How can you knock BMW? It is one of the last few automotive producers that still offers RWD on all of its vehicles (you can't count the mini cooper). Not to mention the readily available manual gearbox.
Some people like to drive a sporty car that twitches and roars, and others like to drive sofas. I consider myself part of the former group and love bimmers!

 

Not everyone has to like the way a BMW feels. You happen to, and that's great.

I just prefer a mix of sportiness and comfort that a Japenese car offers me.

I want a car that is great for EVERYDAY driving. That's why I have a car.
I don't know many people who spend a bunch of time at race tracks with there daily drivers. I also don't see any BMW drivers really taking advantage on the road either probably because it's ILLEGAL to do so.

 

And, there's nothing wrong with that.

 

You don't need to be speeding or breaking the law to enjoy the car. The handling is still the same good feeling if you're going 40 or 100. My roommate has an E90 so I've really got to spend time around them this semester.

 

I have one of each.
What bugs me about the Europeans is they don't have the common decency to speak English.
It's like they have a different word for everything.

 

You need to check out youtube nation my friend Tons of vids of BMW's in action on the streets against other vehicles including motorcycles http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=276786 Not too many Japanese luxury cars on video doing the same.. Crazy Bimmer drivers.. Be safe out there.

 

The whole world knows of our American ethnocentrism.

I think I just expect too much out of cars now that I'm used to BMWs. I complain about headlamp switches being too hard to find, throttle control not being precise enough, the chassis not being able to cope with hard cornering, etc... stuff like that. If I suddenly need to brake or floor a vehicle mid-corner at 60mph, I expect it to be fluid and forgiving. To be honest, there's never a real need to corner that fast........but I kinda like it once in a while.

 

Absolutely sorry for saying it was a Honda dealership. Not sure where I got that from, maybe it was a senior moment.

I don't think you have to back away from your comments in any way. Everyone knows that you posted your opinion and that it is your perception, which may not be anyone else's so feel free to rant away.

I ran away from BMWs screaming about maintenance costs and the amount of time they spent in the dealership. Many of my complaints were combined with the failures and the routine maintenance. In all honesty, Lexus has copied the Germans pretty well with an annoying and costly maintenance schedule that often is for nothing more than "inspections". When BMW went to paying for maintenance, which Lexus of course does not other than for the first minor maintenance, they backed off on the maintenance schedule. Personally I don't find the requirement to take a Lexus in for service more luxurious than I ever had to do with a Toyota. But I digress.

I have been very hard on bimmers myself but I will also acknowledge what is right about them. For instance, if I got into a reasonably new 3 series and found that:

"The 3 was the biggest surprise to me because it's steering delivered a delayed response (you have to turn the wheel like 30 degrees before it starts turning the car). "

I would think I was in a 3 series with a problem and not that any other 3 series had 30 degrees of slop in the steering. Because you are in the business I am sure you realize that very often one or two year old cars end up being sold because of some problem or big accident and I would write that 3 series off to a particular car with a problem. 06 and 07 bimmers on a used car lot are probably not off lease so you would have to treat them with a bit of caution. That doesn't just apply to bimmers by the way. A one year old Acura that was on a used lot would raise some flags in my mind as to why someone took such a big financial hit getting rid of it in one year. Even without getting into the bimmer cheerleaders, there is a whole lot of information about how sweet the steering is on the 3 and has been for years. Rather than base a rant on bimmers, I would have written it off until I had a chance to drive an unsold new one or at least several others that I was sure had not problems.

As for interiors, I am of mixed opinions. I never noticed bimmer seats being so dang hard but I do notice it in some models now. As for the interiors being plain, that is another perception. I have found that I prefer function over form and the bimmers stood out in my mind that I saw at the SF auto show a few weeks ago. The materials were of high quality and most models had a reasonably clean, functional look. The LS was also impressive but with a different look. I just don't like either the layout or the materials on the current GS, seems to be a step backward from my second gen GS. I try not to confuse a different look with a worse layout. The bimmer was different but well done for its design. The 7 had some needlessly complicated electronics that I assume appeal to those a lot younger than I but that's another story. Mercedes stood out in my mind as being very poorly done in both design and execution. But of all the European cars, bimmer has the most distinctive interior. If you like the layout fine. If you don't fine. But it is very different. With many other models, if you cover up the various logo's most people could not tell what brand car they were sitting in. Most people will always know a bimmer without being told.

So, in the final analysis, brand perception and loyalty are largely based on perception. If you like the japanese brands, and if you are looking for a large luxury sedan there is only one, they by all means by Japanese. If you like the Germans, buy from them. And even going back and forth isn't prohibited .

 

Come on Azn. You know these cars drive like crap Are some here writing books or what ? All these long winded posts..

 

Well, cars have gotten very good thesedays. I thought cars like the Acura TSX get it almost right. Me and my friend drove each others' cars (325i sport and TSX) just for the feel of it, since neither of us had driven the other's model before. I was impressed with the TSX's suspension and overall feel. The gauges are a bit hard to read, the steering a bit slow on-centre, and the brakes were woefully disappointing. You don't realize how important brakes are on a car until you jump into a car that doesn't really have them and go "WOAH where are the brakes??" when you brake for a corner.

He, on the other hand, was very impressed with the 325i. I required DSC on for the fear he'd get over his head, but he started cornering off too early and too far into the apex of a corner (used to understeer I suppose). I basically told him when he could get off the brakes ("ok, that's enough braking") so he would experience the higher handling capability. His only gripe was the electronic turn signal.

Plus, I have quibbles with BMW too. For instance, the dash on the non-iDrive 3-series is sooooooooooooo boring. The styling of the E90 is also so boring. The engine note is too muted. But there aren't any dynamic faults on the 3. Plus, the fuel consumption is pretty low too.

 

Hmmm, German vs Japanese http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120903 Guess who came in first again? Perhaps its just you

 

One thing about Japanese cars based on my experience is when you press on the brake pedals it feels soft and spongy. In contrast to the German cars I've driven (E-Class, 3 Series) the brake pedal is much firmer and you can stop with confidence.

Though, I'll give the Japanese thumbs up in interior execution, hands down it beats the Germans.

In the end, both Japanese and German cars have both their merits and weaknesses.

 

misc comments/corrections/etc....

First off Ron, nice comments - Thank GOD you didn't post them at the beginning of the thread or we would have had nothing to razz each other about - quit talking sense

Now...
Not exactly...
BMWs tend to have more technology in them sooner than the Japanese brands. They often do things differently - they often think/feel that they have found a new way and their new way is better. We are creatures of habit and hate change and thus many people here don't like the way BMW does something or don't understand why. Please note that my keyless entry system does not require the key in the dash and that for the most part, BMW owners LIKE I-Drive. Perfect? No, Pretty good? Yep. Sure we all have a friend or roommate who doesn't love it, but for the most part, the BMW owners I've spoken to as well as listened to on other boards have no issue with it. IF it was really that bad, why are they still putting it in their cars and WHY THE HELL ARE PEOPLE STILL BUYING BMWS????

Because it is different than what you are used to it is wrong? What about a German car buyer saying the same thing about the Japanese? Oh and you must not have ever been in a GS430 - because I assure you switching stations took more than an EASY push of a button.

ack, please don't say this. Active Steering happens to be one of my favorite features of my car. Most owners really like it - some don't and thank GOD it is an option (as opposed to the 2006+ GS4 where it is standard).

A reviewer - talk to owners who have lived with the car. It is not bad and those of use who have had both touch screen and I-Drive tend to prefer I-Drive. Yes, to me it is easier to use while driving.

I've heard this before on CL and it is bunk. I know of several people who are not car enthusiasts by any means who test drove BMWs and far preferred them to the Lexus. Did they buy the BMW? Nope, not always - but often. The cars they drove were all in the same class (TL, 3-Series, C-Class, IS, A4, etc.). The BMW was in the mix cause it competes in that market space not because it is a BMW. Do some people buy a BMW cause of the name badge? I'm positive. Do some people buy a Lexus because of the name badge? You can count on it - and if you don't think the Lexus crowd doesn't bling up their cars then you have not spent any time on this board.

 

+1. There are occasional instances where I wish it weren't there, but 90% of the time I like the Active Steering on our 325i. Especially in the bends.


I find iDrive to be easier than my parents' portable Garmin sat nav. I still cannot use the touchscreen w/o focusing my entire attention span on that screen. Plus, the interface drives me mad.

 

Go test-drive an IS and tell me what you think of the brakes! They're superb.