Which Cars Have You Test Driven? - Page 4 - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

blutattoo · 09-13-2012, 06:31 PM

Cars I'm driving this weekend courtesy of exotic racing in Vegas

Mercedes SLS 63
Ferrari 458 Italia
Porsche 997 Turbo S

Yee Haw! I'm taking my go pro so I'll try and post videos when I get home next week.

Before I bought my 1 I drove quite a few cars.

2012 Camaro SS with optional RS PKG

Heavy, yes. Cheap looking interior, yes. Terrible visibility, yes. Expensive, yes.

All that said it was fun to drive. More planted and solid feeling than the Mustang. Great sounding exhaust and the available Hurst shifter was really good. It helped the salesman told me to get on it, hehe.

2012 Mustang 5.0

Quick, yes. Cheap Interior, yes. Great sounding, yes. Fun to drive, well not really.

The salesman's mistake was to have me drive over broken pavement and then tell me to get on it. Not a Mustang forte for sure, it danced around and felt disconnected from the road. Driving the Mustang was odd and something never felt right. I went to drive a Boss 302, but they wouldn't let me drive it so I'll never know what the difference is. Plus the Mustang seats suck.

2005 BMW M3 vert. and 2008 M3 vert

Hated the SMG, loved everything else. Reason I didn't buy either, wife wanted warranty. In retrospect probably a good choice since I am an enthusiastic driver and the likelihood of me breaking something is pretty good.

Bmoney2K4 · 12-17-2012, 11:31 PM

Today, I test drove two cars:

Mustang V6 Premium coupe: This car had decent power, the seats were okay, the handling wasn't so great. The live rear axle is what everyone says it is--it makes the car feel like a cruiser and not so much a sports car. The car kind of felt like a Cadillac CTS I had driven earlier. The 04 GS 300 I drive feels sportier than this car in terms of how it can handle in an emergency situation.

2013 Mercedes E 350- The seats were horrible in the sport edition. The side bolsters do not adjust but I applaud Mercedes for trying to make this car a sport sedan as it gets very close to this category in terms of performance. The power was there but not all the way there like the 335i coupe I used to have. The handling was secure and did not feel artificial. In some ways, I think the car was trying to be a big, floaty 335i.

krnnerdboy · 12-21-2012, 11:35 AM

This year I had the pleasure of owning a boss 302, m6 and a z06. I was able to get track time on 2 this year as well...

M6...
I figured with just a 200lb weight penalty over an m3 but a 100hp advantage it would be an m3 killer, but alas the overall design of the car being a gt cruiser killed the performance on the track. The major downfall was the under steer and the bus size steering wheel. The power train was amazing once in its power band and the smg felt in its elements when doing full throttle shifts. It literally felt like every gear had the same amount of thrust as the last up to my tested 170mph. The interior was nice,especially with my extended leather package but felt aged in comparison to an e92 interior. The rear seats are smaller than an e92 as well! Ultimately I enjoyed the ride but was underwhelmed by the track performance and track oriented mods. And I never did get over that catfish looking frontend...

Boss 302...
I loved everything about this car except the jittery rear end on bumpy roads. Contrary to what many think, the 5.0 in the boss is completely different from a gt. the top end is designed to rev to 9k, the internals are all forged, and the stock block has proven to make 1k whp w just a blower! The power band is a perfect blend of torque and high end power. It revs effortlessly to its 7500 rpm redline. The handling limits on this is very progressive which makes it easy to drive and get great times. This is one of the most neutrally balanced cars I've ever driven. No hint of understeer or oversteer, whether on an embankment, off camber or neutral turn. The steering had enough feedback even though its not hydraulic. But I'm guessing most of you guys are wondering how it compares with the m3 on the track...

Luckily, thanks to mthrice, I was able to drive the boss and e92 m3 back to back at streets of willow. The boss has the better power train hands down! But the m3 makes up for it with its razor sharp steering and controlled body motions ultimately giving it a lot more confidence, where the boss takes a bit of blind faith that it will stay on track.

Z06...
I honestly haven't had the car long But i can definitely agree with others reviews regarding the interior. Here's the best paraphrase to sum it up "if I had a leather jacket that was made of the same leather on the vette seats, I would be embarrassed to donate it to goodwill" lol! But this car isn't about the interior or its refinement but rather its raw performance. Once your situated in the car, the view is good and the car feels extremely wide. Surprisingly the car is free of squeaks, relative to the targa c6. The power is relentless, but the m6 feels like it would give it a good run on the highway, although the results were different( I pulled 5 cars on my m6 on the highway in one gear!). I've only driven this thing in the canyon once and the car in a word was amazing! The size instantly shrinks and the long accelerator pedal is perfectly proportioned to throttle response. I'll report back once I get some track time on this car this weekend at Laguna seca!

baege · 12-27-2012, 02:17 PM

2008 M3

interior is the usual BMW quality and finish, good visibility and driving position, engine is silkly smooth and sounds so good, no need for a stereo, not the torquiest of engines, didn't feel all much quicker than my coupe at low revs, but as revs rose it pulled very strong, precise handling and feel, didn't feel all that much bigger than my coupe despite outweighing it by at least 400lbs, typical precise and engaging bmw transmission, made me wish even more that they had put the M3 v8 in the Mcoupe, I would have been ALL over that car.

2010 Lotus Evora
definite curb appeal, turned more heads than any car I've ever driven, interior is no BMW interior, good outward front visibility, engine is smooth, not all that quick, didn't feel that much quicker than my coupe, engine sound not all that inspiring, shift/clutch action not all that great, long throws, handling is superb, precise, great feel, high overall limits. The truest sports car I ever driven. If it was a little more practical (very low, no rear visibility), I may have been more tempted.

2010 Aston Martin Vantage V8:
Best looking car I've driven, not as much of a head turner as the evora since its less extreme, but just beautiful. Interior is top quality and looks very nice. Engine is silkly smooth and sounds INCREDIBLE, but not all that powerful, not torquey, comes more alive with revs. Transmission and clutch work well. Visibility and driving position not all that great, feels kinda like sitting in bathtub. Handling limits are good, but it def feels like a big car. I walked away feeling like it wasn't as much "fun" as my coupe. Not a true sports car, more of a GT.

Giggs · 02-12-2013, 01:13 AM

I had always wanted to drive an audi r8 - dream car. Coming from a fully modded supercharged e92 M3 I was hesitent becase I've always heard recviews saying the v8 r8 is underpowered yada yada.. So i test drove one. Gotta say "what the hell are they talking about!?!". Maybe underpowered for a supercar? Regardless it was fast. To say the least, i fell in love. Engaging, quick as hell off the line (thanks awd), planted, sounds incredible, beautiful design. Immediately parted out the M3 and sold it. Finally found the r8 i wanted and purchased 2 weeks ago. Shipped from FL last week, it will be here on Saturday

. Thank you test drive lol

MisterSkiMask · 02-12-2013, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggs

I had always wanted to drive an audi r8 - dream car. Coming from a fully modded supercharged e92 M3 I was hesitent becase I've always heard recviews saying the v8 r8 is underpowered yada yada.. So i test drove one. Gotta say "what the hell are they talking about!?!". Maybe underpowered for a supercar? Regardless it was fast. To say the least, i fell in love. Engaging, quick as hell off the line (thanks awd), planted, sounds incredible, beautiful design. Immediately parted out the M3 and sold it. Finally found the r8 i wanted and purchased 2 weeks ago. Shipped from FL last week, it will be here on Saturday

. Thank you test drive lol

Congrats! Be sure to post pics!

Giggs · 02-16-2013, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterSkiMask

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggs

I had always wanted to drive an audi r8 - dream car. Coming from a fully modded supercharged e92 M3 I was hesitent becase I've always heard recviews saying the v8 r8 is underpowered yada yada.. So i test drove one. Gotta say "what the hell are they talking about!?!". Maybe underpowered for a supercar? Regardless it was fast. To say the least, i fell in love. Engaging, quick as hell off the line (thanks awd), planted, sounds incredible, beautiful design. Immediately parted out the M3 and sold it. Finally found the r8 i wanted and purchased 2 weeks ago. Shipped from FL last week, it will be here on Saturday

. Thank you test drive lol

Congrats! Be sure to post pics!

Here she is..

http://youtu.be/hZnzyFe8w50

minigearhead · 02-16-2013, 11:22 PM

here you go
looks SWEET btw

is that matte white with silver sideblades?

fireline43 · 02-17-2013, 03:15 PM

2013 Passat se- great roomy car. Handling was surprising for its size. Seats are horrid. I've read v6 model is actually pretty quick.

2013 Audi a4 base- the Passat seemed to handle better. Interior was nicer then Passat, comfy seats.

2013 vw tiguan- wife's car. I love it( I think im a vw fanboy even though I never owned one. Handles good, comfy, lots of utility but still have a car feel. Quick enough for every day driving. Only down fall is fwd, but the last time i lost traction on a turn was in high school anyway. who takes turns that fast on normal roads? Smashing a pedestrian no thanks in my book.

2012 Buick gs- wins, waiting on the 2014 model to see changes

Giggs · 02-18-2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minigearhead

here you go
looks SWEET btw

is that matte white with silver sideblades?

Ibis white with silver sideblades. Looks even better in person

Bmoney2K4 · 02-22-2013, 02:27 PM

I wonder what people's impressions are of the 2013 Lexus GS 350 and 2013 Mercedes E 350.

Raja Ventureshield · 02-22-2013, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bmoney2K4

I wonder what people's impressions are of the 2013 Lexus GS 350 and 2013 Mercedes E 350.

both look better in person than pix. i like the Lexus F-sport line for the GS350.

But i would get the e350 over gs350 since the ride on the lexus is so damn yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!

Raja Ventureshield · 02-22-2013, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggs

Ibis white with silver sideblades. Looks even better in person

post some pix on here man. i am now looking at a brand new one instead.

Giggs · 02-24-2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raja Ventureshield

post some pix on here man. i am now looking at a brand new one instead.

I embedded a video above in the thread - better than pics! Personally I wouldn't buy new, too much depreciation. You may as well throw away money. That my $.02

12-21-2012, 11:35 AM	#69
krnnerdboy Lieutenant Colonel Drives: v10 m6 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: so cal Posts: 1,681 iTrader: (10)	This year I had the pleasure of owning a boss 302, m6 and a z06. I was able to get track time on 2 this year as well... M6... I figured with just a 200lb weight penalty over an m3 but a 100hp advantage it would be an m3 killer, but alas the overall design of the car being a gt cruiser killed the performance on the track. The major downfall was the under steer and the bus size steering wheel. The power train was amazing once in its power band and the smg felt in its elements when doing full throttle shifts. It literally felt like every gear had the same amount of thrust as the last up to my tested 170mph. The interior was nice,especially with my extended leather package but felt aged in comparison to an e92 interior. The rear seats are smaller than an e92 as well! Ultimately I enjoyed the ride but was underwhelmed by the track performance and track oriented mods. And I never did get over that catfish looking frontend... Boss 302... I loved everything about this car except the jittery rear end on bumpy roads. Contrary to what many think, the 5.0 in the boss is completely different from a gt. the top end is designed to rev to 9k, the internals are all forged, and the stock block has proven to make 1k whp w just a blower! The power band is a perfect blend of torque and high end power. It revs effortlessly to its 7500 rpm redline. The handling limits on this is very progressive which makes it easy to drive and get great times. This is one of the most neutrally balanced cars I've ever driven. No hint of understeer or oversteer, whether on an embankment, off camber or neutral turn. The steering had enough feedback even though its not hydraulic. But I'm guessing most of you guys are wondering how it compares with the m3 on the track... Luckily, thanks to mthrice, I was able to drive the boss and e92 m3 back to back at streets of willow. The boss has the better power train hands down! But the m3 makes up for it with its razor sharp steering and controlled body motions ultimately giving it a lot more confidence, where the boss takes a bit of blind faith that it will stay on track. Z06... I honestly haven't had the car long But i can definitely agree with others reviews regarding the interior. Here's the best paraphrase to sum it up "if I had a leather jacket that was made of the same leather on the vette seats, I would be embarrassed to donate it to goodwill" lol! But this car isn't about the interior or its refinement but rather its raw performance. Once your situated in the car, the view is good and the car feels extremely wide. Surprisingly the car is free of squeaks, relative to the targa c6. The power is relentless, but the m6 feels like it would give it a good run on the highway, although the results were different( I pulled 5 cars on my m6 on the highway in one gear!). I've only driven this thing in the canyon once and the car in a word was amazing! The size instantly shrinks and the long accelerator pedal is perfectly proportioned to throttle response. I'll report back once I get some track time on this car this weekend at Laguna seca! __________________ Uzj100, w463, e90 n51, c6 Z06 Recent past: z4m, x5 lci ,m6, boss 302

02-16-2013, 11:22 PM	#74
minigearhead 14 year old+m3=what could go wrong? Drives: Interlagos Blue e93 6MT m3 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New York Posts: 650 iTrader: (0)	here you go looks SWEET btw is that matte white with silver sideblades? __________________ interlagos blue e93- tan interior-bought it on friday february 3rd!! Last edited by minigearhead; 02-17-2013 at 06:23 AM.

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09-13-2012, 06:31 PM	#67
blutattoo Second Lieutenant Drives: 2012 135i Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Sacramento Posts: 292 iTrader: (1) Garage List 2012 BMW 135i [0.00]	Cars I'm driving this weekend courtesy of exotic racing in Vegas Mercedes SLS 63 Ferrari 458 Italia Porsche 997 Turbo S Yee Haw! I'm taking my go pro so I'll try and post videos when I get home next week. Before I bought my 1 I drove quite a few cars. 2012 Camaro SS with optional RS PKG Heavy, yes. Cheap looking interior, yes. Terrible visibility, yes. Expensive, yes. All that said it was fun to drive. More planted and solid feeling than the Mustang. Great sounding exhaust and the available Hurst shifter was really good. It helped the salesman told me to get on it, hehe. 2012 Mustang 5.0 Quick, yes. Cheap Interior, yes. Great sounding, yes. Fun to drive, well not really. The salesman's mistake was to have me drive over broken pavement and then tell me to get on it. Not a Mustang forte for sure, it danced around and felt disconnected from the road. Driving the Mustang was odd and something never felt right. I went to drive a Boss 302, but they wouldn't let me drive it so I'll never know what the difference is. Plus the Mustang seats suck. 2005 BMW M3 vert. and 2008 M3 vert Hated the SMG, loved everything else. Reason I didn't buy either, wife wanted warranty. In retrospect probably a good choice since I am an enthusiastic driver and the likelihood of me breaking something is pretty good.

12-17-2012, 11:31 PM	#68
Bmoney2K4 Captain Drives: 04 Lexus GS 300 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 711 iTrader: (0)	Today, I test drove two cars: Mustang V6 Premium coupe: This car had decent power, the seats were okay, the handling wasn't so great. The live rear axle is what everyone says it is--it makes the car feel like a cruiser and not so much a sports car. The car kind of felt like a Cadillac CTS I had driven earlier. The 04 GS 300 I drive feels sportier than this car in terms of how it can handle in an emergency situation. 2013 Mercedes E 350- The seats were horrible in the sport edition. The side bolsters do not adjust but I applaud Mercedes for trying to make this car a sport sedan as it gets very close to this category in terms of performance. The power was there but not all the way there like the 335i coupe I used to have. The handling was secure and did not feel artificial. In some ways, I think the car was trying to be a big, floaty 335i.

12-27-2012, 02:17 PM	#70
baege Second Lieutenant Drives: 2007 BMW Z4 3.0SI COUPE Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, CAnada Posts: 225 iTrader: (0)	2008 M3 interior is the usual BMW quality and finish, good visibility and driving position, engine is silkly smooth and sounds so good, no need for a stereo, not the torquiest of engines, didn't feel all much quicker than my coupe at low revs, but as revs rose it pulled very strong, precise handling and feel, didn't feel all that much bigger than my coupe despite outweighing it by at least 400lbs, typical precise and engaging bmw transmission, made me wish even more that they had put the M3 v8 in the Mcoupe, I would have been ALL over that car. 2010 Lotus Evora definite curb appeal, turned more heads than any car I've ever driven, interior is no BMW interior, good outward front visibility, engine is smooth, not all that quick, didn't feel that much quicker than my coupe, engine sound not all that inspiring, shift/clutch action not all that great, long throws, handling is superb, precise, great feel, high overall limits. The truest sports car I ever driven. If it was a little more practical (very low, no rear visibility), I may have been more tempted. 2010 Aston Martin Vantage V8: Best looking car I've driven, not as much of a head turner as the evora since its less extreme, but just beautiful. Interior is top quality and looks very nice. Engine is silkly smooth and sounds INCREDIBLE, but not all that powerful, not torquey, comes more alive with revs. Transmission and clutch work well. Visibility and driving position not all that great, feels kinda like sitting in bathtub. Handling limits are good, but it def feels like a big car. I walked away feeling like it wasn't as much "fun" as my coupe. Not a true sports car, more of a GT.

02-12-2013, 01:13 AM	#71
Giggs Major Drives: Audi R8 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 1,036 iTrader: (5)	I had always wanted to drive an audi r8 - dream car. Coming from a fully modded supercharged e92 M3 I was hesitent becase I've always heard recviews saying the v8 r8 is underpowered yada yada.. So i test drove one. Gotta say "what the hell are they talking about!?!". Maybe underpowered for a supercar? Regardless it was fast. To say the least, i fell in love. Engaging, quick as hell off the line (thanks awd), planted, sounds incredible, beautiful design. Immediately parted out the M3 and sold it. Finally found the r8 i wanted and purchased 2 weeks ago. Shipped from FL last week, it will be here on Saturday . Thank you test drive lol

02-17-2013, 03:15 PM	#75
fireline43 Lieutenant Drives: 2013 Mercedes C250 Join Date: May 2012 Location: South Florida Posts: 487 iTrader: (0)	2013 Passat se- great roomy car. Handling was surprising for its size. Seats are horrid. I've read v6 model is actually pretty quick. 2013 Audi a4 base- the Passat seemed to handle better. Interior was nicer then Passat, comfy seats. 2013 vw tiguan- wife's car. I love it( I think im a vw fanboy even though I never owned one. Handles good, comfy, lots of utility but still have a car feel. Quick enough for every day driving. Only down fall is fwd, but the last time i lost traction on a turn was in high school anyway. who takes turns that fast on normal roads? Smashing a pedestrian no thanks in my book. 2012 Buick gs- wins, waiting on the 2014 model to see changes

02-22-2013, 02:27 PM	#77
Bmoney2K4 Captain Drives: 04 Lexus GS 300 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 711 iTrader: (0)	I wonder what people's impressions are of the 2013 Lexus GS 350 and 2013 Mercedes E 350.