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More importantly, Audi has embraced their performance side, and I think they are attracting BMW owners who are disappointed with BMW's run-flats and slide into blandness. It's very likely that next year's C7 gen A6 will be more fun to drive than the new 5 series, which by all accounts drives like a mini 7 series.
Of course, Audi, due in part to its last few years successes has cranked up their US MSRP's to BMW levels; so a primary former advantage of the AudiUSA brand -- price -- is, well, not so much anymore.
I have an '09 A4 2.0T with all the toys on it but not premium paint. MSRP $49K+.
A4, not A6. I had an '05 A6 and it was $53K+ -- the times they are a changin'.
Of course, Audi, due in part to its last few years successes has cranked up their US MSRP's to BMW levels; so a primary former advantage of the AudiUSA brand -- price -- is, well, not so much anymore.
A4, not A6. I had an '05 A6 and it was $53K+ -- the times they are a changin'.
That's sort of true, and it sort of isn't. The base A4 is more expensive than in years past, but the S4 is considerably less expensive than the B6/B7 V8 powered car which Audi positioned against the M3.
If you tick every box on the 535xi configuration page, you can spend $80K. An A6 3.0T Prestige with the few options available is $57K. That's more than $20,000 less than the BMW.
I'm sure the C7 gen will get ADS and QuattroSport and a bunch of other new features to close the technology gap with the F10 5 series, and I'm sure the price will go up. But will it go up 20 grand? I don't think so.
I hope everyone's doing well and in good health and spirits. Happy Thanksgiving!
Funny you should mention it, I am Bimmer-less for the first time in 7 years as of a month ago, and thus far don't miss it. Don't get me wrong, I still think it is a great car line, but as are you, I'm less hyped up on the high lux. market.
I think I'll test a Subie WRX STI - they only come with 6 speed manuals!
I wouldn't say I'm bored with it, I'm just not sure there's that much to talk about. The E-class is boring, and while the F10 5 series is a lot less offensive to look at than the last one, it seems to be less engaging to drive. The new M is nice, but I think Infiniti needs another generation to get everything right.
I'll be looking at the upcoming A6 and A7 closely.
Ah so Grasshopper. With age comes reason and wisdom...... sometimes.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
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I love my AWD 2006 530xi with a manual tranny. I bought it in August 2005, as soon as you released a 5 series with AWD (I live in New England). In spite of lots of problems in the first year (I will never buy first year models ever again), and having had to replace the water pump recently ($1300), I still drive it with joy after 86,000 miles. We like BMW so much that we have had two X5's since then (a 2007 that we replaced recently with a 2012).
Why do I love my 2006 530xi?
Manual tranny
AWD
Nimble and agile feel
Great steering
Great gas mileage (I can do 33 mpg on the highway in 6th)
Great styling (to me, and lots of my friends and family)
With great excitement I drove a 2011 535i today, and I am depressed. Why have you abandoned us BMW -- your faithful core customers who keep coming back to you?
I could never buy the 535i because you took away the manual transmission (forcing me to buy the 550i is not the right answer), gave it lifeless steering, gave it a heavy-feeling and floaty ride (unless, I assume, I spring for fancy sport-inducing electronics), and made it look like a 7 series (if I wanted to drive a huge car I would drive the 7).
What do I do now? Can't go down to the 3 although I would like to because I have three kids.
Why BMW, why?
Sincerely,
A loyal, but disappointed, BMW fan
That doesn't help your immediate problem though....The only family sized car I think has a double clutch transmission is the 2012 Passat, but I don't think it has 4wd. BMW does offer that transmission, but only on some limited high priced cars.
If you like to row your own, PDK or DCT just isn't the same..
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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
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Try looking at ads and determining transmission type, without looking at the pictures... shewwwww.. it's tough
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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
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My salesman was very helpful and spent about 45 minutes going through the car with me, from programing the nav system, syncing the contacts on my cell phone, adjusting the memory seats (driver and passenger) and the list goes on (even the emergency release inside the trunk). I felt that the time was sufficient, and look through the owner's manuals for more details or to find out something that I may have forgotten from his walk-through. Using the different gadgets helps me learn them.
I got the sport package with the P1 package, lane change/blind spot assist and AMG wheels. The nav system is easy to use, as is the radio. The voice control is pretty incredible and very responsive.
The cabin is beautiful: the almond seating contrasts beautifully with the black dash and black carpet and walnut burl. The adjustable seats with memory for both driver and passenger are very supportive but comfortable.
The E350 definitely feels more solid than my 2009 528i. It has a very nice ride, smooth yet sporty with good steering and handling. I think the 528 has a little more responsive handling, but that might be due to the lighter feel of the car.
I'm very happy with the E350. I've owned several Lexus (ES300 and GS 300) and two BMW's (325 and 528) and I like the E350 more than any of them. All of them are great cars and I certainly am not knocking any of them. I think the E350 has features of both the Lexus and BMW. It has creature comforts of the Lexus (all of which the BMW does not have) but more personality than the Lexus. The sport package gives it good styling and handling more akin to the BMW, but it is much finer in detail, and roomier in front and back. The BMW is what I would consider a luxury sport car, whereas the E350 is more of a sporty luxury car.
To all of you who are considering what to get, just read the comments of those who post on this site, see the cars in person and test drive them yourself, and get the car and features that suit you the best. Enjoy the experience.
Did you test drive the new 4 cylinder 528i?
- Ray
Just curious .....
Any modern car should be able to sit on cruise at 85 without shivers or shakes...it they can't, it's a wheel balance or alignment component, suspension wear, or adjustment issue. If you maintain your vehicle that shouldn't be an issue, regardless of the make - luxury or economy. Now, how quiet it is or how well it goes over bumps will vary, sometimes considerably, between make and model.
FWIW, at the time, to pass inspection, they put the vehicle on a test rig that checked front/rear and left/right braking for balance and stopping power, ran the vehicle over a calibrated bump at speed to check the shocks and springs, and numerous other checks to verify that that vehicle was safe, intact (no rust holes were allowed), and ready to face their autobahn at whatever speed was available. Our typical vehicle inspection is a joke in comparison, but we don't, or at least aren't supposed to, travel at max speed for distance like they can in some parts of their country.
MB went through a period where their design and quality was pretty dismal, but the newer vehicles seem to have come back. I think their stint with Chrysler helped Chrysler more than it helped MB - think they somewhat lost focus.
This was awhile ago, I went with a co-worker from Boston to Syracuse on a business trip and we drove in his MB because it would end up about the same travel time, and it gave us more flexibility. At the time, MB's nav system used CDs. It wouldn't let us create a route the distance (barely 300-miles) because it required your start and destination points to be on the same disk, and the data was partitioned at the MA/NY border! Talk about stupid design! Then, that model didn't have dual-zone climate control, and he liked it cold. The seat heater wouldn't stay on...it was connected to a timer, so I had to keep turning the silly thing back on to keep comfortable. Little design decisions, very inconvenient results, not something I expect from a vehicle costing that much. Once you drive a vehicle for awhile, it's likely you'll find quirks like these on anything...it's just that I didn't expect them on the MB.
Those press releases or interviews with corporate execs from MB, VW, Audi, even BMW etc. swear their quality problems are things of the past. Then you pick up consumer magazines and there you go - not yet, still same gremlins in electronics, sensors, etc.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
I can't agree more with your comments about Mercedes back in the early 2000's - more problems with manufacturer buy-backs and Lemon Law claims due to a serious reduction in the build quality of Mercedes vehicles when they had purchased Chrysler. But, since 2008, there has been steady improvement throughout the line. I have owned a new Mercedes every year since 2008, and can attest to the build quality and trouble-free ownership experiences with them. This new 2012 is the best E class sedan they have ever built!
I had a new BMW 528 (2005), 530 (2006 and 2007) and 2-2008 535's, so I can speak from experience regarding BMW and Mercedes. The 5 series BMW's were truly sport luxury vehicles. Had to lemon law the 2 535i's due to electrical and computer problems that they could not fix - and that is when I went back to Mercedes. The Mercedes E 350's since 2010 are truly magnificent LUXURY SPORT cars, which I agree completely with lawcar's assessment.
The BMW 5 Series (535i) is more of a vehicle for sport enthusiasts who want luxury goodies as well whereby the E350 sport sedan (sport option) is a luxury sedan that has a more luxurious interior and ergonomics with sporty handling and styling.
Both cars are great, but attract different kinds of drivers. Lexus (I've had 2 GS models in the early 2000's) is strictly a luxury brand with very little attraction for sport enthusiasts.
That's why there are manufacturers who produce Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Rolls, Bently , etc. if there was little or no demand for these cars, they would go the way of DeSoto, Olds, Pontiac, Studebaker, Packard, to name a few.
2021 Genesis G90
2021 Genesis G90
2021 Genesis G90
Be more logical.
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In truth, MB probably never has been the reliability/dependability icon it is supposed to be. Their maintenance plans also call for replacement of many parts every 24,000 miles that other manufacturers expect to last 100,000 miles or more.
Within 5,000 miles my 2010 E350 was recalled, the tilt component of steering wheel had to be replaced (2.5 days! after part came in), leather on $850 optional steering wheel shredded, etc.
As for Chrysler fiasco, it could have worked but MB management in Germany tried to run the company to supplement MB products and make money for DAG. Sent Germans over here to run it. Fiat is letting the American automobile professionals run the company with input, assistance, money and products that complement Chrysler.
BTW, a major factor in why people buy Lexus, BMW, MB, Audi, etc. is for the badge/name. They may deny it, but's its true. No star on front and back of my car and I would not have purchased it. Same thing for Lexus, Audi, Acura and Infinitis that I looked at.
Racing a pickup truck? Really??
TL SH-AWD 0-60 = 6.4s; 1/4-mile = 14.9s; mileage = 16/24
4-cyl 528i 0-60 = 6.0s; 1/4-mile = ?; mileage 20/30
The 528i is still estimated, but the reality won't be far off. Clearly, the 4-cyl is not a hindrance if you want to compare to the Acura.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S