OT-what do you drive now?

 

If the deal is financially sound for you go for it. I don't see any problem with buying what you want if you can afford it. After all, it is your money, you worked hard for it, it is your life. Might as well make the most of it if you have can.

 

i've done crazy things, but nothing so crazy as to consider purchasing a BMW.

 

Ok guys, thanks for the insight. A guy down the street is selling his 04 (found it on cars.com). I drove it tonight and....

Wow, um, I don't know how to put this but I did not like the car! It had much more cowl shake than I thought it would and the turns to lock on the steering was crazy (I have active steering in my 550 and when I went to make the first turn in the M3, I just kept turning and turning and turning the wheel - almost hit someone!)

It did not help that this car did not have heated seats and it was 35 degrees outside (change either of these and the drive might have been more enjoyable). Either way, it felt like such a step down from my 550. Also the car just felt loose - not solid as a rock like my 550. Now maybe the owner beat the crap out of it, but I don't think so. Either it was the fact that it was a convertible or that they just wear quick - either way, I don't think I'm going to go drive the 06.

Thanks again for the insight (Dave, especially you!)

Doug

 

You actualy like this active steering thing? I personally prefer traditional, linear steering.

 

Active Steering in the BMW changes the steering ratio based on speed. So at slow speeds, it is just a small turn of the wheel to make the car turn. At higher speeds, larger inputs are required (otherwise sneezing at highway speeds would be really really bad). BMW owners who have this option are almost universal in their love for this feature. Where it does not work is at the track - here you might crank on the wheel at high speed into a turn and as you scrub off speed, you end up having to unwind the steering wheel as the ratio starts to change as you slow down. Of note, the GS430 has active steering as well (just not optional).

 

Doug, as you know I went and bought a convertible on New Year's Eve. It's hands down the most fun car I've ever owned. It may not be the fastest, fanciest, most prestigious or anything, but there's something about a convertible that is so much fun, just being able to look around without pillars and roof is so refreshing (literally and figuratively!) - you don't have to go fast for it to be fun.

The current M3 convertible is an AWESOME car. Sure there will be newer versions but that car is still FANTASTIC looking and the engine, handling, steering, etc., is excellent.

If you can swing it and the car makes your heart flutter, go for it! Don't do it just for the 'price' though.

 

Oh I undestand how the active steering works, but I didn't like it during the test drive. But then, I hear from a lot of BMW owners that they didn't like it at first, but started to love it after they got used to it.

But GS430 and active steering? I have a GS430 and it certainly doesn't have an active steering, unless you mean the steering getting "tighter" at high speeds. In any case, GS430 has the worst steering out of any car I ever drove.

 

Active Steering is like anything, when you're used to it it's hard to go back. Most people don't like it initially because even at slow speeds there is an artificial boost, which makes the steering feel less neutral than typical non-AS BMWs. I drove an AS car for a few weeks and it, well, drove me nuts.

 

Yes, 2006/2007 GS430 has active steering.

I saw no need for it when I was evaluating the 330 back in 2005 - but on the 5, it makes such an amazing difference. I'm sure you get used to it either way, but the only time I really even noticed it on the 5-series was when I was driving one without it.

 

Depends on what I'm reviewing on any given day.

Seriously, my personal car and daily driver is a 2006 Outback. I just love it. I've become a big-time convert to AWD, and, with the possible exception of the new Suzuki SX4 (see my review), no one in the industry does a better AWD system for less money than Subaru. Just as Toyota/Lexus wrote the book on overall assembly quality, and Honda wrote the book on gas engine efficiency and crisp-shifting manual transmissions, Subaru wrote the book on how to do inexpensive AWD...and their cars approach Toyota/Lexus in reliability.

 

Wow, didn't read your actual test results until after writing my earlier post (obviously).

Hard to believe a luxury car in your neck of the woods wouldn't have heated seats! Even my MX-5 down here in sunny FL has heated seats! And they're a must for convertibles regardless. It's fun to be riding around in 'brisk' weather with the top down, the heated seats on and the heater going! My MX-5 has an extra set of vents unlike any I've seen on another car - the extra set is at knee/thigh level and it works great. So it has footwell, the knee/thigh level I mentioned, dash vent level, and defroster/windshield level.

If you want something truly fun, well built, and very reasonably priced, and certainly no cowl shake, I recommend checking out the MX-5! You can get it with power retractable hard top option (like an SC430 top really) too.

 

hated this thing, was hard to predict the amount of steering you had to apply. I drove the 5 at the taste of lexus that had this, on some turns it felt like I was understeering then on others felt like it was oversteering. Active steering was just a real bad idea IMO

 

Get a 335, chip the turbo and you'll be faster than the outgoing M3.

 

Yea, the problem is that I would have to play favorites with my kids - I just loved the idea of a four seater vert.

This car was orignally an East Coast car - when they couldn't sell it there, they auctioned it off to Luxury Motors here in the IL area where it sat for a while as well. I think this car in particular was made in early 04 and sold in mid 05 - all because of the lack of heated seats I believe.