Had some time to kill Friday so my business partner and I decided to stop in at the BMW dealer which he uses to waste an hour or two. I'm causally thinking about picking up a car next year, he is probably grabbing a 5 series next week.

Anyway, I like the big cars but I'm really a Mercedes fan. He is friends with the sales manager and he wanted me to check out a 750I which I could get on a lease for like $840 a month so pretty cheap.

What a fun car to drive! Fast, the 8spd shifted nicely, everything about it was nice! What a fast competent car, I can't get over how far cars have come since I sold my W126. My SDL rattled down some roads the BMW felt like a billet and solid, plus it just had so much more performance. I didn't really beat on it, but I got on it a little and it took off like a scalded dog, and seemed to have a **** ton of brake and grip reserve. I bet if I was with my buddies we could have really explored its limits better... Anyway interior was nice, not really blow me away, but very nice.

It was a fun way to waste half of a morning.

I'm going to drive his 5 series when he isn't using it, he doesn't know it but I'm taking it to a wedding in September and AC for New Years...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I watched a review of the 760IL last night. Nice, but not really my style. They also reviewed the S63 AMG in the same episode. Also nice but not really my style. The reviewer picked the BMW over the Mercedes. 840 a month is nearly double what I pay for my apartment.

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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 still think Mercedes does a better car in some areas, but BMW still makes more of a drivers car.

Back in HS my friend had a 1993 735IL which was an amazing car, the new ones remind me of that.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The 7 is a boat.


Ok, maybe not quite a boat, more of a land yacht.

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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.

Try a late w221 with the twin-turbo 4.6...

I like boating...my main concern is if a long wheel base drives just as nice, that I get that.

I like big powerful German cars. Sports cars are uncomfortable, I like cars like my friends S600 which are basically land based jets which are fast as hell on the open road and relaxing as hell at the same time.

When I get serious I'll try the new S class since you can lease those for a bit more.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I just took a look at BMW's entire lineup. I'd rather stick with my 300D, but if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to buy a new BMW, I'd probably go with either a 328d or 320i sedan or an S1000RR. The 328 would probably get the best fuel economy of the three, but isn't available with manual transmission. The 1000 would be the most fun, but the least practical.

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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 have not liked the looks of bmw's since the e38's.

Wow. 840 bucks a month for a rental. We live in different worlds.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Yep that's a house payment for me. But if I were to sell the house...

...may be I could sleep in the BMW 7 series?

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

After 3,500 miles so far on this new BMW, here are my impressions:

I think the essential package was almost a direct competitor - as equipped - to the e350 Sport.
Again, all the "M" equipment (except the V8 engine and transmission on the fabled "M5" for $30k extra, too!) package; wheels, body kit, steering wheel, suspension, etc.

Gas mileage per the window sticker is 20/30 (premium gas) which wass the best of the cars...

And the dash gauges are wonderful, easy to read and bathed in lovely red light at night.

Handling is wonderfully crisp and immediate and yet the ride is smooth and relaxed...

But the motor! It's an inline 6, *BUT* with dual turbochargers! Man it sure is quick. The turbo only needs to spool up to 1200 rpm, and you're GONE! This one is NOT a manual, the figure for which 0-60 comes up in 5.7 seconds; but this one with an automatic has got to be close. It's VERY fast. The shifter is more fussy though...takes some getting used to.

As does the keyless go; You push a button to start it, BUT the key for the ignition HAS to be in a little slot between the cupholders, or in your pocket, or 10 feet from the car to make it work. But the function works well, the sound is imperceptible and the starting up is instantaneous, much better than the 2012 Audi A6 turbo diesel I had for 2 weeks in Europe last year. BMW did a fantastic job with this feature. I think it is fine, in execution anyway....

The iDRIVE controller, for me so far is diabolically complex, though in years past, I'm told it was even worse. Though the sound quality is just fine! (Premium system like the e350)...

The seats are leather and awfully comfortable, like the Mercedes w212 there is lots of elbow room and good adjustment options on it, but unlike the familiar controls on the Mercedes w212 driver's door, the BMW's are to the side and bottom of the front seat....tougher to adjust easily...

The rear sunshade is a nice touch that my w212 did not have.

I did NOT like the idea of the run-flat tires, but was assured that unlike the donut spares, and regular tires, the "run flats" do NOT consist of merely a tire on a wheel, but have a very thick skin that encloses an "air chamber" and while their limit is 50 miles (when damaged) they WILL get you that far...

A look under the hood revealed a engine bay so complex I could only shake my head. NOT a DIY scene whatsoever...

But the car's handling - that I have NOT put it to the test - feels serene but hints at great performance. Billed as the mid-size "Ultimate Driving Machine" its heritage and road feel seems to ask for, and indeed promise, real driving involvement. To me this kind of thing is awfully alluring.

And in dark graphite - to me it looks very sinister and quite beautiful - though this opinion of course, is something truly subjective, looking at them side by side it makes me think the w212 is more taxicab like and the fact is, BMW's heritage to this day, also includes fast motorcycles...

Plus of course, there is something to be said for a brand new car hitting the road with 17 miles, and had 5 miles on it when I test drove it. Whereas the w212 had 39,000 miles and just a few hundred away from a HUGE service - the 40,000 mile one, that the dealer wants me to pay $1,200+ for.

Finally, I am not so young, and have no wife or kids to say no, and I have the wherewithal, to get the car I liked, so I did it, and I hope everyone here can ALSO - after retirement, buy whatever cars they want - for cash.

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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)

I like those big Bimmers, definitely more fun to drive than a Merc.

If $840 is cheap, do it now! C'mon man, pull the trigger!! I dare you!!

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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

You live in Connecticut, look out the window. You need something with a high-performance cup holder that performs well in traffic jams and fender benders.

Spend a weekend at a race track, in the pits. Go back for race school. Then go buy safety gear, a race car and take it to the track.

Not a fan of the looks, the 6 series is getting there but still. I don't like any of the newest generation BMWs, except for maybe the 1 series but that's on its way out in the U.S. and its not the prettiest car.

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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

I have to many hobbies as it is, I don't need another one. I am racing just about every weekend this summer though, larger sailboats.

CT traffic and roads suck, which is why big comfortable cars like my SDL are prefect. But just north of us we do have some of the best roads around so something that can lift up its skirt and move a bit is nice.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200