Who Waves First?

[Juanted]

The guy driving the 325i (e46) or the guy driving the 3.0L X5? (if it were ANY of the 4.x X5s, I know the answer, which is why I clarified that the X5 is the 3.0L)

Juan

[vinuneuro]

No-brainer: e46 325i should wave, when waved to by any other BMW . He is the little fish in the NA BMW pond. I don't see the point of waving to a 325i though. It's too generic of a BMW. Most of those owners are 'different' than the rest of the bimmer owners. I say that 99% of 325i owners will get confused ( ) .

[Curious Joel]

Originally Posted by vinuneuro

No-brainer: e46 325i should wave, when waved to by any other BMW . He is the little fish in the NA BMW pond. I don't see the point of waving to a 325i though. It's too generic of a BMW. Most of those owners are 'different' than the rest of the bimmer owners. I say that 99% of 325i owners will get confused ( ) .

I think a lot (not ALL, but a lot) of people who drive 325i and 525i models only got them because they want a BMW sitting in the driveway... They don't seem to care about the performance or anything. I've met a few people who are exceptions to this, but it's something I've noticed.. Those models are always the ones going slow on the highway, etc.

[Thunder22]

People who drive BMW's shouldn't wave, that's a Corvette thing.

[Kewl X5]

The little fish in the pond is the most important fish for BMW. Many of you newbies don't realize how important the 3-series has been for BMW. The 3-series is the heart and soul of BMW. The 2002 in the 60's put BMW on the map in the USA (see the famous article from David E. Davis in Car & Driver) which has evolved to the current 3-series. The 3-series represents 60% of the sales for BMW. The "sports sedan" class was invented by BMW with the 2002 and 3-series and still is the gold standard. If it wasn't for the sucess of the 3-series, BMW would not be as big as it is today and you wouldn't be driving your X5s.

My first BMW was a 3-series and I still own a 3-series today (the M3 is still a 3-series).

We all should salute the 3-series. BTW, C&D comparo with $35K luxury sports sedan, BMW 330i (E90) came in #1 but Lexus IS350 is a close 2nd. Every car company still has their sights set on BMW's 3-series and it has yet to be dethroned (C&D top best driving car for what over 10 years in a row!!).

P.S. One of my collegues has a E46 BMW 325i with sports package and a 5-speed and he definitely doesn't drive slow and could out handle and out drive our X5s and probably can out drive CJ's 330i (experience counts)

Originally Posted by vinuneuro

No-brainer: e46 325i should wave, when waved to by any other BMW . He is the little fish in the NA BMW pond. I don't see the point of waving to a 325i though. It's too generic of a BMW. Most of those owners are 'different' than the rest of the bimmer owners. I say that 99% of 325i owners will get confused ( ) .

[vinuneuro]

Originally Posted by Kewl X5

The little fish in the pond is the most important fish for BMW. Many of you newbies don't realize how important the 3-series has been for BMW. The 3-series is the heart and soul of BMW. The 2002 in the 60's put BMW on the map in the USA (see the famous article from David E. Davis in Car & Driver) which has evolved to the current 3-series. The 3-series represents 60% of the sales for BMW. The "sports sedan" class was invented by BMW with the 2002 and 3-series and still is the gold standard. If it wasn't for the sucess of the 3-series, BMW would not be as big as it is today and you wouldn't be driving your X5s.

My first BMW was a 3-series and I still own a 3-series today (the M3 is still a 3-series).

We all should salute the 3-series. BTW, C&D comparo with $35K luxury sports sedan, BMW 330i (E90) came in #1 but Lexus IS350 is a close 2nd. Every car company still has their sights set on BMW's 3-series and it has yet to be dethroned (C&D top best driving car for what over 10 years in a row!!).

P.S. One of my collegues has a E46 BMW 325i with sports package and a 5-speed and he definitely doesn't drive slow and could out handle and out drive our X5s and probably can out drive CJ's 330i (experience counts)

I'm sure that we all realize the 3-Series' importance to the BMW lineup, but we have to assess the average driver of a 325i in relation to Juan's question. If a BMW has sport package, itusually has a driver who likes to drive fairly hard (not saying that all non-sport drivers don't drive aggressively).

I have great respect for the 3-Series. I personally feel more connected to the road in it than the X5. I know my first car I buy on my own when I graduate from college in 2.5 years WILL be an e46 (whether it be a 330ZHP or M3 )

[Juanted]

Originally Posted by Kewl X5

The little fish in the pond is the most important fish for BMW. Many of you newbies don't realize how important the 3-series has been for BMW. The 3-series is the heart and soul of BMW. The 2002 in the 60's put BMW on the map in the USA (see the famous article from David E. Davis in Car & Driver) which has evolved to the current 3-series. The 3-series represents 60% of the sales for BMW. The "sports sedan" class was invented by BMW with the 2002 and 3-series and still is the gold standard. If it wasn't for the sucess of the 3-series, BMW would not be as big as it is today and you wouldn't be driving your X5s.

My first BMW was a 3-series and I still own a 3-series today (the M3 is still a 3-series).

We all should salute the 3-series. BTW, C&D comparo with $35K luxury sports sedan, BMW 330i (E90) came in #1 but Lexus IS350 is a close 2nd. Every car company still has their sights set on BMW's 3-series and it has yet to be dethroned (C&D top best driving car for what over 10 years in a row!!).

P.S. One of my collegues has a E46 BMW 325i with sports package and a 5-speed and he definitely doesn't drive slow and could out handle and out drive our X5s and probably can out drive CJ's 330i (experience counts)

Which is EXACTLY why I posted the question. Though it may seem "obvious," the 3-Series (325 or 330, M3, whatever) IS indeed the gold standard for luxury sport sedans. I read that same C&D, and -- as usual -- they stated what they usually state: It is still the standard, and the one car that EVERY manufacturer wishes it could build. Yeah, we may have paid more for an X5 than a 330i, BUT, which car sits at the top of the totem pole?

Juan

[somewhereinla]

ok, that's being a bit of a snob, my first new car was a 1989 325i (2 doors), which I picked up in Munich, Germany were they were built. It was a threaling experiance, spend a month driving around France, and then shipped it back to the U.S. My choice for this car was: it looked good (to this day I still think it looks good), was fun to drive and was safe (one of the main reason I buy BMW's). I drove it for 10 years, never got tired of it, didn't have a single problems with it in that time. When I moved to Manhattan, I sold it to an ex girlfriend, who kept it a few more years. I think for most people, it is there 1st experiance to the world of BMW ,European driving style and engineering. I gave my girlfriend an 05 325i as a birthday present a few month ago, and I have to say I love driving her car, the balance is perfect, the engine responsive. I feel the 325i has nothing to envy to my z4 or x5 4.4. Actually, I consider the 3 series to be the root of the modern BMW which started with the 1963 "2002" bmw

[PeteG]

I see Kewl's point regarding the value of the 3-series and agree.

With that being said, I generally don't wave to any 3-series, unless they have some special unique features (M's, special packages/mods that show they are into their cars). Most 3-series drivers (and 5-series and X5 drivers, for that matter) aren't necessarily fans of the car or marque. They simply drive it, often not knowing much if anything about the car they drive. It doesn't matter what's under the skin for most of them, as long as there are roundel badges on the surface.

In the early days I've waved to X5's while in my X5 and gotten blank stares or no response. The only time I get flashed or waved to/back at is when I'm in my Z3, mostly by Z3 and Z4 drivers.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by Curious Joel

I think a lot (not ALL, but a lot) of people who drive 325i and 525i models only got them because they want a BMW sitting in the driveway... They don't seem to care about the performance or anything. I've met a few people who are exceptions to this, but it's something I've noticed.. Those models are always the ones going slow on the highway, etc.

Hey now, my first BMW was a 323Ci, of course it was replaced 6 months later by a E46 M3 but....