I sat in the 6 series and like the Camaro, CTSV coupe, and CLS the roof is to low and doors to high. I don't like the feeling of being in a chopped hot rod.

Oh and Jim the new 5 series seems pretty nice, they all come with the M sport package around here so you get the nice wheels etc. But sadly they also all come with AWD so not so fun to drive. Still when I crack off some miles in his car maybe my thinking about AWD will change.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah I'm not surprised, seems like that would be an issue. The price of looking cool

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

No they don't; my 535i (seen below with the '11 e350 I traded in) has the complete M package as the M5, but WITHOUT AWD.





In fact it has everything an M5 would, except the engine and transmission...The inline 6's twin turbo is plenty fast - with the manual it's 0-60 in just 5.7 seconds.

I think the 550i is the model you can get with AWD.

If you're going to lease be sure and reduce the capitalized cost by basing it on dealer's invoice rather than on MSRP.

The dealer offered me the car at MSRP but I demanded to see the invoice, and my final offer was $420.00 over that, and it was accepted. That was a $5,000 savings.

I'd say a lease makes good sense in your situation - I preferred to buy because I am retired now without the plethora of tax writeoffs available to you....

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

M package except the engine and transmission!!!

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'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

The only BMW I would consider (replace consider with dreaming) now is a 6 series Gran Coupe. I has everything right, beautiful lines, stunning looking car. The new 7 series starts to look decent again, I like it better then the last S class. Every other BMW just looks so bloated to me, like big balloons.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

It's the "M" package, except without the "M" package.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

The M Sport package includes the M 19" wheels, M Suspension, M steering wheel, M door sills, M increased speed limiter, etc.

Its 300 hp with the twin turbo mated to the reliable inline 6 is plenty fast.

The M5 has the double clutch transmission and the big V8 motor, a worse reliability record and horrendously complicated reliability problems and higher theft rates that the 535i doesn't have. PLUS it COSTS $30,000 MORE than the 535i M Sport.. <----

Nein danke.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Those engines are awesome. However the cars (moer the 3 series is much less of an "ultimate driving machine" and more like the "ultimate wallet-emptying machine". The new 4-series starts over 40k.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The problem is in my neck of the wood Jim everyone is so afraid of snow finding a RWD car is just about impossible. The BMW dealer in Bridgeport from what I saw didn't have one none X drive car on the lot!

They do throw in the M sport package for free though on all of them.

I like the 7 series more than the W221 S class, but the new S is coming out.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Huh? I drive mine in snow/ice on a fairly regular basis. I've even ridden my motorbike on ice (not fun, but doable). What's going on in your neck of the woods? I did have a 4WD SUV at one time, but that was more for deep mud and consistent reliability doing 20 miles a day on mud/snow/ice/washboarded dirt, and gravel if it was a good day.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I drove a E36 M3 that I got new for years and it was a great car. I would not touch any BMW these days. The plastic look and the poor interior quality would drive me nuts. Several of my work mates have the new 5 that they lease and all of them have pealing climate control buttons/ scratched and peeling interior plastic and the leather looks worn out after a few years. BMW's are a dime a dozen and everyone has one (Mercedes are now the same way). BMW service is a joke and if you do buy one make sure they are doing what they say they are. The service I got on my M3 was sub-par and they cant keep my girlfriends 08 5 series on the road. Biggest piece of crap ever. She got it new and wants to trade it for a Tahoe (haha).

Since I've just moved to the middle east (the cops use the new 5 series BTW). I will most likely get a Carrera 4S or a new E63. Time will tell, need to wait for my visa to go through before I can buy anything.

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2001 G500 (45k and counting)
1991 350SDL (211 and counting)
1998 C43 (50k) Silver/Black (sold)
1995 E500 (40k and counting) Pearl Black/Anthracite (sold)
1991 300CE (50k and counting) Silver/Black Cloth (sold)
1983 300D - 79k Classic White/Blue Leather
2002 E55 Obsidian Black/Black
1996 S600 Coupe - 75k Black/Black (traded)
1984 300D -145k (sold)
Silver Blue Metallic/ Blue Leather
1985 300D - 87k (sold)
Manganese Brown/ Palomino Leather
2005 E55, 50k(sold)
Flint Gray/Black

For $840 a month I'd get a PSD superduty...

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

To each his own - I'd rather have a new Duramax Denali HD for $840 a month!


Quite a few of those 6.7 PSDs are having issues.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Rich idiots and women who feel "safer" with AWD and don't care about the money.

Mercedes dealer, and the Ford and Chevy dealers are the same way. Anything 2wd is rare and shipped up from down south. Unless its WT trim than you can find 2wd.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I hate driving trucks, to big and hard to park.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200