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Luxury Performance Sedans

10338 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2013 at 3:12 PM

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What is this discussion about? Lexus GS 430, Acura RL, BMW 5 Series, Volvo S80, Audi A6, Infiniti M35, Infiniti M45, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Cadillac STS, Sedan

Messages Page 30 of 1035

#283 of 10338 Re: Front leg room [mtjohn] by hpowders

Nov 23, 2004 (3:49 pm)

Replying to: mtjohn (Nov 23, 2004 2:47 pm)
Hey thanks anyway, mtjohn, but the car is a 330 on a lease with less than a year to go. Rather than try and tinker with the seat which I'm sure BMW Financial Services would frown on, I have vowed to do my homework next time and test drive as many vehicles as I can so this doesn't happen again. I owned a 1993 325 and just assumed the legroom would be about the same or better in a 2002 330. Well, after signing a 3 year lease, I was totally dismayed at how much less seat travel there was in the new car and also at how much less comfortable the seat was. Should have tested it. Never would have leased it. Now I can go more upscale and from what others have said in this forum, the 2006 M45 just might be the one. I will definitely test it for myself when it comes out.

#284 of 10338 hpowders by designman

Nov 23, 2004 (4:16 pm)

“Rather than try and tinker with the seat which I'm sure BMW Financial Services would frown on, I have vowed to do my homework next time and test drive as many vehicles as I can so this doesn't happen again.”
 
The tip mtjohn mentioned takes all of 5 seconds and you can replace the clip. I think this tip actually appears on the BMW website with a photo. I believe it was div2 who gave me the link in the BMW 5-Series Owners: Problems & Solutions thread over a year ago. Look it up, it should still be there. It's actually easier than opening the hood of your car.

#285 of 10338 Re: hpowders [designman] by hpowders

Nov 23, 2004 (4:26 pm)

Replying to: designman (Nov 23, 2004 4:16 pm)
I posted the seat travel question on the 3-Series Problems and Solutions forum.

#286 of 10338 hpowders by designman

Nov 23, 2004 (4:38 pm)

I don't know if it's the same on the 330 but it doesn't hurt to look into it. Since you don't know what to look for I can see your trepidation. Either look on the BMW website or throw out the question in either the 5 or 3-series thread. I'm sure div2 or someone else will give you the answer.
 
I see you edited your last post. Good, you should get the answer and hopefully you can do it. I was miserably cramped. That little tip was major.

#288 of 10338 Re: Front leg room [hpowders] by disaac

Nov 30, 2004 (7:46 pm)

Replying to: hpowders (Nov 23, 2004 1:14 pm)
the M will be 44 plus -- see the specs on their website.

#289 of 10338 Re: Front leg room [disaac] by disaac

Nov 30, 2004 (7:51 pm)

Replying to: disaac (Nov 30, 2004 7:46 pm)
oops -- that's what i get for replying before finishing the thread!! i am 6'3" and have similar issues so i can sympathize. i am also excited about the M for this reason.

#290 of 10338 Re: Front leg room [disaac] by hpowders

Nov 30, 2004 (9:16 pm)

Replying to: disaac (Nov 30, 2004 7:51 pm)
Well, we will find out next Spring about the legroom issue when we can finally drive the M.

#291 of 10338 Love my new RL! by soapkng

Dec 01, 2004 (1:47 am)

I looked at most of the cars listed on this board - the Mercedes, Lexus, BMW, etc. I went with the RL for a number of reasons and, after two weeks with it so far, I love it! Yes, the styling can be a bit 'dull', but it really has some nice lines. The lighting is great with the new led's, the doorhandles are beautiful, the interior is top notch and so ergonomic - the great cupholders alone are worth the cost. The nav and traffic is amazing, though I've learned already (living in LA with the most comprehensive reported system) that it can be a good 10-20 minutes behind what's actual and that can be enough to let you run into a jam, but even with that, the nav is excellent at getting you there with tremendous accuracy (it recalculates so fast if/when you go off the intended route). The bluetooth is awesome ( I have a V710)! The handling is near what my 528 was (ok, I say this with a grain of salt, but for a Japanese car it comes pretty damn close!) with great steering feel, no dead center and great responsiveness. The auto shifts like butter and if you put it in manual mode the paddle shifters work flawlessly. The SH-AWD does a great job if you throw the car into a turn - It's great to watch the dash (when the wheel isn't in the way) and see the graphic of where the car is distrubuting power as it throws the extra power to the outer rear wheel to get you through. The stereo is amazing, especially if you throw in a DVD-audio and enjoy the true 5.1 surround. The active noice-cancelling tech works to really quiet the car to a vault-like silence and makes talking on the phone through the bluetooth a pleasure. I'm not crazy about the button on the handle to lock the doors, an actual button (as my recent Touareg had) worked much better, but it's still a nice feature. The remote has nice range and the lights (which turn with the steering) also work really well to light a turn. I am a bit disappointed in the mileage so far - averaging about 16 mixed with only about 24 on pure highway, not really up to the 18/26 (or so - I can't remember the exact numbers) as predicted. I wish the rear seat folded too, as this is the first japanese car I've known that doesn't, but it's worth it for the sound system, remote-folding hearests and power sunshade - and the great rear sub-woofer. I also wish we (in the US) could get the RL with the air-conditioned seats as I read can be had in Canada - I mean, I live in the hot climate, why do they get it? I wanted to get aftermarket 18" rims (why the hell would I pay the dealer $2,500 for those ugly chrome ones (the only ones they offer) when they'd then take the 17" ones with no exchange...I mean, I will get 18" and then sell my 17" and probably break even and have a hot set of rims. BUT, I can't get any rims yet since Acura apparently changed the lug and hub layout and size...so I wait patiently for the wheel manufactures to create some options for this ride. Ok, I think that's enough...I can go on, but you get the idea...overall it's a great car, no regrets, but there are a few improvements it can make. Oh, one pet peave on the car - even if the light switch is on 'auto' (where you should never have to touch it and it should do its job), the car still beeps at you when you shut the car off and open the door. The only cure is to turn the switch to off (and I usually just return it back to 'auto' so when I re-enter the car they will come on as needed), but, since the dash lights the same way day or night, it is easy (as I have done already) to drive away with the lights out if you thought it was in auto and you are in a city area - that's quite a run-on sentence!
 
Any questions?

#292 of 10338 by jrock65

Dec 01, 2004 (1:43 pm)

October 2004 Sales:
 
E: 5,011
5: 4,229
STS: 2,308
RL: 1,310
A6: 534
GS: 651
M45: 157
 
*Note that the GS, A6, and M are not the next-generation models.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------
 
November 2004 sales:
 
E: 4,925
5: 3,622
STS: 2,771
RL: 1,941
A6: 1,931
GS: 498
M45: 123

Messages Page 30 of 1035

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