[Bimar]

Reading my manual the X4 has 3 clusters, WTH?

[stewartg74]

I have found this thread as I am having the same dilemma with my X4, not only does it at no point state that you get different instrument clusters, and what options do or don't trigger the changes…


So I have the below


This is a 2010 BMW x3


I could have bought a £20,000 BMW 1 series, and had modern looking instruments, a 3 & 5 series also give options for a modern looking Instrument cluster both at a lower cost than the F26 X4 - classed by BMW as luxury - yet my instruments are 5 years old - so no new technology, in a new range of car!!!! £40,000 for old features is really disappointing..


So given the the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,X5,X6 models all of which all mention instrument options, both as standard or as upgrades… yet the X4 does not…

Im in the process of confronting BMW UK over this, because the new even the base 1 series can have extended instruments for £125 - I would have paid this.. I see this as a major flaw in advertising and selling, when you consider that the difference in instrument cluster means the loss of graphical details, a compass, various car information panels and the ability to change mood, or be all black but for a couple of chrome rings when switched off…. This is a significant loss of features - with currently no reason…


This is what I was expecting, as website sales material all indicated this was the only option:

[robwoods]

Hey Stewart. What options did you have (Model, Professional Media, HUD etc)? I'm going to see my X4 tomorrow which has arrived at the dealership, taking delivery in early May. I have the X4 SE with Professional Media and no other options, and hoping to get the better instrument cluster.

I'm getting ready for a disappointment...

[robwoods]

Looking at the configurator on bmw.co.uk, it looks like the Professional Media option brings the more 'digital' and less 'analogue' instrument cluster. The first image below is the X4 SE as it comes, and the lower image has just the Professional Media package added.

[Theatermax]

You didn't even take nav so you are going to get the most basic cluster my friend..

I am the guy who started this whole thing and bottom line is this.. We have all learned including BMW that if you want the most tech cluster you buy the Tech package..

I was so aggravated in the beginning but then I began to Drive and Enjoy the Truck and now I am so in love with it the cluster doesnt matter any longer..

Just enjoy it and obviously the toys didn't matter as you ordered it with no nav and in all honesty thats not a bad idea. The BMW nav is so behind in the ability to find locations compared to an iPhone with Google maps for instance..

Just enjoy and and drive it and you will stop worrying about the cluster.

I am at that point and I just enjoy it..

I am not sure this helps but hope so..

Craig

[Truls]

I noticed this when I was trying out the car.
My dealer checked it out, and in Norway you get the nice cluster if you order it with HeadUp.

[Sarsippius3rd]

Originally Posted by Theatermax

You didn't even take nav so you are going to get the most basic cluster my friend..

I am the guy who started this whole thing and bottom line is this.. We have all learned including BMW that if you want the most tech cluster you buy the Tech package..

I was so aggravated in the beginning but then I began to Drive and Enjoy the Truck and now I am so in love with it the cluster doesnt matter any longer..

Just enjoy it and obviously the toys didn't matter as you ordered it with no nav and in all honesty thats not a bad idea. The BMW nav is so behind in the ability to find locations compared to an iPhone with Google maps for instance..

Just enjoy and and drive it and you will stop worrying about the cluster.

I am at that point and I just enjoy it..

I am not sure this helps but hope so..

Craig

Craig, I am glad you found a way to live with this. I know early on you were quite annoyed. I too am enjoying the S#!T out of it!

[robwoods]

Have just visited my X4 (not yet PDI-ed) in a car park in Nottingham. The X4 SE with just the Pro Media option has the digital MPG readout rather than the analogue MPG dial, just as per the photos above.

[stewartg74]

Originally Posted by Theatermax

You didn't even take nav so you are going to get the most basic cluster my friend..
Craig

All X4 F26 & X3 F25 LCI come with Navigation as standard… - I did choose not to have the professional navigation as when I test drove I found no use for the larger screen, and money saved there, would be better put elsewhere… Its just the same as I chose the XLine over the M Sport, as Im not keen on the grills used in the M Sport bumper…

but my argument with the Instruments have missing features… and for that mater it should be clear when selecting options what your actually loosing or gaining, when physically un-able to see what your buying the information should be there….

for example the top spec instruments, display eco-pro, Comfort, Sport & Sport+, it displays compass.. these are all standard features on the X4..

The point is that the below image is a 2013 BMW 1 Series, lower spec, cheaper, older, nothing in the options selected any better than my X4 - but the instrument cluster, is vastly better than what I have been given…



This is a 2 year old car, and still feels modern, but mine is just 2 months from build and already feels dated…. this is not just about my driver experience now, but in a few years when its time to sell it…. - Am i wrong to argue that a car of same manufacturer but nearly half the price should be better equipped…

This does not detract from the car and how great it is as a car, but I was sold luxury SUV and want to feel that luxury...

[robwoods]

It's a tough one this, but I would say it is a case of 'buyer beware'. If the dashboard cluster was particularly important to you, then it is something that you should have raised with the dealer. They would have been able to tell you what cluster you would have got.

The argument that says 'surely a £40,000 car from BMW should have a better or at least equivalent cluster to a 2 year old cheaper BMW car' may well make some sense, but it is just an assumption you have made, and you have been unlucky. The upgrades that the options bring are part of what tempt's us to take them.

I'm sure BMW will point you at their online configurator and say that the options are shown pictorially there, and also at their brochure that says 'for illustration purposes only, they reserve the right to make alterations at any time'.

It would be interesting to know what BMW UK's response is to your complaint, I imagine they may just shrug their shoulders?

[stewartg74]

Originally Posted by robwoods

It's a tough one this, but I would say it is a case of 'buyer beware'. If the dashboard cluster was particularly important to you, then it is something that you should have raised with the dealer. They would have been able to tell you what cluster you would have got.

The argument that says 'surely a £40,000 car from BMW should have a better or at least equivalent cluster to a 2 year old cheaper BMW car' may well make some sense, but it is just an assumption you have made, and you have been unlucky. The upgrades that the options bring are part of what tempt's us to take them.

I'm sure BMW will point you at their online configurator and say that the options are shown pictorially there, and also at their brochure that says 'for illustration purposes only, they reserve the right to make alterations at any time'.

It would be interesting to know what BMW UK's response is to your complaint, I imagine they may just shrug their shoulders?

So far its being communicated between myself, dealer, Customer Services Executive, and has been passed to there "Product Department" -
who knows where its going, or will end out, but I feel its a lot of money to be sold "Luxury"…

I am sure some will feel I am being picky, but Im £40,000+ picky…

So here is the example Im using to present to BMW UK….

This is a 2012 BMW 120d F20 1 Series, business navigation, no HUD, No tech package… So no better than my X4...

Same dials as I have - this is F20 without the £125 upgrade option




This is the F20 with the £125 upgrade option…







I feel even this upgrade has a much more modern feel than what I've had fitted, one i'd of paid £125 for all day long….

[Sarsippius3rd]

I can feel your pain, but they are selling you a car, not an instrument cluster. Yes you are buying a more expensive car than the upgraded 2 year old f20, but your car is a base model. The f20's cluster is an upgrade, so naturally your car should be upgraded as well to get the cluster. Maybe part bmw 's fault for not clearly stating what you would get, but I personally think bmw has way too many trim levels.

[RaslDasl]

The 2016 ordering guides for the X3 and X4 (US) are much more clear about this.

ZTP Technology Package
609 Navigation system
610 Head-up Display
6AK BMW Online and BMW Apps
6AM Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information
6AP Remote Services
ZWA Instrument cluster with extended contents

[f4780y]

UPDATE - THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW THE DOTTED LINES IS INACCURATE

Adding the Media Package Professional in the UK will enable the Black Panel Display cluster, with half width LCD (right hand side only).
Adding the HUD option is the only way to enable the full width LCD Black Panel Display.

This was confirmed via BMW Product Department in the UK.

-----

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I fortunately saw it before I committed my order last week, and was able to avoid the same mistake. I really wanted that full black instrument panel!

In the UK, the trick to ensure you get this is to pick the Media Package Professional as a minimum. See the following link to the UK X4 sales page.

http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/topics/di....html?model=x4

Expand the Media Packages section and choose the Media Package Professional option, then you will see the Tech Hub includes the "Full Black Panel Display" option at the very bottom. This "option" does not appear anywhere in the configurator when you purchase the car, which is crazy!
This enables the basic black panel display (which covers about half the cluster). It isn't clear which options extend this to the full width LCD black panel, but the HUD is certainly one of them. BMW could do a much better job getting this stuff accurate!

The only way to get it is to choose the "correct" enabling packages or options, but you simply never see the item listed as part of your configuration and the showroom staff seemed none the wiser until I forced them to check and re-check. At least I have it fully covered in my sales correspondence with them now, even referencing this thread!

My sympathies go to all of you who didn't get the cluster you expected
I hope you can take a little bit of heart from knowing that you saved a fellow XBimmer from the same mistake. Thank-you all.

[robwoods]

Unless you've specified any extra options (above the Professional Media), you will just get the 'Black Panel' effect under the Rev Counter, and not under the speedo. Just as it shows iif you click the 'Full Black Panel Display' link at the site you linked above.

I have the X4 2.0d SE with Pro Media and no other internal options. I was surprised that there was no 'Black Panel' effect under the speedo, since my brother has a new 520d SE Touring with no options whatsoever and he has black panel under both big dials.

The only way to get the 'Full Black Panel' in the UK as far as I know is to specify both Pro Media and the HUD. Then you get the whole cluster as one big black screen!

[f4780y]

Thanks Rob, I've updated my last post to be more accurate.

The full width LCD panel surely can't be HUD specific though? The HUD doesn't interact with the cluster in way which warrants this as far as I can see.

Aside from the HUD, does anyone know if there are any other options will add the wide LCD cluster?
I have everything crossed that my combination of EDC, Nav Professional, Driving Assistant Plus, and Speed Limit Display will trigger the full width! I test drove a car with HUD and hated it. I'll be heartbroken if it is the only way to get the full instrument cluster on this car.

[f4780y]

Just had another session with the salesman, who called BMW product division in the UK. After a couple of phone calls they formally confirmed the only way to get the full width LCD component of the black panel cluster on the X4 is via the HUD! Heartbroken, but fortunately I've been able to add it to my order, so it's only my pocket that's feeling the pain! Thanks again, particularly to robwoods. Without your reply earlier I too would have been disappointed! Cheers.

[robwoods]

No problem, glad to help. I'll struggle along with my mini black-display! Isn't it about £800 just for the HUD? Bonkers amount to spend if you hated it!

On a related note, the Professional Media, particularly with the Spotify app on my iPhone, is fantastic. The 'Sport Displays' which show Power and BHP as faux-analogue dials is great fun, and the built in hard drive to store music on works really well.

The Pro Sat Nav is the best I've seen in a car, but feels slightly over complicated compared to TomTom with IQ Routes and HD Traffic on my iPhone. Being able to voice control everything is very nice too.

What is the likely lead time for your X4?

[f4780y]

Originally Posted by robwoods

No problem, glad to help. I'll struggle along with my mini black-display! Isn't it about £800 just for the HUD? Bonkers amount to spend if you hated it!

On a related note, the Professional Media, particularly with the Spotify app on my iPhone, is fantastic. The 'Sport Displays' which show Power and BHP as faux-analogue dials is great fun, and the built in hard drive to store music on works really well.

The Pro Sat Nav is the best I've seen in a car, but feels slightly over complicated compared to TomTom with IQ Routes and HD Traffic on my iPhone. Being able to voice control everything is very nice too.

What is the likely lead time for your X4?

Utter madness - £895 list price option! I'm still negotiating on what it will cost me considering I don't want the actual HUD!
But I was totally clear with the salesman from the get-go that the full width LCD black cluster I wanted was the one he demonstrated to me when he introduced me to the car for the test drive - he made a big deal of showing it off to me when I got in the car. I asked if it came with the Navigation Professional option and he said yes, then later when I queried after reading this thread, he confirmed it was only with the Media Package Professional. If I hadn't queried it a third time after your reply today I would still have been very disappointed! So thanks again.
I suppose I can always turn the HUD off in iDrive and just have the most ridiculously expensive cluster ever! I still call foul on BMW for not providing any clarity on this "feature" with regards to the X4, and it would be good if the dealer staff understood the configs too.
To some the cluster is of little or no importance, but to others (including me), it's an important part of the deal.

Indicative delivery date is 29/07 on the order form. Fingers crossed for that! I've heard they are prioritising X4 orders @ Spartanburg. I know X3 orders which have been placed for a while have much worse dates than that!

[f4780y]

Just wanted to say thanks once again to everyone that contributed to this thread. Because of the feedback here, I was greeted with the following @ 4:49pm when I picked up my brand new X4 from the dealer. Couldn't be happier!