# NEW E60. The art of LESS!!! Sheesh......



## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Did I get your attention??

O.k., so I went down tonite and saw for myself the new 5er.

The truth be told, I liked the styling. I haven't driven it yet.
I bet that it drives nice.

So anyway, what's the point of my post you ask?

*The new 5 Series DOES NOT come with floor mats...*
:tsk:

Shame on you!!!!

Do you know how many times over the years (too many to recall)
a 3 Series buyer ripped us (the dealer) on CSI because floor mats
were not standard with the car????

Come on and WAKE UP BMWNA. A freaking Kia Rio comes with
free mats I'm told.

Raise the MSRP by $25 bucks if you have to in order to cover it.


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## Corkdsp (May 19, 2003)

You must be kidding I hope... If dealer tries to charge me for these Im going to raise some hell!!!!


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## BimBob (Jun 16, 2003)

I heard the floormats were and extra cost option with my new 2003 525ia but my dealer threw them in with the deal along with a warning triangle and trunk net.


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

Jon Shafer said:


> Did I get your attention??
> 
> O.k., so I went down tonite and saw for myself the new 5er.
> 
> ...


 :tsk: Sometimes the things BMW does in the name of "cost savings" are just plain stupid. BTW, what did you think of the rest of the e60's interior? Like the e65, it seems to demonstrate "cost savings" a little too obviously.


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## BillP (Jan 4, 2002)

robg said:


> :tsk: Sometimes the things BMW does in the name of "cost savings" are just plain stupid. BTW, what did you think of the rest of the e60's interior? Like the e65, it seems to demonstrate "cost savings" a little too obviously.


Corporate stupidity knows no bounds.

Saving money is important. Afterall, BMW exists to make money. However, there are smart cost savings (not having gold plated seat mounting brackets) and stupid cost savings (doors optional). Those are two obvious ones, in the real world they are far more subtle and are probably the source of endless internal debate. The key to success is to convert this largely subjective discussion into an objective one.

One approach is to survey customers to find out the level of importance of various features. This info is then normalized by their respective costs and the result is stack ranked with the "very important and very inexpensive" items at the top. Run down the list until the running total is equal to your features budget (doors, of course, are not a feature), then stop. The list of features can then be tweaked to take into account special considerations (a simplistic approach never works perfectly), but the objective process gets you close.

In the end, good companies foster good decision-making environments, bad companies don't. Read between the lines.

Bill


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## TedW (Jan 13, 2003)

Jon Shafer said:


> Did I get your attention??
> 
> O.k., so I went down tonite and saw for myself the new 5er.
> 
> ...


I nearly fell over when I received the following message a few days ago:

This message is to inform you we will be sending parts bulletin 10 03 03 later this week with E60 accessory part numbers and prices.

Following are the part numbers for E60 accessory carpeted floor mats. Floor mats are an accessory item for these new 5 series models.

82 11 0 302 986 - anthracite 
82 11 0 302 987 - gray 
82 11 0 302 988 - beige

Best Regards, 
Dan Cordes 
Accessories Development Manager BMW

I have always "thrown in" mats on 3's so I don't give a reason for a customer to rip me on a survey. It looks like I'll have to do it on the 5's now too. To say the least, I too am very disappointed in this decision. :tsk:

Ted


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## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

TedW said:


> I have always "thrown in" mats on 3's so I don't give a reason for a customer to rip me on a survey. It looks like I'll have to do it on the 5's now too. To say the least, I too am very disappointed in this decision. :tsk:
> 
> Ted


Good for you, Ted. 
:thumbup: BMWNA should be embarrased by this. I don't think it's just BMW, either, in offending customers. I don't think there's ever been a car purchaser who hasn't found having to pay for floormats (as extras) to be obnoxious and chintzy.

Too bad your parts department rips you off on buying those parts.


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## TedW (Jan 13, 2003)

Tanning machine said:


> Good for you, Ted.
> :thumbup:
> Too bad your parts department rips you off on buying those parts.


 :rofl: Yeah, I know, my parts manager was ecstatic about this.

Ted


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## avionics12 (Jun 7, 2003)

TedW said:


> :rofl: Yeah, I know, my parts manager was ecstatic about this.
> 
> Ted


Hey Ted,

I'm ecstatic too. Hey while we're at it how about ordering one of those new Pontiacs. :angel: NOT!!

Reaching the point that the mods I have installed exceed the cost of the options I ordered.......


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## TedW (Jan 13, 2003)

avionics12 said:


> Hey Ted,
> 
> Reaching the point that the mods I have installed exceed the cost of the options I ordered.......


I thought you were getting a little out of control, but I didn't want to stick my nose in.  Lucky for you though that I did stick my nose in when you wanted to buy that CPT 9000. I bet you're happy that I talked you out of that one.

Ted


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

robg said:


> :tsk: Sometimes the things BMW does in the name of "cost savings" are just plain stupid. BTW, what did you think of the rest of the e60's interior? Like the e65, it seems to demonstrate "cost savings" a little too obviously.


With what I saw today, this issue of the floormats not being part of the car is 'understandable'...

I just came from the dealership after seeing a Silver gray E60... the only thing that I felt was a deep _disappointment_. The sticker price was a whopping $52,000 for a 530i _without NAV nor Sport Package_ and the interior is a disaster in cheap plastic and general style. Even the old E39, which they have a wagon on display besides this E60 have a better interior and layout. The interior was in black leather, and the so called 'Montana' in this E60 was remarkably different (as, again, 'cheap') in texture than the 'Montana' in the E39. IMHO an E46 have a better interior than this clown.

The exterior is not that offensive (it needs at least 19" wheels to look 'sport sedan', otherwise is bland as hell) but the cost cutting everywhere that you can touch in the inside is terrible. Even three salesmen in the dealership were criticizing this car, until the manager saw me listening and told them to keep quiet...

The same dealership also sells VW, and I took a look at the Touareg, inside and out. At $49,000, this thing have an interior that is just _Bentley_. The quality of this interior is what anybody should expect when you are talking in the $50K range; I would say that this interior is the standard which any car manufacturer should aspire at this price range.

If this is a sneek peek of what they are going to do with the next 3 Series, well, my 2002 330i will be the fourth and last BMW owned... :thumbdwn:


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## avionics12 (Jun 7, 2003)

TedW said:


> I thought you were getting a little out of control, but I didn't want to stick my nose in.  Lucky for you though that I did stick my nose in when you wanted to buy that CPT 9000. I bet you're happy that I talked you out of that one.
> 
> Ted


From the 5 series DIY board:

I just finished my Bluetooth installation yesterday. ( Thanks for advising me to wait Ted W!) Got a free ride on the Modic for the coding too. This is a definate improvement over the old way BMW phones operated. I do have one question about the phone operation.

Thanks again. :thumbup:


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## ChrisTO (Jan 24, 2002)

well it's unfortunate that the majority of BMW owners don't really care about the technology or the handling of the car. most decisions to purchase a BMW are due to the letters B M W and the styling. nothing else! 

i guess with time BMW will realize that cheaping out on the look and feel of the car will drive sales down. but the collary to that will be a reduction in the technology(read handling) to make up the extra cost spent on keeping the look and feel quality. i guess we can't have it all. 

oh wait..we can. buy a Japanese product.  i guess it's the price of being early technology adopters for the German products, crappy quality and high prices.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

ChrisTO said:


> well it's unfortunate that the majority of BMW owners don't really care about the technology or the handling of the car. most decisions to purchase a BMW are due to the letters B M W and the styling. nothing else!
> 
> i guess with time BMW will realize that cheaping out on the look and feel of the car will drive sales down. but the collary to that will be a reduction in the technology(read handling) to make up the extra cost spent on keeping the look and feel quality. i guess we can't have it all.
> 
> oh wait..we can. buy a Japanese product.  i guess it's the price of being early technology adopters for the German products, crappy quality and high prices.


Whoa! Give it some time...your crystal ball must be cleaner than mine! 

Chris


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

avionics12 said:


> Reaching the point that the mods I have installed exceed the cost of the options I ordered.......


 We're here to help.... :eeps:


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## JetBlack330i (Feb 8, 2002)

Jon Shafer said:


> Raise the MSRP by $25 bucks if you have to in order to cover it.


But then every dealer would be offering it.
Don't you see this as a way for one dealership to distinguish itself from the competition?
When I bought my ML, dealership gave me... tank of gas, a certificate for a taylor made dress shirt from a local taylor, 2 key chains, a cooking receipy book, coupon for 20% discount on anything from their parts dept. A free mats thrown in would be a big bang-for-the-buck PR item.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

JetBlack330i said:


> But then every dealer would be offering it.
> Don't you see this as a way for one dealership to distinguish itself from the competition?
> When I bought my ML, dealership gave me... tank of gas, a certificate for a taylor made dress shirt from a local taylor, 2 key chains, a cooking receipy book, coupon for 20% discount on anything from their parts dept. A free mats thrown in would be a big bang-for-the-buck PR item.


Wow! :wow: I've NEVER heard of those kinds of freebies from a dealer! Tailor-made dress shirt??? However, I am young and my BMW is my first luxury car and I live in the Bay Area. There's at least 2 strikes against me! :rofl:

Chris


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