[lax01]

Here are some facts after getting more information:

Initial Cost of Package with Car: $2500

Actual Value of M Driver's Voucher: $1500
Actual Cost of 1-Day M School Class (which is different than the M Driver's Class / RETAIL): $1550
Actual Cost of Class after BMWCCA Discount: $1275

Frequency of Classes at Thermal (didn't ask about SC): Once a Month
Day of Week Class is Held: Mostly Mondays and Friday (very few weekend classes are offered - meaning you have to take off work to take advantage)

Ability to Convert to Other Classes: Yes* (if you want to pay the difference)

I just talked to Sales Support that manages the process (who are not BMW employees - its all run through Harte Hanks - hartehanks.com)...I figured I could get the 1 Day M School class for $1275 and then apply part of my $1500 voucher value to it. NOPE, the BMWCCA discount would come off the additional $50 you have to pay to switch to the 1 Day M School - a whole $7 - well, Thanks! Great way to absolutely screw the consumer.

The package is a complete joke and I am seriously bitter that I was forced to have it on the PE I bought. Could have done some serious track days for $2500.

Oh, and the other benefit: the increase in speed limit is software (which apparently is already enabled on other cars), completely worthless and comes at zero cost to BMW.


Thanks for letting me rant...if you are custom ordering a car, DO NOT get this package - the cost/benefit analysis literally makes no sense and you are essentially giving BMW $1000+ for nothing.

[ZPrime]

Yeah, this has been pretty well-known for a while and why many of us scoffed at the PE cars.

[lax01]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

Yeah, this has been pretty well-known for a while and why many of us scoffed at the PE cars.

The "pay us an additional $50 for the same class with more dates" is really what grinded my gears this week...especially considering the website says the M Driver's Package voucher is worth $1550

Just frustrating that the classes are not during the weekend and apparently you don't even get to drive the M2...forgot about that part. You drive the M3/M4 ZCP (or whatever the Comp Package is now)

[ydoc]

lax01, I don't want to add insult to injury, but did you also get charged California sales tax on the $2,500 M Driver's package since it was part of the vehicle purchase?

If so, that makes it even more expensive than a 1-day M School with the BMWCCA 15% discount applied, which is not subject to sales tax. Sorry!

[lax01]

Originally Posted by ydoc

lax01, I don't want to add insult to injury, but did you also get charged California sales tax on the $2,500 M Driver's package since it was part of the vehicle purchase?

If so, that makes it even more expensive than a 1-day M School with the BMWCCA 15% discount applied, which is not subject to sales tax. Sorry!

Of course and thanks for adding the insult...its included in the price of the car...tax is like 9% so its an additional $225 ... what a joke

[MPOWERE9]

Help me out on this as I may be missing something. When I look at Blue Book values on our cars and they have a box for M Drivers Package and they add $2,500 to the value of the used car. So my take is you actually get the 2500 back when you sell the car and you get to take the class.

The new purchaser gets, well, nothing. OK 168mph top limit.

Am I thinking this wrong?

[lax01]

Its a package on the car...KBB probably doesn't know that its not an actual add-on for the actual car and is just adding the cost of the M Driver's Package to the overall price of the used car. Probably just an error in their logic for ingesting car packages.

Yeah, I mean, the KBB value of a used car with M Driver's Package is total bullshit...or over-stated by $2500

[Spa2k]

The value of a PE isn't stated by KBB at all - not enough have been resold to develop a price basis for the car. (Actually, that's true of all '17 M2s.) I'm guessing the M Driver's Package will never show up on KBB because it was a promotional item only for the original purchaser of the car and thus has no value to anyone else.

[CommitConfirm]

Here in the UK a factory de-restricted car is worth more than one without.

Agree the option is expensive, but so are many of the other options available. Value is relative.

As a collector I want the cars with the rarest options. So a white, manual, de-restricted pre-LCI is the one I would want & would pay a premium for.

[izzyM2]

I have not gotten a call to schedule it and I totally agree its a rip off. We should all sue BMW!

[lax01]

Originally Posted by izzyM2

I have not gotten a call to schedule it and I totally agree its a rip off. We should all sue BMW!

And you will not get a call to schedule it...there is no way BMW or the Performance Center are going to proactively reach out to you to schedule. The dealer doesn't even understand the program they are selling.

I had to go through the BMW Genius line to get the voucher ID...everyone was saying it takes 8 weeks after delivery to get the physical voucher. It ended up being more like 12-15 (purchase date for my car was beginning of June - I finally got the physical voucher in the middle of September).

I suggest you reach out to the BMW Genius line if you want your voucher ID and want to schedule it...because there aren't that many classes and a lot of them are already full for 2017.

[izzyM2]

Originally Posted by lax01

And you will not get a call to schedule it...there is no way BMW or the Performance Center are going to proactively reach out to you to schedule. The dealer doesn't even understand the program they are selling.

I had to go through the BMW Genius line to get the voucher ID...everyone was saying it takes 8 weeks after delivery to get the physical voucher. It ended up being more like 12-15 (purchase date for my car was beginning of June - I finally got the physical voucher in the middle of September).

I suggest you reach out to the BMW Genius line if you want your voucher ID and want to schedule it...because there aren't that many classes and a lot of them are already full for 2017.

Thanks for the info!

[lax01]

Well I finally booked the 1-Day M School in November at Thermal (paid the $42.50 extra to book it too)...but I couldn't let BMW not know how I truly felt about the package:



I'm sure nothing will ever come of it but I'm glad I was able to vent my frustration...

[CommitConfirm]

I stopped reading after 'BMW Genius'. What ever happens to manners, would 'Dear BMW Genius' have taken too much longer to write?

The package includes a factory de-restricted car. That's what you paid the premium for not the course.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by CommitConfirm

I stopped reading after ?BMW Genius?. What ever happens to manner, would ? Dear BMW Genius? have taken too much longer to write?

The package includes a factory de-restricted car. That’s what you paid the premium for not the course.

"dear" is reserved for your friend or grandmother most of the time, especially in the US.

I would've gone with "To whom it may concern:" myself.

[look585]

A track day is only a couple of hundred bucks. Why would one $2500?

[lax01]

Their response was pretty much what I expected...

I don't use "Dear..." in a formal email to a company

The package includes a factory de-restricted car. That’s what you paid the premium for not the course.

Not sure what you mean...do you get $1000 worth of value by bumping the software-imposed speed limiter 15 mph? Sure, if the car had more power with the package...I could see that being potentially worthwhile

A track day is only a couple of hundred bucks. Why would one $2500?

Well, you aren't using your car...you don't pay for consumables or insurance.

But yes, it's still a ripoff

[BAN_M2C]

Hey but you get to say you have 1/150!

I never really understood the concept of the PE..

You can buy an AW M2 and add all the items it brings and still have the electric seats and avoid all this nonsense.

I hope at least you are enjoying the car regardless all this ranting!

[lax01]

Originally Posted by BAN_M2

Hey but you get to say you have 1/150!

I never really understood the concept of the PE..

You can buy an AW M2 and add all the items it brings and still have the electric seats and avoid all this nonsense.

I hope at least you are enjoying the car regardless all this ranting!

Hah has little do with the car...everything to do with the M Driver's Package

You definitely save on install and everything considered...in terms of the parts on the PE

[chris719]

The PE was created by BMW NA to satisfy the dealerships and push more M Performance parts ("value adds"). If you wanted all of them, then it's fine, but otherwise a waste of money.

[subliminalaudio]

I agree I’m having the same issues here, what do you recommend. ??

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by subliminalaudio

I agree I’m having the same issues here, what do you recommend. ??

My recommendation if you paid for it (option 7ME):

• if you're OK with it, call it the "M Driver's Package"
• if you're not OK with it, call it the "M Whiner's Package"

Anyways, on resale day you can point out that, as also indicated in car documents, your car has the rare feature of V-max being de-restricted at factory (168mph/270kph instead of 155mph/250kph). The dog wears no muzzle.

FWIW, I noticed with mine that, on the German Autobahn, the engine does not completely run out of breath yet at 168mph. But true that, if the car never hits the Autobahn, it's of no automotive use at all and, at most, just offers some added value and bragging rights.