| one4gatr |
| We just got a post card from Godiva chocolate good for a free 2lb box of their chocolate if we go to any BMW dealer and test drive a car. My question is which vehicle should we test drive? We "may" be in the market next year to replace our MDX so I was thinking I might opt to drive the X but I would drive it again before making my final decision. So I thought this might be a good opportunity to drive something that I normally wouldnt. Let me know your thoughts. |
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| laborlitigator |
| I'm waiting for the new 6 to come out. . . |
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| hammermdx |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
I'm waiting for the new 6 to come out. . .
Ditto! |
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| msu79gt82 |
| ... I'd take the free chocolates in the 745:1: As you said you'll be testing their X anyway. |
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| TheWorm |
| The 6. Otherwise the new 5 or maybe an M3. |
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| one4gatr |
| I agree on the 6 (probably more in my price range than the 7 too)... I assume that the 745 and the 545 would likely be on the lot. I chose those 2 because they would be the most likely ones I would by right now (if I were to buy a sedan). I ruled out the M3 and the Z4 simply because I wouldn't buy them. And I think the 3 series is a little too small for a "family" car. |
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| tax_atty |
I'm a huge Bimmer fan and have owned several in the past. Although I really like the X5 it is way too small for my needs. (Forget about 3rd row seats - the cargo area is a joke.) The 7 is a great car but the i-drive controller is a serious pain in the ass. The 5 Series is another great car with a toned down version of the stupid i-drive. Frankly, I'm going to look seriously at getting the '05 3 Series as our 2nd car but if the i-drive is still annoying, then I'm going to look at the TL and TSX.
As far as what to drive to get your free box of chocolate, I got the same coupon in the mail and I'm going to take a 5 Series for a spin! |
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| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by TheWorm
The 6. Otherwise the new 5 or maybe an M3.
My thoughts exactly...:4: |
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| socalJD |
| What about the 4.8is - the replacement for the 4.6is, shouldn't that be coming out soon ??? |
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| one4gatr |
| I didnt see any "4" series on there website... I might be interested though.. |
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| twosomeca |
quote:
Originally posted by one4gatr
We just got a post card from Godiva chocolate good for a free 2lb box of their chocolate if we go to any BMW dealer and test drive a car. My question is which vehicle should we test drive? We "may" be in the market next year to replace our MDX so I was thinking I might opt to drive the X but I would drive it again before making my final decision. So I thought this might be a good opportunity to drive something that I normally wouldnt. Let me know your thoughts.
Test drive the 545i. You can test drive an X whenever you want, and you can do the Drive for the Cure next year, probably at your local dealer. BMW manual trannys are sweet. The 545i looks like a ss, but it's a great ride. |
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| twosomeca |
quote:
Originally posted by tax_atty
I'm a huge Bimmer fan Frankly, I'm going to look seriously at getting the '05 3 Series as our 2nd car but if the i-drive is still annoying, then I'm going to look at the TL and TSX.
As far as what to drive to get your free box of chocolate, I got the same coupon in the mail and I'm going to take a 5 Series for a spin!
No i-drive in 3 series. Redo is scheduled for MY 2006. Why get a 2005? Rumor has it that the MY 2006 might be quite a bit more powerful than the current entries. I love my 330i! :) |
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| tax_atty |
quote:
Originally posted by twosomeca
No i-drive in 3 series. Redo is scheduled for MY 2006. Why get a 2005? Rumor has it that the MY 2006 might be quite a bit more powerful than the current entries. I love my 330i! :)
I thought the redo was for the MY 2005 but you could be right. Also I heard that the new generation 3 series (05 or 06) would have i-drive. I would definitely wait for the new generation. |
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| twosomeca |
quote:
Originally posted by tax_atty
I thought the redo was for the MY 2005 but you could be right. Also I heard that the new generation 3 series (05 or 06) would have i-drive. I would definitely wait for the new generation.
Well the MY 2006 redo will come out in the Fall of 2005, so we are both right! :) As for the i-drive, I don't want it. I am a simple person. The i-drive hasn't fared well on enthusiast boards with both the 7 and the 5, so I don't think many of us want to see it in the 3er. The other thing is Bangle. Supposedly he and his group aren't going to screw up the look of the 3er as the have with the 7er and the 5er. That's a must that they do not. We'll see. I am anxiously awaiting. :cool: |
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| one4gatr |
Checking back in... Recent issues with my MDX made this more than just a look see...
I originally went in to look at the 5 series and the X5. But when I got to the dealer they had no 5 series on the lot so I focused on the X5. The dealer had the X5 and the X3 side by side. They also had an M3, 745i, 325ci convertible, and 2 Z4s in the showroom. Let me just start by saying I have always loved BMWs even though I have never owned one. They have always invoked the terms luxury, performance, exotic among others in me.
My impressions... The 745... as nice as it looked on the outside I was very disappointed with the interior. The leather was plush but the matte chrome/plastic trim reminded me of my Nissans interior. It was a real turn off. The chrome trim on the outside looked horrible as well.
The Z4s had the same crappy trim work but appeal to a different crowd than the 745 so I didnt really have an issue with the look of the Z4.
The 325 and the M3 were both of what I expected of BMW. Classy interior with a sexy exterior and performance to die for.
Now onto the X5. Real nice. Exterior styling truly BMW, interior wise nice but not what I would call "luxury". The leather was probably the nicest of the group.
I ended up looking at the X3 3.0 most closely though. A bit smaller than the X5. Not as much engine though. But enough of a car for my wife and daughters daily driver. The leather was not as nice as the X5s but again the rest of the cars had the same issue. Its not nearly as small as I first though. Probably about as big as the benz M class suv. I liked the overall exterior styling other than the matte black plastic fender flares. But I was again really disappointed with the interior. A whole ton of matte chrome/plastic and some other stuff that was trying to impersonate carbon fiber. Good powerplant, nice handling, and pretty nice exterior. But not something I would plop down 40k for. It basically reminded me of a souped up Toyota RAV4, or Honda CRV. Not that I am trying to compare the two but that was my general impression.
I truly think that Acura, Lexus, and Infinity have joined the ranks of the "Luxury" market. I really think that all three of the Japanese "luxury" cars are somewhat superior to the BMW. Other than a few things the BMWs were losers hands down. I am really turned off by alot the BMWs interiors. It seems if they are going for the "hot" look rather than staying with a conservative luxurious design. Some would say thats a good thing but I never got the feel of "luxury" sitting in any of their cars. Believe it or not I find the MDXs interior rivals the BMWs. I still would give Lexus an edge in this department but a few years ago I would have leaned towards BMW. I just cant seem to justify the price difference between the Acura & Lexus compared to the BMW it just isnt there. I guess its more of a status symbol thing now.
In conclusion if I were to buy a BMW it wouldnt be a new one. Undoubtably the engineering and performance is still there but from a styling standpoint it isnt. I would rather buy my buddies 3 year old 330 over a new 745. The older BMWs seem to conform to the "luxury" standard much better than the newer ones.
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| twosomeca |
quote:
Originally posted by one4gatr
Checking back in... Recent issues with my MDX made this more than just a look see...
I originally went in to look at the 5 series and the X5. But when I got to the dealer they had no 5 series on the lot so I focused on the X5. The dealer had the X5 and the X3 side by side. They also had an M3, 745i, 325ci convertible, and 2 Z4s in the showroom. Let me just start by saying I have always loved BMWs even though I have never owned one. They have always invoked the terms luxury, performance, exotic among others in me.
My impressions... The 745... as nice as it looked on the outside I was very disappointed with the interior. The leather was plush but the matte chrome/plastic trim reminded me of my Nissans interior. It was a real turn off. The chrome trim on the outside looked horrible as well.
The Z4s had the same crappy trim work but appeal to a different crowd than the 745 so I didnt really have an issue with the look of the Z4.
The 325 and the M3 were both of what I expected of BMW. Classy interior with a sexy exterior and performance to die for.
Now onto the X5. Real nice. Exterior styling truly BMW, interior wise nice but not what I would call "luxury". The leather was probably the nicest of the group.
I ended up looking at the X3 3.0 most closely though. A bit smaller than the X5. Not as much engine though. But enough of a car for my wife and daughters daily driver. The leather was not as nice as the X5s but again the rest of the cars had the same issue. Its not nearly as small as I first though. Probably about as big as the benz M class suv. I liked the overall exterior styling other than the matte black plastic fender flares. But I was again really disappointed with the interior. A whole ton of matte chrome/plastic and some other stuff that was trying to impersonate carbon fiber. Good powerplant, nice handling, and pretty nice exterior. But not something I would plop down 40k for. It basically reminded me of a souped up Toyota RAV4, or Honda CRV. Not that I am trying to compare the two but that was my general impression.
I truly think that Acura, Lexus, and Infinity have joined the ranks of the "Luxury" market. I really think that all three of the Japanese "luxury" cars are somewhat superior to the BMW. Other than a few things the BMWs were losers hands down. I am really turned off by alot the BMWs interiors. It seems if they are going for the "hot" look rather than staying with a conservative luxurious design. Some would say thats a good thing but I never got the feel of "luxury" sitting in any of their cars. Believe it or not I find the MDXs interior rivals the BMWs. I still would give Lexus an edge in this department but a few years ago I would have leaned towards BMW. I just cant seem to justify the price difference between the Acura & Lexus compared to the BMW it just isnt there. I guess its more of a status symbol thing now.
In conclusion if I were to buy a BMW it wouldnt be a new one. Undoubtably the engineering and performance is still there but from a styling standpoint it isnt. I would rather buy my buddies 3 year old 330 over a new 745. The older BMWs seem to conform to the "luxury" standard much better than the newer ones.
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gatr, that was a thoughtful write up, but you know that I am going to have to disagree with you! ;) Let me state my primary agreement with you first. Many of us are thinking that BMW cut some corners with the interior of the X3 in order to accomplish other things. I believe the X3 3.0 has the same M54 engine as the 330s. It is a magnificent engine, especially in the manual tranny form. The 2.5 step in the X3 will undoubtedly be a "dog." I have heard grumblings from many that the interior of the X3, while roomy enough, feels "cheap" for BMW standards. This is disappointing since many buyers will be droping 40 large on that vehicle. But BMW has never been at the head of its class when it comes to interior styling anyway. That title has typically been left to Audi, but even they have been getting dinged (see C&D comparo involving their A4 3.0) in that category.
I will freely admit that I am not a Lexus guy. My wife did just sell her Infiniti G-20 and I have had the G-35 as a loaner on several occasions. I have a cloth-seated Integra and now the MDX, in addition to my 330i. My experience with the lines, then, is broad-ranging even if not all-encompasing. Let me just discuss each line briefly.
Infiniti: The interior of the Infiniti G series is sub-par in my book. The only thing worse than the G-35c styling is it's cousin, the 350Z, but that is to be expected and I don't have a problem with that. The G is full of plastics, much more so than you will find in any BMW of comparable class. Infiniti is yet another Japanese dealer that mass produces, boosts up power, and competes with the BMW's and Audi's of the world by cutting corners in places like interior styling and suspension/tranny. Their tranny component is improving, though.
Acura: The MDX has every possible gadget our family could want. That is one reason that we got the MDX. It is also a nice vehicle to drive in different situations, but if I wanted a pure driver's SUV, I would have gone with the X5 (maybe now X3 qualifies, don't know). The interior of our MDX feels "luxurious" in places but cheap in others. Plastics abound and the leather coverings are not perfectly placed over the seats anyway. The interior wood trim is just cheap. But none of these things bother me because I am not a "luxury" kind of guy anway. All that said, I give Acura the nod over Infiniti in the luxury department by a hair, but not over BMW. What Acura and Infiniti both do better than BMW is give you more for your money, especially when it comes to interior equipment. So in the end, you are probably right about one thing: how much more money is one willing to drop to get that BMW over a comparable, better-equipped vehicle?
As for "status symbols," I am sure that there are plenty of people driving around BMWs thinking it is a "status symbol." Screw them, whatever floats their boats. Believe it or not, there are people in So.Cal. who see the MDX/Acura as a "status symbol." To me it is all about what is the most practical for your family in your price range. I think most of us here wanted a functional vehicle with a luxury component to it since we were dropping close to 40 large. I think the MDX gives that to us, so who cares what a BMW owner, Lexus owner, Audi owner, etc., might think? I do see a lot of people driving BMW's acting like their poop doesn't stink. I just laugh. When people see me drive my 330i, it becomes apparent very quickly that I am not driving for the "status" of the vehicle. I am driving that 3er like I love the hell out of my car, and this is the way it should be, but what do I know! :cool: |
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| one4gatr |
two.. I whole heartily agree with your assesment of the 3 series. I even noted that in my post. The M3 and the 3 series (325,330 etc) to me embody what BMW is all about.
The 5&7series as well as the X5 are supposed to be BMWs "top" of the line. I just dont see the price difference between an X5 loaded versus an MDX loaded. Fair or unfair BMW has the stigma/label of being a luxury car. The 3 series (not M3) and the X3 are basically entry level vehicles for BMW. But when you start talking about an 70k+ car (745) this is a luxury car.
I accept that the X3 wouldnt be as nice as the X5 (interior) but I certainly wouldnt say that the 745 interior is head and shoulders above the MDXs and on a 70k car it should be. All the BMWs had alot more plastic and pleather than I can ever remember. The attached link shows you the interior pics of the 745 with saddle interior. As I stated before it looks like my Nissans interior... Cheap! And what about the placement of these controls in the picture?
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/bmw...%2F025812-T.jpg
Maybe I am slitting hairs here. I loved the M3 and the 325 conv they had in the show room. No flashy chrome trim, no "modern" looking interiors simply a performance machine with a conservative interior. I think the X5 comes close in this aspect as well but not for 10 to 15k more than the MDX. The Z4, 745, and X3 just dont ooze Luxury. I guess what I am ultimately saying is I dont want to hear anyone tell me that the MDX is "cheap" compared to BMW after my trip yesterday I would argue until I am blue in the face. I often hear how people say the MDX is just not in the same class as the BMW, Benz, Lexus etc... and I might have agreed a couple of years ago but from what I have seen lately the MDX is as good if not better than any other mass market "luxury" vehicle out there. |
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| tax_atty |
| BMW is the "ultimate driving machine" not the ultimate luxury machine. That said, I think their interiors are luxurious. I haven't seen the X3 yet, but I heard they cut some corners on it. You can't compare however the MDX to the X5. The BMW's leather is much nicer and it has real wood, not plastic. Even the BMW plastic has a nicer feel than the Acura. The X5, however, is much smaller and not as practical as the MDX. On BMW's sport packages, they substiture the wood for carbon fiber. Not really my thing, but it's the new hip thing to do. MB is using carbon fiber too. Frankly I think the 5 Series and 7 Series have gorgeous interiors. (Just get rid of the stupid i-drive.) Acura will give you more value for your money, but in the end it does not come close to a BMW. |
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| twosomeca |
quote:
Originally posted by one4gatr
two.. I whole heartily agree with your assesment of the 3 series. I even noted that in my post. The M3 and the 3 series (325,330 etc) to me embody what BMW is all about.
Maybe I am slitting hairs here. I loved the M3 and the 325 conv they had in the show room. No flashy chrome trim, no "modern" looking interiors simply a performance machine with a conservative interior. I think the X5 comes close in this aspect as well but not for 10 to 15k more than the MDX. The Z4, 745, and X3 just dont ooze Luxury. I guess what I am ultimately saying is I dont want to hear anyone tell me that the MDX is "cheap" compared to BMW after my trip yesterday I would argue until I am blue in the face. I often hear how people say the MDX is just not in the same class as the BMW, Benz, Lexus etc... and I might have agreed a couple of years ago but from what I have seen lately the MDX is as good if not better than any other mass market "luxury" vehicle out there.
Nah, I hear what you are saying. Thanks for the link on the 7er, btw. At 70 large +, you are right, people are going to expect true luxury, something my eye is not well-tuned for. As for the MDX v. X5 thing, I first came onto this board seeking comparo info as I made my decision on which car to get. My sig used to say that it came down to the two cars, but I decided on the MDX. Don't get me wrong, I love my 330i. It has simply been flawless, and based on this experience, it was really hard not to get into the Xer. But in the final analysis, I thought the MDX offered us more of what we needed than the Xer could. Primarily, we needed the cargo space that the X5 couldn't provide. I was advised to wait for the X3 to come out before making the purchase. Well, I don't buy vehicles in the first year of make, and I didn't think that the X3 measured up to the MDX anyway, especially on a dollar-for-dollar basis. In fact, I don't think the X5 measures up. Helluva car to drive? I am sure it is, but I get my thrills with my 3er and the MDX doesn't handle to bad in its own right. It has served me well on So. Cal. area freeways as well as up on the twisties of the PNW. How could I ever complain about that? Unfortunately, a lot of people that own BMWs are "badge-wearers." They can look down on any of us all they want. It doesn't matter to me, and in the end, I'd smoke them in my 330i if it came down to that! ;)
To me, buying a car is about what you need first and then what you want second. What I needed in my own personal car and what I wanted manifested itself in the 330i. What I needed and wanted for our other car manifested itself in the MDX. I am totally happy with my decisions and have absolutely no regrets. My neighbor just ordered an X3. They have owned BMWs for the better part of 25 years. She got the X3 over the X5 because the X3 actually has more cargo space. Amazing. She got the X3 over the MDX because she thought the MDX was too big! I congratulated her on her order, I just didn't have the heart to tell her that I think we made the better decision. Subjective, you know? Nevertheless, they marvel at my 330i and I am sure I will be checking out their X3 when it arrives in a couple of months. Maybe I'll post some pics here for comparo purposes! :4:
BTW, I might get in a 7 series if I make it to 70. I am 35 now. The only thing I'll move up to is the M (take your pick), or the 545. No 7s for me! |
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| twosomeca |
| Here is an interior shot of my 330i. Spartan compared to the 7er, but just the way I like it! :29: |
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