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Comments
I am hoping someone on this board has real life experience with them. :shades:
Most Reliable Sedans: Lexus GS300/GS430, Infiniti M35/M45, Lexus IS300 (2005), Honda Accord Hybrid, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord 4-cyl., Lexus LS430.
Average Reliability: Acura RL, Toyota Avalon
Least Reliable Sedans: Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Saab 9-3, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 5 Series (V8), Audi A8, Chrysler 300 (V8), BMW 7 Series.
I have a Passport 8500 radar detector that I've have for a couple of years and three cars (03 Infiniti G35 Sport Coupe, 04 TL, 05 TL and now the 05 RL). It's been rock solid until the RL.
Now, not that I'm condoning or advocating driving beyond the spped limit, but if any of you notice this problem, let me me know your thoughts; I want to be informed before asking the dealer about it.
Here's the situation. You must be travelling steady at 80 mph or above and the car must be in 5th gear. Switch to manual mode and using either the shifter or paddle shifters, manually downshift to third gear - the Passport 8500 goes off with the same tone & volume as if you were directly hit with a radar gun.
This issue is repeatable over and over again. I live in Philly tested this scenario for three days now on different roads. Repeatable every single time.
Keep in mind, if you're in 4th gear and manually downshift to 3rd, it won't happen.
Anyone else seeing this? Any comments or suggestions? Is there any EMI emmitting from the tranny (can't believe that)??
All comments are appreciated. I'd like to be fully armed with information prior to asking the dealer about it because I'm expecting some BS answer.
Thanks!
In the M, at 80, the engine is already at 3100 or so in fifth.
:confuse: who is ALG and why can't you use them :confuse: :sick:
I thought information/data was just that :shades:
BTW: CR's ratings are based on member feedback. So they are forward looking only in the sense that the ratings are technically based on historic records. Therefore EVERY rating would be forward looking for new car purchases.
Sedans featuring average number of colors: Audi, Saab, VW, Chrysler, Jaguar
Sedans featuring the least number of colors: Honda, Toyota and Trabant.
Yes, I know it is sarcastic -- but what cars are the most "satisfying" to drive, which ones perform just as good at 120 as at 60, which ones have the coolest features (as picked by the cool police?)
In a world where the cars in every way, save reliability, we identical, reliability becomes of utmost importance.
There are people, to this very day, who will rank the important attributes of automotive "bliss" and inevitably place reliability in the fourth quartile of importance. Those who buy based heavily on reliability are entitled to do so, but I find these rankings about as relevant as the number of color choices in the brochure in terms of my "driving pleasure."
Of course, even my poorly rated Audis over the years have never been so unreliable as to deter me from repeat ownership. And, even my recent near brush with buying a new Infiniti was not because of reliability it was because of price for comparable performance as perceived by me, the guy writing the check.
:shades:
I was battered back by all the Lexus-Lovers here that dismissed anything from ALG or KBB because it was only "forward looking" and a "guess".... They wanted to look at previous examples.
So now the same people who wouldn't consider ALG or KBB a legitimate reference are now claiming CR as a legitimate source for future reliability of current year models..... Isn't that kind of strange and quite a double standard? Hmmmm......
Well unless there in one and only one car that will "satisfy," then why not use reliablity as an important factor in the decision process? In my case performance at 120 mph is irrelevant (and I wish all who drove that speed on a public road here in the US would be arrested and deprived of a driver's license for life!).
Obviously driving pleasure (at normal daily driving speeds only) and cool features rank at the top of the selection criterion. But just as certainly (assuming there is more than one car left on your list) reliability, and even color, become important selection criteria as well.
Perhaps an important selection crieteria for some cars needs to be what type loaner the dealer provides, because with some cars one will find themselves in a loaner a significant percentage of the time :shades:
Well I was the one who posted the CR Reliability link and I am on record as allowing all real info/data to be used. I am a big fan of KBB and couldn't imagine not consulting them on any used car transaction :surprise:
Any one who limits the available data set is asking for trouble. Data is data; its up to the individual what to make of it or how to use it. :shades:
This one is wierd...you won't get any BS from me...curious though ...when you get your answer please report back.
true, but maybe you can answer this:
Why do BMWs based on KBB , ALG and Kelley's Blue Book have the highest residual values? Has it something to do with customer satisfaction? Does reliability play a big role in determing resale value or is it just a fact that BMWs are so fun to drive?
Seriously, I'm not really sure what the RPSs are doing this since I am fixated on reproducing the problem, and it's repeatable everytime.
The folks at Acurazine claim they've seen this before. Their reply is listed below:
This was a big topic at NASIOC when I got my STI. The V1s and Passports do this because of a spike in voltage. The fix is to hard wire the detector for power. Using the plug in a power outlet or lighter will cause this problem.
Hey guys, don't shoot the messenger. In the spirit of information sharing, I merely posted a link to CR's latest reliability ratings. Why the negativity :confuse: :sick:
Ok, Ok but what do I do with all my ammunition?
I am advocating, however, cars that are at complete ease in all senses of the word at such speeds.
I often find those who regularly drive above 80 do so in cars that, while capable of such speeds, have inadequate tires, brakes, suspension geometry, etc to do so with impunity and safety.
That rickety old Neon passing me like I am sitting still whilst I am cruising along at 70 or 75 is cause for me to agree with you regarding the consequences you suggest.
It would seem to me to be a reasonable approach to put some things in context. I think it would be acceptable to evaluate the punishment, in part, based on the total package -- a rattle trap at speed may be more dangerous to the other drivers (all other things being equal) than a well maintained and competent vehicle.
Evaluations that include the car's capabilities and competence could be created to limit the legal speed based on many attributes. When I took the driving school sponsored by Audi in the winter, the cars had "limit" indicators on the bumpers and in view of the driver. When I asked what they indicated, the instructors told us that a car with four studded winter tires was limited by law to 120kph (~ 70MPH), and then when summer tires were put on the car that limit was raised.
When these cars become even more alike than they are currently, reliability IMHO will become a significant factor influencing sales. The fact that the BMW and Mercedes 5 and E top the LPS sales charts indicates the relatively low relevance of CR's "reliability" rankings.
Again, what colors are available? And how many of them can I choose from.
One opinion. That's all.
Judge Wapner at 4:00, Wapner at 4:00.
- Rain Man
markcincinnati,
I heard rumors that there will be turbodiesel versions of Audi in North America? What are the prospects of such an intro?
There already exists a turbodiesel luxury sedan on our shores and it is called the Mercedes Benz 320CDI ! Unfortunately it is not availabe with a manual transmission!
Actually, that discussion was on the "High End Luxury Marques" forum, which covers sedans one cost level up from those covered on this LPS forum. And the crux of that discussion was that the best measure of individual model value retention was arguably recent historical value, rather than future predictions from any source (such as ALG or KBB). But I agree that any source of data is worth considering, but has to be weighed against all info available.
To me, this means that CR's ratings of reliability that are based on the reported real world experience of owners are quite valuable - but that historical data becomes much less meaningful when a whole new model is first introduced. That's the case with the new M; the repair history of the previous model doesn't tell you very much about what will occur with the current one. Of course, the history of the manufacturer in general gives some indication; but it seems pretty much conjecture to say that any brand new model will be the most reliable car available 3 years from its introduction.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.--The Raven...Poe 1845......'Happy Halloween :surprise:
These are not just any sources! The three best known sources for residual values are Kelley's Blue Book, ALG and KBB! Just as the CR and JD Powers are known as the best source for reliability/quality measures!
Is it just a fluke and mere coincidence that ALG, KBB and Kelley's ranks BMW as number one for residual values? I dont think so! To say that they are a fluke is equivalent to saying that the CR and JD Power measures of Toyota/Lexus reliability/quality are a fluke! And we all do know that the CR and JD Power are not perfect measures of reliability! Sort of like ALG, KBB and Kelley's are not perfect measeures for residual values!
Just as msu79 and markcinicinnati mentioned, stats are just data! And data can create endless arguments!
However, if you go shopping for a brand-new model that is selling well... there won't be any incentives...
Generally, the only cars that are leasing more cheaply (relatively) than BMWs are models that are heavily incentivized, because they have trouble selling them.. Right now, that would be Chrysler Crossfires, and interestingly enough, Honda Ridgelines... just as two examples..
regards,
kyfdx
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Not to belabor the point, but you keep citing "three sources", but KBB and Kelley's Blue Book are one and the same. It's like saying Consumer Reports and CR are two sources.
But more importantly, if you want to get a feel for why "residual predictors" are really just playing a game, read this article reprinted on ALG's web site.
Out of the Ashes a New Leasing Market Emerges
Remember, this article is reprinted on the website of the company that actually led the leasing companies into the financial debacle that the article refers to. Of course, "things are different now". Yeah, right; remember when those stock market mavens said that about the high P/E ratios of the dotcom stocks?
The fact is that predictions are not data, they are forecasts; in contrast, KBB, when it is listing current pricing for used vehicles, is providing data. CR and JD Powers, when they are providing the results of surveys of actual owners, are providing data, not forecasts. But KBB and ALG, when they are predicting which cars will have the best residual values some point in the future, are not providing data.
You are correct that people can argue over how to weight different data, and even how reliable the sources of data are, but please don't confuse data with forecasts - they're not the same thing.
LOL as a Canadian I thought KBB was a US firm I never herard of but is recognized in the US industry as a competior to Kelley's!
Correct data is differenct from forecasts! But these forecasts reflect some kind of truth about the superiority of BMW residuals! And that is the only point I am making here!
Do you know how the Acura TL did in the reliability ratings?
The ratings for the M35/M45 are based on the current '06 model year ONLY! So the rating is entirely relavant to the new M. However CR correctly and cautiously notes that the numbers are based on ONE model year only (so there's not much history to go by). Same for the GS by the way.
The report did not mention the TL by name. Since its not listed as the Most Reliable nor listed as teh Worst I'd guess (and its only a guess) that its average or above average (CR uses a 5 "star" system - so I'm guessing a 3 or a 4).
VK45 and VQ35 engines....plenty of history (G, FX, Q, old M, 350Z, etc...)
Drivetrains...ditto
FM Chassis...ditto
Switchgear and electronics...ditto (not to mention the many Nissan crossover parts here)
Although new model forecasts are exactly that, the statistical models they use to determine residuals still make leasing companies a fortune. ALG deals with a dozen or more new cars every year, I believe they know what they are doing.
Memo to BMW Dealers: "Ixnay on the uperchargedsay ommentcay."
Uh, OK, there is no replacement for displacement EXCEPT an increase in volumetric efficiency afforded by more than "natural" breathing.
Translation, superchargers are coming to BMW's sooner rather than later.
Memo to BMW of America Dealers: "Ixnay on the ieselday."
Uh, OK, diesels are not for real sporting intentioned German cars (in the US).
What is going on here?
It's one thing when a few folks posting here on edmunds (and elsewhere) are asking -- some begging even -- for diesel powerplants: we are just screaming voices in the wilderness. It's quite another thing, however, when a writer, a paid professional with a bully pulpit argues intelligently for diesels.
A few days ago, I thought I could fire up some lively discourse by suggesting that LPS cars are positioned to "save" us from foreign oil dependence by adopting diesel powerplants (rather than hybrid technologies) since LPS cars seem to be the bellwether segment. In plain English the LPS cars often portend the engineering and features of those vehicles lower on the totem pole.
Very little dialog from this community on this subject ensued. Moreover, there appeared to be little interest in the Rand study this past August that suggested we could become foreign oil independent by virtue of the known oil in Colorado and Wyoming. Of course, the Rand report does say that it will take at least 20 years to build up the capacity to extract this oil (and that the estimates currently suggest we have three times the known reserves of our current middle-eastern suppliers.)
When I read this, I thought it was darn near profound. Obviously I am wrong, for despite numerous talking head news programs talking about $3.00 and up gasoline prices, not one of them has raised the Rand organization's findings, even to challenge it.
Instead, we have Bill Ford talking about hybrids and Ford's commitment to bring more and more hybrid cars to market. Not one mention of the possibility of diesels as a current technology with the ability to lower our driving costs almost immediately has been made (that I can locate) by either the news organizations, "energy companies," or the automobile companies themselves.
OK, so I am not an industry pundit or even someone that should be considered as one with the requisite gravitas to be given a second thought.
But, Angus Mackenzie (he with the aforementioned bully pulpit) has written an accessable article called "Diesel Does It, America needs a better weapon to fight rising fuel prices," in the December 2005 issue of Motor Trend.
"Now, Mark, I knew Angus Mackenzie and YOU are NO Angus Mackenzie," you may say.
I completely agree. My posting several days ago and Mackenzie's piece are only coincidentally similar. Yet Mackenzie describes his experiences with an Audi and a BMW diesel [A8 and 7 series respectively] that leaves little doubt that both fuel economy and good old fashioned "American Hot Rod" lusts can be satisfied TODAY with the adoption of turbo diesels.
Get this: The Audi W12 produces 428 pound feet of torque at 4700 RPM, but the Audi diesel V8 produces 479 pound feet of "weapons grade" torque at 1800 RPM. The differences in the real world between these two engines (assuming they cost the exact same -- and they don't) is night and day. Not only will the diesel outperform the far more expensive (to buy AND operate) 12 cylinder gasoline engine, it does so without requiring a two gear downshift of the transmission and a wait for the W12 to get up to the torque peak RPM's. And Audis turbo diesel gave better mileage than BMW's 6 cylinder diesel.
Mercedes, too, has incredibly competent diesels that could provide aid and comfort to those of us beleaguered and wearied by ever escalating gas prices. But, at these price points, gas prices are probably of secondary concerns -- for one does not spend upwards of $60,000 and then have a huge concern about the price of the juice to run the car.
The point, first and foremost, is performance AND efficiency. Diesel (and remember bio-diesel will work in these engines) would give us power hungry Americans just what we want "our cake and the ability to eat it too."
I highly recommend the Angus Mackenzie article (the big picture) in the December 2005 issue of Motor Trend. My words no matter how similar to Mac's may not merit much discussion; but, Mackenzie is "somebody" recognized and with sufficient gravitas to support my earlier somewhat tongue in cheek memo: "How LPS Cars can save us from a growing, inevitable fuel crisis." [sic]
Motor Trend December 2005 page 12 (and at this time, I can't find it on Motortrend.com.)
:shades:
Great topic but I think it is OT in this thread.
I believe ANY energy alternative has merits, but unless gas prices spike to the point where it REALLY hurts the little guy financially, the alternatives are going to move very slowly without government subsidy.
I believe in the potential of hybrids but they are taking somewhat of a beating in the press because of their expense. This is good for diesel's chances right now and the manufacturers should jump on it IMO. Diesel needs strong marketing because consumer perception of it is nowhere, I think.
The consumer needs to know what the immediate benefit of diesel is and the marketers have to drive that home. This requires a major effort which is not easy considering the hybrid trend and recent announcements of manufacturer commitments to hybrid.
I think the best chance diesel has is if hybrid prices don't come down the way people expect. And I think there is a good chance that they won't because the technology is convoluted when compared with the lone internal combustion engine.
We, in the US, are being denied "the best" several of these LPS manufacturers have to offer. Instead we are being offered high performance vehicles to be certain, but not both high performance and high efficiency.
Perhaps, as Mackenzie notes, when you have to fill up your vehicle three times per week (due to mileage) and each fill up costs north of $120 (as it can in Europe), diesel makes sense even for those who can afford to buy gasoline at practically any price. Mackenize writes that when he started driving the diesel versions of the Audi and Bimmer he could go much longer between fillups and, in Europe at least, each fillup was less expensive.
Currently, it appears that diesel here in the US costs slightly more than Premium Gasoline -- someone explained that this is temporary and due to Katrina.
The part that really got my attention beyond the mileage was the superior performance diesel affords.
Apparently, economy is boring, but performance is not -- and the LPS cars ARE where the technology trickles down from in large measure.
I would have gone with either the Audi Turbo Diesel or BMW's (and if Infiniti had one, I would have at least considered it.) We are, instead, given the choice of ever more thirsty gasoline engines (check out the new Audi S8, and certainly the upcoming S6 and RS6, etc, to see what I mean with respect to power and thirst.)
Those of us in the LPS community (assuming we are or could be "the market force" I believe we are or will become) could help usher in an era of both higher performance and higher efficiency vehicles -- and here is where it must begin.
Of course, I could be wrong, the sun may explode tomorrow and make this all moot. :shades:
Hybrids, largely thanks to the efforts of the mighty Toyota PR department, are perceived by a lot of people as magic vehicles that run on hugs and sunshine, with absolutely no environmental downside. None of this is true of course, but the problems are simply glossed over.
Diesel has the opposite problem, in that largely false perceptions are hurting it, rather than helping. I think a lot of America still perceives diesel vehicles as dirty, smelly, and noisy. There are other problems though. The fuel we've got right now is not clean enough for many of the engines already in use in Europe to work and pass emmisions standards. Hopefully the new stuff will take care of that one.
The other problem is cost. In European countries, the amount of diesel cars on the road is directly proportional to the level of government subsidy on diesel fuel. Diesel in the US seems to range from just below to just above premium gasoline. Thats not going to get thrifty shoppers to choose diesel over a Civic that can get 40mpg on 87 regular. Luxury cars make up a tiny percentage of the total number of cars on the road in the US. Even if every Lexus, BMW, Audi, Cadillac, Jaguar, and Mercedes suddenly all ran on diesel, it wouldnt make a dent in our overall fuel consumption. There are more F-150s on the road than most luxury makes combined.
Where else, however, but "at the top" will diesels be able to be widely accepted which would make a dent in our consumption AND cost.
When the Audi A8 and BMW 7 with their porkiness are able to go 35 miles on a gallon of diesel, wonder what would happen to A6's, 5s and ultimately the Chrylser 300, Camry and on and on?
We need to start somewhere -- it always seems that logical, necessary and valuable technology THAT SHOULD go into the MASS of vehicles (abs, airbags, stability control system etc -- all started in the LPS and above cars at the time) must somehow be vetted by the buying public in the premium class first.
Today abs and the other expected technologies are in or at least available in the very lowest cost vehicles on the market. My 1990 or 1989 Audi had dual front airbags when the lesser vehicles were touting driver's side airbags, followed soon thereafter by optional dual front airbags followed by front and rear airbags and on and on and on.
Diesel technology could be perceived differently if it were placed in both high end and high performance cars -- for shortly thereafter the market would clammor for such technology and performance in the more pedestrian cars downstream.
LPS cars are a great place to start, don't you think?
Just a thought.
I don't claim to have any great insider knowledge about the auto industry, perhaps you do, but I am familiar with leasing companies in non-automotive businesses, and they have NOT been making "fortunes" for years. And if you read the article I linked to in post #4543, it looks like the used car trade press considers it common knowledge that the leasing companies had totally over-estimated residuals for years. For that matter, when was the last time you heard of someone exercising the purchase option at the end of a lease of a premium car because the residual buyout value was understated?
And it doesn't seem to be over yet. Here's a quote from an executive of RVI Group, one of the leading providers of "residual value insurance" to leasing companies and manufacturers: ""For independent finance companies, we feel that the current residuals for most luxury vehicles are too high," he said. "That is, we feel that the economic climate in a few years will not support the residuals at which most luxury vehicles are being leased today.""
Autoremarketing 4/1/05
This is not to say that the new M won't prove to be a very reliable car. But let's not confuse reliability with residual values. There is only a limited relationship between the two. In fact, here is an excerpt from an interview of the President of ALG: "Sundaram also discussed brand perception, saying perceived nameplate quality and not actual quality has the strongest correlation with residuals at the brand level."
Perhaps that explains why MB's residuals stayed up longer than its reliability did....
A proper diesel in a proper (lux) vehicle needs to be experienced to be believed and/or appreciated. It'll be a tough sell over here without a big PR effort, IMHO. The first brand to go there could be very successful in North America. Audi & BMW are in the best position, given that they already have the vehicles (in Europe). The Asians may market good diesels as well, but I've neither seen nor driven them. Mercedes & VW are already in the market, but adding more performance-oriented brands would certainly help.
All the lux features, incredible acceleration & 40 mpg. What's not to like?
True,
residual values for VWs tend to be high despite certain reliability issues!
Bump
I was hoping someone on this board had any real life experience with them. :shades:
I'm also not sure that diesel will really work in a sports car. The whole point of a car like the S2000 is the fun of a screaming 9,000 rpm redline. A TDI alternative engine would be hitting the red at 4,500 rpm, and while it may be able to keep up with the gas engine by trading horses for torque, it wont be fun.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef14c39!make=CATS&model=Tires
Perhaps you are right the engine is not the same as some of the electronics I mentioned that start at the top of the lines, but I think the spirit of what I am saying does track even with engines (but as you say, maybe NOT in the US.)
I am not suggesting a wholesale replacement of all gasoline engines.
I am suggesting, as the Motor Trend article describes, that we need somehow to change the image of diesel. An LPS car with a diesel would go some distance in changing the perception of diesels as noisy, smelly, smoky, polluting, doggy powerplants.
When you read the Motor Trend article with the glowing reviews of two German luxo-barges you get a whole new take on this technology. Indeed you will be treated to a review wherein the author says given a choice between a 12 cylinder gas and an 8 cylinder diesel, he would choose the latter -- NOT for economy but for performance.
Of course the fact that the car he writes about gets 35 miles per gallon is just icing on the cake.
A friend of mine has an old Mercedes diesel -- the thing is pretty nice but when you start the engine, it is noisier than a modern diesel and the thing takes forever to get to speed. This perception lives on.
Such cars as described by Mackenzie in the new MT magazine totally turns this notion on its head.
I appreciate my FSI Audi V6 -- I appreciate its mileage even in a car as heavy as the A6. It seems to me that I could have my cake and eat it too were I offered Audis 3.0TD engine in the car configured as I have it.
My personal experience in Germany was that the A4 with the 2.5TD was far and away superior in every way to the then top of the line V6 gas engine Audi was offering in 2002. Better acceleration, more responsive and very easy on fuel.
It was almost magic it was so good. And, other than the first 1.5 seconds (if you were standing outside the car and it had been parked overnight in sub freezing temperatures) no one would ever know it was a diesel save for the badge on the rear deck.
Sometimes I think we Americans have our heads stuck up our noses. :shades:
Anyway, I came away impressed. The 550i Sport handles remarkably. I have never been a BMW fan, but I have to admit that after the drives, I could see me behind the wheel of a 550i Sport. I must also admit that the controversial styling grows on you quite fast. I spent just a few hours with the cars and quickly found the design to not be offensive at all.
SIDEBAR: That new 3-series sure is handsome.
I've already decided on the colors I want, should I buy one. White with the terra cotta interior. Once we optioned it out, the price was over $64K. The other half wanted me to drive a 530i to see if I would be happy with it and save $9K premium equally optioned. Needless to say, no. On the test drive, she kept hounding me to get on the gas. I kept telling her that I had it on the floor, literally. The acceleration difference was so drastic between the 550i and the 530i that she didn't believe I was pushing it. It felt like I was just tooling along. The 530i felt like it had no bottom end to speak of. So if it's gonna be a 5-series, it's definitely gonna be a 550i.
Problem is the cost. And, believe it or not, a lease would be $200 more than a purchase. Of course, that was with a big down payment on the purchase and an interest rate that is nowhere near commensurate to my credit score.
Two things, though. A reason I'm looking now is to downsize to cut down on "body maintenance" time. The 5-series isn't much smaller on the exterior than the car I have now. It's ~7" shorter. The little 3-series, OTOH, is much smaller. I have an appointment to take a 330i out Thursday. No doubt it will feel quicker than the 530i. It's a handsome little car and it will knock a good hour or so off the maintenance time. The biggest complaint we have about getting the 330i is something that we've been saying ourselves; would we look like poseurs who couldn't afford a "real" BMW if we were seen in a 3? And it costs way too much for what you get. Our own words have come back to haunt us. But I really like the looks of that car! And it would save a few hundred per month on a payment.
Also, what does a 3-series ride like? Is it noisy? Rough? Unrefined? In comparison to the 5-series. Would we feel like we were in a luxury vehicle when we travel?
Speaking of luxury, I noticed that the 550i wasn't lacking in any luxury feature despite the spartan interior. It's now a facade. Everything is there, it's just hidden away behind i-Drive (which didn't seem to be all that bad, which turns out to be no worse than Audi's MMI, if not slightly better). I think the big heartburn with i-Drive may stem from the inconspicuous menus. It's like you have to have a sharp eye to catch that tiny menu up top once you select a major menu item. This is a complete 180 from past posts from me about MMI and i-Drive.
Noise levels were excellent! 'nuff said on that.
The ride was nice and firm the way I like it, yet didn't beat me up in the least, also the way I like it (and also another reason I'm looking for something new). It didn't have that aftershock jitter like the Mercedes E-class and Lexus GS. Overall, I came away very impressed and all smiles. However, I still maintain that it's not "The Ultimate Driving Machine." That's a huge boast to make in a field of absolutely excellent cars, especially these days. I would be hard pressed to say the 550i Sport was far and away better than an M45 Sport when it comes to driving dynamics as the M45 Sport is no slouch by any stretch.