370Z review by a BMW snob

phelan

Everybody harps on the 3 series because it's a closer competitor to our Zs, but on a somewhat-related point:

My family loves BMW, they've either bought/leased the last 3 generations worth of 5 series. Yes, outwardly, the fit and finish look great, but after owning the car, I can't see myself driving a BMW anymore. Half the electronics keep breaking (on all three cars! I can make a lemon case for one of them, but all three?!). I think the car's been in service more than on the road! Also, the car doesn't connect me with the road at all. I think of it as if I were floating, or driving a really big boat instead. I've had to drive the BMW a few times when my Audi DDer has been unavailable for my commute, and to this day the BMW is the ONLY car we have that I do not feel any urge to get behind the wheel of.

Granted that being from SoCal (Orange County, to boot!), I'm a little biased. I see enough BMW 3 series driven by snooty lil' high schoolers or kids whose parents purchase everything under the sun for them, who think they're 'all that' or whatever the in term is these days, that I get physically sick sitting in one. I've noticed an overall dip in appreciation for cars in my / younger generations (sub-30). They subscribe to the status that is attached to the symbol, not to the actual car itself. It's less about the drive, more about how you arrive.

It's a shame that BMW is now hit or miss; I absolutely ADORE the E36 chassis, it ranks up there as one of my favorite cars of all time. But the way they're going with design and production, I'd rather my Z, or maybe a Subaru Impreza.

__________________

凛 ('Rin') - 2009 Nissan 370Z
With silence comes peace. With peace comes freedom. With freedom comes silence.