Baby on the way, need a new car...

[rmicroys]

I see what you're saying about the auto. I was rather impressed about the auto in the 328 x-drive. Even with the motorcycle shifter push-pull it was rather nicely done. But I'm still a purist. I'm going to stay with the stickshift, unless something really interesting comes along that is an auto.

It will be very interesting to see what cars are on the market 16 years from now for our daughter to drive. Certainly we will still have the R8, of that I'm sure. But she'll likely get some sort of smallish reliable car with only two seats in it, and not enough room to drive 5 of her friends around in. Maybe a Smart of something that size. But I'm sure we'll always have some nice cars that she'll be more than happy to be seen driving around in by her friends.

[rmicroys]

Drove the Audi S4 Base model with a couple options on it, 3.0T superclucked engine, with the DSG. It was the only demonstrator they had. Well, if I were in to getting the automatic transmission, I would be all over the Audi. That worked pretty darned nice. Great power delivery, fantastic car. Love the 'bfffpphhfftt...' it makes between shifts. I would never get tired of flapping through the 7 speed gearbox in that car. Sherissa is stuck a little on the old fashioned 6 speed manual though...

Then we found our next car we're likely to buy, the Panemera. What a fantasic car. I don't care that the car has an ugly ass, damn that is one fine car. I know exactly what you're talking about James. With the PDK, it makes the DSG gearbox feel like an hydramatic 350 automatic from a V8 Chevy. If we had the coin in hand right now, we'd have one in the driveway. The one we were in was TOTALLY blinged out - what killed me was the controls that the rear passenger has - they give the rear seat passenger the ability to control the front seat if they want more leg room - you don't even ask the guy in front to move his chair up, you JUST DO IT! Take that, you make me eat my knees!? I make you eat dashboard! lolz. But alas, I digress.

So, now back to the 335i X Drive - Audi S4 debate. Price, almost the same. Power, close - very similar. The interior - could go either way. Both cars have very nice interiors. Interior space, fantastic in both cars - maybe one extra point going to the BMW in spacious feeling. The Audi has all sorts of integration with the display with pretty much every button in the car and really helps to figure out what you're doing. The BMW is a little button rich as well, but equally practical.

Driving wise, really hard to say, but they both drive tremendously well. I think the S4 is a little tighter, being that the M-Sport package on the BMW has no spring, swaybars, etc. Being that I'm turning in to an old crotchety fart, that may not be a bad thing.

All things considered, it is very hard to choose between the two cars. It has come down to an emotional choice, rather than a choice based on quantifiable 'features'. 300 vs 330 hp... no biggie. Angel eyes vs Audi 'eyebrows'... no biggie. Audi interior vs BMW interior - both are excellent. Bling. Both got them. Maybe a few subtle differences in how he BMW voice control works over the Audi Voice control. Maybe one will integrate with my iPhone a little better... but what sold me on the car we chose you ask?

The paint colour.

Go figure. We are going to get a LeMans Blue 335i X-Drive. That colour pops. It's regal, it's hot, it's blingy enough, but understated. We were leaning towards the Audi S4 in the Sprint Blue Pearl, but when we saw one in person, it didn't click. Too loud, a little garish and 'look at me! look at me!', ya, we get enough of that already

Thanks y'all!

[mikeman]

I'm reminded of a car I saw a couple of years ago on Kent street. On the side of the street, in the dead of winter, covered in salt, sat a brand new Porsche 997 Carrera4 with a beefy set of snow tires, and two, TWO baby seats in the back. I can just imagine the conversation:
"honey I'm pregnant, and it's twins!"
"Sweet! I'm getting a Porsche."
"We need a minivan..."
"Bah, they make Porsche baby seats!"
"..."

awesome.

[vwgolf2lwk]

Rob, I'd like to offer you and Sherissa our Congratulations!!

DITTO!

Big news!

[Ian]

I'm reminded of a car I saw a couple of years ago on Kent street. On the side of the street, in the dead of winter, covered in salt, sat a brand new Porsche 997 Carrera4 with a beefy set of snow tires, and two, TWO baby seats in the back. I can just imagine the conversation:
"honey I'm pregnant, and it's twins!"
"Sweet! I'm getting a Porsche."
"We need a minivan..."
"Bah, they make Porsche baby seats!"
"..."

awesome.

I think this guy lives in Barrhaven I used to see him all the time at the gas station near my old house. That's what I call keeping the priorities straight!

[GoesFilled]

Congrats on the Munchkin. Mark Motors would love you if you bought a Panamera AND R8 this year.

BMW eh? Forsaking the VW brand tsk.

At least you're staying German.

I rented a 328 Xi from the airport last summer - nice - impressive, but even with the traction control off, it was hard to get it to drift, and nearly impossible to do a good donut in (nearly).

The 335Xi sounds like a blast. The extra power would be awesome. I've seen that color and it is hot... a nice change from German silvers and blacks.

I've been considering one myself - though used - and I'd have to find the right one. Still a little small in the back seat for my liking though.

I've baited Jamie with the Miata, and been pushing him to let me replace the Golf with a new Golf TDI Wagon - or used 335 or A8L. I figure if I can't find a nice mid-size with a manual - I'll buy a boat! Plus A8L's are stupid cheap.

[rmicroys]

and thanks for all the well wishes. 10/10/10 is going to be a good day.

[wing]

Congrats!

And finally someone else that has driven the Panamera, now I won't be the only one singing it's praises with people look at me sideways.

[RodBearing]

What recession??

[rmicroys]

Dropped in to BMW, placed the order today. 335i x-drive, Le Mans Blue, m-sport, and all the bling. That's something that I swore 20 years ago that I would never do. Be that dick double parked, or parked in the no parking zone with his BMW. JC says that all the cocks have moved on to Audis, so I guess it's a good thing that we're going from the Audi to a BMW now . It should arrive sometime in the late summer. Going to find carbon dashboard inlays once we have the car. The Glacier aluminum dashboard trim is lame. It looks like some cheap stamped aluminum waffle-weave kind of look. Oddly, I think that a lot of the BMW guys like it, Sherissa and I both look at it and go "meh". Funny, I'd like the cheapest piano black trim that is available, but they won't let us order it on the car. Like what's the big deal, the shit just clips in to the dash, just pick a different 7 parts from the bin... oh well. Time to go learn about hotrodding and blinging up an E90 BMW now.

[rmicroys]

Congrats!

And finally someone else that has driven the Panamera, now I won't be the only one singing it's praises with people look at me sideways.

Don't worry, even after you praise the car - even after you say that once you drive one, you really won't care how it looks on the outside, people still look at you like you're hitting too much crack. Oh well.

[Root_Moose]

Dropped in to BMW, placed the order today. 335i x-drive, Le Mans Blue, m-sport, and all the bling. Should arrive sometime in the late summer. Going to find carbon dashboard inlays once we have the car. The Glacier aluminum dashboard trim is lame. It looks like some cheap stamped aluminum waffle-weave kind of look. Oddly, I think that a lot of the BMW guys like it, Sherissa and I both look at it and go "meh". Funny, I'd like the cheapest piano black trim that is available, but they won't let us order it on the car. Like what's the big deal, the shit just clips in to the dash, just pick a different 7 parts from the bin... oh well. Time to go learn about hotrodding and blinging up an E90 BMW now.

Cool beanos, Rob. You don't take much time for reflection do you? LOL

This car being AWD and a more "mainstream" model I wonder if the handling has been neutered (i.e. plows like a pig). Might be worth investigating suspension tuning.

[rmicroys]

Cool beanos, Rob. You don't take much time for reflection do you? LOL

This car being AWD and a more "mainstream" model I wonder if the handling has been neutered (i.e. plows like a pig). Might be worth investigating suspension tuning.

Well, the sales guy called, updated us on some of the things we wanted to change about the defaults one gets with the various packages. More specifically he updated us on his allocations. (It could have been a total lie!? but...) Turns out that he had one allocation left to get us in to a car for September. We had already told him we were going to buy the BMW over the Audi, and needed to confirm when we needed to order the car to ensure that we get the car prior to 10/10/10... as such, because of the factory shutdowns during the summer in Germany, we needed to take one of the last cars they had on their current allotment. So, it was a Aug/Sept delivery vs an "Oct" delivery, and we didn't want to risk having the car come after the baby, soooooo... order it now. Pretty easy choice. Ya, reflect on this... We had pretty much made up our minds on Saturday when we test drove the Audi, and looked at the blue Audi over the blue BMW. Really, like I told Bruce @ Mark Motors right after we took the S4 out for a test drive, that the cars are so similar in price and features that it would come down to an emotional choice. Well, for Sherissa and I, once we went back to BMW and looked at the 135i m-sport that they had there in Le Mans blue, it was all over. Done deal...

<edit> Oh ya, and I'm sure that this AWD BMW handles like a stuck pig. It will understeer like a mofo. If we can find a nice set of springs and dampers I'll probably pick them up. But I figure that may be hard to do, to find a suspension that just lowers it somewhere between 0.75"-1" at the most. Otherwise, the ride will be more firm than I want. The tough part is to keep the car comfortable, but not making it overly harsh. I find anything aftermarket will make it ride too harshly. The factory sport suspensions are generally the best compromise, particularly for a family hauler. This isn't no track car... though it should do 'okay' on the track. </edit>

[Root_Moose]

Maybe look at doing something simple like front and rear anti-roll bars?

Replacing the rear bar in Karin's FG2 changed the car's character completely for very small cost and the ride quality is unaffected for the most part (I think the aftermarket rear bar geometry is not 100% correct - funny klunks over big bumps at times).

[sb_600]

Congrats Rob!

the 335xi is on my to buy list for sure. Between my e36 track car and subaru street car, I figure why not get the best of both worlds - AWD and BMW

My subaru is stock other than the sway bars i put on it last summer. The difference in handling is really impressive and I'm extremely happy. you still have the soft cushy straight line ride, but when you want to have fun in corners, you have that option

I've got the UUC bars on my BMW and I couldn't be happier with them. If you do decide to buy from them, wait because they often have 15% off sales.

Shawn

[RodBearing]

Sorry, can't resist any longer. Too funny. Get a real car, Rob, one good enough for carrying a baby in tight cornering at speed (but well within the limits of Bill C-19) not this BMW 'stuck pig' thing.

[rmicroys]

Sorry, can't resist any longer. Too funny. Get a real car, Rob, one good enough for carrying a baby in tight cornering at speed (but well within the limits of Bill C-19) not this BMW 'stuck pig' thing.

Sorry, the Panamera was a little rich for our blood right now.

Maybe look at doing something simple like front and rear anti-roll bars?

We did that on the MkIV Jetta and that made a HUGE difference and had zero ride quality issues. It certainly made the car easier to rotate. I'd be all over getting a bigger rear bar for the car and see what that does, and of course, there is an obligatory call to Dinan.

[GoesFilled]

...for the first of many JuiceBoxes!

[Root_Moose]

...for the first of many JuiceBoxes!

Don't forget the various cheerios and cracker bits spread under the car seat and working their way through the folds of the leather. There's something to be said for an "appliance car" being used in this role.

[rmicroys]

...for the first of many JuiceBoxes!

Don't forget the various cheerios and cracker bits spread under the car seat and working their way through the folds of the leather. There's something to be said for an "appliance car" being used in this role.

haha... ya, the Major thinks she's going to run a tight ship and have a no food in flight policy, and never let the kid eat in the car. Boy, does she have a reality check coming.

[Root_Moose]

...for the first of many JuiceBoxes!

Don't forget the various cheerios and cracker bits spread under the car seat and working their way through the folds of the leather. There's something to be said for an "appliance car" being used in this role.

haha... ya, the Major thinks she's going to run a tight ship and have a no food in flight policy, and never let the kid eat in the car. Boy, does she have a reality check coming.

LOL! You guys are in for a fun ride!

[cjpye]

...for the first of many JuiceBoxes!

Don't forget the various cheerios and cracker bits spread under the car seat and working their way through the folds of the leather. There's something to be said for an "appliance car" being used in this role.

haha... ya, the Major thinks she's going to run a tight ship and have a no food in flight policy, and never let the kid eat in the car. Boy, does she have a reality check coming.

So, she is not planning any trip longer than 10 minutes or is the plan to wear ear defenders? Yep, the reality check is coming.

Congratulations on both (imminent) new arrivals.

Chris

[Robert Lefebvre]

Hey Rob, late posting but I just saw this. Congrats on the kid.

Did you actually try fitting a carseat into the cars you tested? You might be in for a surprise. I'll try to avoid launching into one of my all-too-common carseat tirades. But suffice to say, I have a Pontiac Montana minivan, long wheelbase, and the carseat doesn't fit without moving the seat forward. Forget about it in the Land Rover, a person can't even sit up front if there's a child seat behind. Now, that's with the seats directly behind. If you put the seat in the middle, then it should work out OK because we got one in a Focus. Though, we couldn't meet the specified minimum distance to the seatback with the handle forward.

You're also going to have to figure out what to do so the seat doesn't destroy the leather. We haven't figured that one out yet.

Don't get too anal trying to figure out the "best" or "safest" car seat. They all suck. They all pass the 40mph sled test, but when actually put in a car at 45mph, like 50% of them eject from the base and go out the windscreen after taking the head off the dummy in front. I wish I was joking. The current situation with car seats is really really sad. The only truly safe car seat is one that is sitting in your living room. And none of them really fit real vehicles. Oh wait, I'm going off on my rant.

haha... ya, the Major thinks she's going to run a tight ship and have a no food in flight policy, and never let the kid eat in the car. Boy, does she have a reality check coming.

I got a chuckle out of that too.

[ScotcH]

Don't get too anal trying to figure out the "best" or "safest" car seat. They all suck. They all pass the 40mph sled test, but when actually put in a car at 45mph, like 50% of them eject from the base and go out the windscreen after taking the head off the dummy in front. I wish I was joking. The current situation with car seats is really really sad. The only truly safe car seat is one that is sitting in your living room. And none of them really fit real vehicles. Oh wait, I'm going off on my rant.

Get one of those miniature sparcos and 6 point belts ... problem solved!