gocubsgo55

Today I got to explore a BMW 330xi of a very well-off kid I know from school. Fully loaded 2002 330xi, in what seemed like Steel Blue and gray leather. This was my first deep look into a 3 series, and I must say it doesn't fail to impress. The engine sounds beautiful, the controls look nice, and for 46k, the features BETTER be that good.
However, when I took a look at the quality of the materials I was very shocked to see that they were worse than I had expected. To tell you the truth the TSX's materials/ fit and finish are the same if not BETTER in my opinion than that of the 3 series . Does anyone share that thought with me, or was I completly wrong?
I could easily get used to the crappy Siemens orange interior, and the Harman/Kardon sound system was something I could get used to even faster than that 3.0L i6. Personally I don't like the AWD option as it saps engine power, but overall that thing was great. Lucky kid to have such a great car, what ever happend to earning your car?! And his future holds a Porsche Boxster coming soon. Sad what kids get these days as 1st cars .

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

It always disappoints me greatly when I hear about wealthy parents buying their kids $40K+ cars as their first car. It angers me when they buy them a new car every year or two thereafter. This has created a lot of the problems in society, the lack of understanding of the value of hard work and money. It also results in a lack of responsibility. I wish that wealthy parents would look upon the experience of owning a car as a learning opportunity to encourage responsible behavior and to teach responsibility to self, to property, and to others.

gocubsgo55

^ 10. if he's in a porsche buy 18, then what will he be looking forward to at 25???

biker

x 2

iamhomin

I've been in a 330xi as well and also has driven it couple of times and I would have to disagree with you on your quality claim.

The quality (leather, trims) is much better than our TSX's. It looks solid, unlike our fragile fleather and has the strong german-like feel to it. I like the way our TSX is styled both inside and outside, but quality wise, we're far off from the BMW 330xi. The TL would be more of an comparison in terms of interior quality.

DEI99662

x 3 It annoys me that parents buy their kids everything.

jcg878

x 4


But it's their kid. The only kids you get to try to bring up right are your own

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

True, and my kids, when I have kids, will be buying their own cars, just like I had to.

RMATIC09

I Dont understand, if your well off enough to spoil your kid's in luxuries, you can do so without having to sacrifice everyday moral principles. It's not what you buy them, but what you teach them.

I'll admit, i come from a affluent neigbhoorhood, my TSX was my first car, some of the more inexepsnive ones that were in my highschool parking lots, which included 10 or so 3 series, m3's, porsche carrera, escalades, and you are correct, alot of these kids are extremely spoiled.

However i have a very big work ethic, and living like this allows me to set my standards to what im used to. I will not settle for any less then i have, and obviously i naturally have high standards, and that's what i strive for, so i dont think its as bad as you guys make it seem to be. (no way was this a bash..)

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

It's good to hear that you are the exception to the rule, but even you have to admit that most kids who come from extremely wealthy backgrounds have lost sight of reality and live in their own fantasy world where money is unlimited.

RMATIC09

It's true. My best friend for instance, still has his mother packing his clothes for trips (hes 18), i dont think they have a tool set in their house, everytime they encounter a problem, it's time to call services, which i think is important to do, but now what you run out of toilet paper.

And when kid's ask me "why do you work?" , ... im like "why the fuck do you think?".

What really get's me, is that so many of these kids in my neighborhood, arent even good kids. They are constintely getting in trouble with drugs, getting suspended, drunk driving, and these parents STILL let them drive these 30+ thousand dollar cars. That is what i cant stand, o well, what goes around come's around i suppose.

jcg878

It is easier to keep them happy then to parent them IMO

RWalker2

I for one, am actually glad I do not have a new car as a first car...My car (97 Altima - paid for myself) gets me where I need to go with no problems at all. For the first 6 months or so I was pretty anal about dirt and scratches and stuff but then I realized it didnt make much of a difference on a car with 100k+ miles that already wasn't in new car shape. Sure I dreamed of a TSX and how amazing having such a car would be but I was still happy with mine.

Well now my mom got a new TSX (CG/Quartz/5AT/Non-Navi) and as much as the car is incredible and I love driving it, I am VERY happy I do not have a new car as my first. I would drive myself crazy with keeping it perfectly clean and I doubt I would allow many of my friends in my car (seeing as how it goes in my lowly Altima... I'm worried even though they are good people). I can enjoy my car and not worry too much about it while having a great time with friends... once that is over I can look forward to having a car I can really enjoy (can you say used TSX in 5 or so years after college? )

Anyway I don't have much of a problem with kids with expensive cars as long as they treat it right and drive appropriately... I know someone who has a S4 but I've never seen him exploit the power yet and he's had it for 2+ years. The same goes for someone who has an RSX-S and a Mercedes G-Wagon. Then again I see more kids with riced out whatevers driving like idiots just because there are more of them.

So sure I know I could handle a new car... better than most I would think, but now I believe I have the best of both worlds... can drive a TSX if I really want.. but then again I can enjoy my car (it is still fun!) and enjoy life before it gets too crazy.

RMATIC09

Yes, but a TSX would be more fun. I drive my 100+ k miles maxima around alot, its the beater of the family, it's really great, 96 gle, that thing can handle anything.

Ken1997TL

I thought I was spoiled, I got a used Civic for a car from my parents and I had to pay for everything afterwards.

scheißterhöffer

Am I mistaken or do you drive a TSX? I seem to recall from other threads that you do, maybe I'm confused. If you do, and you are in fact 16 as your profile sidebar thing suggests, I'm inclined to believe the car is either partially or fully subsidized by your parents or other family members. If all these assumptions are true, and I don't know if they are, wouldn't you say a $27-29K car is pretty excessive too? Granted, it's not $46K, but it's still in my opinion excessive. Not bashing, just curious where you're coming from.

gocubsgo55

No no no, it is NOT my car (yet). I've told this story a million times, here's a million+1. When a family member (not me) was involved in a rear-ending, there was enough damage on the car (a 1993 Toyota Camry) to have insurance buy it off of us. We were given the value of the car and sent off. That was supposed to be my car, I had already given it a hella cool Alpine flip screen head unit, phony xenons, and a set of 16" Kazera rims (all because of issues with the stock parts, so I figured why not go better?).
Well my dad was interested in the Maxima as was I. Then I came around the TSX and dreamed of how cool it'd be if my family were rich and I had that as y 1st car. Well, after my dad fell in love with the TL (he HATED Honda/Acura before I showed him the TL and TSX), he wanted a TL. However, it was a week old at the time and apparently 36k was good enough a deal on a PWP/Parch 5AT non-navi TL. NO WAY, of course.
So, my mom thought it'd be nice if we bought a Civic and drove that for 2 years until I turn 18, because my parents can't stand used cars. My dad asked what I'd want if I had under 30k to spend, I said 350z, but he said sedan. So, I opted for the TSX. The deal is if I get into a good university (which I plan on, 3.6-3.8 GPA, Projected ACT score of 28-31, good enough I hope), I get the TSX when I'm 18.
SO, there's the story. Reason why it worked out this way is because my parents aren't very fond of used cars. I love my family's TSX. Afterall, it was me who introduced it to my dad. Man oh man, look how many accolades it has won ever since .

phile

This thread got

ClutchPerformer

You are wise beyond your years, my friend. Keep working hard.

dom

I couldn't possibly disagree anymore. The TSX IMO is ever so slightly above the TL in interior fit and finish and materials. Just my

+ 1

gfxdave99

Hey go cubs, can i race your mini van sometime

Anyway the issue with the 3 series is that its been basically the same interior for a LONG time.

The new 3 series interior is much nicer

gocubsgo55

SURE, don't forget I have the Twin-Turbo SRT-6 engine dropped in there, but I'll run

iamhomin

This statement's getting a bit too redundant.

gfxdave99

Thats okay i was going to race you in this...

gocubsgo55

bring it!! .

By the way, tonight while with two friends in the TSX, we were looking around hunting jobs as porters at local dealerships when some ricer Del Sol decides to entice me with his coffee can exaust notes directed to me. So down a 45 I catch up to him and let him have it, then at around 50 mph, I let him go. While side-by-side, I ask what he's got. He says something like "blah blah with NOS", and I say prove it. He says there's a car in the way, so I let him pass. Too bad my friends informed me that I should've raced him full fledge, I didn't of course (not that stupid). I was expecting to see him try to prove he had NOS in the car . He blew me away and I had no time to respond correctly. Not that I would've. I LOVE smoking little 1.3-1.8L engines that think they can take anything.

phile

They don't call 'em Del Slows for nothing.

biker

drkangel348

My girlfriend has an E46 325i, I love it... but I love my TSX more
I'm happy that I get a chance to drive both cars... they are both in the same realm when it comes to handling. I don't know exactly why, but the TSX is more fun to drive.

gfxdave99

Emmm dont they have like a zero tolerance law for tickets before you're 18 these days?

gocubsgo55

i didn't really race him, i just took the car from 0-45 (or 50 in this case, not enough for a ticket, let alone that). Just wanted to have some fun while getting to the speed limit. As for the zero tolerance, I've never heard of that, at least in IL. My friend got caught doing 80 racing a 3.5 Altima SE in his dad's CTS , he got a $300 ticket and some punishment from mom and dad, that's all. Does anyone know if this "zero tolerance" thing is true ?

phile

It's definitely true here in NJ...sometimes, I swear it feels like the cops are working with the insurance companies.

ianS

I drive my E46 328i in the morning to work and drive my wife's TSX for dinner every night. My E46 is no where close to the refine, precise and fun to drive of the TSX, especially the 6sp manual on TSX is way way way better than the 5sp manual on E46. Every morning I thought my car is a GM and so looking forward to drive the TSX. And the interior of E46 are damn so outdated and boring! I really hate the orange guage after we have our TSX. IMO, TSX is totally K.O. E46 no doubt