Smart move or crazy knee-jerk reaction ?

[LMC]

Well I've gone and done it, so no point in saying "nooooo don't do it !"

The BMW 330 coupe will be gone in the middle of next week and I'll be driving home in my nice new (for me) Subaru Forester 2.5 XT

It's one of those cars that have popped into my head every now and then for quite a while now, but all this crappy weather has just edged me over the precipice...

So bks to RWD for the meantime. My car has been no wheel drive for the past 8 days. The bloody thing wouldn't drive over a single snowflake. I'm surprised I've not got arms like Popeye the amount of times I've had to dig the b@stard out this week. Used about 4mm off my [very expensive] back tyres trying to melt my way through the packed snow ! Been stuck on so many tiny hills I'm astonished a piston hasn't flown through the bonnet

I went to see the Forester today, and I kid you not, it was up to its tits in snow. Honestly, it was up to the door handles at the sides and the bootlid bottom at the back. And it needed to be reversed out its space. "Do you want a test drive" the dealer said. My wife and I just looked at each other

So, he cleared just enough snow so he could get the drivers door open, turned the key and backed out, with only a little rock forward once. And it was up a slight incline.

SOLD !!!!!

Nice drive, though the dealer said he wouldn't be going as fast when we left the town

I'm a happy chappy. What do you lot think ?

Heated leather mmmm
Touchscreen satnav oh yeah
6x CD with 7 speakers
and a boxer thrumble, I'm in love.....

[MJK 24]

If you're happy, then you've got the right car for 'you' at this moment in time.

Someone will come along in a minute saying you should have got an MX5 though!

[rottie102]

nah, he should have just bought winter tyres instead of a new car...

[joebongo]

Yep 215 snow tyres on a £30 set of old BMW alloys and I once again am teh daddeh in my E38.

But I've thought many times about a Forester...

[Moobs]

yup winter tires. or even snow shoes.

[Angry Sheep]

Sounds just the job for over winter. The Forester's a good car.

[Hark]

I'd go crazy knee jerk lol

I fitted winter tyres to my Z4M and it's coping admirably. Agreed on standard tyres it was very poor. 330 looks nice though, the forester -_-

[fridaypassion]

Totally a crazy knee jerk. OK for this winter and last winter we've actually had some winter weather but the preceding four winters barley troubled my parker jacket. In a couple of weeks it will be T shirt weather for us northerners and it will be back to 4x4 owners being idiots as usual having enjoyed their 3 weeks of smugness while its being snowing.

[LMC]

Mixed views as I suspected there would be

I maybe didn't convey in my OP how pee'd off I've been with the 330 this week. I mean. how many people walk past their car and glare at it like you would do with your worst enemy ?

Put it this way, I'm glad I don't keep my sledgehammer in the boot, I'd have went Basil Fawlty on its ass a few times

[shirt]

you wore the tyres on snow, are they made out of cheese?

[RB Will]

If it has the heated seats and satnav is it not the xten? my dad has one of them. Surprisingly capable off road too.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I reckon the Forester is pretty much the perfect dd. I fancy a late 90s 2.5 with all the kit for 2k or so that I wouldn't care about getting dings etc.

Think you may miss the beemer when the weather improves. cheap mx-5 as well?

[LMC]

shirt said:

you wore the tyres on snow, are they made out of cheese?

Yes I did, no they're not.

Try going up an on-ramp (which is about 200 yards long) and getting to the top at a rate of 2 feet every 5 seconds and the motor at 6500 rpm the whole way, you tend to use up some tread. Then repeat that on the off-ramp... because some git in front of me in a Fiesta was doing 10mph and stole all my momentum...

Slow and low gearing = car wouldn't move. Thrash it and thrash it some more was all that worked

[LMC]

RB Will said:

If it has the heated seats and satnav is it not the xten? my dad has one of them. Surprisingly capable off road too.

Yes it is. I just shortened it for quickness

[nonuts]

My e36 M3 has coped fine with even sheet ice on Toyo T1-Rs as long as not being daft with the right pedal.

[al1991]

Knee Jerk.

Realistically, we don't have that many weeks of snow per year.

[LMC]

I know, but its not all about the snow. My ears always prick up when I hear a boxer engine, though I wouldn't want an Impreza, plus my wife would kill me and my son would never talk to me.

[al1991]

LMC said:

I know, but its not all about the snow. My ears always prick up when I hear a boxer engine, though I wouldn't want an Impreza, plus my wife would kill me and my son would never talk to me.

Well, if it's something to do with the engine as well that's a lot more acceptable.

Enjoy your new car

[rottie102]

LMC said:

I know, but its not all about the snow. My ears always prick up when I hear a boxer engine, though I wouldn't want an Impreza, plus my wife would kill me and my son would never talk to me.

And how you do find the sound from the inside of the car? I bought a Forester Turbo two years ago, it had an STi exhaust fitted and it sounded great from the outside, but when I drove it, I always had the impression that there's something wrong with the engine (there wasn't).
Also it was VERY loud at 70mph+ due to frameless windows catching wind noise.

Edited by rottie102 on Saturday 4th December 22:03

[RobM77]

Just buy winter tyres and you'll be fine in the snow, and then you can enjoy the BMW's balance and handling for the other 11 months of the year.