Well, I finally did it!
Two weeks ago I placed an official order with David Aviles (eurocarsonline.com) for my first ever BMW. This is my order:
M3 Coupe 1237
Jerez Black A73
Competition Package ZCP
Premium Package 2 ZP2
Convenience Package ZCV
M-DCT w/Drivelogic 2MK
Enhanced Premium Sound 752
BMW Apps 6NR
Heated Seats 494
Why MY2012? Well, I would prefer to do ED in October, and I'm told by several sources that MY2012 M3s won't be available for pickup until October 15th (Saturday) due to emission changes and certificates required that won't be ready until this date. I figure if I'm waiting this long, I might as well go for MY2012. Technically, BMWNA can't confirm my ED order for another ~2 months, until the dealer can place the order for a MY2012 in his system.
No one knows details about any option or pricing changes for MY2012.
I have to say, David Aviles has just been superb with every step of this process so far. He really knows is stuff, and is fast, responsive and had a great price. Thanks again David
Just a bit of a background on how I ended up choosing this car. I haven't had a fun weekend car in almost 2 years (was a '90 IROC-Z 1LE), so I've been puddling around with my daily driver, always interested in a BMW. I started lurking around this forum in late 2009, when the first spyshots of the F30 sedan surfaced. I thought that would be a great daily driver for me! The more I started learning about BMWs, and the more I thought about what I really wanted, I determined that a standard sedan (while fun) would probably not satisfy me long term.
Last Fall, when the 1M details emerged, I decided that it could be the car for me. I got on my local dealer's list with a deposit, and started making plans for ED. I was committed to the 1M! Unfortunately, I started to sour on it, when after months of having a deposit, there was no way my dealer could confirm that I would actually get a car, and when that time-frame was. Since an ED vacation was a high priority, I was not comfortable with the ambiguity surrounding the 1M. I thought my early interest and deposit would avoid all of that, but that is not the way the 1M sales have turned out for a lot of people.
I started to explore other options, and seriously considered the 335is which would come in around the same price as the 1M. The DCT was the strongest appeal of the 335is. Something in the back of my head kept telling me that if I ultimately ended up with a 335is, I would have a pang of regret every time I started it up and saw the ///M logo on the steering wheel. Of course the 335is not a real ///M, why not just go for the genuine article? With ED discount, aggressive pricing from my David Aviles, an E92 M3 turned out to be ~$12K more than the 335is or 1M. That extra money got me a lot more, including the nicer interior, DCT, better stereo, EDC etc. that you can't get with the 1M. I hated the concept of paying the gas guzzler tax, but the lower interest rates you can get on the M3 offset that out when compared to the 1M.
Although I'll be keeping my daily driver for my 35mile daily commute (heavy traffic), I am extraordinarily anxious for the arrival of the M3!
