Bimmer's (potential) Garage Shake-up Mega-Thread

[Raza]

https://youtu.be/5qYUyEAskEA

[Raza]

The problem with something like the TT though is that you get 95% of the driving experience with a GTI but an additional 500% practicality.  Besides looks, or the TT I5 in the RS, there's nothing there that isn't available exactly the same somewhere else.

Practicality doesn't really factor into my equation when I'm looking at a two seater or 2+2. Plus, the GTI isn't AWD, so that makes it not really the most appealing choice where I live. And don't discount looks—you look at your car everyday, so liking how it looks is an important part of the ownership experience.

As for available somewhere else—name one reasonably priced (say, under ~$35,000 used or new) AWD convertible with a stick shift.

[Xer0]

Practicality doesn't really factor into my equation when I'm looking at a two seater or 2+2. Plus, the GTI isn't AWD, so that makes it not really the most appealing choice where I live. And don't discount looks—you look at your car everyday, so liking how it looks is an important part of the ownership experience.

As for available somewhere else—name one reasonably priced (say, under ~$35,000 used or new) AWD convertible with a stick shift.

Besides the convertible, everything else about the car is available somewhere else in the VWAG line which is my point.  There is little appreciable difference in the driving experience between the A/S/RS3, TT/S/RS, or Golf R.  Sure, the convertible gives you that 5% that I discounted (more or less depending on how much you value the convertible) but it doesn't really take away from my point.

And not to be too much of a dick, but specifying a stick shift AWD convertible under 35K pretty much qualifies this, a 20 year old 911, and a salvaged Galardo without an engine as the only options that actually exist with that criteria.  It's more of you having made up your mind on the TT and then coming up with criteria on why its the only logical choice. 

I guess TL;DR unless you really like the TT and the way it looks, which I get it looks pretty sweet, VWAG will already sell you a ton of cars that do the same thing, in the same exact way, for much cheaper. 

[12,000 RPM]

Yea, if AWD stickshift convertibles were such a great idea there would be more of them available besides the Wrangler

Not even sure why AWD + convertible is necessary.... top down driving in the rain/snow? The Z4 is great. One of the last pure non-Miata sports cars. Cherish and keep it

[2o6]

Raza has been "toying" with the idea of a 2nd car since I had my Neon. I've bought literally 25 cars in the same time span.

[Raza]

Yea, if AWD stickshift convertibles were such a great idea there would be more of them available besides the Wrangler

Not even sure why AWD + convertible is necessary.... top down driving in the rain/snow? The Z4 is great. One of the last pure non-Miata sports cars. Cherish and keep it

Yes.  Although I drive top down in the rain all the time, if it's over 50 degrees or so.

[Raza]

Raza has been "toying" with the idea of a 2nd car since I had my Neon. I've bought literally 25 cars in the same time span.

I currently have two cars and you flip cars as a hobby.  So keep your sassy black lady act to yourself, kid.

[12,000 RPM]

Yes.  Although I drive top down in the rain all the time, if it's over 50 degrees or so.

Do you wash your interior with a hose and foam cannon?

[Raza]

Do you wash your interior with a hose and foam cannon?

Nah.  It doesn't get that wet if it's light rain and you keep moving.  Most of the water hits the bulkhead, and that's all plastic.  It's not like I drive top down in torrential downpours.  I mean, I have, but usually only when I get caught out and I'm already moving on the highway.

[BimmerM3]

I've been seeing a decent number of Claritys around Boulder. They look less weird out in the wild.

[AutobahnSHO]

We were out driving store to store (furniture) and saw a half dozen Miatas today, only one with top down.
(It was 35F). 

[BimmerM3]

Heat up all the way, sock hat, light puffy jacket, and gloves keep me comfortable to about 36F, especially if it's daytime and sunny. 35F and I start to get chilly.

IIRC, I think I drove through a small snow flurry the day that I took my sig pic.

[Raza]

On surface streets, I've taken the top down in temps as low as 28.  In the Boxster, which had better wind protection and a rear wind deflector, 20F was easily doable with a scarf and gloves. 

[Raza]

If you think that ticks all of my requirements, then you and I have very different ideas of "moderately rough roads/trails." 

Yeah, like cobblestones or a dirt or gravel road. Hey, Clarkson in a TTRS beat Hammond in an Ariel off-road buggy in a dirt road race on The Grand Tour.

What about an Xterra? I asked without looking at the requirements again.

[BimmerM3]

Yeah, like cobblestones or a dirt or gravel road. Hey, Clarkson in a TTRS beat Hammond in an Ariel off-road buggy in a dirt road race on The Grand Tour.

What about an Xterra? I asked without looking at the requirements again.

Rougher dirt or gravel road than you're thinking, just not something I'd need a Wrangler for 4Runner for. The TT's ground clearance would be a killer.

The Xterra is an interesting thought because I kind of wish I had gotten one instead of the Explorer - I just found the Explorer first.

However, the general idea is that, if I were to downsize to one car, I'd either keep the Explorer or get something newer and a bit more car-like (e.g. Crosstrek, Forester). Xterras are still pretty trucky. If I were able to do an even trade for an MT Xterra, I'd probably do it, but I think they've held onto their value a bit better, at least in my area where people actually use off road ability.

[BimmerM3]

Hmm, Explorers in my area are listed a bit higher than I was expecting, though those are mostly dealer listings. I'd probably still have to put in a grand or two to make up the difference, especially factoring in an extra set of wheels/tires for winter. 

I might have to add "Keep S2000, swap Explorer for Xterra" as an option. It's an unlikely option, but something to ponder, which is really the point of this thread at this stage.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Small cars ride better on rough dirt roads than trucks. Get a 1997 Cavalier and hit any dirt road at 60+ MPH. Smooth AF.

[BimmerM3]

Small cars ride better on rough dirt roads than trucks. Get a 1997 Cavalier and hit any dirt road at 60+ MPH. Smooth AF.

Unfortunately, my life isn't a Top Gear road trip where I have hours to rebuild my car with the help of a support team when it inevitably bottoms out and/or rattles something loose.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Unfortunately, my life isn't a Top Gear road trip where I have hours to rebuild my car with the help of a support team when it inevitably bottoms out and/or rattles something loose.

I didn't say the Cavalier would last long, just that it would ride better.
You could always equip it with skid plates, route the fuel/brake lines inside the cabin, and get giant rally flaps.

[Eye of the Tiger]

'97 Cavalier is analagous to a newer Subaroo in this case.

[AutobahnSHO]

Heat up all the way, sock hat, light puffy jacket, and gloves keep me comfortable to about 36F, especially if it's daytime and sunny. 35F and I start to get chilly.

IIRC, I think I drove through a small snow flurry the day that I took my sig pic.

On surface streets, I've taken the top down in temps as low as 28.  In the Boxster, which had better wind protection and a rear wind deflector, 20F was easily doable with a scarf and gloves. 

In the Army we have to go in for Physical Training at 0630hrs. Uniform varies depending on weather, you learn quick to have whatever anyway. Expecting just shorts and t-shirt but then they mandate long-sleeve t-shirt or jacket or pants or hat or gloves or various combinations...

Anyway I used to get wild looks at the ID check and then at the parking lot pulling in the NA with top down, jacket hat & gloves on. So beautiful in the mornings though!!!

Ahhhh I long for those days again.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I went mountain biking this morning in shorts and a T-shirt, and it was 30-something degrees. The other bikers were wearing their fancy full body spandex and masks, and the hikers were wearing parkas and mittens. Therefore, my bike is a Miata.

[BimmerM3]

Went by the Subaru dealership today. Crosstrek was nice except cargo area is pretty dang small. I could get by with it since I rarely need cargo space and passenger space at the same time, but it'd be nice to have more. It's really a bummer that they stopped putting the manual in the Forester. I could also just get a roof box.

Kinda weird that it has a car-like seating position, but at CUV height, though I guess it's better than a CUV-like seating position at CUV height.

Unfortunately, they didn't have any manuals in stock, so I didn't drive it.

Honda dealership is right next door, so I swung by and checked out a Clarity. Nice car. I took it for a really short test drive, and the battery was pretty low so I got to use both EV and hybrid modes. It's weird to hear a gas engine at a static RPM while you're accelerating. Even the CVTs I've driven before change RPM some.

[Laconian]

Rags has a Crosstrek which has seen some legitimate offroad adventures.

[BimmerM3]

Rags has a Crosstrek which has seen some legitimate offroad adventures.

Yeah I've seen a couple of pictures on the BookFace.

[Raza]

Hmm, Explorers in my area are listed a bit higher than I was expecting, though those are mostly dealer listings. I'd probably still have to put in a grand or two to make up the difference, especially factoring in an extra set of wheels/tires for winter. 

I might have to add "Keep S2000, swap Explorer for Xterra" as an option. It's an unlikely option, but something to ponder, which is really the point of this thread at this stage.

Do that. 

Is your S2000 an AP2 with a glass rear window and traction control?  If so, I'd consider buying it to replace the Z4 next year. 

[BimmerM3]

Do that. 

Is your S2000 an AP2 with a glass rear window and traction control?  If so, I'd consider buying it to replace the Z4 next year. 

Yup, 2008 black on black. Not a CR. I'll have to start a bidding war between you, my dad's neighbor, and one of my friends.

I can also apparently get a 2009ish Forester for around the same price.

The basic problem is that the Explorer kinda sucks to drive from Boulder to my dad's condo in the mountains. Both a two-line twisty state road and a four lane interstate that's fairly steep the whole way, going up to 11-12k feet depending on the route I take. Forester/Crosstrek would solve the twisty road problem better and be more efficient, but Xterra would solve the steep road problem better and be more capable off-road (not that I'd need it very much).

Fortunately, there's a Subaru dealership pretty close to some of the steepest and highest elevation parts of the drive. I already have a test drive route in mind that incorporates both twisty two lane road and steep interstate, going both uphill and downhill on each.

[Laconian]

Would the Xterra do twisty roads better? Not sure about that..

[BimmerM3]

Would the Xterra do twisty roads better? Not sure about that..

Sorta. IIRC, the base suspension was slightly stiffer than the Explorer, but the Offroad and Pro-4x had softer suspension, so cornering depends on the trim. Center of gravity is about the same, maybe slightly higher. It does have a solid rear axle.

But more importantly, it's lighter and feels a lot peppier, especially with the MT, so even if didn't corner any better, between the corners would be better. I was legitimately surprised at how fun it was.

A lot of my issue with the Explorer is that I don't how the AT behaves on mountain roads. I think they programmed it to hold higher gears for fuel economy, so it's really lazy about kicking down when I need it to.

[BimmerM3]

But also you're not wrong. I was really trying to say that both the Xterra and Subarus have advantages over the Explorer, just for very different reasons.