Why buying a BMW is more than just about getting a great car!

I recently got my first BMW, a 318d, and it really is a great car.
Thank God! Wow! Truly amazing.
Having bought the 318d, two questions come to mind....
Maybe I should have spent more for an even higher model, like the 328i?!
And... Why didn't I buy a BMW earlier?!!

But those are just fun questions I kid myself with. I am truly happy and grateful for having the opportunity to have this car. Praise God!
I chose the 318d over the 118d Urban or Sport, or the X1 sDrive 18d or X1 sDrive 18i, the 120d Coupé, and even over the 320d Sport or 320d Luxury. And I am super happy with my choice!
(Read more of my story on getting my first BMW here.)

It's a great time to buy a 3 Series, with the sleek redesign, the sharp and sporty design lines "cut like a well-tailored designer suit", the bigger F30 body, and all the cutting edge electronic safety and convenience features.

If you're in the market for a new car, then you've probably gone deep into the features lists, and can rattle them off one by one. But here's a look at various facets of the BMW that add to its impressiveness, within and beyond the car itself. Like facets of a diamond that add to its sparkle, here are aspects that reveal there's much more to the BMW than what you can immediately see on the surface.

Sound design.
A BMW doesn't just need to look good, it also needs to sound good... So goes the video on the BMW sound designers.


Everything you hear, from the engine revving, to doors closing, to indicators, every sound is designed, nothing is left to chance! And of course, that includes the elimination of unwanted sounds when driving in rough roads, delivering the quietness deserving of a true luxury vehicle.


Check out the video on the BMW sound designers here.





Haptics.
"When you push a button or use a dial, it feels good. What seems quite natural... is the result of hard work."


With BMW, you don't just get accurate handling, you also get the feeling of accurate handling.
Watch the video of the BMW Haptics team here.

Quality.
"Only top quality leaves the production halls."


In this video, we see how quality is designed into the process, and ensured. Chance is not a factor that operates here, so that "flawless" functional cars are released to the market.


Sidebar: Product and work excellence in BMW remind me of Christian virtues. We read in the bible: "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people," (Ephesians 6:5-7 NIV) Now don't get distracted that this verse shows the Bible promotes slavery; "slave" here could easily be replaced by "employee". This verse simply says that employees (and managers, see verse 9) should seek excellence in their work. (Note also in verse 9, that Masters or managers are to treat employees well, knowing both have the same Lord, who doesn't play favorites, and who sees the good each does.)

Magazines.
More than 50 BMW and related magazines and apps on iTunes, many of them free when coming directly from BMW. Then of course when you go to the magazines, there are dozens of issues available online, current and back issues!


The BMW Magazine for the iPad is for me, one of the best e magazines.


There are also glossy magazines and brochures available at the dealership for free. I was able to get three very nice magazines on the 3 Series, and really, who wouldn't want artistic and colorful, high-end glossies to grace your coffee table or den?




BMW On-Line:
Here is part of the home page of the BMW Philippines website.
Among the big treats here, apart from the car images and tech specs, are the BMW TV, and the Online shop.





BMW TV is a place where you get easy access to a large vault of inspiring ads, technical features, and a lot more.


Once you own a BMW, I'm sure you'll be thrilled at watching videos from the BMW TV. And even if you don't yet have a BMW, but hope to get one in the future.

BMW Lifestyle opens up a large collection of BMW branded goods, from bikes, to fashion and sports apparel, full leather wallets, of course a wealth of key chains, plus a lot more. One of the items I am now interested in are... Miniatures! Particularly the 1:18 replicas of almost all the production models.


The 3 Series F30 and the X1 images here are from the BMW website. I now have a 3 Series M Coupe, and will soon get the F30 that I ordered from the US. Since I have this car, I want to have the model also :)


And maybe I'll get the X1 and the 120d Coupe, since I could have bought either BMW but chose the 3 Series, which I am super happy with. I'll likely post photos in the future.
Meantime, check out this amazing BMW 7 Series miniature with a full lights kit.
Note that the best place to buy BMW miniatures is from BMW On-line, or from the BMW showroom. Yes you can go to a big toy store and get a Maisto or other brand, and pay 1/3rd or 1/4th the price. But the really premium ones like Kyosho, with much more model choices, are from BMW direct.


A BMW key chain I bought from Alabang Autozentrum, and a BMW leather key case I got from BMW Philippines at the recent Bimmerfest.

So yes, there is so much more to a BMW, and all these add up to a superb driving and lifestyle experience!

I thank God for great designers and great engineers who build great cars!
Could a Toyota Corolla become a BMW 3 Series on its own? Can an earlier version 3 Series become an F30 body 3 Series with all the modern features on its own? Not in your lifetime! Not even in 15 billion years!
Can the iron and chromium and aluminum from the ground blend themselves into a favorable composition in some churning primordial soup to become, on their own, light allow wheels, or stainless steel fittings or brushed aluminum garnishing or chrome highlights? What about the rubber and plastic parts? These are all made from materials already present in the ground, just like our human bodies, made from the dust of the earth. Could they form on their own? I would think so, if I were a dreamer! I would think so, if I refused to believe in technology and engineers and designers, believing all these car parts could form "organically", take form and grow in fluid and aerodynamic design all by themselves! I would think so, if I refused to believe there is a BMW company in Munich, Germany. But No, if I were a realist, using my mind, understanding technology, and believing there are designers at BMW, even though I've only read magazines and haven't met them personally, I would recognize that cars cannot upgrade on their own.


The A to Z of BMW in 2012 available on iTunes. A favorite of mine. Can't wait for the 2013 version.

Can dust to dreamer, particle to people, pond scum to philosopher evolution happen? As with cars, they can't! Particles don't grow in complexity on their own. As the BMW videos state, "nothing is left to chance", and "what might seem quite natural.... takes hard work"! As cars need designers and engineers, life, intelligence and people needed a Creator to come about!

And cars, of course, are less complex than living organisms. Can cars eat on their own? Grow and reproduce on their own? Do "big" cars nurture compacts until they can fare for themselves? :) can cars bring out different latent traits, and surface independently through natural selection (which is not an increase in complexity or upward evolution, these traits are already built-in)? Can cars protect themselves, heal themselves?

And for all these logical arguments, among a great many others, I believe in God. Who wouldn't, if one were to really think about it?

But it's not enough for a person to just acknowledge God.
Now it's easy to get to the point of acknowledging God exists. Actually the Bible (not my words) says that the one who doesn't acknowledge God is a fool. So using our minds, it's easy to recognize there must be a Creator God! But just admitting God exists is not enough, nor is fearing God sufficient. Even demons recognized God, but it didn't impact their conduct nor their eternal destiny!

If you want to have an abundant life today, and a beautiful life in eternity, check out how to know God in a personal way! Then, having a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus, and knowing that you have a secure spot in heaven, go and drive your car with a smile! This is true joy!


The magazine they gave away at the recent Bimmerfest 2013 in Alabang, Philippines. Of course, BMW is on the cover! they also gave away a magazine on fine timepieces, another craftsman and engineering product I enjoy. Was good to visit the show. I'll share car photos next time.

Blessings on life's journey!



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Location:Philippines