335i is very nice, but mama don't like it.....

Originally Posted by dtc100

I am thinking what mama needs in addition to the tune, replace the RFTs with a set of sticky summer go-flat tires. They will help mama during the launch. Keep those RFTs in storage and put them back on before the lease return to avoid the hefty RFT wear and tear charges.

'Wear and Tear' charges on tires? Surely not?

If you have a lease for 36k for example, then I think you can return it with 36k miles' wear on the tires and not be charged?

Never changed tires before return on previous leased cars, never was charged for them.

Originally Posted by sr5959

'Wear and Tear' charges on tires? Surely not?

If you have a lease for 36k for example, then I think you can return it with 36k miles' wear on the tires and not be charged?

Never changed tires before return on previous leased cars, never was charged for them.

Not performance tires, especially the way mama drives.

Originally Posted by dtc100

Your mama is clearly not BJ's type.

He would be terrified of her.

Time for confession. I never thought my flippant comment about 'mama' being a torque addict would ignite this discussion. Actually, I was looking for some advice on flipping the lease. It is true that my wife has always loved powerful cars that sound good. And she drives faster than I usually do. But she does not disable TC and do smoky burn-outs. I do the stupid stuff like disable all the nannies to see what a CTS-V will do. (It wasn't pretty. I came within a few milliseconds of trashing the car. A major dose of humble pie. If you drive a CTS-V or similar monster motor, do not disable TC and stability control unless you are prepared for a total loss of traction at the 1-2 upshift.) The truth is she is having some PTSD. This is the second bad crash she has been in in 10 years (neither was her fault), and this one shook her to her very soul. (The CTS-V was hit from behind and totalled.) We just figured this out about two weeks ago because she was having increasing trouble concentrating, did not want to get up and go to work, and was having anxiety issues. She is now under her doctor's care for the PTSD. Her biggest issues are that the 335i is smaller and lighter than the V, and she feels vulnerable. This was not on the radar when we test drove the 335i 3 months ago. And she wants her life to go back to normal, and the V was normal.

I appreciate the posts on lease swapping services. We may go that route. The Cadillac dealer will flip the BMWFS lease for us if we get another car there. '12 CTS-Vs are marked down $6-7k, may be able to do better than that with my supplier discount. But as much as I enjoyed the CTS-V, I dread the high lease payments and the fuel costs. A poster was correct on 14 mpg city, but we never saw better than 18-19 @ 70 on the highway.

For now, she is going to drive my F150 Lariat SC 4x4, a 5600# tank. We will decide what to do with the 335i later. In the meantime, I'll have some fun with it.

Originally Posted by Turbo6

Time for confession. I never thought my flippant comment about 'mama' being a torque addict would ignite this discussion. Actually, I was looking for some advice on flipping the lease. It is true that my wife has always loved powerful cars that sound good. And she drives faster than I usually do. But she does not disable TC and do smoky burn-outs. I do the stupid stuff like disable all the nannies to see what a CTS-V will do. (It wasn't pretty. I came within a few milliseconds of trashing the car. A major dose of humble pie. If you drive a CTS-V or similar monster motor, do not disable TC and stability control unless you are prepared for a total loss of traction at the 1-2 upshift.) The truth is she is having some PTSD. This is the second bad crash she has been in in 10 years (neither was her fault), and this one shook her to her very soul. (The CTS-V was hit from behind and totalled.) We just figured this out about two weeks ago because she was having increasing trouble concentrating, did not want to get up and go to work, and was having anxiety issues. She is now under her doctor's care for the PTSD. Her biggest issues are that the 335i is smaller and lighter than the V, and she feels vulnerable. This was not on the radar when we test drove the 335i 3 months ago. And she wants her life to go back to normal, and the V was normal.

I appreciate the posts on lease swapping services. We may go that route. The Cadillac dealer will flip the BMWFS lease for us if we get another car there. '12 CTS-Vs are marked down $6-7k, may be able to do better than that with my supplier discount. But as much as I enjoyed the CTS-V, I dread the high lease payments and the fuel costs. A poster was correct on 14 mpg city, but we never saw better than 18-19 @ 70 on the highway.

For now, she is going to drive my F150 Lariat SC 4x4, a 5600# tank. We will decide what to do with the 335i later. In the meantime, I'll have some fun with it.

Turbo I don't know where the Cadillac ranks in terms of safety but the 3-series is at 5 star safety rating. Big doesn't usually mean safer.

True big does not mean safer, but it's about normalcy. Her life was normal in the V prior to have it taken away. Even if the next car has a force field and she will never die in it, she will not feel okay in anything aside from the V.

Originally Posted by windsor027

Turbo I don't know where the Cadillac ranks in terms of safety but the 3-series is at 5 star safety rating. Big doesn't usually mean safer.

I won't try to convince her with stats on this one. OP is lucky his wife still drives. I know of at least two women quit driving entirely after accidents. Hope all is well and better.

Originally Posted by seacow2001

True big does not mean safer, but it's about normalcy. Her life was normal in the V prior to have it taken away. Even if the next car has a force field and she will never die in it, she will not feel okay in anything aside from the V.

Agreed. Difficult for some people to forget what happened.

Originally Posted by seacow2001

True big does not mean safer, but it's about normalcy. Her life was normal in the V prior to have it taken away. Even if the next car has a force field and she will never die in it, she will not feel okay in anything aside from the V.

People clearly react to trama differently. She likely feels the V saved her, another person might not want to get in another same car again. Whatever the reason, I know not to argue on this one.

Turbo does point to something we are debating in the other thread. With the incentives throw at the V, one can probably lease a base V at a similar payment as a topped out 335i.

Scary! Hope your wife gets better!

Just going to throw this out there: X5d gets pretty good mileage, and is big like the -V. The bigger SUVs from Porsche, Audi (Q7) and MB (ML) also might be a choice. Diesel and gas varients are available.

Maybe she needs an Escalade ESV lol my sister has one because "it makes her feel safe".

Originally Posted by mjrbimmer335i

Maybe she needs an Escalade ESV lol my sister has one because "it makes her feel safe".

Any SUV or Crossover will feel safe, but they are actually safer.

Years ago I was broadsided by a sedan, the only reason I still walk on Earth today is because at the time, I was driving an SUV.

This was a few years ago, but my mother walked away without a scratch after a head on crash in a MB 300d (wagon). Her opposite number was a suburban.

What was she hit by? Honestly, everytime my wife backs out of the garage, she realizes how small the 3 is compared to our truck (2011 F350). It's easy to see how someone might feel....unsafe?...in a vehicle that small.

She is getting help, which is the most important thing. Do you need your truck (work, hauling stuff, towing stuff, etc)? Can you sell it and take over your wife's car and get her another V? Would she feel better in a bigger vehicle, or is it just that the V is what she felt safe in?

It may be an expense, but give your wife what she needs. From my own observations and experiences, helping your wife get back to normal will be cheaper in the long run, and easier on everyone involved.

Finally, have you considered that even if you get a new V, she still might not feel safe? I would consider renting one for a few days (maybe just a regular CTS) and see if she's ok with it, or if she might want something even bigger.

Good luck to the both of you, and best wishes for her quick and complete recovery.

Originally Posted by dtc100

Any SUV or Crossover will feel safe, but they are actually safer.

Years ago I was broadsided by a sedan, the only reason I still walk on Earth today is because at the time, I was driving an SUV.

The bigger a vehicle, the more weight and mass you have. In a battle of physics, the larger vehicle "wins". I think that statistically, a driver in an SUV is more likely to survive an accident, while at the same time is also more likely to kill the other person! Honestly, I think I'd rather drive a well-rated car and take my risk against other people in SUVs than have the chance that my choice of vehicle killed someone else. I couldn't live with that.

I also think that SUVs are more likely to get in an accident in the first place due to their higher center of gravity, more weight to slow/stop, reduced handling ability, etc. A cousin of mine slid on ice, hit a curb and rolled her SUV over into a ditch totaling it. She claims it saved her life and ran out to get another. But my feeling is if she had the same skid in a car and hit the curb, the most she would have done was bend up the wheels or gotten stuck in the snowbank.

But all the talk about the SUV is getting off-topic. Sounds to me like she wants a large muscle car.

At the end of the day the only way to get the 335i close without dumping a ton of money on an upgraded turbo will be with downpipes, which add about 20lb-ft, and a somewhat aggressive tune. Makes a big difference in low-mid range power + faster spool up. Would also recommend getting an intercooler to keep that power consistent during multiple fast runs/hot weather. With those three things you could easily get a car that makes 400hp/420lb-ft of torque or so in a car that weighs 350lbs.... and if you have the 8 speed transmission, closer gear ratios to help a shade with acceleration vs. the CTS-V tranny.

This car will never without hardcore mods get near a CTS-V's feeling of uber torque, but you can cut the gap in half IMO. But if you want to talk about modding cars, modding a CTS-V would have been a better option.

Originally Posted by OBS3SSION

But all the talk about the SUV is getting off-topic.

Indeed! This woman is not typical. She has more in common with 'The Little Old Lady From Pasadena' than a soccer mom. She even has white gardenias and is a grannie. The only vehicle she dislikes more than a SUV is a mini-van. It was a SUV that hit her from behind at 45 mph or more. The driver was not paying attention, did not appear she even hit the brakes. Here are a couple photos. The back doors were jammed, roof panels buckled. Both front fenders and the hood buckled. The driver air bag deployed and the driver side Recaro seat was damaged. The insurance company totalled it when the estimate hit $40k and 9 weeks shop time with more damage to assess.

She can drive my F150 while we decide what to do. If she really wants another CTS-V, that is what I will do.

Terribly sorry to here about the Mrs.; That being said, to break the lease it may not be too bad financially but you would have to negotiate a hell of deal at Cadillac and hope for some discounts and incentives. Case in point, I was very unhappy with the 128i I leased that admittedly was my fault (automatic & not sport package). I put up with it for about a year until I just couldn't take all that it wasn't. So I walked into a Merc dealer and because of CarQuest and the '12s on the lot (my car being a left over 2011) they were willing to move it at an incredible deal. I broke my lease 13 months in, got a shorter lease (36 vs 33) and about $40 cheaper per month.

Long-winded I know, but bottom line, search for a '12 cts-v at a Cadillac dealer now that '13s are moving and push for all the incentives that are out there.

Good luck to you and your wife, I hope it all works out.

Sounds like she might be happy with a M5. Maybe the dealer would work with you to upgrade into a deal on one of those monsters.
She does sound like a keeper. My wife loves her mini-van and won't let me trade it

Tell your BMW dealer you'd like to trade up to an M5, I'm sure they can accomodate you.

And an M5 will make your wife forget all about a CTS-V.

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I had a 1969 Firebird 400 just like this one. Wish I still had it.

My first car was a 1971 Formula Firebird 455 SD. Wow what a car that was when I was done with it - Bored, stroked, balanced, printed, semi-race cam, crossover intake, 2 X holley 750 CFM. Oh do I miss that car some days.

Anyway, back to the point of this thread - whoah are you ONE LUCKY Dude. Dump the lease and get a Caddy.

Tell your mama take it to the track haha.

Thanks for the input. I haven't been active on the forum for a while. She still hates the 335i, but is driving it daily. I like it, but would have preferred a Mustang GT FR1 or a 'vette. I did go to the Cadillac dealer; they made a hell of a good offer on a leftover '12 CTS-V. But the trade-in value of the 335i is only $38k, way too far upside-down even with the great discount on the V. BMW dealer would be glad to put us in a M5, but we would take a huge hit because of 335i trade-in value. I may look into a lease termination via swap-a-lease or lease trader.

I'll be taking the 335i in for service soon to get the FEM recall worked and the A.S.S. last mode fix installed. Hopefully the FEM recall will fix the really weird problems with seat and mirror memory and bizarre DIC warnings at times.

Originally Posted by Turbo6

Thanks for the input. I haven't been active on the forum for a while. She still hates the 335i, but is driving it daily. I like it, but would have preferred a Mustang GT FR1 or a 'vette. I did go to the Cadillac dealer; they made a hell of a good offer on a leftover '12 CTS-V. But the trade-in value of the 335i is only $38k, way too far upside-down even with the great discount on the V. BMW dealer would be glad to put us in a M5, but we would take a huge hit because of 335i trade-in value. I may look into a lease termination via swap-a-lease or lease trader.

I'll be taking the 335i in for service soon to get the FEM recall worked and the A.S.S. last mode fix installed. Hopefully the FEM recall will fix the really weird problems with seat and mirror memory and bizarre DIC warnings at times.

Maybe you could look for actual lease swaps on a BMW 535i or 550i. You might find a 5er lessee who is in too deep or would prefer to be in the smaller 3er. Powerwise I think the 550i might be enough to satisfy your wife it she wants more power than the 335i provides. One caveat - being that she's used to sharp handling I would suggest a 5er with the Dynamic Handling adjustable suspension.

Originally Posted by windsor027

Turbo I hate to say it but you guys are obviously a muscle car family. BMW was a totally wrong way to go.

+1 Get a Vette ZR-1

Originally Posted by Turbo6

Thanks for the input. I haven't been active on the forum for a while. She still hates the 335i, but is driving it daily. I like it, but would have preferred a Mustang GT FR1 or a 'vette. I did go to the Cadillac dealer; they made a hell of a good offer on a leftover '12 CTS-V. But the trade-in value of the 335i is only $38k, way too far upside-down even with the great discount on the V. BMW dealer would be glad to put us in a M5, but we would take a huge hit because of 335i trade-in value. I may look into a lease termination via swap-a-lease or lease trader.

I'll be taking the 335i in for service soon to get the FEM recall worked and the A.S.S. last mode fix installed. Hopefully the FEM recall will fix the really weird problems with seat and mirror memory and bizarre DIC warnings at times.

FEM update fixed all my strange issues, including my driver side mirror being set back to its default position randomly.