Not an ‘X’ but is an Xdrive

[X5Sport]

So after a deep and meaningful discussion with the dealer today, we’ve decided to keep going with this order and make a final decision on 17 Dec. It now all hangs in BMW themselves being more open and honest with both their customers and their dealerships because at present there’s more current information in forums such as this one than there is available to dealerships (often the case I know).

So far we’ve had the following de-specced by BMW:
Passenger lumbar support and backrest width adjust
Wireless charging
Enhanced Bluetooth
Standard Bluetooth (as of this week)
Touchscreen functions
Reverse Assist functionality
Potential loss of power tailgate

The last 4 have only resulted in BMW offering a goodwill gesture of £500. Given this is part of a pack that costs more than £3k and completely hamstrings it, I can see why people are walking away from orders. (2 there this week).

The Dealer is being good as gold, and I think are just as frustrated with BMW. If the order does get cancelled in 3 weeks time the dealership still has to take the car themselves. They’ll fully despec it and have said that given how they can’t get new cars either, they’ll have no issue selling it, even in poverty spec.

We’ve decided on a decision point of 17 Dec and if neither side has any confidence in things getting put back then we’ll pull out of this one and get our deposit back. There’s an LCI version coming next June so we’ll defer until then and try again, though I wonder what state production will be in by that point. Probably means that from the point at which we started looking until delivery will be around 18 months.

We had a look at the 4-series but the headroom is too low for me, even with the seat fully down. That’s a real shame as it also eliminates the i4 from the mix too. They did have an iX in the showroom, and that’s a really great car, but not at £118k for the version with 350 miles of usable range. The 250 mile version is about £80k and as I said the the Sales Manager, that cost has got to drop by at least 1/3rd before people will buy in any real numbers. Even the i4 is more than 70k new. When you add in the extra cost of a charging unit (13A charging takes 37 hours from dead!) and no grant because of the price of the car, it’s still too much for the average buyer.

The bit that really annoys is that you can still fully configure the cars we’ve been looking at on the BMW Configurator but when you send that build to a dealer they tell you it can’t be built. When challenged, BMW GB wanted me to tell them which particular models. I politely informed them that it was their configurator and they should know what can’t be built and not rely on customers to spot the issues. That just further highlights the arrogance of the company and it’s in country customer support. The same issues are being reported globally.

Other manufacturers have just done a ‘Stop Sell’ on certain models, but not BMW. I would have said that if the order is accepted, then it should be built as spec, and from a certain date then that model goes unavailable. BMW are still offering everything and it isn’t until build that options get removed. Odd way to treat customers!

[sapphireblack]

"£118k for the version with 350 miles of usable range. The 250 mile version is about £80k"

Those are laughable figures imo.

I watched the exposé on Cobalt mining and Tesla this week, interesting and shocking. I recall a similar program about the making of a Toyota Prius. Fossil fuels have to go it seems but we don't have a viable alternative yet.

[X5Sport]

I agree.

Hydrogen is the fuel of the future. At least BMW are Cobalt free systems.

[Wayfarer]

I agree.

Hydrogen is the fuel of the future. At least BMW are Cobalt free systems.

Couldn’t agree more, it’ll no doubt be a bit like early video recorders Beta and then VHS, pity the politicians can’t see that at the moment, going headlong into electric. Especially as when it’s windy and sunny the generators get paid to turn them off as there is no storage for excess capacity, whereas it could be utilised to generate Hydrogen.
Hopefully they’ll catch up in due course.

[X5Sport]

Completely agree.

We had a BG engineer in a couple of weeks back servicing the boiler and he told us that Centrica are looking at using Hydrogen in place of natural gas. Boilers are already being approved to use either with a minor change needed (remember town gas conversions - those that are old enough?). Wind power can provide the ‘splitting’ capability and new storage can be built. Keeping it in the pipes may be a challenge but as with natural gas you just put a ‘smell’ into it. Of course it can only be done region by region and they’ll have to purge the network, but that’s not an insurmountable issue either.

Then we’ll discover that the ‘wrong type of plastic’ pipework has been used!

[X5Sport]

Found out this morning that all sorts of options are now being withdrawn so after discussion with the Dealer we’ve cancelled the current order and will now hold on until some clarity appears.

After ordering we lost -

Passenger side width & lumbar adjustment
IDrive touchscreen
Reverse Assist
Android Auto & Apple Car Play
Enhanced Bluetooth
New risk of losing the HK sound system and adaptive suspension (already being removed in the US)

BMW have finally acknowledged that their build system no longer represents what can actually be ordered and ‘your dealer is best placed to know the situation’.

[sapphireblack]

I'm sure its massively disappointing but given the level of compromises you had already reached, it looked like this is where you'd end up.

Not the Christmas prezzie you wanted but cancelling clearly your only option under the circumstances.

[X5Sport]

I’m sure it’s one of those ‘meant to be’ moments and something better is just over the horizon….

If anyone knows the lottery numbers……..

[pvr]

I’m sure it’s one of those ‘meant to be’ moments and something better is just over the horizon….

If anyone knows the lottery numbers……..

Will last weeks do?

On my new order I have heard nothing (VW - Jeep replacement), so I am taking it as that all is going to be there. Or I am just assiming way too much

[X5Sport]

VW are also having problems - as are most brands it seems. Probably worth checking their forums as from what I’m seeing they know far more there than any dealers seem to. Some buyers are having to tell Dealers what is happening (not that that’s unusual though… )

The latest ‘hit’ for BMW seems to be the loss of the touch control on the iDrive from Week 5 (February 22) production.

[X5Sport]

We’ll after much disruption and delay (and cancelling an order) we’re giving up on ICE power altogether and going electric.

Tried both variants of the BMW i4 today and settled on an M50 as a lease car. Current lease will go back early as used car prices are now starting to fall back a bit which could cost us £2k in three months - there a large market correction due in June and another in September. We also considered the iX3 but don’t need anything that big (it’s the size of the E53) and BMW are not permitting factory builds at present. It’s also RWD only and doesn’t even have a ‘drunk’ as BMW have decided the 50:50 weight balance is more important than making use of the big gap left by no engine - even if it wasn’t a huge space, it could have room for small suitcases or a few shopping bags, but no..

It’s still going to be months before we get the new one so more than enough time to sort out smart meters (they’re a must have), power connector pod and EV charging supplier.

I’ve never driven electric before and it’s a bit odd pulling away in complete silence. The theory is (even with the current jump in electricity charges), running the car power wise could be £1,000 cheaper per year than diesel. No VED (for now) and charging at work is free (for now) too. Servicing is 30% cheaper too.

[IanP]

Apart from brakes and suspension, what really needs servicing in an EV?
Surely it should be at least 50% cheaper as the oily bits are much reduced?

[StuBeeDoo]

I'll be interested in your thoughts after a few months of ownership. I was going to buy an EV for Wor Lass later in the year, but it wouldn't have been BMW. But for now, she's decided to stick with her C3 Picasso and run it into the ground. We'll maybe re-visit the possibility of an EV once there are a few more to choose from.

She's very particular about stuff like door aperture height and seat cushion height - doesn't want to have to either climb into the car (like she does my F25), or have to bend her upper back and/or neck to get through the door (like she did with my E46). Anything else about the car she doesn't give a flying you-know-what about.

Personally I'm anti leasing or PCP-ing. I have close family who have been badly burnt using both forms of "ownership" - it seems to me that the only winner is the company providing the finance.

[pvr]

I still haven’t got a delivery date for the ID3, which is ashame as it is a perfect vehicle to buy through my company with ownership being about £25k less over 3 years over private buying.

The charge point I am still in the process of installing, new fusebox in the garage with a dedicated cable to the main supply point. Just need to wire it all in and get someone to put the charger there.

Been waiting since early september

[pvr]

Apart from brakes and suspension, what really needs servicing in an EV?
Surely it should be at least 50% cheaper as the oily bits are much reduced?

I think with Tesla servicing is optional so unwound expect a massive reduction between 50-75% really