Contrast to the 80, I drove a new car today !

[Neil Stone]

I drove a new BMW 320 yesterday that belongs to a friend of mine.
What a contrast to the 80 series.
I have the turbo wound up and the intercooler and have been loving the power increase.......'king of the road'.
But have to say I was shocked at how much torque the 3 series tourer had !
Dont get me wrong, I love the old beast, but jeeze did it feel agricultural in contrast.
Now I want a car and an 80 !!

 

[karl webster]

Sounds quite similar to my weekend. My mates just bought a 6 series convertable petrol. I've borrowed it for the weekend. Slightly different to the cruiser.

 

[Neil Stone]

Ah but in contrast Karl all I drive is an 80, a fire truck and a minibus. Non of which are movers although the blue lights can speed up progress a little. Where as you have an M3 Yam R1 and Audi. I haven't had a car since I sold my mini clubman special (1310 comp engined shed) back in 1996.......

 

[grantw]

Neil I felt the same when I switched from an RX8 to my 80. Not planning on going back anytime soon though!

 

[Shayne]

Whatever you do DON'T borrow a manual swb 90 then coz every 4x4 i've drove since feels like it's got asthma !

 

[clivehorridge]

I even felt like this when I drove the company Renault Megan Estate! Doesn't say much for my HZJ 80 does it... Love her!

 

[Gary820]

Do go well the 2.0 diesel Beemers did you have a look at the size of the motor? There's nothing to it and don't weigh much, ally block and timing gear at the back.
You wanna try an m5 lol or the x5 5.0d they do shift!!!!

I prefer to drive my 80 though tbh, it's nice to drive something that feels robust. Too used to seeing technology go wrong tbh!!

 

[Rob]

I have a 3.0 diesel BMW and it shifts really well compared to the cruiser. In 5th (yes it only has 5 gears as its an relatively old E39) it pulls so well you really don't need to change gears. The 6 cylinders does make it run much soother than the 4 pot 2.0s.

Saying that I still enjoy driving the 80, completely different driving experience. Every drive is an event in the 80 where as in the BM it just gets you from A to B swiftly with minimum fuss and in great comfort.

 

[clivehorridge]

I have a 3.0 diesel BMW and it shifts really well compared to the cruiser. In 5th (yes it only has 5 gears as its an relatively old E39) it pulls so well you really don't need to change gears. The 6 cylinders does make it run much soother than the 4 pot 2.0s.

Saying that I still enjoy driving the 80, completely different driving experience. Every drive is an event in the 80 where as in the BM it just gets you from A to B swiftly with minimum fuss and in great comfort.

One of the things I like so much about the 80 is that you have to drive it, it doesn't drive itself!

 

[joinerman]

Like you Rob i also have an 02 530d M sport & it goes like s**t off a shovel, it's comfy but i wouldn't say the seats are as comfy as the 80, i went up to Burnley & back in around six hours & boy did i have backache at the end of that.

 

[Gary820]

I can have a company Beemer if I wanted for not a lot of money but we have a ford focus lol!!

 

[Rob]

Like you Rob i also have an 02 530d M sport & it goes like s**t off a shovel, it's comfy but i wouldn't say the seats are as comfy as the 80, i went up to Burnley & back in around six hours & boy did i have backache at the end of that.

So you gave up on finding an Audi? Well I have driven a few and most seats were a lot harder than mine, all sport models so not sure why that is the case. Mine are the softest out of all the ones I drove and don't forget I have the basic VX cloth seats in my LC with a collapsed bolster which do not go back far enough or have the required adjustment to get them to where I want them to be.

 

[joinerman]

No i haven't given up on the Audi Rob, I've had the beemer for just over ten years now, I'm after either an a4 or a6 quattro estate for no more than 4500k but they as rare as rocking horse poo except ones with galactic miles.

 

[Towpack]

Not surprising really as speed was never in the 80's design brief. I've had fast(ish) cars in the past but discovered bikes 30 odd years ago. You think a 530d, M3, M5 etc..etc..is quick? Modern bikes take performance to different level. The ZZR14 pushes my speed buttons, the 80 pushes the rest!

 

[Beau]

I'm getting that feeling as well, when I first bought my colorado I would be pretty nippy compared to other cars on the road but since then cars have got so much more efficient and powerful and I'm having to really give it some throttle to keep up now!

Would love a modern diesel in my colorado with the power and efficiency!

 

[Shayne]

Not surprising really as speed was never in the 80's design brief. I've had fast(ish) cars in the past but discovered bikes 30 odd years ago. You think a 530d, M3, M5 etc..etc..is quick? Modern bikes take performance to different level. The ZZR14 pushes my speed buttons, the 80 pushes the rest!

I grew up on bikes and so never got on with 4 wheels , i was fine in a tractor or digger and things like that because they were work orientated , but put me in a car on the road and i would find myself doing 120mph without even realizing it because there was no sense of speed in a closed (safe?) box . I parked the bike wrong eventually (about 100mph in the middle of a van) and so couldn't go faster than two crutches would let me for several years . I will never experience the thrill you get from bikes again but i appreciate every spurt of power from my big lumbering beast now with a chuckle .

 

[Gary820]

Picked my 80 up from my mancave today, it hasn't moved from there for nearly 2 months.
I've missed driving it!! It's not the fastest thing in the world, brakes could do with being better etc etc but forgot how nice it is to drive!!

 

[Cptsideways]

I drive all sorts of fast things for my day job. I had the task of "Demonstrating" the Lexus LF-A at carfest a couple of weeks back, screaming V10 & possibly one of best sounding engines ever made & plenty fast enough to have some fun in. Am currently working for Mazda & have to say the 175bhp Mazda6 with the new 2.2 diesel is mega even compared to the beemer. If you want a fast diesel than a 535d has to be tried to be believed.

I have an 80 & a Lupo 3L 1.2Tdi eco car, 100mpg!! & only 64bhp lol

 

[Chris Green90]

Been running around in the wifes MX-5 since Lincomb and I sure can tell why it put such a smile on her face. It is great fun to drive. I did however have to do a trip down the M62 to Wigan and i must say i did miss the safety you feel in the LC especially up alongside the big wagons etc.

 

[Chas]

Been running around in the wifes MX-5 since Lincomb and I sure can tell why it put such a smile on her face. It is great fun to drive. I did however have to do a trip down the M62 to Wigan and i must say i did miss the safety you feel in the LC especially up alongside the big wagons etc.

Back in '97 when I was freelancing I had to drive a Lotus Super Seven back from Peterborough to London, and passing the big wagons on the motorway at less than their wheel height, I thought they could run over me and not even know it. It was a great little car though, a bit like driving a super charged roller skate.