Mike Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 There are now two BMWs in the garage: Link to comment
JayW Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Very nice. I have been tempted by a BMW car myself. Still trying to decide between a 3 series and an Audi. Jay Link to comment
Mike Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Very nice. I have been tempted by a BMW car myself. Still trying to decide between a 3 series and an Audi. Jay Living in northern Illinois and having owned AWD cars, it's hard to imagine going back to 2WD. This is a 2008 535xi, with AWD and a twin turbo 3.0 litre six. I'm not sure what Audi's offering as its "certified" package, but the BMW Certified cars, like this one, seem to be a good value. It cost me roughly half of its original MSRP, with 39K on the clock. The BMW Certified cars have their warranties extended to 6 years/100K, and this one came with all maintenance to 100,000 miles, so it should be a reasonable car to own. I've put a few hundred miles on it, including some on Wisconsin back roads, and it drives really well. It's pretty darned quick for a sedan of its size. However, I'd note that it's also an incredibly complex vehicle. I wouldn't buy one without fairly good warranty coverage. As with their motorcycles, BMW's push to lead in technology sometimes comes at the cost of reliability. Link to comment
tallman Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Tell me that isn't your garage. Looks like a hospital, too clean. Link to comment
Mike Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Tell me that isn't your garage. Looks like a hospital, too clean. It isn't. It's a photo from the dealer ad. The dealership is a real 21st century facility. Apparently, they're doing okay. As for my garage, it's usually pretty clean, but it's currently housing the remnants of my dad's estate and some of the stuff left home by my son while he's doing his Army thing . . . it's a total disaster. Link to comment
Ron-M Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Beautiful car - We have a 3 series and we love it. Jay - We have an 07 A4 as well - You can't go wrong with either car. Although the BMW is a tighter vehicle. Link to comment
JayW Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Beautiful car - We have a 3 series and we love it. Jay - We have an 07 A4 as well - You can't go wrong with either car. Although the BMW is a tighter vehicle. I don't want to hijack Mike's thread, but BMW made a change in their cars that may be a deal-breaker for me: their entire line of cars and SUVs now come with run-flat tires as standard, with no option for regular tires and a spare. Run-flats are very expensive, have low treadwear numbers, stiff sidewalls, can be hard to find in a hurry, and will only get you about 150 miles if they get punctured. If you hit a pothole and ruin the tire and/or wheel, then you are stuck. That is not good enough, and run-flats solve no problem that matters to me. The Audi comes with standard tires, a spare in the trunk, and the Bang & Olufson sound system offered by Audi is among the best I have ever heard in any vehicle. It's hard to beat BMW drivetrain engineering though. The Certified Used BMW is a particularly good value. Just some random thoughts. Jay Link to comment
Mike Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 I've had RFTs and don't like them. You do have the option to swap for regular tires, though. Link to comment
Ron-M Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 You are right with the run flats. Worse idea BMW went with. A hard riding tire that you cannot repair. As I have experienced, you get a hole in the tire, you buy a whole new tire. No other fix. BMW will not offer a spare and according to a couple of service managers that I have spoken to, they do not offer regular tires as an option. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I don't want to hijack Mike's thread, but BMW made a change in their cars that may be a deal-breaker for me: their entire line of cars and SUVs now come with run-flat tires as standard, with no option for regular tires and a spare. Not their ENTIRE line......the M models still come with standard tires. That just emphasizes how bad they are if the M group rejected something that is considered standard on the rest of the lineup. Link to comment
JayW Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 ...according to a couple of service managers that I have spoken to, they do not offer regular tires as an option. And even if they did, where would you put the spare and the jack? That space is now gone as well. Jay Link to comment
Mike O Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Not their ENTIRE line......the M models still come with standard tires. That just emphasizes how bad they are if the M group rejected something that is considered standard on the rest of the lineup. Yes, they do.... BUT. I've got the 19" M wheels (different front and rear sizes) and finding anything besides the expensive single sourced Pirelli Zeros is impossible ($350+ per tire). But it handles like its on a rail. I DO have a standard spare Nice 5 series, Mike. The 300HP twin turbo is impressive. And to think BMW's E36 M3 had a whopping 240HP standard (and THAT was a big deal). Mike O Link to comment
JayW Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Mike, do you anticipate having to procure a winter tire/wheel package for winter driving in Illinois, or is the stock rubber sufficient with the AWD package? Jay Link to comment
Mike Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 Mike, do you anticipate having to procure a winter tire/wheel package for winter driving in Illinois, or is the stock rubber sufficient with the AWD package? Jay I was on some Wisconsin county roads that had some ice and slush on them over the weekend, and didn't have any problems with the stock (new) all-season tires. This is my fourth AWD car and my experience has been that all-seasons are sufficient for my needs; around here, anything but a major blizzard is cleaned up almost as fast as the snow falls. Nonetheless, if I were in a snowier climate or spent a lot of time of country roads, I believe it would be worth having a set of snow tires. I'd think that the 535xi would be phenomenal in snow with dedicated winter tires. Link to comment
Mike Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 Nice 5 series, Mike. The 300HP twin turbo is impressive. And to think BMW's E36 M3 had a whopping 240HP standard (and THAT was a big deal). Mike O My son got a 135i last year, and after driving that little puppy I was sold on the 3.0 liter twin turbo (N54). Its low-end torque and overall drivability were far beyond any turbocharged car I had experienced. Of course, the 5-series carries quite a bit more weight, but it still responds with gusto. The engine is a good match for the six-speed automatic, which is a responsive, quick-shifting transmission. Part of my drive yesterday was spent with the transmission in the "Dynamic Sport" mode, which employers quicker downshifts and higher shift points to enhance performance. It works! Link to comment
beemerman2k Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 That's a beautiful car, Mike. Wow, looks like it would be a hoot to drive. I'm impressed I remember some years ago (10 years, maybe?) I was watching some European car race on television, and the final 3 cars battling for the checkered flag were a Porche 911, a Chevy Corvette, and a BMW 5 series car! I remember being amazed that a 4 door sedan with a trunk was duking it out with a 911 and a Vette! Spoke volumes for the quality of sport sedan that BMW 5 series really is. Link to comment
beemerboy Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Holy cr*p! If I'd have know the job of BMWST Admin paid so well I'd have applied for it a long time ago! Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Holy cr*p! If I'd have know the job of BMWST Admin paid so well I'd have applied for it a long time ago! You should see the private jet that the UNrally commitee gets to use Link to comment
beemerman2k Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Holy cr*p! If I'd have know the job of BMWST Admin paid so well I'd have applied for it a long time ago! Trust me, it doesn't pay that well at all. As proof, notice that this car is not the M5 Link to comment
Mike Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 Holy cr*p! If I'd have know the job of BMWST Admin paid so well I'd have applied for it a long time ago! Trust me, it doesn't pay that well at all. As proof, notice that this car is not the M5 The base pay isn't that great, but the car allowance helps make up for it. Actually, the car's three years old. I've forgotten (ignored?) this lesson from time to time, but allowing someone else to take the huge hit on new car depreciation really makes a lot of sense. This ended up costing me a little more than half its original MSRP. Link to comment
beemerboy Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 .....Actually, the car's three years old. I've forgotten (ignored?) this lesson from time to time, but allowing someone else to take the huge hit on new car depreciation really makes a lot of sense. This ended up costing me a little more than half its original MSRP. After my purchase of a new RT in '02 this is how I've purchased all my other bikes. The savings have been incredible and in a few cases have enabled me to by a K bike, ride ir for a few years, and then sell it at a slight profit. It seems there's ALWAYS someone out there who buys a bike based more on emotion than logic and I'm just the guy to step in and relieve them of their mistake! Link to comment
chrisd Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Mike, how do you like iDrive? Link to comment
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