Quote:
Originally Posted by dradernh
I still use the wife's Mazda 3 as a DD in town, and it works well for me because it's responsive to inputs, parks easy, and feels 2/3 the size of my car while having the same exterior dimensions. Less importantly, and because it's not lowered, I also don't have to spread 2X4s to navigate it in and out of our driveway. 
This has lead me to thinking I'd like a more mellow and relaxed car for around-town driving. (I tend to lean on the MZ3 pretty hard, and it wouldn't hurt to get away from that, especially now that I'm homing-in on 80.)
Due to having owned so many BMWs, I'm pretty much committed to them and am considering ditching the MZ3 for a 5 Series. I've owned two of them before: an E12 (ancient, I know) and an E39 (ancient now, too, but not to us oldsters, right!), and while I'm not much interested in any of the modern tech that comes with a new German car, I think the current and previous 5 Series' generations could work. I'm thinking a G30 M550i with its AWD and V-8 might be the best way to make the transition.  |
I miss actual shifters, even if they're for a slushbox. The pathetic POS sticking out of the side of the steering column on my GLC300 drives me nuts. Half the time it won't let me shift into reverse because my foot isn't pressing hard enough on the brake pedal. Then it gets into this warning mode that I have to let clear so I can try again. And pushing a button on the end of the stick to get into park? WTF? It also has this annoying collision avoidance warning thing that only tells me I'm passing by a mailbox. Doesn't make a peep if there is an actual collision threat in front of me. It's a comfortable ride and it's been paid up for years, so I keep it. But there are several things about it that get me thinking about a new vehicle every now and then. My fear is that I'll get back into car loan payments and then find that the new ride is worse than the GLC300.
My dream car would be my former E39 with modern Bluetooth electronics in it.