I initially ordered the car on May 25th, 2001 at Towne BMW in Buffalo, NY. My salesperson was/is David Cochi, an absolutely dedicated guy. He has been through months of my
badgering and still has a smile when I see him. He got my order down perfectly and everything was as smooth as it could possibly be. He even hooked me up with 2 free BMW hats,
coffee mug, and key chain! I beg of you, please, if you're going to purchase a BMW, go through him. He'll ship a car anywhere in the US for you. David is great, I'll be a
customer for life. Thanks again Dave!
I took delivery on July 26th. She was parked on the showroom floor, absolutely glistening and PERFECT. I can't describe to you how good it feels to walk in a dealership and just
stop, staring at YOUR NEW CAR. The smile on my face must have been a mile wide, and it hasn't stopped yet! The paperwork was all ready and all I did was sign and drive (and hand
over the rest of my down payment). Dave spent a good hour going out for a test drive, showing me all the insane features and what-not. He took his time with me, no rush at all. It's
that type of treatment that I really appreciate and is one of the many reasons why I recommend him so much. He really is a fantastic guy.
Driving the car is, well, a dream. It's unreal how smooth it is, from the power to the seats to the way the doors open and close. Every single little tiny detail about this car is disgustingly
perfect! I can't describe it, everything just fits together SO well. The climate control is awesome, set it on 68 and you're set to go. The power is abundant and smooth, I mean the car
just GOES and GOES, no questions asked, no matter what gear, there's always power on tap. The handling is superb, especially with the Michelin Pilot Sports gluing themselves down to the road.
The seats are insanely comfortable, perfectly bolstered and infinitely adjustable. The shifter is incredibly smooth and precise, no guessing. The clutch is strong yet easy to move. Honestly
I could go on for pages and pages, but you get the general idea. The car is phenomenal!
The car is loaded with features I didn't even know existed. Things that I couldn't possibly fathom being available to the general public are in this car! Here's a brief list:
- heated windshield wipers/sideview mirrors
- headlamp cleaning sprayers
- rain-sensing windshield wipers
- interior lighting EVERYWHERE (front, rear, top, bottom, everywhere)
- auto up/down for all 4 windows (the rears go ALL the way down!)
- auto open/close sunroof
- 3-stage heated seats
- 10-way adjustable (4-way lumbar!) seats
- 3 (yes, 3!) antennaes for the radio
- tons of other little things I can't recall without being in the car =)
If you're wondering exactly what my car came configured with, here's the run-down:
- Sports Package
- M Double Spoke alloy wheels (17x7.5" front, 17x8.5" rear)
- Tires are Michelin Pilot Sports (225/45/17 and 245/40/17)
- 3-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function sport steering wheel
- 10-way adjustable front sport seats
- M aerodynamic package
- Premium Package
- Montana leather upholstery (I chose gray leather)
- 2-way power glass moonroof
- Genuine Myrtle wood trim
- 4-way power lumbar support for front seats
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Automatic-dimming inside rearview mirror
- Cold-Weather Package
- Retractable, high-intensity headlight washers
- 3-stage, thermostatically controlled heated front seats
- Split fold-down rear seats with center armrest
- Ski bag
- Xenon (HID) low-beam headlights
- Topaz Blue Metallic paint
- Rear airbags (car has 8 total airbags!)
- In-dash CD Player
As you may have guessed, being the automobile enthusiast that I am, I did NOT opt for the slushbox. Good ol' 5-speed manual for me. Not only that, but it drops my 0-60 time
by about .7 seconds! Woo hoo!
The following specs are per edmunds.com, Car and Driver, and BMWNA:
Performance:
Acceleration (0-60 mph): 6.1 sec. (C&D)
Braking Distance (60-0 mph): 126 ft.
Base Number of Cylinders: 6
Base Engine Size: 3 liters
Base Engine Type: Inline
Bore/Stroke: 3.31/3.53 in.
Compression ratio: 10.2:1
Horsepower: 225 hp @ 5900 rpm
Torque: 214 ft-lbs. @ 3500 rpm
Drive Type: RWD
Other specs:
Weight Distribution, front/rear: 50.2% / 49.8%
Standard Gear Ratios: 4.21:1/2.49:1/1.66:1/1.24:1/1.00:1/3.85:1(r)
Final Drive Ratio: 2.93:1
Fuel Economy (MPG): 21 (city) / 30 (highway)
Fuel Capacity: 16.6 gal.
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Exterior:
Length: 176 in.
Width: 68.5 in.
Height: 55.7 in.
Weight: 3318 lbs.
Wheelbase: 107.3 in.
Interior:
Front Headroom: 38.4 in.
Rear Headroom: 37.5 in.
Front Shoulder Room: 54.4 in.
Rear Shoulder Room: 54.2 in.
Front Leg Room: 41.4 in.
Rear Leg Room: 34.6 in.
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