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Old 11-01-2005, 10:25 PM   #1
modernhippiesf
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Red face BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

Is it just me or is anybody else unimpressed with BMWs?? I was a valet attendant for 3 years in San Francisco and have driven every type of car extensively, and IMO BMWs are far below the driving standards of german counterparts AUdi, Porshe, and even VW. the drive is not as smooth and responsive as these other brands (which are all in the same family, mind you) and the interior is not as "friendly" or "chic." I think people who buy BMWs don't care about cars or driving as much as we do and buy it solely for the "Brand", which is incredibly overrated. i see ppl in BMWs and i thikn to myself "poser."

http://myspace-455.vo.llnwd.net/0028...81318455_l.jpg
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Old 11-02-2005, 09:34 PM   #2
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

i actually disagree with your opinion, yes some people tend to buy bmws because they think they have a better car than a lot of other people and not anything about them, but i personally like bmws. I'll take a benz over a bimmer anyday, but i still find a strong attraction with m3s e30, e36, e46s u name it and even some of their 5 series. But one thing i wil agree on is people tend to over rate them.
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Old 11-02-2005, 11:01 PM   #3
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Talking Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

Strong attraction... Ah? They are overrated and way too expensive. In Europe they cost less than here.
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Old 11-02-2005, 11:02 PM   #4
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

is it a bimmer forum?
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Old 11-04-2005, 11:33 PM   #5
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

All the cheap models are crap.
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Old 11-05-2005, 01:15 AM   #6
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Im going to completely disagree with you. Compare for instance- the BMW 3-series to the C-Class or the A4. The 3-series is immensely more fun to drive then its Benz and Audi counterparts. Im not going to go into the specifics, but pic up virtually any comparison including the BMW 3-series, and the BMW will be either 1st or 2nd (to the G35), beating out Audi and Benz every single time.

BMW is considered by most to be the best driver's car on the market. The feedback is better then its competition, they handle better, they are generally lighter, and they are generally more reliable.

I don't mean to put you down, but driving cars around a parking lot doesn't make you an expert on these cars. You really need to get out on the roads and spend more time with the cars to understand their characteristics, and the people that do, generally prefer BMWs over Benz or Audi.

Unresponsive has NEVER been considered a characteristic of BMWs. So either you havn't driven the cars to their potential or you do not know what you are talking about. The only real common complaints about BMWs usually stem from the IDrive systems on the 5, 6, and 7 series.

O, and the new M5/M6 obliterates all of their competition. Theres a bunch of videos of them beating the likes of the 996 Turbo and the like.

If you are looking for posers, look for C-Class Benz drivers. Those cars are actually the cheaply built, unresponsive, slow cars that you called BMWs. The AMG cars are all automatics too, which is kinda pathetic.
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Old 11-05-2005, 01:04 PM   #7
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

who said i was driving these cars around a parking lot? I was driving them through the hilly city streets of San Francisco when I did private parties in PacHeights for god's sake! i don't know what better way to get a real world experience than this. and you still haven't refuted my argument that bmw interiors are cheaper looking and feeling. sorry but beemers are for wieners.
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Old 11-05-2005, 06:25 PM   #8
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http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=9993

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=9265

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=2476

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=2359

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=1995

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=2039

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=1649

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...08445&q=BMW+M5

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...20484&q=BMW+M5

http://www.jdpower.com/news/releases...asp?ID=2002141

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostw...5.content..1.*

http://motortrend.com/roadtests/seda...04_bmw3series/

http://motortrend.com/roadtests/luxu...mb/index4.html

Is that enough evidence? because if it isn't I could find some more. Maybe I could find the article where C&D said the E36 M3 had better handling then the NSX, Viper, Vette, 911, Boxster, and F355; Or maybe where Consumer Reports said that the E39 530i was the best car they had ever driven as a full package. What about all of the comparisons where the 3-series wins year after year against every feasable opponent. This isn't just me saying this, this is automotive journalists that are in a hell of a lot better position to judge these cars then you or me.

Sorry if I misunderstood your job as a valet attendant, but normally doesn't that job entail driving a car from a driveway to a parking lot a couple hundred meters away? If your parking lot happens to entail you driving these cars on city streets, busy freeways, empty highways, a drag strip, and a track, then by all means I am sorry. If you are infact maxing out all of these cars as a valet, remind me never to bring my M3 to your place of business.

If all of this evidence isn't enough, then look up how many people buy BMWs over their opponents. You will find that BMW sells more cars then Benz or Audi. Some people buy BMWs for the status, but I would argue that the majority of BMW buyers genuinely think that they make the better product. Enjoy your reading.
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Old 11-06-2005, 11:15 PM   #9
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

seems like its a lack of evidence, seems to me its a bunch of opinions. Not many comparisons at all, actually two. Also please show me this evidence that bmw sells more than audi and BENZ. All i have to say is people have their opinions, and for some reason i don't understand why this is in a GTI thread. Also how about mentioning that bmw has many problems that occur, and how about the x5 being rated the worst crash test in suvs in 2004? Don't get me wrong their m line up is top notch, but all i have to say is they are a little over rated.
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Old 11-07-2005, 12:25 AM   #10
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"Sales figures tells us that for many entry-level luxury-sedan buyers, the choice is similarly easy: why look beyond BMW's 3 Series? In the first three quarters of this year, the 3 Series outsold two excellent competitors, Audi's A4 and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz C-Class by almost 2-to-1 each in the U.S.

We knew the 3 Series is considered the gold standard in its class but were surprised to find how convincingly it trounces the excellent A4 in sales performance, even though the Audi has a lower MSRP. Other brands compare favorably with BMW and Audi, but no automaker could say it knows more about building great sedans than those two."
http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/...ner=indiatimes

YTD (March 2005) sales figures for BMW, Benz, and Audi
BMW Vehicle: 65,536 vs. 61,241, up 8 percent
MB Vehicle: 43,776 vs. 49,159, down 10 percent
Audi Vehicle: 16,835 vs. 17,012, up 0 percent
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...02/027938.html

All of those Edmunds articles are their "Most Wanted Cars" so essentially, they are comparing them against every other car in the class. Its not a formal comparison, but they are their favorites.

The JD Powers is evidence that they are more reliable then Benz or Audi.

I forgot to mention how long the 3-series/M3 has been on the C&D top ten cars list. 14 consecutive years. That is every 3-series since 1991. The only other car that has been on the list longer is the Honda Accord.

Here is proof that BMW has higher resale value-
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....ticle_id=10172

Here is another comparison...
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

Here is evidence that BMWs are faster around the track in terms of N-Ring times. Notice the E46 M3 CSL 7:50 and the E60 M5's 7:52. Im not even counting the M3 GTRs.
http://www.supercars.net/PitLane?vie...ID=0&tID=10073

So if you measure the quality of a car in reliability (JD Powers), resale value (KBB), sales (AP/theautochannel) or speed (N-Ring times), BMW is a very good car company. If theres another way of judging the quality of a car accurately, let me know. BMW has alot of respect in the car community, and most of that respect is earned. If that isn't enough solid evidence, let me know, I'll go hunting for more.

One last thought, remember that BMW made the engine for the McLaren F1, which is considered by many to be the best car ever made.
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Old 11-07-2005, 08:44 PM   #11
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my uncle has a late 90's 530i i think i know its a 5 series..... it has the most comfortable seats ive ever been in and the wood trim looks more realistic than any ive ever seen in an audi or benz for that matter. the car was a lease car that he bought as a beater as it has 160k + miles and the automatic transmission still shifts smoother than any of my camaros did (autos). not that im downing audi as i am a big fan of their tt series but ive never liked cedez and to this day i think the one e36 m3 i got to ride in was probably the second fastest and best handling car ive ever ridden in. (note- the only faster car was a 67 maro with 900+ whp) i agree though dont see what this is doing in a vw forum...
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Old 11-27-2005, 09:12 PM   #12
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BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

Yes this is a vw forum but I too must throw in my 2 cents. I bought an '05 GTI three weeks ago, LOVE IT!! It's fast enough to get in trouble with, it carries all my stuff and it look great doing it. Now my problem. My wife drives an '02 BMW 330i w/sport package and 18's etc. I had not driven her car since I bought my GTI until last night. As beloved as my GTI is to me I must say that the 330 is at the very least 10 times the car that my GTI is. The drivers seat is perfectly contoured, the gear shifter is exactly where your mind thinks it should be, the pedals are where they should be and the ergonomics are flawless. Folks that is just describing the driving position. Never mind the driving experience. The BMW cost $25K more than my GTI and worth every penny. It is frightening to me that a group of people can get together and the result of their efforts are something like the 330. I own both and have driven them side by side. Trust me the BMW's are not overrated just fantastic.
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Old 12-16-2005, 12:22 PM   #13
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Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

yeah, after i read the 1st couple posts, i just skipped and now im writing my response:

to the original poster:
you really have no idea what you're talking about do you?

i could just end it here... but i'll give you a reason to my rant.

bimmers are designed for the autobahn, where you're going 150-200 mph. what your driving on? hilly city streets of san fran, i dont think you'll even reach 70. and if you do.. then you should be fired, i dont want my valet parkers doing that to my car.

bimmers have high horsepower with torque numbers typically falling alittle below their hp numbers. this is typical with bimmers, not necessarily a bad thing, you just gotta remember that they're designed for stability and smoothness at high speeds. all the other cars that you're comparing them too are typically not naturally aspirated like bimmers are. turbocharged motors have rather flat torque curves, supercharged motors tend to peak higher. na motors have the traditional torque curves, peaking late in the rpm range. if you've driven the car in that rpm range... again, you should be fired.

bimmers are insane cars, no other company (except benz's...) have cars in that niche that bmw does. vw fills the low/middle class niche, bmw takes that one step further, going from middle class all the way up the ranks. benz's tend to cater to the higher, luxury class (hence the weight...)

yeah, bmw's are put in the same class as many other cars, but you can go on and on about the differences of cars. its these differences that make the car what it is. if you cant appreciate the refinement of bmw cars... i feel bad for you.

sadly, there're too many bmw's out there for people to really appreciate them to the fullest.
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Old 10-10-2010, 11:10 PM   #14
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Post Re: BMW the most overrated sports luxury car??

this is for all the bmw fanboys! bmw's look like shit! the only ones i have ever liked are the early 90's 535i's. they are possibly the most overrated car manufacturers the only thing your paying for anymore is the stupid little badge. all there cars look the same and the designers are the laziest i have ever seen. for christ sakes make a car that look different! even there top sports car doesn't look sporty! in my opinion unless you want to look like every other mother fucker with a bmw get a jag or a nice merc. the new xj's are absolutely beautiful and the e550 is hot to. i wont doubt bmw's performance but yes they are OVERRATED.
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