As spring bloomed here in So Cal, turning the skies blue and the earth green, it was time for our technical editor to jump into our coveted Bimmer. And leap he did.
Scott Memmer has long been a fan of BMW's finely tuned machines, but even he was surprised at how nimble and spirited this latest incarnation from BMW was on the highways. No wonder BMW has such a legendary reputation for producing quality automobiles, he says. They've earned it.
Memmer claims this is the kind of car that makes you talk to yourself. And that voice says, "Faster! Faster!" This Bavarian princess has a sleekness and a haughtiness reserved for heads of state.
Memmer especially appreciated the wide powerband of the six-cylinder engine, which seemed to have no limits to its performance. It reminded him of a Rolex on wheels. He also enjoyed the sport suspension, which revealed all the contours of the road while insulating him from its bumps and grinds. The steering, Memmer enthuses, is a joy to behold, so firm and precise that the car craves to be driven hard. Our technical editor was amazed at how well the car held the road, seeming at times to almost defy the laws of physics. He salutes the engineers at BMW for building a car that reminds him hourly why he got into the car business in the first place.
There were some problems. Memmer noted, as others have here, the difficulty in using the navigation system. It's just clunky. He also found the stereo less than adequate, with substandard bass response and lousy radio reception. The AM reception flat-out stinks, as Memmer put it, with excessive alternator whine making the car sound at times like it's driving through the center of a Waring blender. Memmer also scratched his head at the strange red bulb protruding from the bottom of the rearview mirror. What a way to ruin an interior! And he discovered that the trim on the driver's door became loose every time the window was rolled up and down; he had to keep knocking it back in place with his fist.
Still and all, these were minor complaints from this month's driver. Give him the keys and an open road, and he'll learn (quickly) to live with them.
Our technical editor loved the firm seats and armrests. He found the many electric adjustments on the driver's seat more than adequate to slot his six-foot-two frame into the luxurious (though somewhat Spartan) cabin. In fact, he can't remember the last time he felt so comfortable behind the wheel.
What more can he say? There's so little to complain about with this car. Memmer realizes that automotive journalists are supposed to remain somewhat objective in their work. Still, the BMW 328i is one of those cars that makes you forget all that. So precise and exacting is its performance, you just want to pump your fist and shout "Yes!" every time you round a turn. It's the kind of car, Memmer says, that puts hallejulah and amen back into driving.
He advises those of you who have forgotten that first joy of driving, when you still had your permit and your Dad tossed you the keys and said, "You drive, kid," to run, don't walk, to your nearest BMW dealer, and climb behind the wheel of a 328i.
He sincerely apologizes for not being more critical of the car this month, but he's having trouble wiping the grin off his face.
Total Odometer Reading: 26,777
Best Fuel Economy: 24.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.8 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Loosening window trim; poor radio reception
