12.4KVIEWS
75REPLIES
0APPRECIATES
01-05-2011LAST POST
The lack of options does not change the driving experience, so I don't understand the waste of money comment.

Better to have an option if you think you might regret it, but if you never use it, then what's the point.
dexx wrote
No options is a waste of money unless you're building a racecar. Or you just want an M3 badge. Could just order one for a Honda civic..
:thumbdown

People like this are why the M Division is moving away from the enthusiast brand it once was.
Exactly.....I guess I really don't fit the typical M3 demographics which I find unfortunate for the M3 brand. I cross-shopped between cars such as the C6 Z06, 996 gt3, 997c2s, and Cayman S, and not between a c63amg or CTS-V or Audi S4.
We have a nicely optioned 335i for general use, but I wanted a sports car capable of being used for an occasional track day and still fun as a daily driver.
I was looking used, but had to order my e92 M3 because I couldn't even find a car with low options. Hope BMW keeps the M3 in this segment, instead of catering towards the luxo crowd....that is what the M5 is for :D

Ordered my 2011 as Alpine White, black cloth interior, carbon trim, and nothing else other than ZCP, heated seats and iPod/USB. Saved $10k vs the typical highly optioned M3, and got the car for about what most were asking for used 2009/10 cars at the time.
dizzyj wrote
I have leather, bluetooth and ipod. I dont miss any of the other options. people seem to think that a low optioned m3 is not a luxurious sports car. They are wrong.
I have about the same plus DCT. I think I would've liked EDC, but since I don't have it and have been to track once, I don't get I really know what I am missing. I still had a blast and the car is still pretty freakin awesome.

Again, I think you'll enjoy the car no matter what options you get.
sensi09 wrote
The lack of options does not change the driving experience, so I don't understand the waste of money comment.
You aren't alone - it made no sense whatsoever. Paying for stuff you don't use would be wasting money. The M engine, brakes, differential, suspension come standard. Those are the important parts.
I personally like all the options

and without iDrive you don't have MDM

I wouldn't have gotten this M3 if it wasn't loaded.

To each his own.
persian54 wrote
without iDrive you don't have MDM
Not true.
g2 wrote
I built my own 2011 M3 on the BMW NA website with no options except the DCT. Jet black, cloth seats, keep the CF roof and DCT. That's it. Has anyone ordered one or own one like that? Do you regret not getting the bells and whistles?
I bought my 02 M3 lightly optioned ($3K over base), but we just ordered our E90 M3 and somehow managed to equip it with $14K worth of stuff.

The one option which I'll never order another car without is heated seats. Another option that I'll never equip a car with is a moonroof.

Good luck!

PhoenixM3
I did the same thing, except the opposite way. I built my car with every option, then got rid of the ones I didn' really need. So I deleted the sunroof.
racer01 wrote
Exactly.....I guess I really don't fit the typical M3 demographics which I find unfortunate for the M3 brand. I cross-shopped between cars such as the C6 Z06, 996 gt3, 997c2s, and Cayman S, and not between a c63amg or CTS-V or Audi S4.
We have a nicely optioned 335i for general use, but I wanted a sports car capable of being used for an occasional track day and still fun as a daily driver.
I was looking used, but had to order my e92 M3 because I couldn't even find a car with low options. Hope BMW keeps the M3 in this segment, instead of catering towards the luxo crowd....that is what the M5 is for :D
I think the M3 is just about the most beautiful car on the road today and I ordered one fully loaded. I like the fact that BMW offers the options so we can decide between sport and sport/luxury. I love hearing what the folks in this forum like about their cars and how they drive them. This is what choice is all about. For me, if the car didn't have some of the options I wanted (navigation, heated seats, iPod interface) I would have purchased a different car. The M5 is a great car but it's too big for me and it's simply not an M3. :)
My car is very lightly optioned. I didnt have the chance to order as I got a great deal on a 08' and cancelled my 09' order. It took alot of phone calls to find a car with this little options. It just has premium package.

If I was going to order another one it would just have bluetooth. I would consider going with leather as well as I dislike the cloth door panels that come with speed cloth. I think you should stick with your choice. When these cars go out of production these low optioned cars will be sought after.
From what i have heard this is the main reason why most dealers don't stock a no option car. If you custom order one like that they "might" require a big no refund deposit in case the buyer backs out and they are stuck trying to sell it.

However if you are looking to convert the car then buying a used lightly optioned car and stripping it would be the better deal. You can sell the OEM parts to fund other go-fast parts. :)
eisenb11 wrote
From a taste perspective - to each their own.

From a resale perspective - it's going to be hard to get rid of this car later. Most (not all) people don't want a luxury sports coupe that's missing a lot of the luxury.

If I were purchasing used, premium is a must have and comp, comfort are highly desirable.
I have only driven my 2011 E92 200km but I love it.

The only options I felt like paying for were metallic paint and interior trim. Black and white are great, but I wanted Melbourne. The black interior with cloth seats and titanium shadow is just too black for me, so I got brushed aluminum trim.

I love this car, but I'm weird.
I opted for the metallic paint, Premium 2 package with sycamore wood, and 19" wheels. I passed on the nav system and deleted the heated seats.

I also passed on the EDC, because my first (and possibly only) mod will be the Dinan Stage 3 suspension.
The only options I ordered were: DCT & the iPod connector....because I was intending to mod the car day 1. Here's a nice write up on my car:

Part One, Intake - The alpine white E92 M3 came to us directly from the dealer with only a few test miles on it...
Part Two, Exhaust - Akrapovic exhaust system...
Part Three, Pulley - It's all about how the power is utilized...
Part Four, Engine Tuning - We needed to let the brain that controls it all "in" on our secret...
Part Five, Suspension - upgrades were part of the plan since day one...
Part Six, Brakes - Since we added power and handling capability, stopping the beast becomes an issue...
Part Seven (Coming in 2011) - Recaro Profi SPG Seat, BMW Performance steering wheel & Volk/Ray's TE37 SL Wheels

Here's another link to the entire story: http://www.vrperformance.com/mt/2010/10/e92_m3_project_part_1_intake.html
erhanh wrote
It is off-topic, but can you please shed more light on your mods? If you have before/after weight list for the parts that will be awesome. Thank you!
Car is still at tuner being built but here is the expected breakdown
Base car (ZCP+MDCT): 3,440lbs (weighed it at a local weigh station)
Recaro PPs: -95lbs
Brembo GT: -20lbs
light weight battery: -40lbs
Carbon trunk: -20lbs
Volk 18" G2: -25lbs
Akropovic Evo: -50lbs
Total: -250lbs
Net: 3,190lbs
I disagree but then again I don't buy my cars based on what I think the next owner may or may not want :D. I buy what I want and then drive the wheels off them. :thumbsup:
eisenb11 wrote
From a taste perspective - to each their own.

From a resale perspective - it's going to be hard to get rid of this car later. Most (not all) people don't want a luxury sports coupe that's missing a lot of the luxury.

If I were purchasing used, premium is a must have and comp, comfort are highly desirable.
I only got mine with the competition package, i really liked the wheels and the lowered suspension. Other then that it is bone dry! does leather seats count??
Attached imageAttached image
SixSigma3.4 wrote
I only got mine with the competition package, i really liked the wheels and the lowered suspension. Other then that it is bone dry! does leather seats count??
Plus sunroof?
SixSigma3.4 wrote
I only got mine with the competition package, i really liked the wheels and the lowered suspension. Other then that it is bone dry! does leather seats count??
Looks like you optioned a sunroof as well...

IMO, it's hard to order these cars stripped. Why not have IPOD/USB? The EDC shocks are one of the nicer perfomance options, not to mention DCT and then who doesn't want carbon leather? It's like pulling the thread on a sweater.

I personally have a single hump dash with no I-Drive and would get it that way again. But as to the rest, I like my options.