I took a little drive this weekend to see a friend and kept my speed around 65 to see what would happen to my gas mileage. I hit and stayed at 30 MPG…in a car that has 330HP and 330ft/lb of torque (BMW 335i). I was really pleased with my car this weekend; it was fun as hell to drive on the roads I was on, and knowing it was fairly efficient just made it that much better.

Anyway, it got me thinking about cars for a moment so I decided to go price a 335i and an M3 for giggles. That’s when I noticed an option on the M3 that I’d not seen before–the “M Double-clutch Transmission with Drivelogic”. Hmm, what is this I wondered…

Turns out it’s the BMW version of Volkswagen’s DSG. This thing is utterly sick. It’s a transmission with two clutches. As you move through the gears a second clutch remains open and waiting for you to switch into the gear above or below the one you’re in. So when the change happens (which is anticipated by the computer), it happens almost instantly because the other clutch has already rev matched your other gear.

Do has boner.

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This shouldn’t impress me.

I’ve always believed that gas was gas. I thought it was all the same stuff and that any rumors to the contrary were nothing but marketing. Well, it turns out that isn’t the case.

Six of the world’s top automakers, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi recognize that the current EPA minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to ensure optimal engine performance.

Since the minimum additive performance standards were first established by EPA in 1995, most gasoline marketers have actually reduced the concentration level of detergent additive in their gasoline by up to 50%. As a result, the ability of a vehicle to maintain stringent Tier 2 emission standards have been hampered, leading to engine deposits which can have a big impact on in-use emissions and driver satisfaction.

This is from the top tier website, and it’s not just a marketing ploy by some additive company. It is a real standard that has been embraced by the automakers listed. Of course I was still skeptical and decided to try a couple of tanks of Chevron’s 93 octane in my 335i.

Wow. There is a noticeable difference in my performance. My car seriously feels better all around — both in casual driving and when I accelerate aggressively. I’m genuinely and pleasantly surprised.

So yes, I suggest that if you are into cars and you’ve always thought the gas doesn’t matter, try doing a couple of tanks of premium through one of the following companies who supports the top tier standard. I think you’ll be pleased with the results. QuikTrip Chevron Conoco Phillips 76 Shell Entec Stations MFA Oil Company Kwik Trip/Kwik Star The Somerset Refinery, Inc. Chevron-Canada Aloha Petroleum Tri-Par Oil Company Shell-Canada Texaco Petro-Canada Sunoco-Canada

If you’re into cars, driving fast, or just technology in general you’ve likely heard of the Valentine 1 radar detector. It’s widely accepted to be the premier radar detector on the market, and few people question this status.

I got to thinking about what makes it so great, though, and my conclusion was startling. Evidently, the entire reason the Valentine is supposed to be so good is because it can show you whether a cop is in front of you or behind you. The entire idea is to have the ability to respond differently based on where the radar is coming from. What?

Who in their right mind is going to respond differently based on the direction radar is coming from?

Seriously, what are the options here? You’re going down a road listening to some music and all of a sudden you get hit with radar from the front. What do you do? Yeah, slow down.

Ok, so now you’re on the same road and you get hit with radar from the rear. Now what? Is this the Dukes of Hazzard? Cannonball Run? You’re still going to slow down unless you participate in an alternate reality.

I fail to see how showing you the direction of the radar helps anything for someone not wanting to get tickets in the real world. The prospect of accelerating if you know a cop is behind you is just asinine in the extreme.

So sell me on better detection. Sell me on less false positives. But don’t put a big ugly arrow on the front and tell me that knowing where the radar is coming from matters. It doesn’t. If I’m speeding and I get hit by radar — I’m slowing down.

So I took delivery of my new 335i sedan today, and “unbelievable” is the best way to describe this vehicle. The machine is the first that I’ve ever driven that has more power than I’ll use on a regular basis.

In my 325i I was always asking for power that simply wasn’t there — usually when passing. With this car I feel completely empowered; it’s as if it will do anything I ask of it, and I’ve yet to even push the vehicle (no opportunity + break-in period). I just couldn’t be happier.

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My VIN number has been assigned, so somewhere in Germany my new car is being born. It looks like it’ll be here with plenty of time to spare before I return from New York. And I had them throw in window tint and the rubber floor mats as well. Bonus. So here’s the final setup:

• 2007 BMW 335i Sedan
• Sparkling Graphite Exterior, Gray Leather
• Sport Package
• Premium Package
• Comfort Access
• Rear/Side Window Shades
• Sirius Satellite Radio
• Aluminum Pedals
• Heated Seats

I seriously can’t wait to drive this thing. It’s going to be what my first car was supposed to be, plus a little more. Passing people is going to now become both trivial and extremely enjoyable, rather than the, “I guess that was o.k.” experience it was in the 325i. Yeah, can’t wait.

It looks like the new BMW 335i that I’m getting has been seriously underrated — probably because they don’t want it to overshadow their current M3 offering. According to testing done by Automobile Magazine (not once but twice), the 335i is closer to 350 horsepower and 350lb/ft of torque than the 300 for each that’s being claimed by the official literature. It did 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, which is only a tenth of a second slower than the M3.

These dynamometer numbers are showing 384 for each at the wheels, and when you do the math (roughly 17% loss from the crankshaft) they’re looking at like 348 for both horsepower and torque. And that’s getting 28mpg on the highway. Methinks the performance debate concerning the 335i and the Infiniti G35 is officially over.

I cannot wait to drive this thing in a manual transmission. The automatic was insane enough when I drove it, and it reportedly has far more turbo lag than the manual. Coming back from New York is going to rock for so many reasons.

So I’m upgrading my BMW to the 335i sedan. I like most everything about my current car, but its lack of power has been a disappointment. I don’t like the idea of paying for a BMW and not being able to aggressively accelerate when I want to. I won’t have that problem with my new car; the thing has roughly 325hp (it’s still be being debated) and absolutely brutal torque at very low RPMs. This car is what a BMW should be.

Anyway, I’m also switching to a lease, which is the way to go when you plan on being in new cars for the foreseeable future. So at the end of my lease I will be back even from my negative equity (which wasn’t very much since I’ve only had the car for a little while), and I’ll be able to buy it if I want to or get into something else. I’m pretty sure I’ll opt for the second option.

A buddy of mine commented that I’ll get bored of this car too, but he’s mistaken for a very simple reason. I’m not even really a car guy, and the only reason I’m unhappy with my 325i is that I think it’s underpowered. The 335i isn’t. There’s a very good chance I’ll just be trading for another 335i at the end of the agreement.

Now I have yet another reason to be eager to return home. Not only am I moving to a brand new apartment, which will be cool, but I’ll be in an upgraded version of my car. Brutal.

The engine on the 335i is just utterly sick. It’s the fastest car I’ve ever driven. Period.

The one I drove was an automatic (boo, hiss) coupe, but it had the F1-esque shifting paddles. Those actually made the steptronic transmission enjoyable to drive–which was pleasantly unexpected.

So yeah, it’s totally decided: the next car I’m getting is going to be a 335i Sedan with a standard transmission (like my current 325i). I seriously don’t see how I could ever want any more engine than what that car offers. That car is what BMW is all about to me.