My 4-year lease on my '98 VW Passat 1.8T with Tiptronic is running out, and having been turned on to the virtues of German sedans by the design, materials, anvil-like build quality, quiet ride (except under acceleration), and the secure, responsive high-speed ride/handling demeanor of the Passat, I thought I would explore the entire realm of German sedans. Little did I know I would end up with a BMW, which for me was always the marque of the poseur.

Given the main drawback of the Passat, which was the noise of the 4 cylinder during acceleration with the Tiptronic either in auto or manual mode, I decided I wanted a 6 cylinder sport sedan with a 5-speed, of course with a sunroof, CD, and (for my wife) heated seats, preferably under $33,000. The following are capsule summaries of the other cars I looked at, and then the 325i. Keep in mind the most obvious competitor, the redesigned 2002 A4, was unavailable for me to test, though I had driven an earlier A4 quattro with V6 in '97. I liked it a great deal, but it was priced out of my range, and I ended up with the '98 Passat.

MERCEDES C-CLASS. While the base for the 4-door C240 is under $32,000, it takes nothing to put this baby over the top. Most options are part of packages, and just getting a sunroof and heated seats put the sedan over $34,000. Plus, they didn't have one that was test-drivable at the lot. They did have the handsome C230Kompressor coupe (which actually fits 4 comfortably), which listed for $27k with a fairly short list of options, none of which were memorable. They have a really neat sunroof available but you pay extra for it and the test vehicle didn't have it. The base seats are cloth (which alone makes it the oddball in the Merc line). Just for kicks, I test drove the thing. The engine is the 196hp 2.3 supercharged twin cam 4-pot engine from the SLK 230, with a 6-speed stick. The ride and handling are nice and the car is stylish, but the engine, while smooth for a 4 and certainly not a slug, did not seem terribly spirited and the manual seemed to have relatively wide ratios for what should be a much racier vehicle, though it shifted smoothly, the car rode and handled OK, and the car seemed well put together. In Europe, this vehicle goes head-to-head with the BMW Compact 318ti and 325ti hatchbacks, neither of which are available in the US (the earlier "E36" BMW 318ti model was popular in Europe but not in the states). In general, a good entry-level Merc and one for young people to spruce up and customize, but not quite what I was looking for. Certainly I couldn't see what was so special about a Mercedes from driving this example. Plus, once you finish with basic options (like CD player, leather, sunroof), you're up into 325i price territory.

VW PASSAT V6. Naturally, I was pleased enough with my current Passat to consider moving to a new one, this time with the 6 and the stick. For 2001 1/2, they revamped the styling slightly, with a new front end, sexy new taillights, stiffer body structure, nicer wheels, and a sudden attack of chrome disease. If you get the car in silver or gold, the chrome trim (which surrounds the windows, the body side moldings and even the dials on the instrument panel!!) is OK, but on any dark color the car looks like something developed by Chrysler in the 1970's. Ugh. The earlier Passat looked like the slightly larger cousin of the Audi A4 that it was (sharing many of the same chassis pieces and the same powertrains), and was much cleaner in my view. Dynamically, however, the car has much to recommend it. It has great interior room, a HUGE, nicely finished trunk that still can be expanded with the fold-down back seats (which you have to pay extra for in the BMW), and very smooth ride. While the handling is more benign than scintillating, it is very poised. The 2.8 V6 (30 valves!!) is dead silent (which can be disconcerting), and the 5-speed works smoothly, though the engine held on its revs for too long each time I depressed the clutch to shift. While not rocket fast, it's responsive and certainly there's less vibration and groan than the turbo 4 during acceleration. Admittedly, the 5-speed works better with the 1.8T than the Tiptronic, but my wife prevailed upon me in '98 to get the automatic. The fully-loaded GLX model(virtually no options other than Tiptronic) is about $28k, a less loaded GLS V6 can be had for $25-26k. If you want a GLX with the VW-badged version of the Audi Quattro system (4Motion), you have to pay over $32k, as it requires you also get the Tiptronic.

LEXUS IS300 5-speed. This is probably the closest thing to a Bimmer-killer on the market today, if you can overlook the dashboard that looks like it comes from a 1979 Dodge Omni and the weird interior design details that look like they came from a 10-year-old's idea of what a car should look like. The car is narrow inside and the trunk is small, as is the back seat. Enough bad things, though. The fact is - the car is great looking, with sharp edges, big wheels and a wedgy, purposeful demeanor. It is built and bolted together by the finest Japanese workmanship one could imagine. The 2002 version now has a 5-speed available, and there was actually one available for me to test drive. YIPPEE!!! The chrome ball-topped lever is nice and notchy, and is well-mated with the perfect clutch. The 3.0 liter DOHC inline 6 engine, with 215 hp, also powers the GS300 and was in the sexy old ES300 couple in the early 90's. This is one engine that deserves as many applications as possible. The ride is firm, the handling very tight. If the interior was designed more like the BMW's, it would have been much tougher to decide. The car is in the $32k-33k range.

BMW 325i - I had my wife with me the second drive I drove the 2001 model demo just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating or being seduced by the blue and white roundel emblem on the hood with the twin-kidney grilles. There is a reason many sane people love BMW's, other than for status and ego. The thing drives like no other car. The 2.5 inline 6, with 184hp, is the base engine, but there is no better sounding or smoother engine on the road today, and 0-60 in 7.2 sec (which is what Car and Driver achieved) is all you really need. The 330i is a great car but in my view is not worth the $7000 premium over the 325i. The 5-speed shifts are short and precise, with a smooth clutch operation (though the pedal travel is longer than other cars I've driven) The firm but comfortable ride, the rail-like handling and quick, communicative steering with the sport package (the only version I tested) was unlike anything I've ever driven. The old plasticky interior styling and materials of the mid-90's 3-series BMW's has been replaced with 5-series-like detail and quality, and decent rear seat room, though the trunk is somewhat smaller than the Passat. The sport seats (only with the sport package) are excellent!! The trick in getting the price to my liking was to order the car, not blindly look at what overpriced vehicles sit on the lot. I got just the two major packages together (Sport and Premium, so I got sunroof, upgraded power sport seats, the new-for-2002 17" wheels and tires, and a few other items) and just add the heated seats as the third item on the option list. That was it (I stuck with basic black, which is the color of my Passat, so I avoided paying $475 for metallic paint, and I stuck with beige leatherette, which saved a ton of money and perhaps spared the life of a cow). Too many $36k entry-level 325i's sit on lots with automatic and a handful of other overpriced options, but don't include the upgraded seats, suspension and wheels which I believe add much more to the car, for a lot less money.

March is when my car arrives, and I am counting the days...



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 32300
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Sport and Premium packages, heated seats, 5 speed