Another thing you'll appreciate with the Prius is the brake pad life. Typically 100,000+ miles. And brake pads that stay intact don't leave black crud all over your wheels. We own both a 1987 BMW 325i and a 2006 Prius. These days the BMW goes about 9000 miles per year, and the Prius goes 12,500 miles. The Prius gets used for all the long distance travel where the BMW power could actually be used. The BMW is going to be replaced sometime soon, probably with a CT200h, certainly not with another BMW.
the good thing was that brake pads were under the BMW 4 year maintenance care... but yeah, next fun car probably won't be another BMW either.
I made the same move at the end of last year... left my 335i at the dealer and have been happy ever since. And yeah, sometimes I miss the whoosh, but I don't miss the frequent a) wheel cleaning, b) premium fillups, c) check engine light, d) dealer visits.
I wouldn't trade my BMW for another Prius or any other Toy. The Prius has its place as a commuting econobox, but the BMW is fun to drive, comfortable, and isn't treated like a "green" '65 VW by other drivers.
Got to agree. Just put a deposit on a new P but keeping the 330Cic, nice to get it out of the daily driver role. Almost went with a 335d, that was a fun test drive and still on the futures list.
You could always throw a couple of suspension mods on the Prius and then the only thing missing is the power and the ego enhancement of the BMW. lol
I have a 2008 650i coupe. It was always a dream car for me. However, after driving it now for 2 years I'm really thinking about getting a prius. Just undecided on the 2012 pip or level 5 2011 or 2012 non pip?
Apologize for taking things off topic.......Why is it I tend to see tons of brake dust on these luxury brands? I rarely see them on Accords and Camrys, minivans, etc.
One reason may be the pads utilize a more agressive material to aid in increased friction. When I switched to racing pads on my Trans Am I noticed more dust on the wheels. This may have also been due to the switch from solid to slotted rotors or a combination of the two. It could also be due to more agressive driving which most BMW drivers in my area are guilty of. The Prius doesn't use the friction brakes often or agressively so there is not much wear on the pads. This is why they can often go 200k+ before needing new pads.
Traded our 335ix for the Prius two months ago. I don't miss the 335 and its issues. We still have a BMW Z4 that I washed yesterday and had to clean the black goop off the wheels - it is a pain. 63,000 miles on it and original brakes.
Yeah I was thinking along the same lines as F8L. It's the material they use on the brake pads (or rather the manufacturer with whom they signed a contract). My smart fortwo had the brake dust issue as well and it's nowhere near a performance car.
