BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

uge123

resounding...I ment to type rousing.

brave1heart

We had a discussion on the best gas to use for the 3-series a couple of weeks ago. Shipo found sth in the manual that suggested that the ignition adjusts to the type of gas used or sth to that extent. What I got out of the discussion is that the minimum recommended by BMWNA is 91 AKI but if you use anything up to 95 AKI, the ignition should adjust and you may notice a performance gain and better fuel efficiency. Again, they require that premium fuel be used and premium fuel is defined as gas containing AKI of 91 to 95. Even my Jetta VR6 used to have a noticeably better performance with 93, although you could safely drive it with 89. I dunno, I'm not an expert on this AKI stuff at all but I'm sticking wih 93 for my 325i. Difference between 91 and 93 is typically sth like 5 cents and it makes < $1 difference per gas tank.

brave1heart

Drivers are typically as "bad" or "good" as the streets they drive on. See, in Europe, the old densely-populated cities with narrow, winding, and congested 1-way streets and roads put a lot more stress on drivers who in turn become a lot more aggressive compared to drivers in the New World with big, wide, straight, less congested streets and roads. Boston is a pretty old city that wasn't designed for cars back when it was built. You get a lot of European-style streets and consequently a lot more aggressive drivers. For anyone that is not used to driving in Boston, the streets and traffic can be very confusing, especially with all the Big Dig construction going on. Out-of-town drivers get hesitant and sometimes scared. You get a lot more of this type of drivers on weekends with all the tourists coming in. Inexperienced drivers only make matters worse and that's how it gets to people cutting each other's way off, and honking, and all that.
I think I might have given you the wrong impression about my driving style. I don't go round looking for trouble or any of that. I try to be a courteous driver - I go fast but I always signal, never tailgate, never cut people's way off so they'd have to brake, I watch other cars' driving pattern and stay very alert. For all my years of driving, I have never caused or been found at fault with an accident. I'm guessing few people with 16 years of driving experience could say that. See, speeding tickets...I'm not going there )

uge123

I agree with your statement but must add that any kind of congestion, regardless of the size of the road, turns drivers mean. In Chicago I have noticed a serious trend of road rage combined with the continued cluelessness of the typical Midwestern driver. I am not merely being mean but have you noticed how many left lane squatters on the Interstates are from the Midwest, especially my grand state of Illinois? Well...the problem is compounded here by growing gridlock from crumbling infrastructure and shrinking public transportation. Ugh.

I personally think that it's easier to drive in NYC or Boston simply because you come to expect aggressiveness. In Chicago, with the aforementioned cluelessness added, you just don't know what to expect. The inconsistency is terrible.

In Europe I found most drivers to be aggressive but consistent. Totally aggreable by me.

frank69m

Hi guys! Haven't posted in a while...Been so busy...

Anyone know where I can get some White Clearlights for the rear signal lights for a 330i. Similar to the M3 and the 2002 3 Series.....Does BMW sell these?

M3 Frank

gurumike

I just purchased mine on Friday in anticipation of my cars arrival on Monday (it's been released!). I got the full set. The fronts all come in one box, corners and sides. They are now an official BMW accessory part and in the 2000/2001 accessory broucher.
Incidently, for those who have knocked clear lens people in the case of our cars, BMW was one of the first manufactures to do "clears". In Europe, the sport pkg on E46 cars includes clears!!

dl7265

I read a study done by the University of Texas regarding handwashing VS a Carwash, the conclusion was that handwashing with a sponge or whatever causes more damage to the paint surfaces up to 1/10th in depth , compared to one of the professional car wash services.
Interestingly they had same conclusions as a test done by the Technical University of Munich Germany 10 years prior, that was co oped with Mercedes Benz.

The study did not say who it was funded by, probably Oasis or one of the Car Wash Chains ...lol

Regards,
DL

brave1heart

I agree that any kind of congestion makes drivers more aggressive. The only thing worse than that is congestion on confusing streets with confusing road signs. You get all of this in Boston and like I said, there are a lot of Sunday drivers on weekends so driving is consistently inconsistent. I used to live in the North End (Li'l Italy), which is right next to the heaviest construction from the Big Dig for 3 years. Every morning, it was like driving in a new place. They used to change the streets so often that even someone who lived right in the neighborhood next to it would be confused about which way to go. Every weekend there were a lot of out-of-towners who'd pull over next to me and desperately ask for directions, typically saying sth along the lines of "We're trying to... and we're completely lost."

brave1heart

Do the clears in the catalog come with a tailored black Armani shirt with a pointed collar? The only times I've seen clears around here is with young fshionable kids. Saturday we were coming back from a BBQ and stopped by the 7-11 store for a minute. While I was waiting, a silver 3-series with clears stopped by across the streets. The owner was an Oriental-looking girl (probably around 22); her friend was looking important and talking on a cell phone in the passenger seat and both looked very fashionable and wearing black of course. I'm glad I wasn't driving my BMW at that moment.
Anyhow, it's all subjective but I just think that the clears look tacky and cheesy and the type of owners that I've seen using them is exactly the type of BMW owner that I don't want to be. Most important, I think the ambers are classier and in better taste.

maril555

Can somebody share an experience w/330i SP seats?
I was quite surprized to find it to be manual,not power.Also what kind of seats does one get ordering SP and PP-Would that be sports buckets w/power and lumbar support?

mfeldman

I concur re clears. they seem to be the trend -- especially with the 5 series and m3. But as my friend put it, he traded in his integra ( at least in part)because all the 17 year olds at the 7/11 had clears on their integras. I'm sure this sentiment would draw flames on the e46 board. To each his own!

brave1heart

<<<I'm sure this sentiment would draw flames on the e46 board.>>> Good, that would be consistent with what I've been saying: this is VH1, the other board is MTV. It's normal that clears would be a lot more popular with that age group.

gurumike

.. this companies idea of style ! I ask you, what a load of pathetic trash for prima-donnas who need to make some type of a fashion statement. Ugghh, these people make me ill with their ridiculous, stupid ideas on style and class. What do they know ? Losers.

http://www.bmw.co.uk

Well, I suppose there's a chance that it might, to some eyes, just look more pleasing and add that personal touch to our informed choice of transport. To each his own.

joekkl

Hi all,

I am looking to purchase an Aluminum Dash Kit for 325Ci. Anyone see any on-line shop that I could buy it from? How much it cost? Is it worth the $$$ ?

allano

I installed the Universal Transmitter last weekend following its instructions (found also on the CircleBMW site). The trim piece is black for all E46 cars and comes with the unit.
It installs pretty easily but found two areas which needed patients. 1) When installing the trim piece to the headliner, place your fingers through the trim piece to hold the stepped retaining ring into position inside the headliner. Align the retaining ring to the headliner cutout with your other hand. Then, using the same other hand, guide the trim piece into position and snap it to the retaining ring, squeezing the headliner. 2) When sliding the transmitter into the mounted trim piece, it did not want to insert all the way. I eventually found that the sponge piece, to the rear of the transmitter, caught on the retaining ring and dislodged the trim piece from the retaining ring (to start over again). So I put tape along the back edge of the sponge piece (to form a wedge at that edge). That way, the transmitter's sponge will (grudgingly) slide under stepped retaining ring without knocking the stepped retaining ring and trim piece apart. You'll see what I mean when you get the parts.
Although the installation is clean, the Universal Transmitter does not have the power of the unit that came with the opener. With the freestanding garage door transmitter, I could open the door at the street (~60 feet); now I have to be just about in front of the door (front bumper about 15ft from it).
Good luck.

cheeks

Has anyone noticed a rubbing noise coming from the steering wheel when making slow turns?

genie1

Its a black 98 318is. I test drove it on Saturday. What a gem. This is the best car I've ever driven. It was responsive, handled curves and accelerated beautifully. I was doing 80 (kmph) on a curvy 40kmph road with total control. (OK I know thats not too fast but we were on a 2 lane internal road.)

This is the first one I tested and I'm a little concerned about buying it without testing any others - but there aren't too many 318s up for sale here, it is a Certified Series, BMWCA is offering 3.9% till June 30 and it had everything else I needed (traction, low miles).

I loved how it handled. Dean, my rep, was great - he talked to ME (and not my brother) about the car, told me a lot about the car and BMW as a company. He was professional and knowledgeable. If the rest of the process continues this way, it will have been a wonderful experience.

The only thing I am not crazy about are the cloth seats (I would have preferred the leatherette). But I don't think that I would find another 98 318is with everything I want here in Toronto.

I didn't know BMW made a 98 318is. I couldn't find any reference to that model and year on line. There are a couple of others for sale here in TO.

veekay1

Congratulations (in anticipation) for your new car!

I picked up mine on Friday! It drives like a dream but I do have some concerns (guess i am being compulsive!).
1. Only got about 15mpg on the first 225 miles (175 stop n go / 50 highway; avg. speed 21mph)! Is that expected during the break in period? Will it get better?
2.Could you please comment on the noises that I referred to in my earlier post above (# 5640)?
Thanks!!

langley2

If I remember correctly, you posted several messages over the past few months extolling the virtues of KleenWheels. Correct ?

I am about to take delivery on my 325xi (tomorrow, actually), have been reading a little about KleenWheels, and I'm considering buying a set. How are they working out for you ? In particular, have you noticed any excessive heat build-up, brake fade, etc. ?

I e-mailed BMWNA about them and, as I expected, they would not comment one way or another. They only said that the use of a non-BMW product could potentially invalidate my warranty, and advised that I discuss the matter with my local service advisor.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

veekay1

Congrats!! I picked up mine on Friday!! You must be very excited!! Good luck!!
My $.02 cents on the Kleen wheels: Dont get them since a.) Brake dust is not the end of the world. It can be taken care of at the weekly car wash with Armor wheel cleaner.
b.) Its not worth risking either a brake malfunction or interruption of a good warranty given point (a) above.

Be your own judge. I decided against it.
Good luck!

sandecki

...now it happened to me...My 330i PP, SP, Xenon, CD DOES NOT HAVE TITANIUM TRIM AROUND THE HEADLIGHTS?!!?? It's not important, however I was disappointed with quality control if this should be an ooops on part of BMW.

Or Did BMW change anything recently on this? Anyone has any experiences?

brave1heart

I have - maybe on a couple of occasions when it was really quiet around and I was parking. From what I've heard, you can change the position of the steering wheel just a bit and it usually goes away.

brave1heart

It's OK if you got 15 mpg on a first tank with an AWD and a step in stop-and-go traffic and probably with the A/C blasting. Relax and enjoy it - it's OK to feel happy )

veekay1

i AM the worrying types, but remember, this is not a Camry I have bought here!! (virtually no QA issues); people HAVE reported some serious Quality Control issues here and I just want to make sure I am not one of the CHOSEN ones!!
BTW, just for the record, my right rear window has the chrome/stainless beading whereas the remaining 3 windows have the (expected) shadowline trim! What do u say about that?!!

brave1heart

I'd say the QA manager was in a good mood that day and threw in a freebie. 1 out 4 is not bad - I didn't get any at all )

veekay1

just hope the Inline 6 is not a V-6!!

veekay1

nobody picked it up at !! (factory QA, VPC, Dealer, my wife, friend or myself). I noticed it on the next morning....the right rear window was shining more than the others, and ........!!

uge123

sandecki, langley---congrats!

Genie1: I didn't know that BMW was still importing the 318 in '98. However, I'm glad you found a car you like. Personally, I think that if you like the 1.8L engine that much, you'll absolutely love the 2.5 or 2.8. Give 'em a shot if they're in your price range. I'm not knocking the 1.8, but I'm a fan of inline 6's. (sad that M-B ditched their long standing inlines for V's). Best of luck!

Oh...about cloth seats. If cloth was a no cost option over vinyl, I would have opted for that instead of leather. Less work to take care of and good quality cloth looks and wears great.

Brave: About drivers. All true. I think that the cure is to (1) make drivers ed much harder (my high school drivers ed teacher flunked over half his group because they were careless...other instructors were much more lenient), (2) actually TEACH the "unwritten" rules of the road, like use of the left lane, merging practices, etc., (3) use a graduated system of highway speeds like in Europe, and (4) crack down on seriously dangerous violators like people who run red lights and such.

alpine: Sounds great! What are the web sights to download limelight and your other apps? I use a Yamaha 8x8x24x on an external SCSI. Yes, I have a dinasour.

brave1heart

It sounds like your car has split personality ) Check that engine and makes sure it doesn't say v-tech on it. It's gotta be some Honda sabotage. Did you ask the dealer if they would replace the faulty chrome?

gurumike

I second your kleen wheels thoughts. I love my wheels to always be clean and BMWs certainly have more brake dust than most other cars (they have more brakes!) but there really is a lot of engineering in the system and it shouldn't be second guessed just to have pretty rims.
Sorry for not commenting before, I noticed burrs (I think) had responded by the time I read it and I thought he covered it. If you want another opinion, describe again exactly where it comes from and the noise it make under what conditions.
-Michael.

gurumike

Verable Valve Timing and lift electronic control system (V-TECH) is a Honda trademark (it would be like saying that Audi had VANOS, a BMW tm).

brave1heart

They should also teach ALL drivers to stay in the right-most lane and only use the left lane for passing like they do in Europe. I mean in Europe, you just never ever see someone carelessly going below the speed limit in the fast lane with no other cars around. I've also noticed that Canadian drivers are a lot more alert and aware - every time I drive up there it's like a totally different world. All drivers are very courteous; they drive in the right lane and always signal. It must be a sense of camaraderie caused by the more severe climate. I'm not sure why but they do drive better than us.

brave1heart

Hey, was that variable or veritable?

gurumike

I should slow down the wpm !

gurumike

One of my biggest pet hates, sorry, The Biggest pet hate is "left/middle lane cruising". There is only one cruising lane, it's the one on the right. Any additional lanes are passing lanes and should only be used for that purpose. The mind-boggling arrogance of people who sit in the left lane (and middle, frankly) whilst passing nobody blows me away. In effect, they are controlling your life, in the way a corrupt manager would have an employee perform unnecessary, degrading tasks for the reason that they can. We used that as an example of people who like control when I was doing sociology in England, before I moved here. You do see it from time-to-time in Europe, but no more than once or twice a day. Here it's just normal, despite road signs every few miles saying "Slower traffic keep right" (may-be they need it in at least two other languages ?!).
Kudos to Virginia who, about six months ago, made it illegal to drive in the left most line whilst not passing. One lane at a time!

brave1heart

And the argument of people cruising in the left lane: I'm going the speed limit; if anyone wants to pass me, they are breaking the law. 'Nuff said

Sociology in England? I didn't know social guys like you need to study sociology )

genie1

uge123:
No my budget will not stretch to anything with a larger engine, unless I go back to a 96/97 (which is too old). The last car I drove (2 years ago) was a 2l, 100hp Shadow. I've also driven an Altima and Pathfinder, but the Dodge is what I cut my teeth on. So the 1.8l, 138 hp was nice enough. (The next one will be the 2.2 or bigger maybe )

Brave1heart:
Yes, I noticed that Canadians do drive better than Mid Westerners. (I lived in Indiana for a couple of years) especially during winter. But I've been here in TO for 2 years and have not used cruise once.

denright

My car has been in 150 status since last Monday! Isn't this unusually long? I wonder what the deal is? Guru, any insight?

I was down in Florida visiting my retiree parents this weekend, and took them out to brunch for Father's Day. When we arrived at the restaurant for brunch, there was a steel blue 325i right outside the entrance. Of course, I pointed it out to my parents as being very similar to the car I had ordered.

My parents were thrilled. They both said they couldn't believe how nice looking the car was and how nice it will be to own such a beautiful piece of machinery.

It was nice to get such positive feedback from them. I halfway expected them to berate me for not buying American or for spending so much money on a toy. Haha!

tchoo

Denright, its perfectly normal. It took mine 2.5 weeks to go from 150 to 155. They started on 5/23 and wasn't done till 6/8.

alpine325i

Congratulations on your new car! Sorry for such a late post, I just remembered that you asked these questions before. I have no Idea if the Kleen Wheels will void any warranty. I'm going to call around and find out today, I'll let you know what I find. The Kleen Wheels are working out great, no heating up whatsoever. When I first put them on I drove around alot braking hard trying to heat up my brakes. The brakes actually felt cooler with the Kleen Wheels on. I guess the Aero vents are doing their job. A neighbor of mine owns a 330I, came over one day and asked how I kept my wheels so clean for so long because he said he hasn't seen me touch the wheels for a long time. He was amazed, but also reluctant to put them on because of the warranty. I don't see how it would effect the warranty since they don't touch anything and the brakes seem to feel alot cooler with them on. I had 19" wheels on my car without the Kleen Wheels and BMW was ok with that. I sold them because they felt heavy and bulky. I now have the factory 16" rims with the Kleen Wheels. Good question, I will find out today! )

veekay1

The problem (I dont know if it even is one) is this: I just got my 325xi with Step/AWD:

1. From a parked position, if I put it into reverse, there is a slight "thud" like noise/feeling coming from the rear. Is this normal?

2. If you suddenly tap on the gas pedal either from stationary position or while at low speeds, the forward acceleration/momentum is accompanied by a similar "thud" like sound from the rear, almost as if there is an excessive "play" in the driveshaft: I dont know if this is normal but I am going in on Wed to take the sevc. guy out for a spin.
What do u think?
Thanks!

veekay1

yes, he has ordered the part, gonna be fixed on Wed. (they have never seen this problem before)!!

tcn2k

I have having problem with this part place ever since i purchase a simple tail exhaust cover. Dumb people there are rude. They first took down the wrong address, so it took 2 weeks for my order to be returned to them, then when i called them, they tell me that don't know what to do until they recieve the package back, the got it back 6/11 and so i called them again. This time, the parts guy said it was being "Sent out today". Today 6/18, i called them and they gave me the old tracking number that was returned to them a week ago. The parts guy by the name of DAVE was really rude to me, i was trying to explain to him the situation but he just blows me off, saying, I don't know anything about this and that his computer is not saying anything. All the time i was tell trying to tell him the story to catch him up. Got to a point where i got mad, and said to him calmly "dude calm down, i am trying to explain to you what had happen so you will understand." I will never order from this place again, i would rather pay extra for curtious sales guy then DAVE, who ruined it for a long time bmw parts buyer! Now i have to waste my time and call my American Express to refuse payment on an item i have, or will never recieve!

gurumike

I'd try Dan Perdue or Mike Hernandez in California at 1 800 676 1595. They do internet parts sales and are quite attentive. Give them a try.

Veekay1 - AWDs do tend to have a little more "drive line shunt" than 2WD. I want to say that, as this is a new car for you, your extra sensitive to every aspect of it. It's entirely possible (however unlikely) that you do have a problem of some type but with out being able to experience it first hand, I'm confident that the foreman who will drive with you on Wednesday will be able to tell you frankly if it really is normal (and will likely get better with use) or if it needs attention. I stand by his opinion.
Reading back on your post, it really does sound normal but, as I say, it could be excessive.

brave - right on on the road rage. I always see people tailgating and light flashing. That practice is just as unacceptable as left lane cruising but if we could kill the problem at it's source (by keeping right) I know the roads would be a happier place to be !

kominsky

Check any of the big online parts places (Circlebmw.com, Pacificbmw.com, etc). I've included the link to Circle only because their webpage seems to be the fastest for me. It isn't gonna be cheap!

 http://www.circlebmw.com/parts/e46/matt2dr.htm

burrsr

I have posted several times regarding gas mileage experiences, even a somewhat long-winded, analytical post a while back about how mileage correlates roughly with average mph. Nevertheless, 15 mpg in your situation is certainly not "out of the control range". A few things to keep in mind:

1) Lower mph = lower mpg, in general. If you average 20mph, it's mostly city, and mileage will be low. If you average 60mph, it's mostly highway, and mileage will be high. Even if you were able to go 1mph in 5th gear, you'd get terrible mileage, vs. say, going 55mph in 5th. The engine is not in its optimal "efficiency range", just like torque curves.
2) AWD = increased friction and weight = worse mpg (but only by a few mpg)
3) Auto trannies = increased weight and less efficient gearing/power transfer = worse mpg (barely nowadays, with 5-speed autos, more efficient toqcue converters, etc.). This gap has closed dramatically in both efficiency and performance in the last 20 years or so. Can you imagine driving acar with a 200-lb auto tranny with 3 speeds and a relatively "loose" torque converter? Pretty common even in the 80's, as was the large disparity between autos and manuals...

genie1

Has anyone bought a Certified Series? What was your experience with this? I'm paying more for the car at the BMW dealer (in comparison with the other local dealers or private) but it is an acceptable premium for the service and extended warranty. (They are also offering great financing)

So...any leads on the Certified Series? Will it cover the car adequately? Also: The car had not been prepped or cleaned when I went in to test it. The dealer said it would be checked and Certified after the sale. Is that right?

Thanks

uge123

Genie1: That's a tough call between the older 6 and new 4. I think you'll be happy either way. The suspension, like you said, is pure magic!

road rage: I think that part of the problem is that our American culture is prone to a lack of accountability and a lack of common courtesy. We believe that driving is a RIGHT, not a PRIVELEDGE. If it was a right, why license at all? In a car, you are essentially operating a potential killing machine. Driving requires respect for the car, the road, and your fellow drivers. Therefore, it is a priveledge to drive. I think that Canadians and Europeans understand this. Many Europeans are unable to get their drivers premits because their tests are difficult. I just spent a couple of weeks driving about France. The French have an aweful reputation for driving like maniacs...but they are mindful of other drivers, tend to be courteous, and respect the road. They do nutty things like park in the middle of a one way street to offload groceries, but when moving, they are incredible drivers. From my experiences in Finland and Sweeden, I found exactly the same courtesy.

Here in the States we are all too quick to blame the other guy, to try to "teach the other guy a lesson." How many times have you started to pass a left lane squatter only to have him floor his car to cut you off when they have clearly been putzing at below speed limit? Obviously, nobody has taught this person any manners. How many times have you let one person in during a bumper to bumper merge (I'm a firm believer in the every other car rule when merging in heavy traffic) only to have an rude driver think that you're letting everybody else in?

By the way, I believe that flashing of lights does serve a purpose. It's a way to communicate with trucks to let them know that they're clear and to let other driver know of speed traps ahead. In Europe, flashing a car in the left lane way ahead of you lets them know that you're going to come up to them at high speed to get out of the way. :-)

I recall a story told by my Dad. When he first came to this country, he was driving in Michigan in the left lane following speed limit (which I believe was 75 at the time). Cars were passing him on the right constantly. Being from Asia, where there are no rules, he didn't think anything of it. A police officer pulled him over and told him that he was driving dangerously by squtting in the left lane, forcing drivers to go around. The officer let my Dad off with a warning. Too bad police officers don't do that anymore, eh?

brave1heart

I have been let off by cops a few times, especially in my younger years. They'd be like "he's just a nice college kid coming back from an internship, barely making ends meet and hopefully his $300 Tempo will take him home safely". A lot less luck since I started driving more expensive cars. Actually, I've had much better luck when I've been pulled over with my wife in the passenger seat - they figure OK, young family, not a single young guy who's more likely to be breaking the laws. It all depends but I get the feeling that a lot of the traffic enforcement is turning into a money making machine designed to suit the needs of local politicians. Just look at Connecticut (the wealthiest state per capita): anything over 80 mph is considered reckless driving and the officer is in his full legal right to cite you for reckless driving for SPEEDING ALONE. You get suspended for a month for going 80 mph - can you believe this? Even all of David Letterman's jokes on the Late Night Show and lobbying haven't changed a thing.

dantlo

I have posted before about my gas pedal(2001 325i step trans) being sticky. The dealer said it was normal. I swear it is sticky when outside temp gets hot, the dealer lubbed it and i lubbed it myself but it is still the same. Anybody has the same problem, I like to take it back to another dealer. But they might think I am crazy, my wife does not think it is sticky but her 528i is not a step(regule cable pedal).
Thanks in advance!!??

Dan