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Today

Coupes have always been the thing for Da Guy, but as time has passed, perhaps he's recognized they are not always the most practical for his situation -- or maybe it's just his old(er) age making him that way. In any case, for a number of years now, he's been a 2-car kinda guy. What is it about big boys needing their big boy toys?

The SUV

2006 Lexus RX400h SUV

RX400h

Da Guy went green. AWD, bamboo pearl with light gray interior, Mark Levinson Sound, and all the rest.  A great luxury SUV -- quiet, improved performance, and less global oil-reserve dependency. It's not just another monster Mommy Mobile!

Lexus Hybrid Logo

The Coupe

2009 BMW 335i Convertible

BMW 335i

Mid-July 2008 marked a time when Da Guy did what many thought would never happen. He placed an order for a custom 2009 BMW E93 335i Convertible, which was delivered late in October 2008.

BMW

What's in a ride?

It's a real challenge to pin down what Da Guy's exact priorities are when looking for a new ride. Certainly practicality (or lack there of) in terms of what his ride will be used for goes to the top of the list every time. Sure there's some amount of excitement thrown in to have a new ride when the time comes around, but Da Guy is a research and analysis hound before going too far with any major acquisition such as this. Additionally, he does not like to be hassled with rides that he's worried may break down when least expected, or may end up in the shop too much. He's not a do-it-yourself repair guy. Da Guy isn't one that "mods" his ride to any dramatic degree, but appreciates one that has good looks, gets the occasional thumbs up from passer-by's and isn't quite the same as everyone else. He isn't a street racer, but a gut-less ride won't hack it either. He does like his on-ramps and corners. Da Guy does care a lot about how his ride handles and appeases his geekie side with the latest gizmos and technologies, but it all has to be balanced with a luxury ride. Feeling every bump in the road or hearing the drone of traffic around him isn't his game. He expects to be treated right from a pre and post-sales service point of view. The key is some sort of balance across all these things, which is hard to do. These days, the manufacturer of Da Guy's ultimate ride would probably line up their product and customer focus like this:

  1. Reliability
  2. The latest technology for it's day
  3. Service, both before and after the sale -- at the dealer and what the manufacturer directly provides
  4. Luxury, quality and sensible/ergonomic appointments
  5. Performance and handling

Da Guy's Opinion

While Da Guy thought he was close to finding perfection until 2008, his experience in more than 35 years of choosing rides indicates he hasn't yet found a match aligning with any single auto manufacturer. There are significant differences in brand priorities and trade-offs making it impossible for Da Guy to say "who's best" for him. He's owned American and Japanese cars for years, and late in 2008 obtained his first German ride. Controversial as it may be, since you are after all at "Bert's Place", his view of how two major manufacturers line up based on his experience goes something like this:

Lexus: Rated #1 in reliability for years and as continually observed by Da Guy since 1995. No question this brand has some of the best luxury appointments both inside and out. Paint jobs with perfection to die for. Attention to detail and minute refinement is apparent. Quality is hard to question. Sales to Service, representing "total customer support" are well integrated in each of the 4 dealerships Da Guy has been associated with over the years, although every sales experience in recent years have just not been what they once were while Lexus was establishing it's brand in the US. While the warranty is now pretty ordinary, post-sales service on your vehicle is always superior and you're treated like royalty after the purchase. The ride is crystal clear quiet -- almost as if you're in your own world headed down the road. There are limited options and most vehicles on the lot come packed unless you can find a dealer that will special order, and you're willing to wait for months. Models at introduction utilize current technology for their day, but don't see many mid-life model tweaks of any substance beyond minimal "tail light styling" as observed with his late SC430, RX300, and present RX400h.

    1. Reliability
    2. Service
    3. Luxury
    4. Performance
    5. Technology

BMW: It's all about "the ultimate driving machine". Performance and handling first. Almost too many options with a focus on the new owner having a custom ride built the way they want it, delivered in just weeks to the local dealership. Sales fees that appear as a nickle-and-dime approach to pay for training and advertising as individual mandatory line items on your order. Inadequate BMW HQ communications and structured processes during the ordering and manufacturing cycle that can be a drawback for the enthusiast. OK paint jobs, especially if you like the traditional Bavarian black, white, or shades of gray. Limited invigorating alternate colors. Be prepared for varying degrees of the orange peel look. A constant influx of leading-edge technologies both inside and out. A strategy to make continued and not always insignificant mid-life tweaks over the life of a model to keep it fresh. Improving brand reliability in recent years over all other German brands and some major Japanese ones. Great brakes that do their job well, but way too much brake dust for anyone that cares about maintaining a clean set of wheels. You'll likely want to add additional preventive service at your own expense on top of the "free 4-year scheduled maintenance" included with your warranty if you plan to keep your ride for an extended period of time. Car technology integrated with service that's really slick, but a post-sales service experience that is not quite as refined -- communication and interaction between sales and service is not connected as well as one would expect in a premium brand. When you schedule or go in for service, Da Guy feels like he's in a squeezed-in-the-corner auto shop environment the whole time, but the actual service to his vehicle is always first rate. Customer service is definately not a strength compared with other premium brands, but oh, what a ride you'll have behind that wheel.

    1. Performance
    2. Technology
    3. Luxury
    4. Reliability
    5. Service

What a difficult set of trade-offs. Why, oh why, do Lexus and BMW almost appear as the flip of one another in terms of Da Guy's perceived view of their priorities? It must be called "competition".

Yesteryear: Ridin' Through History

DA GUY'S RIDES -- PRESENT thru YESTERYEAR
 
1999 Lexus RX300
1997 Toyota RAV4
1995 Lexus SC300
1991 Acura Legend Coupe
1985 Honda Prelude Si
1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback
1975 Ford Pinto - Factory ordered
1970 Ford Pinto - His first, with oh so fat tires!

...a Honda 50, several Schwinn bicycles, a mini bike, wagons, a tricycle or two, and apparently a wheelbarrow!

Dad and Da Guy Bert

Stories People on the Web are Digging Right Now

Here are some of the most popular up-to-the-minute stories and videos identified by people well beyond this place. Sometimes the subjects are esoteric, perhaps off-the-wall, or not what you may expect to be associated with Da Guy or at Bert's Place (that's what can happen with social networking). Many times they are topics or commentary most of us would not have found otherwise. If you don't know what Digg is all about, go here to find out.

References

Bavarian Motor Works (BMW)BMW

  • BMWUSA.com is the official US site
  • Forums & Clubs -- there are a bunch of them out there, but these are the ones Da Guy is a part of these days!
    • Bimmerfest -- Be part of the fest and hang out here with other BMW kinda folks like Da Guy does. You'll find him around here as WDW1Fanatic.
    • BimmerFile -- the latest BMW news and opinions
    • Bimmerforums -- Da Guy is known as WDW1Fanatic around here when he visits every now and then. While there are huge number of people lurking and participating here, it's definitely more challenging to use these forums as a new user, since you're blocked from full-function posting until you've done quite a number of them yourself.
    • BMW Car Club of America -- Day Guy is known as WDW1Fanatic on the boards of BMWCCA
      • While the board does not have as much traffic as some of the others, it does tend to get faster breaking and more reliable info from BMWUSA given the Club's association with BMW itself. Roundel Magazine comes with your membership, as well as other benefits including $500+ new car discounts after your first year, and parts discounts at many local dealerships.
      • If you register, mention "Member 405945". Da Guy doesn't know what he'll get for it, but thanks you in advance just the same!
      • Festorics -- The annual Golden Gate and Central Chapter's event as part of Monterey Historics Weekend
    • E90POST on BimmerPost is a Series 3-specific place where Da Guy can also be found as WDW1Fanatic. It's another of this favorite BMW board hang outs.
      • A thread started by Da Guy with his "first 48 hours" impressions of his new '09 E93 335i Convertible
  • Send a Google Maps Address to your BMW -- more info here
  • iTunesExport -- A super useful utility written by Eric Daugherty to read your iTunes library and export your non-DRM tunes with a M3U Extended format playlist to another device (like a USB stick)... Essential for the iPod and BMW owner. Just the ticket to start moving your tunes onto your 2009+ BMW with iDrive!
  • Tele Atlas Map Insight -- report any errors you may find in your 2009+ BMW Navigation maps here
  • References

    BMW Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World Inside the BMW Factories: Building the Ultimate Driving Machine / Robson

LexusLexus

Miscellaneous

Shopping

The primary sources where Da Guy obtains his auto accessories, detailing stuff, parts, and the like

  • AJ-USA -- great prices on accessories, Covercraft products and Lloyd mats
  • Autogeek.net -- great stuff to maintain the look of your ride, along with helpful hints. Check out the additional discount via Bimmerfest.
  • Autopia Car Care -- great stuff to keep your ride in beautiful shape, along with helpful hints and how-to-do-it tips
  • Canine Covers -- combine these custom covers with an appropriate harness and protect your dog and vehicle on your travels. Shop around the Net for best pricing and material/color options, as many sites resell these made-to-order items from Covercraft.
  • Classic Motoring Accessories -- more great stuff from here too
  • GetBMWParts.com -- Tischer BMW OEM discounted parts and accessories. Good prices, fast shipping and good service.
  • Griot's Garage -- lot's of speciality branded products. When you want the best, you'll probably find it here. Great service and a lifetime 100% money back guarantee.
  • Sewell Lexus Parts -- check out the additional discount via Club Lexus
  • Lloyd Mats -- great custom "protector" mats for your ride if you can't fine OEM versions to your liking. Get them from AJ-USA for better pricing.
  • PakShak -- generally the best prices on microfiber of all types, and it comes to you from a distributor in Paradise to boot
  • West Coast Specialties -- is the place to go in the San Diego area if you need auto damage or paint repair. Specializing in the luxury brands such as BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes, Masserati, and Porsche
  • Zaino Store -- your source for the best polish on the market. Da Guy does all his ordering on the web, as there are few local distributors around the country and world.  You can contact Sal via Zaino's web site with questions -- he always seems to be available and is always helpful.  Check out Da Guy's practical view of exterior Zaino application here.

More about Automobiles at Bert's Place

Automobile
Coupe
SUV
Auto Detaling
Zaino
This page was last updated: 02/20/2010