Yet some of us realize that the fender is there to stop rocks and rooster tails of water from being sprayed on those behind us, and leave them on.

I can see how that might be surprising, but I only see that as being likely under some very specific circumstances:

So if one wheel lost traction when engine braking (which would happen with or without an LSD), with an LSD the braking torque would transfer to the slower spinning wheel that has more traction. I guess that would behave like non-ABS brakes since you would end up with an uneven braking force?

But as long as you’re not lugging it, that’s usually still the most efficient way to do it. Most of those engines have their best BSFC at high load and low rpm.

I do find 5th gear useful on my 535xi around town for cruising in 25-35 mph speed limits, and higher speeds up hill. It’s also useful for highway passing when you don’t need to go all the way down to 3rd or 4th for a casual slow pass, but 6th is a little too slow.

Does the lighter weight make up for the loss of the manual?

And I never put two and two together until now...

Except I’m NOT okay with pleather.

Before I found my E61 535xi wagon, the E83 X3 3.0si with MT , sport, and M-sport was on my short list.

I recently saw on Craigslist what I’d call a ‘heavily ruined’ Miata, though I can’t find the listing anymore.

I just love that you can get a 5 cylinder, turbo, AWD, liftback car (and until the current generation, with a manual transmission) in the first place. I’d lust after it even if it was uglier than a Fiat Multipla!

Yes, renting a car in Edmonton during a snowy April - and just getting all season tires - was disappointing.

Now that I know this is a thing, I’m going to have to plan to make the drive there from Michigan this winter!

They still have a mechanical differential. Just an open differential rather than a limited slip differential. An open differential is not a non-mechanical differential.

Here’s one of my more realistic dream trips. I’d prefer to ride it on a relatively lightweight adventure or sport touring bike. My BMW F800s would be doable if I avoid loose gravel, but something like a Triumph Tiger 800 with 90/10 tires would be perfect.

“There’s also torque vectoring and a mechanical rear differential for enhanced stability.”

Rechts vor links is, IMHO, an imbecilic solution to the problem of dealing with uncontrolled (or all stop) intersections. It completely fails when two drivers are approaching an intersection from opposite directions - particularly if they are both turning left at an intersection where those paths would cross. I have…

Salescritter? I love that word, never heard it before!

I live near Flint but didn’t even know about that incident until now.

Too late to edit my post, but under Torque, ‘diameter’ should instead be ‘radius’.