[mrbrett]

Hi Everyone,

I have lurked here for a while, but never signed up until now. Monday I ordered a Space Grey 335i Coupe with Coral Red interior(I hope I am happy with this combo). Anyway, so I thought it would be a good time to sign up and join the community. This is my first BMW, so I am pretty excited! I ordered it Fully loaded, minus the Active steering, cruise control and the HD radio. I wasn't feeling any of those options. The wait is killing me already and I've only been waiting since Monday!

Oh I ended up ordering it from Will at Long Beach BMW. He and his manager were great, so far a really good experience! They told me I could track my order online, which I knew, but they told me to wait a couple days to log in. I logged on today and it is already waiting for production. I read on the forums here that you could call the 800 number and find out a more exact status. THE CAR IS ALREADY IN PRODUCTION and scheduled to be finished on Thursday! WOO HOO! I didn't think it would be produced this fast! I think my Will pushed up the production for me, cause I heard him talking to his manager when he was putting the order in and said he was going to push it up a week... I don't know if that's what happened, but whatever I am happy.

OK, I know this post is already too long, but I thought I would share my test drive experiences with the 335i, G37 and the IS350... you can stop reading here if you want.

Anyway, the closest dealer to me is Valencia BMW, so I stopped in one day while my lowly 04 Acura TL was getting serviced, just to look at a coupe and maybe get a brochure. There were 0 coupes on the lot and 0 salesmen on the lot. Thought it was weird, but I figured they were in the back giving each other high fives and whatever they do when it's slow... Anyway I walked in and they all try to avoid me. I am 28, but I look like I'm 23, so I walk up to one and ask for a brochure and left.

About a month later after some research I decided to test drive the 335i, G37 and the IS350. This time I called Valencia and talked to someone, so they knew I was coming in. I get there and talk to the CA and he seems nice, but then he starts lying. He tells me "The 335 is the replacement for the M3, etc...." I didn't say anything but knew right then I wouldn't be buying a car from him, I convinced him to let me test drive one and I was blown away, power delivery was so smooth, the car handled like it was on rails, etc. etc. I wanted the car right then... but I convinced myself to test drive the other two cars before I made up my mind. I talked to the CA and asked him if I could order one if I decided I wanted the BMW. He flat out told me nope. I knew it wasn't true, so it was like a staring contest. I just stood there and stared at him for like 30 seconds, and finally he says. "Well, yea you can order one, but the wait is like 3-4 months." I respond with a "uh huh..." I think he knew I wasn't buying it, so he invites me to his desk and he pulls out his order sheet or whatever he calls it, and sure enough his story was he's only got one I can order and it would be produced in the next week or so, but I would have to order that day... I was done. I told him I was going to go test drive the other cars, and really liked the BMW.

OK next was the IS350. Nice salesman, lets me take it for a test drive right away. Nice car, quick, handled ok. No BMW though... and no manual. I got a brochure and was out.

Next was the BMW Killer the G37. This car was so hyped up in the magazines, about how great it was and so close to the BMW. So I was excited to drive one. I get to the Infiniti dealer and it was like a ghost town... lol no customers whatsoever, they had like 10 G37s sitting right on lot. It just came out a couple months ago and they already have that many on the lot? Hmmm... anyway they all had dealer mark up of at least 5K. Please! Anway, I hunt down a salesperson, happens to be a woman, so I think, well maybe she won't feed me as much BS as other salespeople. I was right, she was just clueless and knew pretty much nothing about cars. Anyway I tell her I want to drive a manual. She tells me we can take one out, but she can't drive stick so I would have to drive it... LOL. How are you a car salesperson and don't know how to drive a manual?

Anyway, we take it out. It drove pretty much like my dads 350z, with a bit more power. It was fun drive, suspension was rough, but it stuck to the road. The interior screamed cheap to me, but I really liked the navigation system and sound system though. The fake aluminum trim was terrible. It looked like rice paper. Not my taste. Overall a really nice car, and if I hadn't drove the BMW, I think I would have loved the car. To me, and this is my opinion, the G37 was like the car you get if you couldn't afford the BMW. It was alot of car for the money(not counting the dealer mark up). To me in those short test drives, the BMW was just far superior...

So I made up my mind. I did some research on these great forums, and looked like Will at Long Beach was the man to talk to. Setup an appointment and test drove again, made my order and now I am waiting in agony...

Anyways cheers. Looking forward to great relationship with my new Bimmer!

[imolazhp_ci]

awesome dude. will's a good guy.

[etjandra]

how long you will have to wait?

[tryangles]

Congratulations on your car. Hopefully Will gave you a great deal. You'll love every second in that ride.

[blueaudi18]

how much discount did u get?

[BMCoupe_782]

Congrats man -- I had very simular impressions of the g37 when I drove that as well.

[mrbrett]

Originally Posted by etjandra

how long you will have to wait?

I don't know. I ordered Monday, and it's already in production, and scheduled to be done with production on Thursday(18th). So I am guessing probably another six weeks? A month on the boat and an extra two weeks on both sides to get on and off the boat and to the dealer?

Maybe someone with experience will know about how long after production is done, till it arrives on the west coast?

Will said I should have it by the beginning of December, but he and his manager said that maybe I could see it as early as late November? So maybe I will be surprised and see it earlier?

[mrbrett]

Originally Posted by blueaudi18

how much discount did u get?

Well I'm sure Will wouldn't like me discussing our deal on the internet. Sorry

But, I will say however, he gave me a good deal for Southern California, and on par or a little better than what alot of people are getting around here. It's a better deal than what Edmunds says people are paying so I was happy.

I'm not that kind of person that is going to fight tooth and nail for the best deal I can get. I'd rather have great service, and pay a little bit more. So far the long beach guys seem pretty down to earth and easy to deal with. They were like normal people, and not like the pretentious CAs near me in Valencia...

[imolazhp_ci]

so you got like...$750 off.

[mrbrett]

Originally Posted by imolazhp_ci

so you got like...$750 off.

nope.

[purplewidow]

too bad active steering made the car for me it turned it into a beast!!!!! best damn option on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrbrett]

Originally Posted by purplewidow

too bad active steering made the car for me it turned it into a beast!!!!! best damn option on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!

I never got a chance to drive one with active steering, but from what I read about it sounded cool, but most reviews of the system scared me away from that option. And, after talking to the dealer, they said they never order that as an option on their cars because most people don't like it. So I decided not to go for it.

[mrbrett]

Oh and my car finishes production tommorow! YEA!!!!

[e90fanatic]

i just ordered yesterday as well scheduled production next week. But i wasn't able to add the 19" wheels to my car?

Originally Posted by e90fanatic

i just ordered yesterday as well scheduled production next week. But i wasn't able to add the 19" wheels to my car?

It's a Canadian Opt, not yet released to the usa

[e90fanatic]

it's a US opt now on the MY 08, according to bmwusa.com