A Case Study in Being a Bellend

[DoubleD]

RoverP6B said:

Aesthetics may be subjective, but good design is not. I can point to ways in which modern BMW styling makes the cars more of a pain to live with (literally - that F11 gave me a constant ache in my neck, so poor was the rearward visibility).

Go on then point away?

[Douglas Quaid]

Dave Hedgehog said:

i would be straight down the opticians if brake lights blinded me, something defiantly wrong with your eyes if this is the case

OP don't come to london, literally millions of cars doing this every day

Defiantly?

Do you mean definitely?

[RoverP6B]

DoubleD said:

Go on then point away?

Tiny rear windscreen... sharply rising beltline... rearward visibility of a WW2 pillbox. Corners of the bonnet much harder to see than my E39s. Even at the front, the window sill line is too high. The seat is higher but the roofline lower, so I kept clouting my head getting in and out - something I've also been doing a bit with the 540i, as I've only had it a few months and I think there's some muscle memory that tells me E39 rooflines are a certain height, except that one has the lower 'sport' suspension. Massive pillars mean huge blind spots, more having to crane my neck to see around. Yeah, it'll probably stand up better in a rollover, but I've never rolled a car in 40 years of driving... rear legroom was tighter than in the E39 despite the car being longer, and also, despite the F11's greater length and width, its boot is smaller (or at least a less practical shape). My touring bicycle fits in the back of the E39 Tourings just fine - won't fit in the F11. The boot floor is narrower, and the only way the bike goes in is with the handlebars turned parallel to the front wheel and both rear seats folded. Hopeless.

And, although the blame is on the engineers rather than the stylists, the ride quality of that car (and all other modern BMWs I've ridden in) was simply unforgiveable. Bone-shattering is scarcely an exaggeration.

The seats were utter crap too. The combination of electronic throttle and handbrake also meant that, if you had the latter engaged and even thought about the mere existence of the throttle, a deafening alarm would sound. Creeping in traffic was just impossible. By the time I gave it back, I was about ready to smash that car up with an axe.

[lord trumpton]

RoverP6B said:

DoubleD said:

Go on then point away?

Tiny rear windscreen... sharply rising beltline... rearward visibility of a WW2 pillbox. Corners of the bonnet much harder to see than my E39s. Even at the front, the window sill line is too high. The seat is higher but the roofline lower, so I kept clouting my head getting in and out - something I've also been doing a bit with the 540i, as I've only had it a few months and I think there's some muscle memory that tells me E39 rooflines are a certain height, except that one has the lower 'sport' suspension. Massive pillars mean huge blind spots, more having to crane my neck to see around. Yeah, it'll probably stand up better in a rollover, but I've never rolled a car in 40 years of driving... rear legroom was tighter than in the E39 despite the car being longer, and also, despite the F11's greater length and width, its boot is smaller (or at least a less practical shape). My touring bicycle fits in the back of the E39 Tourings just fine - won't fit in the F11. The boot floor is narrower, and the only way the bike goes in is with the handlebars turned parallel to the front wheel and both rear seats folded. Hopeless.

And, although the blame is on the engineers rather than the stylists, the ride quality of that car (and all other modern BMWs I've ridden in) was simply unforgiveable. Bone-shattering is scarcely an exaggeration.

The seats were utter crap too. The combination of electronic throttle and handbrake also meant that, if you had the latter engaged and even thought about the mere existence of the throttle, a deafening alarm would sound. Creeping in traffic was just impossible. By the time I gave it back, I was about ready to smash that car up with an axe.

Are you not just an old fart stuck in their ways?

Perhaps remembering the good old days and resistant to change?

You voted to leave too didn't you

[RoverP6B]

No - I like progress when it actually does something. For instance, my E39s are light years better than my E30, as much as I loved that. If BMW made a 5er Touring that was actually better than the E39s, I'd have it. They don't. As for my politics, I tend to the progressive these days, but shall leave it at that. It's of no relevance to my taste in cars - I've met people who share my politics and know/care nothing about cars, and people with whom I share my passion for these BMWs whose politics I find utterly distasteful.

[classicyanktanks]

nickfrog said:

RoverP6B said:

This isn't really the place, but... styling, handling, ride quality (or lack thereof), build quality, reliability (while my 540i chunters past 220,000 miles on its original cam chain, tensioner etc, which is on the to-do list, multiple credible BMW specialists who I trust have told me they're now having to replace all that at significantly sub 100k, with even 35k on lightly-used cars reportedly being common), crap electric steering, crap turbocharged engines, crap interiors... I used to enjoy spending a couple of hours just hanging around my local BMW dealer back in the 90s and well into the 2000s to see what was around, and I was genuinely excited by what I saw. Not any more... having lived with an F11 Touring for a month, I identified so many ways in which it was demonstrably inferior to my base model E39 (didn't have either of the V8s then)... boy was I glad to get rid of that. I've decided I'm never buying a new or even 'approved used' car any more - I'm going to stick to my 'youngtimer' modern classics. My E39s and I are approaching old age, and with reasonable care, they should outlive me (and my sons have threatened dire things if they don't!). There's usually something wrong with one of them (520iT developed engine problems, was cheaper to replace than fix - 535i autobox went pop last summer, needs a rebuild - 540iT has an electrical gremlin that moves to a different part of the car every time I post on PH looking for advice on fixing it - it has yet to affect the indicators!), but heaven help me, I love the bloody things and wouldn't be without them for any other car in the world, least of all anything from the current Bavarian range.

I know you love your E39 Estate, which is fair enough. I know those cars well and IMO they are usually a POS at that mileage.

But even new they were not a patch on current BMWs IME.

As for styling, I would have thought this is highly subjective, but you know that.

Modern bmw are nowhere near the quality of the e39. The trim on modern bmw is tacky, and lower quality as is the leather etc.

BMW has lived a long time off the reputation of the 80’s and 90’s vehicles.

The modern bmw buyer is really missing out. Most new BMW’s appear to now be white, on finance, parked outside boring New-builds. Probably by introverted. curtain twitching snobs.

Edited by classicyanktanks on Friday 19th January 06:57

[lord trumpton]

RoverP6B said:

No - I like progress when it actually does something. For instance, my E39s are light years better than my E30, as much as I loved that. If BMW made a 5er Touring that was actually better than the E39s, I'd have it. They don't. As for my politics, I tend to the progressive these days, but shall leave it at that. It's of no relevance to my taste in cars - I've met people who share my politics and know/care nothing about cars, and people with whom I share my passion for these BMWs whose politics I find utterly distasteful.

Fair enough Sir.

I'm a huge BMW fan myself and own two from yesteryear. I love them dearly and can appreciate the design, quality and almost taste the nostalgia they serve up.

That said I'd struggle to use them on todays roads and subsequent commute. Ive got an ugly 5 GT with a diesel engine and autobox for that. I find it far easier to roll around in, quieter, more fuel efficient and comfortable.