Now we discovered that apparently CO2 not as harmless as we thought and adding it to atmosphere affect everyone even those not driving. So some people try to smoke less and some are trying quitting. This is, of course, a free country so someone who wants to continue their habits can still do so at appropriate taxation and insurance rates.

And brand (or even power) of the car is totally unrelated to spirited driving. I see plenty of V8s driving slooooow and plenty of I4 driving pretty lively.

Why wouldn’t BMW make lighter cars? I have no idea. As you said, they keep pushing heavier RFTs for some reason. Why? I don’t know. I ditched RFTs as well same day I bought the car. Same question who needs 500hp car. I guess some people have that inferiority complex, it appears there is sufficient number of them to create a decent market.

I have nothing against turbo – did I say I do? Speaking of features my E36 M3 had all that. OK, maybe no swiweling headlights but I have no idea why do I need them, my other car does not have them and I can’t tell any difference. I averaged 23-24 mpg on the same commute on which 530 does 19 and 335 does 18 (I tried).

So with all the technology BMWs became less efficient at least in US.

It is of course, totally unsafe car. Totally. Right?

The world is too full of people wanting to make decisions for everyone else. What works for you and your family is fine, but please don’t decide that we all should believe in the fodder that you peddle. If you want to strap a bunch of carpoolers in the back of your car, great! If that makes you feel better about yourself as a person and a father..super! I guess my thought is that BMW isn’t going to come up with a business model based on your desire for a well handling car-pooling car. If that is what you want, maybe I could suggest the Nissan Rogue? Most of us want a comprimise between power and luxury, so BMW makes cars that can appeal to both. Most don’t have the room to have one luxury performance car and one commuter…but if that works for you…great. Again, I don’t think you represent the rest of the folks out there though…

What do you have against turbo’s? Do you realize what BMW is achieving with Turbo’s? Look at the R56 Mini Cooper. It has more HP, more Torque then the older mini’s and gets great gas mileage. I have friends that have driven their R56 across the country and have averaged around 39 to 40 MPG. Most easily get around 35 MPG. Again, now that people are looking for more effeciency BMW is looking at using 4 cyl engines on some of their platforms. The new twin turbo 4 cyl will be a beast, but it will also achieve GREAT gas mileage.

Your statement about newer cars and safety equipment being a lame argument is silly. It points to how committed you are to your belief even if it is not based in reality. Are you really trying to make the arguement that the new safety cages and equipment are not adding to the weight of the car? Why wouldn’t BMW make lighter cars if they could? I recently replaced my runflats and I now get better gas mileage. Those things are very heavy. There is no way that if you sat down and went through the newer cars vs the older cars you could make the argument that the new safety equipment adds to the weight. Sure BMW could make cars without DSC, Xenon’s, Adaptive Cornering lights, big brakes, extra interior trim, heavy wheels, etc, but they are selling what American’s have wanted. If a market exists for light weight, “bare minimum” cars without a lot of extra’s then I am sure there will be someone going after that market. Right now there doesn’t seem to be that big of a market for such cars.

When I get my 135i I promise that I will set aside some time with my son to take him for a spirited drive so he can understand at his core why his dad chose such a car instead of buying a slow, earth friendly Smart Car that barely gets enough more gas mileage to warrant the sacrifice of buying something you don’t enjoy.

I do carpool. I actually carry 3 people daily in my 530 4 days a week. Yes, I have two child seats in the back. Effective mpg of my car is better than that for a single driver in a Prius. Satisfied?

And what is about all that ridicule for Prius? IMO it is a well balanced car, relatively inexpensive, low polluting and roomy. Toyota deserves all the respect. I wish BMW would make something similar. Maybe it should be spending as much on efficient cars as it is spending on V8 twin turbos.

Amount of money spent on cars has nothing to do with spoiling. Kids should learn that is is not OK to burn gas like there is no tomorrow sitting in 500hp in traffic even if they have the money. Weekend fun – maybe, but be sensible on daily commute.

Please stop pointing to “safety”, it is rather weak argument. Sunroof is plastic and 90s cars had them too. Not that they were running on 13″ wheels either. Bigger brakes are not necessary if car is not heavy. As I said – if BMW made 3 same size as it was in 90s, it would weight the same or less. And it wouldn’t need 300 hp to move it. Neither I need it. My 530 has 255hp and is heavier and you know what – dynamics is just fine.

Yes, I tried Lotus. It is an excellent car and I don’t mind getting in and out. Esp it is not going to be a daily driver. Point is: BMW is a compromise now. Sportier models are too small and larger models are too heavy and need way too much horsepower to move. Thus it is time to stop spending 75K on compromises and instead get a real sport car and a good commuter car. Unfortunately, BMW does not offer interesting cars for commuting. I certainly don’t need 300hp in my daily driving but I do appreciate good handling. I’d definitely consider 320d/325d with 6MT, but it is not available. Thanks, but I don’t care about 335d – too much power, too expensive.

A 335 is lighter than your 530, with more power and at least the same efficiency. 3 series cars do NOT come standard with iDrive (the new system is amazing BTW) and the latest generation RFTs are vastly improved and the suspension has been further tweaked. BMW has set the standard with fuel economy and emissions for all manufacturers with the Efficient dynamics program. A 300 HP car that gets just about (and can achieve) 30 MPG highway is impressive, and no I am not talking EPA I am talking my seat time and doing the speed limit on cruise for a 300 mile trip.

Your choices in AWD with a decent back seat are Audis, VW or MB…. and none of them drive even close to a BMW.

As for the Lotus, you are complaining about RFTs…. have you ever tried to get IN and OUT of a Lotus… good luck.

I think you may be misinformed on a lot of your points, not to say I would not like to see lighter BMWs but there are in fact reasons for the weight. You know like sunroofs, larger wheels, bigger breaks, structural beams, and all that. Cars built in the early 90’s can not compare to what is required and expected of safety today.

Yes I am a big fan of BMW, I also have an Audi in the garage and have had basically every German brand there is and even an English made one, but I do call BMW out on things and have been accused by some to be too out in the open about my dislikes/opinions.

In the end when you research facts, experience different products and compare honestly BMW is one of the best deals on the market for what you get and experience… Yes there are some shortcomings but nothing comes close especially in the 3 series category.

MINI Brand Sales

MINI USA reported November sales of 4,545 automobiles, up 43.1 percent from the 3,177 cars sold in November 2007. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 50,511 automobiles, an increase of 31.3 percent, compared to the 38,483 cars reported in the first eleven months of 2007.

“We’ve seen some slowing in MINI showroom traffic just the same as everyone else in the last month,” said Jim McDowell, Vice-President of MINI USA. “However, we’re still positive about our future sales due to the fact the recent frenzy towards more efficient transportation has introduced more consumers to our brand. This has helped us hit the milestone of 50,000 sales in November, one month sooner than we expected.”

Maybe you should just buy a used car so you can get the car of your dreams. As far as handling goes, I’ll tell you what, come on over to the Dragon her in SC, NC, TN area and lets see what car handles the twisties better, your “daily driver” or my daily driver? I can drive 200 miles on a motoring trip to the mountains and still come back home with a half a tank of gas to spare thanks to efficient turbo use in a 4 cyl engine.

E36 M3 sedan was perfect car. Light, balanced, efficient. Didn’t any turbos or 300hp to help it moving. There is no replacement.

You keep talking monstrously powerful cars while I don’t care about 0-60 times. I care about handling which is about weight. I am not interested in a 3 ton 1000hp cars even if it does 0-60 in 3 seconds.

I don’t think BMW (or any other company) is 100% about selling cars. There is plenty of politics up there, I am sure there are people in management pushing their own agendas which have nothing to do with selling cars or pleasing customers. Like that former exec known for “no 4 cyls in US!”.

I would never recommend BMW to my SO. Japanese only. Sorry, I want peace in my marriage. My BMWs got broken so much more often than our Japanese cars, it is not even funny.

I am sure it depends on the region but where I am there are a ton more “S” Minis than base cars, in fact I am surprised when I see a just a cooper.

I only see about one 1 series a week (excluding my friend’s car) as the volume of these is very low and they are still new to the market, I have actually only seen 2 convertibles driving since they were released. Another car in the same boat is the Z4///M coupe, excluding friend’s I never see one. But this is a niche car and a hard sell to most buyers (thus the overall poor sales numbers of the model). A bit off topic but I see a lot of X6 models now on the roads…. frightening how fast these things picked up.

Depending on your location it could also be the income level of the region, as it appears if these cars are all base automatics (including MINIs) people are not spending the money on the higher end models, or are people just getting into the brand.

Go to my local mall and it would be the opposite, very few lower model cars, more JCW and ///M versions etc. The car prices are static while the income levels vary from place to place…. I live in a very upscale region and that plays a huge role in what cars people buy… plain and simple.

Another type is one I can categorize my wife in; the person who does not not want or “need” more car- she could have had the 335 but did not want it, she said it was overkill for her and was a waste of money. She also had no interest in the sport pack as it is much harsher and she is not trying to race anyone or even cares about tire gap, she wanted a safe fairly efficient car that gave her a descent ride with some luxury. All she knows is that the drive is much sportier than her Audi (which she is driving again due to some issues with the DMV on the BMW),that the dual zone climate control actually works and the Xenons are better…. she is happy and BMW sold a car. Yes hers is auto as she has a bad left knee from ballet and for her to shift would require her to wear a brace and that is not happening (though she does prefer a manual).

In the end BMW is in the market to sell cars, the Big 3 produce cars to sit on the lots so whatever model they are or in whatever form at least they are being driven…

So much for enthusiasm.

I’d like to see official sales numbers by model. What you (or I) want is rather irrelevant.

In regards to only a handful of people buying a barebone 135i or 128i for just driving experience, you should visit the 1 series club at http://www.1addicts.com to see how many “bare bone” enthusiasts there really are out there. I am in the market for a 135i, and I am constantly looking around. Where you can easily find cabrio’s on the lot, there are not usually many tin tops just sitting there. They sell faster then they get them in. Even in these tougher times, they are not offering that many deals as they simply do not have to. I like the 3 series, but would never buy one.

Mini is totally different. I don’t think every Mini buyer is an enthusiast. Mini has excellent price point for its looks, performance and uniqueness. All below $20K. Unfortunately, 1 does not have much of that benefit. It does not look unique, it costs too much. Someone looking for $30-40K+ car will most probably be looking elsewhere. Most cars in this range come with leather and power everything standard. Only minority of hardcore enthusiasts will consider barebone 135 or 128 based on pure driving experience. Majority will be spending $35K elsewhere or on 3 series. Remember consumer mantra: “value for money”.

My only critique of the 135i is that it is just too heavy for its size, and would be a monster if they could just lighten it up a bit.