BMW test drive

I've been on a couple of test drives, so I'm slowly narrowing down my decision on which car to buy.

Rob Chambers says I should look at the BMW X5, because it's absolutely loaded with gadgets.  But the X5 is an SUV, which is just too big and bulky for what I need. My family already has a minivan and I just can't justify another big car. Meanwhile, I know Rob himself drives a 3-series, and my friend Michael Cuneo who has a 325 couldn't possibly be happier, so my first stop was to BMW of Bellevue for a test drive of a 325xi.

The interior is super-nice, as you might expect. It really feels like a luxury car. The new models come with an AUX port for plugging in an MP3 player (check), there's a keyless entry system and a big "start" button on the dash so you can leave your keys in your pocket (check).  There is a built-in nav system, but I'm less concerned about that because I'm happy to go after-market and install a Streetdeck or something.  I tried the SR on it and it was okay.  My dealer wasn't an expert and I didn't have time to figure it out myself, but I trust that it's probably reasonable. 

But I was disappointed in the back seat room. It feels tiny and cramped -- worse than my Altima. The trunk feels small too -- even without a spare tire. (BMW claims the included tires can make it to the service station even if they're punctured).

Worse, when I took it for a spin it was just too much for me to handle. I think my mistake was to test-drive a standard transmission. I drive a "stick shift" on my Altima and like it, so I figured that would be easy on the BMW, but I was wrong. I drove a fair bit, on side streets, on the freeway onramp, up and down hills, etc., but it just didn't handle the way I like.

Hmmm, if that's the BMW experience I'm not sure it's for me.