I hate cars

This is the thread that got locked in the 3G forum.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I should start by saying I got the salesman to $120 over invoice which was 41,000 I believe. Not bad and the lease would be just over $500 a month. I'm paying $701 on the TL right now (not a lease)... Problem is with 55,000 miles on my 06, dealer trade in is only 18K so I would have to sell it to a private party. If I did trade the TL to the dealer, the Bimmer payments would be $720 a month.

So I drove the car (an auto) and I think I expected too much from all of the internet hype. I got into the car expecting to be blown away and buying it on the spot but that didn't happen by a long shot. I got the car void of a salesman so I had some fun with it.

The interior seemed cheaper than the TL. The leather was probably a higher quality but when you're sitting there driving the car, it actually feels cheaper. Definately more cramped, not at all what I expected. On the bright side, there were absolutely no rattles and less road noise, two of my biggest complaints with the TL.

The TL's steering feels more precise up to 8/10ths driving but when really pushed to the limit, the Bimmer's RWD didn't take away from the driving experience like the FWD TL. For what it's worth, my TL would most definately pull a higher skidpad number in steady state cornering against the Bimmer. In any other cornering condition the TL loses. I did have fun sitting at a redlight turning the steering right and left and watching the headlights move.

By far, my biggest disappointment was the power and turbo lag. I'm sure this is where I will get flamed but let me explain... I got caught up by the internet hype about the turbos having no lag and the gobs of power. In reality I forgot that this is only a mid 13 second car on a good day but was reminded the first time I hit the gas.

Punching it to the floor from a dead stop takes a second or two for the turbos to spool. It spools pretty fast but nothing like I had imagined. It's comprable to my large turbo GN and is slower to spool than a lot of the turbo cars I've driven with moderate sized turbos. With a little powerbraking, there is no lag from a stop. From a roll, it's impressive. There is no noticable turbo lag whatsoever and the torquiness and ease it pulls at low rpms feels more like a big block than a 6 cylinder. Again, spool is very good, just not what I expected from everything I've read.

Power was disappointing. The first time I floored it, me and my friend just looked at each other. I didn't know what to say. I was expecting more and so was he. Again, with all the hype, I forgot it's just a 13 second car that traps 105mph on a good day. It's a quick car, just like my friend's IS350 is quick (in fact, feels about the same) but I wouldn't feel too comfortable taking it to the races. First and second gears are mediocre. The shift to third surprised me. Acceleration in third felt almost the same as second gear but by the time the car was getting fun I was in the triple digits.

I'm not convinced that it's worth trading the TL in yet. The BMW is quick but no where nearly quick enough to sell me on that point alone. In the normal daily commute I have to say the TL suits my needs better. I just have to get it out of my head that I could lease a Bimmer for less than I'm paying for my TL.

A couple comments on some replies from the other thread.... I do want to drive one with basic mods which is where I would leave it. Program, exhaust, and intake.

"Lowgrowl" I was a PM for a communications company. I worked my way up from a labor position with very little education. When the company went under a little over a year ago I was left with no job and no education. I made a good bit of money when I was 22 and have that to fall back on if I have to. I've been doing construction for the past year. What a lifestyle change lol. The pay is not bad especially with prevailing wage, and unlike the average construction worker that blows his paycheck the same day, I don't drink, smoke, or gamble.

majin ssj eric

I don't know what you mean by "only" a mid 13 second car. That is quite fast actually. What did you expect, Z06-like low 12's?!? I haven't driven the 335i yet so I can't dispute your claims of turbo lag but it does fly in the face of everything I have heard or read about the car (and the N54 did win engine of the year 2007). Maybe you just really like your TL.....

1killercls

I hate cars

I wrote that it didn't have much lag. Just that I was expecting too much from the articles and internet hype I guess.

nbennettksu

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure how you could have been let down... it runs almost identical to the E46 M3...

picus

Were you driving in D or DS or both?

I hate cars

Not let down, just not exactly what I was expecting. The grass always seems greener on the other side. When I went to the other side I was expecting more, that's all. This is why I would like to test drive one with some basic mods. Right now I just can't justify getting rid of the TL with it's room, reliability, and nice interior for a 13 second car. Besides, I drive the TL very easy because it's not fun to drive hard which is a good thing. Still on the fence...

Crazy Bimmer

^ thats what i was thinking when i read this.

Same thing happened to me when i drove an auto 335i. Its not the turbos that lag off the line, its the auto transmission.

I hate cars

In "D".

I got a call from my friend at the dealer to come down for a test drive. Didn't have much time to try out all of the features because I was already late for a meeting. I plan to give it a more fair shot this weekend when I have more time. I was thinking of taking it for a couple hours and driving a little more normal in real world conditions instead of beating the crap out of it for 5 minutes.

I hate cars

Interesting. Could you elaborate a little?

phil2

will they ever offer an smg?

savage

i thought i heard they were going to launch a DSG and throw it on the new M3 first, but prob not until the second year...

nbennettksu

iTrader: (2)

negative, the M3's getting the good ole' 6-spd tranny or a now no-cost-option of SMG4. I say no-cost-option because on the E46 M3 the SMG2 was a $2600 option!!

nbennettksu

iTrader: (2)

oops my bad, I thought we were talking about the M3, no the 335 won't get smg, they didnt sell enough of smg on the e46 325/330, e60 545/550, or e63 645/650. so what they started doing was just putting the paddle shifters on the steering wheels of the e90/91/92/93 and the new 08 5-series. hope that answered your question

Moog-Type-S

Yea, keep your TL the 335 is overrated.

I hate cars

It's a great car but the TL is halfway paid off.... Decisions decisions...

cM3go

I sold my TL and bought a 335i. Glad I upgraded.

evilone

dumping my cl for a manny 335i.. couldn"t be happier =) only 7-11 weeks more to wait... uggghhh. man this is going to be the slowest 2-3 months of my life

TLdriver022

I drove an automatic 335 sedan a couple months ago and I have to say I agree with you about the turbo lag from a dead stop. There is a fair amount of turbo lag from a standtill. Power is great from all other areas, it just didnt seem as strong down low as I thought it would be. Otherwise it seemed like a great car. I think when I trade in my TL I will definitely be considering a 335 coupe or a new M3.

jz-97-c7

i drove a e90 330 yesterday, and i've driven a 3g tl previously....the 3 is a little smaller but that's about the only thing i'd give the tl....if i was in the market, i'd do it in a heartbeat.

Shadzilla

Different strokes for different folks I guess, just keep the TL and be happy, problem solved

parshooter

Keep the TL and you won't have to worry what to get on your personalized license plates.

nbennettksu

iTrader: (2)

Guys, I really don't understand what you're talking about with the turbo lag... thats just how BMW's are geared... I'm in and out of these things everyday. It is the same feeling on the E90 330... drive the M5/M6 and you'll get the same feeling from a dig, they feel like the have turbo lag (a delayed power band even on the 500 Sport mode) and they don't even have turbo's. Once the RPM's hit 2300+ you feel that suckers power. The only real line monsters BMW ever produced were the E39 M5, E52 Z8, and believe it or not... the Z3.

On the BMW's from a dig, there's a delay.

srika

for krissake's, the bloke has a 600hp GN. any other car is gonna be slow.

TLdriver022

I had a feeling that might have been the reason it felt like that but I wasnt for sure. It is probably just the automatic that bogs it down at the start.

nokiaman

TheMirror

Heh heh, I caught that GN comment too. Funny!

To I hate -

Sounds like you'll make the right decision to keep the TL....especially considering its halfway paid off.

I've experienced what happened to you a number of times. I read rave review after rave review, get all fired up that the car will be the best thing since sliced bread, then end up underwhelmed when I actually drive the thing.

300hp and 300ft.lb. of torque in a 3600lb car....well...thats more or less the same as my pop's GS400 with 300/310 in a 3700lb. car.

Fast, but not anything you're going to set pavement on fire with. I'm one who isn't all that surprised it didn't grab you by the neck and make you love it. Just my

Good review by the way.

-Mirror

I hate cars

I wish it were that easy. That's why I think I'm going to drive the 335 around for an extended period to see how if feels. At this point I'm not sure which car I like better but it wouldn't hurt to have a lower mileage car.

As for the GN, if it ran, I would probably be more content with the TL and this thread wouldn't exist. Unfortunately the bodyshop it was in decided they needed things like the turbo, injectors, and misc body parts more than I did before they disappeared. It's been nearly a year since I last drove it.

I hate cars

Exactly!

nokiaman

You mean they vanished out of thin air with your car??

teranfon

The car still can't be a hot air car? With the horsepower you're pushing you must have intercooled it.

Terry-who's owned four GN's and still has the first.

srika

dude - try a 335i with 6MT?

srika

nice!!!

I always loved GN's. Actually I also loved the Buick T-Types, in general...

I hate cars

Probably not the smartest thing to say on the internet but what the heck, I'll never get my money back....

I got the call from a concerned family member while I was working in Vegas that there were some shady things going on and my car was sort of MIA. The acura is just a piece of metal that can be replaced for a $500 deductable. The GN is more than that and I've owned it since I was 17. Luckily I had a four hour drive to cool off. I found my car at the shop but the business didn't exist anymore. The car was not in bad shape when I took it to get it painted. Here's what I got back, I'm surprised the intercooler was still there:

mclarenf3387

The N54 motor in the 335 has almost no turbo lag. What you feel is the transmission.

teranfon

Give me a shout privately if you require any specific parts. Mine have all been '87's except for one '86. I have a few body parts, trim, and mechanical parts that I may let go of if you're interested in finishing your car.

Terry

picus

It doesn't matter of it's 6MT; it isn't the auto transmission, it's the gearing. There is a throttle delay in "D", that's why I asked. If you hit it in D from a stop there is a delay in any gear. Put it in DS or better yet manual mode, and there is *no* delay; just spinning tires if you hit it.

I hate cars

Nice! It's intercooled but still in the hotair configuration. Just got the large turbo fitted, dyno'd, and motor installed before it went to the bodyshop. I was shooting for 10s and then planning on converting over with some of the spare parts my dad has from his stageII project. Haven't posted at turbobuick.com in a long time. I can't bring myself to look at my car. Just going to wait until I have the money to fix the whole thing at once.

Here's the stageII car:

I hate cars

Interesting. When I hit it, it would take off and then a second later the power would come in. I'm going for another test drive tomorrow so hopefully I'll have something positive to report back.

srika

I think we'll all be happy if you come back and say it was the "D" that was the issue.