by "E90M3" (e90m3)
Published 01/31/2017 at 13:58
by "E90M3" (e90m3)
Published 01/31/2017 at 13:58
Tags: E90M3 Rents
STARS: 6
I know that has to be the most shocking statement you’ve read today. So what you’re telling me a car that was the darlings of all the car magazines, at the time, is better than a 1.5L Malibu rental. So now we’ve gotten that revelation out of the way, how is it?
So when I rented the car on Sunday, I posted this:
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
At the time, I was not happy with it. Since then I spent over 10 hours in it and put just over 700 miles on it. My thoughts have changed since Sunday.
Let’s start with my least favorite part of new cars, electric power steering. When I first got in the car I thought the steering was numb and way too light. However a few hours into the trip my opinion began to change. Back in December, I rented a Hyundai and put 550 miles on it in a day. I hated that car. The steering is overboosted and way too twitchy. It required constant input to keep it in a straight line on the highway and the slightest input had an exaggerated effect in the direction of the car. The Chevy, on the other hand, was an excellent highway cruiser. The steering was heavy enough where it felt planted at 75-80 mph and required more input than the Hyundai to change direction. It is among the better EPS cars I’ve driven, it really isn’t bad. If Hyundai is anything to go by, EPS is going to be shit, if Chevy is anything to go by, we’ll be fine in a few years.
Now we’ve found out that the steering isn’t that bad, let’s talk about the engine. It’s the 1.5L turbo I-4; according to the internet, it’s got 163 hp at 5700 RPM and 184 ft/lbs between 2000-4000 RPM. It’s not a powerhouse by any means, but it doesn’t feel like it needs more power to get out of it’s own way. There wasn’t a time when I thought it was a terrible engine. However, it only got 30-34 mpg. I drive the same, no matter what car I’m in. I got between 28-30 mpg on the highway in my 128i. A Chevy with an engine half the size should do better. Put a 2.0L NA I-4 in it and it’d probably return better fuel economy. If I’m buying a 1.5L, I want fuel economy, this would not satisfy me.
While we’re talking about the engine. I want to be able to turn off the stop start feature. If I’m in ATL traffic, I want that feature off. BMW lets you turn it off, you can turn it off in a Mercedes. Come on, at least give me an option to turn it off. (If it’s possible you can turn it off, it’s not obvious.)
This was equipped with carplay and I actually liked that. My complaint with carplay was that it didn’t load all the pandora stations I have, it stopped at like “D”, meaning I’d have to use my phone to select the Pandora station I wanted. It worked fine once I had the station selected, but wasn’t easy to select the station I wanted. I also used my iPod, and I’ve got something like 76GB of music on it, and I have to say idrive handles that volume of data so much better. It’s also a lot easier to scroll with the idrive knob as opposed to using a touch screen.
Let’s talk about the interior now. The seat was alright, but after about hour 4, my back was starting to hurt. The seats weren’t that supportive, but they did have lumbar support, something my 128i lacked. That said, it took about 8 hours of driving before I wanted out of the 1, Chevy was about half that time. Then again, this is a rental car and 4 hours is a pretty long time in a car. Luckily, after hour 4 on the way down, I stopped in Savannah and had dinner with my sister and her boyfriend, so I got a nice 2 hour break. There is a lot of plastic on the inside, but it feels miles better than the cheap plastic GM put in cars of the early 2000s.
Honestly the worst part of the car is the front styling. That would be the main thing that kept my from buying the car, and I really have a bad taste in my mouth after my parents had 2 GMs when I was 18. The 2002 Regal my dad has was plagued with problems, and when I was home that was my car.
Bonus: this E91 I saw in Savannah, too bad it was auto.
"404 - User No Longer Available" (toni-cipriani)
01/31/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 2
What Malibu? That’s an Audi, no? The “not actors” said so.
"Party-vi" (party-vi)
01/31/2017 at 14:06, STARS: 0
In defense of the engine in the Malibu, your 1 Series is hauling around a couple hundred less pounds of car, and you’ve got more more power and torque to get your 2-door to cruising speed.
"LOREM IPSUM" (lorem---ipsum)
01/31/2017 at 14:07, STARS: 0
Chevy should do something like the Chinese.
Buy a great car from another manufacturer, but old enough so as not to legally infringe on any intellectual property, patents, etc.
Then build a carbon copy and slap a bowtie on it.
Actually, if Kia can license the Elan, can’t Chevy license the e39?
M5libu anyone?
...I’ll show myself out...
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
01/31/2017 at 14:08, STARS: 1
I hate the start stop feature, especially in heavy traffic. The first time it happened to me on a busy street in Redwood City CA, I freaked out. Then realized what had happened.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
01/31/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 5
They’re not actors ... they’re just idiots.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 0
Right, I guess my point was that you’d be better off putting a slightly larger engine in the Malibu. However, the most heavy Malibu is only 3388 lbs , which isn’t much heavier than the 128i.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:10, STARS: 2
Ok, that’s the real reason I wouldn’t buy one. I fucking hate those commercials.
"404 - User No Longer Available" (toni-cipriani)
01/31/2017 at 14:11, STARS: 1
I’ve been saying all along Oppo should start our own manufacturer under the 2015 act. Get old tooling for E30s and clownshoes.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:12, STARS: 2
The button for the stop start in the M3 is in a weird place and I had no idea what it did when I first got it. It was on and one day in traffic my car just turned off, and I was like oh so that’s what that button does.
I agree, I hate that feature.
"Azrek" (azrek)
01/31/2017 at 14:12, STARS: 1
*Real people meticulously researched who buy the most boring cars on earth or have never bought a car.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
01/31/2017 at 14:14, STARS: 1
Are you sure? All of those adds that Chevy puts out with all of those real people? They all say that a base Mailbu is just like an F430... I think you’re lying you fanboy you.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
01/31/2017 at 14:14, STARS: 1
I feel like mild hybrids at minimum are the answer for making stop-start more palatable. That way, the car can start rolling under hybrid power as it’s also starting the engine.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:15, STARS: 6
*Real idiots, not actors.
"Party-vi" (party-vi)
01/31/2017 at 14:16, STARS: 0
Not that much heavier, but the 128i has more engine to work with getting around town, meanwhile the high-zoot 1.5L in the Malibu has to work hard doing everything that doesn’t include cruising on the highway.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:17, STARS: 1
I forgot about how that commercial inspired me to take the Malibu to Road Atlanta. When I was there, I set the lap record on my warm up lap, I then proceeded to break it lap after lap until I ran out of fuel. So yeah, it’s basically a Ferrari.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:18, STARS: 0
This was pretty much all highway mileage. I filled up in the morning in Brunswick and then about 2 hours into my journey and only got about 31 mpg and that was straight highway.
"Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer" (cyclonefan94)
01/31/2017 at 14:30, STARS: 1
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Which took approximately 13 years, correct?
:-)
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
01/31/2017 at 14:42, STARS: 0
“This looks like an Audi!”
"404 - User No Longer Available" (toni-cipriani)
01/31/2017 at 14:44, STARS: 0
It wouldn’t be so bad if BMW didn’t do such a bad job with it. It’s actually acceptable on the F10 528i I tried, but on my F30 it shakes and rattles badly both starting AND stopping. It’s crap on the Audi Q3 as well, but surprisingly good on the Macan.
Might get it coded out when I get my ENET cable.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:46, STARS: 0
It’s not bad on mine, or at least it doesn’t seem bad the 5 times it’s been on. I know in my car you can turn it off and it stays off.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
01/31/2017 at 14:56, STARS: 0
the malibu appears to be a perfect example of “a car”
appearance is ok, function is ok, has everything you expect, nothing is outstanding, just quietly does its job with no stand out impact.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 14:56, STARS: 1
That about sums it up, it’s not terrible, but I don’t have to have one.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
01/31/2017 at 14:59, STARS: 0
and if someone came to you and said “I’m thinking about a malibu” you wouldnt dissuade them. you’d just say “yeah, no complaints... it’ll be very car for you”
how’d the interview with big red go?
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 15:03, STARS: 1
Yeah, that’s basically what I’d respond with.
Interview with big red seemed to go alright, it’s apparently only a phone interview and I should know sometime this week. I could have answered some questions better and being Cali I hadn’t done a lot of the paperwork they asked about. I found it strange they didn’t want to do a face to face, but then it’s not 2012 anymore. When I was on my interview with big blue, they took us out and got us shit faced. Apparently that’s how they start tricking you.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
01/31/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 1
the lies start early :D
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
01/31/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 0
the lies start early :D
"E90M3" (e90m3)
01/31/2017 at 15:42, STARS: 0
Early and often!
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/02/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
Our car looks so good in profile under low light...
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/02/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 0
My wife had some of those meals during training trips.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/02/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
That they do.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/02/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 0
Where they took her out and got her drunk?
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/02/2017 at 16:29, STARS: 1
Yeah, stupidly expensive meals with the most expensive alcohol and cigars if you wanted them. Thinking of one particular on in Calgary at a place that served all kinds of different wild game.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
02/03/2017 at 11:11, STARS: 1
It’s even weirder with a manual. The Smart for 4 that I had in Italy had start-stop. It was torture having the car randomly start and stop in traffic. It made me resort to holding the clutch instead of putting it in neutral like I normally would. RIP throwout bearings with that crap!
"jdrgoat - Ponticrack?" (jdrgoat)
02/07/2017 at 11:42, STARS: 0
Told you it wouldn’t be that bad.
When I had one for 130 miles, I was impressed with the steering (all things considered, its life is mostly “a car”) as well. It’s not overboosted, it feels connected, and it communicated well. One other think on EPS that I’d like to point out, did you know the S2000 has it? Widely regarded as amazeballs steering, and I remember liking it when I drove my rommmate’s, yet still electric. It’s not all doom and gloom.
The trick I used for the auto-stop was to drop it in L when I came up to a stop sign or light that I knew I would be stopped at only briefly. Yes, more of a hassle than it should be.
Android Auto was nice, I didn’t play with it that much. I got 30mpg where my truck was likely to have gotten 23, so that was ok by me.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
02/07/2017 at 21:24, STARS: 1
Honda/Acura does a nice EPS, my mom’s RDX has it and I had no idea until I looked into it.
That’s really annoying about the stop start, I guess I can try that if I get one again.
Overall, it was miles better than the Sonata I rented.