[crowed]

Originally Posted by rjberry

I've had a quick play with the photo settings to try and bring out the colour a bit better.

Nice combo! I was wondering if you could comment on the comfort level of the merino leather vs. the standard dakota leather Besides the color options, is the comfort alone worth the upgrade?

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

So what is the verdict......are the camera's useful, or not really used?

The reverse camera is great, the guide lines give a very good idea of how far to swing the wheel. The surround view is also useful but I've not had too many opportunities to use it yet. The view from the side view cameras is weird. I've used them once so far coming out of a side street where cars had parked right up to the junction.

3 days in and they are proving useful. So far they have potential

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by crowed

Nice combo! I was wondering if you could comment on the comfort level of the merino leather vs. the standard dakota leather Besides the color options, is the comfort alone worth the upgrade?

I only had the experience of the dakota when I took the original test drive. To say I don't remember how it felt is perhaps an indication The merino is very soft. The surface is silky smooth and very comfortable.

Originally Posted by crowed

Besides the color options, is the comfort alone worth the upgrade?

That would be a tough call. The comfort is great and the leather is beautiful but it all comes at a cost. I don't regret adding it, for me the quality is worth it. I intend to keep my car for a while so I added all the extras because I wanted it to be special and not the usual standard car. The Individual options are special and really add that little bit extra. If you've got the money in your budget and you've run out of other useful options to add then go for it

[Adman Mike]

First few snaps taken in the car park of the local DIY store, a bit dusty, could do with a wash.

[NISFAN]

That looks absolutely stunning. Shame I can't stretch another £810, otherwise I would be going Tanzanite myself over EB

Is it my imagination or does the M Sport (not adaptive) look lower than the adaptive suspension?

Perhaps you two can run a tape from top of rim to underside of wheelarch, front and back.

So Adman......how does it go?

[Adman Mike]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

That looks absolutely stunning. Shame I can't stretch another £810, otherwise I would be going Tanzanite myself over EB

Is it my imagination or does the M Sport (not adaptive) look lower than the adaptive suspension?

Perhaps you two can run a tape from top of rim to underside of wheelarch, front and back.

So Adman......how does it go?

Well, I've only driven about 10 miles so far - it was delivered to my office - but the signs are very promising. Doesn't seem to suffer the same turbo lag as my E60 3 litre diesel, and it sounds remarkably good when you rev it, unlike most oil-burners.

I'm going to try to resist the urge to thrash her until I have done 1000 miles, then I'll pop her Sport and use the flappy paddles and give her a good seeing to!

Looks stunning in the flesh, compact, aggressive and the wheels are gorgeous. I can see it's going to take some time to get used to ASS, the first few times it happened it was.. 'What the f....' until I realised what it was.

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by Adman Mike

First few snaps taken in the car park of the local DIY store, a bit dusty, could do with a wash.

Nice car

Just wait till you've washed it and brought that sparkle out of the paint

Welcome to the Tanzanite Club

[ZMM_OMG]

Originally Posted by crowed

Nice combo! I was wondering if you could comment on the comfort level of the merino leather vs. the standard dakota leather Besides the color options, is the comfort alone worth the upgrade?

Uh oh...

Just remember that what those lucky folks in the UK paid for the upgrade is about 1/2 of what BMWNA is going to ask.

[crowed]

Originally Posted by ZMM_OMG

Uh oh...

Just remember that what those lucky folks in the UK paid for the upgrade is about 1/2 of what BMWNA is going to ask.

Haha--- I am debating whether to splurge since I'll be keeping this car for a while But then I will have to live with the piano black trim finisher, and not the blue. So many decisions before placing my order in a month!

[KarenD]

That is one beautiful color! Congrats!

[MaestroAl]

Innit. Every time I see pics of a Tanz blue, I get more and more sure it's by far the nicest colour available on the 3 series

[ZMM_OMG]

Originally Posted by crowed

Haha--- I am debating whether to splurge since I'll be keeping this car for a while But then I will have to live with the piano black trim finisher, and not the blue. So many decisions before placing my order in a month!

But it sure is a nice problem to have, isn't it?

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by crowed

Haha--- I am debating whether to splurge since I'll be keeping this car for a while But then I will have to live with the piano black trim finisher, and not the blue. So many decisions before placing my order in a month!

The exact reason I splurged so much was because I intend to keep this car a while. I wanted a car I could keep on enjoying rather than the run of the mill car that I would get bored of.

I have the piano black surround and it is beautiful. The trim finisher in piano black will look great. I think the standard trim finishers are going to be one of those things that either you'll love them or get bored of them.

They are great decisions to have, I made a few false starts and changed my order a few times before I settled on my final choice

[crowed]

Originally Posted by ZMM_OMG

But it sure is a nice problem to have, isn't it?

Originally Posted by rjberry

The exact reason I splurged so much was because I intend to keep this car a while. I wanted a car I could keep on enjoying rather than the run of the mill car that I would get bored of.

I have the piano black surround and it is beautiful. The trim finisher in piano black will look great. I think the standard trim finishers are going to be one of those things that either you'll love them or get bored of them.

They are great decisions to have, I made a few false starts and changed my order a few times before I settled on my final choice

I was wondering if you had the option to go with the blue trim finisher when you ordered the individual leather option?

Thanks for the support (in spending more) guys!

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by crowed

I was wondering if you had the option to go with the blue trim finisher when you ordered the individual leather option?

Thanks for the support (in spending more) guys!

From what I recall the adding of the Individual leather then took away the option of the blue trim finisher. I think then it reverts to the piano black as the standard option.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by rjberry

From what I recall the adding of the Individual leather then took away the option of the blue trim finisher. I think then it reverts to the piano black as the standard option.

The piano black seems to eliminate the only 'cheap' looking effect in the cabin.....the strip that the iDrive controller sits in.

Think I will get the Carbon one that they sell, that will sort it.

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

The piano black seems to eliminate the only 'cheap' looking effect in the cabin.....the strip that the iDrive controller sits in.

Think I will get the Carbon one that they sell, that will sort it.

I'm not a fan of the blue or red trims so I wasn't sorry to lose them at all.

The carbon though will look pretty special

[Adman Mike]

just washed...

[NISFAN]

That is 'officially' the best F30 colour

One thing to watch out for......I have a similar colour on my track car, and it shows swirls very easily. Make sure you keep a good layer of polish on it, to protect the paintwork. Applies to any colour of course but I would think more critical on Tanzanite.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by rjberry

I'm not a fan of the blue or red trims so I wasn't sorry to lose them at all.

The carbon though will look pretty special

I know what you are saying, I don't think Estoril blue trim goes with much else, especially a blue colour clash on your car.

I'm going EB anyway, so don't really mind the blue trim. I do think the piano black is the best option, but I would have to drop other options to fund it.

[rjberry]

Originally Posted by Adman Mike

just washed...

You've got to love the sparkle of that paint

[Adman Mike]

Last few pictures, couldn't resist...