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      02-10-2008, 08:31 PM   #1
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What's a good day? Test driving the 335i, A5, and G37S back to back to back!

So, my lease on the X5 is up in one month and these are the three cars I narrowed my choice to.

I'll go in chronological order:

This morning I was pretty settled on the 335, but found the lease rates a tad too high for what the car is. I went down to a dealer who apparently sold these cars at almost invoice to talk numbers and ended up test driving the 3 as well. We have an E93 35 in the family that I've driven a lot, I was considering not driving the coupe at all because I thought they'd be the same... boy was I wrong! The coupe is SO MUCH TIGHTER! It felt like it had a lot more kick than the convertible. Plus actually getting to see a black on black with alu trim made my mouth water, the car simply felt right!

I'm not going to go into more details about the drive, because 99% of you have already heard it or experienced it yourselves.

I also popped my iPhone into the iPod USB thing and really liked the implementation in iDrive... just one question for those of you that use your iPhones like this: what do you do if you get a text?

Well all was good until we talked numbers. I was expecting to get some crazy deal from this guy, but he ended up giving me the exact same monthly quote as what my other dealer quoted me... so killed was my buzz.

I'm still considering the car, but decided to go see what the rest of the market was like etc...

Next stop was the Audi dealership. I called two dealerships in LA, one had no A5s at all and the other said they were all spoken for and wouldn't let me drive it. Finally I found one about 30 mins away that would let me drive one.

I get to the dealership and this guy starts giving me all this shit: "are you ordering today??!? are you making an order?? you can't drive the car! only if you make an order today!" I looked him dead in the face and said "I will not be ordering this car today unless you put me behind the wheel. what kind of idiot orders a car without driving it?" One of the other salesmen came right out with the keys, handed them to me, and said "go for a drive! see you in 10!" He let me test drive it alone! great success!

Needless to say the car is absolutely gorgeous. So much more masculine in person than in the pictures. So much more masculine and upscale looking than the 335 (here come the flames). I was worried about the interior, looks way too busy in the pics i've seen online, but after sitting in it in person i totally felt like I was in a futuristic/modern/leather hand stitched plane of the future! It was phenomenal! Although I do have to say the simplicity of the 335 in comparison is pretty nice, too many buttons in the A5.

The drive itself was uninspiring as many have previously noted. Other reviews I've read complained about the sound of the engine... but with the windows down I heard the meaty growl of the V6 loud and clear, much throatier than the higher pitched 335.

Handling was sluggish, I felt at time the car didn't know exactly how to put power down, and the steering was too loose. I felt like the car was caught in between being sporty and being luxurious... this is what Audi strives for but instead of getting the best of both worlds you get half of both worlds, and are left wanting more of both sides.

It was very very comfy though, great seats.

The MSRP of the car I drove was about 5 grand less than the 335 I want, and I thought to myself, if the payments are cheaper than the 35, to hell with it, its rare, gorgeous, comfortable, technofilled goodness... so what if the drive isn't the best.

BUT BOY WAS I WRONG! The payments for this 46k car were in the mid 800's.. that's almost 150 more a month than the 335 i'm looking at, which is 4k more expensive! Absolutely redonculous. The dealer was very nice and honest to me, told me Audi wants to sell this car low volume and at a premium, want to keep it rare, and have thus jacked up the rates like no other.

So after two buzzkills... two cars that were outrageously priced... where do you turn? Infiniti! Which was conveniently down the block.

They tried to give me the same shit that Audi did about how they're demos and I can't drive them blah blah blah... I wanted to drive an S and they offered me a normal coupe to drive and had the audacity to say "just imagine a firmer drive, that's what the S is like!" Then they offered to drive a stick g37s while i sat in the passenger seat... ???!!!??. Finally after enough arguing they put me behind the wheel of one of the 5 g37s's they had in the lot.... I really wonder what these guys are thinking sometimes.

Verdict: ROCKET SHIP. From the enormously loud exhaust/engine note, to the retro techno interior, it all spelled out rocket ship to me. Engine and drive wise, this is excellent. Looks wise for the interior, this is a very very bad thing. I hated the interior. No class. What, so, ever.

Same went for the exterior of the car... I find the older generation much classier/sleeker looking. The new G37 looks like the G35 after some exposure to radioactive waste. Bug eyes. Mutated rear.

No good.

The fact that the lease was in the 400's though was pretty incredible.

So I'm in a little torn between my conscience and my passion.

Audi is out.

335 is overpriced.

G37 is ugly but underpriced.

I think I'll go with the 335 in the end, that feeling when I got behind the wheel at the test drive... that "this is right" feel never came to me with the other cars.

All in all, it was a fun day... I'll let you guys no what happens.

By the way, the 3 I drove had no thumbrests on the steering wheel (sport pack with step)... isn't it supposed to havem?

Last edited by x5love; 02-10-2008 at 10:55 PM..
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      02-10-2008, 09:11 PM   #2
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You should be able to negotiate a good deal on a well equipped 335i. If you cannot, then I think you're either not trying hard enough or you need some help. With that said, I came from driving Infiniti ('04 loaded and modded G35 Sedan and '03 loaded FX35) and I loved them both; these cars are the best bang for your buck in their respective categories...but...in the end, they simple do not drive like a BMW. Also, in the case of the G37 vs. the 335i, the 335i is faster (and has way more TQ), and when modded (via a piggyback or ECU Flash), the 335i will absolutely blow a G37 away like it's standing still. They are ALL decent cars, imho. G/L.
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      02-10-2008, 09:41 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by sflgator View Post
You should be able to negotiate a good deal on a well equipped 335i. If you cannot, then I think you're either not trying hard enough or you need some help. With that said, I came from driving Infiniti ('04 loaded and modded G35 Sedan and '03 loaded FX35) and I loved them both; these cars are the best bang for your buck in their respective categories...but...in the end, they simple do not drive like a BMW. Also, in the case of the G37 vs. the 335i, the 335i is faster (and has way more TQ), and when modded (via a piggyback or ECU Flash), the 335i will absolutely blow a G37 away like it's standing still. They are ALL decent cars, imho. G/L.
Well here's my deal, tell me what you think.

The MSRP of the car I want is 50,100. (jet black, black leather, aluminum trim, premium, sport, auto, paddles, nav, ipod, comfort access, heated seats).

For a 3 years lease, 3,000 drive off, 10k a year, it comes to 711/mo including tax. This is 1500 over invoice.

Edit: I just realized our MSRP's should be almost the same. Your metallic paint + sirius is equal to my iPod and heated seats... are you leasing? what kind of deal did you get?
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      02-10-2008, 09:53 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by x5love View Post
Well here's my deal, tell me what you think.

The MSRP of the car I want is 50,100. (jet black, black leather, aluminum trim, premium, sport, auto, paddles, nav, ipod, comfort access, heated seats).

For a 3 years lease, 3,000 drive off, 10k a year, it comes to 711/mo including tax. This is 1500 over invoice.

Edit: I just realized our MSRP's should be almost the same. Your metallic paint + sirius is equal to my iPod and heated seats... are you leasing? what kind of deal did you get?
That doesn't sound right to me. Granted that the interest rates (and leasing MFs) are different now (actually lower now????) than they were when I got my car, but still. My car's MSRP was ~ $53k and I got it for $49.5k; about $1,300 > invoice, but, and here's the big BUT...I'm on a shorter-term, much higher mileage lease than what you're being offered (30-month/20k mi./yr. lease) for not too much more $$ (with about another $1,000 out of pocket @ drive off)...mid $700's incl. tax to be more accurate. I think you should either negotiate him down or go to another dealer, and pit one dealer's offer against the other. G/L.
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      02-10-2008, 09:55 PM   #5
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335 is overpriced.

.. how do you figure out it is overpriced on 335i? coupe? sedan? Well you need to sit down and think a little bit. 2 turbo plus IC and well tuned from BMW is worth about 10-15K for a aftermarket shop to do it for you. If you take those 15K - the avg for 335i coupe is 45K. you getting 30K car with style like BMW. Think about it even HONDA ACcord is about 30K.
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      02-10-2008, 10:29 PM   #6
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That was a great writeup x5love. You nailed down my opinions of the 335i and G37. Could you delve a bit more into your opinion on the A5? I've driven the S5 myself, so I know how amazing that thing is, but I'd like to hear a little more on the A-model if you don't mind.

It is strange these days. Cars are becoming more and more well-rounded, yet simultaneously we're still able to find these glaring shortcomings. The good news is that you should be happy with either choice, and I'm sure you won't have any major regrets if you end up choosing whatever it is that you choose.

The A5 is definitely the best looking car of the bunch, inside and out, for sure. I also agree with your stand on the interior and exterior of the G - not so good. Both of these cars are also far ahead of the 3 in terms of tech as well.

The question is: what matters to you most? Is that "feel" enough to warrant the extra price of the 3 over the G? Is the Audi's exclusivity, style, and interior enough to topple the driving experience of the Bimmer? It's all about your preferences.

Good luck shopping.
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      02-10-2008, 10:45 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by LACA335i View Post
335 is overpriced.

.. how do you figure out it is overpriced on 335i? coupe? sedan? Well you need to sit down and think a little bit. 2 turbo plus IC and well tuned from BMW is worth about 10-15K for a aftermarket shop to do it for you. If you take those 15K - the avg for 335i coupe is 45K. you getting 30K car with style like BMW. Think about it even HONDA ACcord is about 30K.
Let me be clear: overpriced in terms of the lease. A $50,000 3 series, with a $3,000 drive off and only 10k miles a year should not be over $700/mo. The A5 is much worse: a $46,000 car should NOT be 850/mo... that's just absurd.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sflgator View Post
That doesn't sound right to me. Granted that the interest rates (and leasing MFs) are different now (actually lower now????) than they were when I got my car, but still. My car's MSRP was ~ $53k and I got it for $49.5k; about $1,300 > invoice, but, and here's the big BUT...I'm on a shorter-term, much higher mileage lease than what you're being offered (30-month/20k mi./yr. lease) for not too much more $$ (with about another $1,000 out of pocket @ drive off)...mid $700's incl. tax to be more accurate. I think you should either negotiate him down or go to another dealer, and pit one dealer's offer against the other. G/L.
Thanks for your info. I'm definitely going to bring this to my dealer's attention.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist View Post
That was a great writeup x5love. You nailed down my opinions of the 335i and G37. Could you delve a bit more into your opinion on the A5? I've driven the S5 myself, so I know how amazing that thing is, but I'd like to hear a little more on the A-model if you don't mind.

It is strange these days. Cars are becoming more and more well-rounded, yet simultaneously we're still able to find these glaring shortcomings. The good news is that you should be happy with either choice, and I'm sure you won't have any major regrets if you end up choosing whatever it is that you choose.

The A5 is definitely the best looking car of the bunch, inside and out, for sure. I also agree with your stand on the interior and exterior of the G - not so good. Both of these cars are also far ahead of the 3 in terms of tech as well.

The question is: what matters to you most? Is that "feel" enough to warrant the extra price of the 3 over the G? Is the Audi's exclusivity, style, and interior enough to topple the driving experience of the Bimmer? It's all about your preferences.

Good luck shopping.
Your final paragraph sum-up my conflicts perfectly. The value of the G37 is not enough for me, I simply cannot see myself loving the car, while I can see myself loving the 335 and A5. The feel I mentioned earlier, the "this is the one" feel has pushed me to being 99% sure on the 335... I just feel a little conscious about spending 100/mo more on a 3 series that has the same MSRP as my X5 (I have my X5 for 630/mo with 12k miles, not 10).

As for the A5, I think this is the best way I can put it: where the 335 (and my X5 as well) make me feel like I have a smooth, succinct connection to the road, the A5 makes me feel like there's a gap. Not to be too figurative, but with both bimmers I feel like our personalities literally connect when we drive. I see a turn coming, I anticipate it, I turn my steering wheel, and the car responds to me and the road simultaneously. With the A5 there is a rupture; I see the turn coming, I turn the wheel, the car has to think about what I want to do with it, think about the road, understeers, and makes me rethink my driving. It is a forward/backward movement rather than a direct forward movement as with the BMWs.

Another thing I noticed about the A5, there is a major lag when you floor the car. Again, this is what's going on: I know I want to go fast, I put my foot on the peddle, it is as if the car has to process my request, give that information to the engine, and then it starts going.

It's a little tough to put into words. It has power, it has sound, but lacks the common driving sense that a BMW has.

The moment I realized the A5 wasn't a drivers car was when I was trying to make a U-Turn on a residential street. I was going pretty fast, slowed down to what I thought was a speed the car could handle (my damn X5 would've been able to do it, I swear it) and the car kinda freaked out on me. After a series of over and understeering (as well as reducing my speed to about 5mph) I was able to complete the turn. Some of you might think "oh, he just wasn't used to the car" but I can assure you, it felt as the the car wasn't used to driving, let alone turning.

I hope that answers your question.

By the way I have two questions about the 3 for you owners:

1) I drove a sport packaged automatic 335, but the steering wheel had no thumbrests, is this normal?

2) If I have my iPhone connected through the iPod interface and get a text message, is there any kind of alert? does the phone make a sound? or do I need to wait until I park my car to find a series of unread texts?

Thanks guys.
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      02-10-2008, 10:58 PM   #8
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[QUOTE=x5love;2125429]Let me be clear: overpriced in terms of the lease. A $50,000 3 series, with a $3,000 drive off and only 10k miles a year should not be over $700/mo. The A5 is much worse: a $46,000 car should NOT be 850/mo... that's just absurd.



In that case, they trying to hook you in with high price so they make more money.. Btw. do you have bad credit or something. THose number does not make any sense to me..

I got my e90 335i in Jan 07.. That month is like hot cake for 335i. I have no deal. However, i got them to lower it to 37000. tax and everything. it is like 41000. My payment was 735 /month included the lojack. However, in my case. i had a upside down on my 325i 05 sedan sulev. It kinda screwed me up a little bit. no worry not that much that i m going to cry when i take my 335i out the door from the dealership.
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      02-10-2008, 11:18 PM   #9
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I hope that answers your question.

By the way I have two questions about the 3 for you owners:

1) I drove a sport packaged automatic 335, but the steering wheel had no thumbrests, is this normal?

2) If I have my iPhone connected through the iPod interface and get a text message, is there any kind of alert? does the phone make a sound? or do I need to wait until I park my car to find a series of unread texts?

Thanks guys.
Thanks for answering.

1) As far as I know, it's normal. Mine does not have thumbrests.

2) My brother's iPhone simply mutes the song when he gets a call/text.
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      02-12-2008, 04:18 PM   #10
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The 335 order has been placed!

the wait is gonna kill me!
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      02-12-2008, 05:05 PM   #11
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The 335 order has been placed!

the wait is gonna kill me!
Congratulations!

Yeah, the wait is a definite killer. So then, what colors did you end up going with? How long is it expected to be until it arrives?
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      02-12-2008, 07:46 PM   #12
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Jet Black on Black with Aluminum Trim



expected end of march/early april
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      02-12-2008, 08:15 PM   #13
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The other thing to keep in mind is that money factors on the 335i coupe are jacked up pretty high right now. I woudl expect they are a bit lower in March/April given the poor sales month BMWNA had in January. So hopefully your dealer's policy is to offer you the lower of the money factors (either when you order or when the car comes in).
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      02-12-2008, 08:25 PM   #14
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congrats!

what was your final lease deal if you don't mind me asking?
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      02-12-2008, 08:47 PM   #15
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believe it or not, still in negotiation!

i called about 5 BMW dealerships in my area and they all gave me quotes above 710 a month for the car. I even went down to two and tried to negotiate in person, got down to 1500 over invoice at both, and the same quote that I was getting from my dealer to begin with.

Unless all the BMW dealers in los angeles county and surrounding areas are conspiring against me, I guess I just have to deal.

My dealer told me that between february, march, and april's lease rates, she's going to take the most affordable one and apply it to my lease, so the monthly number is not set in stone.
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      02-12-2008, 10:19 PM   #16
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Quote:
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believe it or not, still in negotiation!

i called about 5 BMW dealerships in my area and they all gave me quotes above 710 a month for the car. I even went down to two and tried to negotiate in person, got down to 1500 over invoice at both, and the same quote that I was getting from my dealer to begin with.

Unless all the BMW dealers in los angeles county and surrounding areas are conspiring against me, I guess I just have to deal.

My dealer told me that between february, march, and april's lease rates, she's going to take the most affordable one and apply it to my lease, so the monthly number is not set in stone.
Congrats on your 335i order! Now, what you need to do is find out what the Money factor is (that they're quoting you on) and make sure they're not jacking up the MF (interest rate) on you for the best deal.

Here's your Feb., '08 MF and Lease rates (Residuals posted are for 15K miles/year. Add 2% to Residual for 12k mi/yr and 3% for 10k mi/yr on all terms)...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=260678

2008 BMW 335i Coupe
24 Month – Residual 68% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 34% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
24 Month – Residual 68% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 58% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 44% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

2008 BMW 335i Sedan
24 Month – Residual 71% of MSRP – .00210 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00210 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

2008 BMW 335xi Sedan
24 Month – Residual 71% of MSRP – .00210 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 61% of MSRP – .00210 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 35% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

2008 BMW 335i Convertible
24 Month – Residual 69% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 59% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 36% of MSRP – .00275 Base Rate

Anything higher than what's shown here and they're trying to screw you. So, make sure you get that $1,500 > invoice AND whatever MF is shown above (or less if the lease rates change in March or April). G/L.
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      02-13-2008, 07:26 AM   #17
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That .00245 MF listed above for the 335i coupe is about the highest I've seen it. I wouldn't be surprised to see it back down in the .00150 to .00175 range come april. So keep your fingers crossed, and you just might get a better deal than you think.
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      02-13-2008, 09:17 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToddPhilly View Post
That .00245 MF listed above for the 335i coupe is about the highest I've seen it. I wouldn't be surprised to see it back down in the .00150 to .00175 range come april. So keep your fingers crossed, and you just might get a better deal than you think.
Yeah, I think my MF when I took delivery in 11/06 was .00190. They do seem a bit high now, but with the Fed Reserve recently lowering short-term interest rates, you would think these lease rates would fall as well.
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      02-13-2008, 11:56 AM   #19
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Thanks man, all this info is really helpful. My dealer thinks they should go down as well.

Especially considering that in January 3 series sales went down 30%. But then again, both the article on the lowered sales and my dealer argues that its the lower inventories that are causing the slow in sales. With lower inventories, less supply, more demand, and price goes up.

Ah well.
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      02-16-2008, 12:01 PM   #20
TooFastTooFurious
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Originally Posted by x5love View Post
So, my lease on the X5 is up in one month and these are the three cars I narrowed my choice to.

I'll go in chronological order:

This morning I was pretty settled on the 335, but found the lease rates a tad too high for what the car is. I went down to a dealer who apparently sold these cars at almost invoice to talk numbers and ended up test driving the 3 as well. We have an E93 35 in the family that I've driven a lot, I was considering not driving the coupe at all because I thought they'd be the same... boy was I wrong! The coupe is SO MUCH TIGHTER! It felt like it had a lot more kick than the convertible. Plus actually getting to see a black on black with alu trim made my mouth water, the car simply felt right!

I'm not going to go into more details about the drive, because 99% of you have already heard it or experienced it yourselves.

I also popped my iPhone into the iPod USB thing and really liked the implementation in iDrive... just one question for those of you that use your iPhones like this: what do you do if you get a text?

Well all was good until we talked numbers. I was expecting to get some crazy deal from this guy, but he ended up giving me the exact same monthly quote as what my other dealer quoted me... so killed was my buzz.

I'm still considering the car, but decided to go see what the rest of the market was like etc...

Next stop was the Audi dealership. I called two dealerships in LA, one had no A5s at all and the other said they were all spoken for and wouldn't let me drive it. Finally I found one about 30 mins away that would let me drive one.

I get to the dealership and this guy starts giving me all this shit: "are you ordering today??!? are you making an order?? you can't drive the car! only if you make an order today!" I looked him dead in the face and said "I will not be ordering this car today unless you put me behind the wheel. what kind of idiot orders a car without driving it?" One of the other salesmen came right out with the keys, handed them to me, and said "go for a drive! see you in 10!" He let me test drive it alone! great success!

Needless to say the car is absolutely gorgeous. So much more masculine in person than in the pictures. So much more masculine and upscale looking than the 335 (here come the flames). I was worried about the interior, looks way too busy in the pics i've seen online, but after sitting in it in person i totally felt like I was in a futuristic/modern/leather hand stitched plane of the future! It was phenomenal! Although I do have to say the simplicity of the 335 in comparison is pretty nice, too many buttons in the A5.

The drive itself was uninspiring as many have previously noted. Other reviews I've read complained about the sound of the engine... but with the windows down I heard the meaty growl of the V6 loud and clear, much throatier than the higher pitched 335.

Handling was sluggish, I felt at time the car didn't know exactly how to put power down, and the steering was too loose. I felt like the car was caught in between being sporty and being luxurious... this is what Audi strives for but instead of getting the best of both worlds you get half of both worlds, and are left wanting more of both sides.

It was very very comfy though, great seats.

The MSRP of the car I drove was about 5 grand less than the 335 I want, and I thought to myself, if the payments are cheaper than the 35, to hell with it, its rare, gorgeous, comfortable, technofilled goodness... so what if the drive isn't the best.

BUT BOY WAS I WRONG! The payments for this 46k car were in the mid 800's.. that's almost 150 more a month than the 335 i'm looking at, which is 4k more expensive! Absolutely redonculous. The dealer was very nice and honest to me, told me Audi wants to sell this car low volume and at a premium, want to keep it rare, and have thus jacked up the rates like no other.

So after two buzzkills... two cars that were outrageously priced... where do you turn? Infiniti! Which was conveniently down the block.

They tried to give me the same shit that Audi did about how they're demos and I can't drive them blah blah blah... I wanted to drive an S and they offered me a normal coupe to drive and had the audacity to say "just imagine a firmer drive, that's what the S is like!" Then they offered to drive a stick g37s while i sat in the passenger seat... ???!!!??. Finally after enough arguing they put me behind the wheel of one of the 5 g37s's they had in the lot.... I really wonder what these guys are thinking sometimes.

Verdict: ROCKET SHIP. From the enormously loud exhaust/engine note, to the retro techno interior, it all spelled out rocket ship to me. Engine and drive wise, this is excellent. Looks wise for the interior, this is a very very bad thing. I hated the interior. No class. What, so, ever.

Same went for the exterior of the car... I find the older generation much classier/sleeker looking. The new G37 looks like the G35 after some exposure to radioactive waste. Bug eyes. Mutated rear.

No good.

The fact that the lease was in the 400's though was pretty incredible.

So I'm in a little torn between my conscience and my passion.

Audi is out.

335 is overpriced.

G37 is ugly but underpriced.

I think I'll go with the 335 in the end, that feeling when I got behind the wheel at the test drive... that "this is right" feel never came to me with the other cars.

All in all, it was a fun day... I'll let you guys no what happens.

By the way, the 3 I drove had no thumbrests on the steering wheel (sport pack with step)... isn't it supposed to havem?
WOW...Wait, Wait, Wait. I'm relatively new to the board and I read everything but rarely respond. I just had to help you out!!!

I just ordered the 335 vert, SG, Coral red, Step, Navi, Cold, Sport, Step & iPod in Dec '07. Notice, I left out the $2550 Premium??? Thats b/c its a overpriced margin generator. You get four things with it...dimming mirrors, homelink garage door opener(buy a $30 universal & program it, lumbar seats (whatever...remember we are getting the sport), CA (don't be lazy), Digital compass (remember were getting NAVI! If your still getting lost we have a problem..lol), and the Bluetooth (have you even heard the bluetooth? The sound quality is better using one you insert in your ears, louder too=$60) Don't waste that $2550!!! You could get REPs & tires, or DINAN, or an aero package with that!!!

The BMWs are marked up 7% over invoice. They WILL easily split that with you and you can get 4.0-4.5% if not more off over invoice! You don't have to negiotiate before the car gets here. Remember? You ORDERED THE CAR without a set price. When it gets here, you have upperhand to get the deal you want, though I would cancel the order and delete the premium. Theres only 1 SG vert in the whole CHICAGOLAND area optioned CLOSE to what I wanted (I want the gray poplar) and they gave me a deal. Don't buy the whole supply demand aurguement, unless we are talking about the M3. I'm financing mine, and I'll tell you why later.

So you should be able to get within $1000 over invoice, ONLY if you buy it! BMW is marking up the car $3300. So if you forego the premium, your looking at financing a $45k car, give or take a little and your ability to negiogiate. BMW is running $4.9% specials up to 60mns. Put $3k down, your payments are $790/mn. put $5k = $753/mn.

So in the above senario I gave you, you can buy and pay a car off in 6 years, and have no mileage limitations, can MOD it to your little hearts content, pay lower payments than leasing it/month, pay lower insurance on a purchase(plus if you total it, you may have a insurance check of good value), be in a possitive equity situation 3 years out(remember the cars residual is 38% of invoice @ 36 months) if you want to sell/trade then; or keep paying for 3 more years and have (remember the residual @ 60 months is 34% of invoice=or 29,700 based on purchasing @ 45k) a car fully paid for!!! WHY LEASE????
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      02-16-2008, 01:00 PM   #21
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I am not surprised to see any BMW owners first impressions of an Audi being poor, the driving experience is totally different as it takes time to become use to the front of the car doing a fair bit of the pulling. It makes the nose feel sluggish just as you said, but if you spent a week with one I reckon anyone's opinion would be changed as it takes time for it's qualities to come to the surface.

The only other A5 I have driven apart from the S5 was the A5 3.0TDi and though the engine doesn't have the same pull as the 335d it is ever bit as an impressive engine none the less, it pulls from really low down, even lower than the 335d and suits the character of the A5 even better an the 3.2v6FSi.

But in this comparison there is only one winner and that is the 335i, for the price and performance it's hard to beat in this company.
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      02-16-2008, 01:12 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TooFastTooFurious View Post
I just ordered the 335 vert, SG, Coral red, Step, Navi, Cold, Sport, Step & iPod in Dec '07. Notice, I left out the $2550 Premium??? Thats b/c its a overpriced margin generator. You get four things with it...dimming mirrors, homelink garage door opener(buy a $30 universal & program it, lumbar seats (whatever...remember we are getting the sport), CA (don't be lazy), Digital compass (remember were getting NAVI! If your still getting lost we have a problem..lol), and the Bluetooth (have you even heard the bluetooth? The sound quality is better using one you insert in your ears, louder too=$60) Don't waste that $2550!!! You could get REPs & tires, or DINAN, or an aero package with that!!!
Those things I just boldened are things that I would never order another BMW without ever. They're too good to pass up on imo. The power lumbar is a godsend, the CA is something that 99% of the people on this board will agree is a must have, and the Bluetooth is just so useful that you'd have to be crazy to think that it's not loud enough. You know I think the sound quality is great, and you can ADJUST the volume ya know.
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