[Itsjoshshep]

Finally got the BMW M240i, my only negative is that I don't have a heated steering wheel or heated seats which was a bit of a surprise. Having said that I wasn't paying 5k more for them as I probably used them a handful of times in my last car.

Looking forward to doing some cosmetic mods like a retrofit screen etc.

If anyone has any recommendations for places to buy from / have work done in the North West that would be great.

Also, what mods would you / have you guys done!

Extremely good purchase as the car has only 18k miles and picked it up for 19.5k.

[msej449]

@Itsjoshshep

On a security note, make sure the previous owner doesn't have an active MyBMW account for your car, thus enabling them to determine where it's parked and unlock it without a key (see * at the end below). If you bought it from an independent dealer, they may not even be aware that this is a possibility. The car would still be immobilised without a key, I think, so not a serious as it sounds, but a loophole you'd want to close, even so. especially if you leave any valuables in it.

Wind Deflector: I assume you got this included but if not, it really makes a big difference in reducing turbulence and noise when the top is down. Plus it hides from view anything left on the back seat and prevents anyone just reaching in when you stop at lights etc. with the top down. And if you're driving at speed, it'll stop anything inadvertently loose on the back seat from flying out the cabin.

BMW 5L Screen Wash Concentrate [B83.12.2.409.032 '086506/S/WASH 5L' £18 incl VAT]: Don't mix BMW and non-BMW screenwash - this gunges-up the reservoir and pump and means a £300+ garage visit or a really awkward and time-consuming DIY project. It's more concentrated than the stuff from Halfords and garages, but does cost a bit more. I estimate around £8-£12/year extra, which seems worth it to me. Note you want the big 5 litre container, not the 1 litre. And note the guidance that it should be pre-mixed before topping-up: don't pour it in neat unless you want it all at that concentration for a ski trip to -30°C mountains.

Winter tyres, wheels: Given your location, you may find that having a winter set of tyres makes the car more usable in the winter. I have them and I live on the South Coast, so for me they're more for the improved resistance to aquaplaning. Having winters means you can opt for a full-on summer tyre that doesn't have to compromise to cover winter conditions.

LED Boot light [Part No. 63312348803] Replacement LED light for the boot interior. 5x brighter than the standarwd bulb.

Limited Slip Differential (LSD): Yes, it's serious money at around £2K but I got this retro-fitted by my local dealer and for me, I feel it' been worth it. However, mine is a long-term keeper, so if you're likely to dispose of the car after 3 years or so, the decision will be more finely-balanced.

BMW Model-specific torque wrench: At £29 this seemed almost under-priced for a BMW accessory. It's a 140Nm fixed-torque wrench that they used to supply with every car, pre-runflat. If you have a winter set of wheels, it's useful for re-tightening a little while after you've done the spring/autumn swap.

BMW Service Pack: I decided that it was worth taking this out as overall, it seemed reasonably competitive against independent alternatives, but I know people have very divergent opinions about servicing.

BMW Cabriolet Cleaner, Re-proofing Agent: With the soft-top, it's worth cleaning and re-proofing the fabric at least twice a year, and more if you get a serious attack of tree sap and/or bird droppings. There are loads of products out there, but the BMW ones are quite concentrated and have lasted me 4 years, so seem reasonable value. And if there was any problem with the fabric, I'd be able to claim I'd used only BMW cleaning products.

BMW Spare Bulb Set: Useful anyway, but mandatory if you drive abroad. Just a bit steep at £81 for my 16 M235i - although it may be less for your M240i model.

BMW Luggage Net for front passenger footwell: An oblong net that you attach to the passenger side of the front transmission tunnel. Really useful for all those odds and ends and reachable from the driver's side (partly). I've read that people have had trouble sourcing this, though. Mine cost £25 ish, so not outrageous price given the utility.

Maps and RTTI: These are subscriptions, and BMW UK have recently revamped their packages, so I'm not certain what packages they are in. Up to you whether you think the updates are worth it. Note that if you do subscribe to map updates, the UK ones come automatically over the air and you don't have to do anything, but the Europe maps are so big this involves you in having to download to your PC/Mac, transferring to a USB, and putting the USB into the car.

RTTI is the thing where BMW collects anonymous data from all BMWs on the road and enhances commercial road data with it, so you get much more accurate traffic reporting on the satnav. Again, if you're low mileage and happy with Waze etc you may not think it's cost-effective. But if you use the car regularly for work and/or have a long commute, you may feel it is.

*You'll need to set up a MyBMW Account which will give you access to the MyBMW mobile app (for stuff like remote unlocking/locking; destination download to the satnav from the mobile; car location, remote fuel level etc.) and access to the Connected Drive portal where you can subscribe to the various services like map updates.