I ordered a pair of black leather seats this weekend.

They were REALLY expensive, but they come delivered in a free convertible.

So, yeah, on saturday I ordered a car. The cost of this car is, within a half of a percentage point, half the cost of the first house we bought. I must be insane, but I'm the happy sort not the homocidal, so that's okay then.

2005 BMW 330ci Convertible, Jet Black body, black top, black leather interior, Performance package, and heated seats (I would never have even considered buying heated seats, but [livejournal.com profile] robeli's Vue came with them, and I swear to you, they are the coolest things EVER).

That's 235 horses in a 3.0L straight 6 with variable timing DOHC moving 24 valves mated to a 6spd. manual tranny, with short throw shifter, that's turning a pair of "M" double spoke 18x8.5" 225/35 low profile tires at the rear. The red line is 6800rpm, with the power band maxing at 5900rpm, and it developes 222 ft.-lb. of torque at 3500rpm. It'll go from 0 - 60 in just under 6 seconds, and top speed is 155mph (limited by the computer, and I have zero intentions of changing that as I'll never even approach that speed). Tires on the front are "M" double spoke 18x8" 225/40 low profile and are -0.5degree camber for making those turns nice and comfy. When it comes to stopping, it's got big giant ventilated anti-lock discs on all four. The drive train (except for the engine itself), the suspension, and steering (including the rims and tires), are identical to the M3 (and what black magic BMW perform to pull 97 more horses out of a meager 200 more cc, I don't want to know). And hey, it's rated at 30mpg on the highway, so it's not a terrible guzzler.

Those nice people from Bavaria throw an AM/FM stereo w/CD player in the dashboard wired up to 11 speakers (including a subwoofer) for free in all this too, so you'll be able to hear your music while cruising with the top down.

The seats are 10 way power adjustable with 3 memory settings (which, and this is REALLY cool, are tied to the keys. If I insert my key, they will automaticly adjust (along with the exterior mirrors) to my preferred setting, and if [livejournal.com profile] robeli inserts her key, they automaticly adjust to hers (again, including the exterior mirrors)). Default climate control settings are also tied to the keys, which is nifty. It's also got built in HomeLink with 3 device capability (ah, no more replacing the battery in my garage door opener every 6 - 8 months). And of course, it's got four seats, so we'll be able to take the boy with us wherever we go too.

Unfortunately, it's still just an order number in Germany. Expected arrival date is late April, but that's okay, since that's also when the weather will have changed from suck to nice.

In other news, there's a Gate in Chinatown. I've never walked north from the Chinatown/Gallery Place Metro station before yesterday. I'd never seen one of those gates up close and in person before. They are very pretty. What I could see of the parade was cool. Oh, and unless the weather totally blows, I can't see the point of switching to the Red line to go from Metro Center to Gallery Place/Chinatown station. It takes less time to walk, being a meager 5 blocks apart at surface level. I had no idea they were that close. You get no sense of distance travelling between stations underground.

From: [identity profile] robeli.livejournal.com


Yikes. I hadn't thought about the first house to car comparrison.... Do NOT go and start thinking I'll let you buy a car that is half the cost of our current house!!!

From: [identity profile] silmaril.livejournal.com


BMW: Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiny. Jet black BMW: Extra shiny.

I'll make a point of seeing you folks somewhere you'll bring your car to in May *grin*.

I actually had a sense that GP/C and Metro Center were that close, because over the years I've learned it's actually time to close your book and get up at Chinatown if you're getting off at Metro Center, if the car is crowded and you foresee having to sorta fight your way through people.

From: [identity profile] bloody-peasant.livejournal.com


6spd. manual tranny

You, Sir, are a man of taste.

the M3 (and what black magic BMW perform to pull 97 more horses out of a meager 200 more cc, I don't want to know)

Yours can probably be chipped for another 30 hp. I _think_ the M3 engine is still hand-built...

From: [identity profile] jsbowden.livejournal.com

Pistols at dawn!


Thou dost wound me, sirrah!

Have your second contact mine.

Or not, since you may in fact be correct.

From: [identity profile] voltbang.livejournal.com

Re: Pistols at dawn!


When you get your new ride, will you take me over to starbucks in it?

It is a cool car and all, but I still recall your old mode of transportation. Long way from there to here....

From: [identity profile] jsbowden.livejournal.com

Re: Pistols at dawn!


Yeah, well, you never asked for a ride in the primer grey VW. Of course, I'd not have ridden in it either if it hadn't've been mine.

And, Starbucks? I'll take you to Barnes & Noble, you can get Starbucks, and I'll check out the new releases.

From: [identity profile] carpone.livejournal.com


[quote]The seats are 10 way power adjustable with 3 memory settings (which, and this is REALLY cool, are tied to the keys. If I insert my key, they will automaticly adjust (along with the exterior mirrors) to my preferred setting, and if [info]robeli inserts her key, they automaticly adjust to hers (again, including the exterior mirrors)). [/quote]

That's way cool. After having been nearly castrated after Jenna has driven my car, I want this feature. :)

[quote]It's also got built in HomeLink with 3 device capability (ah, no more replacing the battery in my garage door opener every 6 - 8 months). And of course, it's got four seats, so we'll be able to take the boy with us wherever we go too.[/quote]

It's sweet. I've had it in my Accord for the past 7 years. Definitely something I'm looking for when comparing cars.

From: [identity profile] jsbowden.livejournal.com


The keys can actually tell the car to adjust for your settings before you insert them, but that's just gratuitous, and I'm not sure it's standard (it might be, it's not terribly clear).

As far as the HomeLink system goes, the minivan had it as well, which was nice. We had one set for Robin's side of the garage, one for her parents garage door, and one for her grandmother's garage door, and those last two were ultra convenient when we drove up to .ct.us.

From: [identity profile] thormation.livejournal.com

Technobabble off the starboard bow!


Good lord! Warn someone if you're about to do that.

I feel like I just had a Tom Clancy enema.

But I'm glad you are happy with your new car. (It was a car you were describing, right?)

From: [identity profile] jsbowden.livejournal.com

Re: Technobabble off the starboard bow!


You've never disassembled an engine in your front yard, have you? Or replaced a CV joint in the snow? Or aligned your front end using nothing more than a transept, a level, and a yardstick after having replaced the tie rod ends? Or raplaced a transmission with some 2x4s and a floor jack?

None of those things were fun, but all of them were educational. Every kid should start out driving an old VW. As cars go, they're easy to work on, cheap, and will teach you all kinds of things about how cars work.

You just don't know what you're missing out on. All that stuff up there means things. Good things.

From: [identity profile] turnberryknkn.livejournal.com


Hee! Loved the description of "really expensive leather seats."

Shweet!
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