BMWs, don't give me wood!

[Sortie 10]

I need to get this off my chest right now, modern BMWs do not look good with fake wood interiors.

I have seen elm in a Z4, dodgy yew in an X6, countless 3 & 5 series with horrendous interiors (gear knobs that have never been near a wood turner) - it is almost as if owners have put random ticks on the spec sheet when ordering. To cap it all I recently saw a new-ish M5 with plasti-veneer.

Wooden interiors in modern non-British sports cars IMHO are an insult to good taste (clearly in the eye of the beholder); solid wood in a Range Rover yes please (and not piano-black), possibly in a Jaguar (but the latest cars are now bucking the tradition), light birch looks good in a Scandiwegian-way in a Volvo XC70.

When I change my Z4 (which is quite exciting, but no wood...), the first criteria will be no bloody wood - even if the seller is forced to heavily discount it. If I want wood in a sportscar, I'll take a trad Morgan.

And breath...

[Fox-]

Sortie 10 said:

I need to get this off my chest right now, modern BMWs do not look good with fake wood interiors.

Good job it's real wood then.

With the right interior colour combo, wood really sets the interior off nicely. With the wrong colour, it looks rubbish.

Mind you anything looks better than the utter yawnfest that is black leather with silver trim.

[M3333]

An X1 passed me yesterday, WTF?, I was nearly sick. Looks like a modern allegro/princess!!

When i purchased my first BMW all they had was the 3,5,7,8 series. These days they really do just fall into a blur with any mass production vehicle. It's sad really, isnt BMW the only manufacture left that is still owned by one family though?

But yes, a lot of the modern stuff doesnt do it for me. I still love the E30,E28,E34,E39,E36.

Edited by M3333 on Tuesday 5th October 05:15

[Sticks.]

I got it in my Z4 as I wanted something different to black. Few years on, not entirely sure but...

Imo BMW have done some awful interior combinations, wood or not, for some time. Not all, obviously.

[LordGrover]

Surprised no E46, especially Sport Coupe (or M3) in M3333's list. Still one of the best looking cars out there IMO.

Edited by LordGrover on Tuesday 5th October 09:23

[M3333]

LordGrover said:

Surprised no E46, especially Sport Coupe (or M3) in M3333's list. Still one of the best looking cars out there IMO.

Edited by LordGrover on Tuesday 5th October 09:23

Fair point, missed it off. Passed a few E46 M3's this morning on the A59 near Harrogate, they look stunning.

[MG7]

Don't know what you mean by "modern" BMWs (E90, F10, E70?), but here's my E46 M Sport Coupe which I think looks fantastic with wood/tan leather. So many boring interior combinations around as Fox- said.

[Riff Raff]

Fox- said:

Mind you anything looks better than the utter yawnfest that is black leather with silver trim.

My 3 series has black leather with silver aluminium trim. Looks quite nice I think.

My SLK on the other hand, (can I talk about a Merc in this forum?), has anthracite leather with wood (real) trim. It even has a wood and leather steering wheel. I quite like that too.

[SJobson]

I like the wood - though my new car has black wood to go with black leather so it's very subtle; it would almost be better to have some of the light coloured stuff found in E39 Champagne editions.

[Emeye]

Never liked wood in modern cars cars unless it's that black/grey wood stuff. Problem is modern wood always seems so shiny and therefore fake even when it's real.

[Jonny TVR]

Dont like wood myself.

My TVR's have had machined/ brushed steel in the past
My current BMW has black piono which looks good and just ordered new BM with brushed steel

[obscene]

MG7 said:

Don't know what you mean by "modern" BMWs (E90, F10, E70?), but here's my E46 M Sport Coupe which I think looks fantastic with wood/tan leather. So many boring interior combinations around as Fox- said.

I have the same interior, can't say I like the wood at all. Just seems wrong to me, I do like seeing plastic dash pieces instead of wood though.

[Fox-]

Riff Raff said:

Fox- said:

Mind you anything looks better than the utter yawnfest that is black leather with silver trim.

My 3 series has black leather with silver aluminium trim. Looks quite nice I think.

It's a dull and boring yawnfest. The interior looks nice despite the silver, not because of it. It's even worse in the E90 because there IS SO MUCH silver. Arghghg.

I have silver and black as well

[Riff Raff]

Fox- said:

Riff Raff said:

Fox- said:

Mind you anything looks better than the utter yawnfest that is black leather with silver trim.

My 3 series has black leather with silver aluminium trim. Looks quite nice I think.

It's a dull and boring yawnfest. The interior looks nice despite the silver, not because of it. It's even worse in the E90 because there IS SO MUCH silver. Arghghg.

I have silver and black as well

Well, given that the interior on mine is basically all black, and the headlining is also dark, and the trim on the A, B and other pillars is a sort of dark grey, and the back windows have privacy glass, if it didn't have something light in colour to contrast, it would look awful. Wood would be pretty naff. Plus the aluminium on mine has a sort of chequer plate pattern, so it does look OK. IMHO. Others may disagree, but I like it.

[dibbly dobbler]

/thread

[LordGrover]

Everything bar the humidor.

[sparks_E39]

Looks fine with black leather on the E39, although I thought it was fake. Mercedes do it better.

[Beardy10]

Personally I can't stand most wood finishes and would NEVER buy a car with one of those wood/leather steering wheels. The anthracite wood they used to do in the E60 is pretty good and the bamboo they do in the E70 isn't too bad. It sums up the taste of our friends across the pond that the aluminium trim isn't available in some cars...I know it isn't in the E70.

[E21_Ross]

obscene said:

MG7 said:

Don't know what you mean by "modern" BMWs (E90, F10, E70?), but here's my E46 M Sport Coupe which I think looks fantastic with wood/tan leather. So many boring interior combinations around as Fox- said.

I have the same interior, can't say I like the wood at all. Just seems wrong to me, I do like seeing plastic dash pieces instead of wood though.

i don't usually like wood interiors but that is lovely.

[Fox-]

E21_Ross said:

obscene said:

MG7 said:

Don't know what you mean by "modern" BMWs (E90, F10, E70?), but here's my E46 M Sport Coupe which I think looks fantastic with wood/tan leather. So many boring interior combinations around as Fox- said.

I have the same interior, can't say I like the wood at all. Just seems wrong to me, I do like seeing plastic dash pieces instead of wood though.

i don't usually like wood interiors but that is lovely.

You dont usually like wood interiors because spec them like morons. You like that one because it genuinelly is lovely and the wood is perfectly matched to the interior colour combo.

Some berk putting bright orange wood in an otherwise monochrome interior doesn't make wood crap, it makes stupidly specified interiors crap