Fuzzo

I finally saw the new 7 series in person and I must say... god i'm disapointed. Just on looks alone, the car fails miserably...specially the rear end... it looks like a suitcase... the old 7 was so much better and looked a lot classier and just overall better...

i'm not crazy about the dash layout either but that I could live with if I can just get past that hideous rear end.....

orangemarlin

As one of the very few owners of German cars who crosses over all of the different brands for different purposes, I can tell you that the 745i will be a very popular car. It essentially is a big sports car, which is one of the areas that differentiates BMW from other brands.

I happen to like the rear end. So do a lot of people who have bought the 745i so far. The iDrive will put off a lot of non-technical types, but I happen to like it, save for a couple of stupid things that the iDrive tries to do.

The fit and finish of the car meets or exceeds German car standards, and the engine is a performance star.

I will get a 7 one of these days, probably as a replacement for my M5. However, as I do with Microsoft, I'll wait until version 2.0 comes out. The software on the iDrive has been, how shall I put this, less than acceptable!

At any rate, the 7 series and the S meet the needs of two different market segments. You can argue all day about one being better than the other, but the crossover between the customers is small.

I own a CL for two reasons. First, BMW doesn't offer a 6 series coupe anymore (and I bought the CL instead of a 1988 cherry M6), and because the luxury feel of a MB just cannot be met by the BMW. I want to be pampered but still be able to kick a** whenever I want...the CL fits that particular standard very well. Once the 2005 M6 shows up, the CL is history.

ALL IMHO.

vinmanc32

I test drove the 745 and the car was unbelieveable. I love MB but I can tell you that this car is gonna be a winner... big time. I already see them on the streets in NYC all the time. They are poppin up everywhere with the temp stickers on the rear windows. It would take significantly longer to get used to the idrive than during a test drive but I could see it being a useful tool. I would not at all be intimidated by that system. The fit and finish of the car was amazing. There is nothing out of place and the quality of the materials is as good as it gets. There is leather everywhere... I also believe this is a very big sports sedan and not at all a cross over with the S series... unless you look at the S55 and even that is a very sporty and fast luxo S series sedan. But they will all get sold... to very different buyers looking for very different things. I was in awe by it.

MercManiac

My daily driver is a 2001 S600 and my weekend scooter is a 2002 Z8. I was in Austria all last month skiing and had the chance to drive the new 7 on mountain winders. It is a kick butt, large sports sedan......it only handles a little better than my 600....but the 600 has the ABC suspension and all the other S's do not, except for the 55 .....still, the 7 did give a sense of more high speed cornering confidence (BMW are the masters of weight distribution). The one I drove had the sports skirts all round and rear spoiler and it looked better than the few 745i's around Atlanta that I've seen.

Still, from a looks, quality feel and regular riding around town perspective the new 7 is no match.....but true, it will do well with it's market segment.

Fast Eddy

Hey the Orange dude is fefinitly ignoring his need for rice and should also crossover into honda------this marlin needs a ricer or he will drown in his own BS.
Marlin dude will not buy 745 for the fear of reliability but the orange dude will keep his A6 which is as we all know a paragon of reliability.
why would this orange worry about 745's reliability with full warrenty and the fact that he is treated at the service epartment like he is the hollywood producer according to his other post.

Fast Eddy

Hey Maniac, where in Austria were you---would love to know many of those "mountain winders" are one lane in one direction roads with sharp turns as you go up , give location please, most of those roads are only good for 50km/h before you have to break and that is going up. Would love to know where you got hte car for test drive as well.
Thanks

MercManiac

I was in St. Anton for the month of Feb. The car was Karl Schranz's (yes, the world champion/gold medalist Austrian downhiller from years back).

Started off from St. Anton to Zurs/Lech. Then over a "winder" pass to a small ski village (forget the name, but it was the place that had the horrible avalanche last year that killed 40+ people). Then took back road "winders' all the way to Innsbruck for a nice lunch.

You know we all split hairs over the Mercedes/BMW rivalry......I have both. Just agree, the Germans know how to build damn awesome cars.

My Uncle who served in Patton's Third Army during WWII....and "saw it all" won't drive anything but a German car. He says when you saw how the German Tiger or Panther tanks would just cream anything the Brits or Americans could throw at them.....he figured there was something to the German engineering prowess!

knihc2008

i took a ride in the 745i...i must say, it was impossible for me to comprehend the iDrive system. i did try to use it while the car was in motion and found myself pulling over quite a lot of times. the car's engine is wonderful tho...but the iDrive alone turned me away.

the COMAND system is even easier!

MusFather

Hey everyone,

I wish they still made the old 7 series, with some tweaks here in their it would be awesome!


-Musfather

orangemarlin

Exactly what did I do to put a hair up your a**??? So you're telling me that as long as I post things that agree with you completely, I ought not be posting on here? Geez, I'm glad the thought police are running this bulletin board.

And since I haven't had a single quality problem with any of my German cars, except for an Audi TT that was plainly a lemon, I don't think I'll be walking away from anything.

So whatever it is Mr. Eddy, either some fascist ideal of not making an opposite opinion, jealousy that I own some cool cars, or just plain wanting to be a jerk, I will continue to post how I see it. Hopefully, I just caught you on a bad day, and we can engage in some thoughtful bantering about various automobiles.

The 7 series is one heck of a car. I like the back end. I made not single negative comment about your S, other than market differences. I hope that we can have fun going forward talking about the great cars that we all own.

S55inPA

hey everyone.

from where i sit it seems to me that the S and the 7 are not directed exactly at the same market. the 7 seems to be very sport oriented while the S seems to cover a broader spectrum. i personally think bmw went too far with the design of the rear of the car. i feel a more conservative touch would have been better. comparing the S and the 7 on the outside...... the S looks more balanced and clean from all angles. i feel the only view the 7 truly looks attractive is the side view. but hey everyone...what kind of world would it be if we all liked chocalate ice cream!:p

MarcusBenz

S55inPA,

I like your observation! I think that people who want more performance for the money, will buy the 745i. The people who are looking for a more all around car will buy the S-class. IMHO, I don't like the trunk of the BMW, but along the same lines I think the S-class must have the Sport Package to really finish it off.


MarcusBenz
House of Imports, MBZ

AmgBoy

Hey I am not trying to get involved in something that isn't my issue but I cant help this one. Fast Eddy why did you flip on Orange Marlin? Come on man all he was doing was stating his opinion which I think was a very strong one.

I also do beleive that the 745i is a nice car. I think it will be serious competition to the S class, considering it is not much slower than the S55!

Also I am not really into the whole ultimate luxury thing, thats why I got the E55, it's a total kick A** sedan. Just my opinions of course.

Cheers

orangemarlin

AMG Dude...I'm not sure what got up his craw, but on several threads he's pummeling me. Luckily, I've got a thick skin.

Let me just give you a business viewpoint to the two German marques. If BMW and Mercedes were completely overlapping brands, then they would be beating up each other in the market, which would cause prices to drop.

I think that BMW and MB take a different point to their cars which then segments the market. You rare see a BMW driver walking over to the MB dealer (well, I'm one of the few). On the other hand, you just don't see an S or E class driver walking over to the BMW dealer and checking out a 5 or 7.

I think both cars have equal fit and finish, although I am very concerned about Daimler's focus on getting Chrysler profitable. One would hope that Mercedes would raise Chrysler to a higher level. Let's hope that Chrysler doesn't drag Mercedes to a lower a level.

I do believe that both cars have completely different characters, and neither character is so horrible. I think you buy a BMW, in general, because it drives much more sporty. I have an M3, and it is one of the best sport cars out there. It is a blast to drive. But would I drive it for 250 miles on the freeway? Not unless I'm willing to have my kidneys replaced at mile 300.

On the other hand, my CL bathes me in luxury. But I also get a lot of sportiness (I still am in love with that V12 sound). I like long drives (more relaxing than going to an airport, jumping on a commercial flight, and ending up getting stressed), and I may always have a Mercedes. And although the new 745i brings new luxury to the BMW brand, there's just something about sitting my fat a** in those MB seats that are incomparable.

All IMHO.

MusFather

Hey orangemarlin

Thats some awesome input, thanxs for posting it up

And i totally agree, the 7 series and the S are awesome cars in there own ways!

-Musfather

Fast Eddy

I'm here to clear up what sounds like yet another BS from orange and marlin:" me and Fast Eddy"? WTF? That sounds very gay and let me assure you all that there are no me and Orange and marlin. I've never met the Orange dude, we never kissed I never promised him for better or worse!! Thats right my friends.
The Marlin dude just lets his imagination run away as if he has the brakes of a Yugo. The dude could and should use MB breaks on his runaway mind!

GAS

Just My 1 cent thought

7 series instrument panels are more high tecky than S class.

They both have the same roomy space.

Style... no comments (depends on your taste) Both are nice.




GAS
Michigan

MTN81

Hey all, my new 7.45Li is arriving to CT at the end of the month. I dunno, my mother just got her new S500 a few days ago and to be honest, the S500 is so much nicer than the 745i. I dunno, I'll post you more info when we get the Li. But the S is more of the "luxurious" sedan while the 7 is sporty.

I just got back from the BMW dealer in Greenwich a few hours ago and my dealer told me that many people who had pre-ordered the i and Li are coming back to the MB dealer...now there's a long wait at MB of Greenwich to get a S. That should tell you guys something. Anyway, what's stikes me is that BMW is pricing the new cars closer to the MB than before...I believe this will make more BMW owners lean towards the MB. I dunno...what do you think? Because before, the 7 series were about 7-10k cheaper than the S.

awiner

My initial feelings after driving the 2003 745i was that BMW may in fact steal some Mercedes loyal drivers, however, BMW was sure to lose the hardcore BMW loyalists.

I'm still trying to figure out what is happining. My local BMW delaer is having a very hard time selling the new 7 and has even told me that many pre-orders were cancelled after the introduction.

The new 7 is a nice car. Drives great and has a lot of wiz bang techno gadgetry. I think most the debate is over the design change. It is one of those love it or hate it designs. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground on that issue.

JamE55

LOL!! :p :p Your posts makes my day! LOL! :p :p