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Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans
10007 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 7:40 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: tayl0rd (Nov 15, 2005 2:18 pm) Maybe the remaining Phaetons (on leases) could steal some LPS dollars -- seems like a heck of a deal. But, then the question and answer: "no I wouldn't lease it with your money." I want smaller, more nimble, not bigger and more floaty, no matter what (note: this excludes the new S8 short wheel base of course.) But when your BMW X3 is $581/month it does give you pause. |
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Replying to: jo2 (Nov 15, 2005 11:41 am) As for BMW's iDrive system, once you've programmed everything to suit your particular preferences, there is seldom any need to use it. Conventional switches & controls exist to control everyday functions such as A/C temp/blower speed, radio/CD mode & track/station number selection and various other functions. As an example of the iDrive capability, you can program steering wheel switches to control A/C and radio/CD functions. Want an alarm to go off at a programmed speed or the doors to automatically lock when taking off? No problem with iDrive! To duplicate the functional capability of iDrive, you would need several hundred switches/controls on the dashboard, which would rival the cockpit of a 747. To make a long story short, most of the criticism about the iDrive system comes from people who know little to nothing about it. As consumers continue to demand more and more functional capability in their cars, manufacturers are being forced to employ some form of menu-driven system to avoid a bewildering array of switches/controls. Like it or not, this is the future! Martin |
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You think, jo2, you can move one knob up, down, left, right and click it? That's all there is to it. I'm no technology genius and if I find it easy, it's easy! By the way, the only time I use it now after 4.5 months with my 545 is to check my ongoing mpg. One move of the iDrive knob to the right and I get this information on the display screen. iDrive is terrific!
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Replying to: tayl0rd (Nov 15, 2005 11:51 am) Drive both at speed and you'll find as Car and Driver found...the M45 is in a separate league from the 530 and easily able to hold its own with the 545/550...with the interior room that slots it right between a 5 and 7 size wise. In fact, does the 530i even belong in the LPS class when an Altima will show it Nissan taillights? Road and Track found the M besting the 545i Sport in skipdpad, slalom*, and braking...R&T gave the BMW points for road feel at slower speeds. They called objective performance "nearly dead even" and real world performance "every bit as quick". *Feb test. |
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Replying to: jo2 (Nov 15, 2005 11:41 am) I test drove all the LPS - here are some things I considered: * How's their driving experience and could I really tell the difference in 99% of my daily driving? * Which exterior styling attracted me the most and which interior felt most comfortable - after all that's where I'm spending most of my time. How about the gadgets? * Do I want a more performance-oriented car, a more luxurious-oriented car or one that is more well-rounded? * How much prestige do I need to have - this refers to the "badge" and I believe it is a factor in the segment IMHO. * Which car did I feel was most reliable, especially with all the electronics found in these cars. I know it's covered under warranty but I hate going to the service department for something that should have never broke in the first place. * The dealer service experience. Most people NEED basic transportation but LPS buyers WANT more. Rationally a Honda makes more sense than either car but emotionally who doesn't want a LPS instead? (actually I really want a Ferrari) You have to ask yourself if I bought an Infiniti (or BMW) and I pulled up to a stoplight next to a BMW (or Infiniti) would I glance over and think to myself "I should have bought that one" for whatever reason. You seem predisposed to BMW so I suspect that the Infiniti has to be a whole lot better than the BMW for you to really consider it. Say you give the Infiniti a 55-45 edge over the BMW, you'll probably still buy the BMW....just human nature. The M is Infiniti's first serious attempt at competing in this market. Imagine how good the car will be in future generations - the fact that they can compete with the heritage of the 5-series is compelling. They could increase the handling and decrease the road noise by simply changing their choice of OEM tires. What other improvements will they come up with? I tend not to listen to forum members who only praise their cars - I'm more interested in those who criticize their cars and give a more fair and balanced (sorry Fox News) opinion of their ownership experience. I have actually owned a 911, a M-B, a BMW, a Lexus and now Infiniti. Each had it's own unique characteristics - some great and some really bad. Oh....to answer your question. I would have been happy with either car. It was close but I chose the M. When I'm at a stoplight next to a BMW (happens alot in SoCal) I have never regretted my choice. I feel very fortunate that I'm even making this choice at all.
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Replying to: sdiver68 (Nov 15, 2005 6:17 pm) Anyhow I still get a kick about using comparisons. If a test says my car is the best....well then it's "proof" that I made the right choice. If a comparison says another car is the best....well that test had serious flaws in it's methodology or the editors didn't know what they were talking about or had biases. Will be interesting to see how long it will be until someone posts a comparison that refutes your statement. Now I'm LOL!!
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November 2005 Motor Trend: 545 NON-SPORT beats the M45 SPORT in its comparo. Of course the M45 Sport with its powerful V-8 IS in a separate league when comparing it to the anemic inline 6 of the 2005 530i. The comparison was disgraceful and should never had been made. The M45 sport should only be compared to the 545/550. It was and the 545 non-sport beat it according to Motor Trend. And who am I to argue, IMNSHO? 
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Replying to: drtravel (Nov 15, 2005 7:06 pm) Ha! You nailed it! Good one! 
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Replying to: sdiver68 (Nov 15, 2005 6:17 pm) |
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Replying to: drtravel (Nov 15, 2005 6:56 pm) One thing that would help is an extra cog (or two) in the transmission. Some here have complained that the M "cruises" at a rather high rpm compared to some of its competitors. A tall 6th or 7th gear designed specifically for highway speed with the lowest possible rpm would help the M's noise problems, as well as deliver better highway fuel economy. |
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