Head Case Motorsports

[VPI]

Thanks to Brent being a fan of BMW on Facebook I got to see the sign up for the BMW Ultimate Driving Experience Autocross thing in Maryland in June.  Not sure how much you actually get to drive, but it should be fun.

[MexicanDragon]

You're welcome.

**BRENT**

[Hopstretch]

M4 came close enough that I got down to a mutually agreeable price with the dealer. But was finally deemed just a bit too aggro -- in its styling -- for a woman of a certain age. 

[VPI]

I can certainly see that. The RS5s and the RS7 at my dealer were both very good looking cars and nowhere near as over the top as the M4.

[VPI]

What are the lease terms exactly?

 

They have a low residual value so a 58,000 BMW can be leased for 615ish while a 58000 Audi is closer to 730 per month.  Mostly just poor resale value for Audis.

[VPI]

Bought the sport differential on my pretend car on Forza and took 15 seconds off my Nurburgring time.  Seems like an important upgrade to the S4.  This is the most entertaining way to car shop I have ever come across.  

[Grahame]

Enjoy your virtual car shopping, Jeff.

Some data points to consider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_Gear_test_track_Power_Lap_Times

James May may disagree with your approach: https://web.archive.org/web/20090614055907/http://www.topgear.com/us/blog/more/why-the-ring

Discussion thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1139688

[VPI]

Details of the used gray RS5 in case Steve decided to buy it instead of that three wheel thing.  7,800 miles 2013 for 63,500.

 

http://www.auditysonscorner.com/used/Audi/2013-Audi-RS+5-71ca6a490a0a00de11a3407a3fa991ea.htm

[swt61]

Steve can only dream about it.

[n_maher]

Steve can only dream about it.

Nate too.

[VPI]

Enjoy your virtual car shopping, Jeff.

Some data points to consider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_Gear_test_track_Power_Lap_Times

James May may disagree with your approach: https://web.archive.org/web/20090614055907/http://www.topgear.com/us/blog/more/why-the-ring

Discussion thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1139688

 

I took your advice Grahame and moved my testing to the Top Gear test track.

 

Golf R 1:34.6

S4 1:28.7

Edited May 24, 2015 by VPI

[VPI]

Yeah, I figured.  I just can't figure out if that one is functional or Boy Racer.

 

Edited May 25, 2015 by VPI

[VPI]

The RS3 is coming next year which should be pretty sweet and a hatchback.  The interior of the S3 was ugly and the large button pod on the door made it hard to get out without banging my knee. It and the Golf were just too small on the inside for me to be comfortable in long term.

[naamanf]

Have you tried out a 435/335? They are pretty much the equivalent of the S4. Plenty of performance but a lot less expensive than RS or Ms.

[naamanf]

Performance wise can't beat the Mustang GT or Challenger for the price.

[VPI]

Yeah, one of the first I tried.  Didn't really like anything about that car.  Looks, transmission, steering.  Tech was okay.  It is also a car in which there at least 20 in my small neighborhood and 20,000 in the immediate area.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the 335 is not offered on Forza 5 so I did the 2008 M3, 2011 RS5 and a 2013 RS3.

 

M3 1:33.2

RS3 1:32.8

RS5 1:26.21

Edited May 25, 2015 by VPI

[VPI]

There are two Pirelli World Challenge events in Ohio in August. Great racing series.

[TMoney]

Just one man's opinion, but I won't ever touch a VW or Audi again.

 

I've had two straight used VWs (2003 Golf and 2006 Passat) crap out on me short of 100,000 miles. I also had a BMW 328i 5+ years ago that turned in to a money pit as things continued to break. All three cars were nice to drive when they worked, but the reliability was hardly confidence inspiring. All three were bought used so you may want to take that with a grain of salt, but the high depreciation on a lot of the german cars tells me that I'm probably not alone in having reliability issues.

 

Crap-shoot German reliability is part of what pushed me to Japanese cars. I wanted something both fun and dependable.

[TMoney]

Also, I spent my Sunday test driving used cars with my youngest sister who just graduated from college and needs a car that will last her at least the next five years. She did all the driving, but it was kind of fun going along for test drives as a passenger. We test drove all of the following:

 

Subaru Outback

Subaru Imprezza

Subaru XV Crosstrek

Mazda 3

Ford Focus (with and without hatch)

Honda Civic

Toyota Corolla

 

She ended up picking the Ford Focus hatchback off that list.

 

I totally agree with the pick, as I found it the best driving of the bunch. The Focus' back seat is a little tight, but still totally useable. I wouldn't want to be back there for more than 2 or three hours though. The hatch model is pretty darn sexy.

 

The Subaru XV Crosstrek would have been the other finalist, but it was at the very high end of her budget. We both really liked how spacious it was and how great the visibility out of it is. We both liked it more than the imprezza.

[VPI]

Yeah, I am certainly not convinced of the quality of Audi, but it seems to be pretty tight in the test drives I have done.  Really the only problem I still have is all the bright red lights everywhere in the interior.  Too many lights and way to many red lights.

 

That being said, the Japanese car I drove, WRX, was way behind on interior quality of both the Golf and S4.  I guess there is a new update in 2016 but it seemed really dated and plasticy to me.  The Golf Nav system was awful but the fit and finish was nice but basic.  The S4 has a lot of nice tech on the inside and a dated outside.  I think it will be alight for a 3 year lease and then dump it for something else.  Maybe BMW will stop making such mushy cars by then.

Edited May 26, 2015 by VPI

[TMoney]

Yeah, if you are going to lease, then by all means go German!

 

All my problems in German cars have happened after 60,000+ miles.

[Hopstretch]

Went through a cloverleaf so fast in a Carrera 4S today that my pubes are now at least twice as curly. With active damping and 4WD, that thing sticks to road like you would not believe. The problem, I think, is that when you do finally step over the line it's all going to let go at once. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm sideways, I'm backwards, I'm through the hedge, I'm upside down, I'm on fire. 

[raffy]

Went through a cloverleaf so fast in a Carrera 4S today that my pubes are now at least twice as curly.

 

Perhaps if you go the other way just as fast, you can return them to 1x curliness?

[VPI]

That is a very good description of driving a Porsche.

[TMoney]

Went through a cloverleaf so fast in a Carrera 4S today that my pubes are now at least twice as curly. With active damping and 4WD, that thing sticks to road like you would not believe. The problem, I think, is that when you do finally step over the line it's all going to let go at once. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm sideways, I'm backwards, I'm through the hedge, I'm upside down, I'm on fire. 

 

Carrera 4S is my dream car and, god willing, will be my next car after the WRX. It might be 6-7 years before I pick one up, but  getting one eventually is the plan as long as life doesn't get in the way.