"Dsscats" (dsscats)
09/29/2013 at 01:55 • Filed to: None
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"Dsscats" (dsscats)
09/29/2013 at 01:55 • Filed to: None | 0
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Good DD for a 40 mile daily commute?
DavidHH
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 02:51 |
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Compare it to a Chevrolet Spark EV, if you have a garage with 220V AC. Giving more $ to spend on toys. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet…
I like your vanagon, mine is a 91 westy.
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Dsscats
> DavidHH
09/29/2013 at 03:16 |
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What? And I mean a 1995-2001 BMW 7 series. Also, its not my Vanagon, but a render for an Audi Quattro van. (I would love a Vanagon though, especially a Syncro!)
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DavidHH
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 03:49 |
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I said consider, because that 20 miles trip each way is not kind to a internal combustion car, and you are suggesting using the "ultimate driving machine". For the $ you could save by not paying BMW payments (high service costs) and $4/gal, you could have a very nice toy like a mint 2002 or other BMW made when BMW didn't equal high maintenance. Or you can choose the newer BMW knowing full well that it won't like the commute, but you will be very comfortable and if you get hit, it is a tank.
As for synco's they drive badly on pavement and cost double in care and feeding, which is why our vanagon is 1 or 2 wheel drive, (i.e. we have the synco's rear diff)
Drudgy
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 06:31 |
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Nothing better as a commuter car - you'll arrive at work with a luxurious smile on your face every day...
...until the first repair bill. Just a very expensive car to keep on the road.
Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
> DavidHH
09/29/2013 at 08:38 |
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And an EV is a better choice why??
Collin
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 11:35 |
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I DD an E39 540i, and I love it. Then again, your monthly gas bill is probably going to be approximately the cost of a Nissan Leaf lease, but never discount the cool factor of driving a BMW.
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Dsscats
> Collin
09/29/2013 at 14:23 |
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My commute is all freeway, so it shouldn't be too terrible. How has reliability been? Maintenance?
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Collin
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 16:14 |
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There only thing I've really had to do to it was change the transmission fluid, which was cheap and straightforward. Anything else has been the result of driver error (hit a curb and popped a tire, hit an animal and needed to replace a fan). Overall, I'd say the repairs have been simple enough that a guy with basic tools and Youtube could handle everything but the occasional alignment.
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DavidHH
> Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
09/29/2013 at 17:30 |
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An EV or even a small displacement internal combustion engine makes a better sense since you are only driving 20 miles at a time. So the big BMW engine will need extra care or suffer from the short commute. It will also need to be driven for an hour or so at least every other week, to keep it happy.
For example, my mom had a 15 miles commute, and my grandfathers old cougar's V6 had major issues with never being fully warmed up, that I dealt with by flushing the oil, etc. When the cougar died, she got a ford festiva and it didn't mind the short commute one bit.
So I said consider an EV, not buy an EV, as your 20 mile commuter car could be cheap enough to justify having a cool car like a BMW for going out of town. Note I said could, as you would have to do the math. You would also have to own a garage and add a 220V circuit. But if I had a daily commute of 30 - 60 miles a day here in Portland, I would consider an EV, in part because commuting here is stop, creep slowly , wait, stop, creep slowly...
Manuél Ferrari
> Dsscats
09/29/2013 at 20:30 |
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Get the E39 540i! Do it! It's worth it!
Or just go big and get the E39 M5! The values have bottomed out and I think they will go up from here.
The combination of BMW handling with N/A V8 torque will put a smile on your face every single day. The BMW straight six is overrated. Having a V8 gives you a German muscle-sedan. Buying this will make you enjoy your commute more.
Sure the gas is expensive but you may as well go for it now before gas is $10 a gallon. Because once that happens we'll all be driving turbo charged 1L 3 cylinder shitboxes and wishing we had driven V8s when it was still possible to.
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Collin
> Manuél Ferrari
09/29/2013 at 23:16 |
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If gas hits $10/gallon in the near future, I'll be driving a Nissan Leaf and never going on any road trip that can't be done on a Triumph Speed Triple. Motorcycles will be the last fun transportation left.
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Manuél Ferrari
> Collin
09/29/2013 at 23:30 |
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Maybe by then we'll be able to buy second hand Tesla Model S sedans for decent prices. I hope that car ends up being reliable after years of use. It is seriously quick for such a large sedan.
True motorcycles will be the last fun transportation left. That and light sports cars with small engines. Cars like the BRZ are decent on fuel consumption. It would be even better if the interior was gutted, sound deadening material removed, and light race seats installed.
In the future we might have to make the weight savings changes made to track prepped cars just to be able to afford driving them on the street. Except instead of modifying final drive ratios to improve acceleration we'll be making the gears taller to save fuel...