[spydrz]

Originally Posted by UK E91

You're right that 17.5% VAT doesn't help, but it's interesting that prices are similar in US$ as they are here in UK£ and the exchange rate is more than 17.5% different!!

Allowing for exchange rates and standard equipment, I still reckon that US customers get the car for around 30% less.

When I last visted the US (2003) I couldn't believe how cheap the cars were. I usually get a car for around £30k which would be over $50k US. Believe me, £30k here gets you a hell of a lot less than $50k does there!!

If I moved to the US I'd get an X5 for 3 series money and enjoy the cheap fuel (it's chasing $8 a gallon here).

I think things as a whole are more expensive in the UK. Every time I travel from there to the continent, I see prices that are the same...and then I notice they're in Euros! I don't know why this is, but it's something I've become accustomed to.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by UK E91

You're right that 17.5% VAT doesn't help, but it's interesting that prices are similar in US$ as they are here in UK£ and the exchange rate is more than 17.5% different!!

Allowing for exchange rates and standard equipment, I still reckon that US customers get the car for around 30% less.

When I last visted the US (2003) I couldn't believe how cheap the cars were. I usually get a car for around £30k which would be over $50k US. Believe me, £30k here gets you a hell of a lot less than $50k does there!!

If I moved to the US I'd get an X5 for 3 series money and enjoy the cheap fuel (it's chasing $8 a gallon here).

same story here , neighbour

[billgti]

Originally Posted by UK E91

To be fair I haven't seen it in an E90 but I did see it in an X3 and thought it felt horrible and was obviously synthetic.

the leatherette in the e90 is totally different from the one in the x3. i saw the x3 leatherette first and was disappointed cuz it looks and feels like vinyl or a rain jacket if u will. the e90 leatherette looks almost exactly like leather along with the fine grain. the only difference is that it's more rubbery to the touch than leather and doesn't have the cowhide smell.

[mapezzul]

Why does everyone think that the exchange rate dictates how much a car costs... it does not. It has to due with economics more than anything. Cost of living etc. In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is a method used to calculate an alternative exchange rate between the currencies of two countries. The PPP measures how much a currency can buy in terms of an international measure (usually dollars), since goods and services have different prices in some countries than in others.
A simple example of a measure of absolute PPP is the Big Mac index popularised by The Economist, which looks at the prices of a Big Mac burger in McDonald's restaurants in different countries.
http://www.economist.com/markets/bi...tory_id=4065603
6/2005
Big Mac
US= 3.06
Britain= 3.44
Difference of greater than 12%
implied purchasing power of the us dollar= 1.63 dollars per pound.

ppp=purchasing power parity
country country isocode year PPP
Denmark DNK 2000 8.64
France FRA 2000 6.46
United Kingdom GBR 2000 0.65
Germany GER 2000 2.02
Japan JPN 2000 156.08
United States USA 2000 1.00

(stressdoc)
That said, I think analyses that consider what proportion of a nation's populace can afford to buy a BMW if they expend 10% (or whatever proportion you want to allot) of their yearly disposable income on a car is a better measure. The big dif btw Euro, RSA, and USA for affordability of cars is in the domain of taxes, and there the biggest difference is the Euro green progressive policies of taxing big gasoline/petrol engines. A 320D is a reasonable car for your typical upper-middle class family. A 330i is not. IF we could get 320Ds here in the USA, the price difference with a 330i would not be much. So for those of us driving our 330i/335i/M3s around on EDs, the masses are looking at us with envy.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by billgti

the leatherette in the e90 is totally different from the one in the x3. i saw the x3 leatherette first and was disappointed cuz it looks and feels like vinyl or a rain jacket if u will. the e90 leatherette looks almost exactly like leather along with the fine grain. the only difference is that it's more rubbery to the touch than leather and doesn't have the cowhide smell.

The e90 does not use the sensatec or whatever the crap in the X3 is, it is of much higher quality. I am not sure if since the X3 is manufactured by Magna Steyr (www.magnasteyr.com) that has something to do with the material choice etc... but the X3 materials seem to be of a cheaper quality than other BMW's. I also looked at the X3 seats and was skeptical of the leatherette until I saw it in the E90, I just am not a fan of leather because of wear, especialy on the side bolsters.

[Jakobzara]

Is it possible to get the aluminum on the steering wheel in the us, can we order it as a seperate part.

[UK E91]

Originally Posted by Jakobzara

Is it possible to get the aluminum on the steering wheel in the us, can we order it as a seperate part.

This is an interesting question. I've seen sports steering wheels on E90's with a trim infill and also without - yet there is no option (either in the price list or accessory brochure) for this.

I'm hoping the sports steering wheel in my new E91 will have Titanium infill as per the dash etc but just have to hope!

[KillDork]

You don't get aluminium for the steering wheel anywhere. You order alu trim, you get a black wheel. If you order the "titanium", standard in Europe, you get "titanium" on the steering wheel as well. Many get confused by this, aluminium and titanium look similar in pictures, but not in real life. Aluminium is real aluminium, while titanium is just plastic.

[Bananenboom]

The parts do not come from factory, they are accessories. But not available in aluminium. Partnumbers below

Non-mulitfunctional steering wheel
Burr Walnut - 32 30 0 397 812 - 235 Euro
Fine wood trim Poplar - 32 30 0 397 810 - 235 Euro
Matt Titanium - 32 30 6 771 101 - 31 Euro
Black - 32 30 6 767 283 - 29 Euro

Mulitfunctional steering wheel
Burr Walnut - 32 30 0 397 813 - 253 Euro
Fine wood trim Poplar - 32 30 0 397 811 - 253 Euro
Matt Titanium - 32 30 6 771 250 - 36 Euro
Black - 32 30 6 767 211 - 31 Euro

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=accessory

[UK E91]

Originally Posted by KillDork

You don't get aluminium for the steering wheel anywhere. You order alu trim, you get a black wheel. If you order the "titanium", standard in Europe, you get "titanium" on the steering wheel as well. Many get confused by this, aluminium and titanium look similar in pictures, but not in real life. Aluminium is real aluminium, while titanium is just plastic.

Thanks. Hope that's correct as it means mine will have a titanium infill on the steering wheel. I know that it's actually plastic, but it looks fine and I wasn't prepared to pay extra for aluminium - I also don't like the effect on it, preferring the plain smooth look of the titanium

[Bananenboom]

Originally Posted by UK E91

Thanks. Hope that's correct as it means mine will have a titanium infill on the steering wheel. I know that it's actually plastic, but it looks fine and I wasn't prepared to pay extra for aluminium - I also don't like the effect on it, preferring the plain smooth look of the titanium

Here in Holland you get a standard black steering wheel allways. All the covers are optional, I think its the same in the UK. They have also the wood covers but go dont get them if you take the wood trim, here the same with titinium matt. But they only cost 36 Euro, so it is very cheap if you like them (I dont like them).

[stevebmw3]

countru has own configuration. That means big differences even between standard equipments.

[spitfire6000]

Originally Posted by UK E91

If I moved to the US I'd get an X5 for 3 series money and enjoy the cheap fuel (it's chasing $8 a gallon here).

ouch, well not much you can do. UK isnt the worst in europe ive seen in terms of the expense of things.

[LEDZEP]

Plus your steering wheels are on the wrong side.

[NPinUK]

The germans tend to make the U.S. spec cares with less care and a bit of insult. Thats why you have problems e.g. rattling noises.

[longtran]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Plus your steering wheels are on the wrong side.

how come you dont say US steering is on the wrong side.......

[uhaulball]

the two things i wanted that were exclusive to Euro models were the front PDC and of course, the headlights with white corners.

[Paul330d]

Originally Posted by UK E91

Nobody in the UK would touch a White or Red non-metallic.

LOL, I've been trying to explain this to Americans for years I have to smile each time I see pictures on here of white e90s with huge chrome wheels and privacy glass - you just know the owner is in NA But hey, each to his/her own

[cfalzon]

Hi my 330d with nearly full spec including M sports package will arrive in 2 weeks time. Here in Malta (europe) we have to pay 64% registration tax and then 18% VAT!!!!!!!! My car will be costing me 78000 Euros! With that money converted to US$ will buy the 5th Series fully loaded!!!

[cfalzon]

Just did the conversion to US$ it will be around 95000US$!!!!!!! What BMW model will that sum get me if i were in the USA????

[Freudefahrer]

Anything that's not a 760i, 760Li, or M6 (fully loaded, of course).

[BeeEm]

South African E90 appears to be pretty much the same as the Euro E90. Are there any differences?