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More options = more potential problems?

2K views 14 replies 13 participants last post by  Keepittrill 
#1 ·
As I was pondering which was the best X1 for me I started wondering if the more toys on the car meant more things to go wrong. One of the most important parts of car ownership for me is reliability, that is for it to start up and go every day, no worries.

So the question is, would an X1 with the Ultimate Package and all the gizmos that includes be just a little more finicky that a base car? I confess the amount of inter connected electronics on the X1 truly astounds me.

Regards,

Nick
 
#2 ·
I can understand your concern. I have a manual-transmission 2006 BMW X3 3.0i with relatively few features (upgraded stereo, park distance sensors, panoramic sunroof, xenons, leather), but no cameras, navigation, heads-up display, etc. There's something really great about the simplicity. It's fun to drive and doesn't have lots of bells and whistles. It has been remarkably reliable over the last 7+ years.
There's always a risk that stuff breaks, so think carefully about what features you really want and need. When in doubt, I prefer to keep it simple.

-James
Seattle, WA
 
#3 ·
I think your ponder is a popular one.
And my guess is that potentially yes, the more stuff you have, the more that can break.
but honestly, I think options like that are negligible compared to the enjoyment you'll
get out of them.
Your lines and seals will likely go before your nav screen goes blank, or your power seat fails to move.
I have no fact to back this up. :angel:
 
#5 ·
Don't listen to stuff like this. It's an easy answer.

BMWs will be as mechanically reliable as you make them. Electronically, there's really no telling as you can't "maintain" an interior gadget like you can the engine.

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#6 ·
I read some people didn't like the NAV and the adaptive headlights jiggled, so just read up, and see what others say about the extras.

I'm a less is more guy, so I got the base plus MSport 8 x18 and 9 x18 wheels with Pirelli P7 summer performance tires, and I'm fixed up.

The stock BMW radio is killer, and plays some mp3 disks with multiple albums I had laying around.

My s28i is a dream, and I don't feel left out of anything.
 
#7 ·
My suggestion is just weigh in your options. Ultimate package has a lot of bells and whistles, IMHO, and I didn't really want to pay for things that I think I wouldn't utilize and I also don't want to pay for costly repairs just because of the 'finicky-ness' of the bells and whistles. In the end, the car I ordered DID NOT come with leather seats, keyless entry, auto dimming mirrors with compass & garage opener, lumbar support, ambiance lighting, power front seats. I ended up getting the smaller packages that I want plus some add ons
 
#8 ·
+1

And unfortunately, you can get hosed on some options.
For example, I wanted a backup camera. It wasn't a must have, but it was an option I would have picked. But, the backup camera required the premium package which would also put in the moon roof. I didn't want the moon roof.
So what do you do? Spend the extra dough to get the "maybe" option and get an option you don't want or just leave it?
I left it.
 
#9 ·
So the question is, would an X1 with the Ultimate Package and all the gizmos that includes be just a little more finicky that a base car? I confess the amount of inter connected electronics on the X1 truly astounds me.
I think that's a given, especially considering what BMWNA charges for their extended warranties. Notice that there are 3 levels: Powertrain only, Gold, and Platinum. The Platinum is the only one covering iDrive/Nav/Radio/cd.
 
#11 ·
My X1 is a base model. The only options I got were the wood veneer, heated seats and I think the metallic paint was more.

I do not feel like I am missing anything of particular importance. I like not having a sunroof as it improves the headroom. And I love manual seats, nothing to go wrong and they adjust in a snap.

The stock stereo is quite good. All in all I paid about the same price I would have paid for a Rav4, Ford Escape or any other number of small SUVs and I feel like I have a much better car not to mention a bit of cachet.
 
#12 ·
I got Ultimate, Lighting and H/K. I'd enjoy driving a base model, sure, but here's what I would miss, to one degree or another:

1 - Pano: I live in Los Angeles and during the summer, I don't open the pano roof cover much because I don't need more light/heat. Now that's it's cooler I leave the cover open and I love the interior light and sense of openness. I almost never actually open the roof, any season.
2 - Lighting: From the inside the Xenons give me a sense of security, and the ambient lighting touches are nice. When driving another car at night I did feel that the "normal" lights were satisfactory but not as bright.
3 - IDrive - There have been a couple times the Nav has been extremely useful and the voice command option made it safe to use while driving. Then again, other times it provided frustration, for whatever reason. I have found the traffic updates somewhat useful. Overall, I love the larger screen and would miss that a lot. And sometimes i just play with options, etc., when bored at a
stoplight.
4 - H/K - I am not an audiophile but I love to blast the H/K. And as part of IDrive, I really love having album art, etc., on view. I have to use front USB for that.

Last and opposite of least -

5 - Comfort access. I have to have this. It's just convenience but I'm used to it now and miss the hell out of it in cars without the equivalent. I put the key in my pocket as I leave the house, and often don't touch it again until I get home.

Maybe if you could get an X1 with just Comfort Access as an option, I'd have gone for a "base" model. In fact originally a dealer had me waiting for an allocated X1 with nothing but Premium Package. As it came closer to arriving, I decided to order an X1 with anything I most possibly enjoy, and I'm glad I did. If it's not a matter of sticking to a tight budget, why not get some toys? We're in our cars a lot (at least I am!). And I'm not convinced they will be that troublesome down the road. We shall see...
 
#13 ·
It's a judgement call, I'd say. With out a doubt, more stuff means more stuff to break... That's just basic math.

That said, I really enjoy a lot of the features.

The backup camera is a huge boon with the lack of low rear visibility.
The adaptive lights were the biggest surprise to me - I love the way they rotate to illuminate the dark road ahead in a turn. If I pay really close attention I guess I can see what people are talking about when they complain of vibration. I don't notice it.
I love the ambiance lighting.
I love convertibles, but when the weather's too threatening or my convertibles are tucked away for the winter but it's a decent day out, I love having the moon roof.
The nav with voice entry saves me time.
The M seats are quite comfortable and very adjustable.
Comfort mode is great and even works with the gloves I wear.

It all adds up to making the X1 a nice place to be. Of the options the moon roof seems the most likely to give issues - a couple folks have had to have defective glass that starts cracking (precursor to shattering) replaced, and it's mechanical so it could stop moving or start leaking some day.
 
#14 ·
That's like asking "Do I want any old girl that can cook and clean or do I want a supermodel that is over-sexed, loves sports, can tear down an engine, has a rich sick old father and owns a French maid service?"
 
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