DeanP
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« on: Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 01:57 AM » |
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I dropped off my car at the dealer this morning for a repair that I wasn't comfortable with, front ball joints. I get a nice E46 325i auto as my loaner. 600 miles on it. First I take the long way to work from the dealer. Then I decide I need to go out for lunch today. Again, the long way to the restaurant. Then late in the afternoon, Matt, my service advisor calls, and ooooohhhhhhh nnooooo, my car won't be ready today. They broke their ball joint tool and the replacement won't be here until tomorrow. I "have" to take the E46 home and drive it tomorrow. What a f$%!@^*$ tragedy. Wow, what a car. I take the on-ramp from the dealer to the freeway and accelerate briskly into traffic. I want to get to the left lane for a left exit ahead to another freeway to eventually get to work. As I start fitting into traffic I think, "OK that's a good speed" and look down. 82 MPH and I can't even sense it, wow! Smooth and quiet. So I slow down to around 75 and it feels like I stopped. It was a nice comfortable ride. The car has plenty of power and handles great. It sits tall and doesn't seem to have the same road "feel" as mine. I'll bet the E30 guys say the same thing about the E36. Chris Harper went to lunch with me. He could notice a difference in the ride and feel verses his E46 325xi. He felt lower to the ground and thought the ride was way nicer. His car does have 100k and probably original suspension and almost worn out tires. After I got home I had to come up with a reason to go out. My daughter went with me and see loved the car too. She thinks I should get a yellow one. This one is one of their blue shades with tan leather. What will tomorrow bring?  ? |
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« on: Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 01:57 AM » |
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Dustin
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« Reply #1 on: Friday, May 20, 2005 - 06:51 PM » |
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saweet!!! gotta love getting a sweet ass sweet loaner car.
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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail. But a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "That was f%#@ing awesome!"
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« Reply #1 on: Friday, May 20, 2005 - 06:51 PM » |
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DeanP
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« Reply #2 on: Friday, May 20, 2005 - 08:35 PM » |
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It goes without saying, but I'm saying it anyway, it is a very nice car. I was really surprised by the dramatically notice power difference. I knew the car would be more powerful, I just didn't image it was that much better.
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Dustin
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« Reply #3 on: Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 01:33 PM » |
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yeah I got to drive an E46 a few months ago and it was absolutley amazing. of course just about anything is absolutley amazing when you go from a MKII VW as your refrence...
but the E46 made my E30 look like a little toy car when I drove it... lol I wish I could afford one...
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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail. But a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "That was f%#@ing awesome!"
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DeanP
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« Reply #4 on: Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 12:30 AM » |
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Most likely I'll get a E46 M3 as my next car. I like everything I see when I see an E46.
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Jeff Seabrook
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« Reply #5 on: Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 01:25 PM » |
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interesting - never been in an e46 yet - I test drove an e36 325i and was super impressed with the torque curve in the car, just before I bought my e30 - when I had my L7 - it almost made me a believer...
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DeanP
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« Reply #6 on: Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 05:28 PM » |
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It made a believer out of me. But then again, I wasn't much of a disbeliever either.
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DeanP
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« Reply #7 on: Friday, May 27, 2005 - 10:53 PM » |
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Part II - From my service last week one item was resolved. First thing thing this morning I have an e-mail from my service writer saying bring it down and we'll finish up. So I blast down there and this time I get a 745iL! It takes about 10 minutes for Matt to show how to drive it. It has a button or automatic something or other for everything. The ride and performance of this car is beyond my ability to write. It's amazing. About 4:30 Matt sends another e-mail and they are going to have to replace a rear hub bearing and it won't be ready. I have (get) to keep the 745iL all week-end. Three days of fantasy island with this machine!!!!! The suspension on the car is incredible. The car corners like it's on rails, it won't lean. It has a active roll control and the sway bars are hydraulically controlled. More updates to follow if I ever come back in the house.  |
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Dustin
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« Reply #8 on: Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 01:40 PM » |
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damn you are one lucky fella. come to new mexico and give me a ride in the 745 mang...
i can only hope one day i might be able to sit in the drivers seat of one...
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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail. But a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "That was f%#@ing awesome!"
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DeanP
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« Reply #9 on: Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 03:56 PM » |
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If I wasn't taking it to Iowa tomorrow I would drive to New Mexico and pick you up. I'm looking for the flimiest excuse to go anywhere for anything. I figured out to get the cruise control to work. It has adaptive cruise. Set it on 80 mph for example. If you come up on slower traffic, it slows and maintains speed and dsitance from the car in front. When that car pulls over the car speeds back up. It's very cool. It's warming up today, I may have to turn on the seat air conditioning for the ride home from work.
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Jeff Seabrook
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« Reply #10 on: Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 09:04 PM » |
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alright - i'm almost sold here...
I can't get in the new W's because of the exterior - but the interior's are the most perfect example of what a car should be.
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DeanP
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« Reply #11 on: Monday, May 30, 2005 - 02:45 AM » |
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Not sure what you mean by "W's", but what a car. Just got back from visiting my dad in Iowa. About 400 miles round trip and 25 mph/gallon. Pretty good for 325 hp. The suspension on this car is unbelievable, it glides and floats down the road, then you hit a corner and you are in a different car. It leans into the corner asking for more. The car is long as my wife's Expedition and weighs 4464 pounds and would probably out corner my car. I'll have to think up some place to go tomorrow, alone!!!!
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Ilir
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« Reply #12 on: Monday, May 30, 2005 - 02:04 PM » |
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You have got a good service at your garage!!! Giving you a 745Li to play with  Still got it at home? or had to bring it back? |
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Ilir Dibrani -- www.bmwheaven. com"Speed has never killed anyone... Suddenly becoming stationary, that's what gets you" (Jeremy Clarkson) |
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DeanP
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« Reply #13 on: Monday, May 30, 2005 - 03:44 PM » |
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No, I still have it today. Today is a holiday here, so most business are closed. I'm looking for errrands to run today. I have a couple local roads mapped out that look fairly twisty. Might be able to go and play later. My wife and I are doing some spring cleaning right now. I will also get to drive it to work tomorrow. I'll have to find the LLoooonnnngggg gggg way there.
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