Topic: Test Drive: 2013 BMW 328i xDrive

[sailor723]

On the other hand maybe people just don't care about driving anymore.

Yes and no.  The success of the BRZ/FRS leads me to believe enthusiasts are still out there, but the reality of the luxury car market is that most people just drone to and from work in these cars, and quick steering and agile suspension don't really matter when you're creeping at 30km/h in stop and go traffic.  On the weekends, the minivan is used to shuttle kids around.  Who goes out and just drives anymore?

And if they do, they get something else.  Look at English-Turbo-Bob's thread.  He is looking for a commuter car.  He's going to buy something else for fun.

I wonder how many BMW dealers were losing sales to Lexus "cause it's quieter and rides nicer and the stereo is better?"

Strangely enough, my wife (who is hardly an enthusiast) picked BMW over Lexus because she liked the way it drove better.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Caddy was in 4th place for the month and 5th for the year amongst luxury brands. They have been doing better lately than they have in a long while. And they have been getting decent conquest numbers for the CTS and new SRX.

Trends in cars come and go. Sporty handling has been a priority over the last 20-30 years. But tastes change. For the 30 years prior, it was overstuffed brocade or velour seating and pillow soft ride. Who knows where things will go?

[sailor723]

Interesting that they outsell Lincoln almost 3 to 1. I guess Ford's renaissance hasn't spilled over to their luxury brand.

[Northernridge]

Acura makes a surge.

[lostcomma]

I sat in the new 328. I see they outsourced the idrive display to fisher price. Sure hope they used enough glue to attach it as it looks like an after thought. That plus, all the minimal design makes it feel, well cheap in kinda of expensive way. I sat in an A4 the other day and was shocked at the room it had in it compared to the 3series. Plus the A4 still can be had with an manual transmission with all wheels driven. Not that I am a big A4 fan. Neither of these classes are great used. One is too unreliable and the other attracts people who love the name but the lack regular maintenance makes finding a good one not that easy. I do love the motor, chasis, and gearbox in the 2 wheel drive 328 and apparently the Idrive menu/interface is now mature and beats all other in it's easy of use.

[Triple Bob]

On the other hand maybe people just don't care about driving anymore.

the reality of the luxury car market is that most people just drone to and from work in these cars, and quick steering and agile suspension don't really matter when you're creeping at 30km/h in stop and go traffic.  Look at English-Turbo-Bob's thread.  He is looking for a commuter car.  He's going to buy something else for fun.

This.

Although the BMW actually had better suspension than the Lexus, the Lexus was set up quite sporty (i.e. harsher), and had less room.

[dave]

I sat in the new 328. I see they outsourced the idrive display to fisher price. Sure hope they used enough glue to attach it as it looks like an after thought. That plus, all the minimal design makes it feel, well cheap in kinda of expensive way. I sat in an A4 the other day and was shocked at the room it had in it compared to the 3series. Plus the A4 still can be had with an manual transmission with all wheels driven. Not that I am a big A4 fan. Neither of these classes are great used. One is too unreliable and the other attracts people who love the name but the lack regular maintenance makes finding a good one not that easy. I do love the motor, chasis, and gearbox in the 2 wheel drive 328 and apparently the Idrive menu/interface is now mature and beats all other in it's easy of use.

  2012 3 series is bigger than A4 in almost every dimension.