Discussion
Being fairly ancient and having ownered a reasonable amount of cars over the years, from Volvo, BMW, Nissan etc, I can’t say I have ever been sorry to see this back of any of them.
However, from what I have seen, there seems to have an almost cult following of all things BMW.
I owned an M3 for a couple of years and whilst it was a nice car to drive, I can’t say I miss it.
So, what’s the story?
However, from what I have seen, there seems to have an almost cult following of all things BMW.
I owned an M3 for a couple of years and whilst it was a nice car to drive, I can’t say I miss it.
So, what’s the story?
Having previously been a serial owner for many years, predominantly 3-series E30-E92, they offered something their fellow mainstream always seemed to fail to combine i.e: good driving dynamics (although maybe not the Ultimate), a good driving position, some interesting engines, nice designs and a hint of imagine
Not sure that’s all true anymore, and the competition have definitely caught up if not surpassed them these days
Not sure that’s all true anymore, and the competition have definitely caught up if not surpassed them these days
I did have the use of a 640 for a weekend a few years ago and was really looking forward to it but i picked it up, drove it five miles home and there it sat in the drive until i had to take it back.
I know these things can take some time to 'adjust' but from the minute i set off in it, i never felt so cramped in a car as i did in this.
And the chap who's car it was was twice the size of me, but he loved it even though he spilt out over the seat.
But, as said, horses for courses and all that.
I know these things can take some time to 'adjust' but from the minute i set off in it, i never felt so cramped in a car as i did in this.
And the chap who's car it was was twice the size of me, but he loved it even though he spilt out over the seat.
But, as said, horses for courses and all that.
I liked the older BMWs that I've had.
The last one, not so much. That was an 18 plate F15 X5 M50d. Too many niggling faults, and dealers too useless.
And the newest BMWs are just too ugly to consider even if they drive well.
To be fair to BMW, the only dealers I've dealt with in the last 10 years that didn't leave me annoyed was Mercedes.
The last one, not so much. That was an 18 plate F15 X5 M50d. Too many niggling faults, and dealers too useless.
And the newest BMWs are just too ugly to consider even if they drive well.
To be fair to BMW, the only dealers I've dealt with in the last 10 years that didn't leave me annoyed was Mercedes.
I've always just got on well with BMWs - they just seemt to "fit", if that makes sense. It's like finding a brand of shoes that just happen to be the right shape for your feet and take no breaking in whatseoever. You just slide in and everything just works the way you expect and you feel like you've already been there for ages. No cult like following here though - I really am not keen on the styling of the current crop of BMWs. For me the F32 4 Series was the last BMW that I really loved, styling wise.
GroundEffect said:
The problem with BMW - having owned and loved many of them - is that once you want to progress beyond an M2/M3 in terms of super sports, you're out of options. An M2/M3 is not special enough to be a weekend car.
So you're then off looking at Porsche and above.
The challenge for me, if I ever had the budget to meet with this issue, is that I can't get on with Porsche seats. They always feel too flat to me, like you're going to slide forward. BMW seats make you feel like you're "in" them and won't move. My best mate, on the other hand, gets backache from BMW seats but has always got on well with Porsches.So you're then off looking at Porsche and above.
I think if I ever had the sort of money to get to a BMW "M" car and then progress further, I'd downgrade to a more modest BMW for daily use and buy a used Ferrari as a weekend car as I've always felt really at home in a Ferrari the way I do in a BMW.
Surely its a historical affiliation, stemming from bmw being almost unique in making relatively affordable, rwd cars with great straight six engines, when everything else was going 4cyl and fwd.
Though the heydays for bmw have passed, i think the e46 was the last great bmw. E9x was very,very good too (i have an e90 330d which is absolutely brilliant at everything), but after that the dilution with x models and strange styling choices, id be looking elsewhere for a modern car.
Though the heydays for bmw have passed, i think the e46 was the last great bmw. E9x was very,very good too (i have an e90 330d which is absolutely brilliant at everything), but after that the dilution with x models and strange styling choices, id be looking elsewhere for a modern car.
brillomaster said:
Surely its a historical affiliation, stemming from bmw being almost unique in making relatively affordable, rwd cars with great straight six engines, when everything else was going 4cyl and fwd.
Though the heydays for bmw have passed, i think the e46 was the last great bmw. E9x was very,very good too (i have an e90 330d which is absolutely brilliant at everything), but after that the dilution with x models and strange styling choices, id be looking elsewhere for a modern car.
I would say the E36. After that they just got too big.Though the heydays for bmw have passed, i think the e46 was the last great bmw. E9x was very,very good too (i have an e90 330d which is absolutely brilliant at everything), but after that the dilution with x models and strange styling choices, id be looking elsewhere for a modern car.
Surely the E39 was the best BMW of the last thirty years, blending the traditional charms and draws with a modern design that makes it still feel current after 25 years. More practical than the 6 and 7 series’, though don’t get me wrong I love the E38 too. E39 is better than the E36/E46 being bigger and more practical, and with a more special feel. The touring versions are probably all the car most people would need! Plus probably the greatest range of engines right through from the best of the straight sixes up to the V8, and not spoiled by measly 4-pots (well not in the U.K. market anyway). The Alpina versions as well, I’d have over the M5 as I find them more exquisite and rare, but nonetheless the M5 is a fine enough beast, and a leap over the previous generation, but far more simple, reliable and better than the clumsy and over-done V10 that followed…
Ready to get my coat….
Ready to get my coat….
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