Simply Flawless

I still get goosebumps thinking about how fortunate I was to buy the 2003 BMW 530iA with automatic transmission after its high rating in Consumer Reports for that year. I ordered it over the Internet from my local Stevens Creek BMW dealer and was given a test drive at the dealership.

My order included every option that BMW offered for that model series except for rear airbags (not recommended if children are to ride in car seats). Everything included the "cold weather package" with heated front seats and steering wheel (something I'll never regret). It is so nice to feel warmth on the lower back and grasp a toasty steering wheel in the winter. "I see there are no options you left unselected on your Internet order except for those rear side airbags," said my sales rep. "Good choices!"

No car on the lot had everything and so I custom ordered it from Germany in January 2003 to be shipped to Northern California via the Panama Canal. It was custom build and if memory serves correctly arrived in a fast three months. I selected the exact color of the most beautiful desert on Earth, the Kalahari Desert, the paint color appropriately called "Kalahari Beige" with light tan leather seats. The dash is a delicious taupe with real polished wood console and outstanding navigation computer with crisp flat panel color display. It remembers all my destinations and the delightful woman's voice guides me everywhere, I never miss a turnoff anymore. The rear radar has been invaluable in warning of pedestrians as I back out of my driveway. The LoJack theft service and excellent built-in security technologies give added peace of mind.

Having owned many new cars over my life, I can say with certainty that this BMW is impeccable in every way. With tax and everything else it came to around $75K (and I saved a bundle by paying cash instead of financing). Ordinarily, nothing would seem "worth it" at that price. This is the one rare exception. The icing on the cake is it rockets to 65mph in a few seconds as I sink into the supple leather from the centrifugal force.