The Car that Woke me Up!

Last blog I posted was January this year so you could say I’ve been hibernating for most of 2013.  Life has been very hectic to say the least and finding the time has been a bit of a challenge, but when my buddy from eCarOne told me at dinner Friday night that he just got a 2014 BMW M6 Grand Coupe, I felt a rush of adrenaline and all the sudden my hibernation was over!  Every man could you a spark in his life and this is the spark I needed to jump start my blogging engine again.

If you’re reading this, you may assume that eCarOne has not gotten any exciting cars in a while, but that could not be further from the truth.  In fact, in the last several months since I’ve blogged, eCarOne has obtained some phenomenal cars including a handful of Bentleys, two Lamborghinis (one is a Superlaggera), a couple of Ferraris, a couple of Mercedes SLS (a coupe and a roadster), and their usual bevy of awesome AMG Mercedes, M-Power BMWs, and everything else from Porsche to Range Rover.  So, why did this M6 Grand Coupe wake me up?  Well, that’s a good question and I’ll attempt to answer it in the next few paragraphs.

To start, this is a 2014 model with less than 1,000 miles and a $141,000 sticker price (eCarOne is selling it for $18k under MSRP), so this means this car is fully optioned out.  This alone was enough to spark my interest… how did eCarOne get a car that I cannot even find at most BMW dealerships today?  How can I have the opportunity to drive a “brand new” M6 Grand Coupe for a full weekend and pass it up?  I could not even find one at most BMW dealers and if I did, it would be very difficult to arrange for a 15-minute test drive with a nervous salesman riding shotgun telling me to be careful!  No, that’s not my cup of tea… I’ll take this kick-ass 4-door M6 for a weekend and get the full experience (without the nervous salesman riding shotgun!)

So, Saturday morning I took my 3 ½ year old boy (who’s a bigger car nut then I) to eCarOne and dropped off my car to pick up the M6 Grand Coupe.  Finished in a beautiful black sapphire metallic with black leather, I thought it looked really mean (especially with the carbon fiber roof) but then again it looked very understated.  As with most M-Power BMWs, you have to be a bit knowledgeable to be able to tell it’s a special car; otherwise it looks like a 6-series Grand Coupe with the sport package.  The one big hint that it’s not just a 6-series was the huge carbon ceramic brakes finished in bronze... that alone shows this car means business.

So, I opened the rear doors (yes a coupe with rear doors) and secured my boy’s car seat.  He got in with no problem and had plenty of leg-room without my having to push the front passenger seat all the way forward.  In essence, this car is a true four door with actual usable space. 

So here we go.  It took me a few seconds to figure out all the buttons and options.  Essentially, you have a multitude of driving combinations.  You have three settings each for steering, suspension, and throttle (comfort/efficient, sport, super sport).  Then you have the option of fully automatic throttle or manual transmission with steering mounting paddles.  For automatic, you have three settings which control how aggressively the transmission shifts (more aggressive means the transmission holds the gear longer and shifts closer to redline).  All in all without doing the math, you have more than enough setting combinations to suite any taste and any situation.  This may sound overwhelming, but once you’re set to what you like, you can store it to one of two “M” buttons on the steering wheel (like seat memory or radio station memory… easy).

Since I had my boy with me, I took the 20 minute drive home easy and got to know the car a bit. Then later that afternoon on my own, I went out to see what this thing is all about.  At first, I had everything set to aggressive (super sport and manual) then after driving the car for a while I found the setting that best suited me (super sport throttle & suspension, and sport steering).  I set the car on fully automatic with the shift points set at aggressive.  So all this is nice, but how does this thing feel.  In a nutshell, this car is nothing short of phenomenal.  The car felt like an extension of me (not only my arms, legs, body but also my brain).  It’s like the car knows not only where I’m pointing it but also where I want to go next!  Hitting triple digit speeds requires no effort at all, which makes this car not only ultra fun but also very dangerous for the speeding ticket count…. If I owned this car, I’m sure I’d need to have a few lawyers stored on my iPhone!

In addition to all out raw acceleration and speed (sub 4-sec 0-60 & 8.5 sec 0-100), this car is surprisingly nimble.  Despite its two ton plus weight, this thing is glued to the road at any speed and can take any curve with poise and confidence (0.92g lateral acceleration; on par with Porsche 911).  Again, it’s so effortless that it’s almost dangerous for the novice driver… you end up feeling like Michael Schumacher in this car!

How about all other things that you’d expect with a car priced at well over $100k?  Well, this Grand Coupe was equipped with a Bang & Olufsen sound system that puts most home theater systems to shame.  I didn’t know what I’d rather listen to; the fantastic sound coming out of the speakers or the fantastic sound coming out of the exhaust!  Everything else about this car feels perfect, from the infinitely adjustable and deeply supportive sports seats to the thick sporty steering wheel.  BMW has improved the cabin feel tenfold in just the last few years, including but not limited to an awesome navigation system with a screen bigger than the living room TV I grew up with!

All in all, I think this Grand Coupe is a definite home run.  What did I dislike?  Well, if I had to be picky, I’d say the truck should have been equipped with an automatic closing mechanism and the rear brake calipers should have been finished in a solid piece with a BMW logo like the front calipers (now I’m being really picky).

To sum it up, I was not looking forward to driving my Maserati Quattroporte after returning this car to eCarOne and for the first time, I was actually disappointed to drive my beloved QP! The Bimmer Grand Coupe spoiled me rotten!

I hope I’ve provided you some insight into this car, but do yourself a favor and see it for yourself.  I’m glad to be back in the blogging arena and thank you for reading.

Gotta Love the 5

Several weeks ago I wrote a post about my experience with eCarOne’s 2011 535i Sedan and I called it the Ultimate Driving Machine.  I have owned three BMW 5-seires in the past and the 535i was truly the best one I have ever driven.  This car was magnificent in every way, but it also has a $52,000 price tag so as magnificent as it is, it is unattainable for many.  So, last week I asked eCarOne for a newer model 5-series at a more affordable price point.  They gave me a 2010 528i xdrive (that is code for all wheel drive).  This car is priced at $34,000 and is still under factory warranty so I thought this would be a good alternative and thus I set out on my week -long ownership experience.

This particular 5-series was not fitted with the Sport Package but it did have almost every other option, so needless to say I did not miss any of the luxury of the more expensive newer 535i.  This 528i was black with natural brown leather and this is one of my favorite combinations.  It just felt luxurious and although I would have liked to have the sports seats, I had no complaints.  I know my little boy appreciated having the rear side sunshades in the 100+ degree weather we had.

So, now you’re asking…. How did it compare to the significantly higher priced 535i?  Well, it compared very favorably.  What made the 535i the Ultimate Driving Machine was the near perfect combination of driving dynamics, luxury, and practicality.  This same combination is also present in the 528i but in a different feel.  It would not be fair to compare the two cars simply because the price point is dramatically different.  However, I can honestly say that the 528i is a very good alternative to the 535i.  It has less power but more than sufficient for everyday spirited driving and highway speeds well beyond the legal speed limit.  It has excellent braking and a very well controlled suspension (even without the Sport Package).  It has a great sound system, it’s roomy, gets excellent gas mileage and has plenty of other creature comforts.   It’s also a BMW, so in my opinion, it’s still one of the best cars on the road.

There is not much to dislike, even the i-drive that some of the media complain about is intuitive and easy to operate.  If you cannot figure out the i-drive, then you’re going to have many problems owning a car in the future because this is where most vehicles are headed anyway.  Another minor complaint is the trunk release.  It is not fitted with shocks so when you release the trunk, it pops open very fast and if you’re not careful you could get hit in the face!  So, pay attention when you pop the trunk!  Other than that, I really enjoyed this car and although it is not a 300 HP twin turbo monster, it is still a wonderful car to drive and it awards you with a great ownership experience.

If you want the ultimate driving machine, you need to get a 5-series.  I suggest you take a trip to eCarOne and test drive one of several that they always carry.

Good luck and happy driving.

The Other M3

If you’re a purist, you’ll shoot me because to you there is only one M3.  Well, this may be right but there is another car that I will put up against an M3 anytime and I’ll bet I’ll also have more fun owning it.  It’s not an Audi or a Mercedes or a Porsche.  It’s another BMW and it’s less expensive than the M3.

A couple of weeks ago, the guys at eCarOne gave me a 2011 BMW 335is for a week.  Yes, it’s just a 3-series coupe so how can I say it rivals the almighty M3?  Well, it’s a 3-series coupe outfitted with a stiffer suspension, fatter tires, and a bad-ass twin turbo six-cylinder that pumps out over 300 HP and about the same torque.  Ok, that’s 100 less than the M3 so I’m still blowing smoke…

It’s a smaller engine so yes, out of the box it is rated at roughly 100HP lower than the M3.  However it's twin turbocharged and this means there are many more options to getting more power than the non-turbo V8 that comes with the M3.  Here is my case in point.

About 3 years ago, I purchased a 2007 BMW 335i coupe from eCarOne which is essentially the same as the 2011 model I drove except the 335is comes with stiffer suspension, more aggressive body styling, and bigger tires.  But if you read anything about my history, you’d know what’s coming next.  Immediately after buying the 15,000 miles 335i from eCarOne, I took it to a local performance shop and added a free flowing exhaust, upgraded engine software, a short-throw shifter, bigger tires and wheels, lowering springs, and more aggressive front and rear bumpers.  All in all, it cost me roughly $5,000 in parts and labor on top of the $33ish I paid for the car so I was all-in under $40k.  We put the car on a DynoJet chassis dyno and it made close to 370HP at the wheels.  This translates to roughly 450HP at the engine, which is the number you see published.  More importantly, it made 350 lb-ft of torque at the wheels which translates to 440 at the engine.

What does all this mean?  It means that car would blow the doors off the stock M3 any day.  It also blows the doors off most Porsche 911s and the like.  Ok, why not modify the M3?  Because it’s a naturally aspirated V8 and short of spending $20k to supercharge it, there is not much more you can do to get any decent increase in output.  The moral of the story is that I think BMW will hurt M3 sales by offering the 335is because anyone who knows about turbocharged cars will always take the 335 and spend some money on it and have a car that is better than the M3 in many ways.

In my opinion, this is why the M3 sedan always suffered in the US market.  The sedan buyer has a practical side and hence is more influenced by cost than the coupe buyer.  Someone who’s buying an M3 sedan may not necessary want an M3 but is rather looking for a fast, good handling car that will fit into his family lifestyle.  Since BMW has a 335i sedan that is very fast and very capable of any twisty road you venture upon, the M3 then becomes a non-rational decision.  A guy buying a 4-door always has a logical side and will always think about money.  To me, I’d take a 335i sedan and spend $5k in aftermarket parts and end up having a car that is every bit an M3 for $10,000 to $15,000 less.  Plus, I get better fuel consumption.  What more do I want?

If you want an excellent road car that has been named Car and Driver top 10 for as many years as I can remember, you need to do yourself a favor and go drive this 2011 335is at eCarOne.  You’ll know what I’m talking about after you drive it.

Good luck and happy driving.

Finally... A Worthy BMW Competitor

I’ve been praising Bimmers for some time, and rightfully so.  In my opinion, there are no cars out there that give you as much as a BMW does for your money… the driving dynamics, the power, handling, looks, name brand, build quality, and overall sexiness.  Others have tried… the Infiniti G37 comes close, the Audi A4/S4 are excellent cars but still do not quite match up to comparable BMW models (i.e. the 3 series and M3).  Mercedes tried with the C-Class C350 but still did not hit the mark.  But wait… there is another C-Class that I believe is closer to being a BMW competitor than anyone else in the past.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a 2012 C250 Sport from eCarOne for a full week.  Wait a minute… C250?  Come on… that’s weak!  No my friends, it’s anything but weak.  The 2012 C250 does come with a 2.5L 4-cylinder, however it’s turbocharged and intercooled so it’s no slouch.  The car bone stock makes 200 HP and a hefty 220 ft-lbs of torque.  Notice I said bone stock… this is because if you know much about turbocharged cars, you’d know that there are numerous aftermarket vendors that offer software upgrades that are safe and very effective.  With a turbocharged car, you can simply re-flash the ECU (i.e. software upgrade) and gain at least 15% to 30% more power and torque without doing anything else.  The upgrade is relatively inexpensive and can be done in your garage in a matter of an hour.  For example, a company called Burger Motorsports offers an upgrade for the C250 software under $1,000 that results in a 30HP increase and a whopping 60 ft-lbs of torque increase.  With this upgrade, the C250 will blow away a BMW 328i, an Audi A4, and an Infiniti G37; and may even compete with a stock S4 or 335i.

But that’s all just fun… let’s get down to business.

What is it about the C250 that made me pay attention?  Well, first off, and as silly as it sounds, the steering wheel is quite possibly the best steering wheel I’ve ever put my hands on (well, besides that on the F430 Ferrari).  It’s thick, sporty and has a flat bottom… it makes you feel that this car means business and it certainly got my attention.

The fit and finish is superb. The car is solid and no matter what I drove over, I did not hear one peep out of the chassis.  It certainly did not feel like an “entry-level” car; more like an S-Class after three months of P90X.  The suspension, tires, engine, and transmission are really well-mated to each other because for as long as I remember, I did not feel this well connected to a car since my ’07 335i coupe that I had a few years ago.  I was looking for excuses to drive this little Benz and it was fun each and every time.

What about value?  Well, let’s see…. This 2012 C250 Sport at eCarOne is fairly well-equipped with NAV, Bluetooth, SAT Radio, etc and it had only 10,000 miles on the odometer.   Brand new, this car retails for roughly $45,000 and eCarOne has it listed at about $35,000.  Normally, you’d expect a deeper discount for a pre-owned Mercedes but it’s still a current year model so it’s priced accordingly.  Nevertheless, that price is still very attractive.  So, I can pick it up for $35,000 and add the software upgrade for $1,000 and I’m all in for $36k with roughly 230 HP and 280 ft-lbs of torque in this little economical 4-cylinder sedan.   For that money, you can pick up a used Subaru WRX or a used Mitsubishi Lancer EVO but you will not have the fit, finish, and refinement of this car… not even close.  If I was in the market for a fun sports sedan, I would definitely give this one a test drive.

Thanks for reading.

The Crossover

Exactly one year ago, I visited my long time friend who lives in the Black Forest of Germany, bordering France and Switzerland.  He has owned a BMW ever since I met him in 1990.  I’m not sure if living in this region inspired him to get a Bimmer or having a Bimmer inspired him to seek a challenging drive.  In either case, putting a BMW on the road in this beautiful mountainous area is always a recipe for an exhilarating driving experience.

The last time I had seen him was in 1999 and he had a 1996 BMW 3-series station wagon with a 6-speed manual transmission.  It was winter and I remember the two of us driving down the mountains from his house to go visit some of his friends in France.  The sides of the mountains were covered in snow and the roads were slick to say the least.  Of course I was nervous, but we made the two hour drive with no incidents.  It was a drive I’d always remember... for the way the Bimmer performed.  It was then that I gained a new respect for BMW.  Prior to that, I had a 1995 M3 and I knew it was a rocket on the street but riding in the 3-series on slick winding roads without any issues made me respect the brand even more.

This time, my friend picked me up at the airport in a 2009 650i and before you wonder, yes we took it on the Autobahn.  And yes we opened it up.  And yes it was awesome!  I was truly impressed, but then we got to his house and he had something even more impressive… a 2010 BMW X5 fitted with the M-Sport Package.  The X5 ended up being the car we took out daily during my week long stay.  I can go on for hours about how much this car impressed me.  The bottom line is that I had never been in an SUV that handled that way.  We took a two hour trip to Zurich through damp, winding, mountain roads at decent speeds and the big SUV ate up the road like a well-tuned sports car.  I was amazed at how this huge two ton “grocery getter” took care of every turn, incline, and decline with ease.  I was once again sold on BMW.  The only issue I had was that the X5 is big and not as sporty looking as I would like.  I always thought that if I could take the X5 and mate it with a 6-series, I’d have a nice looking sleek vehicle with very good utility.

Well, last week my wish came true… enter the BMW X6.  The guys at eCarOne gave me a 2009 BMW X6 35is to drive for a week.

We all know about the huge surge in the SUV market segment in the last 10 years or so but the X6 belongs in a slightly different market segment known as the Crossover, which is built on a car platform but combines various SUV features.  Some sources claim the term crossover began as a marketing term simply to entice young buyers who needed more cargo capacity but did not want to buy a minivan or SUV.  The idea of a crossover is to combine some SUV features such as light off-road capabilities, large cargo capacity, and good ground clearance with the features of a sports car such as sleek lines, good road manners and a sporty ride.

Today the crossover market segment spans a wide range of vehicles and lacks strict definition.  In fact, I think that some manufacturers have marketed vehicles as crossovers simply to avoid calling them station wagons.  Additionally, many vehicles represented as crossovers are really just SUVs but some are truly unique and can actually be called crossovers or sports activity vehicles.  In my opinion, there are two vehicles that have prioritized sportiness over utility and truly define what a crossover should be… those are the Infiniti FX and the BMW X6.

So, what is it about the X6 that makes it unique?  Well, for starters, it has four doors but only four seats… the back seat is split by a console much like a sports coupe like the 6-series.  This was the first big surprise, but I guess this feature further amplifies the uniqueness of this car.  What else?  Well, the design is truly different… we already deemed it a crossover, but unlike the Infiniti FX, the X6 does not have a typical SUV type rear tailgate.  It is actually a hatch that has a very coupe-like slope and hence it looks completely different from an SUV.  If this car was three inches lower and had lower profile tires, you could easily mistake it for a four door coupe (i.e. Audi A7, Porsche Panamera, Mercedes CLS).  That makes the X6 different from any other car on the road, in my opinion at least.

How about the driving experience?  I’m sure you can guess that I liked it because it’s a BMW and I have yet to dislike a Bimmer!  That is true, but it’s more than just the driving experience.  I expect to be impressed when I get into a 3-series or a 5-series, especially when equipped with the sports package.  However, I don’t expect any more from an SUV or a Crossover than to haul my kids to their soccer games, accompany me to the grocery store, and occasionally pull my jet ski to the lake.  This is all I expect from this market segment, but this is not all that BMW delivers.

The X5 in Germany was a 3.0 non-turbo V6 equipped with massive 315 tires in the rear, so no matter what we did, we could never lose traction.  Simply put, the tires were way more than this car needed.  On the other hand, the X6 has the same engine but with twin turbochargers so it has another 80 HP on tap and much more torque, yet it had much smaller tires.  In actuality, the engine/tire combo on the X6 is a proper setup, whereas the X5 in Germany was overkill.

In any case, I did not expect the X6 to handle like the X5 M-Sport in Germany.  I was wrong.  Despite the more powerful engine and the smaller tires, the X6 felt just as planted and sure footed as any other BMW I’ve been in.  What’s more impressive was the twin turbo 3 Liter V6 engine.  I’ve driven this engine in a 3-series coupe, a 5-series sedan and now in an X6 crossover.  I’ve driven it mated to a 6-speed manual, to a paddle shift automatic and a conventional automatic.  All I can say is that it is simply a masterpiece of an engine.  The torque is always available, and it pulls with no drama and no hesitation.  This has to be one of the best engines that BMW has produced to date.  Inside the car, the cabin was whisper quiet and rattle free (with 40,000 miles on the odometer).  I truly had no complaints about this car, except for the 2+2 seating configuration.

Although I’m not completely sold on the back seat having room for only two, I’m completely sold on the overall looks, performance and quality of the X6.  I have a large family, so it’s probably not for me but if you’re in the market for a sharp looking alternative to the prototypical SUV, then I urge you to consider the BMW X6, especially with the 3.0L twin turbo engine.  You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for reading and happy driving.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

Last week I had a 2011 BMW 535i from eCarOne.  I'm not sure where to start because I'm trying to be objective but it's difficult because I currently own a BMW and have owned seven others in the past.  So, as you can see, I am a little biased towards the brand.

This particular 535i from eCarOne hits home with me because it shares the same twin turbo V6 engine with one of the best cars that I have ever owned; a 2007 335i Coupe that I happen to have purchased from eCarOne... go figure!  I sold that car a few years ago as my family grew and now I wish the 535i was around when I sold the 3 because that would have been the perfect sedan to own.

I think BMW got it right when they said "ultimate driving machine" because this 535i certainly is that and more.  Why is this car so perfect and what makes it that way?

I wish I could point out one thing or talk about it like I talked about the Ferrari F430 or the Maserati Coupe GT, but I can't.  My feeling is that the car as a whole just works.  It's a sedan that does not feel like a sedan once you start driving it.  The driving position is perfect, the steering wheel is thick, the engine is ultra-responsive, the brakes are phenomenal, and the cabin is whisper quiet.  As an added bonus, this car in particular had the night vision, so that was a cool experience.  I live in a suburban area, so it was fun to go out at night and see if I can spot squirrels and rabbits on the back roads using the night vision.  Yes, it's childish but fun nonetheless.

How did BMW do it?  How is it that driving this car makes you feel like you're driving a perfect machine and not sacrificing anything?

What are the negatives?  I've heard media complaints about the i-dirve system and its complications, the thought that this 5-series is disconnected from the driver, the idea that it's heavy and sluggish.  Well, none of those complaints even crossed my mind in the time I drove it... and I drove it daily more than several times a day.  In fact, I loved this car so much that I was looking for reasons to drive.  My wife loved that I was running errands I was supposed to run weeks ago, so earning brownie points was another positive of having this machine in the garage!

Prior to having this 535i, I had a 2010 Mercedes E350 which was a beautiful car.  I could compare the two but I'm not going it.  I'm only referring to the Benz in order to tell you that getting out of the Benz and into the Bimmer was a seamless transition and in fact, I would have to say the Bimmer was a bit quieter than the Benz and that was a big surprise for me.  Conversley, I got out of the Bimmer and into a 2011 Audi A6.  This definitely felt like a step down... until I drove the A6... more on that in another post.

I currently own a 7-series that my wife absolutely hates.  And before you make any assumptions, she drives a Honda CR-V.  She hates the 7 because in her opinion it's not worth the money... her opinion.  In fact, she has hated every BMW I've owned.  Why, because in her mind no car is worth that much money.  She has never had anything good to say about any Bimmer I've owned... yes, even my beautiful Space Gray Metallic 335i Coupe with Coral Red leather and black walnut wood trim.... even that car did not impress her.  Her blanket statement is always about how the interior lacks refinement and the car rides too harsh.  Why am I talking about this?  Because for the first time in her life, my wife paid a compliment to BMW... two compliments.

When she first saw the interior of this 535i, her first words were... "this car is much nicer than any other BMW I've seen... I like the wood trim."

Then, during the time I had it, she was "forced" to drive it home because we were at a water park with the kids and our little boy needed to get to bed.  I waited with the older kids and rather than have them ride in their wet swim suits in the Bimmer, I asked my wife to drive it home and leave the CR-V for me.  She drove it for a short 15 minute ride from the park to our house.  The next morning over breakfast, she initiated the following comment....

"You know what?  I only drove that BMW for a short distance but I gotta tell ya... it's really nice to drive."  Knowing my wife and her hatred for German cars in general, that statement says a lot about this car.

If you're in the market for a mid-size sports sedan, then I strongly urge you to take a look at this car.

As always, happy driving.

Hello world!

So, how did I become the Test Drive Blogger?  A few weeks ago, I was having dinner with my very good friend and founder of eCarOne and as usual we were talking cars.  Although I am not in the car business, I have loved cars since I could talk. We usually toss ideas around and this time I think we came up with something that could be very useful for many perspective buyers out there.  Currently, there are many websites that offer new and used car reviews but none to knowledge offer these reviews based on actual ownership experience.  As a perspective buyer, your only option of researching a particular make or model is to scour the internet and perhaps visit car-specific forums that discuss the ownership experience.

We thought that since I love cars and I go through them more frequently than most people go through shoes, it may be a good idea for us to capitalize on my tendency to get board with whatever car I own.  As such, I will be taking a car from eCarOne each week and using it as my daily driver.  After my week is over, I will post my impression… not an objective test drive but rather a commentary of what it’s actually like to own the car for a full week.  Some of my posts will be informative, some advisory, some purely commentary and of course some you may find useless.

In any case, I will do my best to bring a fresh perspective with each post and as we build a database of various cars, I believe we can start to really have fun.  I hope you enjoy reading and I welcome any questions and comments going forward.  Thank you and happy driving.