Shopping: BMW 335i and alternatives

[saxonyron]

The handbrake position really is a pain in the ass. BTW, why does that door lock button in the back lock, but not unlock?

Funny thing is, I never noticed.  And I'm usually fairly curious!    My guess is security, so the kid doesn't unlock the door by mistake while he's sitting alone in the parking lot and the kidnapper is trying to get in the car.  Yeah - that's it!

[Lebowski]

According to the manufacturer, the 3.2 is 6.7 and the 2.0T is 7.5 seconds.?

The manufacturer had a vested interest in getting you to pay up for the more expensive, slower car.

Seriously, w/ the 2.0t there's absolutely no reason to pay up for the 3.2.

[Lebowski]

? However, this is coming from a problem he had with a stupid design on the Mercedes that caused damage when changing a tire, and made him skip a day of work to get it fixed, and it costed over a grand.? He's not considering a Mercedes again, and won't be for a very long time.
?

I'd really like to hear that backstory.

Also interesting he's considering a 335i over a G35 yet "a grand" is apparently a huge amount of money.

[Raza]

You know this debate whether the 2.0T is faster sparked some interest from me, and I decided to do some mag digging. The problem was most of the 2.0T tested were manual, while the 3.2 tended to be automatic.  Well here's what I found.


From our favorite magazine, C&D tested a 2.0T manual to be 0-60 at 7.2 sec. and quartermile at 15.5 @92mph.

http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtests/9478/audi-a4-20t-quattro-page4.html

And C&D tested the 3.2 automatic at 15.7 secs in the quartermile, the online version didn't have more data.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/10387/2005-audi-a4-32-quattro.html


From Motortrend I only managed to find a 3.2 automatic time.  It was 0-60 at 7.1 and quartermile at 15.1 @ 93.4 mph

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0509_sport_sedan_comparison/specs_price.html

Just when things looked good for the 3.2 auto, I found a R&T time of 6.4 0-60mph and 14.9 @ 94.2 mph for the quarter for the 2.0T manual

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=31&article_id=2482

So I guess it's hard to say.  The fastest time is from R&T for the 2.0T manual.  Also across the same magazine (C&D) the 2.0 manual is also faster.  But one can see alot of variation in the times, and considering the 2.0T in question here is automatic, it could really swing either way.  But I can't really say one is faster than the other.  I do find it interesting Audi has such little straightline distinction between the cars, a far cry from say a 335i's complete and utter destruction of a 328i in a race.

I can guarantee that a 2.0T 6 speed would be quicker than a 3.2 auto, the TFSI 2.0T is that strong.  But auto to auto, I doubt it. 

And 6.4 and 14.9 seems unrealistic.

[saxonyron]

I can guarantee that a 2.0T 6 speed would be quicker than a 3.2 auto, the TFSI 2.0T is that strong. But auto to auto, I doubt it.

And 6.4 and 14.9 seems unrealistic.

I've heard the 2.0 6mt in the high 6's.  The 6.4 could have been a super strong engine, or maybe the proverbial ringer.  Doubt R&T would fall for that, though.  But yeah, that damn 4 banger has a serious set of balls.  Not like my old 2.7T, but it really puts a smile on my face.  I'd be hard pressed to go for the 3.2 for the extra $5k or so, just to add a couple hundred pounds over the front axle and get worse gas mileage. 

[Raza]

I'd really like to hear that backstory.

Also interesting he's considering a 335i over a G35 yet "a grand" is apparently a huge amount of money.

Have you ever changed a tire?

You take the lugs out, take the wheel off, then put the spare on and the lugs back in.  Right?

Wrong. 

The Mercedes spare is special.  And it uses special lugs.  Special lugs which can only be used on the spare, and if you use the regular lugs on the spare, your car will not move.  The car locked up, he had to get it towed to Cherry Hill, pay exorbitant prices for the tow, and then they had to replace the brake rotors because they were damaged.  Total repair came to $900 and change plus the tow.  The money isn't the issue, he's been so enraged by the idiotic design and the time and frustration that he doesn't want to have anything to do with Mercedes anymore. 

[Raza]

This throttle thing really worries me.  I'll see if the BMW does the same thing.  It's been a while since I've driven a newer automatic car, but if this is happening to Ro and Ron as well, then it's something of which to be wary.

[565]

I can guarantee that a 2.0T 6 speed would be quicker than a 3.2 auto, the TFSI 2.0T is that strong.? But auto to auto, I doubt it.?

And 6.4 and 14.9 seems unrealistic.

Yeah there is alot of variation in the ET's but not so much in the trap speeds.  It seems both the 2.0T and the 3.2 auto trap around the mid to low 90's, which makes them comparable to a GTI or Civic Si.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Have you ever changed a tire?

You take the lugs out, take the wheel off, then put the spare on and the lugs back in.? Right?

Wrong.?

The Mercedes spare is special.? And it uses special lugs.? Special lugs which can only be used on the spare, and if you use the regular lugs on the spare, your car will not move.? The car locked up, he had to get it towed to Cherry Hill, pay exorbitant prices for the tow, and then they had to replace the brake rotors because they were damaged.? Total repair came to $900 and change plus the tow.? The money isn't the issue, he's been so enraged by the idiotic design and the time and frustration that he doesn't want to have anything to do with Mercedes anymore.?

That's ridiculous, I understand his hatred of Mercedes. Plus, he had to skip a day of work for it too.

[Minpin]

Have you ever changed a tire?

You take the lugs out, take the wheel off, then put the spare on and the lugs back in.  Right?

Wrong. 

The Mercedes spare is special.  And it uses special lugs.  Special lugs which can only be used on the spare, and if you use the regular lugs on the spare, your car will not move.  The car locked up, he had to get it towed to Cherry Hill, pay exorbitant prices for the tow, and then they had to replace the brake rotors because they were damaged.  Total repair came to $900 and change plus the tow.  The money isn't the issue, he's been so enraged by the idiotic design and the time and frustration that he doesn't want to have anything to do with Mercedes anymore. 

Sounds like it was your brother's fault. Not trying to be rude or mean, just speaking my mind. 

[Minpin]

Don't the Mercedes have the little red button you hit when things like that happen? I think i remember seeing one before, it's supposed to be like onstar right?

[Colonel Cadillac]

Sounds like it was your brother's fault. Not trying to be rude or mean, just speaking my mind.?

Ehh, it was probably a situation where he didn't read the Mercedes instructions to change the wheel, and why would he if it's such a simple thing to do?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Why no AWD G35?

[Minpin]

Ehh, it was probably a situation where he didn't read the Mercedes instructions to change the wheel, and why would he if it's such a simple thing to do?

If it were my car I would have read the manual front to back, only in my native language of course, but you get what im saying. I would like to know everything about my car, but that's just me.

But yea I can understand him hating Mercedes for his own mess up, clearly it's their fault.

[Raza]

Don't the Mercedes have the little red button you hit when things like that happen? I think i remember seeing one before, it's supposed to be like onstar right?

It's a subscription service. 

[Raza]

If it were my car I would have read the manual front to back, only in my native language of course, but you get what im saying. I would like to know everything about my car, but that's just me.

But yea I can understand him hating Mercedes for his own mess up, clearly it's their fault.

Yeah, I bet you consult the manual when filling up your gas too.

[Minpin]

It's a subscription service. 

Ah. I've always wanted to press the button. It's so.....red. 

[Raza]

Why no AWD G35?

That's possible.  He didn't express a want for AWD too much, I just thought of it.

[Colonel Cadillac]

If it were my car I would have read the manual front to back, only in my native language of course, but you get what im saying. I would like to know everything about my car, but that's just me.

But yea I can understand him hating Mercedes for his own mess up, clearly it's their fault.

Why would you read the instruccions to changing a tire? It's simple:

jack up car, undo lug nuts, take off bad wheel, place good wheel on, put lug nuts on, jack car down, clean up.

Obviously it wasn't Mercedes' fault, but that is a horribly dumb design flaw.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

That's possible.? He didn't express a want for AWD too much, I just thought of it.

well you mentioned the safety(or security) of awd a couple times for the audi, figured it was important.

[Minpin]

Yeah, I bet you consult the manual when filling up your gas too.

What I meant was I would have read the manual beforehand like when he first recieved the car. That way he would have known about the sizing differences. It possibly could have prevented the problem, but either way...onwards. Out of the ones so far i'm inclined to pick the 335i. I really do love that car.  I bet if you showed up in your boxter they would let you take it home overnight.

[Raza]

What I meant was I would have read the manual beforehand like when he first recieved the car. That way he would have known about the sizing differences. It possibly could have prevented the problem, but either way...onwards. Out of the ones so far i'm inclined to pick the 335i. I really do love that car.  I bet if you showed up in your boxter they would let you take it home overnight.

Even with a doughnut spare you use the same lugs.  I've changed the tire on my car that way.  This is his second E320 of the same generation.  The first one didn't have this issue.

[Raza]

well you mentioned the safety(or security) of awd a couple times for the audi, figured it was important.

It's a good idea, surely.  And the fact that it's automatic only doesn't affect him.  I'll check it out.

[JYODER240]

The new CTS doesn't come out for a few more months but its something I'd take into consideration.

[saxonyron]

This throttle thing really worries me. I'll see if the BMW does the same thing. It's been a while since I've driven a newer automatic car, but if this is happening to Ro and Ron as well, then it's something of which to be wary.

I consider it a minor design flaw.  Simply a lazy throttle return that you really do adjust to pretty quickly.  If as someone mentioned, it's done to keep some Eco-warrior bureaucrat happy, chances are they're not about to change the design.  I really haven't thought of it in a long time until this discussion came up.  It's no big deal and you soon compensate for it subconsciously.  Hasn't taken away too much of my Fahrvergnugen.

[SJ_GTI]

Couple points:

No way the 2.0T I4 is faster than the 3.1L V6. I am amazed to see people comparing automatic times to manuals times and thinking they are even remotely similar (although, if the A4 had a DSG I could see the point). A 2.0T automatic will be significantly slowering than a 2.0T manual. The only exception would be if the person was planning on getting an aftermarket chip...then it might make sense to get the 2.0T for speed.

It seems like this topic comes up in every thread involving the A4. The 3.1L V6 is not a marketing gimic...it is a more powerful engine, plain and simple.

On the spare tire issue...if that's a concern I think I should mention that out of the 3er, C-Class, and A4 the A4 offers a distinct advantage (that I actually got some use out of): The A4 has a full-size spare (a "fifth wheel" that is identical to the other four), the 3er has no spare (run flat tires), and the C-Class has its own problems as mentioned above. This ended up being extremely helpful for me on one trip from Montreal to NJ where I had a tire blowout on the NJ Turnpike. No need to tow or anything, I just put the spare on and got the blowout replaced at my own convenience. On a 3er I would have had ~50 miles to find a dealer that would still have hopefully been open (this was late in the evening), and I would have to drive in limp mode (no speeds above 50 MPH). Donuts offer similar issues: limited speed and capabilities, and you want to get them fixed ASAP.

Anyway I'm glad to hear you liked the A4. Its a shame your brother doesn't like manual transmissions. IMHO a manual really complements a car like the A4.

[Lebowski]

Like Minpin, if it were my car I would know about something like that.   I just know things like that about my own car.  However, it does seem like a stupid design and sounds like a reasonable mistake.  While I would never make a similar mistake on my on car, if, say, my mom asked me to change the tire on her car I wouldn't read the manual before doing it.

Sounds like it's happened before:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/mercedes_c240.html

[Raza]

Like Minpin, if it were my car I would know about something like that.   I just know things like that about my own car.  However, it does seem like a stupid design and sounds like a reasonable mistake.  While I would never make a similar mistake on my on car, if, say, my mom asked me to change the tire on her car I wouldn't read the manual before doing it.

Sounds like it's happened before:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/mercedes_c240.html

The tow truck guy said he sees it quite often.

[850CSi]

I would.


My car ain't bad either.

It's part of the reason why I'd rather have a Corvette or M3 than an Elise.

[850CSi]

I would have agreed before I got my A4.? I never even think about the cylinder count - I just enjoy the acceleration. The FSI engine's torque curve gives a real nice delivery.? You just don't feel like you're in a 4 cyl....until I go to the pump and calculate my 25 mpg.?

Yeah, but it's not as fast as the 325/8i, and I wouldn't spend $40K on a 328i either.