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esf

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Shown for the first time today on U.S. soil the BMW M3 Convertible will go on sale later this year. The BMW M3 Coupe will go on sale in March starting at $57,275 along with the M3 Sedan which will start at $54,575. But if you’re looking for some fun in the sun with the 414 horsepower V8, get ready to cash out $65,725.

Take that, TagMan!

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

bmlexus

Congratulation nice looking car IMO better than the convertible.

Ok how many inches are those tires?

Are they run flat?

Spring break will be going in the other car ur porsche?

Strange every1 seems to be going somewhere. :confuse:

tagman

Sounds lilke a wonderful vacation. The scenery will be a highlight, but I'll guess so will the food. (?) Take pics, and have a blast!

TM

tagman

No way, esf. Be realistic. The coupe I saw that was loaded had an MSRP of $70K, and was marked up an additional $15K. The convertible, will be MORE than the coupe, so if the coupe was $70K MSRP, than the convertible will be significantly higher. And the markup will be higher as well.

So, let's do the math together here. How much more will the convertible be than the coupe? Add that amount to the $70K coupe price I saw, and there's our answer!!!

TM

tagman

Wheels are 18's... close to the maximum for the car. 19's have been installed, but require thin rubber, or else the fender wells have to be "rolled", which increases the clearance.

We (family of four) will all be in the MDX for our little vacation.

Thanks for asking.

TM

esf

Strange every1 seems to be going somewhere.

That would be the point of Spring Break :P

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

Absolutely.

My sister in-law went with her daughter in December, and reported back, as we were teetering on whether to go there or to go to Spain.

They loved it--fantastic food, fantastic scenery, nice people, nice places, etc.

So it was settled... especially after we saw the cost of a plane ticket to Spain online :surprise:

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

TRUCE!

135i vert - $50K

M3 vert - $80K

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

lexusguy

Please excuse this pic, as I used my mobile to take it, and I know it isn't very good quality

I for one love it, especially the Barbara Walters "glow".

pat

Congrats! You said something about a review, do you mean the Consumer Reviews? Don't do that for six months or so - it will carry much more weight that way.

Have a great time on your vacation. Glad you can stay in touch.

You really should buy that camera for the vacation as well as to post pics of the new ride, ya know!

tagman

Agreed. Fair enough.

I hope you realize that the M3 convertible will have huge markups.

TM

tagman

Thanks, Pat, and everyone!!

TM

anthonyp

How does the weight compare to the Porsche??as you drive it..It certainly looked `snappy` in the picture...Tony

jimbres

What a gorgeous little car! Enjoy it!

tagman

if you enjoyed that one here is another..

Amazing how the GT-R can achieve that level of performance! As I posted after seeing it at the local auto show, I'm really impressed with the car... and those links you posted are just more incredible news for the GT-R. I suspect the GT-R will earn even more feathers in its cap over the course of time. And, it certainly makes sense that a "lighter" variant of the car would be even more incredible on the track!

Thanks for the links.

TM

tagman

How does the weight compare to the Porsche??

Without resorting to any actual specifications, the 135i "feels" like a heavier car. I think one of the most striking and surprising things about the 135i is just how "solid" it feels. Anyone that drives it will immediately understand this. This car is very tightly put together, and as a result is incredibly smooth and quiet... all at a very high achievement level... well beyond expectations.

The Porsche Carrera S is a better dancer, however, and there is no question about this. The 135i, however. is smoother. The Porsche is tighter.

The 135i's combination of smoothness, quietness, and comfort are brilliantly coupled with its spirited enthusiasm. Quite frankly, it's a marvel.

TM

houdini1

One of the reviewers described the 1-Series as looking like a little pot bellied pig. He meant it in a good way, as in lovable. I agree. Congrats and have a nice trip.

lexusguy

And, it certainly makes sense that a "lighter" variant of the car would be even more incredible on the track!

Quite. V-Spec and Z-tune GT-Rs have always been monsters, and considering that the "regular" GT-R is already a world beater, perhaps Porsche should be a bit nervous. The last Nismo special made 500hp from just 2.8L, so I'm sure the new one will have a bit more than that.

tagman

More than one reviewer used that description, as the 1-Series uses that same type of sagging lower body line as the Z4. It's an interesting design approach that some may not like, and others will... but once inside the car and driving it, that's what really put the grin on my face. Hard to imagine a car this cool without expecting to spend so much more.

Thanks for the post.

TM

tagman

If I were someone that could have a few extra cars floating around, I really think the GT-R would be one of them! I can only speak for myself here, but I would love to own a car with those kinds of capabilities... and it comes in the form of a GT-R.

TM

blkhemi

"How many cars do you own"

Count'em. 32 autos, which used to be as high as 50 in my younger days.

I've got everything from a 1915 PCH electric car to a 1935 Dussie TC/S to a 1950 "slammed" Mercury Coupe.

I also have an arsenal of muscle cars. The car that started it all, the 1955 Chrysler 300. 1964 GTO, 1965 Buick Wildcat, 1969 Yenko Camaro Z28, 1970 Challenger R/T and Hemi Cuda, 1970 Chevelle 454 SS, and 1971 Pontiac Trans Am Judge(w/Ram Air IV).

As for the luxury stuff, including the aformentioned Dussie, there's the '55 and '57 Chevy, '58 Chrysler Imperial(beautiful car-the way Chrysler used to build them), '59 Cadillac(yep, the one with the fins), '62 Lincoln Continental("sucide" doors), '65 Cadillac Eldo Conv., '71 Cadillac Coupe de Ville(500 cu.in. engine).

And of course 12 Corvettes, including a '63 Split Window, a '69 427 big-block, and '95 ZR1, all very rare rides. The ZR1 has enjoyed renewed interest thanks to the new ZR-1, which will be the eventual replacement of our current Z06 that my wife refuses to drive. What the heck does she think the ZR-1 is? An Aveo?

I hope this answers your question..

tagman

Count'em. 32 autos, which used to be as high as 50 in my younger days.

That's it! Send me a private email. Just who ARE you? ... LOL!

TM

esf

I second TagMan.

WTF, mate? Care to share?

To be perfectly honest, I thought having four cars was going to be silly. Now I know that it's not nearly enough.

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

circlew

TM, I wish you the best with your new sports car! Enjoy it to the max potential.

I appreciate your feedback as it might be ditto for me in December but only with 2 additional doors.

Regards,
OW

circlew

,,,and you've got the best color to blend it all into a very striking appearance...but you will need to maintain the shine and clean it way more often than, say, platinum silver.

Regards,
OW

circlew

My Hero!

Please send pictures of all of those awesome creatures to the Big (ok Small) 3 to warm the engineering creativity that once was. (The 'Vettes being the only caveat).

Best of luck with all of your spectacular goodies!!

Regards,
OW

bmlexus

And of course 12 Corvettes :surprise: :surprise: :surprise:

OH MY GOD

Who are you LOL

So many cars but ur really a classic car fan since u didn't mention just asking you have any ferrari bmw porsche etc???

tayl0rd

But u still boght the car

No I didn't. That was back in '04/'05/'06. (Can't remember which. As I age, I'm finding the years/events are starting to just bunch up in a big pile.:sick: ) About the only thing that swayed me to buy this one is the manual transmission. If Audi or Infiniti had a manual in the A6 4.2 S-Line or M45 Sport, I'd be driving one of those; more likely the M45, the A6 is too anonymous.

tayl0rd

To be perfectly honest, I thought having four cars was going to be silly. Now I know that it's not nearly enough.

And here I thought having two cars in a household of just me was over the top! It's the main reason why I got rid of both of them and got the 550i Sport (the best blend of both those cars.) Not to mention I got tired of the tax bills, gas, maintenance, insurance, etc. for two cars. Blkhemi's annual vehicle tax, registration, and insurance costs are probably more than my whole salary! :surprise:

Guys like blkhemi really make you look back on your life and wonder, "Where did I zig when I should've zagged?? If I had studied just a little harder..." :sick: Or, "Why couldn't I have been born to millionare parents to give me a big boost in life?" :P

blkhemi

"So many cars but ur really a classic car fan since u didn't mention just asking you have and ferrari bmw porsche etc???"

Now for that, you should be talking to my brother. He is the avid Euro car collector. Everything from a Sunbeam Tiger(super-rare), to 3 Ferrari Daytona's, a Mercedes SL(Gullwing doors), and on and on.

To his credit, I inherited a lot of my cars through my father. His dying wish was for us to get his collection and to never sell them, only trade amongst the family. My sister, surprisingly, is just as bad as we are. She got some of the really cool one-offs, including a '61 T-Bird w/ 428 fuel-injected big-block. I was very jealous of that. But now reading about Tag's 1-Series(CONGRATS BY THE WAY!!!), she also traded her '87 Buick Gran National for a BMW 2002 that my brother just didn't like. Now I'm very envious.(LOL)

But because I was the one who mostly helped restore them, I ended up w/ about 70% of the fleet. No love was lost between them because neither had anywhere to store them without paying for storeage somewhere. I on the other hand, have a 25k sq-ft facility on my property.

Most of the muscle cars, I bought and restored myself. During my years in college and law school, I worked with some of the last old-timers who knew the value of these cars, and not just monetary. In return, they helped pay for my then-cheap $16k a year for law-school. I really miss a lot of those guys. Some of the most truly genuine guys out there. Most of them were employees of Ford, GM, Chrysler, International Harvester, Detroit Diesel, Cummins, Freightliner, and all of the great American automotive companies. They were the first to laugh at Honda and Toyota 30 yrs ago.

My, how times have changed..... :sick:

Just a quick quote of "who I am"! I am no Jay Leno by no means of the imagination tho. I've seen his arsenal twice, and WOW!! He is a really super guy honestly. He acutally knew my father through the car business(auctions, car shows and the such).

blkhemi

"Blkhemi's annual vehicle tax, registration, and insurance costs are probably more than my whole salary!"

On the newer stuff that we drive daily, it really costs. But most of the cars I have are registered and I do pay insurance, but the costs aren't really that bad because they're registered as antiques. Some are only driven once a year to shows or for show-offs .

tagman

Your father must have been quite a fellow. I am sure you have strong, loving memories of your dad, and think of him often, with so many of those incredible cars to remind you of him.

Good stuff, Hemi.

TM

laurasdada

Congrats, Tag. It's so cute!

Zaino Z-5 for filling in light scratches/swirls. Z-2 for ultimate shine (w/ZFX). Z6 for touch ups, between coats. Unless you've simply opted for ZAIO and/or Z-CS... Zaino has really upped the product mix in the last few years!

It's been at least 5 months (4 of them New England winter) since my last Z-2 and when my Abyss Blue TL is clean, the Zaino shine still looks great! Hope you enjoy the stuff. Post your reviews/pix.

tayl0rd

And no Zaino treatment is complete without the Z8 Grand Finale detail spray! :surprise: That stuff is unbelievable! AND it repels dust, too!

laurasdada

And the Evil Wife won't allow me even ONE midlife crisis car! :sick:

tayl0rd

That's fascinating info about your cars. I didn't know there was a Judge edition of the Firebird! :confuse: But that still doesn't tell us who you are. A guy with 32 cars isn't exactly "inconspicuous." Are you some kind of famous celebrity lawyer? You're not the defending attorney from the O.J. trial, are you or something like that? Who was your dad?

And would you or one of your siblings happen to have a GMC Syclone in the collection? I know you won't part with it, but some pics would be nice.

tx_buzzard

And the Evil Wife won't allow me even ONE midlife crisis car!

Whoa... am I reading this right, did you say "ALLOW"? Hmmm, maybe there are more serious isues here than just not having another car. LOL

anthonyp

Sure sounds like you have a `winner`...Now to zaino it, and do try and find out about the break pads for all the foreigh cars...For me that is a big issue as I was my own cars (two) not thirty plus I too was surprised at how the bmw steered---tight, and can appreciate your comparison with the Porsche....Porsche just feels attached to the road, and it`s wheels tires etc..

On another subject I sort of like imagining Blkhemi...As an example there was one of the old Chrysler cars parked a few spaces down from me...With with the red interior....Just knew Hemi would walk out the door and get in it Tony

laurasdada

No issues, happy wife=happy life!

My theory is that she will allow my XK convertible and let me drive it throughout the New England winter!

houdini1

Thanks for sharing Hemi. Good stuff.

tagman

Thanks!! (I suspect I'd better get used to hearing the c-word, "cute" , now and then. )

TM

tagman

Oh yeah. The wheels have so much brake dust on them already. As bad or possibly worse than any Mercedes, which are horrible when it comes to brake dust.

I'll get some aftermarket pads just as soon as they are available.

TM

carnaught

I'll get some aftermarket pads just as soon as they are available.


Shipo is a good source for these.

houdini1

For the life of me I can't figure out why the Germans can't beat the brake dust problem. If the U.S. and Japan can do it, why not them?

Maybe it is not really important but nothing looks worse than a nice clean car with dirty wheels!

anthonyp

Where does Shippo hang out? Tony

tagman

For the life of me I can't figure out why the Germans can't beat the brake dust problem. If the U.S. and Japan can do it, why not them?

I agree. But it's not that they can't do it, more like they don't do it. Of course, when purchasing a Porsche... "would you like to spend a whole lot more money on your car, sir, and step up to our very expensive ceramic option?"

TM

houdini1

Nah, they wouldn't do that, would they?

And why aren't you out driving?

pat

Where does Shippo hang out?

3 and 5 series discussions, among others.

tagman

And why aren't you out driving?

LOL...

(darned paperwork... yuck)

TM

laurasdada

You can Zaino the wheels, will help in cleaning off the brake dust... Unless Zaino repels brake dust! And restores lost hair! Brings eyesight to the blind!

Sorry, spring fever... But you can use Zaino on the wheels...