[gt350clone]

Oh, not for me, but for a friend of SWMBO's. She needed a guy to accompany her for fear of getting ripped off.... She's blonde, 38, single, and paid cash for a new beemer! /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

I do have to admit, it was a BLAST spending someone else's money. She was looking for a 325, but ended up with a 330 with the sport package, upgraded 18" wheels, and of course, heated leather, moonroof, and ALL the other goodies! Car has a lot more ba!!$ than she'll EVER use - but I did have fun showing her what it could do! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif If I could afford the car, I could never afford the tickets that would soon follow! /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

I tried pushing a new T-bird, but that didn't fly. We test drove an Audi A4, and looked at the Mercedes C230K coupe, but a beemer was her first choice all along..../forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

It's just terrible that SWMBO forced me to go shopping like that!

 

[mrgem]

What a drag! I'm always being asked to shop for cars by my wife's single friends, too.

So....what was the cash price for a new 330? Bet it was a dollar or 2 more than a T-bird.

One thing about your account puzzled me. Your wife's friend would only consider imports, apparently. How does someone who is relatively unsophistcated about automobiles (my assumption - based on the fact she asked for you to help her) get to a short list that only includes foreign cars - and only then only German cars?

Don't get me wrong, I like Beemers - restored a couple of 2002s years ago. But I was just curious as to why there seems to be a class of car buyer (and there are plenty of them like that) who would never consider a domestic car. My brother is like that - and when I ask him why -- he tells me that "American cars are junk". This is a guy who wouldn't know a fuel injector from a stereo knob, mind you.

I'm sure this same question dogs product and marketing people at Ford and GM, but I was wondering if your friend let on as to why she wouldn't consider the Bird.

 

[POP428]

Forget the B'mer. What's the phone number of the Blonde!!!
Man, paid cash and is single...Grooowl!

 

[jawstang]

Tell Mrs Clone you know a single guy just up the highway that will accompany her single friends on trips like that or anywhere else /forums/images/icons/smile.gif.But I couldnt help in buying an import.

 

[autoxsteve]

Coworker picked up the new M3 a couple of months ago. I don't race him with the Mustang. He would spank me badly...
I have a change with the Boxster as long as there aren't too many straight sections on the road, oh I mean track/forums/images/icons/wink.gif.

 

[gt350clone]

Ended up paying right at $42K....

I think a German car is a requirement to be part of the "in crowd" where she works. She works for a large engineering firm, and they have "beemer row" where all the "cool cars" park. Imagine that, engineers fascinated with German technology! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Honestly, I felt that the Mercedes was the best of the bunch we looked at, but she really had her heart set on a BMW. Her first comment was that the Mercedes was an "old geezer" car, although I thought the 230 coupe was pretty stylish. /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif I think it's more about the "status" and/or "mystique" of a marque than actual issues with the car.

The 'Bird was just too "American". I didn't suggest a Saleen, as she'd probably kill herself then! /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif She did think about a Lexus IS, but a friend of hers already has a Lexus.....So, end of that idea!.

 

[Mark156701]

why didnt you mention a nice shelby?? for 42k thats enough to purchase a nice shelby

 

[kvinkler]

Guys, just from my experience, last 30 years, I drove always German cars. (Drove them all, cause my father was designer in BMW). My SWMBO had always American cars.
When we calculated, how much I spent to maintain these cars, she could drive 2 more new American cars more than me.
I'm just waiting to get rid of my Lexus LS400 and get a new 2003 Cobra. Definitely air-conditioning will last longer than my Lexus one here in Texas.

 

[390GTAcv]

A Shelby with power / heated leather seats , total comfort & convienence package , ultra quiet , etc. etc. I don't think so .

 

[tmendham]

I'm jealous! If I could I get a new fancy car it'd be what your friend got or an M3. FWIW - BMW North America is doing a charity test drive event at dealerships around the country for the Susan Koman Breast Cancer organization. Not only is it a really good cause, I get to test drive a new 325 coupe (manual trans!)later this month. There is also a chance to win an M5 that was used in one of those short films from last year. Just some additional thoughts!

 

[289stang]

I would have pushed the new M5 - just for a test drive you know... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

BMW came to our city last fall and did a "invitation only" 4 hour performance driving school - you pick the car type - 330, 530 or X5. I chose the 530. Had a blast abusing the cars. I was pretty impressed with the handling of a large 5 series sedan.

Along with the performance driving school, there was a Susan B. Komen cancer drive. BMW donated $1 for each mile driven. Basically, you checked out one of a number of different body styles from the Z3 to 7 series and the X5. My class was a morning class (10:am) and we were the first folks there (8:30 am). We got to pick any of the cars. I chose the 330i and my brother the Z3. BMW gave us the keys and a map for a 12 mile route to drive. We left the parking lot and abused 2 very fun BMW's for the next 15 minutes. I got mine to 140 mph on our local I-77 interstate before the next exit - what a rush!!!

I do the same with renal cars!! I guess its people like me who made Hertz stop allowing us to rent performance cars. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[kketell]

I'll take an Alpina, thanks. If you are not familiar with the Alpina, it's the muscle car version of the M5. All the guts without all the electronics to get in your way. Fun fun... http://home.swipnet.se/~w-19495/biturbo.htm

 

[DMORRISON]

I'll take the thing just above the Alpina, Its a little bit faster, as long as you don't hit any Continental Airlines airplane parts on takeoff.
Dave

 

[68CVert]

I don't know. My brother had an M5. It's a big, 400hp, sedan that handles very, very well. As part of the purchase, he was invited down to South Carolina to one of their driving schools. They reminded us, before driving, that "these cars are not yours, don't treat them like they are".....in other words, we beat the crap out of them. Two guys from NYC even blew out the clutch on one.

It's a very fun, very expensive, and very comfortable car. I know I couldn't afford it!!

 

[tschmidt]

I have a '98 BMW M3 as a daily driver, but now it is more SWMBOs daily driver since I got the Saleen. The bimmer is a great handling car, the German engineers really know what they are doing. When it comes time to autocross, I'll take the M3 over my new S281 as it still can out-handle the Saleen.

Tom