Off the Boat!

My contact at the dealership (Baron BMW in Overland Park, Kansas) called me this afternoon to let me know my car made it off the ship safely and has been transferred to the cartage company. It will soon be heading for home. He indicated it should arrive some time next week, but didn't give an exact date. I'm getting more excited about it and looking forward to driving it for the first time.

I would also like to mention here that if you're in the Kansas City area and you're looking for a BMW, I can recommend a great salesperson. I don't want to mention his name here without his permission, but if you'd like to leave a comment with your email address, I can certainly send you an email with his contact info. He's a very nice young man, and he knows what he's doing.

Monday I will present more details on the accessories I ordered with my new car. Meanwhile, I have to figure out how to reprogram a garage door opener so it only operates one door at a time. (I don't know why it operates both door, but it does. It's a hassle when one is up and one is down.) Once I get it fixed, it will be easier to program the Homelink system on the Beemer when it arrives.

Leave a comment and let me know there's someone out there reading this.

A new BMW made to order . . .

Wow! That previous post was a bit much, wasn't it? I'll keep this one shorter. Not that I'm immodest enough to think there's anyone actually READING any of this, but just in case.

After looking over the available vehicles on the dealership lot, I didn't find anything that had the right color exterior, the correct material and color interior, and the options I wanted. I asked the salesperson if we could order one with the specifications I was looking for. He informed me that we certainly could do that, but we would be looking at a six to eight week delivery time. He also suggested that he could do a vehicle search and possibly locate one either in transit or in the Port of Entry in New Jersey. I told him to go ahead with that plan and to let me know what he found.

The following day, he called and told me he had found the exact car I was looking for. It was sitting on the ship in the harbor and we could nab it and have it shipped to KC if I wanted to proceed. Below is the skinny on what it is. I'm not going to include everything here. I may need more stuff for the next post.

• 2011 BMW 335ix SEDAN
• SPACE GRAY
• BLACK DAKOTA LEATHER
• SPORTS PACKAGE
• PREMIUM PACKAGE
• COLD WEATHER PACKAGE

That's enough to start with. But I'd like to add a little clarification as to why I chose what I did. Everyone has their own list of options they want and need in their car. It's all personal, and, if you remember from the previous post, I like power. That's why I bypassed the 328 and went with the 335i. Like the 328, this model has an inline six cylinder engine. But it's power is boosted with a turbocharger. For the 2011 model year, BMW redesigned the previous twin turbo and turned it into what they refer to as a "twin-scroll" turbo. They've kept the original turbo design for the new 335is model. So my love of power is one reason for choosing the 335i.

Why a sedan? Well, you may be surprised to hear that I almost ordered a coupe. It was a close call. But the sedan just has so many more advantages that I changed my mind and went with the four doors. I also came very close to going with the Black Sapphire exterior. So classy. And so darned hard to keep looking good without constant attention. The Lexus is white, and that's a great color for a BMW, but I wanted a change. I've never been a fan of blue cars in any shade. And red seems more like a muscle car color. And it seems like there are way too many silver cars on the roads these days. When I saw the Space Gray I decided that was the color for me. Still classy, but more practical since it's not so prone to swirling and showing dirt.

From there we go to the interior. Leatherette is not my cup of tea. I grew up with something called Naugahyde, which was a predecessor of Vinyl and Pleather, and which is something I do not like. Materials of this ilk do not belong in a luxury or near-luxury vehicle. Leather is the only option, in my opinion.

And speaking of leather, the oyster and black interior is absolutely gorgeous, and I came very close to making that selection. But after reading several horror stories on the BMW forums about the blue dye from new jeans leeching into the lighter leather colors, I decided to go with the classic black. That color also was more harmonious with the Space Gray than the warmer tone of the oyster. I also had several options I could select for the trim. Aluminum is modern, but a lot of forum posters said that it scratches easily. In the end, I went with the Dark Burl Walnut, as shown in the photo.

The Sports Package was a must have. Although it has several features included, the primary reason I selected that package was because of the Sports Seats. They are the most comfortable seats I have ever had the pleasure to sit in. And you really do sit "in" them rather than "on" them. If you're ever near a BMW dealer stop by and find a model with the sports seats and check them out. It will make you want them.

The Premium Package gives you power seats on both sides with adjustable lumbar support. It also gives you Homelink for garage door operation. There are other things included, but those are the two features I was most interested in having.

Cold Weather Package provides heated seats with three levels of heating, plus a heated steering wheel. You also get a ski bag. Since I'm not a skier, I'll have one of those for sale shortly if anyone is interested.

At this point, I don't know when my car is going to arrive, but it should be next week. Hopefully. I can hardly wait to see it. Tomorrow I'll mention some of the other accessories  the car has as well as give you a photo of the wheels.

That's about enough for this post. If anyone is out there reading this, feel free to leave a comment.

In the Beginning . . .

Anyone who knows me is probably of the opinion that I'm obsessed with cars. Maybe obsessed is a bit strong, but cars have been one of my loves from as far back as I can remember. It all began at an early age. In the fifties and sixties, my father had a subscription to Mechanix Illustrated. Every month a new issue would arrive, and I loved reading all the car articles. I was especially fond of Tom McCahill's monthly review of a new model.

As a member in good standing of the Baby Boomer generation, the cars from that era have been a part of my life since the day I bought my first set of wheels in the form of a jet black 1957 Ford Fairlane. As first cars go, it wasn't bad. In fact, I loved it. Unfortunately, Mother Nature and the laws of physics are always on the job, and things mechanical don't last forever. When they wear out, as they always do, we eventually have to part with an old friend and become slowly familiar with a new one. Such was the case with my Fairlane and every other car I've owned since then.

A few months ago, my 2001 Lexus ES300 and I moved into a new phase of our long relationship. We both seemed to know that our time together was growing short. And it was a sad thing, really, because the Lexus had been a faithful and trouble-free partner for eight years. But as time passes, the years and the miles move behind us. The intuition that our time together was coming to an end started to trouble me. It didn't come all at once; it was more of a gradual "knowing" that snuck up softly and slowly.

That's a good thing, actually, because I take the "new car" decision very seriously. Since the choice of a new car is something that I will typically live with for several years, I spend what time it takes to ensure that I'm making the right choice. And since this is a new blog, I thought that decision process, and how it came about, might be appropriate fodder for the first post. So let us take a look at what's happened so far.

STAGE ONE: Research.

I drove a lot of cars during the research phase. I visited numerous websites and read a lot of reviews, including Edmunds, Car&Driver, and Kelly Bluebook. My situation was somewhat unique in that I was looking for a luxury vehicle to replace the Lexus and something sporty to replace my 2001 Corvette. The short list of contenders included the Audi A4, Mercedes C300, Lexus ES, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Cadillac CTS, and Infiniti G37. I had a brief fascination with the Chrysler 300 HEMI, but I've had some bad experiences in the past with Chrysler products, so I decided to look at other options.

STAGE TWO: Narrowing the Field.

During the data-gathering stage, I drove American-made cars as well as imports. I even test drove the new Mustang 5.0 and the 400+hp Camaro SS, but I nixed both of those because they were only available in RWD. Although either would have satisfied the "sport" aspect of my requirements, Kansas City winters require more traction than either car would give me on those nasty days when we have a few inches of snow on the streets. If I lived in a more temperate climate, the result may have been different. But I don't.

Since the Lexus ES was something I was familiar with, that seemed like a logical starting point. The ES has a great reputation, and, as I mentioned, mine has provided flawless service for eight years. Unfortunately, since we have only one Lexus dealership in KC, they seem to be of the opinion that they don't have to deal with buyers. I decided to investigate other options.

The Acura was a potential choice, but I couldn't get past that evil jack-o-lantern smile of the new grille. The Honda Accord was another possibility offering a well-respected and attractive sedan. But that turned out to be a dead end because of the overly busy center stack in the cockpit. There was just too much going on there.

In the same class, Mercedes offers the C model. Nice car, but they're missing the boat and losing a sale to me because of their interior. It's surprising that they are still trying to pawn off that pitiful MB-tex material on their customers. Why not just put leather in there and be done with it. At that price point, leather should be a standard feature.

At the opposite end of the price continuum, I found the unpretentious Nissan Altima. This is an understated jewel that deserves some consideration. It has a great body and ample power. A unique feature is their CVT (continuously variable transmission) which was a unique experience for me. If you haven't driven one, try it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 Known for their excellent interior material and workmanship, the Audi was another possibility. But with only four cylinders, the 2.0L A4 was obviously underpowered, and it wasn't difficult to discern that when I drove it. Conversely, the Cadillac CTS had more than ample power and a high quality interior, but there's something about the angry, angular lines of the body that was a turn-off for me.

Of the cars driven, the Infiniti G37 was the strongest contender. It actually finished in second place. There is really a lot to like about this one: the body style is classy, the power is definitely available if needed, and the interior quality is good. The one thing that killed the deal on this entry was the automatic transmission. There's something not quite right about it. I experienced a definite and significant delay from the time the accelerator was punched until the resulting acceleration kicked in. If that issue hadn't been present, my final choice may have been different. Once Infiniti gets that bug worked out, I think they'll see an increase in market share because everything else about the car puts it near the top of its class in my opinion.

STAGE THREE: The Decision.

When you look at the BMW 335i, it doesn't scream sports car. It doesn't yell luxury car. It just sits there, sedately, waiting for you to get inside the cabin, turn the key, and drive it. That's when it happens. You simply fall in love. My first impression was WOW!

There was an immediate response from the 300hp twin scroll turbo engine when I punched the accelerator. The steering wasn't sloppy or mushy, and the tires held the road like velcro, even in the sharp, high-speed turns I put it through on the test drive. The brakes had a more-than-capable feel about them with no noticeable nose-dip, even in the quick stops.

The interior is leather, and the sports seats wrap around you like they were custom made to fit your exact shape. The instrument panel is simple and uncluttered. The ride is firm, but there's no jarring from any uneven surfaces you encounter. It feels solid and capable in every situation. Overall, it was highly impressive, and the car's response to my directions seemed almost intuitive.

So, in the end, after four months of struggling to come up with the perfect choice, this was too good to pass up. A deal was struck. My new car is currently at the Port of Entry in New Jersey, hopefully off the boat by now and getting ready to be transported to the dealership.  According to my salesperson, it should be here within a week "or so." I'm not sure how long "or so" is, but hopefully something less than a second week.

Tomorrow I'll provide more details including the packages, options, and colors of my new BMW. Stay tuned! The best is yet to come.

If you're a BMW enthusiast, owner, or fan, feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear your input. And I hope you'll come back to read more as the story continues to unfold.