Re: The 7... Too large a car for a single guy?

["Paul F. Kunz" <pfkeb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>>>> On Tue, 31 Aug 1999 09:14:18 -0600, "Stephen Robinson" <stever@domain.elided> said:

> couldn't believe a young guy like me (I'm 38 - maybe not so young?),
> single for the past 6 years had such a huge car!  He told my fiancee
> that it "doesn't fit his image 

   Image, smiage, you should drive what you like, not what is expected
of you.

> - what does he need such a large car
> for?  why doesn't he trade it in and get something more sporty?
> it's an old man's car!!! do you really want to be driving around in
> that unwieldy boat?"

   BMW has never made an "unwieldy boat".  They are aware of that
possible image with the 7er.  So when the first 7ers were introduced
to the American motor press back in '79 the reporters were asked to
show up in Monterey.  But instead of a leisuraly drive in a "boat"
down highway 1, they went to Laguna Seca Race track to try out the new
large BMW.   You don't expect to test drive a top of the line luxury
sedan on a race track, but then the 7er is a BMW.

> compare it to my car and think about trading???  - it was a 1997 2
> dr M3, black on black, all detailed out, shining, gleaming, with the
> spoiler on the back, young looking, yeah....  downright youthful,
> and I'm thinking - is this me?  I was drooling.  It screamed out
> power, handling, style, youth....yes, youth!  I stared at it for a
> while and drove off.

   Keep the 7er, and trade in your Porsche for the M3.

> Am I nuts?  Am I driving an old man's car with basically crummy
> handling around corners (I don't have the comfort seats option, and
> I have to really have to hang on to the wheel so I don't slide out
> of the unsupportive seats when hard cornering) ? 

   Your technique is wrong.  The 7er has a dead pedal so you can brace
yourself with the left foot.  Don't hang on the steering wheel, you
loose the control.

> of these cars at times and wish they had a little boy racer?  

   As someone who (at 56) has enough boy racer in him to compete at
autocrosses with a 735i and come out with better times than most of
the M3s, I can tell you that you if you like a big car, than the 7er
is the one to get and keep because it is a *very* capable car.

- --
'88 735i, 5sp manual, Dinan prepared.
BMW CCA #48432

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