Totally regretting letting go of my LGT Limited 2006

I sold my 2006 LGT Limited last month after having a bout of Mid-Life crisis which ended with me buying a BMW. I've had the BMW for 2 month now (I didn't sell the LGT for bit after buying the BMW as I really didn't want to let it go...but financially & space wise, I really couldn't keep both.)

 

And I came to the conclusion today that I really really miss my LGT and I really really don't like my BMW. Who would've thought I would miss my 8 year old car & want to drive it more than a 2013 BMW.

 

I am kind of at loss as to what to do. The BMW is on 3 year lease. I could see if I can sell for my current buy out. I got a crazy deal on it so that it is possible if I am patient I can come out of it clean minus fees.

 

The problem is...I don't want 2014 Legacy, they seems so bloated... and I'm not big on buying used cars. So I can't see myself buying a used 4th gen.

Sorry for your loss.

 

This is one of the reasons I chose to put a new short block into my 05 wagon. You might as well wait a few months and grab a 2015.

Or the new WRX.....

2015=snowmobile drive

2015=snowmobile drive

 

lol

Ah, don't like the BMW you leased. I'm surprised yet not. What is it you don't like?

Or the new WRX.....

 

+1

 

Closest thing to a 4th gen LGT successor I can think of.

Which BMW did you lease? I have an E36 M3 and it's a much more fun car than my LGT. I love my LGT to death, it's much faster too being a stage 3, but the M3 is just light years ahead in every way (and hopefully will be modded too one day). It's just a blast and joy to drive, very rewarding. The new bimmers are definitely not the same as the old ones...being that you're in L.A., why not look into an E39 M5 or even an '06 E60 M5? Trust me, you won't miss the LGT with one of those. If that's not feasible then you can start saving now and look for a nice lower mileage 4th gen in 2 years. If I had it to do over again with an LGT, I would probably look at an '07 Spec B to have the 6-speed and nicer seats.

I went from am LGT to a 335i. Loved the GT but the BMW is way more fun.

Ah, don't like the BMW you leased. I'm surprised yet not. What is it you don't like?

 

The seat is super uncomfortable and the suspension is so tight, it really rattles my entire being when I am on crappy LA Freeways & Streets.

 

It's got way more power and feels way more planted but honestly for my driving habits...it's way too hard. I do most of my driving in traffic & late night freeway cruising and the ability of the car is way over kill. I don't really get to enjoy what it was built for.

 

And iDrive is so crappy compared to my wife's Honda's technology system (whatever it's called..). My phone is way better integrated with the Honda than my BMW that cost ...$15k more..

 

And BMW doesn't do perforated seats in my model and HOLY COW it makes sitting in the car when hot waaaaay hotter and uncomfortable. Them sports seats hug my body so tight & trap all the heat between my back & the leather. (LGT Limited had Perforated Seats.).

 

LGT really hit the sweet spot for me in terms of sportiness & comfort. On the BMW, I was trying to reclaim my youth and went pretty all out sporty and apparently, I am much more of an old man that likes comfort than I thought. It really became clear to me when a college kid in Mustang wanted to race me at a traffic light yesterday.

 

(And I thought I was going soft by getting a BMW instead of an STi. I got E82 135is)

The seat is super uncomfortable and the suspension is so tight, it really rattles my entire being when I am on crappy LA Freeways & Streets.

 

It's got way more power and feels way more planted but honestly for my driving habits...it's way too hard. I do most of my driving in traffic & late night freeway cruising and the ability of the car is way over kill. I don't really get to enjoy what it was built for.

 

And iDrive is so crappy compared to my wife's Honda's technology system (whatever it's called..). My phone is way better integrated with the Honda than my BMW that cost ...$15k more..

 

And BMW doesn't do perforated seats in my model and HOLY COW it makes sitting in the car when hot waaaaay hotter and uncomfortable. Them sports seats hug my body so tight & trap all the heat between my back & the leather. (LGT Limited had Perforated Seats.).

 

LGT really hit the sweet spot for me in terms of sportiness & comfort. On the BMW, I was trying to reclaim my youth and went pretty all out sporty and apparently, I am much more of an old man that likes comfort than I thought. It really became clear to me when a college kid in Mustang wanted to race me at a traffic light yesterday.

 

(And I thought I was going soft by getting a BMW instead of an STi. I got E82 135is)

 

Perfectly understandable. The LGT is a little softer ride, still sporty enough, and understated. A silent killer if you will. I LOVE surprising people. I think the 4th gens have a style that will always look good. It doesn't scream look at me like an STi, and it doesn't draw as much attention as the 135is. That 135 is a pretty serious performer though, but I do agree their idrive and technology that takes away from being the ultimate driving machine are annoying.

 

Man, if you think your Freeways are crappy in LA, you need to come to Chicago right now and see the grand canyons in the streets

The problem is you bought a 135i. You should've got the 335i.

The problem is you bought a 135i. You should've got the 335i.

 

Yeah...I was never a fan of the look of F30 or E90. Much preferred E46 hence I was drawn to E82.

 

Honestly I feel like maybe I should have gotten 3 series without any sports package. I think the sports suspension combined with 1 series short wheel base & RFT is what's killing me. It's so uncomfortable as a daily driver...

 

I could swap out the RFT to regular tires and see if that makes it feel better.

 

Do I cut my losses and run before the car depreciates too much or try to "fix" the car to suit me better?

I love the idea of a 135i...it's the closest bmw you can get to the old 2002 turbos (one of my dream cars). A turbo charged, short wheel base, rearwheel drive car just sounds divine, I would much rather have the turbo straight six in the m1 than the v8 in the m3 all day long. I love my boxer and all, but in my humble opinion, straight six's just sound the best, they're the perfect mix of throaty and screamy. If I could have 2 cars for under fourty grand it be your 135, and my legacy gt (wish it was a spec.b) all day long

 

 

But then again, ironically, I'm 17...

I love the idea of a 135i...it's the closest bmw you can get to the old 2002 turbos (one of my dream cars). A turbo charged, short wheel base, rearwheel drive car just sounds divine, I would much rather have the turbo straight six in the m1 than the v8 in the m3 all day long. I love my boxer and all, but in my humble opinion, straight six's just sound the best, they're the perfect mix of throaty and screamy. If I could have 2 cars for under fourty grand it be your 135, and my legacy gt (wish it was a spec.b) all day long

 

 

But then again, ironically, I'm 17...

 

You definitely have some valid points and there is no real 'wrong' choice. You have to drive the V8 M3 though. You just can't appreciate the V8 until you rev it out to 8300 rpm…the sounds! The M5 V10 is at least 3 times better and sounds insane. The V8 is lacking in torque and that is the big flaw, along with that M3 weighing 3600 lbs+. The V10 has everything in spades, and if they put that in a 3200 lb. M3 it would be game over. The 135 and 335 make that nice low end tq and have that great feel, but it can't hold a candle to the V8 or V10 in terms of experience revving the motor out. The E46 M3 I6 is in that category as well, it just revs out so willingly. I love the punch of a turbo when boost comes on, it really nails you back and just pulls, but a well sorted NA car like that V8 or V10 is hard to top with FI. Motors that rev like that are an absolute blast to drive, the 135 and 335 lack that 'reviness'. That said, my dream goal would be to turbo my E36 M3…I wish I could get the power I want NA with it, but without boost it just isn't going to be possible. Too bad that V10 isn't so interchangeable.

I see where you're coming from...I have a muscle car family. But you can get more hp out of the any -35i way cheaper than their NA counterpart

Yeah...I was never a fan of the look of F30 or E90. Much preferred E46 hence I was drawn to E82.

 

Honestly I feel like maybe I should have gotten 3 series without any sports package. I think the sports suspension combined with 1 series short wheel base & RFT is what's killing me. It's so uncomfortable as a daily driver...

 

I could swap out the RFT to regular tires and see if that makes it feel better.

 

Do I cut my losses and run before the car depreciates too much or try to "fix" the car to suit me better?

 

RFT's suck for ride comfort. But I say ditch the bimmer for a Taurus SHO. Proper grown man's sports sedan. Although a bit on the "bloated" side, but it's sooo nice.

I see where you're coming from...I have a muscle car family. But you can get more hp out of the any -35i way cheaper than their NA counterpart

 

Oh no doubt. FI trumps NA in terms of hp/$. The amount you would have to spend on an E46 M3 engine to get another 50 or 60 hp NA, you could easily double the power with a bolt on SC kit and maybe get close to a turbo kit (supporting mods would be needed though). Just saying that when you have a motor like that V8 or V10, and very few are out there, it's just bliss. Think of a Porsche 911 GT2 making mid 500 turbo charged ponies, and then the 911 GT3 with a NA 4.0L 6 cyl boxer making 500hp/400tq revving to 9k rpm. The GT2 would be a beast, but I bet that GT3 would be a better experience in many regards. Eh, just buy them all!

I completely understand where you are coming from. I like the BMW design, and finishings. Can't stand their info systems.

 

The smooth leather seats would ruin me. I've driven firm and sporty for a while. Would rather that be a weekend car.

 

Thankfully it's just a lease

 

Look into someone taking over your lease. There are websites for this and you pay people a bit to get you out of it.

The seat is super uncomfortable and the suspension is so tight, it really rattles my entire being when I am on crappy LA Freeways & Streets.

 

It's got way more power and feels way more planted but honestly for my driving habits...it's way too hard. I do most of my driving in traffic & late night freeway cruising and the ability of the car is way over kill. I don't really get to enjoy what it was built for.

 

And iDrive is so crappy compared to my wife's Honda's technology system (whatever it's called..). My phone is way better integrated with the Honda than my BMW that cost ...$15k more..

 

And BMW doesn't do perforated seats in my model and HOLY COW it makes sitting in the car when hot waaaaay hotter and uncomfortable. Them sports seats hug my body so tight & trap all the heat between my back & the leather. (LGT Limited had Perforated Seats.).

 

LGT really hit the sweet spot for me in terms of sportiness & comfort. On the BMW, I was trying to reclaim my youth and went pretty all out sporty and apparently, I am much more of an old man that likes comfort than I thought. It really became clear to me when a college kid in Mustang wanted to race me at a traffic light yesterday.

 

(And I thought I was going soft by getting a BMW instead of an STi. I got E82 135is)

 

I'm shocked you don't like the 135. Its really the (IMO)only good non-M "drivers" cars BMW makes these days. The new m-sport 235i is looking pretty tempting.

 

If your primary concern is the harsh ride, ditch the run flats and get a different set of tires. I had an E46 so I didn't have any experience with them, but from what I read on the E90 forums those who replaced the run flats with normal tires had extremely positive results.

I used to have an E90 330i and I loved it. Not as much power as my LGT but handling wise it was awesome. Sucks you don't enjoy your 135i I've never driven in one but they do look a tad small.

I totally regretted letting go of my 05 LGT so i just bought an 08.

my dad has owned bmw's his whole life, three different year m3s. i've driven all them and they are awesome cars, loved them all, and hope to build a track car out of some someday.

 

that being said, as soon as i heard they were adding sounds back into the cabin, it ruined my feelings of the new cars.

1st, get a second set of wheels and tires. 5x120s are plentiful and one can find them cheap with tires. We got rid of the RFTs on our ATS and the ride is great now.

 

2nd, put a JB4 on it. It installs and uninstalls in minutes if you have to go to the dealer.

my dad has owned bmw's his whole life, three different year m3s. i've driven all them and they are awesome cars, loved them all, and hope to build a track car out of some someday.

 

that being said, as soon as i heard they were adding sounds back into the cabin, it ruined my feelings of the new cars.

 

Yeah, pretty sad to see them resort to that. They had some of the greatest sounding engines/exhausts, and now they have to pipe it in through the speakers