[biznis32]

It appears that the manuals only come with a very cheap looking matte black trim around the lower console (shifter, idrive, start/stop) etc. In contrast, the automatics get a piano black finish.

Has anybody come up with a solution? Close to $100k CAD for a car and the matte black looks like it belongs in a $40k car. Very disappointing.

[BLVCKBURN]

Yes, the M3 / M4 Competition shift lever area is piano black compared to the M3 / M4 manual, use model with that cheap looking plastic.



VS

[Nkr15]

Bmw doesn't care it seems, there's cheap plastic around the shifter, there's cheap plastic next to your knee area vs leather in the automatic too. You don't get a keycard with the manual and you can't even unlock/start the car with your phone or watch. Even the charging pad for the manual is inferior, it's some clumsy clip in the armrest.They really want you to buy the automatic. I wish I could be happy driving an automatic, but then I'd just buy a model S plaid.

[biznis32]

Thanks LoneAmerican. Much better pictures.

[Pantagathus]

Maybe I'm alone, but I would rather have the matt black. That high gloss stuff is a PITA, it just gets covered in finger print marks

[Multimodal]

I'm with Pantagathus. I'm just going to choose not to care about it.

[jonahk]

Originally Posted by Pantagathus

Maybe I'm alone, but I would rather have the matt black. That high gloss stuff is a PITA, it just gets covered in finger print marks

I agree. Actually prefer the "cheap" looking matte finish. I will probably wrap my gloss pieces in PPF because my dog will likely scratch the crap out of it.

[biznis32]

I get it. I was just expecting more attention from BMW given that it is a highly visible area and the matte finish screams cheap to me and it cannot be changed even on the more expensive CF interior package.

[snareman]

I would much prefer the matte finish as well for an area that I'm going to be constantly touching with my fingertips. Not sure why they put a glossy finish on that area. I'm sure it looks great when it's clean though.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Nkr15

Bmw doesn't care it seems, there's cheap plastic around the shifter, there's cheap plastic next to your knee area vs leather in the automatic too. You don't get a keycard with the manual and you can't even unlock/start the car with your phone or watch. Even the charging pad for the manual is inferior, it's some clumsy clip in the armrest.They really want you to buy the automatic. I wish I could be happy driving an automatic, but then I'd just buy a model S plaid.

Stop.

You're suggesting that BMW is herding us ever so gently to the 8AT by putting "cheap" plastic (which looks pretty standard to me) around the MT shifter, not giving us a keycard or auto start (you can't start a 6MT without depressing the clutch pedal from inside the car...), and by giving us an inferior charging pad?

They did all this work and development over 4+ years (see below video) to offer us a 6MT at great expense to their internal resources only to deke us out with cheap interior and commonsensical limitations on remote start options?

[frankiebones]

I have a question: is anyone with a 6MT hitting the iDrive button while shifting or finding it difficult to rest their arms on the console without hitting it?

[Scorp!on]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

I have a question: is anyone with a 6MT hitting the iDrive button while shifting or finding it difficult to rest their arms on the console without hitting it?

no never, don't worry the shifter sits perfectly fine and you won't touch anything (unless you shift somehow strange holding the shifter on the lowest position lol)

regarding the "cheap" plastic:
i'm pretty happy it is like this and not this piano black crap were you get scratches in a nanosecond as soon as you use the car the first time.

It doesn't look cheap at all, especially with the carbon fiber around it.
And using the buttons quiet often for me it's awesome it is in this "cheap" plastic.

by the way, looks for me like finding the hair in the soup...this interior is on another star regarding the competitors and people complain about that...won't understand this.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Scorp!on

i'm pretty happy it is like this and not this piano black crap were you get scratches in a nanosecond as soon as you use the car the first time.

It doesn't look cheap at all, especially with the carbon fiber around it.
And using the buttons quiet often for me it's awesome it is in this "cheap" plastic.

by the way, looks for me like finding the hair in the soup...this interior is on another star regarding the competitors and people complain about that...won't understand this.

This guy is basically complaining that Tesla doesn't make a 6MT. Complaining is one thing and everyone does it to different extents.
Conspiracy theories about making things deliberately a teeny tiny bit less comfortable so that we don't buy a car they just started selling 6 weeks ago are my favorite.

[evilalien]

This video from bmwblog shows both shift-area trims well starting at 3:45.

I also like the matte. Both are plastic. I care so little about this that I didn't even notice.

[heavyD^2]

The reality is that while it may have a lower bling factor, matte black plastic will age much much better. If an owner isn't meticulous with gloss black plastic it will be full of swirls and scratches. I try pretty hard to avoid touching the shiny black plastic on my X3M around the shifter and surrounding buttons and I have some scratches despite using only microfiber cloths.

[Nkr15]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

Stop.

You're suggesting that BMW is herding us ever so gently to the 8AT by putting "cheap" plastic (which looks pretty standard to me) around the MT shifter, not giving us a keycard or auto start (you can't start a 6MT without depressing the clutch pedal from inside the car...), and by giving us an inferior charging pad?

They did all this work and development over 4+ years (see below video) to offer us a 6MT at great expense to their internal resources only to deke us out with cheap interior and commonsensical limitations on remote start options?

I mean why not give us that leather knee area piece that's on the automatic? I paid extra money for the full leather option too. I plan to buy the part and swap it out ASAP.

Also, yes you can't start the car without the clutch depressed but it doesn't mean you can't use your phone/watch in place of the key fob or the credit card. I am aware the automatic version has some NFC chip for these features to work but come on it's $100,000. I've literally stopped using my wallet in Covid I just use Apple Pay for almost everything and carry one card for emergencies to reduce contact with anything. It would be pretty sweet not to carry car keys either.

I am aware beggars can't be choosers for 6MT and my car is in the middle of the Atlantic right now, but these are minor annoyances but they are still annoyances. I don't expect a flimsy phone holder that overheats the phone at 100k.. like come on. Totally nitpicking but I don't think it's ridiculous at this price point. It's going to be a great car and I can forgive everything for the 3rd pedal.

[chris3g]

Originally Posted by Nkr15

I mean why not give us that leather knee area piece that's on the automatic? I paid extra money for the full leather option too. I plan to buy the part and swap it out ASAP.

Also, yes you can't start the car without the clutch depressed but it doesn't mean you can't use your phone/watch in place of the key fob or the credit card. I am aware the automatic version has some NFC chip for these features to work but come on it's $100,000. I've literally stopped using my wallet in Covid I just use Apple Pay for almost everything and carry one card for emergencies to reduce contact with anything. It would be pretty sweet not to carry car keys either.

I am aware beggars can't be choosers for 6MT and my car is in the middle of the Atlantic right now, but these are minor annoyances but they are still annoyances. I don't expect a flimsy phone holder that overheats the phone at 100k.. like come on. Totally nitpicking but I don't think it's ridiculous at this price point. It's going to be a great car and I can forgive everything for the 3rd pedal.

i dont think buying the padded part from the comp is going to work, it appears the overall shape is not the same. Probably why it isn't included in the first place.

[BLVCKBURN]

Bottom line folks is for the price BMW is now asking for the M3 and M4, you deserve to get a lot for the possible $80 to $100k you are spending.

It blew me away that a $68k M340i doesn't have air conditioned seats but my 2020 GMC Sierra truck does. It blows me away that a nearly $50k Toyota Tacoma didn't have power seats up until 2020. Its baffles me how out dated the BMW interior is on the 2021 Toyota Supra when you could just buy a M340i or Z4. It baffles me that Tesla is multi-billion dollar company but they couldn't even get the Model Y on the market without including the same paint quality and body gap issues that the model 3 suffers from.

Personally because the M3 Comp's shift area is piano black, I will be getting the dash trim in piano black. Too much carbon fiber is really tacky for me. I grew out of the carbon fiber phase when I bought my first car at 19. I'm even still questioning the carbon exterior package and also even questioned if I wanted the roof to be carbon fiber!

All auto manufacturers make the weird decisions and we all have our preferences.

[zamboni]

You're not the only one got robbed by BMW for not providing knee leather area unlike F80 it came standard, welcome to the world of cost cutting. For MT safety issue that's why you would not having the remote start that's pretty straight forward, on the car key can't believed BMW still have not migrate to digital key version full display car status info. What if you lost your phone how do you start the car? A physical car key will prevent the incident I would rather carry a car key at all time beside it's not that big.

[Nkr15]

Originally Posted by zamboni

You're not the only one got robbed by BMW for not providing knee leather area unlike F80 it came standard, welcome to the world of cost cutting. For MT safety issue that's why you would not having the remote start that's pretty straight forward, on the car key can't believed BMW still have not migrate to digital key version full display car status info. What if you lost your phone how do you start the car? A physical car key will prevent the incident I would rather carry a car key at all time beside it's not that big.

I mean to be fair if you lose your phone and can't start the car you still have two keys at home. You could also go out and lose your key fob but potentially start the car with your phone/watch.

Some other forum member said he forgot to give his detailer his key fob but just gave him access to the digital key from his iPhone instead while never leaving the house.

[spacecowboy85]

I hate piano black whoever thought that it was some how luxurious or good in a car should be shot lol, seriously though all it does is collect dirt and fingerprints just my opinion

[Multimodal]

Originally Posted by LoneAmerican

Bottom line folks is for the price BMW is now asking for the M3 and M4, you deserve to get a lot for the possible $80 to $100k you are spending.

Sorry for the narrative violation but:

https://g80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1823261