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Good, I say.
The SLK on the other hand...maybe in a couple of years. I saw a burgundy one at the dealership that looked really sharp. It even "fit" me. And not all cars do that.
Impractical as heck (not much trunk space, no back seat) and only driveable with the top down for a couple of months here. And I don't even like convertibles all that much.
But I would like one.
that was the NJ Turnpike.
SLK: Fun little cars. Good friend of mine owns one in dark red. Had to rag on her a little for getting it automatic though.
282 HP
310 lb/ft torque
4,288 lbs weight
15.2 lb/HP power-to-weight
0-60 6.9 sec
The 325i's power-to-weight is 17.7 lb/HP so it's even more amazing that it could keep up with the 740IL. I guess having the manual helps, especially because I could keep the RPM's above 4,500 and the 740IL auto tranny might have been upshifiting too early.
in traffic stopping red?
My friend and I once talked about how she ended up with the chick magnet, while I got the plain Jane (at least in CA).
It'll look great with my skintone.
And cars are guy magnets too you know.
also, power to weight is important, but so is coefficient of drag (a lot moreso than you might think)... dunno what it is on the 7er, but i'm willing to bet it's lower on the 3er...
-Chris
i'd have to hunt down the drivetrain loss on that... i'm sure it's on the web somewhere... plus bmw makes just about the most efficient manuals in the world...
-Chris
this explains it pretty well...
-Chris
And sight unseen too. Do you know what you're setting yourself up for?
(It must be my magnetic personality)
We used to have a lot of fun "racing" each other to work on those rare occasions.
Me thinks that might be a deal breaker, non?
I am planning on learning next year, though.
Genie1, on the C-Coupe vs. SLK question you've got my vote for the roadster. We just did a weekend trip in our 2001 and by the time we had 2 small bags, 2 mid-weight coats for evening, and our little soft-sided Costco cooler loaded up, the trunk was pretty much at capacity. With the top up, it's another story. I regularly get 3-4 weeks worth of groceries for 2 in there. As for the available months of top-down driveability, it all depends on how cold you mind your ears getting For me, as long as the outdoor temp gauge shows ~40F or above, I've still got the top down. Heated seats definitely help.
I know it's off-topic, but I just can't say enough good things about the hard-top convertible mechanism. It's like owning 2 cars, and ours still turns heads whenever we work it in public. I would say that BMW would do well to add a similar top to their roadster, but I'm sure the extra weight of the mechanism might offend purists. The only real downside to our SLK is that it's a Slushtronic, a compromise reached with my S.O. who paid half. The agreement was, however, that the next car would be stick and that the "compromise" would be for her to learn how to work 3 pedals. WOO HOO! But like Dave330i's friend, I'm not sure I want to teach her in our new 330. My Nissan SE-R is in mothballs for that very purpose!
1) yes, it would add considerable weight to the car
2) when it breaks (as it inevitably will, just like the power top in my 325 inevitiably will), it's going to be mucho dineros to fix.
as far as break-in speed, something else to consider besides breaking in the engine, and that's "breaking in the driver"... i wouldn't even consider going over 100 mph in a car (any car, not just a 3er) for at least 500 miles or so, because i would feel that it would take me at least that long to learn the dynamics of the vehicle... this is especially true of someone who is going from a fwd to a rwd... things happen real fast when you are travelling at triple digit speeds...
-Chris
The Ultimate Drive is a special event that travels around America. BMW sponsers this event which raises money for research and treatment of breast cancer. It is by invitation only. I think you can find out more on this at BMW's web site.
Both are fun, educational and will further enhance the love affair between you and your four wheeled friend.
The 325 auto seemed sluggish to me too when I was test driving. The 330 auto was better, but still disatisfactory. The 325xi sportwagon manual was even too slow for my taste, due to extra weight (approx. 400 lbs.) from the wagon and AWD.
I drive a 330xi manual sedan, and it is a dream. Go manual, and, if you can afford it, spend the extra few grand for the extra "oomph".
That is pure HOGWASH. That statement is the kind of arrogance that owners of other makes despise about BMW owners. Try driving in southern California traffic all day and then tell me how great a manual tranny is. Jus because I bought a step tranny, does that mean that I am not a "performance oriented driver"?
Please... give me a break.
Remember opinions are like.....belly buttons, everyone has one. Your opinion is based on ignorance.
After getting my car over a month ago, I pretty much drove it in Auto mode for a few days and though that Step would be a useless half-manual. But after taking a few turns at a higher gear than neccessary, I decided to check out the step and started using it. Boy, was I surprised and instantly hooked!! Driving the car in Step mode is really a pleasure and the overall handling and performance is completely different from when the car is in Auto. Now, after 1600 miles I only drive it in Steptronic mode.
Basically, once you figure out when to shift with Step (and get used to the fact that there is no clutch), it is as good and much smoother than manual. It is probably one of BMW's better options if you are on the fence b/w manual and Auto.
-Chris
Still, an auto Bimmer is one heckuva lot better than no Bimmer at all! It will still handle like a dream, look fantastic doing it, and be loads of fun. I do think the Steptronic folks are missing out on loads of extra fun they could be having, though.
Now that makes me wonder... What's an auto-only driver to do if they want to learn stick but don't have a friend/parent who's willing to teach them? Is that the sort of thing a driving school will help you with? Just curious...
A week an a half ago, I filled up with gas and my ear did not detect the proper Gas Cap closure sound (mere citizens cannot pump their own gas here in New Jersey), I made a mental note to check it when I got to work, however, I forgot. Saturday night, I was returning home from a meeting in NYC and my “Check Engine” light came on after about 15 minutes of driving, at that point I had a little more that a quarter of a tank of fuel left. When I got home, I checked the cap, and sure enough, the attendant had put it on slightly cocked so that it "Felt" tight, but when I started to loosened it, it simply fell off, I then put it back on properly. Starting with the fill up the next morning, here is a chronological list of events until the light turned itself off:
00.0 Miles - Start Car - Light On
25.1 Miles - Start Car - Light On
50.1 Miles - Start Car - Light On
52.0 Miles - Start Car - Light On
53.2 Miles - Start Car - Light On
71.7 Miles - Start Car - Light On
91.4 Miles - Start Car - Light On
93.0 Miles - Start Car - Light On
99.5 Miles - Start Car - Light On
99.6 Miles - Start Car - Light On
99.7 Miles - Start Car - Light On
99.7 Miles - Start Car - Light OFF
I do not know whether it is the miles driven or the number of restarts that finally causes the car to turn off the light, this is my third loose cap event in three years and this is the shortest number of miles that I have driven, but maybe the greatest number of restarts before the light was extinguished.
Best Regards,
Shipo
The point is twofold.
1. The general arrogance that serious drivers ONLY drive a stick.
2. While the Step is a compromise, it is far and away the best slush box I have ever driven. The Step mode is so far superior to my Volvo V70 T5 "Geartronic" mode that it isn't even a contest. While the Volvo has 250hp with a high pressure turbo, the "Geartronic" is slow to respond and abrupt on downshifts.
ccotenj: I never asserted that driving in traffice was like an Olympic event. If however you drive the so. Cal freeways everyday like I do, you would quickly realize the advantage that a Step tranny offers. That does not make it better or worse than a stick. It just makes it more suited to my particular needs.
LMAO Great idea! Of course now I'll be too paranoid to ever use valet parking again
Perhaps someone in the know can confirm (or refute!) this.
For me, if I bought a 3-series - this alone would tilt the balance in favour of the stick shift. In addition to the fact that its way more fun!
Of course, knowing BMW, one would hope they tested the tranmission before approving its use in cars carrying their badge. Not something I'd worry about.
i look at it this way... shifting gives me something to do while i'm sitting there...
-Chris
Did anybody see/remember "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and the Ferrari?
In sort of a related situation, my brothers Father-in-Law just retired from Oldsmobile and he related a story to me about another transmission. This one was for a FWD application designed by GM and then built in two locations, the first was either in Lansing or Saginaw and the other was subcontracted to a Japanese company. After a while, the American built units started failing while the Japanese units just kept on running. After much research, it was discovered that the GM factory built the units such that all parts were within the design tolerance for size, shape and structure, whereas the Japanese units were built EXACTLY to spec, none of this "Plus or Minus" stuff, that is what made the difference.
Best Regards,
Shipo
-Chris