Dare I say it? BMW's are actually pretty good cars!!

OutLore

OutLore

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Having had the BMW for a week now, and having covered just over 1000 miles in it I thought I would write a little "review" on it.....

Basically my impressions of BMW have gone up considerably, and my attitudes have changed a lot as well as you will see......

Engine
Not too bad for a big car with only a 2.0 in it, it's no rocketship but then its no slouch either.. Makes quite a nice sound from inside the car too (considering its a 4 pot), not sure what it sounds like outside though. Pretty smooth, but has an annoying habit of being slow on pickup after a gearchange. (Maybe ASC/EBD)

Handling / Chassis / Steering
What can I say? This is the most unbelievable car I have ever driven - it has 18's on it which probably help, but it handles like a scalextric car (a girl said that!!!) and with all the electronic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif turned off it has a lovely controllable oversteer, as expected. Steering is truly responsive with a lovely amount of feedback, maybe a little heavy on parking.

Gearbox
Not bad, a bit notchy and slow to change, can miss gears if the change is a little fast.

Attitude.
This is the thing that has amazed me. I have been really looking at other BMW's and I can confidently say that while they are not the best of drivers in the world, the "lack of indication" award and "general dis-courteous driving" award has to go to Range Rovers. There.... call me a BMW driver all you like..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif


Still can't wait for the A3 though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

Well, i've been saying that about BMW's for ages. I reckon the reason why Audi owners on here seem to hate them so much is that they are the closest competition to Audi, and a lot of them are more fun to drive.

Just like when i got my A3, all of a sudden i started noticing A3/S3's everywhere. But i realised obviously that they were always there, its just that i never noticed them until i got one myself. Its the same with Audi owners, just because its a BMW, they always notice it, along with all the usual 'no indicators, bad driving etc etc' business. But i bet that drivers of other cars (non-BMW) are probably just as bad, or probably don't indicate just as often, but you just don't notice them becuase they have a Ford/Nissan/Rover/Mazda badge instead of 'BMW'.

Ok i'm ready for the 'replies' to this.
 
Well yeah but you have to agree that EVERY BMW driver is a habitual foglighter when no fog is about...early morning...afternoon...evening and most of all night time...in fact any excuse to use them they will /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
 
not this again....

like im sure many of us want to say or have said in the past...

if you like BMW that much why didnt you get a BMW?

just doesnt make sence?

"i love BMW's but hang on ill get an Audi instead?"
 
BMW do make great cars, but that doesn't mean they appeal to everyone. I still think the build quality of the A4 is way ahead of the 3-Series, especially the interiors. I had a good look at at a V-reg 323i (is that the E46 model?) a couple of years ago, and I found the interior a big let-down in terms of materials & finish. I bought another A4 instead.

What is interesting is that over the past few years, the 3-Series has gone from being a niche market premium saloon to the top-selling mid-sized saloon in the country. They are everywhere. It will be very interesting to see how BMW copes with the conflict between exclusivity and ubiquity. Used prices are already on the slide. They could end up being a victim of their own success, if people eventually cotton onto the fact that even though it's still a quality car, it's no longer a niche product.
 
I agree but in turn i think it will be the consumers whohave the last laugh as prices will have to drop and everyone else will follow suit! Lets keep our fingers crossed anyway...im all for cheaper motoring but not at the expense of quality and style.
 
richy, yeah well maybe i will get one when i got some money, but then again i really like the new A3 2.0tdi, so might look at that instead. All i'm saying is that i would have no problem buying a BMW, the so called 'image' wouldn't worry me in the slightest, as i think most if this image only exists amongst Audi owners, not the general public. But whilst i love BMW's, i alos love Audi's as well, but i also like to feel like i'm driving and steering.....
 
OutLore,

Nice mini review. Thought the BM 2ltr was a 6 cyl. engine though. Or has it changed ?.
 
yea thats what i thought? maybe it was the 318i with the 2.0ltr, or 1.9 not sure
 
The only real thing i have against them (apart from some of there drivers attitude) is the fact they are rear wheel drive , now this is fine for people like our selfs enthusiastes , and dare i say it people who enjoy have in some rear wheel fun , BUT for joe public and MRS joe public it can be dangerous the 1st time they go into a wet bend a wee bit to fast or at a round-a-bout ! i bet there aint anybody who hasnt saw a beemer facing the wrong way when wet! i just cant understand it, its uninversally accepeted that 4wd is best , and then fwd , BUT for fun its got to be rwd , but most people on there way to work just wana get there safely !!!!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
i bet there aint anybody who hasnt saw a beemer facing the wrong way when wet! i

[/ QUOTE ]

i saw one 3 series which became a see-saw on the central reservation barrier.
 
[ QUOTE ]
carefull cj!

[/ QUOTE ]

I ment that in a good way as the drivers on here are enthusiasts which i would consider them being slightly better than your average pilot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Or maybe im just wrong and your all crap drivers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif
 
No offence taken, as i have no car to be a crap driver in, yet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/fuck_you.gif
 
Before everyone jumps on the band wagon i never stated ANYONE was a bad driver....i said maybe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/fuck_you.gif
 
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Oh and i wrote off my e30 325i when i was 20, WOT 2nd to 3rd spun rears and spun me!! hit kerb and ripped sump and suspension off!! Bye bye beemer !!

[/ QUOTE ]
Aaaahhhhhh yes, the old 325, had 1 myself a while ago, you do have to cary some respect for it whilst driving, they do bite you know /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Oh and i wrote off my e30 325i when i was 20, WOT 2nd to 3rd spun rears and spun me!! hit kerb and ripped sump and suspension off!! Bye bye beemer !!

[/ QUOTE ]
Aaaahhhhhh yes, the old 325, had 1 myself a while ago, you do have to cary some respect for it whilst driving, they do bite you know /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
This was something i sayed in another post , that they are VERY tail happy! altho CJ thinks they are ok now with all the eletrical toys , wot do u think , anybody drove a new one??????
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well yeah but you have to agree that EVERY BMW driver is a habitual foglighter when no fog is about...early morning...afternoon...evening and most of all night time...in fact any excuse to use them they will /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

my dad never drives iwth his foglights on, nor do 90% of the people at work that have bmw's either. i think you'll find its more clios/fiestas etc.. which are driven with fogs on!!!
 
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