What packages to include

Hi every body,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post.

I was shopping around to buy the new 550. I have decided on the colors but was not able conclude on packages. as of now I am thinking of including sports package and premium 2 package. Any suggestions of what else to include?

check all the options and call it a day.

Drivers assist for sure.....I love mine.

Well, the packages are pretty personal. I went with the following on my 550i:
Active/ventilated seats
Fold Down Rear Seats
M-sport (incl sport pkg, dynamic handling, anthracite headliner)
Cold Weather
4 zone climate (dark car,dark interior, it adds another vent to the rear)
Premium 2
Nappa leather

I did not feel a need for the following:
Driver assist
any cameras other than rear view
HUD
convienence pkg
4 wheel steering

good luck

I'm waiting for a diesel F10,which is rumored to be coming next summer.When (if?) it arrives about the only things I won't order are the pedestrian detection package,rear entertainment and *maybe* active steering.I might also skip the cold weather package as well.If I take the plunge (and I *will* if a diesel is offered) it will be my dream car and I will plan to baby it and keep it until they check me into the nursing home.

Originally Posted by MooseF10

I did not feel a need for the followingriver assist,any cameras other than rear view,HUD

Regarding the HUD...yes,it's true that very few would actually *need* it but it is *very* cool.The 550 I test drove last June had it and I've been a believer since.

I have 1200 miles on my 2011 550i which is heavily optioned. Here is how I rank the packages and options that I have on my 550i.

Priority 1

Sport Package or M-Sport Package
Premium Package 2
Active Cruise Control - It is quite amazing how well it works in stop and go freeway traffic.
Split Folding Rear Seats
HUD

Priority 2

Cold Weather Package
Dynamic Handling Package
Sport Automatic Transmission
Rear View Camera
Comfort Access

Priority 3

Integral Active Steering

Priority 4

Active Ventilated Seat Package
Driver Assistance Package
Power Rear Sunshade

Priority 5

Smart Phone Integration

I would get the M-Sports Package, Premium 2 and at least the folded rear seats.

See, pretty personal. Everyone likes something different. Also depends on what climate you live in for Cold Weather Pkg and Active Vent Seats. Depends on if you have kids, haul stuff, drive in trafffic, wear polarized sunglasses etc. Many of the packages will not bring you any extra value when you trade in or sell so get what you like and figure how long you will keep the car. If you have ever gone to Kelly Blue Book and wondered why you they don't show all the options you have on your car, it is because they have no additional value in the used market.

Upon further review I modified my above post listing priorities.

Go to your dealer (or as many dealers as you like) and test drive multiple cars with multiple options. Ask questions. Read, these forums, others, bmw literature and learn what options there are, see how they may fit with your vision of what you want. Then go back and test drive some more.

The "base" 550 comes pretty loaded so I didn't see a need to add a lot to mine when I ordered it, what I did add is:

Nappa Leather - I have this in my X5 and absolutely love it

Premium Package 2

Sport Package - if for no other reason than the multi-contour seats

HUD - this car likes to run, I was afraid if I didn't have the speed constantly in my face I'd be looking at a number of speeding tickets

STEPTRONIC automatic transmission - this was enough for me, I didn't need the paddles on the steering wheel

Comfort Access - I question if this is really worth the $1000 BMW gets for it

Living in Texas I probably should have ordered the ventilated seats, but I had a hard time with $2950 price tag

FWIW, the ventilated seat package is reduced by $1000 if you have the sport pkg (or vice versa of course).

Here in central California, I can't imagine not having ventilated seats. Cold weather pkg? Don't need it in my town.

In looking at other cars, I drove a non-BMW with a HUD. I found it really annoying. Perhaps with time it'd be different.

As was said. it's all personal.

The one option that I thought I wouldn't use much was the soft close doors but now that I have it I really like it. Definitely sport auto, sport pack. Whatever you decide, you'll love it.

Originally Posted by SRB7787

The one option that I thought I wouldn't use much was the soft close doors but now that I have it I really like it. Definitely sport auto, sport pack. Whatever you decide, you'll love it.

Thats the problem..BMW is way too smart....almost every package has atleast one thing i like....I am trying to make up my mind, real hard to decrease the cost.

Thanks a lot to every body who shared their ideas.....Hope i can conclude on this in my next visit to the dealer.

Someone early in the thread said just order everything. My father used to say that money doesn't grow on trees. If only he'd been wrong!

I just ordered my 550i and included the following:

1 Convenience Package - have keyless entry on my current car and can't imagine not having it. Since that option is $1K on its own (it should be standard), I spent up for the trunk closer and doors.
2. Sports Package - For the seats
3. Dynamic Handling Package - in test driving, I noticed the difference in handling. To me, ordering the car without it would be disappointing.
4. Premium 2: I need the back up camera and satellite radio. The other stuff is useful too.
5. I added side/top view cameras. These seemed helpful in some situations I frequently encounter (parking in a tight garage) and the cost wasn't too high.
6. Fold Down seats - not too expensive and a few times a year, I need this feature.
7. Sports Transmission - for $500, this seemed worth it.

The other options I might of wanted - ventilated seats, rear a/c controls, and adaptive cruise control - seemed expensive and/or unnecessary for me (I don't drive on the freeways too much). The Driver Assistance package was both expensive and somewhat distracting when I test drove. I wasn't willing to spend $80K, so I had to make some compromises.

Good luck.

smartphone is a basic must have, cheap too.

tv sets in the rear are a total waste

split seats must have

driver assist, night vision very expendable options.

550x drive and everthing else you can afford.

I ordered everything on my 550 but as far as my 08 550 goes night vision sucks and only works under optimal conditions and HUD is one of those things you never would order until you take a car that already has it and then I promise you will never order another car with out it. Good luck....

I could be wrong, but I was told the smartphone requires the purchase of an extra fairly expensive dock (if one is made for your phone - if not you're out of luck). The dealer also said that even if you have the dock, it doesn't add any functionality beyond a blue tooth connection. Is that the case? It was cheap, but I figured I'd rather have the space in the center console for other stuff.

The HUD is cool, but I wear polarized sun glasses and it doesn't work if you have those on. If it was half the cost, I probably would have ordered it for night driving. I just decided I could do without it. Like the keyless entry, it is probably something you "need" once you've had it.

The other packages are cool but the only one I think is a must after I got my 550i is the Comfort Access. Nothing beats the convenience of Comfort Access and considering how often I drive my car, it's a MUST HAVE.

Originally Posted by listerone

Regarding the HUD...yes,it's true that very few would actually *need* it but it is *very* cool.The 550 I test drove last June had it and I've been a believer since.

Yes, it's cool.... until you get a stone chip on your windshield.....
The initial cost was one thing, the fact that it did not work with my polarized sun glass and the requirement of $$$ special windshield was the reason I stayed away.

Originally Posted by attila316

The other packages are cool but the only one I think is a must after I got my 550i is the Comfort Access. Nothing beats the convenience of Comfort Access and considering how often I drive my car, it's a MUST HAVE.

+1 I added to my Priority 2 Category in my above post.

Originally Posted by nosnoop

Yes, it's cool.... until you get a stone chip on your windshield.....
The initial cost was one thing, the fact that it did not work with my polarized sun glass and the requirement of $$$ special windshield was the reason I stayed away.

I have had HUD on my last 3 5ers over 6 years. In that time frame I have had 1 windshield replaced. I went to a windshield replacement specialist company and I specified and got the BMW HUD Windshield. The overall cost was slightly more than the regular BMW windshield. Serengetti Sunglasses with the Driver's Lens works spectacular with HUD and they are great sunglasses for driving. I like the Firenze Model with the Driver's Lens. http://www.serengeti-eyewear.com/index_en_na.cfm