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Comments
IS300: This is the wannabe BMW. It looks like crap, especially the clearlights in the back. It has the drilled pedals to make it look sporty. Sorry, my rx7 will dust this piece of crap.
330i: Just buy it. Nuff said. Looks better than all the rest.
M3 Frank
Getz,
Good luck on your boards!
Parump
I wish there was an ETA date on there.
I was in your shoes (re: step 1) seven years ago.. fortunately, there wasn't much of internet as a distraction.
I registered for the Mercedes -benz powertrip out there but its only this holiday weekend ,and im working Grrrr. Oh Well,
DL
Merceded: Great looking, but not lithe and low like a sport sedan should be. The interior was nice, in the Mercedes tradition, meaning it was a bit stark. The materials, however, were great. The seats were comfy, but were not torso-hugging like a great road car should be.The engine felt good, with above-average power throughout the rev band. The ride(with the sport pkg) was well snubbed and firm. Handling was predictable, with slight understeer. The steering was a let down- light, and lacking in feel.
Overall, however, Mercedes has done a great job, as the new C is a definite step in the right direction.
Lexus: The car looks hot with its smoked tail light covers, and it has a boy racer look. From the outside, I loved the short overhangs and subtle details. The interior, however, killed it for me. The gauges are arranged in a confusing manner, and the font-types are way too small. The seats were firm, but I hated their fake suede. The drilled pedals were cool, but lifted right off of a Celica. In addition, the hard plastics and lack of armrest ruin the feeling of luxury. I found power to be lacking. Though the engine sounded fast and was smooth, it lacked the punch of the others. The steering was a real treat, however, and the car had VERY little body roll. The trade off comes in ride- Very harsh, with a pounding, gritty feeling. Add in the arrogance of Lexus dealers, and the IS300 added up to overkill for me.
My Acura: Amazing power, awesome acceleration. This car hauls some serious [non-permissible content removed], and the engine sounds the best in the process. The interior is beautifully trimmed, with great sport seats. The Bose stereo sounds good(better than the HK in my 3), but was lacking in bass compared to the Benz. Handling is quite good considering FWD, but the size of the car makes it less agile than the 3 and the IS. The steering is meaty, with good feel. The ride is firm, yet comofortable, and the car is very quiet. The exterior is subtle, which lends a stealthy image. Very cool.... Overall fit and finish on this car is the best in the group(surprising, given the US assembly), and the car is an AMAZING value.
Subjective ratings:
Power/Accel:
1. Acura
2. BMW
3. Mercedes
4. Lexus
Handling:
1.BMW
2.Lexus
3.Acura
4.Mercedes
Ride:
1.Mercedes
2.Acura
3.BMW
4.Lexus
Interior ergonomics
1.Acura
2.BMW
3.Mercedes
4.Lexus
Engine Sound:
1.Acura/BMW(tie)
2.Lexus
3.Mercedes
Interior materials:
1.BMW
2.Acura/Mercedes(tie)
3.Lexus
Sound System:
1.Mercedes Bose
2.Acura Bose
3.Lexus
4.BMW HK
Fit and Finish:
All were excellent, but the Acura's glossy paint and tight panel gaps took the prize.
Value:
1.Acura
2.BMW
3.Mercedes
4.Lexus
Overall: All are great cars. Depending on what you desire, each car has its pros and cons. In final, however, anyone of these awesome vehicles can easily satisfy all/nearly all of the discriminating enthusiasts demands.
-Driving position...Driver sits far too high...I am only 5'10" and my head is one inch from the ceiling and the visors are at my forehead. I've called Acura and they are aware of the problem, but no fix until '04.
-Poor quality leather
-Interior is staight out of the Accord. Too
plasticly with a general "cheap" overall look.
-Plastic "wood" trim is not even close to
looking like the real thing.
-Great engine, but the handling does not do it justice.
In summation...I find it to be an overpriced Accord...actually the Accord has more interior room.
I'm not all negative. Two good points:
Bose stereo is very good
Acura service is fantastic...I'll miss it.
In my opinion, when the new es300 comes out this fall, Acura is going to take a huge hit.
Remember, the above is just my opinion...not looking for an argument..
-Getz
P.S. Parump, thanks. Breaking 80: Midwestern University of the Health Sciences (Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine). I don't really have a clue about specialty, I like Emergency med and ortho sounds cool, as does OB, but I just havent had enough exposure to all the tracts. My first month of rotations is in general surgery with an extra month in ortho, and then I am off to Cook county (place where they film ER) for a month of internal med. Which one of the multitudes of specialties did you funnel into? I am always interested to hear from younger docs about their field, as they seem to be a little less jaded. Thanks.
I ended up going with the 330 xi simply b/c I liked the BMW name and exterior styling better, but I still wonder if the S4 is really a better car/value. Plus, I think there are more S4's available on dealer lots than BMW's that usually have tobe special ordered and takes months to receive.
P.S. I live in NY, hence my interest in AWD.
P.P.S. The weather in the NE sure is terrible this Memorial Day weekend!
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
330i
Black/Sand
Xenon
Roof
SP
CD
$38100 Retail
$36050 Purchase Price
36-Month 15,000/Yr
.60 Residual
.00240 Money Factor
$512 a Month + Tax (around $1900 due at del.)
Early Aug. delivery-
My question is that on most posts in this forum most people are getting a Money Factor of .00210, is my dealer trying to increase profit? No matter what I told the saleswomen, she said their was no way to get any better than .00240. It equals out to around an extra $600 over the life of the lease. Has anyone else experienced this?
Since their are different size tires on the front and back, what is the rotation procedure?
Do most just buy a new sets of basic rims with a all-season tire?
Cant wait to get a production #....
In your question about "basic rims with all-season tires", do you mean for winter driving? I believe most people who have sport tires (and probably some with all-seasons) swap out for dedicated winter tires. Packages with alloy wheels and winter tires can be bought for ~$1,300 from TireRack.com and considerably less for 325's.
If my Altima doesn't survive until next winter, that's the route I will be going.
gold101; Gotcha by 4 years.
General: Anyone considering the 3ers must test drive both the 325 and 330. You may find that the price difference is overcome by the extra power and accoutrements of the 330.
I have a 01 325Ci with 1000 miles on it and I need some simple advice from the other drivers who have already broken in the car.
1)at what mileage did you have your first oil change? The woman I bought the car from told me to bring the car in for an oil change when the maintainence counter shows zero.
2)When I left the dealer the tire pressure was 30psi all round, butthe car felt very heavy and sluggish. I added another 3psi and the car feels a little better. The reccomended tire presure in the manual and the one listed on the inside of the door are both different. I was wondering what pressue you guys ahve your tire pressure at.
3) I read a post by Alpine 325 about Kleen wheels but I could not find then for my rims which are the standard 16 inch ones that look like a star.
Does anyone know where I can get the kelln wheels for those rims? Also has anyone put them on by themselves or did they have the BMW dealership install them?
Thanks in advance and have a good M-day.
-Getz
I took delivery of my 325i this last Monday and yesturday, I noticed that when it sits on in the driveway for about 15 min. ,it overheats. After playing around a bit, I realized that the fan NEVER comes on in the car. Any suggestions? I plan on taking it in obviously but thought that maybe someone may have a suggestion. It does not overheat when the car is moving, given the automatic airflow that results. Thanks
Has anyone used Zaino on a silver BMW E46? What were the results? Are there any long time users out there? What were your results?
I pick up my new 330i tomorrow, after a painful 90 day wait, and I want to wax it right.
Thanks
Bob
I ordered my 330i back in April and should take deliver this week. The waiting will finally come to an end. I have been living vicariously thru this board. Thanks for all the interesting stories about your bimmers.
Hmmmm....maybe I can get that 540i Touring later.
Where are the posts you mention which question the reliability of BMW? Are they from actual owners of current model BMWs or from people who heard from a friend of a friend who heard from their uncle who read it on the internet somewhere?
Seriously, a lot of the vague negative comments floating around are coming from people who don't even have the car, fer goshsakes. Honestly, I'd guess that many of them are just jealous. My suggestion is to take a few hours to read through this entire forum from message #1 to the end, and draw your own conclusions. You can also check out Edmunds ratings, most of the major motorcar rags, Consumer Reports, Intellichoice.com, whatever, and you'll be hard-pressed to find cars with such unanimous praise.
It concerned Platypus,who observed that reaction to his ED story failed to amount to hysteria. For
me it was a page-turner, a very crisply written piece and set me off into a reverie, the outcome of which was my irrevocable decision to follow in the great man's footsteps in October 2003. Driving in Germany is a wonderful experience and can only be heightened by driving your very own brand spankin' new BMW3 and Platypus captured it admirably.
As I recall,after picking up his car from BMW his next stop was (and I can't blame him)a BMW dealership in Munich. That was followed by a visit to Dachau (which I will pass on)then on to Nuremberg etc. A great read!
Now-what is my prize Brave1heart-and does it have the Sports package? Is it (gulp!) an M3??!!
seats leather as well, or vinyl?
http://www.bmwplanet.com
It looks very promising (appears to have just cranked up in January of this year). Please check it out.
BTW, this is NOT UBB, but it looks/works much the same.
BMW used to say 2 years or 15,000 miles. I don't put that many miles on my car since I have two vehicles. If BMW hadn't changed to one year, I would have had it changed annually at a minimum.
On the tire pressure, I have 16 inch wheels with performance tires. I use 32 psi in the front and 35 psi in the rear for everyday driving (crisp handling but not punishing). On the track, I go to 42 all the way around.
A driving holiday on great roads amid the most picturesque scenery imaginable-in a brand new 3 series....that's the way to go.
There is also a fine photo of the speedometer showing 132mph-and no fear of a speedtrap!
Wonderful account-don't miss it!
(I can hardly believe that you folks have made around 1400 posts in just 20 days - oh wait, yes I can, I've read them all! :-))
Great story, platypus, and I'm sure anyone who might have missed it will enjoy!
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
I was hoping some good newss might be waiting for me as I return from my Memorial Day weekend.
Comparably equiped, the S4 is slightly more expensive.
Also, keep in mind that the A4/S4 platform is about to be redesigned for the 2002 model year, so any 2001 model you got would have been instantly outdated.