Why do other drivers feel inferior to a BMW driver?

Ever heard of an M1?

-- C.R. Krieger

really... youre going to put that against the porsches and ferraris of the same day? M1: Base Price: $41,000 Capacity: 3453cc Power: 277hp @ 6500rpm Torque: 243lb @ 5000rpm Weight: 3175lb Max Speed: 162mph Acceleration: 0-100kmh(62mph) in 5.6sec

1978-79 930 Turbo Base Price: $65,000 0-60 mph 4.9 Seconds (Road & Track) Top Speed 165 mph (Road & Track) Max Horsepower: 265 @ 5500 rpms Max Torque: 290 ft-lb @ 4000 rpms Weight: 2867 lbs Engine Displacement: 3299 cc Transmission: 4 speed manual

1984 Testarossa Year: 1984 Make: Ferrari Model: Testarossa Base Price: $87,000 USD Top Speed: 12.2 MPH / 19.6 KPH =BC mile: 13.6 Seconds Lat. Acceleration: 0.87 G

0 - 60 MPH: 5.3 Seconds 0 - 100 MPH: 12.2 Seconds Gas Mileage: City: 10 MPG / Hwy: 15 MPG Position: Longitudinal Mid Engine Configuration: 180 Degree V12 Valvetrain: DOHC 4 Valves/Cyl Displacement: 301.5 CI / 4942 CC Power: 390.0 BHP / 290.8 KW @ 5750 RPM Torque: 354.0 FT LBS / 480 NM @ 4500 RPM

1982 Lamborghini Countach price $118 000 USD engine V12 valvetrain DOHC 2 Valves / Cyl displacement 4754 cc / 290.1 cu in bore 85.5 mm / 3.37 in stroke 69.0 mm / 2.72 in compression 9.2:1 power 279.6 kw / 374.9 bhp @ 7000 rpm torque 409.5 nm / 302.0 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm drive wheels Mid Engine / RWD top speed 300.0 kph / 186.4 mph

0 - 60 mph 5.6 seconds

1980 Lotus Esprit Essex

210bhp @ 6250rpm, 200lb ft @ 4500rpm. Dry-sump lubrication 150mph top speed (appx) 0-60mph 5.6secs Production: 34 (+11 development cars).

So pretty much the M1 could possibly run with the lambo, at least up to 150... and it could hang neck and neck with the esprit. So again, like I said before, I love the bimmers, but comparing them to the supercars is unfair and saying that the guy that drives a ferrari has a little dick is a ludicrous statement, if you had the $$ you would drive the ferrari or another supercar... but having the $$ is a whole different issue. :)

of course they do otherwise they wouldn't carp on about us BMW drivers.

......if you had the $$ you would drive the ferrari or another supercar... but having the $$ is a whole different issue. :)

If I had the $$ I would drive a Bentley. (but would probably get sick of it and have a BMW as a daily driver.)

I drive a nice smart 406 that is almost eight years old, with 108,000 miles on the clock (the car, not me) and I don't feel inferior to nobody. So there. :-)

Best wishes all, Dave.

Of course you don't Dave. You appear to be level headed and sensible not like the non BMW drivers that are paranoid and cut us up, force us out of traffic lanes, push in at junctions and roundabouts (rotaries) etc.

Some people can't help being jealous - I for one would love a real GT40 (nearly bought one once for $5K but ex-wife ranted about a family car.........we already had one of those.

Sir Hugh of Bognor

so have you driven a bentley and a ferrari to make the comparison? a bentley from what Ive heard is just lux. no "feel of driving". the ferrari on the other hand, is a lot harder to drive around town.. its a good if you live in the country with long winding roads... although uncomfortable if you are driving around for more than an hour or so. Ive driven a 308 and spent about 15 min behind the wheel of an Enzo, and they are amazing... its not about anything but pure performance, the way your stomach sinks into the seat when you drop the clutch and hit second is a feeling unlike anything else. So really? a bentley, then why the bimmer over a merc? Merc is more lux and less drive, where the bimmer is more drive and feel with the lux on top.

I guess so. Read on ...

Let's lop off most of the extraneous information (although noting a significant weight differential against the BMW might matter to some) and take another look at your figures. For starters, not one of the cars for which you listed a price retailed for less than *50% more* than the M1, so in terms of 'bang for the buck' it is the clear winner. Only the Porsche is more than a half second quicker to 60 mph while the only other one to beat it at all (the TR) has 3-4 years more technology development time. The M1's top speed is right in the middle of that pack, too. So I guess I must be missing your point. BMW built a perfectly competent supercar when they tried. They no longer try.

Frankly, no, I wouldn't. While I don't have the money to drive a current super exotic, I certainly *do* have the money to drive something other than the 21-year-old BMW 535is I have as my 'summer' car. I drive it because I like it and because, with it, and my training and experience, I can pretty much outdrive almost everyone else on the road, horsepower or not. With more cash, it might get a turbo ... or with a *whole lot* more cash, a 3.0CSL or a 507 as a stablemate. Maybe even an M1 ... ;^)

-- C.R. Krieger

I've always fancied a 924. I know they're not highly regarded by many, but I kind of like them.

The problem is here in the UK.

Today - Thursday 27 March. I was driving home going as fast as the prevailing other traffic - generally cruising at 70 - 80 following cars and vans not being able to move to the inside lane as it was full of traffic at similar speed. I was being followed by a guy in a Honda Civic 2.0 turbo Diesel.

He could see that there was no room to move to the "slower" lane which was travelling at the same speed. However, at the end of the dual carriageway he overtook me and several other cars and moved down the traffic queue about 300 yards.

At my turn off I notice a black car following a slow moving truck about 400 yards away so I drove as normal around 60 and started to overtake said black car (HONDA CIVIC - no idea if it was the same car that had been following earlier and really couldn't care less at this point). As I started to pass said HONDA it swerved across the lane in front of me causing me to brake and slow - no problem

- guy didn't look in mirror - but as he drew alongside the truck cab he slammed the brakes on causing me to brake hard. thinking he had a problem and had suddenly developed a fault I backed off and allowed him to slow (no other traffic) and moved to the other lane to pass him when he accelerated and cut in front again. Thinking he had decided to pull off the road with his problem I again went to drive around the car when he again accelerated and cut across the front of my car. I followed him for another 5 miles with him braking - moving from lane to lane to stop me passing and any other car ( a few had caught up to us now) that wanted to pass his HONDA.

Police have been informed - possibility he was drunk but more likely he didn't like BMW cars. Boom Boom!

Perhaps he will do it to a plain clothes Police car next.

Definately to be reported - I would have to admit I would have bumped into him, then take his insurance to the cleaners

I don't know for sure if you are in the UK Martin (I think you are) but it's very difficult to prove that the car you run into from behind is at fault as one is supposed to - at all times - to keep a reasonable safe braking distance between yourself and the vehicle in front.

If you have witnesses then Ok but I could not be sure the truck driver would stop as a witness or want to get involved and if I had run into his car (rear ended it) it would be - technically - my fault.

That I do know - but dangerous driving is dangerous driving