Cars nobody needs...

[QuickSilver]

But I want one!

2001 BMW 745i vs 2004 Mercury Marauder.

Similar size, spec, performance, safety. BMW is about $10K more but you get the Teutonic "mistique" plus a few more creature comforts and ergonomics. The Merc... well... you just get a mean American muscle car look with a blacked out, fuck off with a big stick attitude.

I'm not out to intimidate anyone on the road. I don't drive to piss off or bully anybody around me. But when I get an open stretch of road and a wild hair... well, I bend a few rules.

So who's driven 'em and what would you recommed.

I must say, a tailored business suit stepping out of the BMW is expected. An equally tailored look stepping out of a Merc... well, it can be a bit of a contradiction. Yes, image matters but only to the extent that it has to appeal to my own sense of esthtiques.

By the way... it would only be an occassional driver and for long road trips with my kids. My daily driver is a nimble smaller german sport sedan which I love and plan on keeping.

[Shagnasty]

My father-in-law has the BMW 745 but his is an il(the long version). It is basically a personal limosine and an awesome car. I am 6'1'' and I can sit in the back and stretch without my longs hitting the seat in front of me (OK, a little if you try, but it is very different than the back seats of other cars). I have driven it many times and it is very powerful for a car of that size. My wife has a BMW 3 series and I had one until 6 months ago and his seems to have at least and much pickup-and-go as those but the handling is different because it is a bigger car (still BMW handling though). The handling and the electronics are great. I have also driven BMW 750 IL's that belonged to friends.

I can't speak for the Mercury Marauder. I have never even ridden in one. My bias always goes with BMW by default however.

[Little Wing]

I don't drive either and I can't recommend anything (I drive a 1992 Camaro, which I've had since it was brand new) but I would love to get my hands on the Mercury Marauder myself. That is one sweet looking car, especially for a sedan but I'll bet it doesn't drive anything like your typical sedan. I even went as far as going to our local Mercury dealership for a test drive. They didn't have one available.

Which was probably a good thing.

[QuickSilver]

My bias always goes with BMW by default however.

My bias is towards german engineering as well... but my preference swings towards Audi and the quatro platform.

Still, I understand that with a few minor and inexpensive suspension mods, the Merc handling can be tamed and stiffened. I'm not sure about the sitting position ergonomics. The germans really have that down to a science. I'm on the smaller side... 5'8" and 172lb so a well fitted, bolstered seat is pretty key in tight corners. American cars of this type are not known for this.

[Gatopescado]

Once you have owned a BMW, everything else seems......well, dirty!