Prospective BMW 1 Series buyers not happy about the details of their cars are able to change their minds up until the eleventh hour – or the eighth day…
Prospective BMW 1 Series buyers not happy about the details of their cars are able to change their minds up until the eleventh hour – or the eighth day…
On Monday, CARtoday.com brought you details about the 1 Series ahead of its local launch. Good news to spontaneous or indecisive buyers is that changes can be made to the car’s finishes, even while it trundles along the production line.
Produced and assembled at BMW’s Regensburg plant in Germany, a wide range of equipment options and colours, upholstery finishes and interior trim options are offered to buyers.
Previously, changes were greatly restricted and alterations were not possible within six weeks before the start of assembly. However, on the 1 Series, changes can be requested up to eight days before the final assembly starts.
However, BMW salesman Clifford James has cautioned that while it is possible to change your order very late in the production process, the practice is not encouraged.
This system also supports the placement of online orders. Customers are able to outfit their cars online and receive order status information and updates at any time.
James said: “We (BMW SA) are able to track the vehicle’s progress via our own internal systems. From the customer’s perspective, with an order number obtainable from your dealer, you are able to track your car’s progress via www.bmw.co.za.”
The possibilities for personalisation seem endless, with optional extras including Bluetooth capability, seat heating, multi-function steering wheel, sports seats with backrest width adjustment, park distance control, iDrive mated to a navigation system, keyless access and voice-activated radio, CD, telephone and satnav controls and a storage package, which includes nets on the front seat backs, a roof grab handle on the driver’s side, 12 V socket, a net for the luggage compartment and two lashing eyes in the boot.
Already kitted with a high level of comfort and safety features, standard interior equipment on the 1 Series are: electric windows and mirrors, horizontally and vertically adjustable steering column, air conditioning system with automatic air recirculation and asymmetrically split folding rear seats.
Three-pivot automatic seatbelts, headrests on all seats, two-stage activating front airbags, side airbags at the front and curtain head airbags, DSC (including an operating mode with higher slip thresholds – DTC), ASC, ABS, EBD and Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) and a control function to prevent the vehicle from spinning in bends if the brakes are applied lightly (CBC), are listed as the range’s standard safety equipment.
James said the current waiting period was about two months.
