Considering a BMW - A Few Questions

It is subjective. It means different things to different people.

I was in your situation before. I drove all the contenders, but when I
finally drove the BMW I stopped test driving and bought it.

As a matter of fact I went from a Lexus dealer to a BMW dealer the same
afternoon. No comparison, to me, between the Lexus and the BMW.

<BRH> wrote in message . ..
> 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!

BMW engines rev freely and sound wonderfull right to the red line..
7000rpm on petrol engines and 4800 rpm for the Euro diesels (thats high
for a diesel). I drive a diesel and even this manages to sound good
(nothing like as good as a 6 cylinder though!), loves to be worked hard
and pulls like a 330i despite being a lowly(?) 163hp 320d. It's a
class leader.
I have owned my first BMW for 6-7 weeks now after Nissans and
Mitsubishi's over the last 10+ years. Well-engineered to me means the
quality feel of every component, the materials used and the tactile
sweet feel of every "click" of lever and switch. The gear shift is
smooth and precise, I have caught myself changing gear just to marvel
at the feel of it (OK I know, I know, I'm sad!) When you close the door
or trunk there is a wonderfull "chunk" sound, not a tinny clang. After
a couple of weeks of ownership it hit me that everyone who designed
this car put a hell of a lot of thought into every detail in making it
as refined as can be.
It feels "luxurious" and sporty without the need for a heap of silly
electronic gadgets which you won't care about when your are flying
round a corner at 10, 20 or 30mph faster than every other car you've
driven with your wife complaining that you are in a hurry and why are
you going so slow (yes, really! it's happen to me.)
Look around BMW news groups and chat boards long enough and you will
find people who after owning all sorts of other cars are now on their
3rd, 4th 5th, 6th BMW in a row.

Sorry to "wax lyrical"

In article .com>,
> wrote:
> In the UK at least, BMW supply some models with less than base model
> specs - the "ES" (extra spartan?) I believe they take a base model
> and take things off of it. These are certainly not luxury cars. These
> days many manufacturers are providing equipment the same or better than
> BMW provides.

I don't think 'luxury' necessarily means equipment levels otherwise the
very worst Asian maker could be considered a luxury car maker when
compared to a base BMW.
To me it's to do with the tactile feel of driving the vehicle. And this
doesn't change with a BMW regardless of the level of trim and toys.

--
*If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> I don't think 'luxury' necessarily means equipment levels otherwise the
> very worst Asian maker could be considered a luxury car maker when
> compared to a base BMW.
> To me it's to do with the tactile feel of driving the vehicle. And this
> doesn't change with a BMW regardless of the level of trim and toys.
>

Luxury:
1. Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort.
2. Something expensive or hard to obtain.
3. Sumptuous living or surroundings: lives in luxury.

Asian car makers have been making more luxurious small-midsize cars as
standard than BMW have for decades. However, people usually think of
large cars when it comes to luxury like the BMW 7 series, mercedes or
lexus limos and of course these all come with creature comforts.

In article .com>,
> wrote:
> > I don't think 'luxury' necessarily means equipment levels otherwise the
> > very worst Asian maker could be considered a luxury car maker when
> > compared to a base BMW.
> > To me it's to do with the tactile feel of driving the vehicle. And this
> > doesn't change with a BMW regardless of the level of trim and toys.
> >

> Luxury:
> 1. Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort.
> 2. Something expensive or hard to obtain.
> 3. Sumptuous living or surroundings: lives in luxury.

I'd go for 'enjoyable but not essential thing' - Collins English
Dictionary.

> Asian car makers have been making more luxurious small-midsize cars as
> standard than BMW have for decades. However, people usually think of
> large cars when it comes to luxury like the BMW 7 series, mercedes or
> lexus limos and of course these all come with creature comforts.

It's one of these phrases taken over by the ad man?

--
*Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

> Asian car makers have been making more luxurious small-midsize cars as
> standard than BMW have for decades. However, people usually think of
> large cars when it comes to luxury like the BMW 7 series, mercedes or
> lexus limos and of course these all come with creature comforts.
Utterly laughable to suggest asian cars can even begin to hold a candle
to the likes of a BMW, or a Honda or Toyota, for refinement, ride
comfort, handling, quality feel of any part of the vehicle you care to
mention, seat comfort, handling, durability ...... yada... yada...
yada.
Asian cars OK if you want a cheap reliable run-about, which lots of
people do.

AGH! wrote:
>>Asian car makers have been making more luxurious small-midsize cars as
>>standard than BMW have for decades. However, people usually think of
>>large cars when it comes to luxury like the BMW 7 series, mercedes or
>>lexus limos and of course these all come with creature comforts.
>
> Utterly laughable to suggest asian cars can even begin to hold a candle
> to the likes of a BMW, or a Honda or Toyota, for refinement, ride
> comfort, handling, quality feel of any part of the vehicle you care to
> mention, seat comfort, handling, durability ...... yada... yada...
> yada.
> Asian cars OK if you want a cheap reliable run-about, which lots of
> people do.
>

I want some of whatever you're smoking...

Hondas and Toyotas *ARE* Asian cars.

--
-Fred W

In article >,
Malt_Hound <Malt_Hound\@*spam-me not*yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Asian cars OK if you want a cheap reliable run-about, which lots of
> > people do.
> >

> I want some of whatever you're smoking...

> Hondas and Toyotas *ARE* Asian cars.

They are, but more normally referred to as Japanese. By Asian I meant
things like Kia and Hyundia. Even Daewoo. Oops. Chevrolet?

--
*I have my own little world - but it's OK...they know me here*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 11:59:06 -0500, Malt_Hound
<""Malt_Hound\"@*spam-me not*yahoo.com"> waffled on about something:

>AGH! wrote:
>>>Asian car makers have been making more luxurious small-midsize cars as
>>>standard than BMW have for decades. However, people usually think of
>>>large cars when it comes to luxury like the BMW 7 series, mercedes or
>>>lexus limos and of course these all come with creature comforts.
>>
>> Utterly laughable to suggest asian cars can even begin to hold a candle
>> to the likes of a BMW, or a Honda or Toyota, for refinement, ride
>> comfort, handling, quality feel of any part of the vehicle you care to
>> mention, seat comfort, handling, durability ...... yada... yada...
>> yada.
>> Asian cars OK if you want a cheap reliable run-about, which lots of
>> people do.
>>
>
>I want some of whatever you're smoking...
>
>Hondas and Toyotas *ARE* Asian cars.

Damn, you beat me too it!

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

BRH wrote:

>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?

Important to me, is the fact that they just do it right.

They don't make FWD cars. FWD is cheap and fills a market niche, but
BMW does not sink so low.

They don't make V6 engines. Most companies make the inferior V6
because it's cheaper - they can share tooling with a V8 and/or turn
it sideways and share it with a FWD car.

BMW makes the proper design decisions that result in the
best-performing car.