Think I've got all my options picked out--what am I missing?

I've narrowed it down to a 2011 ZCPcoupe , with iDrive (which I think is the 'tech package'?), carbon fiber roof, and DCT. Will this car come with streaming Bluetooth Audio as well? Will the BMvin.info website tell me? I know that certain cars built after September 2010 were supposed to have some extra options but do ALL of them come with bluetooth audio?

What other 'essentials' from the factory am I missing?

Mark:)

having heard both the premium and regular stereo, i wouldnt pay for the premium (thought i would until i heard it)

i would suggest cold weather pack. I live in houston and like having this, much less in new york!

KennyPowers wrote

having heard both the premium and regular stereo, i wouldnt pay for the premium

+1

You're buying this car used? Or looking for a new one on the dealer lot?

Heated seats sure are nice. I like the Enhanced stereo, myself.

Cars produced after Sept 2010 with iDrive will have a Combox, which means Bluetooth functionality.

I'd be buying used, and thanks for confirming the bluetooth feature on that. Never had streaming bluetooth in the car, really looking forward to my wireless tunes.

Heated seats.. Forgot about that. My truck has cloth seats so not a huge issue but great point.

Heated seats.. Forgot about that. My truck has cloth seats so not a huge issue but great point.[/QUOTE]

LOL, yeah dont forget the heated seats. One of the best and under rated options in my opinion. Plus it keeps the wife happy on cold days, hell even warmer days when its that time of the month

LOL, yeah dont forget the heated seats. One of the best and under rated options in my opinion. Plus it keeps the wife happy on cold days, hell even warmer days when its that time of the month

HeartMD wrote

LOL, yeah dont forget the heated seats. One of the best and under rated options in my opinion. Plus it keeps the wife happy on cold days, hell even warmer days when its that time of the month

Agreed. You will wish you had it, but if you've never had them, perhaps one doesn't know any better. I live in Florida and use mine ALL the time. The heat is relaxing.

mark896 wrote

I've narrowed it down to a 2011 ZCP coupe, with iDrive (which I think is the 'tech package'?),

The presence of iDrive does not mean the car has the tech package (ZTP). It was (and still is) available as a stand alone option. Furthermore, for 2011.5, BMW did away with the tech package altogether, and made some of the equipment it formerly offered standard, while adding the rest of the equipment to other packages (such as ZP2 and ZCV).

You need to know the build date of the car to know what packages and equipment it may have been equipped with, and you need to get a copy of the window sticker or contact BMW to know exactly what packages and options it actually was equipped with.

So what exactly is the tech package? I thought it was basically the hump on your dash that encompassed Nav, Audio, etc.??

mark896 wrote

So what exactly is the tech package? I thought it was basically the hump on your dash that encompassed Nav, Audio, etc.??

Depends on the model year. For '11, it would be option code ZP2:

Premium Package 2 - $2,500
Electric foldable mirrors; Garage door opener; Coming home device; Compass; Front driver seat with seven 14-way power ; details: memorized height, power lumbar and memorized tilt, front passenger seat: with seven 14-way power ; details: power height, power lumbar and power tilt; Memorized adjustment: includes; Smart card/smart key; ; includes memory seat; Includes: [639] BMW Assist with Bluetooth And [NC] Novillo Leather; Requires: [6FL] iPod and USB Adapter; Or [ZCV] Convenience Package And [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim; Or [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim; If: [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Discount -500.00: If: [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim And Not; [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim; Discount -500.00: If: [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim And Not; [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim; Discount -500.00: Excludes: [ZPP] Premium Package And [609] Navigation System

mark896 wrote

So what exactly is the tech package? I thought it was basically the hump on your dash that encompassed Nav, Audio, etc.??

No, the screen/hump is iDrive, which is also sometimes just called "Nav" since for the E9x platform the two are always found together (No longer the case with many newer FXx generation BMW's, but I digress).

A list of contents of the Technology Package, "ZTP", can be found here:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345646

Note that for the first part of the 2011 model year, if the car doesn't have ZTP then it also doesn't have Comfort Access nor MDrive. Those two options were not available stand alone. It may still have Nav and EDC (if it has ZCP, it will have EDC for sure), since those were available as stand alone options (though curiously the Order Guide omits to mention the stand alone Nav option). Thus, you have to be careful making assumptions about what the car is equipped with by evaluating it at a glance.

For a a 2011.5, things changed. See here:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=425533

(Can't find the PDF, but this will do for now)

ZTP was discontinued, MDrive became standard, while EDC became available only via ZCP or stand alone. Comfort access and IDrive were moved to either ZP2 or ZCV (can't remember which for which).

SamS wrote

Depends on the model year. For '11, it would be option code ZP2:

Premium Package 2 - $2,500
Electric foldable mirrors; Garage door opener; Coming home device; Compass; Front driver seat with seven 14-way power ; details: memorized height, power lumbar and memorized tilt, front passenger seat: with seven 14-way power ; details: power height, power lumbar and power tilt; Memorized adjustment: includes; Smart card/smart key; ; includes memory seat; Includes: [639] BMW Assist with Bluetooth And [NC] Novillo Leather; Requires: [6FL] iPod and USB Adapter; Or [ZCV] Convenience Package And [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim; Or [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim; If: [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Discount -500.00: If: [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim And Not; [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim; Discount -500.00: If: [4MZ] Sycamore Anthracite Wood Trim And Not; [4MX] Blue-Gray Brushed Aluminum Trim; Or [4MY] Carbon Leather Interior Trim; Discount -500.00: Excludes: [ZPP] Premium Package And [609] Navigation System

Wrong. The Tech Package was replaced by the CONVENIENCE package at that time. It wasn't until 2012 that the Tech/Convenience packages were consolidated into standard equipment and the new Premium Package (technically Premium 3).

From introduction through the end of August 2010 production, the Tech Package included:

M Drive
EDC (also available standalone)
Nav (also available standalone)
Comfort Access
For cars in this production range, confirmation of the Tech Package would be the M button on the steering wheel or Comfort Access.

From September 2010 through the end of the 2011 MY, the Convenience Package (replacing the Tech Package) included:

Nav (also available standalone)
Comfort Access (not available standalone, but became available standalone for 2012)
Alarm (also available standalone)
PDC (also available standalone)
M Drive became standard, and EDC was moved to the new Competition Package, as well as being available standalone. For cars in this production range, confirmation of the Convenience Package would be Comfort Access since it wasn't available any other way.

For 2012's options, you can see the current BMW website.

Thanks guys, this gets me started. I guess before purchasing any plane tickets to travel to get this thing, I need to either run the VIN on the bmvin.info site or call a dealership..

mark896 wrote

Thanks guys, this gets me started. I guess before purchasing any plane tickets to travel to get this thing, I need to either run the VIN on the bmvin.info site or call a dealership..

If you're working with a dealership, I'd ask them for the Vehicle Inquiry Report. Any BMW dealership can pull it for any BMW using just the VIN, and that will clearly list all options and packages on the car. You could also ask them for the production month which they can find on the doorjamb. The significant milestones are just MY09 (new iDrive and some other stuff), MY11 starting production 9/10 (2011.5 changes, of which there are several), and MY12 (more standard equipment). Other changes in the M3's lifecycle like the Competition Package, new colors, etc would be indicated on the VIR, so you should then have everything you need.

EDIT: Link to September 2010 changes (i.e. 2011.5 M3): http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/14/september-production-changes-for-bmw-vehicles-in-the-u-s/

jphughan wrote

Wrong. The Tech Package was replaced by the CONVENIENCE package at that time. It wasn't until 2012 that the Tech/Convenience packages were consolidated into standard equipment and the new Premium Package (technically Premium 3).

You're right, I meant to type ZCV, not ZP2, for MY2011.

jphughan wrote  

mark896 wrote

Thanks guys, this gets me started. I guess before purchasing any plane tickets to travel to get this thing, I need to either run the VIN on the bmvin.info site or call a dealership..

If you're working with a dealership, I'd ask them for the Vehicle Inquiry Report. Any BMW dealership can pull it for any BMW using just the VIN, and that will clearly list all options and packages on the car. You could also ask them for the production month which they can find on the doorjamb. The significant milestones are just MY09 (new iDrive and some other stuff), MY11 starting production 9/10 (2011.5 changes, of which there are several), and MY12 (more standard equipment). Other changes in the M3's lifecycle like the Competition Package, new colors, etc would be indicated on the VIR, so you should then have everything you need.

EDIT: Link to September 2010 changes (i.e. 2011.5 M3): http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/14/september-production-changes-for-bmw-vehicles-in-the-u-s/

Excellent advice. Could I pull this info up on a website instead of calling a dealer? I dont have one to drive to within 2 hours.

EDIT: Also, WTF does "MY" mean in MY2011??

mark896 wrote

EDIT: Also, WTF does "MY" mean in MY2011??

Model year.

jphughan wrote

Wrong. The Tech Package was replaced by the CONVENIENCE package at that time. It wasn't until 2012 that the Tech/Convenience packages were consolidated into standard equipment and the new Premium Package (technically Premium 3).

...

Comfort Access (also available standalone)

...
Comfort Access (no longer available standalone, became available standalone again for 2012)

...

For cars in this production range, confirmation of the Convenience Package would be Comfort Access since it wasn't available any other way.

I think you summarized it pretty well.

One correction - CA was never available stand-alone in the US until MY2012. So, if the car is a 2011 or earlier and it has CA then it also has the respective package (either ZTP or ZCV, depending on date of production).

über-confusing, if you ask me

mark896 wrote

Excellent advice. Could I pull this info up on a website instead of calling a dealer? I dont have one to drive to within 2 hours.

EDIT: Also, WTF does "MY" mean in MY2011??

No, unfortunately VIRs are not available for public retrieval -- but any dealer who actually wants to make the sale should be happy to do it for you because it's quick and easy.

mkoesel wrote

I think you summarized it pretty well.

One correction - CA was never available stand-alone in the US until MY2012. So, if the car is a 2011 or earlier and it has CA then it also has the respective package (either ZTP or ZCV, depending on date of production).

Wow, I just checked older Ordering Guides and you're right! I could've sworn that it was standalone option on the M3 back then -- guess it was just the normal 3 Series. Updated my previous post, thanks!