[Al Pinã]

Originally Posted by JK479

The similarity on the split headlight is uncanny! What is different? On a Santa Fe the running light is above and on. The headlight beam is below, separate and recessed.

The entire Hyundai line has been running with this design for years as we all know. BMW didn't innovate.

It's because Hyundai/Kia poached a ton of engineers and designers from BMW several years ago, including Marcus Bierman the head of the M-Division.

It's no surprise that the designers took what they were working on at BMW and used it on the Korean products. What's insane to me is that BMW didn't audible the design a bit knowing that it was going to be cloned by the Koreans and they would beat them to market.

As a pre-LCI XB7 owner I can safely say that I definitely won't be buying anything with the split headlight design in the future. And if I'm going to have to suffer with the long rectangular screen it will be in an iX M60.

[JK479]

Originally Posted by Al Pin　

It's because Hyundai/Kia poached a ton of engineers and designers from BMW several years ago, including Marcus Bierman the head of the M-Division.

It's no surprise that the designers took what they were working on at BMW and used it on the Korean products. What's insane to me is that BMW didn't audible the design a bit knowing that it was going to be cloned by the Koreans and they would beat them to market.

As a pre-LCI XB7 owner I can safely say that I definitely won't be buying anything with the split headlight design in the future. And if I'm going to have to suffer with the long rectangular screen it will be in an iX M60.

Fascinating!

[Jennifer]

Actually, I was in favor of the one-piece headlight until I saw a split headlight myself. Now, I feel the one-piece headlight is classic but somehow outdated. Again, it is a personal choice!

I do not compare a planet with a Galaxy! Even if there were migrations from that Galaxy to that planet!

[JK479]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

Actually, I was in favor of the one-piece headlight until I saw a split headlight myself. Now, I feel the one-piece headlight is classic but somehow outdated. Again, it is a personal choice!

I do not compare a planet with a Galaxy! Even if there were migrations from that Galaxy to that planet!

Luckily for me- they still make the x5 and the iX! We can all co- exist in the bmw world for sure!

Enjoy the x7! I might just be hunting down the x7 if and probably when the design wins me over. Never say never.

[Jennifer]

So there is another thread highlighting small changes in 2023 model. I checked several items they claimed as lost ones, for example, side metal buttons and camera access button, and but noticed many of these items are already dropped a year before in the 2022 model!

So again, there is nothing significant to complain about here!

[Married_to_a_BFD]

Day 14 in QC. Stop Sale looming to extend that even further. Rate lock long gone. The offer on our van about to go poof as it creeps closer to 100K miles. Feeling a little less pumped.

[arciga18]

I click around the configurator on a daily basis. Today I noticed that they removed the Dynamic Handling Package from the 40i.

[abcsoup]

Originally Posted by arciga18

I click around the configurator on a daily basis. Today I noticed that they removed the Dynamic Handling Package from the 40i.

Oh no... are they really going to force people to upgrade to the V8 to get DHP again? Maybe supply chain issues are back for that package.

[Married_to_a_BFD]

Originally Posted by arciga18

I click around the configurator on a daily basis. Today I noticed that they removed the Dynamic Handling Package from the 40i.

Ahh, thanks for the reminder about one of the benefits of not waiting. At least I know ours was built before any options had to be dropped (I didn't order DHP, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first of multiple options to go)

[arciga18]

Originally Posted by Married_to_a_BFD

Ahh, thanks for the reminder about one of the benefits of not waiting. At least I know ours was built before any options had to be dropped (I didn't order DHP, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first of multiple options to go)

That was a concern and I've been working with a store to figure out trade numbers and a final build. Manager went on vacation for a week/ then the finance manager went away for a week, and not it is end of the month so to speak.

I really hope that for now they just removed it from the website to not create more traffic or expectations but that maybe a couple October builds would still be able to sneak through. and then going foward no more 40is until who knows when.


big oooof. with no dynamically handling on the 40I then I should just go shop the x5.... o wait no leather over there (I think)... fine x1 it is..... gahhhh no heated rear seats.

[Angelo_GraysonMiniBMW]

Originally Posted by arciga18

That was a concern and I've been working with a store to figure out trade numbers and a final build. Manager went on vacation for a week/ then the finance manager went away for a week, and not it is end of the month so to speak.

I really hope that for now they just removed it from the website to not create more traffic or expectations but that maybe a couple October builds would still be able to sneak through. and then going foward no more 40is until who knows when.


big oooof. with no dynamically handling on the 40I then I should just go shop the x5.... o wait no leather over there (I think)... fine x1 it is..... gahhhh no heated rear seats.

I thought you were joking about the X5 not having leather. I went to check the website and sure enough, you have to buy the M50i version. Correct me if I’m wrong but BMW could be the only luxury automaker not offering leather even as an option on suvs above $64k

[arciga18]

Originally Posted by Angelo1

I thought you were joking about the X5 not having leather. I went to check the website and sure enough, you have to buy the M50i version. Correct me if I’m wrong but BMW could be the only luxury automaker not offering leather even as an option on suvs above $64k

To be transparent it is rumored the leather would come back in October... but the main point is that supply chain shortages are impacting expensive BMW models . High volume models too.

Gahhhhh

[Angelo_GraysonMiniBMW]

Originally Posted by arciga18

To be transparent it is rumored the leather would come back in October... but the main point is that supply chain shortages are impacting expensive BMW models . High volume models too.

Gahhhhh

Gotcha! Anything missing on the current 60i?

[JK479]

Originally Posted by arciga18

To be transparent it is rumored the leather would come back in October... but the main point is that supply chain shortages are impacting expensive BMW models . High volume models too.

Gahhhhh

What's the fun in buying a bmw if it's missing things

[themama]

Originally Posted by Married_to_a_BFD

I've been tracking this forum pretty obsessively since my wife and I decided to make the X7 our first luxury car purchase, replacing our 2015 Toyota Sienna minivan.

A lot of the information in these threads has made me think, but it's all been helpful and ensured that our going through with the purchase is fully informed.

A couple things for context and full disclosure - our minivan has just over 95K miles. We don't want it to hit 100K miles before trying to trade it in, so we're committed to replacing it before year's end. Also, we've never purchased a luxury brand before. Still, while any of the various options we considered (Lincoln Aviator or Navigator, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, and others) are substantial upgrades, we're not just taken in by the BMW mystique. This was a thoughtful decision about what we wanted/needed in our next family car. It's a major purchase (though, blessedly, well within our budget), so we debated for several months. Anyway, here's where we landed on some of the top reasons many folks on these threads would have told us to stay away from this car...

Ugly front facia - Outside of being a matter of personal preference, I've never understood the seemingly overwrought descriptions of the car as "ugly." I love the slim look of the upper portion of the split headlights. It's a great signature for the X7 that distinguishes it from the X5. I'm glad the grill remained a manageable size and seems very proportional to the vehicle. The bottom half of the front facia is a head-turner that, again, distinguishes it from other vehicles on the road. And to my eyes, it looks more put together and polished, than the bottom half of the front facia of the pre-LCI (see pics in this thread.) And the minor updates to the rear end are an obvious upgrade. I completely understand why some people might prefer the more traditional look of the pre-LCI, but calling it "ugly" has always been laughable to me. There's a bit of piling on about the car's looks, which is most evident in the recent comments on Car & Driver's "Weird New Face" review. It's easy to knock it because it's so different, especially when it seems like everyone else is bashing it. Makes it tough to be the guy that says, "Um, I kinda like it?" lol. And yeah, seeing it in person, it's a beauty.

Tech is half-cooked - I get this one and my wife and I discussed it quite a bit. (Lots of good points in this thread) Considering our preference to get a new car before our old car hits 100K miles, we really preferred not to wait until April. Besides that, while many of the driver-assist features are valuable (adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, parking assist, all the safety features, etc.), the important ones are all in the current version. Hands-free driving at high speeds just isn't important to us. There are also some good videos out there about the dangers of relying on drive-assist at high speeds and the false comfort it can provide. (E.g., this deep dive into the current generation of self-driving tech generally and Cadillac's super-cruise system specifically, shows a pretty scary situation at 12:28 during the test drive where the car attempted to change lanes into a lane that another car two lanes away was also trying to get into and the driver had to take over). It's also pretty limited in utility - only approved highways with clear lane markers. As far as waiting till April, I worry that supply chain issues could pop up again at anytime, and it doesn't make much sense to wait eight months to get the extra tech features at risk of having to go without some standard features or preferred options due to supply chain issues creeping up to the X7 (e.g., heated and ventilated, massaging leather seats <-- every one of these words represent a must-have for us!). For now it looks like all features are a Go on the X7 (knocking on wood). Waiting feels risky. Still, I'm so happy we're going into this eyes wide open thanks to this forum, and I wish BMW had been more forthcoming on the issue. More information is always good.

Infotainment screen is (a) plopped on the dash and (b) difficult to navigate - The wide screen iDrive8 was for me a big reason for getting the MY23 and not a dealer-stock MY22 (which was still a good option a couple months ago). I'd be worried that in 5-8 years (the length of time we're likely to keep this car), the pre-LCI infotainment screen will look a little dated. The screens makes the interior feel a lot more current than the pre-LCI. As to it being difficult to navigate, look, all new infotainment systems present a learning curve and physical buttons are going away across the industry. Would I prefer physical buttons for the AC? Absolutely. It's just one quirk we'll get used to (and I'm optimistic the automatic climate control will make that irrelevant).

Cramped 3rd row (admittedly not much of a complaint for most people in this forum but a common one off the forum) - We sat back there. It's comfy (luxurious even, compared to the after-thought of a third row in the Aviator) and big enough for kids and short trips for adults shorter than 6 feet tall. If we wanted a third row that was comfy for adults for long trips, we'd have stuck with a minivan.

Our specs are below. Currently at "Production Begins" status with a 9-15-23 production date. Hoping to have it in our garage by the end of the month!

xDrive40i
Black Sapphire Metallic
21" Y-Spoke bi-color ferric grey wheels run-flat
Black Extended Merino Leather
Fineline Stripe Brown High Gloss Wood
Executive Package
Driving Assistance Pro Package
Climate Comfort Package
Parking Assistance Package
Anthracite Alcantara Headliner (added after order based on discussions in this forum!)
Second-Row Captain's Chairs

Thanks to all for helping me get comfortable with our decision!

If this is your first BMW, then congratulations and you will never miss a reason to be on the road. But few things to be prepared are, the vehicle is not as low maintenance as the minivans. They need to be pampered and they deliver the ride thrill that you expect. I made a switch from Toyota/Honda to a BMW many years ago and I won't for sure want to go back as long as finances permit.
You selected the packages that are great in my opinion and you don't need more than those.

[Married_to_a_BFD]

Originally Posted by themama

If this is your first BMW, then congratulations and you will never miss a reason to be on the road. But few things to be prepared are, the vehicle is not as low maintenance as the minivans. They need to be pampered and they deliver the ride thrill that you expect. I made a switch from Toyota/Honda to a BMW many years ago and I won't for sure want to go back as long as finances permit.
You selected the packages that are great in my opinion and you don't need more than those.

Arrived at the dealer today. Doing paperwork and taking delivery Friday!

Still pumped.