SeanD

It's funny you are doing the exact opposite of me. I'm selling my 2001 E39 525i and getting a Tip 993.

You want to buy a mint 525i w/ Step and 40K miles? Silver. Don't be fooled about it being a 525i. BMW has improved the E39 525i over the E34 525i like you would not believe. It's got a nice low end and is a great long distance hauler (I've logged 40K miles in about 2 years)

Suwipin

[quote]Yeah. I drive race cars to save money - That's the ticket. I'll try that on my wife tonight.<hr></blockquote>

Please let me know what her response is, Mark hehehe <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Ray Calvo

[quote]Therefore, I would like an opinion on a new daily driver.<hr></blockquote>

You're obviously not talking about econocars here for your daily commute vehicle. So, might try an Audi S4. Less money than yuppie-mobile M3, can drive it comfortably in snow or heavy rain due to AWD, and can even get it with Audi's Tippy-tronic equivalent.

Got 58K on a '98 A4 Avant (w/5 spd) and think it's great for a daily commuter.

cfdarch

I second Ray Calvo's Audi assessment. I was driving a 2000 A4 Avant Quattro 1.8T 5spd when I bought the 993 last November. My wife would not let me have 3 cars (@ that time!) and the Audi was too small for her so with regret I sold it. The Avant was a great car and I miss it. I could get nearly 30mph hwy and 22mph around town. I just saw a new one sitting on the dealers lot and it looks like they just keep getting better, plus they added some much needed rear leg room which was my only complaint. The S4 is probably a hoot but don't discount the "lesser" A's.

Ben in Plano, TX

Since the Audi subject came up I'll offer the following.

Recently acquired an '02 A4 Quattro 3.0 Tiptronic for 'round town slush box purposes (ok - it's the wife's car). With the optional sport package it has a firm ride with some but minimal body roll. The new 3.0 motor has 220 hp and best of all gobs of torque down low. Audi increased the interior size of the car and it's fit and finish are excellent.

If you like an understated car that performs well and looks great (and still will 10 years from now) consider this car.

Regards,

Ben

Tom W

Why not use the "fun" car as the daily driver? I drive the 993 every day (unless my wife steals it). I enjoy the commute much more now than when I drove the BMW I used to have.

LAURIER

I'll jump on the Audi bandwagon. My daily driver is a 2000 A6 quattro with manual 5 speed trans. Great car in all kinds of weather and looks okay too.

Rich '95 993

<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~vwaudi/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html" target="_blank">My 993 Web Page</a>

A.J. - 95 993

[quote]Originally posted by Mark D - TT Alumni:
<strong>

Careful there dude - I drive an Excursion.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

Way to go!! We build them at the plant I work at.

Ok, my .02:

I don't let bias get in the way of my automotive choices - if I were in the market for a car, I would first check out the Infiniti G35. It's doing quite well in the magazines in head to head competitions, and I like the styling. Price is not too hard to swallow, either (base well under $30K). A 2 door version is on it's way, which to me looks better than the 350Z, and a 6 speed will also be added.

If you have money to burn, the M5 is the next logical choice. Though I would get queasy putting lots of miles on day in and day out. And I hear a V10 is a possiblity for the next M5, if you can stand the look of the next 5 Series.

The ultimate, as I digress off topic, is the 996 Turbo. I know it borders on heresy - up until a few weeks ago, I thought the 993 Turbo would be the Ulitmate for me. I've never so much as ridden in one, though. Then a friend at the local Porsche dealership offered me and my wife a drive in an '02 996 Turbo!! To keep this short, I fell in love. So did she. My only big reservations are the nose and rear spoiler, but GT2 body kits can take care of that. The most poignant comment from the drive was from my wife: "It's so much easier to drive! When I drive your car, I feel like I have to really work at it. This car just does what I want!" I burst out loud - "That, my dear, is exactly why this car is so controversial. Lost of people DON'T like the car for the same reason." My wife even let the salesman watch our 11 mo. old son while we drove the car. That's abnormal for her (she doesn't even like to drop him off at the nursery at church), but she was THAT eager to drive the Turbo.

Now, if I could just figure out how to buy one. Are there any good safe crackers out there?

David '97 993

Thanks for the advice. I think I'm going for the M3 cab with smg. My wife does not drive stick.
(my 993 thanks me). I think the smg will be fun to fool around with & I can put it in auto when the going gets tough. I'll post my impressions when it comes in.

SeanD

David

Let me know what you think of the car after you get it. Keep my email or post here. I am thinking about going with the same car to replace my E39 BMW in the Fall.


Sean

Mike J

Well I have an alternative idea. My winter (ie p-car off the road) vehicle is a full sized Chev 3/4 ton 4x4 extended cab pickup with full canopy, 6000 lb winch, and very large driving lights. Okay, its slow and clumsy, but if I do a lane change...they move out of the road! Its very noticable when I switch back to the 993...the cut-off ratio is about 10x higher!

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Anir

[quote]Originally posted by Tom W:
<strong>Why not use the "fun" car as the daily driver? I drive the 993 every day (unless my wife steals it). I enjoy the commute much more now than when I drove the BMW I used to have.</strong><hr></blockquote>

My thoughts exactly. I've been "stuck with" my wife's M3 SMG this week while the 993TT is getting some body work done, and I can't wait to get my little baby back!

I hope to use the 993 as my daily driver for the next 20 years (although the thought of the next generation M5 with a 500 hp V-10 has got me intrigued ).