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Does LSD really offer that big of an improvement for winter driving compared to the traction control feature that comes standard on most models?
So I finally made it out today to test drive a BMW. It was at my local CarMax. 2007 3.0si. Not a color I'm really interested in (Black), since that's the color of my SC430 and I'd want a change, and something that shows scratches less (so probably silver or dark gray). The interior was red, which I wouldn't mind having with a silver/gray Z4, but it looked dirtier and more worn than my 2002 SC430's interior. Based on some photos I've seen online of other Z4's and SC430's interiors, I'm thinking that the there might be something extra-durable about the SC430's leather. Oh well, I could cope.
Before I get to the driving experience, let mepreface it by saying that I hate car dealers and I don't particularly like having the salesperson riding with me. This is a 2-seater and I went to see it by myself, but I have a feeling that had I gone with my wife or daughter they would have still wanted to drive with me and leave my wife/daughter at the curb. CarMax seems to have some "policy" where the salesperson claims that they have to drive the car out of the gates, and then they'll switch places with you. I wonder if they have that little story just so they can have an excuse to go on the ride with you. Meh. So I start out and the guy is giving me directions. The whole thing results in a very short test drive, and with the salesperson with me, I also didn't feel comfortable putting it through its paces. So one bad mark against CarMax there. The CarMax experience also ended on a sour note. They offered me $9000 for my SC430, which was about $2500-3000 less than the KBB value for a dealer trade-in.
As for the driving experience, I was quite pleased with it. It definitely felt closer to my RX-8 than my SC430. Did it feel *as good* as I remember my RX-8 feeling? No, but that could very well be due to the very short test drive, the route I was taken, and the fact that I had the salesman sitting next to me.
My feelings as of today are as follows: There was nothing about the driving experience that turned me off from the car, but I don't think I'm willing to take a paltry $9k for my SC430. If it came to that, I think I'd prefer to keep the SC430.
Unfortunately, there was a local BMW dealer that also had an '07 3.0si. And it was dark gray. I was hoping to head to Hartford on the same day to test drive both that one and the CarMax one and get trade-in offers from both dealers. I suspect the BMW dealer would have let me drive the Z on my own, as well. Unfortunately, the car at the BMW dealer disappeared off of their website this morning (I wouldn't have been able to test drive it today anyway, as they are closed on Sundays, and yesterday it was pouring rain around here, so not a good day to test drive a convertible). Anyway, so that's a bummer.
But I guess the good news is that I don't feel rushed to do anything, so I can just take my time and see what deals pop up. Unforunately, I was hoping that CarMax would offer me a better trade-in value, since I like the fact that I could have a car shipped in from another CarMax on the other side of the country.
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