Ask the Best and Brightest: BMW 328i Coupe or Infiniti G37 Journey?
Our own Ken Elias (who predicts a May 29 filing for The General) is torn between two motors, feeling like a fool. Loving a BMW is breaking all his rules. The man puts about 12k on the odo per year, and claims he only drives fast on rare occasions [when it is safe to do so or Jack Baruth is in the car]. Obviously, Ken should have read one of our TWO BMW vs. Infiniti comparos, but didn’t. So here we go again. Which car do you think our TTAC vet should lease? Feel free to grill him for more info.
OK, GMAC won’t play ball on extending the lease on my Saab or offer me a price closer to wholesale. In fact, they’ll only extend one month or up to 90 days IF I have a new GM car on order. So I’m looking at a BMW 328i Coupe w/ manual or an Infiniti G37 Journey w/ Sport Pkg. The Infiniti is likely to a bit cheaper to lease by ~$100/month, but it’s an automatic and drinks more gas. I think Bimmer owners are [adjective redacted], but it’s a pretty good ride. Both cars are fun to drive, but I want to give up anything for the pleasure. Advice?
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To all the people confused about the benefits of leasing - Essentially, you get to write off the lease payment from taxes if used for business expenses. If you're smart and roll your sales tax into the amount financed for the lease, you also get to write sales tax off from income tax. FUCK YOU GOVERNMENT! The reason this is there is to encourage people to keep getting new cars, and because paying the depreciation is an actual business expense - and that's all you pay in the lease - depreciation. As for THIS specific car vs. car. Don't get an automatic 328. That's the car you'd get a housewife or someone with a heart problem.
When you take into consideration BMW free maintenance, $100/month difference becomes much more reasonable. As a SAAB driver you will surely appreciate any European car for its unique "European" feel. Especially one as good as BMW 3er.
I'm in the EXACT same situation. Except I'm looking to purchase a used one 2008 or newer. I have not test driving a 328i Coupe yet. I would prefer the automatic likely... I have a manual now and it's not the best gearbox (go figure, a Volvo with a stick) I know BMWs manual is vastly superior but I'm not sure if I'd like to do it myself anymore...it's not a turbo or anything so no real benefit to controlling revs when you have a nice 6 speed auto with logic and paddle shifts (on sports packaged BMW) I know it's more involving and driver oriented with a manual...I'd have to drive one and see. Now on to the G37. I test drove one. On paper it looked to the car of my dreams. 330hp, rwd, nice stereo with harddrive.. good looking and cheap! DISAPPOINTMENT. It was noisy and rough riding (not just sporty rough, but unrefined suspension), the engine seemed powerful but didn't blow me away... didn't truely feel like 330hp. Interior felt ok, leather wasn't supple or soft, trim didn't seem upscale...Nav and stereo was good though! All this was slightly mitigatable due to lower price... BUT the transmission was my number one negative, JERKY, holding revs for no reason in every gear at any throttle input. At a slow roll into a parking lot there is no reason for first gear to shift into 2nd at over 3,000 rpm. I kept looking down, like...is this in manual shift mode... no. And then if you give it gas it will tach up and as you let off it will hold the gear for a good 2-3 second count on a neutral rev. This may be fine if you were on the track (it should have sport and comfort or something, or just better LOGIC)...but after passing a car it's just annoying, fuel SUCKING, and unrefined some more. Supposedly they have quelled this issue some with the 7 speed auto. The whole car just wasn't impressive for over 25k used. Time to test drive a BMW.