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Comments
No way!
-Paul
):,
sdg380--I concur with your post. Seems as if every other driver is on a cell phone these days.
erickpl--As the 530 is the only car in my household at present, my extremely lucky son just may need to have some follow-up lessons on it. Hoping the first lessons will be on his grandfather's 1990 Maxima with stick, however.
riez--Thanks to you and all the info you have given over time about CPO, I convinced my brother to look at the CPO program at his lease's end. He traded in his 2000 525 for a 2000 540 touring wagon. He loves it and got a great deal on the purchase.
Given BMW's notorious speedo error (indicating a speed higher than actual), maybe I was only doing 130 or 135 mph. But she was rock steady, quiet, and completely composed.
I've started teaching my kids (both under 12) how to drive a stick. And I never tire of telling them how boring automatics are or how much more fun it is to drive a stick, not to mention the feel of being in complete control.
Naysayers take note--although it is no replacement for the stickola, steptronic is cool, and if given the choice of paying for it as an option, I would definitely take it.
First the negatives. The driver's pure attachment to the engine is still missing. Because it is automated, the transition between gears is poky and this delay is intrusive--you just can't change gears quick enough. Also, the braking dynamic on the downshift is nothing like the stick.
Now the good part. Having control over engine speed is golden, and because of the steptronic, the symphonic brickyard growl of the BMW engine can be experienced to its fullest. It's amazing how totally impotent the automatic is in comparison. Trying to get satisfaction from the engine with the automatic is like trying to play guitar wearing hockey gloves.
Bottom line. The step is no stick in terms of spontaneity and total control over the drive train, but it offers a fine relationship with the tach, something that is virtually nonexistent with auto. If it has been compromised into your life as it has in mine, be glad you have it . And if you choose not to use it, you're not getting the most from the bimmer.
Hope this helps...JL
With an automatic, I find myself going into auto-pilot and not really paying attention. Having the manual encourages me to pay attention. As a result I enjoy the drive that much more.
My daughter learned on our Jeep Grand Cherokee (an auto). With this, she had to control her speeds (especially in turns), but she could focus on driving and the rules of the road. She now has her own Jeep Wrangler, which is a manual. She was able to learn it pretty quick because she didn't have to worry so much about the rules of the road, as they've become part of her habit (for the most part ).
She's now learned skills like transmission braking downhill, using the transmission and gearing to affect how she accelerates, and stuff like that. She told me, "You can't really do that with an automatic!" Good girl!
Despite her music being played too loud, the manual is forcing her to pay attention.
-Paul
By the way, I use my automatic to hold on hills all the time, just select a lower gear.
Colt
530ia
vtricar
People differ on oil change mileage intervals. Some say every 5k with synthetic. Some say every 7.5k. Some say every 15k is fine.
I would use the 5k or 7.5k interval unless I did a used oil analysis to insure myself that the oil can do the job for 15k in your car.
Happy Motoring,
Jack
I've always believed the 1st oil change on a new engine should be much sooner than the suggested interval, call if superstition, old wives tale, whatever, I always envision all those newly ground off pieces of metal floating around. So I changed oil the first time at about 3,000 miles, and will now do it less frequently. But it seems to me that at least annually makes sense, even if it doesn't correspond with the recommended mileage interval. This is one of the cheapest forms of preventive maintenance affecting some of the most costly components of you car.
BTW, if you do a lot of short trips, it's good to take it out for a long run (1 hour) on a regular basis.
Jack
Regards...JL
Last week I went on the Perfection course which is done in M3's - WOW! This was just a blast and we got the chance to put all of the things that we had been taught to practical use in an autocross competition. These courses are not cheap but they are worth every penny.
Has anyone used 17" wheels with winter tires and if so, what have been your experience?
Thanks in advance
Please advise.
As suggested before, www.tirerack.com can show you the list of 16 inch wheels that will fit any 5-series models
The BMW approach seems pretty intuitive once you get used to it and I prefer it.
Enjoying the posts here. Is there any major changes in terms of engine and technologies between 2001 530A model and 2003? I came across an 01 model with PP,SP 30,000miles for $32,000. Any inputs are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Jacques
Thanks
I'm surprised the BMW dealer's price so much higher. I have NOT found that to be the case with my local BMW dealer. He is a bit more expensive than local tire shops and chains but more like $5 or $10 a tire, at least for the Continental ContiSportContact 2s I recently put on my 540i6 and ContiTouringContacts I put on my wife's 323ia.
Besides the 4-wheel alignment, I tell the service writer to have the mechanic look at the brakes, suspension, etc. Never hurts to have 'em take a look at things while the tires are off. Peace of mind and they might see something.
.g