<E46> Just came back from tour de France (long)

[Matt Hocker <matt_hocker@xxxxxxxxx>]

Folks-

I've been quiet on the digest lately, mostly because I haven't had a
lot to say (I've been too busy to attempt any repairs on my 87 325iC,
such as the much-needed steering rack replacement) but I wanted to let
everyone know about a little trip I just came back from.

In a quest to get some airline miles (don't ask!) two friends and I
found a cheap flight to Paris, and decided to spend the weekend. While
there, we decided we would take a little tour of the countryside in a
rental car. And what better way to drive around Europe than in a BMW,
right?

I called Avis and rented a 1999 320i, the E46 with a four-cylinder
engine that we can't get over here. In case you're wondering, it
wasn't cheap, at ff 1964 for the two days (about $350) but between
three people, it wasn't so bad.

We took off for Normandy on a beautiful French autoroute, where the
BMW demonstrated that even though the gears were a little close for my
taste, it could get up to some pretty high speeds. Our top speed was
about 220 km/h, at which the tachometer indicated about 5200 rpm. The
car handled amazingly at those speeds, and our hope was that the six
(!) airbags in the front would prevent any serious injury (a fact I
now know not to be true).

Once we reached Normandy, the suspension of the little car really
shined. The roads in France are extremely narrow and twisty...
perfect, in my opinion. And people drive FAST! It was grey and misty
most of the time, so we got a chance to try the ASC out - and it
really is incredible. I haven't felt so in control of a car since
driving a quattro Audi S6. At no time did we ever slide or skid, even
on the wet roads, and even from spirited starts.

After Normdandy, we bolted back to Paris, where we learned how to park
like the French. Apparently, the French ignore any kind of signage
telling them where to park, and just plunk their cars on the sidewalks
wherever they want. So much so that the city puts up posts on the
edges of sidewalks to keep people from parking on them!

One tip: if you're interested in getting around in Paris quickly,
don't try driving in on a Saturday night. The traffic is basically
gridlocked due to the stupid traffic circles and one-way streets. As
such, we just found a semi-legal parking spot near the Bastille and
bumper parked between two Renault Twingos.

After a night of revellerie in the Bastille area (great bars,
especially a place called 912), we got up early and went for a tour of
Paris. After zipping down the Champs D'ilysee (sp?), around the Arc de
Triomphe (about three times, since there was no traffic - just to try
that ASC out), through the Louvre, down the Seine, and past the Tour
Eiffel, it was sadly time to return to the airport.

Out of all of this, I am now a believer in the new E46. Even with an
engine that would never sell in the USA, it was a great car. I
disagree with anyone who says they don't notice the updated shape - I
think the car really stands out. All the controls feel great, the
handling is superb, the ASC is amazing, and it looks great!

So, that $350 is about to turn into a much larger purchase. When the
new M3 comes out, I'm going to call Fred Opert and order one for Euro
delivery. What a great test drive...

Matt
87 325iC
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