[Midgarr30]

Hey all.

I've been driving my 2004 VW R32 for a while now. The lack of space and not-so-great-for-the-performance fuel economy of the R32 has been making me look for alternatives. When my friend let me drive his 335i coupe, I instantly fell in love.

After doing plenty of shopping around and test driving, I finally made my decision....335i Sedan, Sparkling Graphite, Terra leather, Sport Package and heated seats. I placed the security deposit yesterday. Now for what will feel like the LOOONG wait. Let me just say that I consider myself to be quite a car enthusiast and purist. I feel there should be a level of Jinba Ittai (connection between man and horse...or man and machine in this circumstance) when buying a car. The R32 had a great feel and was a joy to drive...most of the time. However, it felt like it was always shifting too much of its weight when I was turning and was definitely nose-heavy (over-steer was quite a problem).

Let me just note the other vehicles I have driven when deciding on my new car:

Infinity G35 Sedan Sport.
Obviously, this was going to be on my list. The sitting position was great, but the seats felt sloppy and flat. The engine felt and sounded very strong. The car was amazingly nimble around corners (the 2 that I pushed the car around during the test drive). I love the exterior. The stereo is okay; nothing to write home about. The leather is nice, but felt a **little** cheap. The steering wheel was unsatisfactory (but what is satisfactory...I mean, look at the R32's steering wheel. What a beauty). Overall, it was a lot of fun to drive, except on the highway, where it felt like I had to pay too much attention to car to keep it going straight. And, again (even coming from an R32 driver), the G's engine sounds GREAT. But, in the end, it did not feel like there was a true connection between myself and the machine.

Mazdaspeed 6.
Don't flame. It's a decent automobile. The turbo-4 felt very strong all over the power band. The interior, while not anywhere in the ballpark of a luxury car, still looked nice. BUT, it didn't FEEL nice. The driving position and seats were not exactly what I would expect in a sports sedan. The car understeered a good amount, but not as much as the R32. Under hard acceleration in a straight line, it felt composed and steady. However, overall, it just felt a little too empty....no connection was made with me and car.

Used Audi S4 V8
Another great sounding engine! But, oh, why........why Audi do you always have to employ those awful 6-spoke S-style wheels?!! The rest of the exterior of the B7 A4's is to my liking. Not everyone is a huge fan; I am. Beautiful interior with a great optional stereo (best stereo out of all the cars I tested). The stick felt bulky and odd; it even looks bulky and odd. The S4's seats are very nice, but need a little more thigh side bolstering. Understeered as expected, when pushed. But, when I wasn't digging too hard, the car did everything I asked of it. The car made you feel good when you drove it. The engine noise, the thrust, the seats and the stereo (do not play the stereo under hard acceleration!). I thought I was actually about to get the Audi....but I remembered my 335i test drive that I took before any of the other test drives.

BMW 335i.
Perfect. Seating position and seats were exactly as a driver wants and needs. The car feels stable and composed at any speed and in almost any corning situation. The engine, as we all know, is beast-like. Coming from the R32, I didn't think I would ever get braking performance comparable to the VW....thank you BMW for proving me wrong! The stereo is perfect for my needs. The suspension was tough but compliant and felt light-years more refined than the R's. The 335i test drive was very tough competition to the other vehicles...and I knew this when entering the other vehicles for the test drive. But, oh, the love I found for the 335i.

I look forward to miles of smiles.

-Adam

[Hawkshaw]

Congrats, and welcome to the club! Sounds like you really did your research and came to the right conclusion (for your particular needs). Gotta respect that!