A new BMW made to order . . .

Wow! That previous post was a bit much, wasn't it? I'll keep this one shorter. Not that I'm immodest enough to think there's anyone actually READING any of this, but just in case.

After looking over the available vehicles on the dealership lot, I didn't find anything that had the right color exterior, the correct material and color interior, and the options I wanted. I asked the salesperson if we could order one with the specifications I was looking for. He informed me that we certainly could do that, but we would be looking at a six to eight week delivery time. He also suggested that he could do a vehicle search and possibly locate one either in transit or in the Port of Entry in New Jersey. I told him to go ahead with that plan and to let me know what he found.

The following day, he called and told me he had found the exact car I was looking for. It was sitting on the ship in the harbor and we could nab it and have it shipped to KC if I wanted to proceed. Below is the skinny on what it is. I'm not going to include everything here. I may need more stuff for the next post.

• 2011 BMW 335ix SEDAN
• SPACE GRAY
• BLACK DAKOTA LEATHER
• SPORTS PACKAGE
• PREMIUM PACKAGE
• COLD WEATHER PACKAGE

That's enough to start with. But I'd like to add a little clarification as to why I chose what I did. Everyone has their own list of options they want and need in their car. It's all personal, and, if you remember from the previous post, I like power. That's why I bypassed the 328 and went with the 335i. Like the 328, this model has an inline six cylinder engine. But it's power is boosted with a turbocharger. For the 2011 model year, BMW redesigned the previous twin turbo and turned it into what they refer to as a "twin-scroll" turbo. They've kept the original turbo design for the new 335is model. So my love of power is one reason for choosing the 335i.

Why a sedan? Well, you may be surprised to hear that I almost ordered a coupe. It was a close call. But the sedan just has so many more advantages that I changed my mind and went with the four doors. I also came very close to going with the Black Sapphire exterior. So classy. And so darned hard to keep looking good without constant attention. The Lexus is white, and that's a great color for a BMW, but I wanted a change. I've never been a fan of blue cars in any shade. And red seems more like a muscle car color. And it seems like there are way too many silver cars on the roads these days. When I saw the Space Gray I decided that was the color for me. Still classy, but more practical since it's not so prone to swirling and showing dirt.

From there we go to the interior. Leatherette is not my cup of tea. I grew up with something called Naugahyde, which was a predecessor of Vinyl and Pleather, and which is something I do not like. Materials of this ilk do not belong in a luxury or near-luxury vehicle. Leather is the only option, in my opinion.

And speaking of leather, the oyster and black interior is absolutely gorgeous, and I came very close to making that selection. But after reading several horror stories on the BMW forums about the blue dye from new jeans leeching into the lighter leather colors, I decided to go with the classic black. That color also was more harmonious with the Space Gray than the warmer tone of the oyster. I also had several options I could select for the trim. Aluminum is modern, but a lot of forum posters said that it scratches easily. In the end, I went with the Dark Burl Walnut, as shown in the photo.

The Sports Package was a must have. Although it has several features included, the primary reason I selected that package was because of the Sports Seats. They are the most comfortable seats I have ever had the pleasure to sit in. And you really do sit "in" them rather than "on" them. If you're ever near a BMW dealer stop by and find a model with the sports seats and check them out. It will make you want them.

The Premium Package gives you power seats on both sides with adjustable lumbar support. It also gives you Homelink for garage door operation. There are other things included, but those are the two features I was most interested in having.

Cold Weather Package provides heated seats with three levels of heating, plus a heated steering wheel. You also get a ski bag. Since I'm not a skier, I'll have one of those for sale shortly if anyone is interested.

At this point, I don't know when my car is going to arrive, but it should be next week. Hopefully. I can hardly wait to see it. Tomorrow I'll mention some of the other accessories  the car has as well as give you a photo of the wheels.

That's about enough for this post. If anyone is out there reading this, feel free to leave a comment.