What is happening to BMW???????

How do you like your BMW? I love it! Have you seen the new 3 series? Yes, I even drove it for a week, Unfortunately...

You may ask yourself, what does this bloke mean by "unfortunately"?

Well... a lot of things.

I love BMW, I'm not going to lie. I love them so much I bought what I deem, to be their pure enthusiast's car. A 128i, manual transmission, M sport. "A MANUAL?????!!!!????", some of my friends shout at me between bites of their burgers. They ask why would I ever want a car with a manual, stiff suspension, and virtually no technology on it whatsoever. 

And that is why BMW has made their new cars, specifically the new 3 series, bigger, softer, and less Bimmer like than ever before. 

Americans like cars that are practical, even though we no longer like station wagons. We also like cars that are comfortable and full of gadgets that make driving more "pleasurable." 

Why can't Americans find pleasure in driving itself?

BMW has made it's new 3 series more appealing to the American market by making it softer and putting in a new 4 cylinder that gets better MPG. I understand why BMW did this, but there really needs to be options. 

I think BMW does need to offer a 3 series that is softer, cheaper, and more economical. This is the model that will sell by the thousands. However, BMW needs to have a Sport version that is actually sporty. The current 328i Sport can't hold a cow's turd to the old E90 328i. It just can't. The drive, the "feel", and the materials are all better in the older E90. BMW really took a step backwards with this new 3er. 

My only hope is when BMW is done switching around the series, that the new (the 3 series that is not currently being sold yet), will be as good as the older E90. If you don't know what I'm on about, BMW will be making the current 1 series into a 2 series and they will be bringing out a new FWD 1 series (maybe). The current 3 series will become a 4 series and so on. 

Ok, that's enough of all that babble. 

I will be doing a road test/review of my 128i along with a review of the new 328i. That is what is to come, so stay tuned!

2012 Chevy Cruze

Have you ever wanted to hate something but can't? Like one of those fruity mixed up drinks with a little umbrella and tinsel. One of those drinks might make you look silly, but they taste so good that you have to love 'em.
This is how I feel about the Cruze. It's not a very good car by a long shot. However, the more I drive it, the more I like it.
Looks:
Overall the Cruze is not a bad looking auto. Not great. Just, okay.. My fellow female friend has referred to this car as "cute". I don't see it.
The inside is OK, a little cheap looking for me.
Speaking of the guts of the car...
Interior:
The interior is festooned with cheap-o plastic. However that cheap plastic does seem screwed together nicely. The design of the interior is nothing to write home about.
The engineers of over at Chevy didn't really put too much thought into the driving position.
 Some of the buttons and dials are a bit of a stretch for the driver. The gear selector/steering wheel/ seat position are not laid out for the driver enthusiast. On a positive note, I was very comfortable while driving around town.

Let's go over the performance aspects of this little car.

There are none.

The handling is numb as a bowl of mayonnaise. There was wasn't any road-feel being transmitted to the driver whatsoever. The car did not inspire me to drive aggressively one bit.
Acceleration is poor. The car will growl when you hit the go-go pedal but that's about it.

However, the more I drove the Cruze, the more I liked it. While on a curvy road with the engine screaming for the next gear, I finally was having some fun. Was I going fast? No. It just sounded like it from the cockpit. But that is how a person can have fun in this car but not get into trouble.

A few things that bothered me...
when I was stopped and I pushed on the brake pedal, I could hear the pads crunching down harder on the rotors. I also had a squeaky steering wheel. Things like this add to the cheapness level of the car.


One thing that surprised me...
The size of the trunk! It's pretty good for such a small car.


To sum up:
The Chevy Cruze is a budget priced car and you get what you pay for. It's as sporty as a debate team.
The Cruze is comfortable to drive and has decent cargo capacities.

Would I recommend it? No.
I would recommend a hatchback, such as the Volkswagen Golf. The Golf has more practicality, better interior quality, handles better, and more power. Yes it is slightly more expensive, but I say work harder and pay for the difference.
You may also want to look what the Japanese car manufactures offer.

2011 BMW 328i X-Drive Review and Road Test

When I had my first cup of coffee, I thought it was nasty. It was unpleasant tasting, it was bitter, and I didn't see the point of drinking this brown hot liquid. Over time and after several more cups of coffee I began to see the point. I started to like the taste and the caffeine sure gives me a swift kick in the pants. This is how I felt when I first started driving this BMW.
 I thought to myself, this isn't an M3 so why is the steering so heavy and why would BMW make a car that has AWD that's so low if it's not meant to be thrashed? I primarily thought the 328i was meant for people who just wanted a nice looking ride that had BMW quality. So I thought putting anything sporty in this car would be hopelessly pointless.
I was wrong.
The more and more I drove the 328i, the more sense it made. Yes the steering is on the heavy side for the parking lot wars of we encounter everyday, but eventually you'll become accustomed to the steering.
I no longer think of this BMW as a putt-around-town car. I think of this car as a beginner's sports car.
Yes the X-drive AWD system does make the 328i sluggish and it hurts the fuel economy a bit, but the Beemer is still plenty quick. 0-60 MPH comes in a respectable 7.3 seconds. Plus, for of those you live in a state that gets the fluffy white stuff, you'll be on your hand and knees thanking the car for its AWD.
This 328i comes with run-flat tires that I thought I was going to despise. It's true that I don't like the run flats but their not as bad as I thought they were going to be. I can hear bumps in the road more and the ride might be slightly more jiggly when compared to normal tires, but the handling and ride are still top-notch. With the rear wheel drive bias of the AWD system and sporty handling, it is very easy and fun to push this car to it's limits. If you have never driven a "real" sports car, such an M3, this little 328i will make you feel like you are the fastest thing on four wheels. You will really think your flying when you get that BMW straight six singing at it's redline of 7,000 RPM. The sound it makes will send shivers up your spine.
Day-to-day living:
The interior is a nice place to be. Soft touch materials everywhere and everything is screwed tight. There are some nice touches too, such as the mood lighting that shines down on the center council and the rubberized plastic on the back of the grab handle. The seats are comfortable and they can be adjusted in anyway you like 'em. There is plenty of room for two adults to sit in the back as long as the front seats aren't pushed all the way back. The leather on the seats is of high quality, but as a result they can be easily scratched and damaged.
Trunk space is decent for such a small car. I highly recommend getting the fold down rear seats, without it you'll be finding yourself making a second trip to the store with an SUV to pick up your goods that wouldn't fit in the car. Speaking of not being able to fit anything in the car, there are a lack of
cubbyholes. The armrest and door cubbyholes are not very big at all and those are really the only storage places in the car.
One other odd thing about the 328i's interior is the location of one of the power outlets. The one I'm speaking of is on the passenger's side, in the footwell, under the dashboard. What in the world was BMW thinking? I have to roll around in the dirt in order to find that darn thing.

Fuel economy isn't great but not bad for a six cylinder connected to a heavy AWD system. About 18 mpg in the city, and 21 mpg highway and city mix. The engine requires premium, it is designed to run on premium. I know the owners manual says you can run regular, but it's not worth it. Anyways, if you can't afford the five dollars extra per tank to fill it up, maybe a BMW is not the car for you. I hear the Americans have a wide selection of cheap cars that can run on gas with twigs in it.

This car is a blast to drive in the snow. It's all wheel drive system is very good in the snow. It grips very well. However because of the all season tires it can get a little sketchy for the inexperienced when your driving at the car's limits. I've noticed that the tires are not the greatest when stopping on very slippery snow. It's also easy to break loose the rear end of this car when going around corners as a result of the tire and it's rear-wheel bias. However, it's oversteer is very easy to tame if you know what your doing.

Other than a few nit-picks, mostly about the interior, the Beemer has given me no problems. If any creep up I will be sure to include them in the long term update.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 SE Road Test and Review

Don't you hate fake cars? The Volkswagen Routan is a Dodge Caravan that has different sheet metal and an inflated price tag. The New 2011 Jetta is no different. It is a fake Volkswagen. Ok, so it's not really another manufacture's car with a VW badge on it. It's all Volkswagen, but at the same time it's not a Volkswagen. Let me explain. Volkswagens are well built well(not to be confused with being reliable), they handle good, have great interiors, and VWs are supposed to ooze German. The 2011 Jetta is none of these things. I had the unfortunate opportunity to drive this car for four days. Since I literally made a list of things that are wrong with this car let me start off with the good. The new Jetta was specifically made for the American market.  It's cheap (~$16,000 base) , it looks good, and the five cylinder makes a nice growl.
For those who are looking for a cheap car that's "German" to get from point A to point B, look no further, this is the car for you.
Now on to the bad.
I sat down one day, surrounded in the hard plastic interior, and literately made a list of what's wrong with this car.
In no particular order...
> When the wipers are on I can hear a tick coming from the cheap plastic dash board. Maybe it's a relay ticking?
>When I had the heater going, I could hear the blower motor squeaking.
>The suspension in this car is cheap and far from being labeled "european taught." I took a gander underneath the chassis, no aluminum whatsoever and the rear suspension is a cheap twist beam setup (not independent suspension). Put it this way my Tiguan CUV can out handle this car.
> It has a 5 cylinder engine- even though it had enough "pep", I wish it had a little more pep.
>The interior did have tight gaps and seemed to be screwed together good, it was still rattled and cabin noise was more predominant than other VW's I have tested.
> The radio shuts itself off every time I turn the key to the "off" position. That got annoying real fast when I shut the engine off and I wanted to sit in the car and listen to the radio.
>I can't turn the traction control off (to let the tires spin in the deep snow).
>The center armrest does not adjust or slide like other 'dubs.
Also, the padding on all the armrest is too thin.
>When you shut the door, it makes a rattling sound. When you shut a door on a German car, it should make a solid "thud". Like when bird hits the ground when you pick one off from 100 yards away.
>The gas gauge is electronic, which is not accurate. There is not enough tick marks.
>There is no engine temp readout, which seem to be a trend on many new cars these days.
>The seats are vinyl, which does look nice but they are not heated.
On a side, I did find the seats to be very comfortable.
>The "steering feel" is horrible! It's way too over boosted and numb. I tested jeeps that had more steering feel.
> The interior is cheap plastic. It's more like an American or Japanese car. When I sit in a german car, I want to feel like I'm settling down into buttered cream. I wan't to be wrapped in soft and good quality materials. This car made go "ewwww" every time I sat in it.

The reason why Volkswagen made this car the way they did, was to attract people who buy Japanese and other budget cars. Ok, I understand. I hope VW doesn't try and make these changes to all of their lineup of cars. Which I highly doubt they will.


Like I said earlier, this is not a Volkswagen. If your a car enthusiast, steer clear of this car.
On the other hand, if you just want a car to get around in, this one is as good as any other.
I  know it looks like I don't like anything about this car and I'm being very critical towards it. And you're right, I am. This is a german car (or rather a car from a german company), and german cars are supposed to tick certain boxes, this car ticks none of them.

There is hope! In the near future Volkswagen will release the GLI version of this car. The GLI will have a turbo charged four cylinder engine, a much better (sport) suspension, and should have a much better interior. My tip, wait until the GLI makes it's debut. My guess is it will start in the $24,000 range, it will be worth it. The GLI will check pretty much all of the german car "boxes."

NOTE: Page still under construction.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask.

Soon to be reviewed: 2011 BMW 328i and VW jetta

In the near future I will have a review and road test of the 2011 jetta and 328i X.

2009 Jeep Commander Long-Term Update

For the last couple days I have been fighting off a could. My head feels stuffy, my mind seems to be running on diesel, I feel all cold and achy, and I just want to get rid of the cold. That's kind of how I feel about the jeep Jeep Commander. It's not any fun to drive day-in and day-out. Unless if you off-road on the weekends there is really no need to have a Commander. Sure it's big and safe feeling, and it seats seven. The truth is, it only seats seven if your passengers who sit in the back row are amputees. Also, when the back rows are flipped up, the driver can no longer see out of the back window. Driving this tank on the road is tiring. Your constantly fighting to keep it on the road. The suspension is way too soft and springy. I just came to a stop in the garage got out and started typing this blog, and the jeep is still swaying on it's suspension. The four wheel drive system in this Commander is a peach. Snow can't stop it. When it rains, the jeep drives like it's dry out. Another positive about this jeep is the monster that lives under the hood, the 5.7L Hemi V8. Fuel mileage is not the greatest, but the optional V6 is not much better. I got about 13-14mpg in the city and 16-17mpg on the highway. That's still not too bad for this 5,000 pound 4x4 SUV I suppose.  There was really only one mechanical problem with this jeep. One day the key decided to lose it's anti-theft coding while I was pumping gas. The jeep did not start, because it didn't think there was a key in the ignition. So the jeep had to be flat-bedded to the dealership. Other than that little incident, the jeep has been fault free. 

Just as I'm tired of having a cold, I'm tired of driving this jeep. The interior is cheap, it's hard to see out of, and it handles like a 1920's John Deer tractor. I won't miss it a whole lot when it goes back to Chrysler. 

2011 BMW 328i X-Drive Quick Review

There has been some complaints about the new 3-series interior. You won't be hearing any from me though. Before we get into that, lets start with the outside. The 3-series has recently been refreshed with new headlights and such. Whatever BMW did, this car is gorgeous. The front end looks mean, and the lines that run along the car are perfect. If you get it in black, the 3-series will look classy and sinister at the same time. Let's move into the interior, it's a nice place to be. The materials seem of good quality for the most part and it's all screwed together nicely. The seats are a little firm, but from past experiences they will be very comfortable on those long drives. People have been saying that the layout of the dashboard and controls are no good on this be-emm. I say they are just fine. No, the controls are not great, but there not bad either. I have no complaints about the interior, so Bah! Humgug! to the naysayers.

I do wish rear folding seats came standard though. The trunk is plenty big for a smaller car like the Beemer, but it would be nice to have folding seats to give you some flexibility.

Let talk about the ride. Yes the Be-Emm comes with run-flat tires. Yes those tires are stiff and results in a little more jiggle in the cabin. They are no deal breaker though. The BMW still ride VERY nicely. It's smooth over bumps, yet stiff in the corners. If your a car enthusiast you'll probably by two new sets of tires for this car. Summer tires and winter tires. That way you'll get the most out of the car. If you just want to drive, the run flats will be fine.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth review if the 328i. This B-em will also be added to the long-term test fleet.