[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

From 2006 through 2008 or 2009 the E91 only came in xDrive. You could get it with either transmission. When I ordered my '06 I wanted to get a sport package RWD E91, but BMW didn't offer it in that configuration until 2009 or 2010 as I remember it. I guess BMW thought female New Englanders were the only market for the station wagon and xDrive would be the preferred driveline for the majority of the market.

Well actually...

Plenty of RWD 07-10 wagons out there. Maybe not with sport package though... is that what you were saying? Neither my RWD 07 or 09 have sport package, but both were RWD. Although our xDrive 07 did have sport package.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Well actually...

Plenty of RWD 07-10 wagons out there. Maybe not with sport package though... is that what you were saying? Neither my RWD 07 or 09 have sport package, but both were RWD. Although our xDrive 07 did have sport package.

I could have googled, I guess.

I ordered my 325i in April 2006. At that time the E91 was only offered with xDrive and could be ordered with a manual transmission. I wanted to get a wagon (I had dogs at the time) but I had (and still have) no need for an AWD car. So, I remember being disappointed back 19 years ago that the E91 was only offered as AWD (on top of dealing with the concept of a dipstick-less engine - which I've now come to appreciate).

I do remember seeing an automatic E91 RWD Sport Package in the showroom at some point later, which IIRC was 2008. So that's why I thought the RWD either started with MY 2008 or MY 2009. I was a year off. I'm old and it was nearly 20 years ago.

Still there was not a large take rate for a manual, sport package, E91 back in the day.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I could have googled, I guess.

I ordered my 325i in April 2006. At that time the E91 was only offered with xDrive and could be ordered with a manual transmission. I wanted to get a wagon (I had dogs at the time) but I had (and still have) no need for an AWD car. So, I remember being disappointed back 19 years ago that the E91 was only offered as AWD (on top of dealing with the concept of a dipstick-less engine - which I've now come to appreciate).

I do remember seeing an automatic E91 RWD Sport Package in the showroom at some point later, which IIRC was 2008. So that's why I thought the RWD either started with MY 2008 or MY 2009. I was a year off. I'm old and it was nearly 20 years ago.

Still there was not a large take rate for a manual, sport package, E91 back in the day.

If I had it to do over, I would have 100% ordered a 2009 Euro delivery E91 with sunroof delete, M Sport, manual transmission... I don't even care about the color! But I was instead contemplating being laid off and financial ruin.
Sorta' like right now!

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

That's not completely correct. You could get a RWD E91 from 2007 model year onward, at least here in the US. I recently sold our beater 2007 E91 RWD I had for 10 years.

Correct. That's how I have a 2008 RWD manual transmission E91. Then again, the original owner clearly ordered it and then went to Munich to pick it up (I bought it used, 2 years old, with less than 20K on it). It was clearly a car that the purchaser specified exactly how they wanted it. Fortunately, whoever they were (someone in the Greater NYC metro area) they had taste that exactly matches mine.

Maybe in 2008 that was the way to get one of these.

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Well actually...

Plenty of RWD 07-10 wagons out there. Maybe not with sport package though... is that what you were saying? Neither my RWD 07 or 09 have sport package, but both were RWD. Although our xDrive 07 did have sport package.

Yeah, the sport package is the rare part. I've seen very few cars that match the spec of mine...particularly once you add the aluminum trim. If I recall correctly, when I looked at the thread - that's been referenced here in this thread - about configurations, my car was one in 6 for 2008.

Although re. the sport package, I have to say that the main thing there is the sport seats. The sport suspension upgrades are things that anyone can do by simply changing the struts and shocks. I do have the staggered wheels (which think are cool and maintain...in summer), but that's of marginal benefit, and some would argue detriment. The seats though...finding sports seats to install is getting harder and harder. I'm glad mine came with them as the difference is tremendous (IMO).

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

If I had it to do over, I would have 100% ordered a 2009 Euro delivery E91 with sunroof delete, M Sport, manual transmission... I don't even care about the color! But I was instead contemplating being laid off and financial ruin.
Sorta' like right now!

I sort of get that, except not the sunroof delete part. I love my giant sunroof!

Which continues to work flawlessly (although like much of my car, I had BMW replace the seals and parts of the mechanism under warranty).

Great. I've probably totally jinxed myself now.

Sorry about the "right now" part. Welcome to the club.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

If I had it to do over, I would have 100% ordered a 2009 Euro delivery E91 with sunroof delete, M Sport, manual transmission... I don't even care about the color! But I was instead contemplating being laid off and financial ruin.
Sorta' like right now!

Well, that's not good. Shit.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Well, that's not good. Shit.

Originally Posted by jsunma

Sorry about the "right now" part. Welcome to the club.

Oh... no, I'm fine, thanks for the concern! Contemplating, not currently experiencing. On the horizon though... just worried about it.

[krhodes1]

Welcome to the e91 club! And one with fewer miles on it than my 2011 - I turned 55K last summer. It's one of the rare RWD/6spds, and I ordered it new and picked it up in Munich.

Were headlight washers included with the HID lights? My car has halogens and has them as part of the Cold Weather package. Seems odd to have them but not butt heat. Do you have the heated steering wheel? That was standard when I ordered my 2011 unless you got M-Sport. I was just too cheap to order the fancy lights, and I don't fit in the sport seats, plus sport suspension and Maine roads are not a good mix. I splurged on Comfort Access and the H/K stereo. Also Premium Pkg, roof rails, Sat radio and Bluetooth. No iDrive..

I added the BMW Performance Intake and Exhaust when I got it off the boat for a little added Sturm und Drang, but otherwise mechanically stock. I did add back most of the little goodies that BMW deleted in the LCI too.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by jsunma

I sort of get that, except not the sunroof delete part. I love my giant sunroof!

Which continues to work flawlessly (although like much of my car, I had BMW replace the seals and parts of the mechanism under warranty).

Great. I've probably totally jinxed myself now.

Sorry about the "right now" part. Welcome to the club.

I *tried* to get a sunroof delete when I ordered my car, for Euro delivery in 2011 - "not possible" was the reply. I like it, but I would rather have the added headroom of not having it. And the lack of possibility of it breaking someday.

The only reason I bought an M235i instead of an M-Sport 228i in 2015 was because I could get that car without the hole in the roof but with all the niceties. BMW basically got me to spend $5000 to NOT have a sunroof! Got to love the "no cost options" of no sunroof and no automatic transmission. I would have killed for the cloth seats in that car that were standard across teh pond - also "not possible". Bloody German wankers! Also euro delivery, had a great time both times, wish it was still a thing, not that BMW sells anything I want anymore.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

I *tried* to get a sunroof delete when I ordered my car, for Euro delivery in 2011 - "not possible" was the reply. I like it, but I would rather have the added headroom of not having it. And the lack of possibility of it breaking someday.

The only reason I bought an M235i instead of an M-Sport 228i in 2015 was because I could get that car without the hole in the roof but with all the niceties. BMW basically got me to spend $5000 to NOT have a sunroof! Got to love the "no cost options" of no sunroof and no automatic transmission. I would have killed for the cloth seats in that car that were standard across teh pond - also "not possible". Bloody German wankers! Also euro delivery, had a great time both times, wish it was still a thing, not that BMW sells anything I want anymore.

Wait, are you me??? This is pretty much exactly what I wish I did... a LCI e91 Euro delivery! Interesting that they wouldn't let you delete the sunroof. I know you could in E92s, at least earlier in production. I almost bought one used a couple years ago. Sunroofs are great, until they aren't! I would much rather not have those failure points on my car!

And I thing the M235 is a much better call over the 228i... you may have dodged a bullet with the N20 timing guide problem! 2015 was the year BMW upgraded them, but better to not take that chance! Plus sunroof delete!

[CSBM5]

All E91s imported to the US had sunroofs...the monster one. It intrudes greatly on headroom, especially in the backseat. In our E90 330i with a sunroof, I could at least sit in the backseat without scrunching down since it had a "normal" sunroof size, but in the E91 the sunroof intrudes so much into the rear seat headroom it was impossible to be comfortable trying to sit in the back. (6'2" so not overly tall).

My E90 M3 was a slicktop, so I had a direct comparison to how much of a difference it makes too in an E9x. I could fit with a helmet on easily in the M3 which wasn't possible in the E90 330i or E91 with a sunroof.

Our E91 sunroof rattled from both the mechanism jiggling and also the huge glass panels rattling over bumps. I would have loved for the E91 to be a slicktop.

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

I could fit with a helmet on easily in the M3 which wasn't possible in the E90 330i or E91 with a sunroof.

True that. And I just never know when I'm going to need to take a drive with my helmet (und spear) ;-)

[DEFYGRAV1TY]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

Welcome to the e91 club! And one with fewer miles on it than my 2011 - I turned 55K last summer. It's one of the rare RWD/6spds, and I ordered it new and picked it up in Munich.

Were headlight washers included with the HID lights? My car has halogens and has them as part of the Cold Weather package. Seems odd to have them but not butt heat. Do you have the heated steering wheel? That was standard when I ordered my 2011 unless you got M-Sport. I was just too cheap to order the fancy lights, and I don't fit in the sport seats, plus sport suspension and Maine roads are not a good mix. I splurged on Comfort Access and the H/K stereo. Also Premium Pkg, roof rails, Sat radio and Bluetooth. No iDrive..

I added the BMW Performance Intake and Exhaust when I got it off the boat for a little added Sturm und Drang, but otherwise mechanically stock. I did add back most of the little goodies that BMW deleted in the LCI too.

Thank you for the welcome! I’m still learning my bmw but I don’t have any seat heaters or steering wheel heaters unfortunately. I do have the headlight w cleaners but haven’t used them yet. I too have to he Premium package, roof rails and comfort access and plently more.

[DEFYGRAV1TY]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

All E91s imported to the US had sunroofs...the monster one. It intrudes greatly on headroom, especially in the backseat. In our E90 330i with a sunroof, I could at least sit in the backseat without scrunching down since it had a "normal" sunroof size, but in the E91 the sunroof intrudes so much into the rear seat headroom it was impossible to be comfortable trying to sit in the back. (6'2" so not overly tall).

My E90 M3 was a slicktop, so I had a direct comparison to how much of a difference it makes too in an E9x. I could fit with a helmet on easily in the M3 which wasn't possible in the E90 330i or E91 with a sunroof.

Our E91 sunroof rattled from both the mechanism jiggling and also the huge glass panels rattling over bumps. I would have loved for the E91 to be a slicktop.

Very cool to know they all came with sunroofs! I don’t notice intruded headspace…. I have a lot but to be fair I’m a young guy and only 5’8.

[Hoody007]

Fellow new E91 owner

Regarding headlight washers: standard on the Xi models, and included with the cold weather package otherwise.

krhodes1 - interesting that the heated wheel was standard when you ordered yours. I have an 06/2010 build 2011 328xi wagon, and it doesn’t have it. Moot point anyways as I have a sport steering wheel going on it in any case.

[DEFYGRAV1TY]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

Fellow new E91 owner

Regarding headlight washers: standard on the Xi models, and included with the cold weather package otherwise.

krhodes1 - interesting that the heated wheel was standard when you ordered yours. I have an 06/2010 build 2011 328xi wagon, and it doesn’t have it. Moot point anyways as I have a sport steering wheel going on it in any case.

I’m so glad the E91 fanbase is so cool and that’s very cool to know about the headlight washers being standard.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by jsunma

True that. And I just never know when I'm going to need to take a drive with my helmet (und spear) ;-)

Statement was meant to convey the substantial loss of headroom that these sunroofs impose on the platform - close to 2" is lost. I used my M3 as an example since I tracked and autocrossed that car many times over the 12 years. Long live slicktops!

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by DEFYGRAV1TY

Thank you for the welcome! I’m still learning my bmw but I don’t have any seat heaters or steering wheel heaters unfortunately. I do have the headlight w cleaners but haven’t used them yet. I too have to he Premium package, roof rails and comfort access and plently more.

You may have the heated wheel if it's not the M-Sport wheel. The button for it is on the right lower side of the steering column - you can't see it from the driver's seat. Super odd that the car is that loaded but doesn't have heated seats. Must have come from somewhere hot.

The headlight washers are automatic and activate every X times you wash the windshield. I can't remember what the default is but it's codable from never to every 10th time, I think. I have had mine coded off for a decade because my car never, ever gets driven in foul weather, sleeps the winters away in the garage. Worth their weight in gold in a snow storm though.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

Fellow new E91 owner

Regarding headlight washers: standard on the Xi models, and included with the cold weather package otherwise.

krhodes1 - interesting that the heated wheel was standard when you ordered yours. I have an 06/2010 build 2011 328xi wagon, and it doesn’t have it. Moot point anyways as I have a sport steering wheel going on it in any case.

I wonder if it was a mid-year change? They changed a number of things around mid-2011, and my car was one of the last built before the summer shutdown and model year changeover. It's right on my window sticker as standard equipment. I was actually kind of annoyed when I found out they were going to do a half-year run of 2012s, if I could have changed my delivery date I would have waited and gotten one. But on the other hand, I saved $1000 because I snuck my order in (on the very last day I could) before they made the autotragic standard, the stick a no-cost option, and upped MSRP. I got the old pricing.

Even my otherwise pauper spec '11 128i (also 06/2010 build) has the heated wheel. The only options on that car are the seats - leather, power, and butt heat (but not cold weather pkg), all stand-alone options. Though no lumbar adjustment originally (part of the premium pkg that I don't have), I had to retrofit that. These seats are torture devices without it.

[DEFYGRAV1TY]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

You may have the heated wheel if it's not the M-Sport wheel. The button for it is on the right lower side of the steering column - you can't see it from the driver's seat. Super odd that the car is that loaded but doesn't have heated seats. Must have come from somewhere hot.

The headlight washers are automatic and activate every X times you wash the windshield. I can't remember what the default is but it's codable from never to every 10th time, I think. I have had mine coded off for a decade because my car never, ever gets driven in foul weather, sleeps the winters away in the garage. Worth their weight in gold in a snow storm though.

I’ll check for that button here in a few! Also I agree it’s weird I have no heated seats but I’m loaded with other things. The car came from my state (SC) and was sold here and serviced here. And again and again. So sometimes heated seats are a must but some of those summer days do it for you…

[DEFYGRAV1TY]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

You may have the heated wheel if it's not the M-Sport wheel. The button for it is on the right lower side of the steering column - you can't see it from the driver's seat. Super odd that the car is that loaded but doesn't have heated seats. Must have come from somewhere hot.

The headlight washers are automatic and activate every X times you wash the windshield. I can't remember what the default is but it's codable from never to every 10th time, I think. I have had mine coded off for a decade because my car never, ever gets driven in foul weather, sleeps the winters away in the garage. Worth their weight in gold in a snow storm though.

Just went and checked. There’s no button! I don’t have heated anything besides the AC haha