new BMW 3 coupe
 

I know I'm not the first to say it, but why did BMW decide to make all of their cars look like utter shite with those ridges/fins/welts all over them? Dang.

new BMW 3 coupe
 

Well, it's weird. I really didn't like the new styling of the recent models (7, 5, etc) a few years ago, but they are starting to grow on me.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

When does a car become part of your family?

new BMW 3 coupe
 

Google Chris Bangle for an idea.

This seems to have more of that junk.

BTW, it's not just a new body, but it also has a new engine, with turbo, which is a first (at least in recent years) for gasoline BMWs. Certainly quite the powerplant for a non M. I don't think your drives of the 325 and 330 this weekend will provide much insight into how exactly this will drive.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

i stopped reading the first time when i saw the picture of a plain honda or toyota or whatever.

But what's with the prius? It doesn't get the mileage claimed and you have to dump 100 lbs of lead acid after 5 or 6 years. environmentalists indeed.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

Several people here have Priuses. They don't quite get the mileage claimed, but they do get extremely good mileage. And at $22,000 fully loaded, it's a pretty good deal. Well built car - quiet.

Plus, here at least, you get to drive in the carpool lane and not pay tolls on the bridge. You also get a $2000 rebate from the man. I've sat in the back seat and was surprised a the roominess. It's horribly underpowered, but so are most small 4 bangers. The batteries are warranted for 8 years, and I think California makes you guarantee the thing for 10 years. I could be wrong, but that's what I've heard.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

that's the most objectionable part. they don't get double (or triple) the mileage. And they don't deserve a rebate. Why are we paying people to buy cars? What's more, studies show that people with cars that get higher mileage simply drive more. People have, overall, a budget for gas, and if a car is cheaper to drive, they drive more, rather than reducing gas consumption.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

There was a piece on NPR (and apparently in the New York Times) on how smaller cars, rather than hybrids are better for the environment than hybrids. I will say that after having a lot of stupid repairs done on my small SUV this year, I'm seriously considering trading it in for a four door GTI when it comes out this summer.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

I still kind of dig the new GTIs in spite of those fucking stupid commercials. But the next rig is definitely one of these, when they become available.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

Our weekend test drives also included the GTI and the Jetta GLI. Road noise was appreciably worse than the BMW's (duh), but both cars were a lot of fun. I put the GLI on my short list of potential replacements when I get rid of my A4 (not any time soon). GTI was a bit to rough for me on the highway (in a feeling every groove of the road sort of way), which is why I'm not really a sports car person anyway. We checked out that automaic with paddle controls thing too, and while it seemed interesting, the consensus was we'd just end up driving it as an automatic if we got that, so stick with the conventional stick.

I'm not the one in the market for a car. That person is sold on the BMW's. The only question is which one...

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

WE saw one of those driving around in Seattle last weekend. It's cute as hell. So either it's currently available, or someone had one shipped in.

2007 Camry or maybe I am getting old
 

it's currently available because someone had a bunch of them shipped in.

so much for all my pictures in europe of smart cars parked head in in the parallel spaces. two-bit, now.

Cheap bastard's mod life crisis
 

OK, I was thinking of throwing up to 5K away on a used Mazda Miata.
http://a137.g.akamai.net/n/137/3538/...8581/5763L.jpg

Either that or a 17 inch powerboook.

http://images.apple.com/home/2006/im...ts20060424.jpg

Tell me why I should or shouldn't.

Cheap bastard's mod life crisis
 

Do you a significant amount of video or music editing? If not, the increased speed and power probably doesn't make it worth it over the last two generations of Mac laptops, unless you're in need of a new laptop anyway. They are nice, but how much power do you need to run Firefox and MS Word?

Get the Miata. But not in white; they just don't seem to look right in white.

Cheap bastard's mod life crisis
 

The Miata rocks. My parents have had a couple over the years and I always make a point of tear-assing around in it for no good reason when I visit. Not for those who don't like feeling every groove in the road, however. Red convertible is the way to go. Fuck a powerbook.