I was struck with an odd feeling of deja ecrit while cranking out the Capsule Review of my old 2001 Nissan Frontier, but since I literally had thirty-two minutes to write the whole thing and click “Publish” before heading out the door, I didn’t pause to think about it. Earlier today, however, I realized that the last time I wrote about the “Fronty” was in 2001, for my “BMX Basics” webpage. For some reason, I decided that my readers, who had already patiently suffered through more than 475,000 words of nonsense from 1991 onwards, would be well-served by hearing my opinions about some cars.
Since it’s a slow Sunday, I’ve unearthed the multi-car review and presented it for your amusement. Feel free to laugh at me. For better or worse, this was how I viewed the automotive world at the ripe old age of twenty-nine!
A note: My pen name at the time was “Jim Boswell”. I’d been kicked off roster of “Bicycles Today” magazine in 1993 for personally insulting one of the National Bicycle League’s head honchos and I was only allowed to return in 1994 if I used a different name. I quit writing for print in 1998 and went online so I could insult people with impunity.
It always surprises me when I meet a cyclist who has no interest in automobiles and/or street motorcycles. As someone who has always had an affinity for machinery in general and wheeled machinery in particular, I see a natural correlation between appreciating a carefully welded BMX frame and delighting in a flawlessly sewn Connolly Autolux hide, or a five-valve-per-cylinder head, or a telepathically responsive, perfectly synchronized, set of four 38mm Mikuni carbs. If you don’t, then there’s no reason for you to keep reading, because today I am going to share my driving impressions of a few vehicles I have had the recent pleasure of sampling.
You see, it all began when I decided to overhaul the Boswell fleet four months ago. I persuaded some former business partners of mine to take my 2000 Saab 9-3 off my hands, and replaced it with a 2001 Nissan Frontier XE King Cab. The Saab, although it was a delightful vehicle, was a bit fragile for the combination of muddy mountain biking and home improvement load-carrying it was being forced to cope with.
I drove and looked at a few trucks prior to purchasing the Frontier, and my opinions are recorded below. However, that was the easy part. The tough part came when I accidentally sold Mrs. Boswell’s 2000 Golf GLS 1.8T to a friend of ours, just hours after selling my 1982 VW Quantum coupe. Oops! We went from having three cars to one. So, Mrs. B and I have been out looking for something for her, as well – and, believe me, she is a lot tougher to please than I am. How’d I “accidentally sell” the vehicle? It’s a long story, but suffice it to say that I’m really in the doghouse with my lovely wife…
I have rated each car below on a scale from 1 to 10 for two different purposes: BMX and Real Life. To me, BMX means the ability for a couple of people to load up bikes and gear and drive a couple of hours. Real Life means driving to work, going to dinner with another couple, meeting with clients, that kind of stuff. Obviously, the trucks have an edge in BMX but lose out in Real Life. Mrs. Boswell still hasn’t made her decision, so feel free to email me with your advice and experiences. Thanks!
Trucks
- Nissan Frontier King Cab – This was the truck I picked for myself. A unique exterior and a simple, high-quality interior. The 2.4 liter four-cylinder, also seen in the old 240SX, is a little slow, but it is adequate. Very comfortable seats, quiet inside. BMX: 8 out of 10, since you can’t put four people in it without two of them really suffering. Real Life: 3 out of 10.
- Ford Ranger – I used to sell ’em, and I still like them, but they are now quite overpriced and underequipped. The four-cylinder is dangerously slow, the six-cylinders suck gas and are not durable. BMX: 6 out of 10. Real Life: 2 out of 10.
- Land Rover Discovery Series II – As a former Disco owner, I was sorely tempted, but there’s no stick-shift any more and the running costs are terrible. The 30,000-mile service can cost eight hundred bucks! Bottom line was that is was not worth paying three times as much as the Frontier for the ability to carry two more people. BMX: 10 out of 10, assuming you are comfortable using a hitch rack. Real Life: 8 out of 10, until it’s time to put gas in it :)
- Chevrolet Silverado LS – This truck had the worst interior of any vehicle I have ever driven – tacky, non-ergonomic, flimsy-feeling. The leather seats felt like vinyl. The stereo was unbelievably poor. The tailgate had a lot of flex in it. The thirty-two-thousand-dollar price tag added insult to injury. The only good points: A large bed and a strong motor. I think you have to be a “Chevy person” to buy one, and I’m not. BMX: 4 out of 10. Real Life: 1 out of 10, because I can’t think of anywhere I would want to drive a jacked-up Chevy truck.
- Chevrolet S-10 Survivor – This was a nice enough truck, but it was expensive – the regular cab cost more than the Nissan extra-cab. Plus, I didn’t fit properly in it. BMX: 5 out of 10. Real Life: 2 out of 10.
- Mercedes-Benz C230K Coupe – Everyone’s heard of the new “Benz hatchback”, and the first question they usually have is, “Is it a ‘real’ Mercedes?” The answer is a definite “yes”. The interior, despite being finished in the unflattering Oyster shade, was of equal quality to the S430 I drove shortly after (see below). The motor makes neat supercharged noises. The Panorama roof is fantastic. If it were up to me, this would be Mrs. Boswell’s next car, but she has decided to wait to see what the new A4 looks like. It looks like a 20″ would fit in the rear with the seats folded. BMX: 5 out of 10. Real Life: 8 out of 10.
- BMW 740i Sport and 750il – I drove these at the “Drive For The Cure” event, and I will rate them together. I don’t fit very well in the 7-series, and the Sport seats made it worse. Power-wise, the lighter and lower-geared 740 Sport felt every bit as quick as the 750il, but the 750 has a variety of little touches, particularly for the passengers, that might justify the (gulp) $92,745 price. Mrs. Boswell and a friend conversed quietly in the back seat, unconcerned, as I swept past 125mph down a mildly curvy two-lane road (cleared for the occasion, of course), chasing down a gentleman in a 330i convertible who looked just like David E. Davis of “Automobile” magazine. BMX: 4 out of 10, since the rear seats don’t fold, and the seats didn’t look terribly durable. Real Life: 8 out of 10, perhaps higher if you fit in the Sport seats.
- Jaguar X-Type 3.0 manual – I loved this car, with its burled walnut interior, Connolly leather seats, and slack-free four-wheel-drive chassis. Mrs. Boswell, a former Vanden Plas owner, thought it felt “too heavy” and continues to prefer the (unfortunately more expensive) S-Type. BMX: 6 out of 10. The Premium package adds folding rear seats, and the roof is pre-drilled for a two-bike rack. Real Life: 9 out of 10, especially if you live somewhere in “snow country”.
- Mercedes-Benz S430 – The car magazines are right – this is a better car than the 7-Series. That being said, the interior is not up to Audi standards, the stock wheels are terrible, and the “COMAND” system is not without its glitches. Unlike the Jaguar navigation, it requires that you swap DVDs to travel between regions, making it less useful for driving to Nationals. At least I fit in the car well. Bottom line: I liked the old S-class better, which is lucky for me since I can’t really afford this one… BMX: 3 out of 10. Real Life: 9 out of 10.
- VW Passat GLS – Mrs. Boswell, a former 1998 Passat owner, thought we were driving the V6, but it was just the re-chipped 170HP 1.8T that makes its appearance for 2002. A big, smooth car, equal in many ways to a 5-series BMW. The leather interior is not too bad for the price, and the chrome-heavy restyle is an improvement in my tasteless opinion. The sticker on the car we drove was $25,675 – less than most Camrys or Accords, and it’s a much better car. The most serious problem with the car, VW’s despicable two-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, has been addressed for 2002. You now have four years or 48,000 miles before it’s “your problem”. BMX: 5 out of 10. Real Life: 7 out of 10.
Cars
Still on our test-drive list: the Acura 3.5RL, BMW 525i 5-speed, Passat W8 (if it gets here in time), and the new 2002.5 Audi A4. Mrs. Boswell has stated that she will make no car-buying decision until the new A4 is available, meaning that we have a few months of carpooling, er, truckpooling, ahead of us. In the meantime, if you happen to see a new A4 on a car carrier somewhere, or if you are a Mercedes dealer who has a new C230K, C5 Premium and C7 Sport packages, in stock, contact me – JB
i was told this type of merc the rad/trans oil cooler is weak, it can leak anti-freeze into the trans. so it can end up a pretty exp trans job. solution is have an external mount trans cooler.
Worse yet, the supercharger screws had serious delamination problems, and there was no fix. According to the MB tech who lived near us at the time (who very kindly drove my E to the shop every time another sensor would fail, which was almost monthly), Mercedes was aware of the problem and did nothing.
My friend with a 230K sold his shortly after receiving this tip, after asking about a developing issue he noticed (I don’t remember what tipped him off at first but he used to work on superchargers daily and diagnosed the problem independently).
Ugly situation. Overall the early 2000s were just miserable for MB. If they hadn’t raided the Chrysler war-chest, I strongly doubt they’d have survived at all.
Quite the eclectic mix of cars.
Which did you end up with, and did this factor in the departure of Mrs. Boswell?
I learned the hard (though not the hardest) way to buy my wife the car she wants.
The voice of Baruth still shines through.
Your use of the pseudonym “Boswell” made me think of Tom Bosley who played Mr. Cunningham on the series “Happy Days.” But Marion it’s not even Wednesday!”
Dan,
You are thinking of Boswell, New Mexico. Ok, It’s a terrible joke, but hey, it’s the day after New Years, and I’m still recovering.
…”I think you’d have to be a Chevy person to buy one.”
Do those still exist? GM muddied those loyalty waters when they started mixing engines back in the late ’70s. Prior to that debacle, people were fierce in their brand support.
No mas…as GM fades in painful slow motion.
Your enjoyment of the X-Type was unexpected, does that opinion still persist today? I’ve always like the little X-Type in theory, not sure in practice.
I think they are cute, and if they are “platform” cars, there are certainly worse platforms from which to draw.
Cute they are, especially in wagon form. Perhaps one day I’ll be adventurous enough for a second-hand model.
Too many electrical problems European machinery in your list.Your writing has evolved a lot.How was the 9-3?
I’m personally with the ex and much more fond of the S-Type, especially in R form. Not a perfect car, but a very fun car, and full of character in a way few cars are these days.
The X-Type seems overly contrived and, in Sport form, rides loudly and harshly. That said, I also wish they’d offered the wagon with the manual.
How interesting!
I have to agree, quite the cornucopia of car choices there Jack.
While none of them would be on my radar for a variety of reasons, one, out of my price range, but also, I have no desire for expensive cars and they are all too big. :-)
Would be interesting to know which one she ended up with in the end.
If you can’t go out to dinner in your Ford Ranger with another couple, then you need to replace the friends.
For the record, “Mrs. Boswell” ended up with a 2001 330i Sport five-speed, and she actually cried when we got rid of it. Great car, wouldn’t want to own it a heartbeat out of warranty.
“Great car, wouldn’t want to own it a heartbeat out of warranty.”
Why not? The six-cylinder E46 cars are pretty solid as long as you get a manual gearbox and don’t neglect them. They’re pretty DIY friendly, thanks to excellent engine access and rear-drive packaging. Full disclosure: I own an ’04 330i 6-speed.
I agree with Sam P. My E46 has been great. Much better than several Japanese cars that I owned. The E46 is very easy to work on, and the parts costs are reasonable, if you don’t frequent the stealer. Do they have problems? Sometimes, but then what car doesn’t? Even the autobox on these cars isn’t terrible if you give them some maintenance from time to time, and don’t beat the pi$$ out of them. Some people act as though the manual trans will go on forever with no work at all. I drove manuals for 25 years. Clutch’s go, syncros wear out, pilot, and throwout bearings wear out. Nothing it seems is free in the automotive world. You should have kept your E46. I believe they will be highly sought after in a few more years.
Typical, not even on the list.
What (un)impressed me most about the E46 was that very tight integration between the “Business” audio system and the rest of the car. The one time our 330i failed to start, they traced it to the stereo.
“I believe they will be highly sought after in a few more years.”
Especially unmolested examples of the 330i ZHP (Performance Package). Right now, a ZHP is one of the great under $20k bargains in the world of used European cars.
Original road test here: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/03q3/bmw_330i_with_performance_package-road_test
We leased the c230k for 4 years, great car. drove it long distance, even through Maine woods, city, just fast, quiet, comfier than 3 series and the hatch is big. 30 mpg was regular. up to 48K miles no issues.
Like the long gone BMW 3 series hatch, I never understood the appeal of the Mercedes hatch. I don’t quite get the Audi A3, either, although at least it’s more practical than the 3-doors. The Jag X-type I always thought was a pretty cynical exercise on Jag’s part, although I suppose the previous XK and its cousin the DB7 were a lot more cynical in terms of pawning off ancient mechanicals on suckers.
My pick of the list would’ve been the B6 A4, although neither engine choice for that year was wonderful. The V8 was the one to get, and I don’t think that arrived until ’04.
As someone who owns an ’00 VW Passat GLS your mini-review is right on the mark. One of the best cars we owned… for the first 2 years, however its been downhill ever since. Its at the 89K mark now and if it survives till 2012 it will be a miracle. To give you an idea of had bad its gotten: the wife refuses to drive it and actually prefers my Dakota pickup!
If you think the Silverado has a lot of tailgate flex go drive a Tundra. The Silverado feels pretty tight in comparison. The current interior is serviceable but could use an upgrade and I agree, why does Chevy use such shitty sound systems in there cars and trucks? I just test drove a friggin 2011 Kia Optima that costs over 10 grand less with a killer 530 watt sound system that would blast your ear drums. Also why does GM never ever feel the need to install overhead sun glass holders like virtually ever other car maker?
Passat, baby. I traded my 03 recently and miss it. That was a tremendously good car, nice ride and handling, quiet, exceptional interior, almost a perfect size, not too big, not too small. My guess is you could have put a Mercedes badge on it, charged $10K more, and no one would have questioned it. Especially the V6 version.
If you’re concerned about increasing electrical complexity in BMW’s these days, try an E36. Hit a switch, it activates whatever it’s hooked up to, no funny stuff. Except for the ignition key and the immobilizer system. Even that’s pretty straightforward.
Want a cheap one? Some guy in Brooklyn wants to unload his 328is for $1700 because he got a ridiculous quote for a DME/EWS combo (can replace the EWS immobilizer but you have to have it synced with your car’s DME engine computer). Only reason I haven’t bitten yet is because I don’t like the idea of buying any car I can’t test drive, at any price. Still tempted, though. Check Craigslist in New York.
I thought the Passat W8 4motion was the hotness, would still love to drive one. 8 cylinder AWD sedans are my particular fetish though. I also loved the Xtype when it first came out, almost convinced my dad to buy one, glad I didn’t.