View Single Post
      05-07-2014, 08:40 PM   #1
valsorim
New Member
4
Rep
29
Posts

Drives: 330i
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ

iTrader: (0)

Testdrove 535 msport xdrive and audi a6 3.0t

I just test-drove the 2014 535 msport xdrive and was tremendously disappointed. My first BMW was a 2006 330i e90 6speed sedan with sport package. I also drove my brother’s 2007 335i e90 6speed sport package coupe he acquired a year after I acquired mine. Another point of reference is an e60 535i (non x drive) with sport package I drove few years back and liked a lot.

Now, I am again in the car market and need a larger sports sedan. Moreover, I thought that I was set on the 535 F10 because 1. BMWs were fun to drive 2. They always had for my taste the best balance between sportiness, comfort, driver feedback etc. 3. F10 msport looks great 4. BMW has great leasing offers 5. I would like to do ED with my next car

That said, I was very disappointed with the 2014 535 msport xdrive because it felt heavy, underpowered and had unresponsive steering. I tried changing different settings to sport and sport + but the power delivery never impressed me and I was never able to hear a decent engine sound. Compared to an e60 535i rwd automatic that had a similar engine, the f10 really never delivered on the fun to drive factor. It still looks great in msport package and BMW has still very attractive leasing offers.

Nevertheless, after leaving the BMW dealership I stopped by AUDI and test drove the 3.0t Audi a6 in prestige package. Compared to the 535 xdrive msport, the Audi felt much faster in real world driving. It felt much lighter, the supercharged engine felt much more responsive and even the steering felt better, even though it is still Audi light and far from being good in my mind. In my mind 3.0t Audi A6 beats the 535 xdrive msport on the fun to drive factor hands down. Nevertheless, their leasing offers are terrible. I can pretty much lease a 550i F10 for the Audi A6 rate I testdrove. The S6 is a much nicer car but out of my budget in the same way an m5 is out.

Now, I am looking at the following options:

1. 2014 550i rwd msport with the passive sport suspension (704). I live in the NYC area and I was not able to locate an 550i for a testdrive and really hope that the car drives in the way I expect an BMW to drive. I definitely would have to testdrive one before pulling the trigger even though I read some great reviews here on the forum.
2. 2014 Cadillac (yes, Cadillac ) CTS v sport with 420 HP. I read some reviews and it seems that this car drives the way BMWs have driven in the past. I am littlebit concerned that is a Cadillac but at the same time I like that a little as there are so many BMWs, MBs and Audis where I live. And did I mention that the CUE system seems to me awful. Still, in my mind fun to drive trumps the infotainment system functionality any day.
3. Lexus GS 350 F sport. Seems to be driving well. Costs the least out of these remaining options but also has the least power.
4. Jaguar XF Supercharged. This one is a distant 4th place as it seems to be more expensive than the other above options but again seems to have driving characteristics I am looking for.

Any Thoughts? Comments?

I will update this thread as I test-drive the above cars.
Appreciate 0