Quote:
Originally Posted by martyl
You shouldn't have to add a track handling package to make the car drive like a BMW. It should come that way. After owning two 3 series, I bought a V6 Genesis. It's better as most of the reviews say. Plus I got tired of paying extra for every little thing on a BMW. They need to change that mindset.
|
BMW has had to live up to the "ultimate driving machine" hype they created. Mercedes created compact luxury vehicles that rode like silk...and they floated, bobbed, dipped and dived just like you'd think with those spring rates. They made sporty versions too, but they never said the C or E class was the "ultimate driving machine". BMW put out that moniker. So earlier 3-series cars were nice and tight driving machines, but with all they hype they've shot themselves in the foot going forward in the direction they are taking. I don't agree that you should have to go to a M3 to get a nice tight driving machine or that you need 400hp, modern turbos that give a lot of good torque down low are plenty and with a responsive and well tuned chassis, can be a lot of fun. But then you have to stretch out the gears at some point to get decent efficiency, so it's hard not to have something sacrificed. But older 3-series were pretty good all around. My brother's E90 was pretty fun, drove like it was on rails (in a good way). Made me want to get a BMW...except they took a huge nosedive at the same time.
Hell, it's not so much that I can disagree with them selling the public what they want, watered down platforms and SUVs for people to play with their phones in, but for the love of god, stop calling them the "ultimate driving machine".
I remember when I ordered the "track handling package", which was simply the adaptive dampers. Got the "oh, you don't need that unless you are using it on a track" line from the salesperson. That person had no freaking clue...this car, even with adaptive dampers, is so far removed from a track car that anyone that says that should be punched in the mouth immediately. My 2SS 1LE is lightyears ahead in that regard...as it should be though, as it's not masquerading as a sedan.