Considering a BMW - A Few Questions

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article .com>,
> > wrote:
>
>>I'd X out BMW as an option.
>
>
> Why bother reading this group, then? Or are you wistful about what you're
> missing?
>
> Lexus make fine cars. Pity they're just so boring to drive.
>

IMO, life is too short to drive (even luxurious) boring cars.

--
-Fred W

My 2 cents/pennies worth...

If you want a cosseting limousine like silky ride and lots of toys and
gadgets in your car don't buy a BMW 3 series; a Mercedes C class (over
priced)) or the new Lexus IS probably are better bets.
If a classy luxurious interior is the priority the Audi A4 is probably
the best bet.
If reliability is the priority Lexus again, though any problems on
BMW's are generally minor and few (according to various consumer
surveys in the UK).
Volvo and Saab win for seat and long distance driving comfort, the Saab
9-3 has the most comfortable car seat I've ever sat in.
The Jaguar X-Type manages to be a great all rounder that sits somewhere
in the middle of this lot and has one of the quietest diesel engines...
which is meaningless in the USA

If you want everything else a luxury/executive/premium sports car can
offer in a practical package (seats for passengers, trunk for luggage)
then it's the 3 series. BMW beats Audi/Mercedes/Jaguar/Saab/Volvo on
refinement (it's quiet), performance vs. fuel economy (comparing 5/6
cyclinder engines and diesels if you are in Europe), space (more leg
room than the others and equal best trunk/boot space) and of coarse
handling and steering responses. The build quality and quality of
materials is higher than Toyota/Honda/Subaru.
I was able to get the additional equipment I wanted from the options
list without spending too much extra, lumbar support essential option
for me as seats not quite comfortable enough without it.

The 3 series highlights are the engine and the drive, you have to want
great handling as the ride is a touch on the firm side (hence the
"limousine like silky ride" comment above) but for me never
uncomfortable. There are some that hate the firm ride, so you need to
drive it yourself.

BMW is not exactly exclusive but still very desirable and in demand
used which still makes them a good buy despite higher prices as they
hold their value well... at least in Europe.

There are few horror stories around on the internet about exploding
engines etc., but just as many if not more similar problems with Honda
/ Toyotas etc. No machine is perfect.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article .com>,
> > wrote:
> > I'd X out BMW as an option.
>
> Why bother reading this group, then?

Because I still *own* one. And the main reason I still own it is
because
I feel I've invested too much into it to let it go at its current
market value.

--
Cliff

On 20 Dec 2005 06:35:12 -0800, "AGH!" > wrote:

>Volvo and Saab win for seat and long distance driving comfort, the Saab
>9-3 has the most comfortable car seat I've ever sat in.

Hmmm -- haven't sat in one. Does it have the extended thigh support of the BMW
sport seats?

My wife's 325i has the leather sport seats with 12-way adjustment, etc.. For me,
at 6'3+", the extendable thigh support makes all the difference in the world.

-- Larry

BRH wrote:
>After driving Subarus, Toyotas, Hondas and yes - a Chevy, all my life,
>I'm finally at the point that I can afford (and want) to step up to a
>new "luxury" car. However, I still want to find the best overall deal
>(ie - bang for the buck). That's just my nature, I guess.
>
>I'm just getting started looking at BMW's, Audis, Acuras, Infinitis,
>Lexuses (Lexi?) etc, so I'm far from finalizing a decision.
>
>I have a few general questions about BMW's:
>
>1. Does BMW ever run "specials" on new car purchases - ie - rebates,
>etc? Is there any "better" time to buy? Any buying tips?
>No, They don't have to. Anyone that is think about buying a BMW, will have to have money. The reagular upkeep alone is quite more than a normal car. For example BMW requmendes full synthetic oil and you can’t go just any where to have the oil changed(reset the oil light). Call around a check you will be highly surprised at how hard it is to find people that will even touch a BMW. I found three places here that would change the oil, the prices was 120-100 just for an oil change.
>2. Do BMW's generally require Premium gas? If so, what are the
>practical consequences of running mid-grade or regular? Engine Damage
>or just less-than-optimal performance? (By less-than optimal, I mean
>just normal tooling ariound town - no redlining).
>I run mid-grade and have never had any problems. I would not reccomend running lower than that.
>3. I don't have a garage, but parking is off-street, so how well do BMW
>bodies hold up? (I live in Central Virginia).
Pretty good, I have a black/black which has no show of age and is in factory
condition.
>
>Can't think of anything else to ask right now. Any help with these
>questions would be appreciated.
BMW's are awsome cars, they are luxury and sports cars all rolled into one.
In a well maintained BMW you will get well over 300,000 miles. But, they are
not cars you can just beat on like a Lexuses. If you know alittle bit about
cars and buy your self a reset tool so you can change your own oil and do
your own dignostics, and maintance, you wont be able to beat a BMW. Good luck!
!

--
Message posted via http://www.carkb.com

> Hmmm -- haven't sat in one. Does it have the extended thigh support of the BMW
sport seats?

I don't think so, just a long seat base as standard, no need for
extensions. 3 series plus sports seats a better option for the
enthusiast as the Saab is a bit soggy compared to 3 series and Volvo
even more soggy. Also engines though good, not as good.

The other day a colleague and I hired a Saab 9-3 (in western Europe), both
driving it.

Our journeys were not long enough to comment on the seats but we both found
it tinny and a great disappointment (his comments are not printable in a
family newsgroup, even though this is not a familiy NG...). "GM
penny-pinching" is another comment.

I had not been in a Saab for many years, having driven one once with a view
to getting one as a company car. Tinny then, tinny now. Just did not feel
solid, not at all like the Volvo S60 I rented a few weeks before. Now that
was a revelation.

If you're wondering, he drives a VW Touareg, having had a BMW X5. We have a
Merc CLK Cab and a 190E. Even the 190E feels more solid than the 9-3...

DAS
--
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

"AGH!" > wrote in message
oups.com...
[...]
>
> I don't think so, just a long seat base as standard, no need for
> extensions. 3 series plus sports seats a better option for the
> enthusiast as the Saab is a bit soggy compared to 3 series and Volvo
> even more soggy. Also engines though good, not as good.
>

Depends on what you mean by luxury. Smaller BMWs are ceratinly not "luxury"
in European eyes (nor are similar cars from other brands such as Audi and
Merc). All depends on options selected as well.

See another part of this thread.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

"Jesse via CarKB.com" <u16215@uwe> wrote in message
news:592038d34345d@uwe...
[...]
> BMW's are awsome cars, they are luxury and sports cars all rolled into
> one.
[...]

PS. Cf the Saab 9-3, IMO we would probably have been better off sticking
with the originally-reserved (European) Ford Mondeo...

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

"Dori A Schmetterling" > wrote in message
...
> The other day a colleague and I hired a Saab 9-3 (in western Europe), both
> driving it.
>
> Our journeys were not long enough to comment on the seats but we both
> found it tinny and a great disappointment (his comments are not printable
> in a family newsgroup, even though this is not a familiy NG...). "GM
> penny-pinching" is another comment.
>
> I had not been in a Saab for many years, having driven one once with a
> view to getting one as a company car. Tinny then, tinny now. Just did
> not feel solid, not at all like the Volvo S60 I rented a few weeks before.
> Now that was a revelation.
>
> If you're wondering, he drives a VW Touareg, having had a BMW X5. We have
> a Merc CLK Cab and a 190E. Even the 190E feels more solid than the 9-3...
>
> DAS
> --
> For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
> ---
>
> "AGH!" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> [...]
>>
>> I don't think so, just a long seat base as standard, no need for
>> extensions. 3 series plus sports seats a better option for the
>> enthusiast as the Saab is a bit soggy compared to 3 series and Volvo
>> even more soggy. Also engines though good, not as good.
>>
>
>

Jesse via CarKB.com wrote:

> BRH wrote:
>
>>After driving Subarus, Toyotas, Hondas and yes - a Chevy, all my life,
>>I'm finally at the point that I can afford (and want) to step up to a
>>new "luxury" car. However, I still want to find the best overall deal
>>(ie - bang for the buck). That's just my nature, I guess.
>>
>>I'm just getting started looking at BMW's, Audis, Acuras, Infinitis,
>>Lexuses (Lexi?) etc, so I'm far from finalizing a decision.
>>
>>I have a few general questions about BMW's:
>>
>>1. Does BMW ever run "specials" on new car purchases - ie - rebates,
>>etc? Is there any "better" time to buy? Any buying tips?
>>No, They don't have to. Anyone that is think about buying a BMW, will have to have money. The reagular upkeep alone is quite more than a normal car. For example BMW requmendes full synthetic oil and you can’t go just any where to have the oil changed(reset the oil light). Call around a check you will be highly surprised at how hard it is to find people that will even touch a BMW. I found three places here that would change the oil, the prices was 120-100 just for an oil change.
>>2. Do BMW's generally require Premium gas? If so, what are the
>>practical consequences of running mid-grade or regular? Engine Damage
>>or just less-than-optimal performance? (By less-than optimal, I mean
>>just normal tooling ariound town - no redlining).
>>I run mid-grade and have never had any problems. I would not reccomend running lower than that.
>>3. I don't have a garage, but parking is off-street, so how well do BMW
>>bodies hold up? (I live in Central Virginia).
>
> Pretty good, I have a black/black which has no show of age and is in factory
> condition.
>
>>Can't think of anything else to ask right now. Any help with these
>>questions would be appreciated.
>
> BMW's are awsome cars, they are luxury and sports cars all rolled into one.
> In a well maintained BMW you will get well over 300,000 miles. But, they are
> not cars you can just beat on like a Lexuses. If you know alittle bit about
> cars and buy your self a reset tool so you can change your own oil and do
> your own dignostics, and maintance, you wont be able to beat a BMW. Good luck!
> !
>

Thanks to all for your responses. Wow! Lots of responses!

Luxury and Sports car rolled into one sounds good! I'm sure that other
lines/mfrs are considered more luxurious than BMW, but remember -- my
experience has been Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Chevy and Ford (forgot about
that last one in my original post).

One question -- I frequently hear about "performance", "well-engineered"
etc, when it comes to BMW. Would anyone care to elaborate on exactly
what that means to them?

Note: I haven't test-driven a BMW yet, but plan to.

Thanks!