The "I just drove a..." Thread

[LeonOfTheDead]

Thankfully no one was behind...

even in my case, I was alone in a parking lot, but still it took me couple of seconds to understand what was happened, like "oh fu**k, something's broken!" until a feel of shame changed the expression on my face

[Kitdy]

Indeed. And tih time it becomes second nature. Even at the point where you start searching for the clutch pedal in an auto...

I almost did when I got back inside the Golf.

[cmcpokey]

i have gotten to the top of first in an auto and stomped on the brake more times than i can count. it happens.

[Kitdy]

Well, I drove the 323Ci again - this time alone, with no music like I wanted to do - no distractions. First things first; I actually had to find reverse which I could not do last time rather embarassingly. With that done, I back out onto the street (a semi-major one) and head for the 427 north (this will be my first time on the highway in a manual but I foresee no problems - there are none). I merge fine and get the engine a bit up to speed and am cruising in triple figures. Whereas the City Golf's engine is a a big buzzy noise in 5th at this speed, the BMW's engine is purring quietly and the real noise comes form the whistling wind which is a bit annoying.

I take the turn for the 401 west at speed and for the first time I think I feel the RWDness of the car - it feels odd, a bit like the nose wants to break free and hit the inner guardrail which disconcerts me considering I am not even going that fast. I would really have to be driving my own car with confidence and at faster speed to really feel the RWD nature of the car to a large extent though I think - I don't want to do this as I am in a car that's not my own and drinving a car that has a different set of drive wheels than I am accustomed to.

Driving on the highway is uneventful - it's 5th gear all the way until I hit some lights and come back taking the side roads to get practice launching etc. The car is comfortable enough I somewhat don't notice - bumps are more evident in the Golf (at least I think, I speak more from absence of bumps in BMW than noticing them). I get off the highway and stop at a gas station to fill 'er up and manage to stall the car after leaving on the handbrake; then I stall it again at the lights when being stupid and letting go of the clutch for no good reason. I one or twice give the engine a good run to redline and like an amateur hit the revlimiter once and shift too late - sloppy and I really felt the lack of guts after peak power.

I must say, the engine sound leaves a ton to be desired. This is a BMW and I want it to sound nice and it sounds only a few hairs better than the Golf's engine which is buzzy, likes to holds revs, and in general sounds like garbage. Our TL's roar above 5 grand (when VTEC kicks in yo) is much more pleasing than this straight 6's uninspired grunting. I already knew this a bit but this is the first time I rev it high that I can recall and there is no solace in sound when you get up high in the revs either. Oh well, I guess it's no M3.

So the trip goes well; I end up stalling once more when I try to launch in second for a total of three stalls in 20ish minutes which is better than lat time (and all of them were avoidable/stupid). The launch in second was attempted as first gear is too short in my eyes (and the eyes of the owner of the car) and I find myself having to change gears before I'm even through the intersection even though I am accelerating at a mild pace. A pain in the neck especially for a novice; the other manuals I have driven and the TL in tiptronic mode are much more forgiving in first and the engine noise isn't as loud either in them. In the BMW the engine noise is loud at about 3,500 rpm so changing is ideal as the noise is unpleasant frankly - at least in the Acura if you rev high in first you are greeted with a nice sort of hybrid roar between a dull grrrr and a high pitched wail.

All in all, this 323Ci doesn't do a lot for me. The main fun which is also a bit of a pain is the shifting gears. 1 bunny hop in first just after I let the clutch out is common for me at this point (It didn't use to be when I was in practice a few years ago) and takes away form the experience. Throttle response is pretty good, the steering wheel's travel is a bit stiff, the chairs are nothing to write home about, the controls and interior are feel and look dated and also cheapish (the TL has a nicer interior with controls I prefer - maybe due to familiarity but I think it's more than that). Also a gripe is the really slow pace of the seat electronic moving system - when the seat is forward to let people in the back it takes a while to move it back with the electronic system and this is a bother.

The legendary BMW 3-series hasn't done much to impress me at this point but maybe I need to take the 323Ci on a real road trip if my friend's Dad will let me in the summer. Then I could find some nice suburban twisty backroads and enjoy driving around in the bright sun. Until then, I will practice up on manuals when I get the chance; this may not be the last time you hear me talking about/reviewing this car.

[LeonOfTheDead]

about short first gears.
they usually are short in road cars, but it's also a wrong feeling you have from the car due to the fly wheel. Even if in 6 cylinders it should be quite small, especially in BMW ones, it's still there to change your perception of the acceleration.
if you try to accelerate hard in first gear without reaching 100% of the throttle the speed would reach a worthy speed, but with something like a little lag.
that's because when you are waiting in neutral, or first gear + clutch, the fly wheel is spinning slowly, because the inertia forces and irregularities of the engine are small.
while accelerating, those irregularities increase, and so the fly wheel starts spinning faster and faster, absorbing momentarily some torque/power from the engine.

I had a similar issue with the Lancia Phedra. Being a minivan, I thought it was normal to use a short first gear: it's heavy as it is, let alone with seven people aboard, and some luggages, but still it was oddly short. I tried to accelerate and not changing into second. it was a long wait, heavy car + diesel engine, but it managed to reach 40 km/h or a little more, which is quite a lot for such a car and a 130 hp diesel engine.
oh, it was a six gears transmission (can't remember how it was on the 5 gears model).


About the sound of the engine, I don't know if it's due to the age of the car, but I happen to pass quite often in front of an X3 of a neighbor of mine, and it's equipped with a 2.5 6 cylinder (the same engine, say), and I always thought it had a nice sound.

[Ferrer]

About the sound of the engine, I don't know if it's due to the age of the car, but I happen to pass quite often in front of an X3 of a neighbor of mine, and it's equipped with a 2.5 6 cylinder (the same engine, say), and I always thought it had a nice sound.

The newest sixes have a lovely mechanical sound too. And the old M fettled 3.2 borders on epic.

[LeonOfTheDead]

The newest sixes have a lovely mechanical sound too. And the old M fettled 3.2 borders on epic.

even the 3.4 was astonishing, you could recognize it even from behind the corner

[Ferrer]

even the 3.4 was astonishing, you could recognize it even from behind the corner

Don't now if you are referring to it, but the engine on 635CSi/M635CSi was also great.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Don't now if you are referring to it, but the engine on 635CSi/M635CSi was also great.

nope, worst: I don't know why I was thinking to the E46 as if it had a 3.4 liter, while it's the 3.2... sometimes I scare myself.

[cmcpokey]

i had to get an alignment on the G35 today, so I had some time to kill. it just so happens that the place i got it done at was right next to the bmw dealer. i walked around the lot for a minute and a salesman accosted me, like they do, and we began discussing the m3 and 135i. and then he asked if i wanted to drive the 135, and i said sure. before he even asked me my name we were in the car driving off the lot.

so my impressions: first the interior. this car is exactly the same as my E30 i had for my first car. gauges were almost exact, dash plastics felt the same, this had leather whereas mine had vinyl, but the seats felt the same. gotta give it o them for consistency. the pedals were perfectly spaced, and nicely weighted although the clutch was MUCH lighter than mine and with the engines willingness to lose revs, i almost
killed it pulling away from stop signs.

on to the driving. the engine is smooth. very smooth. its been a long time since i have driven a bmw straight 6 (i have a bmw curse after all) and forgot how nice they feel. and you could tell it had plenty of power, especially when you dropped a few gears, but it really didnt feel fast. i guess its due to the turbos, but the power tapered off toward the top of the tach. it also felt like the rev limiter cut in too son, as i kept on running into it looking for the power.

as far as handling, the car is tall, and you can feel it. it never felt heavy, but you could feel it roll though the high speed bends. and entering lower speed bends it had the tendency to understeer, and coupled with the bodyroll it really loaded up the outside front pretty heavily. i wasnt on roads i knew well enough to try and invoke some oversteer, but the back seemed very composed and didn't hint like it wanted to come loose.

verdict: a good, relatively quick car. but it never felt fast. the whole package was nice for someone who wanted to drive quick on the freeway, and maybe even on an occasional back road. it was user friendly power than really never felt like it could bite you back. it was a complete counterpoint to my car, which builds huge power at the very top and always feels ready to kill you.

so would i take a 135i over my G35? No. its too friendly, too smooth, too much of an everyman's car. give me something with bite, an edge. this didnt have it, and so it didnt win me over.

[NSXType-R]

Wow, according to BMW fanboys, the 135i on paper should walk all over your G35 coupe.

An interesting take on the 135i. I really like the engine, I just think the 135i is overpriced and too small for its price. An answer to a question we asked, just packaged the wrong way.

[cmcpokey]

Wow, according to BMW fanboys, the 135i on paper should walk all over your G35 coupe.

An interesting take on the 135i. I really like the engine, I just think the 135i is overpriced and too small for its price. An answer to a question we asked, just packaged the wrong way.

it may be physically quicker, and in the right hands faster around a track. but it doesnt feel that way. and the handling wasnt as involving as on the g. you dont feel body roll, and ive only ever had the front wash out in an autox.

[clutch-monkey]

it may be physically quicker, and in the right hands faster around a track. but it doesnt feel that way. and the handling wasnt as involving as on the g. you dont feel body roll, and ive only ever had the front wash out in an autox.

iirc the front wheels/tires on the 135 had to be narrower in order to fit the engine and it's accessories, so that might explain some of the understeer (that and did it have runcraps?)

[Ferrer]

iirc the front wheels/tires on the 135 had to be narrower in order to fit the engine and it's accessories, so that might explain some of the understeer (that and did it have runcraps?)

I think all ones come with runflats, so I guess that's a yes...

When I drove the M3 after the 335i I always thought the twin turbo coupe made the M3 hard to justify. Alomst as fast, but much more comfortable, cheaper to run and more discreet.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I had an E30 for my first car to - Much win was had however my dash has 5 cracks and my speedometer was non functional.

Today I drove.....A 2000 Subaru Outback.

First impressions are of a very bland interior - shiny hard plastic, nasty fake wood, a fiddly stereo (alpine, and with good sound, but not very nice to play with) and seat interior trim that was borderline gaudy - flecks of purple and blue thread in an otherwise charcoal seat are perhaps a garnish too far.

Now I haven't driven a Manual since the days of my E30 but first impressions of the clutch and gears were good - Clutch had a smooth, reasonably short travel, and the gearbox had a nice snick and a short throw. Seats, while ugly, were comfortable and despite being 6"4 I could adjust for both Headroom and the ability to see past the bonnet - no easy task.

The accelerator on this thing is very, very touchy - with a small prod of my toe I could easily rev to 4500rpm. not so good for first reversing out of my driveway (which is reversing up a hill, basically). However, again with the easy clutch, no stalling, and eventually you get there. The Engine (a 2.5 Boxer 4 Cylinder) is thrummy and makes a pleasant enough noise, but it also develops a reasonably amount of torque from idle, which makes the thrummy nature of it even more confusing - you can get away with pretty much not revving it at all and it will still take off.

On the highway the ride is compliant if not smooth, the roadnoise is well insulated and even with windows down buffeting is kept to a minimum. vision is excellent and even with a chunky D-Pillar it's easy to spot hazards.

Handling is a safe understeer - body roll is high because of the vehicles jacked - up suspension nature, but the tyres cling and around a roundabout it's possible to push the car into gripping before again slipping into mild understeer. Steering itself is light if somewhat lacking in feel.

Overall I found the car to be a very pleasant everyday vehicle but certainly not one for those keen on excitement. I can certainly see why Subaru are a popular brand around my part of the world.