Today has started off great yesterday I was handed the key to a 2008 550i and this morning I took it out for a spin. I have always liked BMWs and bought my first one a year ago after salivating over my aunts for all these years. Then shortly after that my dad bought himself one. So needless to say when I have the opportunity to drive a newer one I do so.
BMW makes a great car this 5 series has a V-8, 6 speed transmission and is sitting on 19 inch M series wheels. The acceleration in this car is great pushing you back into the seat as long as you keep your foot in it smooth shifting and plenty of power. The one thing I did notice is the first half of the throttle is a nice gentle acceleration you get past that half way point it down shifts and puts you back in the seat so passing another car on the road should be no problem.
The interior is great nice big fat steering wheel the gauges nice and easy to read. The radio and navigation controls are controlled by a single knob in the center console which at first I thought seemed a little goofy but after playing with it a few minutes before driving I think its easier to use than reaching up on the dash to change the channels. It also has front and rear heated seat and directions on how to fit 4 golf bags in the trunk. And at 6’3” I actually found the rear seat comfortable to sit in not as roomy as a 7 series but a lot better than a 3. And like any German built car you can forget the cup holders I did find 2 in this car but they were big enough for a can not a supersized coke. This car has a black interior with black wood trim and some chrome accents. The exterior is silver with those nice angel eye headlamps.
I highly recommend if you ever have the chance to drive a BMW do so it really doesn’t matter what year or series you drive they all are fun cars to drive. They truly are the ultimate driving machine.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
A little German engineering
I don’t know if its because I am getting older or if its because I drive a lot more than I use to but when I head out on a weekend road trip there are two things I want comfort and great acceleration at high speeds. I have found the Germans figured this out long ago. Don’t get me wrong I will load up the ol Avalanche and hit the road but I do prefer my BMW for the 4 or 5 hour drives it handles the high speeds so much better.
Today I took out a 2006 E350 Mercedes Benz for a drive nice little car I would say if you have a small family this car is perfect. As an adult I wouldn’t want to ride in the back seat for long but kids should fit nicely. The V-6 puts out plenty of power and hooked up to a 6 speed automatic transmission its good for the interstate or around the city. The interior as always in a Mercedes is nice, wood grain trim Chrome accents in all the right places. Seat, mirror, heating and cooling controls all easy to reach. My only complaint on the interior is why, why Mercedes do you still put a phone pad on the dash of these cars please stop I have a cell phone put something useful there like another cup holder. For those of you who don’t own or have rarely been in a German car they are stingy with the cup holders this car only has 2. I can’t name a sedan built here in the USA that has less than half a dozen! But they have the autobahn we have McDonalds. Also the trunk on this thing is huge plenty of room for luggage and golf clubs or gun cases whatever you are into. The exterior is just as easy on the eyes as the interior nice body lines good looking wheels and chrome in the right spots, less is more ya know.
All in all a nice car which if with proper maintenance will last decades. Which bring me to another problem many may have with these cars. Me, I can do all the repairs on my car but for most people it’s a little more tricky if and when something does go wrong I believe it is imperative to take it to a shop that specializes in European car repair not your local oil change, brake and tire shop where Hank just built the carb for your 84 Silverado not saying that he cant do it I just don’t think it’s a good idea. You will have a little more down time from your car and will cost a little more but you will be happier with the end result.
Simply put, they live up to the long-time Mercedes slogan of "Engineered like no other car in the world."
Today I took out a 2006 E350 Mercedes Benz for a drive nice little car I would say if you have a small family this car is perfect. As an adult I wouldn’t want to ride in the back seat for long but kids should fit nicely. The V-6 puts out plenty of power and hooked up to a 6 speed automatic transmission its good for the interstate or around the city. The interior as always in a Mercedes is nice, wood grain trim Chrome accents in all the right places. Seat, mirror, heating and cooling controls all easy to reach. My only complaint on the interior is why, why Mercedes do you still put a phone pad on the dash of these cars please stop I have a cell phone put something useful there like another cup holder. For those of you who don’t own or have rarely been in a German car they are stingy with the cup holders this car only has 2. I can’t name a sedan built here in the USA that has less than half a dozen! But they have the autobahn we have McDonalds. Also the trunk on this thing is huge plenty of room for luggage and golf clubs or gun cases whatever you are into. The exterior is just as easy on the eyes as the interior nice body lines good looking wheels and chrome in the right spots, less is more ya know.
All in all a nice car which if with proper maintenance will last decades. Which bring me to another problem many may have with these cars. Me, I can do all the repairs on my car but for most people it’s a little more tricky if and when something does go wrong I believe it is imperative to take it to a shop that specializes in European car repair not your local oil change, brake and tire shop where Hank just built the carb for your 84 Silverado not saying that he cant do it I just don’t think it’s a good idea. You will have a little more down time from your car and will cost a little more but you will be happier with the end result.
Simply put, they live up to the long-time Mercedes slogan of "Engineered like no other car in the world."
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Crossfire
I recently had Chrysler Crossfire here and I have never drove one and since it was a beautiful day and the car was a convertible I decided I had to take it out for a spin. Once I got the top down I really started to look the car over. Now even though this car is made in Germany the Chrysler people will tell you that there is nothing Mercedes-Benz about the car other than a few underpinnings while the guys that work on these say there is more M-B in it than Chrysler says.
The interior lay out to me looks like a Mercedes from the simple round gauges to the design of the a/c controls. The leather seats are nice there are also a few little storage spots cleverly placed around the very tight cockpit. Now for me to drive this car with a
smidge of comfort I had to have the top down but my knees were still pressed firmly into the dash and I had to drive it with my head cocked down because the top of the windshield is eye level for me. So if your several inches under 6 foot tall this maybe a comfortable ride.
The power band on this v-6 is nice though with the manual transmission, driving this car through traffic and some winding back roads was fun, plenty of power at any rpm in any gear. The steering on the car is very very tight is uses an older style steering setup not a rack and pinion they car handles well and is a ball to drive although I would have enjoyed it much more were I shorter
The interior lay out to me looks like a Mercedes from the simple round gauges to the design of the a/c controls. The leather seats are nice there are also a few little storage spots cleverly placed around the very tight cockpit. Now for me to drive this car with a
smidge of comfort I had to have the top down but my knees were still pressed firmly into the dash and I had to drive it with my head cocked down because the top of the windshield is eye level for me. So if your several inches under 6 foot tall this maybe a comfortable ride.
The power band on this v-6 is nice though with the manual transmission, driving this car through traffic and some winding back roads was fun, plenty of power at any rpm in any gear. The steering on the car is very very tight is uses an older style steering setup not a rack and pinion they car handles well and is a ball to drive although I would have enjoyed it much more were I shorter
Thursday, August 27, 2009
2002 Z06
Well for my very first post I have decided to give you a little once over on an American classic. The corvette I am sure at some point in time you have rode in one or drove one. If not you must. I had 2 last week the one I was driving was a 2002 Z06 which is amazing to drive. Now I have come to realize that when you are in a road car or a sports car 110 or 120 feels about the same or so I have heard. But the real rush is 0-60, I know sheesh I drive 60 everyday for miles at a time. I understand that but can you get to 60 in 4 seconds? I loved it the car really hooks up and goes and pushes you back in the seat I could do stop and goes all day in that car. As far as the interior of the car being a little over 6 foot tall I fit comfortably it has a small heads up display which is kinda neat the newer ones actually have a G-meter built in so you can see how many G’s you are pulling in a turn. My record so far is ¾ of a G! I wasn’t in the mood to get arrested that day so I was taking it easy. The performance of this car is great it I would probably rack up speeding tickets in this thing if I owned one.
As far as looks go I still like the looks of the C6 but once you are in the drivers seat you really can’t see the outside can you. Black still is and always will be my color of choice and this one was. It had the factory wheels which look great. If you every get a chance to go drive one of these cars do it! You will not be disappointed. And like some of the new GM ads say. No one ever wrote a song about a little red Volvo!
As far as looks go I still like the looks of the C6 but once you are in the drivers seat you really can’t see the outside can you. Black still is and always will be my color of choice and this one was. It had the factory wheels which look great. If you every get a chance to go drive one of these cars do it! You will not be disappointed. And like some of the new GM ads say. No one ever wrote a song about a little red Volvo!
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