Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

graphicguy · April 2012

Abacomike.....appreciate your inputs. I was actually considering an E350 coupe last year before I pulled the trigger on the 335i coupe. I followed your posts fairly regularly over on the MB boards. Yoru input over there was quite useful.

While I didnt't find the Benzes to be compelling enough for my serious consideration, your knowledge of them was quite useful.

Needless to say, I prefered the interior of my BMW over the E350 coupe.

flightnurse · April 2012

Sweeny not too sure why you have have a hard time understanding..

The TDI engine has been around for a while, even though it is in a NEW body style, the data from the current Jetta and last Gen Passt still can be used to compare. In fact the current Passt weights less and has better CD then last Gen passt so the current car would get better mileage. Not too sure why this is tough for you to understand.

dino001 · April 2012

That's not entirely accurate. TDI trade mark has been around for years, but the current engine is quite new. Until 2009 or so VAG was using completely different technology on their diesels, based on pump-injection device. It was a 4-cylinder 1.9 l - crude, noisy, but very stout and durable. Their current TDI is 2.0 l uses common rail technology, more modern indeed, but its durability is not as impressive. It is also more expensive to maintain.

sweendogy · April 2012

Thx you Dino- Flight my question and response was on the new 2012 which i mentioned a couple of times.

greg128 · April 2012

AC compressors that can't last 40K.

Oh you mean Honda CRV AC compressors

greg128 · April 2012

automatic transmissions that can't go 70K without being rebuilt

Oh, you mean Honda Odyssey transmissions

abacomike · April 2012

Thanks! BMW's manufacture great cars. I just had a very bad experience with 2-2008 535i's. So I gave up on BMW. It was electrical issues on 2 brand new535i's that had the same problems. The 3 series are great cars. Enjoy!

graphicguy · April 2012

Mercedes makes good ones, too. You've found a line you know and enjoy. Stop by here from time-to-time. Would like to read some of your insights.

abacomike · April 2012

After retiring from Public and Private School Administration, I moved to Florida to take care of my ailing parents. I got a job selling Lexus and then manager of an Infiniti Store. I have found that Mercedes manufactures, designs and engineers the most trouble-free sedans in both their C and E class lines. I've owned 7 E Class Sedans and have never, ever had any of them in to the service department for repairs, issues, or anything, except oil changes.

I doubt it is just "luck". Not after experiencing BMW 5 series issues with two identical cars with identical electrical issues, both manufactures in Germany and shipped here in the same year, 2008.

I found that Infiniti is most closely alligned with BMW in terms of ride and handling and power along with Audi. Lexus seems to be in a class by itself, as is Mercedes. I do not compare Mercedes to BMW, Audi or Infiniti due to the ride and handling differences.

Finally, Mercedes E Class Sedans and Coupes are equipped with a 302 horsepower powerplant and fuel economy over 30 mpg hwy.

In summary, Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes and Infiniti manufacture outstanding vehicles. Each one is just a little different from the other - enough so that they attract a large segment of the driving public. The only think BMW has over the other brands in this category is free total maintenance which saves the driver about 300-600 dollars a year, depending upon when a car is due for brakes, etc. Otherwise, I rate the entire segment mentioned above as outstanding value for the dollar.

nyccarguy · April 2012

Thanks for posting your insights here. I very much appreciate it. Have you checked out the Stories From The Sales Frontlines thread here? We'd love to hear some of your sales stories over there.

What do you think of the new C250 & C350 and the outgoing C300 (which they still sell with 4Matic here in the northeast)?

abacomike · April 2012

I spoke with Mercedes, and they told me that they are trying their best to increase mpg's across the line as they will not meet federal mandates in 2 years if they don't start now.

They are phasing out the C300 (4 matic is sold down here only, as you know, so it is almost impossible to get a C300 down here in FL) and increasing the lines mpg's with the C250 and the higher horsepower, higher fuel efficient C350.

Also, very shortly they will be expanding their "engine shut down at stops for longer than 30- secs" which they claim will increase mpg's by 20% throughout their line. When you stop for more than a few seconds at a light, the engine shuts down automatically. It starts up immediately when the accelerator is depressed. Much like those propane golf carts in the mountains.

Mercedes missed the boat by not coming out with a diesel hybrid, in my opinion.

And thanks, I will check out the Sales Frontlines Thread. I sold new cars and managed two dealerships, and you wouldn't believe the stories I have. I began writing them down as I want to write a book about my experiences.

thanks again

andres3 · April 2012

AC compressors that can't last 40K.

Oh you mean Honda CRV AC compressors

I don't know about that.... my 2003 Accord had 65,000 miles and 50 months of age on it when I sold it and I had spent $0.00 on the A/C and it still blew cold. The Neon cost me about a thousand dollars thanks to burned belts in addition to the compressor blowing, it seized on the belt and burned it causing ancilliary damages. This was at literally 36,100 miles or so. Just in time to be denied warranty claim.

Honda 1, Chrysler 0.
Audi 1, Chrysler 0.
Toyota 1, Chyrsler 0

No matter what I or my family buys, I can't have as many failures as the Dodge. If I added up all the costs and numbers of repairs for 3 or 4 Toyotas, 2 Hondas, and 1 Audi, it still doesn't add up to the cost per mile of a single Chrysler in repairs.

Sorry.... bankrupt twice..bailed out twice..... Strike 3 and your out I hope!
My families vehicles seem to never have the problems Chryslers do.

billyperksii · April 2012

My wife's 2004 Accord has 130K on it with no major issues-
1). Window Regulator
2). Changed the drive belt at around 115k

fedlawman · April 2012

I finally picked up my new 3-series convertible...

Friday in Sacramento

Saturday on the coast

Sunday in the garage

nyccarguy · April 2012

Awesome! I love it & your 911! Congrats!

graphicguy · April 2012

Fed.....love the pics. Love your family of cars even more!

fedlawman · April 2012

sweendogy · April 2012

Best pick is the one of the bull-
Infact edmunds should have a funny pix section blog - or a general pix blog - post a pix with uour car maybe at a landmark of some sort- my camry climbed mt Washington - or my Porsche went to the opera- could be fun and put some life into the site.

Kirstie_H · April 2012

I don't see any reason we couldn't do that! We can't make a blog, but we could have a discussion on the Auto News board. Feel free to start one if you've got a pic to kick it off.

stever · April 2012

I like it. Sort of like all the cans of Spam pics on the top of Denali or the Eiffel Tower. :shades:

andres3 · April 2012

That picture looks an awful lot like the Greenhaven/Pocket area of Sacramento.

Am I right?

fedlawman · April 2012

Sorry, I'm not too familiar with Sacramento. The town is called Fair Oaks.

nyccarguy · May 2012

Flightnurse made a comment to me a few weeks back about me getting to see what my 328xi's AWD system can do in the rain. Now I've always really questioned AWD's effectiveness in the rain, thinking of it as more of a useful tool for snow traction. Unless BMW's XDrive is so transparent that I don't know how well it is working. Kind of similar to my Prelude's ATTS. I really didn;t know how good it was until I drove my TSX around some of the same tight corners and the front tires were fighting the stability control whereas my Prelude pulled around the corner.

One of the benefits to having to be at work at 7:30 AM (6 days a week) is there aren't too many cars on the road when I leave my house at 6:30 AM. It started pouring early this AM (my 3 year old woke up with a 102 fever and a stomach virus well before 5), so the roads were saturated with lots of nice puddles in addition to being slick. I put my 328xi through the paces on my way to I 95. Only a few times when I had the transmission in DS was I able to break traction only to have the stability control tuck me back into place. So I don't know how the AWD performed. Maybe some of you with the 335xi or sween's G35X can comment how the AWD works in the rain.

I can tell you that driving down I 95 in the torrential rain, my 328xi was sure footed and rock solid. I looked down at my speedo and saw I was going 80 without breaking a sweat.

In the dry, gorgeous, spring weather we've been having, I've been able to hit the magical triple digit mark during passing maneuvers. Unless you are a torque junkie (not that there's anything wrong with that), my 230 hp is just perfect for public road consumption.

5 1/2 weeks and over 2300 miles. As you can tell, I'm one happy BMW driver!

sweendogy · May 2012

My car in the rain- when new great- new brakes, tires and new wipers - rock solid as NYC said of his new 3. Now the 07 has 30k miles- brakes are 8k old, original tires and newer cheepo wipers - not great- I'm very careful in the rain when around others so no real troubles but i know the limits of what i can and should do. Raining this am, 6 am - private road, I gave the g a little toss into a turn with some gas, dsc off I was able to wiggle the back loose. - pretty cool but again something I would not do around other cars.

nyccarguy · May 2012

You made an excellent point sween. Tires! I forgot to mention tires! The single most important thing when it comes to traction. My Continental RFTs only have 2300 miles on them.

sweendogy · May 2012

Rft - would like to know how they grip at 30k

nyccarguy · May 2012

Stick around (no pun intended) & you'll find out in about 17 months.

stickguy · May 2012

What kind of mileage are you getting on the 328 so far? Just curious.

nyccarguy · May 2012

I'm getting between 20 & 21.5 right now. My engine is still green & I seriously have a hard time keeping it under 80 mph on the highway. This week I'm really trying to take it easy. Set the cruise between 60 & 65 when I can, shut the car off at long lights (says to do this in the manual). I'll report back in a few days.

Some of the 335 guys have been reporting better mileage figures because even though their cars are more powerful, that power moves the weight of the car easier.

qbrozen · May 2012

I've gotten as low as 23 (well, OK, was much lower than that during my track days) and as high as 26 in the 135 thus far.

graphicguy · May 2012

Q....not tracking my car, but my MPG has settled in the same range, although I'm closer to 22MPG in town. Probably a low of 20 MPG ate one point, but that included nothing but driving in congested city traffic.

Got 30 MPG once on all interstate over Easter. But, that's with cruise on 70 and no traffic.

Usually, I'm right around 26-27 MPG with interstate driving. Who needs a 4 cyl?

billyperksii · May 2012

People who cannot afford a six.

stickguy · May 2012

what's going on with this string of replied to names? Annoying!

anyway, we stopped at the BMW dealer saturday (next building over to the Acura dealer where we drove the RDX), and there was a nice 128 on the apron out front. Medium blue (deep sea blue? something like that) that I had never seen before, with tan interior. Must have been relatively base, since the sticker was only 37k!

dudleyr · May 2012

"Usually, I'm right around 26-27 MPG with interstate driving. Who needs a 4 cyl? "

People who want to get 36-37 mpg.

rayainsw · May 2012

Wow [ list of 10 respondees ? ]
My I6 turbo is averaging 23.5.
- Ray
NOT driving for maxumim MPG.....

nyccarguy · May 2012

Deep Sea Blue is absolutely GORGEOUS!

I averaged 21.3 mpg on my last fill up.

graphicguy · May 2012

One other thing, the MPG computer in the BMW is really accurate. It's usually within + or - .1 MPG of my manual calculations.

ray.....I never drive as if I'm trying to maximize MPG.

Given the MPG I'm getting plus the muscle car acceleration my 3 offers, I'm real happy.

nyccarguy · May 2012

I've actually noticed that too. The MPG on the trip computer is very accurate. On my former TSX, the trip computer was always more generous than my actual mileage (same with my wife's Pilot).

nyccarguy · May 2012

Is on everybody's mind. I'm sure most of you guys are the car gurus of your circle of family, friends, co-workers... like I am. We all drive performance oriented vehicles. People used to say: "Wow, that thing must be a rocket" or "How's it drive?" Now people are so obsessed with gas prices, the first words out of their mouth are: "Is it good on gas?" or "What kind of gas mileage do you get?"

sweendogy · May 2012

Agree - $4 bux a gallon will do that

sweendogy · May 2012

335 m pack for 2011 was that bundled with the performance pack? If not can you add the PP to existing cars thru the dealer / if so cost?

graphicguy · May 2012

M package is seperate from performance package. One does not include the other. Performance Package is only available via the dealer. But, I've never asked any independent shop if they could do it.

graphicguy · May 2012

I have 9K miles on my 335i xDrive. Through one Fall, one Winter, and now one Spring, I really haven't noticed xDrive intervene once. And, I'm constantly flinging my car around in the wet, and none too slow either.

I consider that a good thing that I don't notice it.

I think I only had SH AWD in my previous TL intervene twice. Both times it was wet. Both times I was pushing the limits.

While I'm still not a fan of RFTs, the current ones (Continental) are worlds better than the ones on the '06 330i (Bridgestone).

stickguy · May 2012

I think in my Volvo, the performance pack upgrade would involve switching to a bigger squirrel for the treadmill.

qbrozen · May 2012

Or trading for the T5 you should have bought in the first place. :P

stickguy · May 2012

No turbos for the kid. she'll be enough of a lead foot most likely when she is soloing (they all are!). So better off in a car where if you want speed, you need to work for it!

now, when I replace it with something for myself? different story!

the volvo though is not a speed demon, but it does cruise along just fine.

flightnurse · May 2012

my 2011 I'm getting 22MPG combined, my 05 I'm getting 22 combined also. Now on the freeway, my 05 gets 29. Now remember that the ZPH cars have a close ratio 6 spd tranny and lower read gears. I usually set the cruise at about 75. I haven't taken the 2011 on a freeway trip yet, heck I only have 4K miles on it too.

flightnurse · May 2012

Ok so last weekend we test drove two 335d's, both 2011, one was new, one was a CPO, the CPO had 7K miles on it. The CPO was fully loaded, the new one mildly optioned.

First off, WOW, it has been a while since I have had 400+ Lbs of torque. I can see having to replace the rear tires often on it. The 335d drives like a typical 3 series, sure footed, solid feel, vault like. The CPO had the sport package, so the rear tires are wider then the fronts. Over all very impressive, both cars drive well, of course the non sport packaged car road a little smoother, but nothing to deter us from not getting it.

Over all, very impressive, the MPG is better then my 2011, not too sure if the added price is worth the mpg difference.

Now on a side note, when we came back from the last test drive there was a couple looking at my 2011 (thinking it was for sale.) It seems the guy been looking for a 328i with the M Sport Package with a manuel and he can't find one.

Now if BMW would bring the 3.5l d in the 5 series, then we would have been sold on the car.

sweendogy · May 2012

328 m pack with the manual- very select car in sedan form.

nyccarguy · May 2012

Well, after driving 340.6 miles using just over 15.5 gallons of Premium I averaged just over 21.9 mpg. This is using the cruise a lot to keep the car at 60 - 65 (feels like its crawling), and shutting the car off at long lights.

Tomorrow AM it will be back to driving the BMW like I only have it for another 28 1/2 months:)

Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

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