Actually it's for my wife. Her 3rd BMW. We had a 330 convertible loaded except for nav coming of lease this month with a residual of 28,900. Sold it in 3 days for $35,100 cash. Not bad I thought!

Anyway, my wife and I are doing a European delivery in which the car will be ready the end of April. I guess we'll go over and check it out, visit a day or so and come on back home and wait for the car.

We ordered it white with Saddle Brown interior (wife's a little nervous about this because she has not seen it with her own eyes). We've heard that it is a beautiful interior. Besides that the car is loaded with every option except navigation. It may just be me, but I've never been that impressed with German nav systems. My mothers in her Mercedes is a pain and I've played around with some in the newer BMW's and still wasn't crazy about it. I actually think that TomTom makes a Nav system that is about 1000 times more user friendly.

When I drive with my foot to the floor I just don't want to be bothered with iDrive.

Anyway, the waiting process has started!

Never posted here before, but hello to all the regulars!

JL

Congrats! FYI: I have the saddle brown interior and think it looks great. You will like it.

I agree with you...

We just bought a 328i and said any options was ok, but NOT navigation. The garmin NUVI 660 that just came out is awesome, easier to use, and cheaper!

I have Nav. in my Acura, and it's amazing... all touch screen, VERY easy to use, and simple!

the saddle brown interior... you either love it or hate it.

i actually like it. looks great in a white, or black car.

Had saddle brown and changed it to beige once I saw it in the car or should I say my mate did.
I hope you ordered your ED from Adrian since he is one of the best CA's out there doing killer ED deals...

I put in my order for the 335 convertible last week as well. The dealer told me it would be at least June before it would be ready. By the time it's shipped back to the US, it'd be September. That makes me sad:(
I think I might as well wait and order a 2008.

Sparkling Graphite w/ Coral Red is what I Wanted.

How Much??!!

White / Saddle Brown is a killer combo.

Welcome. You will love the car. What year was the lease? Sounds like someone made a real bad deal paying over 6K over residual especially for a car without Nav, unless you had a lot of expensive AM parts on your 330 which would explain it.

I am also surprised you can order now for a April delivery of a 335i vert. Why on earth would you do ED to stay a day or 2? The main benefit of ED is the vacation and opportunity to travel around Europe in your new BMW. I would re-think that plan. One week should be the minimum stay for an ED, especially for a couple.

If you dont care about the cost you should definitely get premium and nav. It is the seemless integration that makes all the difference. As nice as some of the AM nav units are they look like crap and the RTTI, and I-drive menus for control of pretty much every funtion of the car are a must to get the full benefit of the new Bimmers even if you elect to use a Garmin or Tom-Tom. The only reason not to get it is if it puts the car out of your budget.

Just my thought, enjoy the car.

Welcome. You will love the car. What year was the lease? Sounds like someone made a real bad deal paying over 6K over residual especially for a car without Nav, unless you had a lot of expensive AM parts on your 330 which would explain it.

I am also surprised you can order now for a April delivery of a 335i vert. Why on earth would you do ED to stay a day or 2? The main benefit of ED is the vacation and opportunity to travel around Europe in your new BMW. I would re-think that plan. One week should be the minimum stay for an ED, especially for a couple.

If you dont care about the cost you should definitely get premium and nav. It is the seemless integration that makes all the difference. As nice as some of the AM nav units are they look like crap and the RTTI, and I-drive menus for control of pretty much every funtion of the car are a must to get the full benefit of the new Bimmers even if you elect to use a Garmin or Tom-Tom. The only reason not to get it is if it puts the car out of your budget.

Just my thought, enjoy the car.

Actually I think what really helped me was the color being white, pristine condition & low mileage (24K). I had two people who really wanted the car. The car was loaded with everything except nav. The first guy offered my 33K then 34K. The next day someone came out and just didn't care. He wanted white and there were none anywhere in this area with this low mileage and also with 18" alloy wheels, heated seats, sports package, natural brown, etc... He offered asking price right off the bat. I gave the first guy "first right of refusal" (which ticked off the 2nd buyer) and the first buyer just told me he would buy it for asking price too. Sold it to first buyer for 35,100. Yeah, I think I got lucky on that one as well. After I payed off the car with 6% sales tax I still cleared about $4500 versus just turning it in.

The ED option was the quickest way I could get my wife into a new BMW 335. Which actually since the original post have a production number and a date of May 10th for the car to be ready. We may stay a few more days to play with the car and my wife wants to go to Prague anyway.

I appreciate your input about the iDrive system. I still have a about 2 weeks before I can change anything on the car. However, I still just don't like using iDrive to control the radio, nav, etc... I think it looks great in the car, but I still am just not sold on it. When I was trying to change the radio stations with iDrive I was just getting pissed off. When I sat in a car without iDrive, everything just seemed easier. No, I didn't have nav, but there was still seemless integration with my Bluetooth phone which displayed numbers and names on the radio readout. Just wonder what, besides Nav would I really be missing out on?

Also, was does RTTI stand for?

Thanks,

JL

Also, was does RTTI stand for?


Real Time Traffic Information

changing the radio station is a piece of cake... once you setup the presets in idrive (sitting in the driveway if possible) you can go through them by hitting the up and down buttons on the steering wheel. not to mention you'll have 6 preset buttons for the idrive that you can program for any combo of phone number, nav location and radio station. unless it's a financial thing, getting the idrive/nav is a no-brainer to me.

changing the radio station is a piece of cake... once you setup the presets in idrive (sitting in the driveway if possible) you can go through them by hitting the up and down buttons on the steering wheel. not to mention you'll have 6 preset buttons for the idrive that you can program for any combo of phone number, nav location and radio station. unless it's a financial thing, getting the idrive/nav is a no-brainer to me.

OK. So I went back to the dealer where I ordered my wife's car. Sat in a car with iDrive and he went over it with me. I'm not computer illiterate or anything like that. Once we were done, I had it down fairly easy. So I guess I'll eat my words and say that I added the iDrive/Nav.

As of Friday of this week I can't make any changes to the car. I think my wife and I will be satisfied. 335 Cabrio white with Saddle Brown/Black interior and every option except active cruise and steering.

I think I'm done.

We will be picking up our car May 10th in Munich and staying for a few days of driving. Then turning it over for the long wait.

Thanks for all in the input.

JL

i am so torn about the navigation. i know the tom tom and other after market works better but the factory look is just so ridiculously hot.

OK. So I went back to the dealer where I ordered my wife's car. Sat in a car with iDrive and he went over it with me. I'm not computer illiterate or anything like that. Once we were done, I had it down fairly easy. So I guess I'll eat my words and say that I added the iDrive/Nav.

As of Friday of this week I can't make any changes to the car. I think my wife and I will be satisfied. 335 Cabrio white with Saddle Brown/Black interior and every option except active cruise and steering.

I think I'm done.

We will be picking up our car May 10th in Munich and staying for a few days of driving. Then turning it over for the long wait.

Thanks for all in the input.

JL


It sounds like a beautiful car. I can't wait to see the pics. Enjoy the trip as well. Like I said make it at least a week, you wont regret it. Dont forget you dont have to drop off in Munich. Nice call on teh Nav as well:)

congrats... don't forget to pre-order a nav DVD for europe! radgator1 is right... there are a bunch of places that you can do the dropoff... but have a rental there with you, because the truck comes, takes the car and leaves you standing in a parking lot :)