I'd option it this way:

Space Saver Spare - $150 (you can go to run flats later if desired)
Roof Rails - $100
Smartphone Integration - $150
iPod and USB Adapter (can hook different devices to it, not just iPod) - $400
BMW Assist w/Bluetooth - $750
Rubber floor mats - $74

The MSRP is 54,299. With the incentives, and your BMW drive $ and some smart bargaining you should easily get below 50K...Even though you won't use Assist it's free the first year and then you can opt to not have it; but the BT integration is really a smart feature.

Even though you may not need some of that now - having it there for a low entry fee makes sense in my mind then wishing you got it later as adding options is really a pain after the fact or impossible.

FWIW - I also ordered (separately from the car) the mud flaps and had them dealer installed as well as the 3M clear mask on the front.

My .02 cents but good luck, you'll love the diesel. :)

Can someone briefly explain the ipod and how it works with the E70 to me? I have the AUX jack in the older version idrive. I've always worked from home and never needed an mp3 player nor have I ever played with an ipod.

Can I just buy an old 8gb ipod nano and hook that in? I'll just use it for the car. I can transfer all music to it through itunes, regardless of whether I bought it there, correct?

So, AUX jack you mean you do not have the iPod Adaptor that was an option on your car ? Either way, yes, you can buy just like a Nano and iTunes should allow you to dump any music into it's Library to transfer to the Nano (I've bought exactly 0 songs out of iTunes I've always used LimeWire which is now FrostWire).

Thanks, I'm pretty close to that on my saved profile. I added the running boards (even though I read about dirty pant legs) and the rear climate (w/ sunshades and tint to keep the sun off the kids). I will go sans the ipod and smartphone, and think I'll end up out the door for right around $50. This is nice since dealer told me the 2012 will include more standard options that will go along a much heftier price tag

Oh, I learned the hard way this week to not wear shorts and touch your leg against the running board when it's close to 100. I burned the crap out my leg!

You don't 'need' the smartphone integration but do consider at least the iPod / USB. The integration into iDrive is pretty nice and you can select tracks and playlights right from that interface; plus album artwork is displayed on the center dash LCD. I just stow my iPhone in the center console connected to the iPod adapter and that way I'm not futzing with it.

I had the sunshades in my 2004 and liked them - I didn't have that in this 2011 but went ahead and just tinted the windows all around instead.

Think of the AUX jack as being like a headphone connection. You can hear the iPod, but you can't control it, apart from volume. You have to hold the iPod and select songs from it. May or may not be legal (it isn't where I live, as it is a handheld device). It is definitely less safe. If your passenger works the iPod, no problem. That is what we do with our X3 on long trips, it just has the AUX input. We don't use it around town.

Ipod connectivity lets you see the songs on the screen, select artists/albums/playlists/etc. The iPod becomes the equivalent of a USB drive or remote hard drive, it is just storage. If you are just going to leave it on shuffle and let it play, having the integration is not so important, but even being able to skip ahead one song with the steering wheel controls is nice to have.

I would buy the integration again.

You use the iTunes application to sync the iPod with your computer. First you have to have all your music in MP3 or some similar format. I ripped hundreds of CDs to MP3 with Windows Media Player, and just use iTunes to synch (don't like the interface much).

I just saw the post on the new additions to the 2012 standard options. I need to get my order in soon...

Comfort seats, after owning E70 with and without, it is an absolute must have in my opinion- it's where you sit- be sure to try them. I wouldn't even look at a BMW without them.

That's odd - our iPhone and iTouch both work via the aux port (2012 X5), but our Nano doesn't. I just assumed it was too old or something, but I think the Nano was purchased in 2008 or so.

haven't been able to try my newly-acquired Nano (4th gen) in my pre-LCI yet since it's in the shop... hopefully it works cause it's the only reason I got it.