irf
Member Since: 28 Sep 2005
Location: Herts
Posts: 106
  
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| SE or HSE - Help me decide please |
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As a (hopefully) soon to be owner of a used 05 model year SE or HSE can anyone help with some of the spec differences.
What does the premium NAV system give over the SE one apart from off-road mapping ?
Salesman mentioned TrafficMaster-like traffic jam information - do you get that on both/ either ? Is it any good ?
I really like the glass roof which of course gives the interior a much lighter feel (handy with an Ebony interior) but does anyone who doesn't have one wish they had, or if they have got one now consider it less useful than first thought ?
Prefer the look of the HSE wheels, or 18" style 1. The style 2 looks fussy to me with too many bits to clean but do the 55 profile 19" handle better on road ? Had a drive of a new 06 HSE and 9 month old SE and I felt that the HSE somehow felt a nicer experience but then it was a brand new car.
Front PDC might be useful because my current car has almost no front LHS bumper left, but I'm not fussed about the rest of the differences.
Or should I be ?
I can just about justify the extra cost of the HSE for the goodies but I can only find the colours I want in SE
Lot's of questions there I'm afraid but any feedback would be most helpful.
Thanks - Ian
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 2nd Oct 2005 11:16 am |
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croyde
Member Since: 17 Aug 2005
Location: SE England
Posts: 459
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Owning an S and having had use of an HSE for a week I can say that the 19ins wheels give a much sportier ride over my 18s but, as the tyre profile is lower, I'd be a lot more careful with kerbs and the like.
Didn't really notice the benefits of the glass roof and the Sat Nav was not easy to use, especially as it can't be used on the move. Tom Tom Go is a much better and user friendly product.
I have to say that the only bits I missed when I gave the HSE back were the leather seats, that seem to be a different design to the S, and the Auto box.
Good luck with your purchase. My wife and I fight over who gets to drive and the poor old BMW does not get a look in.
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| 2nd Oct 2005 1:31 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
 
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| Re: SEor HSE - Help me decide please |
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What does the premium NAV system give over the SE one apart from off-road mapping ?
Salesman mentioned TrafficMaster-like traffic jam information - do you get that on both/ either ? Is it any good ?
Premium navigation gives you the off-road navigation, TMC and the 4x4 Information screen. TMC is useful if you travel the motorway/trunk route network a lot, you get dynamic avoidance (and the like).
I really like the glass roof which of course gives the interior a much lighter feel (handy with an Ebony interior) but does anyone who doesn't have one wish they had, or if they have got one now consider it less useful than first thought ?
I didn't get the HSE because I didn't want the glass roof, and still don't. A matter of preference, I would suggest.
Prefer the look of the HSE wheels, or 18" style 1. The style 2 looks fussy to me with too many bits to clean but do the 55 profile 19" handle better on road ? Had a drive of a new 06 HSE and 9 month old SE and I felt that the HSE somehow felt a nicer experience but then it was a brand new car.
Agree on style 2, but that's what you get with the SE. Once you're inside, you can't see them anyway. 19" lower profile tyres are less robust, for sure.
Front PDC might be useful because my current car has almost no front LHS bumper left, but I'm not fussed about the rest of the differences.
Or should I be ? If you are going for a 2005 MY, I wouldn't be fussed at all.
I can just about justify the extra cost of the HSE for the goodies but I can only find the colours I want in SE
I would suggest that colour (inside and out) is what will be the lasting impact of your choice. The difference in specification, other than those already covered here, are minimal.
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| 2nd Oct 2005 1:36 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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I have an HSE, my parents an SE with upgraded sat nav. If you are going to drive off road I reckon the 4x4 info is worth having, if you don't then its not. The stereo is better in mine and looks better on the doors! I don't think the sun roof business makes much difference, but in my opinion the auto does (many will disagree).
When I bought mine by the time I added in the auto box and upgraded sat nav it wasn't worth not having the HSE. If you want a manual and don't drive offroad then save your money and get the SE. DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 2nd Oct 2005 7:19 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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All debateable. Sat Nav for me was not required for serious off road the standard did not cover ord serv or other counties.
Sound systems I don't bother with and try getting out of mud if you cannot rock the car from 1st to reverse quickly, so auto's were out.
Therefore I did not want leather seats to mess up. Having said that the seats in the S are dreadful. No frills and basic was the order.
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| 2nd Oct 2005 7:28 pm |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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BN wrote:All debateable. Sat Nav for me was not required for serious off road the standard did not cover ord serv or other counties.
Sound systems I don't bother with and try getting out of mud if you cannot rock the car from 1st to reverse quickly, so auto's were out.
Therefore I did not want leather seats to mess up. Having said that the seats in the S are dreadful. No frills and basic was the order.
so why did you buy the HSE as well... or was that another 'senior' moment 
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| 2nd Oct 2005 7:30 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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10forcash wrote:BN wrote:All debateable. Sat Nav for me was not required for serious off road the standard did not cover ord serv or other counties.
Sound systems I don't bother with and try getting out of mud if you cannot rock the car from 1st to reverse quickly, so auto's were out.
Therefore I did not want leather seats to mess up. Having said that the seats in the S are dreadful. No frills and basic was the order.
so why did you buy the HSE as well... or was that another 'senior' moment
It was the only one available from Gib at the time, but it did break big time didn't it and it was the same price as a S with manual GB.
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| 2nd Oct 2005 7:32 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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Leather seats are much more practical than cloth. As a regular mud bather I'm always having to jump in the car plastered in mud (not that sort of plastered TFC!) I have the alpaca leather too. I wouldn't buy a car with cloth, bit of wet and mud and its ruined! DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 2nd Oct 2005 7:37 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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Pelyma wrote:Leather seats are much more practical than cloth. As a regular mud bather I'm always having to jump in the car plastered in mud (not that sort of plastered TFC!) I have the alpaca leather too. I wouldn't buy a car with cloth, bit of wet and mud and its ruined!
Leather is more durable but for another £10k it was not an issue. Seat covers are cheap.
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| 2nd Oct 2005 8:00 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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TMC & Dynamic Avoidance is great, it always makes me grin when the satnav pops up and suggests and alternative route without being asked  I didn't know this wasn't on the standard nav though, I thought the advanced just added off-road nav and 4x4 info (which you get a mini version of in the message center on all models with TR)
Si The End
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| 2nd Oct 2005 8:29 pm |
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irf
Member Since: 28 Sep 2005
Location: Herts
Posts: 106
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Leather and auto was a given anyway but it looks like I can live without most of the HSE vs SE toys.
No strong suporters for the glass roof then - never having had a hole in the top before this was something I was quite excited about.
Now that I've learnt what TMC is I can see from other posts that it's not entirely reliable so the advanced NAV moves down the priority list for me.
Still need to decide on the wheels now. The HSE on 19" was fun to drive, the SE seemed less so somehow, so Croyde's comments are interesting.
I mainly use my current 4x4 for towing my 2,000kg boat, launching on beaches/ slippery slips, and filling up with kids/ tents etc but the rest of the time it needs to be a comfy motorway cruiser.
I'd never thought much about off roading before but having seen the pics and descriptions of off road events on this site I can feel a new hobby coming on !
Many thanks for the feedback. - Ian
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| 3rd Oct 2005 9:27 am |
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draughtsman
Member Since: 26 Sep 2005
Location: Hereford:- Handy for Eastnor
Posts: 51
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irf,
One thing that could have a bearing on your SE/HSE decision is what may happen when you decide to sell in a few years time. A HSE may well be more saleable to a private buyer?
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| 3rd Oct 2005 9:51 am |
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Nickhearne
Member Since: 28 May 2005
Location: Ibstone Bucks
Posts: 999
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Well I have the SE auto & love it 
For me it lacks nothing & I'm very happy! D5 HSE Waitona Grey 2015
Range Rover Sport Estate 2.0 P400e Hse Dynamic Black
D4 HSE Santorini Black
Almond Arabica hide & Walnut trim Now sold
Discovery 3 TDV6 SE
Zambezi Silver Ebony leather Now sold
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| 3rd Oct 2005 11:01 am |
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ACHMELVICH
Member Since: 23 Aug 2005
Location: newtongrange EDINBURGH
Posts: 28
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Go for the S with the auto box, And it was the model that won What car , car of the year 2005 TDV6 AUTO S JULY 2005
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| 3rd Oct 2005 11:36 pm |
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adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
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| SE or HSE - Help me decide please |
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I got the SE with 19" wheels
First time I have had leather in a car - would never have cloth again - so easy to clean
Enhanced Sat Nav is OK - but probably not worth the £500 extra
Front Parking Sensors worth weight in gold
Got to be auto
If you like music and sunroofs - go for HSE Now Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
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| 7th Oct 2005 10:59 pm |
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