By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Apparently construction is way down, and that is just killing full size pickup sales. Toyota is getting killed, their overall sales were down 6.6% for February, thanks to badly sagging trucks. Mazda and Honda on the other hand both posted gains.
Regards,
Jose
Most of the BMW automatics I've driven have been superb. The one exception has been our '07 X3, which is a bit jerky due to some sort of software issue. Apparently it's just an issue with the '07s.
Sports Car International generally talks about cars that are out of my league, I prefer to read about something that're more closely related to my status. I love the Ferrari as much as the next guy but I just don't see myself owning one in my life, even if I hit the jackpot...
CAR: too "European"
Top Gear: I love the show due to the British humor and of course, Jermey Clarkson but at the end when it comes down to cars, both the show and magazine are also too "European". As we all know by now, I am not exactly an European fanboy...
I guess we all have our preferences but like I said, the best way to get the whole picture is to read as much as you can and TEST DRIVE IT YOURSELF.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjwJl4t-DF8&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzEivL1Kruo&feature=related
A bit of humble pie for Germany?
COMPANIES
BMW Group –5.8% at 24,190 (2/07: 24,642)
Chrysler Group –17.4% at 150,093 (2/07: 174,506)
Ford Motor Co –10.6% at 196,681 (2/07: 211,150)
General Motors –16.7% at 270,423 (2/07: 311,763)
Honda America 0.7% at 115,397 (2/07: 110,026)
Nissan North America –2.9% at 86,219 (2/07: 85,218)
Toyota Motor Co. –6.6% at 182,169 (2/07: 187,330)
Luxury Brands:
Acura –8.0% at 13,084 (2/07: 13,658)
Audi –10.6% at 6,152 (2/07: 6,609)
BMW –10.5% at 20,775 (2/07: 22,274)
Cadillac –2.1% at 14,420 (2/07:14,142)
Infiniti –0.4% at 10,068 (2/07: 9,704)
Jaguar –14.3% at 1,063 (2/07: 1,191)
Land Rover –12.9% at 2,819 (2/07: 3,106)
Lexus –9.3% at 21,277 (2/07: 22,518)
Mercedes 3% at 18,564 (2/07: 17,304)
Porsche –16.3% at 1,715 (2/07: 1,967) :surprise:
Volvo –14.8% at 7,505 (2/07: 8,453)
Source: Autoblog
SCI also frequently covers more affordable cars as well. One thing I really admired is that they were one of the very few not to absolutely slather the frankly rather lousy Pontiac Solstice with heaps of undeserved praise. Their 3 vs. G35 coverage was also more interesting than most.
I guess we all have our preferences but like I said, the best way to get the whole picture is to read as much as you can and TEST DRIVE IT YOURSELF.
Agreed.
Infiniti –0.4% at 10,068 (2/07: 9,704)
Er... don't those numbers show gains for Nissan and Infiniti?
The gain/loss has been corrected due to the one extra day for February this year (29 vs. 28 in '07).
Regards,
Jose
http://www.elpais.com/fotogaleria/Salon/Ginebra/5198-2/elpgal/
Regards,
Jose
(Taking delivery next Friday)
I have two things I forgot to post:
First, I want thank esf for finally taking the time to post that very nice photo of the Audi parked in the driveway next to the front of your home... with the snow, and your beautiful car, it makes for a postcard!... Very nice, and thank you!
Also, I want to congratulate José on your new car! I'm so glad you finally worked it out to your satisfaction! Sounds terrific!! Best of luck and keep us posted!
I'll check back later... keep up the good work!
TM
That deserves credit for 'best one-liner in Luxury Lounge history'.
Congrats on the new car. I know you will love it!! You took a lemon and made a nice tall refreshing glass of lemonade!!
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
TM
Yes, this is true. But you don't have to wonder for long if Lexus would want to sell
more of them now than this time last year, not 25% less.
And to add, it seems to me that it was oh so convenient to glide over my previous statement that many posters stated that the LS will continue to see monthly sales increases, no matter what.
I am also making decisions on a new car. I will get something in the next few weeks or months, but what I really want isn't available here in North America. What you can choose from, we can't, sadly.
Often one must make choices when the best option isn't available. I'm confident yours will work out well.
You should take that act on the road
Or because the LS is continuously padded by CR and no other rag to this extent, is it a different type of being down? Is it down but not out. Down for the count, but not down for the fight?
You have no idea. It's so close, but so far away.
If it was $10,000 cheaper and had an extra two seats, I would be on the waiting list right now, because it would undoubtedly be longer than it already is.
I may be adding 2009 Audi S8, though, among at least a half dozen other cars I'll be driving soon.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
I hate Hummers. I hate their drivers, I hate how they look, I hate how slow they are, I hate how huge they are, I hate how horrible the mileage is, I hate how small they are on the inside... but most of all, I hate how GM is still producing Hummers, even though they're touting their hybrid campaign. That's far, far worse than Toyota making the Tundra/Sequoia simultaneously with the Prius.
And I'm rooting for GM.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
It sounds fabulous. Congrats! Best powertrain available on the 3er, with some awesome (sounding) wheels. Please, post pictures soon!
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
To me it looks like a rather blatant copy of the Alfa Brera. And what's with yet another front end design change for VW? Isn't their current nose design only a few years old?
How much does it cost to get American subscriptions on either one of them? I pay roughly $10 every time I buy them at the store, which is around once a month, maybe a bit less.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
I think Hummer drivers should be forced to wear a scarlet "A", and not for adultery.
I have a friend with that model, and he notices the same problems. He's a member of X5World, as he also has an X5 (don't ask why), and they discuss issues with the smaller SUV's transmission in the X3 thread ad nauseum. It's not an isolated issue, as you stated.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Hmm.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
I'm glad everything worked out. Enjoy the new set of wheels, hopefully this one will survive unscathed.
Personally, I don't think it was a very good picture. It was well-staged, but it would look better with a more dramatic sky (not all white, perhaps?) and a Sprint Blue S4 Cabriolet parked there instead.
Unfortunately, it's still in hibernation, but I'm certainly enjoying the A3!
Have a good time in L.A. Wish I was there.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Unfortunately it isn't any cheaper to get a subscription. Unlike the domestic mags, there's no discount off the price at Borders
I have a friend with that model, and he notices the same problems.
Yep. It seems to be common with '07s, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any kind of real fix. The dealer said the jerkiness would probably lessen with more time and miles, who knows.
Or, at the very least, buy a Wrangler.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
The friend has had it for about eight months. The transmission is still not cooperating. He told me that once, as he was making a left turn in the middle of a busy intersection, the car simply wouldn't accelerate. He had to push the pedal all the way down, and the light was turning red. Not a fun experience.
Now he's thinking he should've gone with a 328xi instead.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Agreed, the tones are a bit on the dull side. I'm curious, how did you compose it? Hand held or tripod? It seemed like your main focal point was the house, as the car seemed every so slightly out of focus. What F stop did you use? Nice car though
TM
MB and Audi pretty much tied with MB selling about 20 units more: something like 15100 each.
BMW was at 14000 and Lexus was at 13000 (though overall European sales reported by ANE for Lexus in 2007 were around 40,000). Infiniti just entering the Borsh market was at 600 or so.
Thanks for the great post about the 3bmw....I think it helped Jose, and am hoping for Mr H also....We should hear TagMan`s opinion shortly, and I look forward to all the opinions that should be forthcoming.....Tony
My wife had a similar problem soon after we bought it. She was very concerned, and it's been to the dealer twice about it. Since then the problem has lessened quite a bit, though it's still very jerky with rolling stops. When you let off the accelerator to coast to a red light, it downshifts hard from 4...3...2..1. There's still hesitation with throttle tip-in, but its not dangerous. It has soured my wife on getting another X3, though.
I think I'll get a D80 or D200, myself, so that we can share lenses. I know the D200 is a superior camera, but I'm not sure about how much I want to spend for my first dSLR.
I remember my first film SLR... it was a Minolta. $172, all of it earned by me. I was so excited. It should be noted that my son paid for the D40 also.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Well, has she been told that the X3 will be redesigned very soon? It's due for an update, any day now. Didn't it come out a year after the E53 X5? Two?
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Very tragic especially to hear it from someone whose family was so directly affected.
The Pullman was certainly among the best of the best cars back then. To many North Americans Audi seems to be a relatively new brand and few will associate the name Audi with such a majestic old car like a Pullman.
Regarding Russian auto sales it is interesting to see how many Lexuses are sold there. Any of the established luxury brands are light years ahead of the old Soviet luxury Volga.
I cant think of a better car especially for highway driving. My BMW 335i drives like a dream but has a never ending thirst for fuel during city driving (most my travels are in town traffic). I've been reading about BMW's upcoming hybrid diesels. A 3 series hybrid diesel would be perfect for my kind of urban driving (assuming its not bogged down by too much weight).
For me it is absolutely free. Every month during evenings I take a leisurely 10 minute walk from my house to Indigo (a Canadian version of Borders) and read 7 car mags while drinking a Starbucks coffee. Among the seven are:
Car and Driver
Motor Trend
Road and Track
Automobile
Top Gear
AutoCar (world's olderst car mag)
Car
If I do not have time to read all seven of them at Indigo then I will read the remaining mags in a grocery store while pushing my shopping cart around the fruit section(so far I haven't bumped into any shoppers yet).
1533 MB S Class
1891 Lexus LS
Looking at the above figures has a different meaning when you look at them in terms of revenue. The MB S Class has higher revenues per car than the LS.
BMW –10.5% at 20,775 (2/07: 22,274)
Lexus –9.3% at 21,277 (2/07: 22,518)
Based on Feb figures BMW is pretty close to Lexus in terms of sales volumes.
Afterall, there are some here that think the LS is a better vehicle in its own right. Do those same folks think it should therefore be MORE expensive than the S-Class? Of course not, because they wouldn't want to think about what would happen to the sales numbers if THAT were ever to happen!!
I personally have no doubt that the S-Class would KILL the LS in sales if the prices were identical. Which leads us back to the old "bargain" luxury situation again. The LS still needs the old price card to sell. The S-Class, however, sells in almost equivalent numbers, even at its loftier price... I personally find it very interesting that an almost equal number of people would spend MORE for the Mercedes. WHY? Obviously the S-Class is a more valuable car than the LS and its higher price has sufficient merit to a fairly equivalent sampling of consumers.
Again, just imagine if the prices were the same!
TagMan
I think I'll get a D80 or D200, myself, so that we can share lenses. I know the D200 is a superior camera, but I'm not sure about how much I want to spend for my first dSLR.
Ah, that could explain the slight bit of fuzziness around the Audi's grille. The D80 is a very nice camera. The body is only $150 or so more than the D40x/D60, and for that you get 11 area TTL AF as opposed to the D40x's 3 area (not sure about the D60), and a real pentaprism viewfinder rather than a cheap pentamirror.
If you're going to step up to a more serious semi-pro, I would suggest opting for the new D300. It's a big improvement over the old one.
The X3 launched in '04, and was refreshed for '07. I'm guessing the new one will be an '09 or a '10. I'm sure it will come with iDrive, and she's already told me she has zero interest in that.