Modern diesels are much cleaner than the old Benzes you remember from the 1980's, kicking up roostertails of exhaust plumes like Pigpen's wake. Diesels are (and always have been) more fuel efficent and torquier than gasoline powered engines. The geniuses (genii?) at BMW applied all their engineering wisdom and came up with a car that gets 36 MPG on the highway but puts out 265 HP and 425 pound-feet of torque. That's more torque than the A6 from my last post, the one with the Lamborghini engine. It's even more torque than BMW's flagship M3. As a result, the 335d absolutely demolishes other people on the highway. I know this because I am so smitten with the 335d that I test-drove one on Saturday.
Taking off from a dead stop a stoplight is a brisk affair in the 335d, but going from, say 50-to-70 MPH on the highway is nearly instantaneous. I stepped out of the right lane to pass someone, goosed the gas, and nearly broke my neck. This driving style will not save fuel but I can see how it would become addictive. And I'm not the only one who feels this way--Warren Brown of the Washington Post wrote, perhaps a bit hyperbolically, that "I believe the 335d is the best midsize sedan ever. That's 'best' as in better than any midsize sedan I've driven in 42 years of driving and driving nearly everything there is to be driven."
BMW sold the 335d in the US from 2009 to 2012. Predictably, no one wanted this mix of power and fuel economy because it came in an unusual package. As a result these cars generally went unloved by the type of folks who want to lease a BMW, so there aren't a ton of them out there on the CPO market. Diesel fans likely won't ever part with them so good luck finding one. None are available with a manual transmission. All are rear wheel drive. So snow tires are a must if you live in places where you're expected to get to work on time despite slushy weather.
Despite the fact that I'm looking for a car and the 335d was a blast to drive, I probably will not buy the one I drove this weekend, even though it was a perfect black-and-tan color combo, and even though the car's built-in computer showed that it averaged a remarkable 29.7 MPG over the past 2300 miles. The reason, you ask? Because it has iDrive, a maddeningly complicated computer interface system that necessetates a PhD in electrical engineering to change the radio station or to switch from the radio to the CD player or iPod jack. Totally killed the car for me. I'd rather get a non-iDrive model and buy a TomTom for $100 for navigation.
So I guess this post should really be "What Would zman Almost Drive."
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31 comments:
Shot your wad a little before 6:09 eh Z? It's not even midnight. I get it, that car (almost really) gets you off.
Post title type? Or is zman really "Diese"?
335d's is more like it. more torque than the m3 heh? well look at the big brains on brad.
did you do this on your test drive?(this is funny, so you should watch)
http://tinyurl.com/d45pyh6
happy gay marriage argument day, everybody. who was supposed to write the scotus preview?
i was just about to do that.
Buying a diesel car for city driving or short distance commuting is bad economics. Yeah, they are much cleaner at burning the fuel today but just like the old ones, you don't realize the true benefits unless you are driving more than 30-40 miles for each trip. So if you are driving it less than that range, the engine doesn't get up to optimal efficiency and negates any mileage benefits.
Bert and Ernie wait with bated breath on the SCOTUS ruling
teej - that was a joke, or a failed joke rather. i will not be submitting any material related to scotus today or ever.
buzz bissinger has an article coming out in next month's gq where he talks about his shopping addiction. who knew? over the last 3 years, he has spent over 600k on clothes.
danimal, not referring to your non-existent preview, referring to the fact those Muppets might have the gay, and thus would care about what the Supreme Court might have to say on the matter. if they were real. and not muppets.
copy that goose.
saw that bissinger thing. that dude is not afraid of anything, from a writing perspective. fascinating character.
there are pictures of him in outfits that you cannot unsee. the horror.
Get it together Teej. Bert and Ernie aren't Muppets. So does that mean they really do care about the court's ruling?
Wikipedia never lies:
"Bert and Ernie are two Muppet characters..."
buzz is very human and let's it be known. hard not to like him. he says he tried the gay before too. not that there's anything wrong with that. i'm thinking he was probably the qb.
Walking over to Supreme Court now to check out the scene
please take pictures and report back. it's got to be a glorious clusterfuck.
It is pretty ridiculous out here right now
http://tinyurl.com/ckwhlc5
zman, as GTB SCOTUS expert, when should we expect a decision today?
I think the arguments are scheduled for two days and it usually takes about two to three months for a decision.
G:TB is going to have car content two days in a row this week. I'm not nearly the car guy that Zman is but I saw something yesterday that absolutely must be shared.
oh yes, the Mark post is a doozy
is it a ned ryerson type of doozy, or just a normal doozy?
carh and dhrivher
RIP Ho House. Guess I'm going to have to use another hotel in the Burg.
Ho House sucked. Overpriced and never lived up to its name.
Speak for yourself.
And getting back to carh and drhiver ... car dealers have monthly and quarterly sales goals. The end of the first quarter is nigh upon us so if you're looking for a car you should be able to do well for yourself this week, especially Saturday.
new post up, no thanks to tr.
zedman, please feel free to correct my likely erroneous legal interpretations.
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