Times change, needs change, and thus, my mind changes too. So, with some regret, because it was a good solid vehicle, I have bid goodbye to the 2000 ML430 SUV that has taken me to CA several times, hauled furniture, electronics and been a nice comfy way to get to work. But, it was also a gas hog. Averaging around 17 MPG. It starts to take it’s toll when you’re daily commute comes in at just over 75 miles (round trip).
But, I really didn’t want to be without my 4 doors. But I also wanted to buy something with a manual transmission. 4 doors, manual transmission, and NOT Japanese, those are almost completely exclusive requirements. Fortunately, not completely exclusive.
What amounted to accidental fortune, while negotiating with a local dealer on an OK (almost-nice) 500SEL the owner of the dealership had returned this vehicle, after personally driving it for months, making it available for sale.
No sooner had it arrived on the lot, and the finance guy suggests that maybe I should at least look at the Beemer that came in. There was a deposit ahead of me on the MBZ anyway, so I couldn’t yet test drive it. I’m not in the habit of saying no to people what suggest I take their nice cars for a drive. I am a gear-head afterall.
Within 10 minutes, I was in love. You see, this just happens to have a nice 24-valve 3.0L I-6 that is as smooth as silk, but not only that, it has a 5-speed MANUAL gearbox. As I rowed through the gears it was smooth, precise, confidence inspiring, and quick. Dare I say fast for a vehicle of this size! I made the test drive solo (I’ve never bought a car from anyone that insisted they go with me on a test drive.. it’s just not possible to really test drive a car with it’s owner on board.. honestly, it’s not), taking about 30 minutes to perform all sorts of tests. Speed, breaking, cornering, drifting, er.. turning, it all worked like a charm.
The 530i drives like a car 1/2 it’s size. How they manage to build them this way, I don’t understand, but, this being my first BMW, at this point, I’m thinking it’s not going to be my last. I almost purchased an ///M3 about a year ago, but another buyer snapped it up before I made it to the dealer in Bothel. No matter, life takes many turns, and sometimes what seems like a negative in turn can be quite positive.
We’re still on our honeymoon, but it’s we’re getting along wonderfully. I’ve driven it to work, and most recently out into the Cascade foothills, trying out it’s handling and real-world drivability. So far, I have not want, other than some new shocks, but that’s not an indictment against the car, it’s just that I like to freshen up all my vehicles with a really nice set of Bilstien shocks. Yes, Bilstien street valved shocks are just THAT good.
My next empirical test will be the check the mileage. The car has an on-board milage computer, but I don’t trust those things as far as I can throw them. Only Fill-Drive-ReFill-Calculate method is the one I trust. That will likely be the next post.
One interesting thing I have learned, and I must sincerely thank the private SF mailing list I am on for this, is this vehicle appears to have the factory sport package. This is evidenced by the ///M badged wheel, shifter and the very nice 3-piece BBS alloys (you can picture above) it’s wearing. I’ll check the VIN and see what I can find out about it, see if it is in fact a factory sport package, or if someone just did a little cosmetic and badge engineering. Regardless, I really REALLY like this car. But, I thought I might, considering I found myself laughing with great joy (dare I say giggling?) as I put my foot in the firewall and took off on the test drive.
Another thing I have learned, is that I need to be VERY careful, er mindful, of my speed in this thing. It’s very easy to being going a lot faster than you should be due to how quiet the car it, even at 90MPH, er.. highway speeds.
More to come…