New 745li . . .

My boss just got one (745il) and it's unbelievable just how many features it's got. He practically test drove every other car in its class out there and he's since become a BMW zealot like me.



blkz28, isn't the M55 AMG an SUV?
 
the back of it takes a little getting used to though. i heard the I- DRIVE is useless though.........not too familiar with it though....
 
I tried out the I-drive. It's OK. It does reduce some clutter from the dash. But you are right...most of the commands can also be done on the dash.



One of the things that impressed me about it was the voice-activated built-in cell phone (that you use in conjuction with I-drive). The clarity is unbelievable. I also like the one touch trunk open button and another button that closes the trunk (no scratches!). I'm not too crazy about the porous leather seats though, but I realize they are there to make the heated/cooled seats function more efficient.



For the size of the car, it's a very nimble car. It's supposed to handle almost as well as the 3 series (better than the 5 series). Plus, it's got a 6 Speed automatic trans (first car to have it, I believe).



blkZ28, the S55 is a superior car, but I don't think that's a fair comparison, considering the fact that it costs 25-30K dollars more than the 750iL.
 
I would take the Mercedes-benz S500 sport or S55 AMG model anyday over that hunk of garbage. With the clean lines of the S-class and such excellent build quality and materials, the S-class blows the bmw away. Just sit in the new 7 and u will find it has clearcoated leather, flimsy doors, not much legroom, and yuck that steering wheel. Sit in this car on the other hand, and ahhhh the wonderful smell of leather overcomes you with the whole dashboard upholstered in nappa leather :o
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by AlBoston [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>ahhhh the wonderful smell of leather overcomes you with the whole dashboard upholstered in nappa leather :o [/b]</blockquote>
Yeah I'll say! Ali, have you been getting high off the leather fumes again? lol, j/k

The s600 is a great car and has a V12 engine, but the 745iL is an 8 cylinder and it's just as fast. And in terms of handling, the S-series just doesn't even come close!
 
I might be a party pooper, but I was not impressed with the interior of the 745i. I've sat in them numerous times, and took one for a test drive at the local BMW stealer...and, I actually like the exterior styling (though the '01 740i was starting to look very good with the new wheels, etc).



My main gripe is that the satin wood finish looks and feels very fake - almost like plastic, and I am not a huge fan of all of the black trim combined with the light colored trim (I've been in a bunch of tan colored interior cars).



Power was good, but not a huge improvement over the 740i, transmission felt a little more "sure footed". All in all, a fine car, but the interior left me thinking "Honda" or "Toyota"...and I'm a die-hard BMW enthusiast! :)
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by geekysteve [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>I might be a party pooper, but I was not impressed with the interior of the 745i. I've sat in them numerous times, and took one for a test drive at the local BMW stealer...and, I actually like the exterior styling (though the '01 740i was starting to look very good with the new wheels, etc).

My main gripe is that the satin wood finish looks and feels very fake - almost like plastic, and I am not a huge fan of all of the black trim combined with the light colored trim (I've been in a bunch of tan colored interior cars).

Power was good, but not a huge improvement over the 740i, transmission felt a little more "sure footed". All in all, a fine car, but the interior left me thinking "Honda" or "Toyota"...and I'm a die-hard BMW enthusiast! :) [/b]</blockquote>
I have to agree with geeky on this one. We both sat in the one at the Chicago Auto Show. I like the '01 740iL better than the 745iL in terms of physical aesthetics. The interior did have somewhat of a plasticky feel to it.

But in my case, give me either of the following:

CL 55 AMG
E 55 AMG
M5
740iL
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by geekysteve [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>Power was good, but not a huge improvement over the 740i, transmission felt a little more "sure footed". All in all, a fine car, but the interior left me thinking "Honda" or "Toyota"...and I'm a die-hard BMW enthusiast! :) [/b]</blockquote>
The HP went from 280 to 325, but I guess it would be hard to notice a big difference when you consider the car's weight. People either love it or hate it. I just drove my boss's 745i last night and the thing that stood out was the Lexus-like smoothness and quietness.
 
I agree with that completely - it is smooth, much more so than the older 740iL I've been driving around lately (the infamous swirl machine). The new one is very Lexus like, with fluid power delivery, and a mellow feel. Compared to a 540i, I'd say it's like warm fireplace meets napalm spreading flame thrower.



I'd still take one if someone were to throw me the keys, though! :D
 
Lexus like ehhh :) ! Tony shoulda kept the CLK320 and dumped the 330i lol, mbenz rules!
 
Alright Al, that's enough of your obnoxious MBZ worship. If I were to toss the wife's 330I instead of my CLK, I'd have a nice car, but I wouldn't be living at home anymore! My wife would have seen to that! :)



Also, I didn't say Lexus-like = good. Lexus is easily the "smooth & quiet" ride champ and that's good for some, but definitely not me.
 
I agree, Al, back off! When we want your opinion on anything other than an MBZ, we'll beat it out of you... :p If you don't have something nice to say... well... :sosad
 
I recently test drove it at my local BMW dealer. IMO, it’s a very technologically advanced vehicle that’s leading the way for other cars to follow. However, I’m not too comfortable with the new ideas.



First of all, there’s that controversial exterior. At first, the car’s details looked really cheap and ugly. But now the more I look at it, I seem to appreciate the flared fenders, the wide stance, the roadster-like proportions, and the aggressively shaped rear doors more and more. The angel eyes and bright LED lamps look incredible at night. It looks best in darker colors with the 19� wheels.



The interior wasn’t BMW-like to me, but I like it. During the evening, the indirect interior lighting softly shows all the curves and details of the interior. The light hits the leather so perfectly, showing each crease. The interior colors are pleasing too. The car I test drove had the Natural Brown leather with the dark blue and lighter brown accents, all with the light-stain matte cherry wood and aluminum trim. It’s very well balanced and very artistic… but it’s turning into a designer-living room rather than the previous sporty cockpit.



The ergonomics of the interior are okay. IMO, the iDrive doesn’t have much practical use… its too early now… it’s for show and tell. The concept of never taking your eyes off the road, however, is good. The 20-way adjustable “Comfortâ€� seats are incredibly comfortable, yet supportive.



Power and handling was typical, BMW… its fast and does everything well… but it seems to have lost some of its spirit. A bit b-o-r-i-n-g.
 
Having an S500, ML 320 I feel I can speak of Mercedes. I also have a 98 BMW 740iL and 98 550iL (the Mercedes are 02 and 9 respectively). I just purchased the new 745i. I must say that there is absolutely no comparision. The Mercedes have by far the more inferior workmanship My S500 has been at the dealership more often than it has been with me. That's ok, because it can spend time with my ML 320. The list of problems with my ML is so long I don't think there is enough space on the internet to go into it. By contrast, with the exception of the 750, none of the BMWs have required any service other than routine maint. The 750iL went in for wheel vibration and after 2 attempts at the dealership it was determined to be a bad tire which they replaced at no cost. I have never had the quality of service from Mercedes as I have had with BMW. BMW comes and picks up my vehicles for oil changes and alike. They even put a new gas cap on my 95 740i that I apparently lost at no charge. Mercedes charges me for everything. They have even tried to charge me for items that were under warranty. I have heard that there were quality problems with Mercedes but I thought they were isolated only to the ML. Apparently this is not the case. Clearly BMW is in a class all by themselves. Mercedes needs to change there reputation and vehicles. I can tell you at $115,000 this is a mistake I will not make again in a long time. I mention this because I own them and I have had to deal with them. Unless you actually own these vehicles making a comparison is definitely not based on facts. As I have read through this thread it is apparent that some folks seem to have misguided loyalities.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Carfixerdo [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>__________________
98 750iL
98 740iL
95 740i
02 S500
92 ZR1 Vette
90 300 ZX
70 Vette 454/390
99 F 550
98 ML 320[/b]</blockquote>
GCeekblack.gif
 
I'll take a:



MB 600 V12



Just buy it for me and tell me when I can pick it up.



If I had that much money for a car, I'm getting a Twin Turbo Corvette 9 second street animal.
 
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