The Gamble Family (.Net)

I have always appreciated hi-end cars. I grew up in the late 60’s and early 70’s, when muscle cars adorned every street. Chevelle S/S, Mustang Mach 1, Dodge Charger, GTO - Cars from my teen years that I, for lack of a better word, worshipped.

I’ve had my share of nice automobiles in my 50 years on this earth, but I’ve never allowed myself to even entertain the idea of owning one of the best-of-breed models such as Mercedes or BMW. These jewels have always been the apple of my eye, but never the horse in my stable - until last week.

Two weeks ago, while prowling around the dealerships for a new convertible, I came across a 2005 Jet Black BMW 330 Ci Convertible at the local BMW dealership. The car had less than 12k miles on it, and it was in pristine condition. I took a look at the pice tag - Low 40’s - with almost every available option that could be added. Hmmm, I thought. I’d like to take that out for a test drive. So I did. Mistake… I had never driven a Bimmer before, and after getting accustomed to the cockpit accoutrements, I quickly understood the phrase “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. I was hooked.

I returned home that day, still glassy-eyed from my euphoric drive and excitely told my wife about the car. We crunched some numbers, and decided that we could make this happen. So, I picked up the phone and had a brief conversation with the salesperson and worked out an arrangement by which I could drive the car for an afternoon before making my final decision. She readily agreed.

I picked up the car for the test drive just after lunch. I drove about 75 miles around Middle Tennessee, on the interstate, on backroads, anywhere that I could think of to put this marvelous machine through its paces. I was totally amazed as how flat the car took curves. It simply glided down the highway with a smoothness that I had never experienced in a car before. I had to have this one.

Cheryl and I took that car back to the dealership later that afternoon and worked out the trade details. We took delivery this past Thursday. For those of you who have never experienced a ride in a BMW, you owe it to yourself to try one out. Even if you can’t afford one, or aren’t in the market for a new car, go and drive one. If you know anything at all about cars, you’ll be amazed at how these cars handle. Also, if your only car lot experience has been with Ford and Chevy dealerships, you are in for quite a treat if you visit a BMW dealership. We were never once pressured about making a purchase. The sales staff did not hover over us while we were shopping and they did not call us relentlessly to badger us. We were treated with the utmost respect at all times. All of our questions were answered conclusively and accurately. I have never had a car-buying experience like this in my life.