[werewolf81]

First of all I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you guys. Being on this forum helped me a lot to get the right car with the right options. Also, what's a better place to show off?

---

So I collected the car last Sunday from Oxford. The collection went pretty smoothly.

They don't have a proper showroom so there were no any special fireworks or lights which other people got for their cars. However, we got a free hotel just for the night before the collection which was just opposite to the dealership.

Also, we got a bottle of good wine from them to celebrate the new car when we come back home! Overall, it was really good and the two chaps we dealt with were very helpful and professional.

Now, going back to the car itself...


Exterior:
The colour looks absolutely fantastic. I was afraid that it might be almost black in a dark light but definitely it looks still blue. Also, the colour changes depending on the light so it's like having a few cars in one during the day

At the moment I haven't added any mods so it's exactly as it was delivered from the factory.


Tires
Standard Bridgestones and to be honest, at first the road noise was absolutely horrible especially we started our way back home on the chipped tarmac (I don't know what's the proper name for this type) so we had really bad experience from the very beginning.
Now it seems to be a bit better. I don't know if this is just me getting a bit used to that, or generally roads are better where I live. Or maybe tires are worse when they are completely new? Now, the car has 320 miles on the clock.


Interior
Generally very good quality as many of you already know.

Merino leather + the dashboard make a completely different feeling to our 1 series even though the cockpit theoretically looks almost the same.

The thing that surprised me was when I noticed that doors have still plastic finish at the top! It turns out that only Coupes have these part covered with leather even though the price of the option (leather dash) in GC is almost the same as in the one on a regular coupe.
Very cheap move from BMW in my opinion.

Having the leather dashboard but plastic doors makes the look inconsistent. It should be both plastic or both leather.

Also, I don't like red interior lights. I wasn't a fan of them in the 1 series, I'm not a fan of them in this car. Maybe they're classic but they just don't do for me with the fancy leather and the black piano trim.

First impressions of the Cashmere Beige is that it doesn't create that nice contrast which the Opal White does but in the same time, I'm having a feeling that it's more forgiving and doesn't need to be cleaned as often as the Opal.


Digital Cockpit
I really like it! It's crisp and gives a bit more modern look to the car. It's not that special overall in terms of its functionality but it's closed to the 21st century


Lumbar Support
Really good! It turned out that you can move it up and down too which I didn't know so it was a nice surprise. I'm a tall guy cause I'm 6,4'' and all together it took me less than 5 minutes to find a pretty good driving position.


Heating Steering Wheel
Very nice! And more and more useful just when the winter's coming.


Variable Steering Wheel
I took it as it was described as something that gives a bit more sporty feeling. So far, I can't see much difference between this one and the normal steering wheel from our 1 series. However, I haven't had any fast ride nor had to maneuver on tight parking spaces so maybe that's why.


Adaptive Suspension
Haven't tested it yet in sport. In the comfort mode it's alright. I expected actually to even be a bit softer but I also noticed that it's generally slightly better now than it was when I just got the car.

Och, and the High Beam Assistant which is now standard. What a nice little feature! My wife uses in constantly now. It failed only once or twice when it didn't turn off the light but generally it seems to be working pretty good and it's faster than own hands.


I won't write anything about the engine because firstly, I'm still breaking it and driving like a gradma, secondly it was described here already a thousand times


Overall, I'm really happy with the car so far.

The only thing I'd change would be the colour of the internal lights (or at last give user a choice like in new Jags) and doors should have the top finished with leather if the leather dashboard is taken!

I'm making an appointment for detailing and getting a ceramic coating. I'll post more pictures after that if someone's interested.

[JustChris]

Great looking car! The GC variant looks to be cleaning up and great deals persist!

[mcoops]

I think you can switch the ambient lighting from orange to white in your iDrive settings. Is that what you meant?

[werewolf81]

Originally Posted by mcoops

I think you can switch the ambient lighting from orange to white in your iDrive settings. Is that what you meant?

Unfortunately, it only changes the colour in the doors from very weak white to orange/red and vice versa.

It does nothing to the colour of instruments in the night mode. They are standard orange/red lights for years and I don't like them with the cream interior.

[werewolf81]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Great looking car! The GC variant looks to be cleaning up and great deals persist!

Thanks. A great deal was one of the biggest arguments to use when I was trying to convince my misuses that I need this car :P

[AlwynMike]

Picked mine up yesterday.
It is on 18" Good years, and coming from an E91 I find the car very quiet, with just a touch of wind noise at the legal limit.

Had it up to 4k a couple of times and it promises great times to come. 200 miles done, 1000 to go.......

Mike

[Ss66]

Congrats on the new car, fine colour combo may i say.

[goodbyalfa]

Best colour bmw do IMHO. Great car.

[strike4A]

Originally Posted by werewolf81

Thanks. A great deal was one of the biggest arguments to use when I was trying to convince my misuses that I need this car :P

I am/was in the same situation. Your car spec is almost exactly what I would go for but other half wants to sit up high this time so we're going down X3 route most likely. M40i version should help though!

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by strike4A

I am/was in the same situation. Your car spec is almost exactly what I would go for but other half wants to sit up high this time so we're going down X3 route most likely. M40i version should help though!

New model unlikely to have great deals on to start with so hope you are feeling patient...

[willjames]

Nice. We'll done that man!

[superbow]

I thought that if you had leather dash you get leather on tops of doors. I'm sure anyone who has spec this will confirm this or even double check at your dealer. Congrats on the the car 👍

[Apollocs]

Congrats, lovely looking motor. Good choice on the Merino Cashmere, really lifts the interior along with the two tone dash.

Shame about the door tops not being leather finished. I have the exact same interior in my 3 series and the front and rear doors are finished the same as the dash.

I had considered a 440i GC but never spotted or was told that the Individual dash option was missing the doors, what a rip off!

[hudson012003]

[QUOTE=werewolf81;22192740]First of all I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you guys. Being on this forum helped me a lot to get the right car with the right options. Also, what's a better place to show off?

She's a beauty, well done. I've got the Tan.Blue & didn't really know how brilliant it was until I saw the car for the 1st time. When the Sun shines she is just fantastic to look at & even now after 6 mths I still look out the window with a smile...

[MashinBenzin]

Looks fantastic! Enjoy it

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

New model unlikely to have great deals on to start with so hope you are feeling patient...

It's not just the deals, they'll use it as an excuse, like Merc and Audi, to hike the list price as well. I suspect that in the future the 40i won't be quite as accessible to as many people as they are now.

I know I would think twice if there was much of a rise in cost.

[strike4A]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

New model unlikely to have great deals on to start with so hope you are feeling patient...

Can get 3-4% off the 20d/30d at the moment. M40i coming couple of months after so let's see. Also have a little equity on my current PCP which helps. Still nowhere near the 4GC deals though.

[Red F30]

Very nice! I regularly park next to a 640d in the same colour at work. It looks so good in direct sunlight and nice and understated the rest of the time.

[werewolf81]

Thanks everyone. The car looks really good and as some people wrote in other threads, it's nice to be in it.

It's my first brand new car so I was worrying a lot if I'm making the right decision getting it. However, so far so good. I'll write another review when I make 5k miles or something.

Yesterday I tried integration of Spotify (with a premium account you can download songs to your phone) via ConnectedDrive and it's working great. I can control everything via iDrive and even see album covers on the car screen.

I didn't realise it's possible without buying the Online Entertainment or CarPlay which now I know they are completely unnecessary in my case.

Originally Posted by Apollocs

Congrats, lovely looking motor. Good choice on the Merino Cashmere, really lifts the interior along with the two tone dash.

Shame about the door tops not being leather finished. I have the exact same interior in my 3 series and the front and rear doors are finished the same as the dash.

I had considered a 440i GC but never spotted or was told that the Individual dash option was missing the doors, what a rip off!

I just checked a new build of 3 series in the configurator and you're right, the leather is there!

But doing the same thing on the 4GC shows you that tops are just plastic. What a weird move from BMW!

Is here anyone else who had the same 'problem'?

if I'd known this I'd have probably skipped the lather dashboard entirely.

[Apollocs]

Originally Posted by werewolf81

I just checked a new build of 3 series in the configurator and you're right, the leather is there!

But doing the same thing on the 4GC shows you that tops are just plastic. What a weird move from BMW!

Is here anyone else who had the same 'problem'?

if I'd known this I'd have probably skipped the lather dashboard entirely.

I think you definitely did the right thing with going for the dash option and would have regretted skipping it. The interior look is really improved with the lower colour matching the seats.

The door tops are a small detail to be fair and if you hadn't known about it would you really have changed you mind on the dash option?

[moff]

Excellent, glad you love the car!!

Totally agree that the lack of leather on the doors is crazy, shocking actually and not on that it costs the same. A letter the BMW UK should be in order, especially as this isn't made clear during the config process.

Loving the colour combo's too, you'll be grateful long term that you avoided Opal White! It's like wearing white jeans!