Options:

Sapphire Black / Tan Leather

Premium Package
Technology Package
Sport Package
Premium Sound
Rear Climate Package
Running Boards
iPod and USB adapter
Smartphone Integration
Heated Front Seats
Sattelite Radio
Roof Rails
Automatic High Beams
Space Saver Spare

Of course love the car overall but, here are few good and bad observations I have:

0) Automatic High Beams - I love those things! I have to say this is almost as good of a feature as a Nav. I am stretching it a bit but only to make a point that I didn't expect it to be so cool as I find it now. It's one of those things that once you get it (for me) you think to yourself... man! it just really sucks without having this. You just turn on the AHB and forget it! It makes sure the lights get reduced whenever someone approaches or you gain on someone. This thing works brilliantly!

1) Premium Sound - Power and imaging is good but speakers suck like a super massive black hole. The sound is just mudd as hell... messing w/tones/eq doesn't help just makes things more annoying. There are no mids and the highs sound like somebody wrapped them up in wool mittens.

2) Sport Package - 1st the big one... the sports seats are just a huge fiasco for me. I have not experienced more uncomfortable seats in years in any of the cheapo Enterprise rentals I've driven over the years. I have been driving a '99 5er w/M sports pack/seats and loved those... but, always wanted the contour seats since the 1st time I sat in them few years back, so sort of planned to get them in my next bimmer... then the wife stepped in and just blasted the very idea of premium seats etc... anywhoo... that's my problem ... So I "decided" that how bad can the sports seats be... since I've like them for 10 years etc... WRONG! ... different sports seats! ... those things are just the least ergonomically designed seating surfaces I have experienced! Its like they designed them to be painful. Well, it's just the upper back support in my case, that's completely missing in those seats. The upper part of the backrest is bent back so far that you are essentially resting your back against a arc. To reach the headrest w/the back of your head is almost impossible baceause if you adjust the backrest forward it pushes the lower back forwad too thus your upper back goes forward too so it doesn't do anything to improve the support for it. Effectively it's like driving sitting on a stool. And that's with the adjustable headrest adjusted all the way forwad! I SOOOOOOOOO regret caving in to the spousal fit! Just tested out the Contour Seats earlier today at a local dealer and they are bliss! Perfection in comparison. You can adjust the upper back so it hugs you and your uppper feels no stress while sitting at all. Just for comparison, it took all but 50 min driving to get me a stiff/painful upper neck in my Sport Seats. I am going to have to do something to address this because right now it scares me to think about driving this car more than 50 miles...

2nd smaller, not sure about thingy - Anthracite headliner... well... hmmm... I guess if I tell myself mutiple times that it looks sportier then It stops bothering me... but frequently it just makes the interior feel smaller. If I had a choice of a tan headliner w/sport pack and could choose again I'd take the tan headliner.

3) HUD - Sort of was thinking of getting it, but decided to cheap out on the options and didn't. Well... now I kind of regret a little... since I definitely could find more times to use it than when I was thinking about while justyfying to myself not getting it. But... not a huge issue.

4) Cold Weather Package - Did not get it, opted for Heated Seats instead. So far, overall... eh... it was going to cost me more by ~600 clams. I guess there were couple of times I would have enjoyed having the warm steering wheel, and could have definitely used the headlamp washers few times. But overall.. not a huge issue.

5) Comfort Access - Did not get it. I am actually glad I did not... just sticking the key fob in the hole and pressing the button feels like a right level of improvement over the keye turn ignition. Not having the extra level of "coolness" of not having to stick the key in, and having the door open w/out pressing a button still doesn't sound like a loss at all. And the wife would have definitely gotton confused mutiple times by now and I'd get blamed, so... overall, glad I didn't get it.

6) Rear Climate Package - definitely a must have. Blinds + the 2 way (real) climate control in the rear are very nice.

7) Premium Package - way overpriced for what is in it, but you kind of have to get it to get those things... so it's a rip but the things are useful.

8) Sport Package - eh... well... I got it really for two things, 19" wheels and the steering wheel. But honestly, if I were to do it all over again, I'd probably get the HUD and Contour Seats instead. Or maybe the Sport Pack and the Contour Seats to save $1k...

9) iPod / USB - iPod integration is weird... 1st... the iPod connector sucks! It just isn't as good/solid/well connecting as the stock Apple one. Not sure how you can screw up a connector but apparently you can... basically most iPods I have tried (tried 4 or 5), the thing has intermittent connectivity with or once it does connect the sound fades in an out some times from side to side. I am 99% sure its just the stupid connector cable because when you jiggle it makes a difference. iPod navigation kind of sucks... its too complicated and requires way too many clicks... more than on the iPod itself... so its annoying really.

10) Tech Package - Nav, love it... it's super cool! Its accurate to a T, so far and fast, and smooth etc. Love the ability to e-mail google maps to the car, this rules!

11) Smartphone integration - got it just in "case" but honestly I am not sure if/when there'd be a cradle adaptor for the phone I plan to use it with... (don't know which phone yet ... probably one of the Droids or something). Doubt they'll even come out w/cradley by the time I break my phone.

12) Running borards - while I think they are sort of should haves on an SUV and they look cool and are kind of useful to step on to look if there is something on the roof... ... they are definitely in the way when getting out of the car. So a bit disappointed w/them but would still definitely get them.

Ok... so that's all for now. If I remember more will add to the list...

spacey