Winter Trip 2008

If you ever take a trip up north, take an espresso machine. That is the lesson I learned this Christmas.

So my wife and I are making a habit of making an annual winter trip up north to see snow. Well this time we went to visit some friends in Boston and then head up to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Only we never made it to Halifax and I will explain what happened.

One of Alia’s Law school classmates once said: “Whenever I check my grades, I start drinking a couple of hours beforehand, then if my grades are really bad I just keep drinking.” Yes, Law school is that bad sometimes. We started going on these winter trips in an attempt to

keep Alia sane. Law school is an intense experience which usually brings students to the brink of tears during finals, so to help keep my wife in good mental health I find that taking her someplace different helps calm the nerves. This year we looked at a map and thought we would check out Nova Scotia…well that WAS the plan.

First thing though, this is a blog about cars, so let me tell you about my preparations for this winter trip. We originally wanted to take our Mercedes ML320 for this trip; we took it last year to Montreal and it was great. All Wheel Drive, traction control, heated seats, and a high driving position make it ideal for this sort of thing, but sadly it is in the repair shop right now so we had to take the Subaru instead. With All Wheel Drive I knew my WRX would be up for the challenge. A Subaru is as comfortable in the snow as a middle aged woman is at an Enya concert, it's perfect. In order to get my car ready I did the following things to it:

• Got new tires
• Added antifreeze
• Ran fuel antifreeze in the gas take to remove water
• Replaced the driver’s windshield wiper and rear windshield wiper
• Waxed the car with a Teflon wax
• Got cheap clear mats to protect my carpet from snow, salt and ice
• Treated all windows with RainX
• Filled the washer fluid with RainX washer fluid
• Added a Prestone windshield washer antifreeze to washer fluid
• Treated the inside of all windows with RainX antifog treatment
• Packed a tool set, jumper cables, etc.

In addition to the things I did to my car, here are the things I brought to survive in the cold:

• One waterproof ski jacket
• One wool coat
• Pair of waterproof pants
• Pair of Nike ACG boots
• Pair of Timberland boots
• Two winter hats
• Waterproof baseball cap to wear over hats
• Espresso Machine (Yeah, I brought an Espresso machine, that’s how I roll.)
• Two electric blankets, one with dual zone control so my wife and I can set it at different temperatures
• Backup prepaid Cellphone from Tracfone (These things get service anywhere I swear)
• Lighter and pocket knife (I watched too much Survivor Man with Les Stroud to travel without these two things)

So as you can see I was well prepared for the cold and my trip. I had begun writing this list of things I needed to bring and/or do a couple weeks before our trip. In addition to the things I brought for the cold I also brought a bunch of things for my entertainment. When you are in the cold it becomes difficult to get out, so you need entertainment for the indoors, so I brought the following:

• Xbox 360
• Projector
• Laptop
• Surge Protector
• Ethernet Switch and four Ethernet cables
• Book

Of all the things I have listed above the only things I did not use were the lighter, knife and book. But other than that I used all these items multiple times, including the Espresso Machine thank you very much.

But for all this planning there was one thing I did not plan for, namely the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. This is the State Department’s deceptive name for something that should be called “Make it a Pain in the Butt for Americans to go places in the Name of Border Security and Anti-terrorism Debacle.” Normally I keep both of our passports in my briefcase in the same spot, so no matter where I go I have them, just in case. Well recently I had to switch briefcases because I was using a different laptop and I forgot to move the passports over, so somewhere in New Jersey I remembered I forgot the Passports, thus making Nova Scotia a much less likely destination. We had a backup plan to have our friend Nathan FedEx us our Passports, but we never executed plan “Nato Save our Butts” as I called it.

The first three hours of the drive went without any problems until we hit the traffic nightmare that is northern Virginia. The traffic in Northern Virginia is the worst I have ever seen, it is always slow, no matter what time of day. Here is a list of things I find more enjoyable than driving through Virginia:

• Running my garbage disposal.
• Smelling my trash and trying decide whether it is
• time to take it out.
• Organizing the vegetables in my freezer.
• Scrubbing my bathtub.

All of the above listed activities have one thing in common, when you are doing them you are always making progress, unlike driving in Northern Virginia. When driving through that area you need to add at least 90 minutes to your travel time no matter what time of day or year and no matter which direction you’re heading. It really is that bad. Always stop at a rest stop and use the bathroom about forty minutes north of Richmond when heading north, or thirty minutes south of Baltimore when heading south. Otherwise you may find yourself pulling over and watering random bushes in Northern Virginia out of desperation, not that I have any personal experience with that.

When driving North Alia and I like to guess which state we will first see snow in. I guessed Pennsylvania and Alia correctly guessed New Jersey. I can say this about New Jersey, considering how populated the state is and the potential for bad traffic the Turnpike is pretty good all things considered. It allows you to drive straight through the state with relative ease. There are a few decent Rest Stops with gas and a food court, so the trip is manageable. I like to enhance my New Jersey experience by listening to Bon Jovi and Whitesnake while I drive, don’t ask me why but “Here I go Again” and “Living on a Prayer” are the perfect songs to drive to while in New Jersey.

Everything was fine and dandy until Connecticut when it really began to snow pretty heavily late at night. We were outside Meriden when we began to see cars spinning off the road left and right. What was amazing was that we saw multiple 4 x4 trucks spinning off the road. People make the mistake thinking that All Wheel Drive stops you from sliding, but really at highway speeds you can lose traction to all four wheels. Having All Wheel Drive is most useful for getting out of your driveway or driving up a snowy hill, but driving at speed on the highway requires a lot more than just sending power to all four wheels. After seeing one truck stuck teetering on a guard rail we decided to get a hotel for the night and head for Boston in the morning.

Our Hotel, the Residence Inn, had a free warm breakfast. It was nice, there was a fireplace and a large window facing a pretty courtyard where you could watch the snow fall gently on the trees. It was such a serene scene, you could almost hear Winter Wonderland playing in the background. Sleigh bells ring…are you listening? It looked like a true winter wonderland outside. Then someone would open the door and you could hear the true sound of winter: people screaming “Push harder, we’re still stuck!” and “Oh my God is that a Jeep stick on a guard rail!!!?!?!?” I eventually had to go and face the horror myself and dig my own car out.

Here is where all my preparation first paid off.

By treating all the windows with RainX water did not freeze into frost on my windows, it really made a big difference. Also, my car started instantly thanks to gas lines that weren’t frozen because of the stuff I put in the gas tank. My windshield wiper was clear too because I had replaced it with one that has a silicone coating that prevents ice from forming on it. Because there was a fresh coat of wax on the car the snow and ice brushed off with ease. Thanks to the All Wheel Drive I easily backed up and drove to the front of the hotel to load the car where I took this picture.

Once we got onto the highway the snow was falling pretty hard still. The roads were plowed earlier but still treacherous. Here is where being familiar with Rally racing came handy. As a obsessed Subaru owner, I have watched a number of Rally races in the snow, so employing some of their techniques can be quite handy.

First you have to know the capabilities of your car and your driving skills. If you feel the car slipping at all you need to slowdown until you are sure all four tires are maintaining constant traction. Then you need to watch your lines when you are driving. Sometimes it is good to follow a large truck or something that leaves good tracks so you know the snow is melted, but other times you might find a layer of ice under the snow so you will need to drive on freshly fallen snow instead to have more traction. What it all boils down to is being able to know where you have maximum grip with the road. A lesson which I saw many people learn the hard way, including an Audi which I saw slam into the guard rail, I am sure the driver was over confident and thought that Quattro drive system would keep him from sliding, but it didn’t. That car had the most advanced traction control and all wheel drive system in the world, and it still slid into the rails.

After about an hour I began noticing that the Passenger’s windshield wiper began to make noise, I had not replaced that one and ice was forming on it. This was annoying, but since the driver’s side had no ice I was OK. But I saw dozens of people stopped on the side of the road cleaning off their wipers because of the ice problem. We stopped at a Rest Stop and almost everyone was trying to get the ice off of their cars, especially their wipers.

We took our time driving to Boston, averaging around 45 MPH thus making a trip that normally takes two hours more like three hours. Once we got into Boston though it was great that it was snowing, there was little to no traffic at all. Perhaps this is the only blessing of a snow storm in Boston. My friend Colin lives in Somerville, which means you have to park on the street, and in the snow that is a royal pain in the uh...snow? Many cars were stuck in their spots, and the spots that were clear were covered with huge snow piles left by the plows. Colin lives on a small hill, and there was a Ford F150 stuck in the snow trying to get up the hill. If your truck is not four wheel drive it is the worst car to own in the snow because all the power goes to the back wheels but there is no weight on top of the wheels when you have an empty truck bed.

I eventually found a spot and parked for the night. We had tickets to the Knicks/Celtics game so we had to find a way to get to the Garden. Our options were as follows:

1. Drive to the bus stop, stand out in the cold and wait for a bus.

2. Drive downtown and look for parking

3. Call a cab

We opted for number three and it was great. The snow would have made it a serious pain in the butt to look for parking, and I was in no mood to stand in the snow waiting for a bus, with Colin’s eight month pregnant wife, I would have felt horrible making her stand there in the cold. It was snowing pretty hard that night and we needed to get there easily.

Now cab drivers in Boston are probably among the most highly skilled snow drivers in North America. Boston has some truly awful roads, and when you put 24 inches of snow on top of them it makes it almost laughably bad. The overwhelming majority of Taxis are rear wheel drive, so that means they can be terrible in the snow. But the two drivers we had seemed to be quite at home. One of our drivers was a guy from India who had been driving a cab in Boston for 25 years. The way this man handled the snow in his cab you would swear he was Norwegian or something.

In the morning I had to get my car out of the snow again, but I was not nearly as bad off as some other people. Boston was a mess to drive in, and I was battling it just fine but then I noticed something. My steering wheel was shaking like it was having a seizure every time I got any kind of speed. We pulled into the parking lot of Target and I looked at the tires wondering how they could get so out of balance, then I saw the reason. There was tons of ice and snow all in my alloy wheels. I dug it all out by hand and the problem was solved, but I can’t imagine doing this every morning after snow, but I am sure there are plenty of people in Boston who go through this every winter.

We left Boston to venture even further north. We settled on Kennebunkport, Maine figuring if it was good enough for the Bush family to vacation there, it should be adequate for us. I also was craving some lobster, so on Christmas night we got lobster fried rice at a Chinese restaraunt which was just awesome. What I appreciated was how people that lived in that area would still purchase cars that they have no business buying. If you live in New Hampshire you should not be buying a Miata...ever. I guess if it was your summer car, then OK, but I believe cars should be driven, and if you can only drive your Miata with the top down for three or four months a year, well you should consider moving south.

But there is one thing that you should not buy at all when living in heavy snow states...rear wheel drive sports cars. Now they may be some Ferrari owner living in Boston claiming that it is great to own such a car in Beantown. But here is what it looks like when you own a 350z without a garage:

But I appreciate this person, who has accepted that their New England accent prohibits them from pronouncing the letter "r" correctly and got a vanity plate for their BMW aka "Beemer" that reflects the peculiarity of their vernacular:

If you want to drive a high performance car in a snow state, then buy a proper one for the job. May I suggest a Subaru WRX? How about a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo? BMW now makes their coupes in an all wheel drive version, so that would be an excellent choice. But is you must have an Italian exotic then I suggest this:

On the way home we encountered heavy fog, and we saw a number of cars and trucks on the side of the road. Again we hit terrible traffic in Northern Virginia, which was a bummer but by now we just expect that.

So where should we go next year? I hear Switzerland is lovely in the winter.

Drive for a Cure 2008

Every year BMW does the "Drive for the Cure" event. They pay one dollar to breast cancer research for every mile you drive a BMW. Yeah, it's that easy. They give you the keys to a BMW, you drive like an idiot, then they donate money to charity.

BMW gives you a predetermined route, and this year the route went right past my house. It was awesome seeing people with great big smiles driving down the road like they stole the BMW.

So when Alia and I walked into Performance BMW for the Drive for the Cure this year they gave me a free turkey, it was a surreal experience to be honest. Here is how the conversation went:

BMW receptionist: Do you want a free turkey?

My wife: Did you say turkey?

Receptionist: If you drive a BMW, you get a turkey. Would you like a turkey?

Me: HELL YEAH, SWEET!

So I took my turkey with pride and made sure I got several pictures of my prize alongside a BMW.

But then it got me to thinking, if BMW gives out turkeys, what would other car manufacturers give out? Here is a list I propose for several car companies:

Toyota- one pound of tofu for driving a Prius. Is there any food more perfect for a Prius owner?

GM- A large can of Spam. Spam, like GM cars, are something nobody wants, but somehow they stick around.

Ford- A pound of ground chuck. Ford has barely even tried to be anything other than an all American car company. The Mustang is an unabashedly red meat car, and I love it for it.

Hummer- Free Turduckens, that is a Turkey, with a chicken inside, with a duck inside, oh and there is stuffing between each layer. Yes, it exists and you practically need a Hummer to carry it.

Buick- Salisbury steak. People still actually eat this? People still buy Buicks? Believe it or not some people drive Buicks to the store to buy Salisbury steaks.

Saab- Free chair from Ikea. So it’s not food, but since GM has been trashing the Saab name by re-badging a Trailblazer and calling it the 9-7x and re-badging an Impreza and calling it the 9-2, Saab needs to get back to its Swedish roots. And the Swedes are adept at making furniture.

But enough with all that, the real reason you are reading this is because I drove a BUNCH of BMWs. In fact the only ones I did not drive were the Alpina B7 (I had an appointment to drive it but it was broken) and the M5 (the only car BMW does not put in the Drive for the Cure lineup.)

So here we go:

The biggest surprise: The X6

Imagine if you dated someone who broke all your rules, your “deal breakers” so to speak. You promised you would never date a smoker, someone who ate their peas one at a time, or a Republican (insert Democrat if you are of the GOP persuasion). But now you found yourself on a date with just such a person, a Marlboro smoking, one pea at a time eating Sarah Palin supporter.(Or an Obama-naut, this is a non-partisan blog.) And imagine, to your horror, you actually found yourself attracted to this person. This is how I describe the BMW X6, it breaks all the rules and somehow gets away with it. It’s big, overpriced, less practical than most SUVs and ugly, but I love it...and so did my wife. BMW can do no wrong right now to be honest. BMW is making some seriously good cars right now, they can do no wrong, in fact if BMW pooped it would smell like cherries, they’re that good.

I have no idea what to call the X6. If I were considering buying the X6 but was not quite sure if I wanted one, what car would I drive instead to compare it to? There really is nothing else like it on the road. Some have called it a “crossover” vehicle, but that name means little when so many cars use that title. A Subaru Forester is considered a crossover vehicle, but that car is in no way comparable to the BMW X6. You just can’t put a label on the X6 that fits it properly and here is why:

The X6 feels like an SUV when you open the door and climb into it, it feels like a larger luxury sedan when you drive it, and it feels like a two door coupe when you accelerate and turn like a maniac. What is most remarkable about this car is that it does everything so well. Oh, except look good. Let’s face it, this car is ugly. But that is the ONLY thing it does poorly. Perhaps we can go back to the dating analogy. Let's imagine you were dating someone who you never got tired of talking to, they were an awesome cook, they had tons of money and spent it on you liberally, they had a geat sense of humor and you got along with all their friends and family...but they were butt ugly. Something amzing happen in cases like that, over time you become more fond of them, and next thing you know they no longer look ugly but you find them attractive. That is what happened with me and the X6.

When I first drove it I was jaw droppingly shocked at how good the car was to drive. The driving position was high enough for me to get a good view, but low enough to feel like a comfortable car. It felt more like a sedan when driving, until you pulled up next to a sedan and you realized that you were significantly higher than they were. The X6 has two engine options, a V8 and the BMW six cylinder twin turbo engine. I cannot say enough good things about twin turbo engine, and this engine has more than enough power for this large vehicle so I would not even consider the V8. From a comfort standpoint this car rivaled the 7 Series. Honestly, looking ugly was the only thing I could fault this car for and that is not always a bad thing. Well I guess I could criticize it for only having four seats, which is disappointing for a car so large, at least give me the option of seating five. I know I don’t have four friends to drive around with, but you don’t have to rub it in BMW.

Now if I were going to spend $60,000 on a car would I buy an X6? Mostly likely no I would not. But I would definitely consider buying a used one in three or four years time. Because of the fact that this car is so odd looking I bet a lot of people will not even consider buying one used, so it may be a great bargain in a couple of years.

The Sports Cars and Sedans

At one point during my test drives it began to rain. I was concerned that the event would be stopped. But the organizers were not concerned and here's why: BMW has made it so that only complete idiots can crash them. Here are all the safety features:

Traction control - The computer on a BMW can detect when a tire is slipping and automatically reduce the power going to that tire, it can also apply the brakes to any tire it needs to, or increase the power to other tires when necessary. It is truly remarkable technology when you think about it, but many of us are taking this sort of thing for granted these days. Just jump into an eighties model Ferrari and thrash around for five minutes and you will appreciate how far we have come.

Brake fade resistance- When conditions get wet often your braking distance is increased because when you put your foot on the brake the brakes are unable to create friction because they are wet, but they dry off in a couple seconds and eventually stop the car. In a BMW the brakes automatically dry themselves off when you take your foot off the gas, then when you apply the brakes they have the same stopping power as they have under normal conditions, just brilliant.

Adjustable Power Steering- On BMW you can get steering that automatically adjusts according to your speed. This means that the car is easier to turn under all conditions. If you are in a parking lot you don't have to turn the wheel very far to pull into a parking spot, if you are on the highway and need to make a quick maneuver to avoid something, you are less likely to spin the car out because of over-steer or under-steer.

Lane Departure Warning- Some BMWs have lane departure warning. You know those reflectors in between lanes that when you run over them they shake your steering wheel a little? Well with BMW's lane departure warning system the car can detect where the lanes are and if you start to drift out of your lane it gently shakes the wheel. I was shocked at how well this system worked.

Active Cruise Control- On the 5 Series and 7 Series you can get active cruise control. This system keeps you a safe distance from the car in front of you automatically and can even make the car come to a complete stop if needed.

Variable Brake Lights- Like any car the brake lights come on when you press the brake, but if you press it hard the brake lights appear brighter than normal. If you slam on the brakes in an emergency fashion the brake lights flash and the hazard lights come on for a moment to warn other drivers.

Not all of the above equipment is standard on all BMWs, but much of it is. If all cars had these systems in them how much could we cut down on car accidents? 10%? 20%? I have no idea, but I bet it would be a significant decrease in accidents.

BMW M3 vs. 335

For my next review I am going to compare two cars, the 335 coupe and the M3. Before I do, let me ask you a few questions:

1. Have you ever heard the words: “Don’t worry, it happens to a lot of guys”?
   
2. Do you live near a race track that you can access regularly?
3. Were you the kind of kid that always had to have the newest toys before anyone else?
4. Have you have ever hated another woman purely because she was slimmer and prettier than you?
5. Have you ever uttered the words “size doesn’t matter” in a defensive tone of voice?
6. Have you ever stuffed your bra or pants?
   

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then get the M3, otherwise you need a 335.

Here is what the M3 does and does oh so well: at 8300 RPMs you get the full power of all 414 horses, which is accompanied by a marvelous roar from the V8 engine, it is truly a magnificent experience. Everything is built perfectly in this car. The gearbox and transmission feel great, the clutch feels like it could handle a Formula 1 engine. The steering system is great, allowing for comfortable driving and sport driving on demand. The only downside of the whole experience I can say is that I found the visibility a little cramped. I guess BMW wanted to make sure any knucklehead stupid enough to flip an M3 would be protected, so the pillars seem a bit large but I am really nit-picking here. The car is perfect in every way.

If you keep all the computers on, the car will prevent you from landing in a ditch 99% of the time. But if you are feeling daring you can turn any number of computer controlled options off and burn some rubber, do a slide, or any other moronic behavior you want. With all the computer options turned off the car is truly a beast and is a challenge to keep on the road if pushed, which is such a great feeling that I dream of driving it again. I've always said I love cars that feel like they are trying to kill you, and I could charge this one with attempted murder.

The biggest problem with the M3 has nothing to do with the car itself, the M3’s biggest problem is the 335 and here is why: To reach the M3’s peak horsepower you have to push the engine to 8300 RPMs, by the time you are ready to get out of second gear you are well on your way to 70 MPH, which is far above the legal speed limit most places. Now compare this to the twin turbo, 300 horsepower engine in the 335. The 335 reaches its peak horsepower at just 1900 RPMs, which means you get to experience the brilliance of the engine almost all the time even during regular driving.

Both cars have brilliant BMW engineering, so they both handle second to none. Sure, the M3 handles better than the 335, but that is like saying Jessica Alba is hotter than Jessica Simpson, or Brad Pitt is hotter than Colin Ferrell. While the statement may be true, sometimes second best is good enough.

As I said in my review of the 135, Dinan makes a chip for the twin turbo engine that boosts its power to 400 hp, for just $2000. That would make the 335 have just 14 fewer horses than the M3, which is astonishing. The 335 is a beast of a car in its own right, and I would bet most people would be more than satisfied with the 335 experience.

Now, as I said at the beginning, if you live next to a track go get the M3. If your daily commute includes time on an autobahn, you need the M3. If for some reason you feel inadequate in some area of your life and think material objects will help, get the M3. But for most of the world I would suggest the 335. I am a religious man, and ultimately I only want to do the most godly thing, and God does not care if I drive an M3, 335 or a 135, so give me a 135 with the added chip thank you and I will never worry about being late to the next worship service.

Sedans -

7- Series - a car that touched me inappropriately

In the 7 Series I experienced "bad touch." In Elementary School I was told that if someone gives you a pat on the back it is OK, but a slow rhythmic rubbing of unmentionable areas is bad touch. The massage seat on the BMW 7 Series gave me the latter. It was odd at first, you think: "Did this seat just rub me where I think it did?" Then when the rollers move again you are sure, indeed the bottom seat rubs you in the most intimate of places. So the next time you are at a stop light and see the person in the 7 Series next to you smiling in a curious way, know that they are probably being touched in private ways by their car seat.

Now, this car is BMWs flagship if you will. If you are a CEO looking for a car to carry fellow execs around, then the 7 Series is the car for you. It is large, so you don't feel like you are driving a sports car, but the car has all of BMW's bells and whistles I mentioned earlier so you can drive like you are a getaway car driver trying to elude the police and worry about ever losing control. (For perhaps one of the best getaway sequences, see this clip from the original Transporter movie, he was driving the old 7 Series in this clip)

The V12 engine is insane to be honest. You really do not need that many cylinders, BMW makes plenty of other engines that are smaller but would be more than adequate for this car, but almost every European luxury car maker has a huge engine in their largest sedan, so I guess it is tradition.

Several years ago BMW brought an American in to design its cars, a man named Chris Bangle. Bangle is to car design what Van Gogh was to Impressionist art. Van Gogh was not very well received by critics during his lifetime, but yet he has come to be known for defining an era of art. One modern designer said that the Z4 looked like it was designed with a machete, and I agree. But it was the 7 Series that made most people question Bangle's design. The trunk of the 2002 7 Series was truly awful, but it has been toned down recently. Now the 7 Series is a decently attractive car, but by no means can it compete with the flowing lines of a Jaguar or Rolls.

The 7 Series is a nice place to be, especially if you spend large amounts of time in your car stuck in traffic there is hardly any better place to be. The seats are both heated and air conditioned, so you are comfortable in any climate. When traveling on road trips I compare the hotels I stay at to the interior of my car. If the hotel is nicer than my car, then it was a good choice. (I usually take my ML320 for long trips, so that is the standard.) Well you really would have to stay in at least 4 star hotels to even come close to the comfort level achieved in the 7 Series. If you gave me the choice between a cheap roadside motel and a 7 series for the night I would almost always choose the 7 Series. In a cheap motel if you have someone massage you in your nether regions you will have to drive to some street corner to find a "friend," it will cost you at least $50 and you would then have to get tested for an STD afterwards. But in the BMW you can sleep soundly in the comfort of your car being without any worries of the Police busting you for the act.

The 760Li I drove was well over $100,000 which if I'm honest is an insane amount of money to spend on a car which is a depreciable asset. But if you have that kind of money to drop on a car, I guess you are not bothered much by depreciation. My wife and I have a pact not to spend that much on a car unless we can sell it for a profit or only a small loss. This is possible sometimes when luxury brands make cars with limited production numbers and you are lucky enough to get your hands on one, but I don't think the 760Li qualifies.

I was trying to think of what car I recently drove that I could compare the 7 Series to, laughably the only car I could think of was the Lincoln town car. Let me list the similarities:

1. Both have four wheels
2. I have driven both

Seriously, comparing a $100,000 BMW to a Lincoln is like comparing a Steak from Outback to a proper Prime Rib at a Five Star Restaruant. Sure an Outback steak is good, but when is the last time you had a properly cooked Prime Rib? (For the record never get beef cooked anything more than medium rare, unless you are at a place with suspect cleanliness.)

If you have the money and want one of the best cars money can buy, go right ahead and buy one. I especially encourage anyone who spends a good amount of time in their car to buy one. It would be hard for me to authoritatively say that the BMW is much better than its Mercedes counterpart without having one for a week to test.

535- The Best Sedan Period

The 535 is the perfect sedan. It is not so small that it feels cramped with four adults in it, it is not so large that you need a parking spot the size of Belgium to parrallel park it. The 535 has the twin turbo V6, which is perfect balance of power and fuel economy for a car this its size. In the 1 Series that engine feels insane, in the 3 it is scary quick, but in the 5 it is perfect. After driving all the other models I felt like Goldie Locks when I got into the 535. The M3 was too fast, the 760 was too big, but the 535...it was just right.

To be honest there is nothing else to say about the 535, it is everthing a BMW should be. But if I am to liken cars to ice cream, this is how the BMW lineup would look:

M3- Two scoops of Esspresso Ice cream

7 Series- large bowl of Gelatto

Z4- chocolate cone with sprinkles

535- Vanilla cone

While there is nothing wrong with Vanilla, and in fact sometimes you are in the mood for it, there are other times you want more. So then you can get an M5, which is a Vanilla cone...with caffeinated sprinkles.

Convertibles

Now let me just say a word about the BMW convertibles, I drove several of them on two different days, and the temperature was about 43 degrees. The BMW climate control has a setting for top down driving, and with heated seats it was quite comfortable even in the cold. So really the only time you would have to put the top up is when there is any kind of precipitation. I would be interested to see how cold you could comfortably drive, perhaps it is uncomfortable when it gets below freezing, but I live below the Mason-Dixon line so I wouldn't know.

BMW makes convertible versions of their 3 Series and 6 Series cars, as well as the Z4. Usually when you cut the roof off of a car and make it a convertible you sacrifice stability for the chance to let the wind blow in your hair. But BMW has made every effort to make the convertibles just as solid as the hard tops, and it worked. Again, you might notice the difference if you take your car to the track, but I doubt the average driver would notice a difference when driving around town getting groceries.

I decided after driving the Z4 two things:

1. Two seater convertibles are for women, or at least not for 6'5" men like me.

2. Everyone looks hotter in a convertible.

I enjoy the Z4, but everytime I see a woman get into one, I just come to the realization that women just look so much better in it than I do. That said, the 6 Series convertibles are decidely masculine cars, so if I wanted a BMW drop top that made me look more like a CEO and less like a teen pop star, that is the way I would go.

Now you may have noticed that I have made no real mention of the X3 and X5, that is because, as nice as those cars are, I just don't think they standout in the luxury SUV line. There is stiff competition there. The Land Rover looks cooler, the Volvo is more practical, the Mercedes is better off road. (Not that I know that because I took a BMW X5 loaner off roading when I had me series in the shop of anything like that, but next time you are at the BMW dealer buying a used X5, ask if it was a loaner and if it was stay away from it.) But the X5 and X3 are fine cars, just not worth writing about until they have a properly badged M version.

So there you have it, my take on BMW after this year's Drive for the Cure. Now let's see if they continue this event next year, or will this go the way of Subaru Rally racing and become the victim of a slow economy?