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I have a 10 month old '02 Aero.
A friend of mine got a 330i a little less than two months ago.
Another, a C240 barely 3 weeks ago.
Of course, they already had their minds made up
that those were the cars they wanted.
Otherwise, I could have swayed them to the Swedish camp.
(the right Swedish camp...hehehe).
I spent the whole weekend last week driving the C240
and this weekend driving the 330i (sport package, auto tranny).
The C240 has a really "floaty" ride and tilts a great deal during cornering.
And the steering was nowhere near communicative.
It, however, has the quietest interior of the 3.
And in the biggest departure from what I have gotten used to in the Aero,
this car's engine almost has no vibration making its way into the cabin.
At a mere 160 something HP (please correct me if i'm wrong),
it was the slowest and took freeway ramps at its own leisurely pace.
No amount of lead foot can get that car to speed up.
It didn't have a heads up temperature gauge.
One has to maneuvre through the menu on the on-board computer
to get a thermometer graph.
It was the least communicative car in this group.
The 330i is perhaps the benchmark in the sport sedan segment.
The sport package made the ride really stiff.
(Another friend has a stick 325i without sport package).
I got tired after driving it for 2 hours.
The I-6, though, purrs...smooth, powerful and linear.
The car speeds up with little drama.
Not like being pressed against the seat back when the turbo
in the Aero spools up.
(which happens to be really exhilirating).
The steering was very communicative and precise.
The stereo, although a Harman Kardon, was not as good as the Saab's.
Both the Benz and the Bimmer have auto down AND up windows
that can also be opened using the remote.
Useful on hot days here in Southern California.
And they are both quieter than the Saab.
We were also talking about our purchase prices and the 330i
was almost 6 grand higher while the out the door price for my Aero
and the C240 was within 30 dollars.
After spending those hours driving what I considered competitors
to my Saab, I find myself smiling that I made the right choice.
For the price, nothing can touch the Aero.
I still wish the windows were auto down and up and can be
controlled by the remote and the cabin could be a little quieter.
Oh and that engine vibration at idle...
I guess you can't have them all.
Enjoy.
posted by 198.81.2...
, Mon, 14 Jul 2003 17:12:49
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