Hi all,
I'm in the process of relocating from the US to Singapore. Going through a depressive period as I'm selling my beloved 911 (type 993- last of the air-cooled versions) :verysad:
My company provides a car allowance which is rather generous but it is restricted to a 4-door as the allowance is meant for the car to be used for business as well as personal (the good news is that it's not a company car and I get to keep it even if I leave the co.)
Since a replacement 993 is out of question, at least for now, I'm looking for a 4-door that would at least be on the sportier side (read: No Lexi's or Merc's) and yet "mature" (read: no WRX's or Evo's).
One of the key criteria is of course a stick shift, also known as manual in your part of the world. It is the over-riding criteria that I'd rather have a 2.5l with manual over a 3.0l with a slushbox (auto). Steptronic ain't it since I know there's still a torque converter hidden behind those +/- buttons. A SMG or Selespeed would be ok, but there's nothing like the joy of heel-and-toeing, and getting those revs perfectly matched.
My lifestyle would involve limited time in S'pore and M'sia since my regional coverage stretches from India to Australia/NZ. Also, my co. is located in Tuas, so I'll be either (reverse) commuting to Tuas, driving to the airport, or long slogs up to Peninsula M'sia where some of my customers are, as well as my parents. Hence, the concern about S'pore (or KL) gridlock is less of an issue for me, all more so the reason for a stick. Also, I intend to track the car, where having a stick shift makes all the difference.
Of course my depression is getting worse as everything I see on-line for sale appears to come with slushboxes, with the exception of a very tasty E39 M5 at autoincsports but it's not the price of the car that is the real issue (a still ridiculous amount compared to what E39 M5's go for in the US) but the thought of throwing stupid money away at S$7K a year in road taxes (thanks to that wonderful 4.9l engine).
So, M5 aside, here are my questions:
a. Is it possible to find any E39 or E60 5-series in stick? Were any sold? Obviously, the larger the engine the better for me.
b. How about an E46 or E90 3-series? As I said above, I'd rather have a 325 stick over a 330 auto.
c. I hear that PML won't even do a special order for new stick shift BMWs. Are there other importers (even better if they can do used since I like the E39 look better than the Kabuki-eyed E60)?
If I can't find a manual BMW, I may have to resort to an Alfa 156, although the front-engine, front wheel drive, water cooled, um...character-ful..Italian 4-door is about 180 degrees from what I'm used to.
Thanks
I'm in the process of relocating from the US to Singapore. Going through a depressive period as I'm selling my beloved 911 (type 993- last of the air-cooled versions) :verysad:
My company provides a car allowance which is rather generous but it is restricted to a 4-door as the allowance is meant for the car to be used for business as well as personal (the good news is that it's not a company car and I get to keep it even if I leave the co.)
Since a replacement 993 is out of question, at least for now, I'm looking for a 4-door that would at least be on the sportier side (read: No Lexi's or Merc's) and yet "mature" (read: no WRX's or Evo's).
One of the key criteria is of course a stick shift, also known as manual in your part of the world. It is the over-riding criteria that I'd rather have a 2.5l with manual over a 3.0l with a slushbox (auto). Steptronic ain't it since I know there's still a torque converter hidden behind those +/- buttons. A SMG or Selespeed would be ok, but there's nothing like the joy of heel-and-toeing, and getting those revs perfectly matched.
My lifestyle would involve limited time in S'pore and M'sia since my regional coverage stretches from India to Australia/NZ. Also, my co. is located in Tuas, so I'll be either (reverse) commuting to Tuas, driving to the airport, or long slogs up to Peninsula M'sia where some of my customers are, as well as my parents. Hence, the concern about S'pore (or KL) gridlock is less of an issue for me, all more so the reason for a stick. Also, I intend to track the car, where having a stick shift makes all the difference.
Of course my depression is getting worse as everything I see on-line for sale appears to come with slushboxes, with the exception of a very tasty E39 M5 at autoincsports but it's not the price of the car that is the real issue (a still ridiculous amount compared to what E39 M5's go for in the US) but the thought of throwing stupid money away at S$7K a year in road taxes (thanks to that wonderful 4.9l engine).
So, M5 aside, here are my questions:
a. Is it possible to find any E39 or E60 5-series in stick? Were any sold? Obviously, the larger the engine the better for me.
b. How about an E46 or E90 3-series? As I said above, I'd rather have a 325 stick over a 330 auto.
c. I hear that PML won't even do a special order for new stick shift BMWs. Are there other importers (even better if they can do used since I like the E39 look better than the Kabuki-eyed E60)?
If I can't find a manual BMW, I may have to resort to an Alfa 156, although the front-engine, front wheel drive, water cooled, um...character-ful..Italian 4-door is about 180 degrees from what I'm used to.
Thanks
