see what I can do with what I get and then buy anything extra I need after realising I got it all wrong . Thanks for your help, I'll shut up about it now!

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by sfax

Think I'll wait and see what I can do with what I get and then buy anything extra I need after realising I got it all wrong

You can be the guinea pig and you might save me a few pounds!!!!

[sfax]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

You can be the guinea pig and you might save me a few pounds!!!!

Haha, no worries, I will report back in full

[Alpine tourist]

You need to specify the video/media snap-in adaptor (NOT the old USB adaptor), which allows full USB connectivity and bluetooth if not plugged in.

For the iPhone 3G/3GS the code is 84219229004.

Have been using it (X3 2.0d) for 2 weeks now and is a must have with prof. nav. setup.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by Alpine tourist

You need to specify the video/media snap-in adaptor (NOT the old USB adaptor), which allows full USB connectivity and bluetooth if not plugged in.

For the iPhone 3G/3GS the code is 84219229004.

Have been using it (X3 2.0d) for 2 weeks now and is a must have with prof. nav. setup.

Thanks for your advice!

2 weeks and no photos - shame on you!!!

Post us some photos and your thoughts

Cheers

[Alpine tourist]

Sorry, distracted by the start of the ski season, but will post soon :-)

[sfax]

Originally Posted by Alpine tourist

You need to specify the video/media snap-in adaptor (NOT the old USB adaptor), which allows full USB connectivity and bluetooth if not plugged in.

For the iPhone 3G/3GS the code is 84219229004.

Have been using it (X3 2.0d) for 2 weeks now and is a must have with prof. nav. setup.

Thanks for this info, much appreciated. I have an iPhone 3G, but will get a 4 in April. I'll enquire about this adaptor.

I may not have any money left to fill it up with diesel at this rate...