Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 04:13:52 GMT From: "pablo" <pablo.at.simplynospamre.dot.net> Subject: Re: 93 Convertible buying advice
"RichardK" <atarinospamAMbtconnect.com> wrote in message news:3qg7fcFehs48U1nospamvidual.net... > > I don't think the 3-series is immune to scuttle shake. I think magazines > talk a load of shite, to be honest; my Peugeot 306 Cabrio, for its many, > many faults, did not suffer from scuttle shake ... I once owned a '80 Alfa Romeo Spider. None of the cars we're talking about suffers from real scuttle shake. The Spider cracked a front window twice. When I moved to the USA, my first car was a '92 Infiniti M30 convertible. It re-arranged its own front panel twice. I extensively test drove different cars before buying a '02 9-3 convertible, on pothole ridden Silicon Valley roads (the public contractors here probably build Motocross tracks on the side or something). The later 9-3 convertible scutlle shake is not any worse than others. In fcat the Volvo C70's is far more noticable, in my opinion, and the BMW's about the same. The Mercedes CLK was the most robust by a mile, then again it felt heavy as well. The newest Audi was not avalable at the time. I ust think most people that talk scuttle shake don't know what they're really talking about. Convertibles will always be somewhat compromised from a structural point of view. Those who dont like it should buy coupes, which are the sport driver's tool of choice anyhow. 4-seat convertibles, all of them, are boulevard poser-mobiles, let's admit to it. They can be driven fast. But they're not really supposed to. get a legimate roadster for the sporty open air feeling... > ... You cannot, however, imagine that the NG900's chassis is in any way > comparable to any good RWD chassis. Never claimed that. But the vast majority of drivers seem to imagine themselves driving the chassis to its limits so often that they declare it a primary buying concern? Not a very rational argument, really. And actally my major criticism of my 9-3 with sports package is that they tuned it too much to the sporty side. I've yet have to see anyone outcorner me on a freeway ramp, you can really push it (and pay the price every 15k miles as you have to change tires), but it is a bumpy ride, and I would not mind less handling and more comfort, quite honestly. With this I am not even remotely claiming it is a great handler - just a competent enough handler for the real world for those with a realistic assessment of how fast one really drives in the real world (we do have 65mph speed limits in California). And I actually enjoy the car *because* it has handling quirks. It makes it more entertaining. :-) > However, the Saab remains unique for a damn good reason, IMO. Indeed. Too few discerning connoisseurs out there. :-) > ... The new 9-3 is almost as common as the BMW, if not more so That's not even remotely the case here. The new Saab convertible is very rare around here. BMW 3-series, convertibes included, are as common as Honda Civics, it seems. Then again, it is Silicon Valey. Where do you live? > Given the choice, I'd RATHER have the 3-series than an NG900 Cabrio. Vive la difference! It'd be boring if we all drive the same cars. > However, I'd rather have a lot of other cars (some of them Russian) before > touching any BMW aside from maybe a mid 90s M5, 850 or a 6-series > convertible. Been there, done that with Beemers. They're fantastic cars, but all that perfection bores me, honestly. I want more character in a car. My last car before owning the 9-3 was a '01 Jaguar XJR which I flipped very quickly because it was simply boring around here, lovely as it was. I prefer the Saab, have developed much more of an emotional link. The interesting thing about BMW is that, as smooth as their cars are, their motorcycles have a lot of agricultural charm. I am a long time BMW boxer fan, and own a R1100S that many (smooth) Japanese motorcycle fans claim overweight and underpowered. It's the inverse argument, how paradox is that! But on windy backroads I can't hear the critics. And by the way - *all* cars are terminally and insipidly boring from a dynamic point of view compared to a motorcycle. BMW 645, tss, over 2 tons of flabby inertia compared to any motorcycle... ...pablo
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