[stickypaws]

Originally Posted by jlspeed29

going back to the A5 and A4..i see a lot of 2.0T's on the road..given the weights of these cars, I have to feel like they are grossly underpowered? Especially with that tiny engine...

anyone driven either?

I've driven an A4 Avant with the 2.0 (only motor you can get in the new ones.) I didn't think it was "grossly" underpowered. It seemed fine in normal traffic and no issues merging onto the freeway. Many of the other smaller cars on the road are equally powered. It had enough grunt (and I drive an E63 AMG 6.2L as my daily.)

I could live with it as a basic transport car.

[crackberry]

id say, try a cayman out too. you might like it

[Scottos]

Originally Posted by jlspeed29

going back to the A5 and A4..i see a lot of 2.0T's on the road..given the weights of these cars, I have to feel like they are grossly underpowered? Especially with that tiny engine...

anyone driven either?

I cant vouch for the 6 cylinder variants, I drove a 320I, 320D and an Audi A4 1.8T - the Audi felt more powerful and responsive to me (compared to BMW 4 cylinder models). The front wheel drive is a bummer, but barely noticeable as the car is so well balanced and setup, I haven't noticed any understeer.

More comfortable ride too without the runflat tyres the Beamers have. The BMW was a lot of fun in the twists and bend with the rear wheel drive though.

Also, if space is an issue, the A4 is wider, longer and more bootspace.

You can probably guess I went with the Audi.

Oh- and the 6 cylinder engines in the Audi's are on average about 150kgs heavier - this apparently can cause a bit of nose heaviness and even understeer. Many Audi drivers that ive spoken to actually prefer the 1.8 and 2.0 four cylinder engines. They're really well setup and the gear ratios are amazing.

[jlspeed29]

^^ thanks!

[bigeye]

I have a E90 330i, my wife has C350. We have 2 small kids.
Around town, it makes little difference to wife/kids which car is used.
However, on a long trip (2 to 6 hours), we always take the Merc. It is sooo much more comfortable. We tried the BMW once, never again, just too noisy and rough riding, the kids (and wife) got grumpy and the trip was awful.
Having said that, if I was going on a long trip alone, I would take my 330 for sure, I love the ride and the road/wind noise doesn't bother me. But the Merc is first class on the long trips...

[Viper1213]

i love my 5 series though i can't see myself going down to a toyota after owning a bmw

[Bimmer_Freak]

This is my first non-Japanese car and i too now feel that i could never go back to owning anything else again.

I don't know if i'd strictly stay with BMW but i'd definitely stick with German for my next car.

[ddigangi]

mercedes boasts the most comfortable ride and comfort, and lexus is right behind. the bmw 335 is a great mix of speed and luxury but i think overall the g37 holds the greatest value.

it pushes massive power coupled with good design and luxury comfort, a bit small for some people but its also about 10k less then a 335

[josephr25]

Originally Posted by jlspeed29

going back to the A5 and A4..i see a lot of 2.0T's on the road..given the weights of these cars, I have to feel like they are grossly underpowered? Especially with that tiny engine...

anyone driven either?

I have driven a B7 2.0T and it has good power to get around town. The current 2.0Ts make more power than before too.

[fdsasdasdf]

The G37 is loud on the inside and not a very luxurious car. Personally I am not a fan of it.

[rs6655]

I'm on my third BMW (E12, E90 and E83) they've all been great and I will never be able to go back.

[Raine]

335i is just a beast car for its class.

[CAPSGOD]

used S4..

if that is too much then C350 Sport.. the specs are not great but the engine sounds really nice

[natelam]

c350 is an awesome car but its heavy. If you can deal with the feeling of a heavy car than you will be set. Though I must say after driving both the c350 and the 335i the 335i wins every time.

[crackberry]

id just wait for the f3x to come out. they are going to be unveiled in 5 months.

[crackberry]

Originally Posted by GhostRideTheWhip

Might? It's the pinnacle sports car. I had one on order, but due to a long term practicality, I had to cancel. I LOVED that car. Come 2-3 years from now, I WILL get one as a toy.

lol, i LOVE the cayman too. its an amazing car that handles so beautifully. i took a huge circular exit going 70mph. wow, that thing is great and i felt in control 100% of the time. if anyone hasnt taken a test drive, then you are missing out.

ill definitely be sticking to german for my next car, but it wont be a bmw.

[ejheverest]

Originally Posted by Viper1213

i love my 5 series though i can't see myself going down to a toyota after owning a bmw

I sold my E90 and now drive my winter car-Toyota 4Runner 91'..I don't worry at all about people smashing into it or having a shopping cart crash into it, in a parking lot at the supermarket.

[RBinDC]

Originally Posted by jlspeed29

Im in the market for a new car ( or will be very soon) and like most of you reading this, am doing quite a bit (okay, a lot) of research before I decide on what my next car will be.....plain and simple, my E92 RUINED any other chance of me wanting to buy any other car except for a BMW =(

So here's where you guys come in....what are your thoughts?
Has owning a BMW completely raised the bar for your next purchase?

Im strongly considering a 335 sedan......I hate to sound like a "fanboy" but I've looked at the following..all sport models

G35/37 Sedan
A4
IS350
and C350

out of those i feel i get the best bang for my buck with the Infiniti G sedan, however their "sport" model is quite uninspiring =(
the A4 is a sexy car but ive been reading about peoples oil problems putting in 1qt every thousand miles ????wtf
the C350 appeals to me because its sexy in a MBZ sorta way....

bottom line, i think its gonna be hard to steer away from buying a 335 sedan, but since i already have a coupe, why get the sedan? seems redundant right?


chime in and dont hold back

I own a new 335is coupe. If I were interested in a sedan I would not buy a BMW. I don't like the styling and I think the S4 or the Lexus IS350 are better values and better daily drives. The BMW sport suspension is fun for spirited driving but it's uncomfortable and not well suited for daily commuting. The S4 and the Lexus both feel to me like better compromises - sporty without being harsh. Also the quality of the leather in the S4 and the IS350 is a big step up from BMW Dakota leather.

I haven't driven the C350 but I did drive a CLK500 several years ago. I found it to be too disconnected from the road. Comfortable, luxurious, powerful, but not a lot of fun to drive.

[RBinDC]

Originally Posted by Raine

335i is just a beast car for its class.

More so the 335is. However, I am beginning to think that both of these cars are just too powerful for driving on public roads. All that low-end torque and no way to fully use it (responsibly at least).

[jlspeed29]

Originally Posted by RBinDC

More so the 335is. However, I am beginning to think that both of these cars are just too powerful for driving on public roads. All that low-end torque and no way to fully use it (responsibly at least).

the 335's definitely tempt the driver

[ksparks]

I put a quart of oil in every 4-5k miles. I wouldnt let that deter me.

This is my 3rd BMW, I am ready for a change. The inside of my 135i looks dated, and they charge for options that should be included on a 40k+ car. I pick up a boss 302 in about a month

[Dvdman]

Maybe a X6..