[Corinne]

Really, it's enough to put one off buying a BMW !

I'm trying to configure, on the French BMW site, an M235i. I can't have the colour I want unless I downgrade to a smaller engine; if I want 19" wheels I have to take the standard 18" wheels (and do WHAT with them ?) and purchase 19" ones from the BMW Performance options, along with new tyres. Yet, on the 4 series I see that one can configure 19" wheels from the outset for just € 1200 (whereas it would cost me 3 times that just for the wheels, and that's WITHOUT the tyres).
So, with the 2 series BMW are profiteering as well as encouraging waste - not very cool for a company which apparently cares about the environment.

If I want a performance exhaust, I can't just configure it. No, I have to buy the exhaust afterwards and waste the original exhaust. It doesn't make any sense at all because I'm convinced that BMW would make more profit by encouraging purchasers to order extras at the time of purchase by offering fitment and lower prices.

The configurator is also missing various models. For example there's a 225d coupe, but no 225d convertible. And finally I'm forced to tick my choice of lease before saving the configuration when I only want to purchase outright.

What is the matter with these guys ? Is each product manager free to set prices and conditions as he wants ? Do they have a competition to see who can produce the most complicated and restrictive options lists ? Will we soon have to choose between a front wheel drive M2 equipped only with an Eco+ mode and available only in 565 permutations of grey; and a rip-snorting rear wheel drive 1.5 litre 3 cylinder diesel available only in Valencia Orange ? Will we be forced to buy a super-silent single tailpipe equipped M2 and have to spend € 10,000 to buy a proper 4 tailpipe sports exhaust ? Whereas that very same sports exhaust will be available as standard on the 1.5 diesel. When will the M2 come with 1" wide wheels as standard, I wonder ? When will it be available with 3 wheels only ? Aaaargh !!!!! Where, oh where is that fabled teutonic logic ?