The next daily driver
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,131
Likes: 126
From: Canton, MA
The next daily driver
Hi guys. Over a year ago I started a thread in the vintage forum about my plans for finding my next daily driver. it was a long term project and I spent the year researching the possible contenders and waiting for some new cars to arrive. My current daily driver is a six speed manual '06 BMW 330i with the sport package. I've owned it since new in late 2005. It is the first BMW I've ever owned (sort of) and the best daily driver I've ever owned. I am 59 years old and have been driving since I was 16. I've owned more cars than I can count. Before the 330i, I had never kept a daily driver for more than five years. So I am coming to this with a BMW bias, but with experience in literally dozens of other makes and models. I usually drive rear wheel drive cars and buy a set of mounted snow tires for the winter. I'm not against other drive configurations, I just don't need them to drive through snow. I still have my 2002 AP1 and drive it about 4,000 miles every summer. The daily driver gets about 6500 miles of use every year. I also own a 1965 Austin Healey 3000 that I don't use very much.
When I look for a new daily driver, I cross shop quite a bit. I know 90% of people start by identifying what category of car they want and then identify every car that fits that narrow category. Like the guy who decides he needs a sedan and then looks at a Camry, Accord, Maxima and Fusion. How boring. I've never done that. I identify the cars that interest me and then study them and then test drive the cars that make the final cut. In February of 2014 my list was as follows:
Higher priced
BMW 335i or 435i
2015 Ford Mustang
Lexus RC 350
Caddy CTS V-Sport
Mercedes CLA
Nissan 370Z
Lower priced
VW GTI
Civic SI or Acura ILX
Ford Focus or Fiesta ST
Mazda 3
After conducting all my research and looking at the cars at the Auto Show or on the dealer's showroom, I narrowed it down to four cars, three of which were not even on the original list! As of this date, I have tested three of the four finalists. The Mustang GT Premium with Performance Package, the BMW M235i, and the Audi S3. I have yet to test the Golf R. They are a bit difficult to find, but since they share platform, engine, transmission and Haldex system with the S3 I think I've developed enough data to share my thoughts with all of you. I'll update this with my review of the Golf R if I get any time behind the wheel. The next three posts are cut and pasted from my original 14 month old thread from Vintage which you can find here:
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/107...-daily-driver/
Anyway, if you have a bunch of time to kill, you can read through my impressions. Feel free to share your thoughts. I'd like to hear your opinions.
When I look for a new daily driver, I cross shop quite a bit. I know 90% of people start by identifying what category of car they want and then identify every car that fits that narrow category. Like the guy who decides he needs a sedan and then looks at a Camry, Accord, Maxima and Fusion. How boring. I've never done that. I identify the cars that interest me and then study them and then test drive the cars that make the final cut. In February of 2014 my list was as follows:
Higher priced
BMW 335i or 435i
2015 Ford Mustang
Lexus RC 350
Caddy CTS V-Sport
Mercedes CLA
Nissan 370Z
Lower priced
VW GTI
Civic SI or Acura ILX
Ford Focus or Fiesta ST
Mazda 3
After conducting all my research and looking at the cars at the Auto Show or on the dealer's showroom, I narrowed it down to four cars, three of which were not even on the original list! As of this date, I have tested three of the four finalists. The Mustang GT Premium with Performance Package, the BMW M235i, and the Audi S3. I have yet to test the Golf R. They are a bit difficult to find, but since they share platform, engine, transmission and Haldex system with the S3 I think I've developed enough data to share my thoughts with all of you. I'll update this with my review of the Golf R if I get any time behind the wheel. The next three posts are cut and pasted from my original 14 month old thread from Vintage which you can find here:
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/107...-daily-driver/
Anyway, if you have a bunch of time to kill, you can read through my impressions. Feel free to share your thoughts. I'd like to hear your opinions.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,131
Likes: 126
From: Canton, MA
2015 Mustang GT
The 2015 Mustang GT Premium with the Performance Package combines the top level of performance with the top level of luxury in the new Mustang line. Leather interior, in dash GPS, supplemental electronic gauges, power, heated and air conditioned seats, and a slew of other comfort features meet higher spring rates, controllable shocks, heavier rear sway bar, larger brakes, strut brace, 3.7 Torsen LSD, 19 inch wheels shod in summer Pirellis and other performance features. The combination falls short of the European benchmarks such as BMW and Audi. But if you are looking for a high level of performance with great styling, tons of bells and whistles, and a lower price than the European performance coupes, then the Mustang GT accomplishes the mission.
Styling is a matter of personal taste, of course, but unless you prefer a brick to a Bugatti you will agree Mustang styling is very attractive. Of the cars on my short list it is the homecoming queen, leaving the BMW, VW and Audi competing for a spot on the pep squad. But the homecoming queen can be difficult to live with and in this case the long sculpted proportions that give the Mustang its good looks also impact the driving experience. I notice it within the first 10 feet of the test drive. In contrast to my shorter, stubby BMW, the Mustang lets you know there are wheels behind you driving the vehicle and other wheels ahead of you doing the steering. My BMW makes you feel like part of the car. You're sitting on the drive wheels, and the wheels that steer are under your feet. You sense no part of the car in front of you, due in part to the nose of the car sloping down from the windshield. In contrast, the Mustang's style includes a long flat body line shooting away from the windshield. As a result, the front of the car is more visible from the driver's seat and the front wheels feel further away as you turn the steering wheel because, well, they are. This will take some getting used to.
Turning at relatively low speeds you can feel the differential working away at the problem of how to deliver power to the rear wheels. In fairness to the car, it was a cold wet day and snow was falling. Although the snow was not sticking to the road, the Pirellis were clearly out of their element, losing grip at low speed on turns and under half throttle openings. The Torsen was earning its keep, delivering power to both wheels when appropriate and then redirecting that power to one side or the other as needed. I did notice some wheel tramp on hard acceleration when I quickly "merged" into traffic to get on the highway on-ramp. Yes Skippy, this car does have power and my thoughts of holding out for the 500+hp GT 350 melted away with the gas I was burning in the 435 hp version of the engine.
The shifter throws are very short for an American muscle car and shorter than my BMW. Between the shifter and clutch take up (which is also shorter and faster than my BMW) I decided to shift in a deliberate fashion to avoid any drama. This is a test drive in the snow after all. I'd like to leave the dealership on good terms with the management. But caution side, clearly the manual is geared towards performance and shifts in daily traffic will not be as smooth as the those I make in the BMW. My wife is not with me in person on this test drive, but I feel her spirit with me. It is jerking back and forth in the passenger's seat when I accelerate, shift and brake and I feel it glaring at me while I practice at smoothing things out.
And yes, those brakes grab quickly. I'll have to moderate my brake foot pressure quite a bit if I buy this car. My foot has been trained for many decades to apply a certain amount of pressure to generate a certain amount of braking force. That training is getting in my way on this test drive. A light foot is needed and I mean very light. One needs only to rest their foot on the surface of the pedal and then think "go slower" and speed falls off at an amazing rate.
The driver's seat is a nice place to be and I extend the test drive onto some winding roads that only a few of us ever seem to use. I find that the turn-in is very quick, and I am using only the normal steering and chassis setting. Road noise is well isolated. But the rumble and burble of the V-8 comes through with no problem. On a long down hill straight I get into it in first and second enough to know that this will be the fastest car I have ever owned if I buy it.
I end the visit with a nice meeting with the sales manager. No high pressure but they want to know what I am thinking and I have nothing to hide since I am still cross shopping. They do nothing to try to make the sale and my young salesman tells me they are not discounting the Mustang GTs as they are selling well at sticker price. He may be right, but since I'm in no hurry we'll see what they do over the next couple of weeks.
Since the Golf R is not available, my next test drive will be in the Audi S3. Audi dealers seem to have plenty of them so I'm hoping a test drive won't be a problem. Stay tuned, if you care to.
The 2015 Mustang GT Premium with the Performance Package combines the top level of performance with the top level of luxury in the new Mustang line. Leather interior, in dash GPS, supplemental electronic gauges, power, heated and air conditioned seats, and a slew of other comfort features meet higher spring rates, controllable shocks, heavier rear sway bar, larger brakes, strut brace, 3.7 Torsen LSD, 19 inch wheels shod in summer Pirellis and other performance features. The combination falls short of the European benchmarks such as BMW and Audi. But if you are looking for a high level of performance with great styling, tons of bells and whistles, and a lower price than the European performance coupes, then the Mustang GT accomplishes the mission.
Styling is a matter of personal taste, of course, but unless you prefer a brick to a Bugatti you will agree Mustang styling is very attractive. Of the cars on my short list it is the homecoming queen, leaving the BMW, VW and Audi competing for a spot on the pep squad. But the homecoming queen can be difficult to live with and in this case the long sculpted proportions that give the Mustang its good looks also impact the driving experience. I notice it within the first 10 feet of the test drive. In contrast to my shorter, stubby BMW, the Mustang lets you know there are wheels behind you driving the vehicle and other wheels ahead of you doing the steering. My BMW makes you feel like part of the car. You're sitting on the drive wheels, and the wheels that steer are under your feet. You sense no part of the car in front of you, due in part to the nose of the car sloping down from the windshield. In contrast, the Mustang's style includes a long flat body line shooting away from the windshield. As a result, the front of the car is more visible from the driver's seat and the front wheels feel further away as you turn the steering wheel because, well, they are. This will take some getting used to.
Turning at relatively low speeds you can feel the differential working away at the problem of how to deliver power to the rear wheels. In fairness to the car, it was a cold wet day and snow was falling. Although the snow was not sticking to the road, the Pirellis were clearly out of their element, losing grip at low speed on turns and under half throttle openings. The Torsen was earning its keep, delivering power to both wheels when appropriate and then redirecting that power to one side or the other as needed. I did notice some wheel tramp on hard acceleration when I quickly "merged" into traffic to get on the highway on-ramp. Yes Skippy, this car does have power and my thoughts of holding out for the 500+hp GT 350 melted away with the gas I was burning in the 435 hp version of the engine.
The shifter throws are very short for an American muscle car and shorter than my BMW. Between the shifter and clutch take up (which is also shorter and faster than my BMW) I decided to shift in a deliberate fashion to avoid any drama. This is a test drive in the snow after all. I'd like to leave the dealership on good terms with the management. But caution side, clearly the manual is geared towards performance and shifts in daily traffic will not be as smooth as the those I make in the BMW. My wife is not with me in person on this test drive, but I feel her spirit with me. It is jerking back and forth in the passenger's seat when I accelerate, shift and brake and I feel it glaring at me while I practice at smoothing things out.
And yes, those brakes grab quickly. I'll have to moderate my brake foot pressure quite a bit if I buy this car. My foot has been trained for many decades to apply a certain amount of pressure to generate a certain amount of braking force. That training is getting in my way on this test drive. A light foot is needed and I mean very light. One needs only to rest their foot on the surface of the pedal and then think "go slower" and speed falls off at an amazing rate.
The driver's seat is a nice place to be and I extend the test drive onto some winding roads that only a few of us ever seem to use. I find that the turn-in is very quick, and I am using only the normal steering and chassis setting. Road noise is well isolated. But the rumble and burble of the V-8 comes through with no problem. On a long down hill straight I get into it in first and second enough to know that this will be the fastest car I have ever owned if I buy it.
I end the visit with a nice meeting with the sales manager. No high pressure but they want to know what I am thinking and I have nothing to hide since I am still cross shopping. They do nothing to try to make the sale and my young salesman tells me they are not discounting the Mustang GTs as they are selling well at sticker price. He may be right, but since I'm in no hurry we'll see what they do over the next couple of weeks.
Since the Golf R is not available, my next test drive will be in the Audi S3. Audi dealers seem to have plenty of them so I'm hoping a test drive won't be a problem. Stay tuned, if you care to.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,131
Likes: 126
From: Canton, MA
2015 Audi S3
The 2015 Audi S3 shares its MQB platform, EA888 2.0 litre turbo charged engine, most of its 6 speed DCG transmission and Haldex all wheel drive with the VW Golf R. As a result, the two manufacturers do everything in their power to obfuscate both the differences and similarities between the two. The VW, equipped with the optional DCC suspension has a sticker price just under $40K. The Audi S3 Premium (oddly, the lowest of two equipment levels) with the performance package (19 inch wheels and tires with "Magnetic" ride) and one or two other useful options like heated and folding side view mirrors comes in at $44K. So for about $4K more you have the Audi version with a more attractive if less practical body style, a much nicer interior, and more electronic gadgets. But wait, the Golf will have navigation, while at $44K, the Audi will not. The Audi Nav system is moronically expensive at $2500 alone or as part of a (gulp) $6K "Prestige" trim level (take that, "Premium"). VW throws their Nav system in with the DCC suspension system (VW for Magnetic Ride if you speak Audi) for a total price bump of $2500. This is like the automotive version of trying to price a Sony TV at two different retailers. They don't sell exactly the same model and you need to take an adult education course to figure out how to compare the two.
But I digress before I even begin. The takeaway is that the upscale 4 door sedan with the premium brand name plate and all the additional luxury features costs only 10% more than the boxy-"hot hatch"-droopy pants version of the same car. Plus, the Audis are plentiful while the Golf R is hard to find. The Audis sell at a bit of a discount, while the VWs seem to sell for sticker price. So I drive my trusty BMW 330i to the neighborhood Audi dealer and promptly meet a brand new salesman, recently departed from the food service industry and now prepared to tell me all about Audis. He's a nice guy, a bit stiff and trying very hard to know his product and follow the automobile sales system that he just learned two days ago. He introduces me to a Misano Red Audi S3 with a $48K sticker price and more options than I want, but I'm here for a test drive, so let's test.
First the walk around. The Audi's sedan body style is handicapped by its hatchback roots. In profile, the car ends abruptly at one-minute-after-the-back-window giving the car a stubby appearance in photographs. In life it isn't as bad, but is that good enough? The front end is very nice with the Audi family grill taking up 50% of the scene. The additional openings and headlights are tastefully aggressive and I like the overall effect. From the rear the car looks tight, tidy and clean. What else can one ask of a rear end?
Inside we find back seats with a fair amount of room for knees, feet, heads and hips, even when they are all connected to the rest of the human being. People who have recently served time in the back seat of a Mustang GT will feel downright comfortable back there, but don't try to squeeze anyone between them. My 330i has a bit more back seat room. The front seats are just plain excellent and the driver's side is very supportive with a great view of road out front. Not so great out the side for some reason. I think the roof line cuts a bit low and the seats don't go down quite as far as I would like. The trunk is a lot like the Mustang's, which is pretty good when you realize this car is about a foot shorter.
The salesman gives me a few useful pieces of information (push this button to start the car, push that button to turn off the parking brake) and I put the DCG into some sort of gear and slowly drive towards the exit. The dealership is located on a very busy road so when I spot a small opening in the line of traffic I hit the gas...and... after a tick of turbo lag, the car scoots into traffic. I have no idea how close the car behind me got before the turbo kicked in, but he didn't hit me or honk the horn. I didn't think I should look in the rear view mirror to see how he was doing. Why risk further humiliation and scorn? I give the throttle a few more stabs and the car accelerates well, but not in an explosive fashion. Traffic is heavy so I really don't have the chance to open it up.
When left to its own devices the DCG shifts smartly and holds gears well. Get off the gas and the car upshifts like all automatics. So if you want to use the engine for a bit of breaking you have to use the slap shift or the paddles on the wheel. I give the paddles a try and after a few embarrassing choices I start to get the hang of it. I'm surprised that downshifts don't really slow the car down much. The engine just revs higher. A very different experience from the Mustang. So will I ever use this feature if I buy this car? I think so. It could be fun to paddle my way down the street. But maybe not.
I take some side streets and find that I am enjoying the sense of being one with the car. Like my BMW, I feel (or perhaps don't feel) the parts of the car working together as one piece and me connected to it right in the middle. The car holds the road remarkably well and I don't think I would ever find the limits while driving on the street. I would need to autocross this car for a season to figure out when one end or the other will break loose.
During the drive the salesman is showing me the various settings for the engine and tranny, ride and steering as I drive. You can choose between comfort performance and custom, which isn't really all that custom. It just seems to let you pick one setting for steering and the other for the engine, etc. This looks like a full-time job and I wonder how many times I will crash while trying to make these adjustments myself. Maybe Barbara can figure this out and do some passenger seat driving when we travel together. I'm surprised that I don't like the performance setting for the engine. The engine noise becomes pronounced and intrusive in this setting. But it isn't real engine noise. The car has an engine noise generator that I will have to disconnect if I ever buy it. I don't need fake engine noises no matter how fast I'm driving. I actually find it embarrassing that Audi does this.
We return to the dealer's lot with less drama than we left. The car stops well and the brakes react very quickly to pedal pressure. I apply the parking brake after I stop like the nice salesman taught me. We go inside for the obligatory post drive debriefing. After meeting the friendly sales manager, I leave the dealer with promises of great deals, fair treatment and eternal loyalty. I get into my BMW and quickly feel how much smoother the straight six runs after kicking the turbo four around town. The power comes as soon as I hit the gas pedal and it really doesn't feel much slower than the Audi. My BMW also feels bigger than the Audi, but not in a clumsy way. It's the interior that feels bigger and I kind of like it. Suddenly I realize my 10 year old BMW is competing for the job of my next daily driver. Hmmm. Maybe Matt was right with his comments on the second post of this long, old thread. Well, stay tuned car buying fans. Next stop will be the BMW M235i.
The 2015 Audi S3 shares its MQB platform, EA888 2.0 litre turbo charged engine, most of its 6 speed DCG transmission and Haldex all wheel drive with the VW Golf R. As a result, the two manufacturers do everything in their power to obfuscate both the differences and similarities between the two. The VW, equipped with the optional DCC suspension has a sticker price just under $40K. The Audi S3 Premium (oddly, the lowest of two equipment levels) with the performance package (19 inch wheels and tires with "Magnetic" ride) and one or two other useful options like heated and folding side view mirrors comes in at $44K. So for about $4K more you have the Audi version with a more attractive if less practical body style, a much nicer interior, and more electronic gadgets. But wait, the Golf will have navigation, while at $44K, the Audi will not. The Audi Nav system is moronically expensive at $2500 alone or as part of a (gulp) $6K "Prestige" trim level (take that, "Premium"). VW throws their Nav system in with the DCC suspension system (VW for Magnetic Ride if you speak Audi) for a total price bump of $2500. This is like the automotive version of trying to price a Sony TV at two different retailers. They don't sell exactly the same model and you need to take an adult education course to figure out how to compare the two.
But I digress before I even begin. The takeaway is that the upscale 4 door sedan with the premium brand name plate and all the additional luxury features costs only 10% more than the boxy-"hot hatch"-droopy pants version of the same car. Plus, the Audis are plentiful while the Golf R is hard to find. The Audis sell at a bit of a discount, while the VWs seem to sell for sticker price. So I drive my trusty BMW 330i to the neighborhood Audi dealer and promptly meet a brand new salesman, recently departed from the food service industry and now prepared to tell me all about Audis. He's a nice guy, a bit stiff and trying very hard to know his product and follow the automobile sales system that he just learned two days ago. He introduces me to a Misano Red Audi S3 with a $48K sticker price and more options than I want, but I'm here for a test drive, so let's test.
First the walk around. The Audi's sedan body style is handicapped by its hatchback roots. In profile, the car ends abruptly at one-minute-after-the-back-window giving the car a stubby appearance in photographs. In life it isn't as bad, but is that good enough? The front end is very nice with the Audi family grill taking up 50% of the scene. The additional openings and headlights are tastefully aggressive and I like the overall effect. From the rear the car looks tight, tidy and clean. What else can one ask of a rear end?
Inside we find back seats with a fair amount of room for knees, feet, heads and hips, even when they are all connected to the rest of the human being. People who have recently served time in the back seat of a Mustang GT will feel downright comfortable back there, but don't try to squeeze anyone between them. My 330i has a bit more back seat room. The front seats are just plain excellent and the driver's side is very supportive with a great view of road out front. Not so great out the side for some reason. I think the roof line cuts a bit low and the seats don't go down quite as far as I would like. The trunk is a lot like the Mustang's, which is pretty good when you realize this car is about a foot shorter.
The salesman gives me a few useful pieces of information (push this button to start the car, push that button to turn off the parking brake) and I put the DCG into some sort of gear and slowly drive towards the exit. The dealership is located on a very busy road so when I spot a small opening in the line of traffic I hit the gas...and... after a tick of turbo lag, the car scoots into traffic. I have no idea how close the car behind me got before the turbo kicked in, but he didn't hit me or honk the horn. I didn't think I should look in the rear view mirror to see how he was doing. Why risk further humiliation and scorn? I give the throttle a few more stabs and the car accelerates well, but not in an explosive fashion. Traffic is heavy so I really don't have the chance to open it up.
When left to its own devices the DCG shifts smartly and holds gears well. Get off the gas and the car upshifts like all automatics. So if you want to use the engine for a bit of breaking you have to use the slap shift or the paddles on the wheel. I give the paddles a try and after a few embarrassing choices I start to get the hang of it. I'm surprised that downshifts don't really slow the car down much. The engine just revs higher. A very different experience from the Mustang. So will I ever use this feature if I buy this car? I think so. It could be fun to paddle my way down the street. But maybe not.
I take some side streets and find that I am enjoying the sense of being one with the car. Like my BMW, I feel (or perhaps don't feel) the parts of the car working together as one piece and me connected to it right in the middle. The car holds the road remarkably well and I don't think I would ever find the limits while driving on the street. I would need to autocross this car for a season to figure out when one end or the other will break loose.
During the drive the salesman is showing me the various settings for the engine and tranny, ride and steering as I drive. You can choose between comfort performance and custom, which isn't really all that custom. It just seems to let you pick one setting for steering and the other for the engine, etc. This looks like a full-time job and I wonder how many times I will crash while trying to make these adjustments myself. Maybe Barbara can figure this out and do some passenger seat driving when we travel together. I'm surprised that I don't like the performance setting for the engine. The engine noise becomes pronounced and intrusive in this setting. But it isn't real engine noise. The car has an engine noise generator that I will have to disconnect if I ever buy it. I don't need fake engine noises no matter how fast I'm driving. I actually find it embarrassing that Audi does this.
We return to the dealer's lot with less drama than we left. The car stops well and the brakes react very quickly to pedal pressure. I apply the parking brake after I stop like the nice salesman taught me. We go inside for the obligatory post drive debriefing. After meeting the friendly sales manager, I leave the dealer with promises of great deals, fair treatment and eternal loyalty. I get into my BMW and quickly feel how much smoother the straight six runs after kicking the turbo four around town. The power comes as soon as I hit the gas pedal and it really doesn't feel much slower than the Audi. My BMW also feels bigger than the Audi, but not in a clumsy way. It's the interior that feels bigger and I kind of like it. Suddenly I realize my 10 year old BMW is competing for the job of my next daily driver. Hmmm. Maybe Matt was right with his comments on the second post of this long, old thread. Well, stay tuned car buying fans. Next stop will be the BMW M235i.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,131
Likes: 126
From: Canton, MA
2015 BMW M235i
The BMW M235i has an advantage over the other candidates for the next daily driver in so far as I love my current daily driver, a 2006 BMW 330i. But this could also be a disadvantage. Any aspect of the new car that is not as good as my old one will be a disappointment. There were not many disappointments. In fact, the only problem with this car is that the back seat is a bit difficult to get in and out of. This is the problem with a 2 door and I have to remind myself that I have someone in the back seat of my car less than 1% of the time. Most every other feature was equal to or better than my car, with the irrelevant exception of the automatic transmission that I would not order if I buy one of these cars. The car I am testing is an x-drive which seems to be the only version of the 235 that New England dealers order.
The exterior is very well proportioned. The demonstrator I drove was finished in white and I hope the proportions look as good in other colors. While the trunk line is short it is not as abrupt as the Audi S3. The cabin appears set back enough in relation to the hood and trunk to give the car the typical BMW sedan look of forward motion. The front view is excellent and the M treatment makes the car look much more aggressive than lesser BMWs. The wheels are a very attractive split spoke design that is really eye catching. The trunk is about the same as the Audi S3, but there is no space saver spare under the trunk floor. The car has run flats and I am not too crazy about run flats. The back seat folds down, but it does not have the small center pass through that I have in my current car. I like that little pass through, but it is not available in the M235. The front seats are familiar and supportive with more lateral support than my current car. Of course this car is equipped with every electronic do-dad imaginable so we have lots of buttons, screens and the idrive knob. I'm ignoring all of that because it will not be a part of any car I order.
This car has the keyless convenience package which is kind of ok. You can lock and unlock the car with the touch of your hand so long as the fob is in your pocket. Like my car the engine starts with the touch of a button. The engine is quiet, maybe a bit louder than mine. It seems to have a performance exhaust system on it and I'm a little unclear about whether this is standard or a BMW center add-on feature. The salesman explains how to put the thing into gear (hold the brake, squeeze that button, pull the stick back, let the stick go, you are now in drive) and I roll out of the dealer's lot onto yet another very busy street. This time when I hit the gas to merge into traffic we move and very quickly. Pretty much no noticeable turbo lag. But the automatic tranny does what automatic trannys do, requiring a certain number of RPMs to get going properly. For all their advancements and extra gears, they fall short of the DCGs in engagement and take-up. But the paddle shifters work well and the shifts are quick once under way. With eight forward speeds, one really doesn't keep track of what gear the car is in. If it feels to high, shift down. Too low, shift up. You never seem to run out of gears to shift into. While i want to test this car with the manual, there are none available. If I order the car with a manual, the first time i try it will be after I own it.
The car has four settings for ride, steering and transmission. Something like eco mode, comfort, sport and sport plus (nannies switched off). We are on the busy streets of Boston so track is as high as we go. In track the shifts are very fast and the tranny holds the gears much longer than I would have thought...maybe this tranny isn't all bad. The ride does get stiffer and you can feel the pot holes and other irregularities in the post-winter city streets. I can't really put the car into any fast corners. the best I can do is lag back from traffic and then hit the gas for 3 seconds until I catch up with the commuters. This car promotes hooliganism and I can dice in and out of lanes quickly and cleanly. So I do. I really want an open road, but alas I'm 200 years too late to find such a thing in Boston at 3:00 in the afternoon. In the comfort mode the suspension is very compliant and does a good job soaking up the bumps. The tranny still shifts pretty well in automatic mode even in the comfort setting. The car is programed to kill the engine when you stop and then restart when you take your foot off the brake to go again. I hate this feature. How can this be any good for the car? Let's crank the starter motor about 100 times every time you drive around town. Fortunately it can be turned off, but you must do so every time you drive the car.
The brakes are very predictable and not at all grabby like the Mustang (very) and, to a lesser extent, the Audi. I guess I'm just used to BMW brake systems. We pull back into the crowded dealer parking lot and he asks me to swing into a tight space with no room to maneuver. I place it into the spot on one try and the proportions are very much the same as my current car.
This car seems to be the clear favorite. It is faster and a bit better balanced than my car but with the same general feel. I'm at home right away. The big hurdle is the price tag. Even when I cut it down to the few options I want, the price creeps up over $47K. It seems like a lot for a small sports coupe with 320 hp. I'll sleep on this one for a bit and take some drives in one or two other potential daily drivers.
The BMW M235i has an advantage over the other candidates for the next daily driver in so far as I love my current daily driver, a 2006 BMW 330i. But this could also be a disadvantage. Any aspect of the new car that is not as good as my old one will be a disappointment. There were not many disappointments. In fact, the only problem with this car is that the back seat is a bit difficult to get in and out of. This is the problem with a 2 door and I have to remind myself that I have someone in the back seat of my car less than 1% of the time. Most every other feature was equal to or better than my car, with the irrelevant exception of the automatic transmission that I would not order if I buy one of these cars. The car I am testing is an x-drive which seems to be the only version of the 235 that New England dealers order.
The exterior is very well proportioned. The demonstrator I drove was finished in white and I hope the proportions look as good in other colors. While the trunk line is short it is not as abrupt as the Audi S3. The cabin appears set back enough in relation to the hood and trunk to give the car the typical BMW sedan look of forward motion. The front view is excellent and the M treatment makes the car look much more aggressive than lesser BMWs. The wheels are a very attractive split spoke design that is really eye catching. The trunk is about the same as the Audi S3, but there is no space saver spare under the trunk floor. The car has run flats and I am not too crazy about run flats. The back seat folds down, but it does not have the small center pass through that I have in my current car. I like that little pass through, but it is not available in the M235. The front seats are familiar and supportive with more lateral support than my current car. Of course this car is equipped with every electronic do-dad imaginable so we have lots of buttons, screens and the idrive knob. I'm ignoring all of that because it will not be a part of any car I order.
This car has the keyless convenience package which is kind of ok. You can lock and unlock the car with the touch of your hand so long as the fob is in your pocket. Like my car the engine starts with the touch of a button. The engine is quiet, maybe a bit louder than mine. It seems to have a performance exhaust system on it and I'm a little unclear about whether this is standard or a BMW center add-on feature. The salesman explains how to put the thing into gear (hold the brake, squeeze that button, pull the stick back, let the stick go, you are now in drive) and I roll out of the dealer's lot onto yet another very busy street. This time when I hit the gas to merge into traffic we move and very quickly. Pretty much no noticeable turbo lag. But the automatic tranny does what automatic trannys do, requiring a certain number of RPMs to get going properly. For all their advancements and extra gears, they fall short of the DCGs in engagement and take-up. But the paddle shifters work well and the shifts are quick once under way. With eight forward speeds, one really doesn't keep track of what gear the car is in. If it feels to high, shift down. Too low, shift up. You never seem to run out of gears to shift into. While i want to test this car with the manual, there are none available. If I order the car with a manual, the first time i try it will be after I own it.
The car has four settings for ride, steering and transmission. Something like eco mode, comfort, sport and sport plus (nannies switched off). We are on the busy streets of Boston so track is as high as we go. In track the shifts are very fast and the tranny holds the gears much longer than I would have thought...maybe this tranny isn't all bad. The ride does get stiffer and you can feel the pot holes and other irregularities in the post-winter city streets. I can't really put the car into any fast corners. the best I can do is lag back from traffic and then hit the gas for 3 seconds until I catch up with the commuters. This car promotes hooliganism and I can dice in and out of lanes quickly and cleanly. So I do. I really want an open road, but alas I'm 200 years too late to find such a thing in Boston at 3:00 in the afternoon. In the comfort mode the suspension is very compliant and does a good job soaking up the bumps. The tranny still shifts pretty well in automatic mode even in the comfort setting. The car is programed to kill the engine when you stop and then restart when you take your foot off the brake to go again. I hate this feature. How can this be any good for the car? Let's crank the starter motor about 100 times every time you drive around town. Fortunately it can be turned off, but you must do so every time you drive the car.
The brakes are very predictable and not at all grabby like the Mustang (very) and, to a lesser extent, the Audi. I guess I'm just used to BMW brake systems. We pull back into the crowded dealer parking lot and he asks me to swing into a tight space with no room to maneuver. I place it into the spot on one try and the proportions are very much the same as my current car.
This car seems to be the clear favorite. It is faster and a bit better balanced than my car but with the same general feel. I'm at home right away. The big hurdle is the price tag. Even when I cut it down to the few options I want, the price creeps up over $47K. It seems like a lot for a small sports coupe with 320 hp. I'll sleep on this one for a bit and take some drives in one or two other potential daily drivers.
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,785
Likes: 57
From: DFW
Great read, thanks for posting it up. I enjoyed your descriptions and the insight to your decision making process. Look forward to reading about whichever car you end up with and any additional test drives you make.
We went the BMW route (2014 328d M sport) for daily driver duties, and I feel the same way about the start/stop feature. On our car (and I would assume on the m325i as well) the start/stop feature is not re-enabled when you disabled it the time before, the drive mode though does change back to comfort by default.
We went the BMW route (2014 328d M sport) for daily driver duties, and I feel the same way about the start/stop feature. On our car (and I would assume on the m325i as well) the start/stop feature is not re-enabled when you disabled it the time before, the drive mode though does change back to comfort by default.
