Hello, At the end of May I took delivery of my first BMW (black, '09 328 coupe with sports package and 6M) and the car has been great. One thing I did not immediately notice when I got my car is that there is no ashtray/12V outlet in the center console in front of the shifter. Instead there is a just an open storage pocket. I called BMWNA about this and was told that in March '09 BMW stopped putting the Smoker's Package in 3 series cars. Is this true? Every car I test drove at the dealership and in the 3 series coupe sales brochure shows the Smoker's Package so I assumed my car would come with it as well. Can anyone confirm that this package is no longer included in the 3 series or did the dealer make an oversight when ordering my car? Thanks,
There is still a 12V outlet in the center console underneath the armrest ... but you can't close the armrest if something is plugged in ... really annoying on a manual transmission car.
I've read there's an outlet on the passenger side console area. Don't know if that's true or not. It would be a stupid move by BMW just to have the 12V outlet underneath the armrest. No ashtray and cover except for the early build '09s. No standard premium sound on the '09s like with the '07 and '08 . The cost of the vehicles go up and the less standard things.
Smokers package can be ordered and retrofitted from the dealer parts counter Mandatory politically correct plug follows: While it's certainly possible to retrofit a Smoker's package into your car, I'd like to very politely encourage you to consider a smoking-cessation program. Cigarette smoke will create an unpleasant staining and odor in your interior, and thus possibly reducing the vehicle's resale value, but that's nothing compared to the destruction to your health and those near you while you are puffing away. Meddling plug ended. As I said before, you can probably have the Smoker's package retrofitted into your vehicle if you prefer.
Although 328coupe _may_ want the "smoker's package" for the purpose of smoking, it is a HUGE inconvenience to not have a convenient means of plugging in any of the _countless_ electronic devices which can by powered by a common 12v lighter socket. Either BMW's engineers or N.A. have become HOPELESSLY out of touch with their U.S. customer base, or the accounting demands for cost savings have thoroughly trumped practicality. It is thoroughly RIDICULOUS that the standard power socket (without having to check-mark an obscure option-box) would be placed under an armrest, in an impractical, inconvenient locale.... whatever happened to form-follows-function & driver-centric cockpit ergonomics, a hallmark of former BMW's? Bah!
Good news my friend, you have better than the conventional ash tray / power socket outlet - read on! Under the dashboard on the passenger side, under the glove box (not inside) there is a 12v outlet there on the black plastic area. This is a great spot, because as you say, there are issues with closing the top of the arm rest. Previous posts have had people wishing that their car had this instead of the ashtray & outlet. I wish my 1/09 build 328xi had this, what a great place for my blackberry. If I'm correct, your open bin is rubber lined, like the area behind the shifter on a non i drive car? If you need more outlets, there are factory parts you can order to convert the open panel on the back base of your arm rest (back seat) to include 2 12v outlets. I saw a post on this awhile ago, including pics. I don't remember if it was here or bimmerpost.
BIMMIR, I checked last night and sure enough, the other outlet is there under the dashboard! I'm glad it's there so I can finally put down my armrest and charge my GPS at the same time! Still, the location under the dashboard is awkward to use and can't be done safely while driving. There was no mention of this outlet in my owner's manual as it still references the ashtray. I don't think BMW did a good job of communicating this change to customers. You are correct about and storage bin being rubber lined just like the one behind the shifter. It is a good place to put my sunglass case since BMW doesn't provide an overhead storage bin.
You are correct about the new location of the outlet; though I think exceedingly few people will agree with you that it is a great location.
