[frothboy]

So I did not buy the e46 I had my heart set on last year and waited for the e90. Really glad I did after test driving the 325 and 330. Gonna buy a 330. Wanted SG but think I am gonna go TiaSilver. The dealer here in Santa Barbara has the exact car I want, Black interior, Sport, Premium. I would go buy the car today except its manual and I wanted the steptronic and it has the light poplar trim and I was thinking the darker Burl or maybe aluminum. I drove it and really liked it but am not sure. Was looking for some help.

[bozo5521]

call me nuts, but I love the black/burl more than anything..it is such a classy look..maybe im just showing my age...

[soon2be90]

Originally Posted by frothboy

So I did not buy the e46 I had my heart set on last year and waited for the e90. Really glad I did after test driving the 325 and 330. Gonna buy a 330. Wanted SG but think I am gonna go TiaSilver. The dealer here in Santa Barbara has the exact car I want, Black interior, Sport, Premium. I would go buy the car today except its manual and I wanted the steptronic and it has the light poplar trim and I was thinking the darker Burl or maybe aluminum. I drove it and really liked it but am not sure. Was looking for some help.

Take it and run it up to Napa for wine restocking trip before it gets to hot . Unless your in severe traffic daily, you'll be much happier with the stick. The only thing your missing is hot seats, but you don't need those in S.B. Beware of the DEMO model I've been hearing some nasty test drives by people I know!!!! I think some of the demos are being used like cheap prostitutes .

Good Luck....................

[Master Deep]

Get the stick. It is a lot more fun. And I think the alluminum trim looks the best...more sporty. Wood does not belong on a BMW 3er.

[deutschmann59]

I was laughing the other day when I went to talk to my insurance agent about insuring my new 325i. She said she was just talking with some guy that just got rid of his new car that had a manual and he got another car in its place that had the automatic trans, just because he couldn't talk on his cell phone and drive at the same time!

[psyran]

Get the bluetooth and push a button on the steering wheel to answer and talk through speakers.
psyran

[deutschmann59]

I don't think the guy was driving a bimmer (or any other kind of car with bluetooth) but good thinking, psyran! There you go frothboy, one more solution in favor of the manual!

[wannabe]

<pre>
R  1  3   5
|   |   |   |
-----------
    |   |   |
    2  4   6
</pre>

[wannabe]

You got the idea. My HTML is broken.

[ogrady]

6 speed all the way, unless you gotta deal with lots of traffic everyday. If you're buying this car because it's the best handling/performing sports sedan in its class then you'll want to extract the most from it, which means rowing your own gears!

[frothboy]

You guys are makin my decision togh. I was all set on the auto. now I love the manual, I dont know what to do.

[Athos]

Frothboy,

I think it really comes down to how you drive. I've test-driven both the transmissions and they are both nice. The purist argument for a manual is well-represented so I'll take the auto side for balance. The auto gives most of the performance of a manual. If you are in a hilly environment, have lots of stop signs/signals, or are in traffice a lot, there will be days where you definitely are grateful for the automatic. You still get most of the acceleration and the great handling and stability of a BMW with an automatic. Also, as cars get a heavier--read more than 3000 pounds--a manual just doesn't feel quite as natural. Then again, there are those moments when it is just terrific fun to shift through the gears, especially when you are coming out of a corner into a straight. I can sympathize because I'm struggling with this decision too. I want the manual but I spend a lot of time in hills, stop and go, and in traffic. Of course, the auto costs more so maybe the manual...oh well....!

[DHC]

Go with the manual. Here's my rationale:

(1) Control. Yes, the steptronic is advanced, but there is no substitute for the driver having complete control over the transmission. You come out of a corner and hit the gas? You want complete control over the revs.

(2) Cost. $1,200? Take that money, add a few hundred more and get the sport package!

(3) Chicks dig it. They won't admit it, but chicks dig a man rowing his own.

(4) Sporty. It's a BMW 3-series. It's the sports sedan. Nuff said.

(5) Getrag. One of the finest transmission manufacturers in the world. It's not like you're getting some crappy slush box from Timbuktu (no offense to Timbuktuans).

(6) Original. Everyone in the US has an automatic. Go your own road ... drive a manual.

(7) Comfort. Yes, I said 'comfort'. The clutch is very smooth. Hardly any effort required. This is not your father's clutch (i.e., torture device).

That's all I have. Any question that I'm a big fan of manuals?

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by DHC

Go with the manual. Here's my rationale:

(1) Control. Yes, the steptronic is advanced, but there is no substitute for the driver having complete control over the transmission. You come out of a corner and hit the gas? You want complete control over the revs.

(2) Cost. $1,200? Take that money, add a few hundred more and get the sport package!

(3) Chicks dig it. They won't admit it, but chicks dig a man rowing his own.

(4) Sporty. It's a BMW 3-series. It's the sports sedan. Nuff said.

(5) Getrag. One of the finest transmission manufacturers in the world. It's not like you're getting some crappy slush box from Timbuktu (no offense to Timbuktuans).

(6) Original. Everyone in the US has an automatic. Go your own road ... drive a manual.

(7) Comfort. Yes, I said 'comfort'. The clutch is very smooth. Hardly any effort required. This is not your father's clutch (i.e., torture device).

That's all I have. Any question that I'm a big fan of manuals?

Triple what DHC said.

[wannabe]

Automatics are for pregnant women and mercedes owners...go stick. Everyone will laugh at you if you get the automatic...everyone.

[ogrady]

Originally Posted by wannabe

Automatics are for pregnant women and mercedes owners...go stick. Everyone will laugh at you if you get the automatic...everyone.

[Athos]

Originally Posted by wannabe

Automatics are for pregnant women and mercedes owners...go stick. Everyone will laugh at you if you get the automatic...everyone.

This is the kind of comment that generally makes me shy away from boards. So far, it hasn't turned up on this board much, which has made it a nice place to be. I'd like to encourage everyone to be courteous and respectful other people and their choices.

First, people who are secure in themselves can handle being laughed at when they know they've made the right decision for themselves. They are self-assured and confident. You have to wonder about the people doing the laughing under such circumstances. Judging by the popularity of automatics, "everyone" won't be laughing. There are a lot of smart people on this board who choose to drive an automatic. I'm going for a manual but I think there are good reasons to get an automatic.

Second, last time I checked, there wasn't anything wrong with pregnant women. After all, it is the way we all come into the world. No reason for perjorative remarks about this group or other groups of people. There may be people on this board who are pregnant, have been pregnant or have pregnant wives or pregnant sisters (or perhaps a mother, in your case).

I don't have anything to say in defense of Mercedes owners.

[RedStripe]

I will probably get the Steptronic (automatic transmission) myself.

[Armen52]

Originally Posted by wannabe

Automatics are for pregnant women and mercedes owners...go stick. Everyone will laugh at you if you get the automatic...everyone.

Hey wannabe,

Take that stuff to another board. We don't tolerate immature childish statements like that here.

I'm getting an automatic and I'd like to see you laugh at me. The name says it all I guess.

[EVO_S4]

Picking and Auto myself,

[Athos]

On a lighter note, I guess a pregnant woman had a role in the 3-series line up. Grabbed this out of the Forbes story Marcus330i just posted.

"In 1984, a BMW engineer with a pregnant wife wanted his 3 Series to have more versatility and, in his own garage, turned the car into a station wagon. His superiors saw the vehicle and were impressed enough to start a program to mass-produce 3 Series wagons. Deliveries began in early 1988, and the wagon completed a range, which to this day includes sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons."

[wannabe]

Sorry everyone...didn't know that would offend people. I apologize to all pregnant women everywhere and the people who know them or of them.

Honestly, people that drive stick do laugh at people who buy performance automobiles and get automatics. Because driving manual is so much better and all it takes is a little bit of learning.

I think if you know how to drive a stick and you, for some reason need to get an automatic, then that's cool. But if you don't know how to drive a manual...then how can you really enjoy driving an automobile. BMW's, are supposedly, The Ultimate Driving Machine.

That's what I mean by people laughing at you because you are missing the whole BMW experience. To me, it's like buying a new e90 sedan and putting 14" steel wheels to replace the stock rims. Everyone would laught at that, right?

Anyway, to the people that expected more from this forum than lewd remarks...I apologize and I'll try to refrain from posting such horrible smut from now on.