alexC01
04-20-2008, 09:37 PM
I bought my first coupe back in 1993, when the E36 just came out. I loved that car... but an accident made it a total loss just 354 days later (1 day left on my insurance, whew!)
After that, I got a convertible, and then I drifted towards other brands, including MBenz, Land Rover, Porsche, Audi, etc.
A couple of weeks ago I started looking at the new MBenz C350 to replace an ML350. I loved the exterior, specially with the 18" AMG wheels and the AMG body trim, but the interior looked so plasticky!
I went to the BMW dealer and tried out the new 135 (such a rush driving that pocket rocket!), a 328 and a 335. Still, wasn't sure what to get, until I saw at the dealer a 335 coupe with Space Gray and Coral Red interior. I fell in love with that car. Right there and then I decided that I wanted something exactly like that, but it was more than I wanted to spend. I asked the dealer to locate a 328 exactly like that, but couldn't find one. Not in stock anywhere in the country, not even in process, or in the water, or anywhere else. Bummer! The sooner he would be able to custom order one was going to be May for July delivery. Mmmmm. If it wasn't that color combo, then the C350 came back into play.
Well, I started searching thru cars.com and lo and behold, there was a 328XI EXACTLY like I wanted, with NAV, PREMIUM, SPORTS PKG, SIRIUS, Space Gray, Coral Red and Gray Poplar Wood. The only problem is that shipping from Philadelphia to Houston would cost over $1300. Ouch!
So I called the dealer over there (Otto's BMW in West Chase PA) and got a very good deal on the car, and if I flew over there to pick it up it would only cost me a one way ticket plus some gas... plus I would get to spend nearly 20 hours driving for the next 2 days thru some very nice roads!
So, I flew in friday morning, got there at the perfect time to see the launch of the 6 series SUV-coupe or whatever they call it ;) and got my new car.
WOW, this is a BEAUTYFUL, STUNNING, GORGEOUS CAR!!!! The power, handling and overall balance of the car is SUPERB. I remember loving my first BMW coupe 14 years ago, but this is something else.
The NAV with traffic update is phenomenal. I was able to avoid all the trafic jams going thru Washington DC at rush hour... etc.
After 6 hours driving the first day, I had to drive another 14 the next day to get home. I still didn't want to get off the car!!!
I took it very nice during the first 600 miles, varying the speed according to the break-in recomendation. The next 600 were slightly faster and finally, after 1400 miles, the last 200 were a blast!
At every gas stop people would stop and look at the interior and their jaws just dropped. I confirmed that I had made a wise choice.
After leasing cars for the last 12 years, this is a keeper. I went for a purchase. When I got home, my kids just drooled over the car... but maybe not as much as me, hehehe.
I know the 335 is faster, but then again, the 328 might be more reliable by not having the turbos, and quite frankly, if I were living in Europe, I might enjoy the 335 a little bit more, but here in the good 'ol USA, the 328 is MORE than fast enough to get you in trouble.
By the way, the only thing that worried me was the constant bashing of the iDrive by every car magazine, so I thought it might be as bad as they said. Well, after reading the manual for 5 minutes you really understand the logic behind it and it makes sense. It works great, specially if you use the voice commands, you will never have to take your eyes off the road.
Today I hard wired my V1, and after a good wash, I couldn't keep looking a the car. As I said before, STUNNING.
You can say I'm a happy camper... :)
After that, I got a convertible, and then I drifted towards other brands, including MBenz, Land Rover, Porsche, Audi, etc.
A couple of weeks ago I started looking at the new MBenz C350 to replace an ML350. I loved the exterior, specially with the 18" AMG wheels and the AMG body trim, but the interior looked so plasticky!
I went to the BMW dealer and tried out the new 135 (such a rush driving that pocket rocket!), a 328 and a 335. Still, wasn't sure what to get, until I saw at the dealer a 335 coupe with Space Gray and Coral Red interior. I fell in love with that car. Right there and then I decided that I wanted something exactly like that, but it was more than I wanted to spend. I asked the dealer to locate a 328 exactly like that, but couldn't find one. Not in stock anywhere in the country, not even in process, or in the water, or anywhere else. Bummer! The sooner he would be able to custom order one was going to be May for July delivery. Mmmmm. If it wasn't that color combo, then the C350 came back into play.
Well, I started searching thru cars.com and lo and behold, there was a 328XI EXACTLY like I wanted, with NAV, PREMIUM, SPORTS PKG, SIRIUS, Space Gray, Coral Red and Gray Poplar Wood. The only problem is that shipping from Philadelphia to Houston would cost over $1300. Ouch!
So I called the dealer over there (Otto's BMW in West Chase PA) and got a very good deal on the car, and if I flew over there to pick it up it would only cost me a one way ticket plus some gas... plus I would get to spend nearly 20 hours driving for the next 2 days thru some very nice roads!
So, I flew in friday morning, got there at the perfect time to see the launch of the 6 series SUV-coupe or whatever they call it ;) and got my new car.
WOW, this is a BEAUTYFUL, STUNNING, GORGEOUS CAR!!!! The power, handling and overall balance of the car is SUPERB. I remember loving my first BMW coupe 14 years ago, but this is something else.
The NAV with traffic update is phenomenal. I was able to avoid all the trafic jams going thru Washington DC at rush hour... etc.
After 6 hours driving the first day, I had to drive another 14 the next day to get home. I still didn't want to get off the car!!!
I took it very nice during the first 600 miles, varying the speed according to the break-in recomendation. The next 600 were slightly faster and finally, after 1400 miles, the last 200 were a blast!
At every gas stop people would stop and look at the interior and their jaws just dropped. I confirmed that I had made a wise choice.
After leasing cars for the last 12 years, this is a keeper. I went for a purchase. When I got home, my kids just drooled over the car... but maybe not as much as me, hehehe.
I know the 335 is faster, but then again, the 328 might be more reliable by not having the turbos, and quite frankly, if I were living in Europe, I might enjoy the 335 a little bit more, but here in the good 'ol USA, the 328 is MORE than fast enough to get you in trouble.
By the way, the only thing that worried me was the constant bashing of the iDrive by every car magazine, so I thought it might be as bad as they said. Well, after reading the manual for 5 minutes you really understand the logic behind it and it makes sense. It works great, specially if you use the voice commands, you will never have to take your eyes off the road.
Today I hard wired my V1, and after a good wash, I couldn't keep looking a the car. As I said before, STUNNING.
You can say I'm a happy camper... :)