The Hoth

Buying a German car is always a hit or miss. It all depends on your luck.

grimm01

there was an article in the NY Times last month I believe where they talked about the electronics in cars. with cars you have different vendors writing code for their products then trying to integrate them with other vendors' code. add to the mix coding errors and failures with sensors and you get the automotive equivalent of the blue screen of death.

steve c

Yes. My experience with a few has been positive. No more or less problems than any of my Hondas. The only car we have ever owned for 3+ years that never had an issue was our 4runner -- and it threw a code on the way to the dealer for the trade-in. Hah.

Carlson

Coming from a Jag S Type, you would love the '06 BMW 330i. The new styling of the 330i looks worse than the old model (IMO), but still looks a lot nicer than the Jag. When you are driving it, you would think you are driving a sports car comparing to the Jag. I would say that a good choice!

SgtSaunders

The new 330i (coupe of course) parked next to the S is my ideal garage.
There are very few cars that I consider thoroughbreds....meaning that they don't steal from the corporate parts bin.

3series and the S2000 are true thoroughbreds....IS300,G35c,TL, many new Jags are filled w/parts from the vanilla people movers or even worse: modded up people movers.

Warren J. Dew

There's still the electricals, as well as the electronics. The more wires you have, the more chances you have for one to come loose or abrade.

VTEC_Junkie

also, keep in mind that, unlike the electronics that sit in your office or in your home, electronics in automobiles get subjected to all sorts of movement forces, from accelerating, to braking, to cornering, not to mention the jolts from bumpy roads. on top of that, electronics in automobiles are subjected to varying temperature and humidity, from a 200 degree cabin of a car that's been sitting in the sun to below freezing temperatures during the winter months.

SNAPPER

What about the 335 d I think it will have 272 bhp

still a 3.0 litre diesel but with a 2 stage turbo. from the 535d

not available just yet ,but soon

W

VTEC_Junkie

i don't think that motor will be offered in the US.

vroom

They are? You mean tested by you or the magazine times (which is what is always used here). See, I have this cover of Car and Driver, June 94 to be exact, and it specifically says 0-60 in 5.6 seconds. Quote "Get this, 0-60 5.6 seconds, $36K, BMW M3" and a pic of a Dakar Yellow M3 with it's inside front wheel off the ground cornering hard - sweet (well I might have missed a world, the mag's at home). I have a Motor Trend from summer of 97, 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, another car and driver June or July of 97, 0-60 5.5 or 5.6 (can't remember). Only Autoweek had a consistent 6.0 seconds for the manual, and they are typically about .5 seconds slower (check their 00 - 03 times for an S2000 vs say C&D).

The only manual M3 that showed a 0-60 of 6.0 consistently was the '99. All of the tested numbers tended to be poorer on the '99 car; some attribute that to the downgrade in tires from the original MMX3 on the '95 - 98.

1/4 mile (magazine) was generally between 14.2 and 14.4 with an almost consistent trap of 99 mph. The automatic E36 M3 usually tested at 6.0 - 6.6 seconds - but that car and the wet fish vert were really sad examples of the E36M3. I have just about every Magazine article - both major and minor mags, England and US, from '95 to 00 with E36 M3's . I do the same for the S2000 and 997 S. You