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Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

16087 messages,  Last post on May 09, 2013 at 9:32 AM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G37, Acura TL, Lexus IS 350, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac CTS, Volvo S60, Audi A4, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 877 of 1609

#8757 of 16087 Re: All those names... [hauss] by shipo

Mar 11, 2007 (7:31 pm)

Replying to: hauss (Mar 11, 2007 5:46 pm)
hauss,
 
blueguydotcom is referring to the nomenclature for the specific BMW models. A quick cheat sheet (off the top of my head so may be off by a year here and there) is as follows:
 
3-Series:
E30 -- 1983-1991
E36 -- 1991-1998
E46 -- 1999-2005
E90 -- 2006- (Coupe version called E92)
 
5-Series:
E28 -- 1982-1988
E34 -- 1988-1996
E39 -- 1997-2003
E60 -- 2004-
 
Options:
ZPP -- Premium Package
ZSP -- Sport Package
ZHP -- Performance Package (kind of a breathed on ZSP)
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#8758 of 16087 Re: All those names... [shipo] by hauss

Mar 11, 2007 (8:56 pm)

Replying to: shipo (Mar 11, 2007 7:31 pm)
Thanks shipo!

#8759 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [habitat1] by blueguydotcom

Mar 11, 2007 (9:21 pm)

Replying to: habitat1 (Mar 11, 2007 10:51 am)
Sorry. Stressful weekend. My car is generating interest and I'm still not sure a GTI will be something I can live with daily.

#8760 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [blueguydotcom] by joe131

Mar 11, 2007 (10:25 pm)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 11, 2007 9:21 pm)
GTI ?

#8761 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [joe131] by blueguydotcom

Mar 11, 2007 (11:23 pm)

Replying to: joe131 (Mar 11, 2007 10:25 pm)
Yeah, I'm essentially one phone caller away from a GTI. Someone takes my 330i off my hands, I move to a GTI. Not digging on the big, isolated tank - haven't been from the day I picked it up in Munich.

#8762 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [blueguydotcom] by joe131

Mar 12, 2007 (12:08 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 11, 2007 11:23 pm)
would you like a mini cooper?

#8763 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [joe131] by blueguydotcom

Mar 12, 2007 (12:27 am)

Replying to: joe131 (Mar 12, 2007 12:08 am)
Nope. drove a 2007 Cooper S 6MT about 3 weeks ago.
 
Positives: solid handling, decent ride, good resale, good gas mileage, comfort access, highly customizable, nice bulldog stance/appearance.
 
Negatives: (in order of importance) 2 door, peaky-engine (very off-on turbo setup - reminded me of the original WRX), tons of torque steer at WOT, RFTs, lousy manual, bad ergonomics, BMW connection, pricing at msrp, frameless door glass (uses that same breakage prone system as BMW), association with Cult of Mini, no local dealerships in San Diego, no trunk space, no access to backseats, common.

#8764 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [blueguydotcom] by spiritinthesky

Mar 12, 2007 (12:46 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 11, 2007 11:23 pm)
If I were you, I'd take a little more time to make sure you really want what you are going to get, before you sell your 330i.
 
To me, a Volkswagon GTI seems like a dramatic change, and not an obviously positive one. You may be calling the 330i a "big isolated tank" to help convince yourself that you want to make the move to something else. I would just hope that you aren't finding in a few months that the budget oriented VW, with front wheel drive and a turbocharged 4 cylinder (still a hefty 3,150 lb curb weight) isn't your cup of tea either. And with VW's poor resale and lousy dealership/service reputation, that will only add insult to your injury. I have no axe to grind with VW. Nor do I feel particularly loyal to BMW - I tried my best to talk a 30-something single associate out of a 645i two years ago and now he's taking a bath because he finally figured out it wasn't a sports car and is sick of driving "an old fart's GT".
 
If you have any second thoughts, that's a good sign to hold off. Your 330i won't depreciate significantly if you hold onto it for another month or two. But the wrong decision could have you personally and financially frustrated.
 
P.S. Same is true for wives. I'm fortunate that although not all of my car decisions were the best, I'm still happily married to my first.
 
P.P.S. I'm writing from Germany. Took a 997 GT3 for an extended test drive on the autobahn. That 8,400 rpm free-revving engine and light weight RWD now has me feeling like my 6 month old 911 Turbo is an overweight tank! It happens to the best of us.

#8765 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [blueguydotcom] by nkeen

Mar 12, 2007 (4:14 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 12, 2007 12:27 am)
How about a good, clean, low miles E46, if that's where your heart is and if you can find the right one?

#8766 of 16087 Re: 3 series size [blueguydotcom] by circlew

Mar 12, 2007 (4:31 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 12, 2007 12:27 am)
Blue,
 
What about an Evo? Have you test driven one?
 
Regards,
OW

Messages Page 877 of 1609

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