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4 series interior quality: not good at all

37K views 390 replies 74 participants last post by  eazy 
#1 · (Edited)
Apologies for the long and somewhat rant-like post. Please take what I'm about to write as a genuine opinion from a frustrated owner.

So I've had my 435i for close to 6 months and it has roughly 7000 miles on it. The car is incredibly great to drive, amazingly comfortable and sounds fantastic. We just came back from a 2000 mile 7 day road trip where I did 100% of the driving and I never got tired or worn out. Brilliant car dynamically, fantastic engine, 8 speed auto box is essentially perfect. I love the heads up display, and the active cruise is the best feature on any car I've ever owned, period.

That being said, I have to vent a bit on BMW's interior quality. It's flat out bad. Maybe my car is one of those 'last shift on Friday' cars. The interior has developed about 6 separate intermittent and annoying rattles, and a couple of severe constant ones as well. The car has been in the shop for a total of 3 weeks since new for this and other issues (other major issue was electronic cooling fan failure). Some of the rattles are not fixed yet, the worst one being related to the ski hatch between the rear seats.

Coming from a C class that had 15,000 miles when I sold it, I am deeply disappointed with BMW's interior quality. The interior finishes just are not up to the same standard as Mercedes. That car never had a single squeak or rattle the entire time I had it. Some specific things I dislike about the BMW:

- Cup holder lid that has to be removed and stashed - cheapness personified. How about a hinged lid? The one on my Merc was hinged and nicely damped.
- Center console storage bin lid - again cheapness personified. Cheap feeling latch, no damping so it just falls shut.
- Use of cheap looking glossy (or matt if you order it) plastic trim as highlight details on the dash and doors.
- Cheap-looking silver-painted plastic on the steering wheel and gearshift surround, where other brands normally have nice brushed aluminum

Overall the interior is symptomatic of a company that doesn't understand or doesn't care about surprise and delight (it's a thing in product design). This is not some opinion from someone who kicked the tyres on some cars at a dealership, I've owned both cars for considerable periods and paid from them out of my own pocket. If it was just the finishing that was poor compared to other luxury brands I could forgive it. But a car should not sound like it is falling apart after 5000 miles. I will probably have one more go with the dealership trying to fix the ski hatch rattle, then just live with it after that.

At this point I don't see myself staying with the BMW brand next time I lease a car. Very disappointed.
 
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#2 ·
Could it all be chalked up to buying in the first year of the model? I bought an early build 2013 Nissan Altima and found all kinds of things that should have been caught at the factory. Ultimately I had to lemon law the car. I won't buy a first year design again unless the manufacturer has an exemplary record with them.
 
#5 ·
I guess it could be? The interior is basically the same as the current 3 series which had been available for a while before the 4 series (not sure how long).

Unfortunately lemon laws don't cover annoying but non-critical issues, as far as I understand.
 
#3 ·
The center console is spring loaded, it shouldn't fall shut. Overall, I guess Mercedes interiors are of higher quality but BMW does a good, not great job. Tell me, would you rather have the BMW or Mercedes driving dynamics? You can't even get a MT in a C class. Tells you about the company's philosophies. In the US right now you can't even get a RWD C class.

Is your car a base model or a line? My Sport Line does not have cheap plastic trim on the doors or dash. It's aluminum.
 
#6 · (Edited)
You're right, it doesn't fall shut, but the action doesn't feel good - it's not damped, just spring loaded. I guess you could say that's matter of taste. Driving dynamics of the BMW are definitely superior, in fact the C class auto box drove me nuts. I wouldn't go back to Merc just because of that. I would probably be giving Audi a long hard look when I choose my next car.

I have a Sport Line too. There are strips of gloss plastic on the door and dash that could not be optioned to anything non-plastic. At least that was the case for the MY2014 which my car is. You could have carbon fibre but I don't like that and it requires M Sport line.
 
#4 ·
It's unfortunate you didn't sit in a BMW before leased and are therefore shocked and disappointed.
 
#8 ·
Fair comment. Actually I test drove several 3 and 4 series cars with different interior options and engines before I ordered. I loved the way the cars drove, but had reservations about the interior. I didn't want another Mercedes because of their auto boxes (very unresponsive), and didn't really like the Audi options available at the time. The 4 series hit the sweet spot for spec and price. Like I said in my OP, I would forgive the finishing and cost cutting if it was actually well built, which it now becomes clear is very much not the case.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Interiors are a matter of opinion. You will always hear good and bad on both sides. I drove a number of the two previous C class variants and (just me personally), was never that impressed. I also felt the BMW's had superior head (and legroom) which is a significant factor when you're taller. I've also never experienced any major or minor issues with any BMW interior I've owned, to include cosmetic issues.

This doesn't help you, but in the end, I would easily take the drivability and handling of a BMW over that of a Mercedes and to me that is more important than the interior.
 
#9 ·
Sorry to hear about your rattles. However, I would say it's just your luck. I have had squeaks and rattles in all my new Mercs in the past but not my BMWs. As a matter of fact, the only rattles I had in a BMW were in a 2008 7er that developed a rattle around the idrive display @2000 miles and another door rattle some @6000 miles down the road, both diagnosed and fixed on the first visit. I haven't had any rattles with my last 3 BMWs, one of which was a first model year F30.
 
#14 ·
I agree my experience is probably worse than average, an outlier. Subjectively it does make me gun-shy against leasing another BMW. The couple of loaners I had from the dealer also had rattles here and there, although of course they tend to get mistreated a bit.
 
#10 ·
The interior of this car is decent at $32,000. But pushing it to the $40-$90,000 does not cut it at all.

BMW knows it very well so there you have the newly introduced leather dash, Full Leather and some CF trims in upper models. But it is just not enough to cover the cheapness for the price, IMO.
 
#12 ·
The interior of this car is decent at $32,000. But pushing it to the $40-$90,000 does not cut it at all.

BMW knows it very well so there you have the newly introduced leather dash, Full Leather and some CF trims in upper models. But it is just not enough to cover the cheapness for the price, IMO.
If you spec the car with Merino and individual leather dash, the only sign of cost cutting you'll have left will be the hard plastic on the driver's side of the center console, which I really wish BMW covered in leather as part of the extended leather option. Otherwise the quality is perfectly acceptable for a car with this starting price. You wouldn't expect a 4er to sport the same materials you find in a 6er. Sheet metal isn't that expensive :) I do however commend the new C class for changing the game. I couldn't fault the interior. We'll see if BMW catches up with the LCI
 
#13 ·
It's not that bad compared to a c class; mercedes are supposed to be more luxurious anyways (where as bmw are more about the driving experience). Of all of the differences, the only thing my gf complained about is the fact that the navigation voice sounds flat in BMW (or "soul less" in her words) compared to the benz.
 
#20 ·
My wife has a 2013 c250..I have a 2011 e 90 and I just got done with a 2014 328i GT and I would have to say the c250 in my opinion has the best stereo and interior and my e90 is nicer than the f30. I am used to my car but hers has better ergonomics and space. But I do find the new bmw (at least the one) I tried to be only a few steps up from a honda.

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app
 
#21 · (Edited)
- Cup holder lid that has to be removed and stashed - cheapness personified. How about a hinged lid? The one on my Merc was hinged and nicely damped.
- Center console storage bin lid - again cheapness personified. Cheap feeling latch, no damping so it just falls shut.
- Use of cheap looking glossy (or matt if you order it) plastic trim as highlight details on the dash and doors.
- Cheap-looking silver-painted plastic on the steering wheel and gearshift surround, where other brands normally have nice brushed aluminum


Cup Holder: I'd be pissed if the cup holders had a lid because I never use the lid for anything. I've either got a drink or an iPhone in the cup holders, the tray is useless, very glad I can stash it in the glove compartment.

Center Console: I open it three times a year to sync my iPod. How it functions doesn't really matter to me.

Glossy Plastics: I think these look fine and they are a huge leap forward from the fugly E90 interior that most of us suffered through from 2005-2013.

Aluminum Surrounds: See above.

You could have gotten a Luxury line which has nicer interior touches. Not sure what your interior color is but there is enough visual interest in my Saddle Brown w/Anthracite between the black carpets, light headliner, grey woods, etc. that it puts the emphasis on the leather and not on the rest. When I owned an all-black interior, it put too much emphasis on the dash and the other do-dads. You have to look at your car holistically, not on a micro level like this.

BJ
 
#22 ·
BJ, I like your interior color choices - they work really well. Not what I would choose personally, but still really nice. I'll try to post up a pic of my interior, but this is what I have:

Sport line
Black leather
Brushed aluminum
Gloss black highlight finishers

I think these are the main options that affect interior color... did I miss anything?
 
#24 ·
No you didn't. Honestly though, I believe your choice of interior colors helped accentuate your disappointment. The contrast between black and aluminum is too high, then you have the glossy black plastic finishers which are bound look cheap right along the aluminum. You would have been a lot more satisfied with a luxury line.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Before the new Mercedes C Class came out a few months ago, I would have said to myself that you were letting these rattles and cheap materials go to your head and that you should just enjoy the car. HOWEVER, after seeing the new C Class, the F30 interior has become miles behind. Unfortunately, BMW has fallen behind in the interior department. When the F30 came out in 2012, it was the best of the best. It trumped the last generation C Class and was light years ahead of the Audi. However, with the current C Class and upcoming Audi A4, it wont surprise me if both the Audi & MB take the cake. There are some things that the current C Class has that I enjoy so much more than the F30. A few are: an electromechanical parking brake, simple, elegant switch instead of the old school lever that the F30 has that is hard to engage and feels cheap. Even the current A4 has this feature also. Interior storage space is somewhere where the F30 falls short also, the new C Class has a glasses holder in the overhead console, has MUCH more storage space both in the cupholder area and the center console can hold 5 iPhones. My car has a minor vibration sound in the passenger door sill area, a driver seat that "creaks/sags" in the center rear cushion where your spinal cord touches, and the sound of plastic creaking/expanding when the car is very warm and A/C is in full blast. The C Class was absolutely silent and IMO had less road noise and cabin felt more isolated in general. I really also wish 328i F30 would come with standard anti-theft alarm and LED brake lights/turn signals. The C Class and A4 have these standard.

Giving credit where credit is due, the F30 fit and finish, NOT material quality, is excellent for its price range. Definitely above a Cadillac interior. Seats are very comfortable and supportive, ZF 8HP is a work of art, 29 mpg, and great looking if you get Xenons and upgraded rims. I also really like free oil changes, wiper blades, and rotors/pads with BMW maintenance plan.

I am not crazy about the new Mercedes C Class' price. Starting at $40k I built a C Class comparable to my $47K F30 and it ended up becoming $54k for the Mercedes. I really have a problem paying $54 for a 4-banger. HOWEVER, MB did a great job in separating the C-Class and CLA-Class. The BMW 320i IMO cheapens the 3 Series overall. BMW should have made a 4-door 2 Series comparable to a CLA or A3, instead of blending 3 Series models together.

Don't get me wrong, I am not going to get these minor interior/ergo issues make me dislike my F30. BMW is BMW, they are going to make either the LCI or next gen directly comparable to the new C Class and upcoming A4. I just think they got a little too comfortable when designing the F30. I love competition.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I was recently in a Luxury Line 328 and it's considerably nicer than other trims. BJs interior is really nice.

IF I were OP though and has spent upwards of $55k or so on a car, I would expect a little more. My car comes in at $36000 and change MSRP and honestly, interior elements of my 2010 $25k VW GTI were nicer. For example, the M Sport Steering wheel at first glance is 'nice'. The leather is nice, it's nice to the touch, very nice. But then you start poking around and realize that 50% of that steering wheel is constructed of very brittle, cheap hard plastic. Instead of brushed aluminum, they use straight up crappy plastic. The GTI wheel was either soft touch plastic, rubber, leather or brushed aluminum. But then again, that car had so many creaks, rattles, squeaks and interior build problems and this car has had none thus far, going on 9k miles, 1 year of service. On the other hand, you take my glovebox. Its soft touch on the outside and very well cushioned and padded on the inside with a nice door and closes with a nice solid thud. Interior LED lighting comes standard.. Etc. So on the one hand they give you stuff like that, like felt padded door pockets and then on the other hand, give you crappy plastic bits on the steering wheel. IN other words, it's obvious where they tried to cut corners.. My friend's wife leases a C250. He drives it to work sometimes and the interior of that car is quite a bit nicer than mine. Same price point. Seems to me that if you want a nice BMW interior, it's just going to cost you a grip of money.

Here is a quick phone shot from my GTI. Look at that wheel, the dash, the aluminum trim, the stitching, the aluminum and rubber padded pedal covers... All that came standard on a $25k car. To get those touches and attention to detail on a BMW, you need to spend $50k. That's all. IT's just a drag that OP is in a 435 and is complaining about the same things I complain about in my $35k car.

 
#27 ·
I was recently in a Luxury Line 328 and it's considerably nicer than other trims. BJs interior is really nice.

Here is a quick phone shot from my GTI. Look at that wheel, the dash, the aluminum trim, the stitching, the aluminum and rubber padded pedal covers... All that came standard on a $25k car. To get those touches and attention to detail on a BMW, you need to spend $50k. That's all. IT's just a drag that OP is in a 435 and is complaining about the same things I complain about in my $35k car.

Being a golf mk7 owner myself (which has even better materials, fit and finish than the mk6 which I have also previously owned) I can attest to the materials and build quality. It's fantastic value, and comes close but certainly no match for, let alone trumps the F30 in terms of materials. What hard and brittle plastics on the F30's steering wheel are you referring to? The horn area? this is a soft cover for the airbag.
 
#33 ·
I really like my interior. Aluminum Hexagon trim with Black. Like so many things, we all have different tastes.
 

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#47 ·
what? C-class interiors specifically are a complete POS. The prior model specifically. I should know as I've driven them numerous times as loaners. Now I might agree with you with regards to an annoying rattle. Benz seems to be better at placing felt tape.
 
#52 ·
BJ....I see your point about the differences in the interiors but you have it skewed because one picture has a beautiful view out of the windshield.
 
#54 · (Edited)
Yeah I've got a center console rattle as well actually. The hard piece of plastic below the climate control panel. Very cheap looking, right in the middle of the dash - nice. If you press on it, the rattle usually disappears. The dealer has taken most of the B and C pillar areas apart and stuffed it full of felt tape. Hopefully if they can lick the ski hatch rattle and this center console, the car should be good. Doesn't change the fact that the car is incredible to drive though!

By the way, thanks folks I appreciate the insightful and engaging responses to what was a fairly rant-like post that might have easily put people off side.
 
#63 ·
AFAIK, Individual Merino Leather isn't available as a regular production option on U.S. market F30. Perhaps Technic can confirm whether it can be special ordered.

In Germany, Individual Merino Leather interior costs 2,900 Euro on F30. Dakota Leather is 1,790 Euro for comparison.
 
#65 ·
It is simple: Mercedes does plush and luxury interiors. BMW does sporty and minimalistic but upscale nonetheless. I do not konw why people compare these cars when they are meant for different buyers, even if they are in the same car class.

Things like the cupholders are something that BMW has never done well. Germans do not eat or drink in their cars and therefore, cupholders have never been a priority for them when they design.

I also do not understand why someone buys a 50K car that they have allegedly tested and seen and then do not like it shortly thereafter. If you are looking for luxury, it is certainly out there in other options so why not get one of those other options instead?
 
#68 ·
Germans do not eat or drink in their cars and therefore, cupholders have never been a priority for them when they design.
As it rightly should be.
I do understand that there are people who have long daily commutes (I work from home, so my idea of traffic is when my cat walks in front of me om my way to the office at the end of the hallway) and need to at least drink something in the car. But eating? Nope. Never. Unless it's a rental. :p

Everyone's free to do what they like in a car that they pay for. As for me and my passengers though, we eat and drink while making regular stops along the way when taking a longer journey. Nobody has starved or became dehydrated so far. But I don't have kids yet, so... I'm enjoying clean interiors until then. :eek:

Off topic rambling over.
 
#67 · (Edited)
Sorry OP for the bad fit and finish. I guess I've been lucky as well and have had no rattles in either of my F30's. My wife had one in her X1, but it was fixed quickly and has been rattle free ever since.

I've never used the cupholder lid in either of my cars. Like others, I always have something in them if it is a phone or coffee etc.

Don't really get the gas, clutch or brake pedal furor. The sport ones look nice, but I've never had a problem with the standard ones or felt like I got cheated or anything.

The F30 interior is no masterpiece, but I do think it is upscale and love the minimalist approach. I really don't get people that complain about the ergonomics as I think it is excellent at being very driver centric in a lot of different departments. Without even looking anymore I can get to whatever I need very quickly, usually without taking my eyes off the road.

If you want plush and that wow factor go elsewhere or buy something above the F30. I do think other manufacturer's do that better. But, the OP's issue should not happen at this price point. Hope it gets fixed soon, that would drive me nuts as well.
 
#72 · (Edited)
This is one of those gray areas where the tech and "driving" options you spec out on your car often have very little influence on the fit, finish and aesthetics but can have a huge impact on the price. A 4-series price can range from the low 40s upwards to almost 60k. That is about a 50% price swing on what is essentially the same car. Of course the 435 is faster, the sport line looks a little cooler, and the luxury has a few nicer touches. They are all still "4s" though. To me, the 4-series "feels" like a very nice mid to upper 40k car and that is where I was comfortable equipping mine. If I spent over much over 50k - approaching 60k for my 4-series, I would probably be disappointed too actually as 55-60k car is frankly a different class of vehicle than an F3x. I think with all the tech and gadget options available on vehicles today, it is very easy to over-option a car and put it at a price point that far exceeds the class of car you are actually buying.

This is just the opinion of the owner of a modestly equipped 428ix but mine does parallel park itself (best ROI possible with my wife as an occasional driver)
 
#79 ·
Right, the alu trim doesn't work great because some of the areas are too big.

For me, BMW could improve things with a couple of items:
  • Gloss black trim and relatively even but not plain and not screaming red such as in the sycamore are good. Classy
  • Stop hiding that behind the sport line which pulls in the ugly steering wheel
  • That steering wheel has to go anyway
  • Gloss black trim combined with the plastic-covered "dakota" black leather is over the top. And the dakota black is too grey anyway. The beige in the plastic-covered dakota is too yellow. I can't understand that real brown is part of the luxury line. Fine. However, there would be opportunity to make a dark leather that isn't quite black and combines well with the gloss black trim. So, a color like the mocha in the F10 to loosen it up just a touch. Then gloss black trim.
 
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