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Planning mid-October ED with 3 1/2 weeks for scenic break in. Steel blue/gray, SP, HK, 5-sp manual unless 6-sp is an available option. Any additional suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Richard
thanks
Ummm - every published source I can find shows fuel capacity as 16.6 gal. for all 330s.
What am I missing?
Thanks,
- Ray
Thankful for a 21 gal. tank and a reasonably accurate 'Miles To Empty' computer display . . .
fo
First problem - the base model's seats don't offer much in the way of customizing or support. A later trip in a sports/premium package 325i would reveal one can find a comfortable position in a 325i - just not the base one.
So I take off and the salesguy is very smooth. He understands my desire to feel the car where God intended - on corners, curves and switchbacks. Oh my this thing is nice (the sports packaged car is even nicer later). I hate all the car magazine cliches but they're right on the money. Point it, hit the gas and this thing follows that imaginary line perfectly.
After a really nice 10 mile or so jaunt we return to the dealership. I love the way the car handles but the power and the seating just didn't feel right.
The salesman talks me into driving a loaded 325i with steptronic. He insists the steptronic is just like a manual. I think he may need some therapy. The guy even plays dumb when I mention the SMG (um, the M3 does have an SMG right?) and say that's the only option over a normal manual i'd take.
Anyway the loaded 325i alleviates my driving position issues but the car's underpowered. No matter where I keep it in the powerband it doesn't feel as explosive as I want from a car that will cost me over 30k.
I left liking everything about the 325i except the power. After test driving a G35 manual, max manual, jetta gli and numerous other cars this weekend it's clear to me I need to try a 330i manual. Should I call back that same poor salesman - I don't want to bug him too much? I stopped at another bmw dealership and they lacked any manual 330i's. That dealer claims a 330ci will be coming in next week. Still not sure that the ci and i will feel the same but I'll give it a shot.
Sum up: 325i with premium, performance package is comfy, stylish, great handler with the sexiest lines of any car around (I seriously love the look of the bmw 3 series). Just not enough power - heck even a crappy, poorly built Jetta GLI with a six speed and 200/200 V6 feels more lively.
Official Trapped in Car After Computer Fails
Mon May 12, 9:43 AM ET
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Security guards smashed their way into an official limousine with sledgehammers on Monday to rescue Thailand's finance minister after his car's computer failed.
Suchart Jaovisidha and his driver were trapped inside the BMW for more than 10 minutes before guards broke a window. All doors and windows had locked automatically when the computer crashed, and the air-conditioning stopped, officials said.
thanks
fo
i am sure somebody has already talked about this in the thousands of messages, but i've no physical capacity to read 1200 pages of messages
Poke around Turner's website below to find out about their winning Turner Motorsports World Challenge 325i (also featured in the latest C&D issue) -
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/index_racing.asp
Stoplight drag racing? No. The ability to explode out of a corner or the ability to slingshot past a slower moving car on an incline, that's what I want. When I slow for a 90 degree corner and take it at say 35-45 I want to blast off from there and hit 70 in a flash.
I can do this with several of the cars I drove this past weekend. All were lesser cars as far as handling and style but not for engine performance. The 330i hopefully will remedy that situation.
Considering some of the mountains i entered last weekend i'd say the 325i could pull and eventually pass someone doing 50 up the hill. But it's not the sort of lightning response I want from my next car. If i'm in a car built in a 2003 and I drop a gear or two at 60 as I approach a slower car I want to launch forward, whip around the pedestrian driver and slip back into my lane.
I did this with a corpulent 6 speed 04 max. And with a GLI Jetta (200 hp, 200 lb-ft) I also did this. Neither car really appeals to me (I can't imagine owning another VW after how bad this one's been) and that's why i'm still awaiting that call regarding a 330i with manual.
i haven't given up on bmw yet. just not willing to pay any amount over 23k for a new 325i. It's not enough car for the money.
A 330i would feel considerably faster, esp if the 5 or 6-speed.
How did you like the G35? It has a lot more power than a 325i at about the same price. I've driven one extensively, and while I like my 330i SP 5-speed better, the G35 handles well and has lots of power.
i've driven the auto equipped g35 before and enjoyed it. as for the manual one I had a horrible experience with a dealership that only allows a simple freeway route. I made it abundantly clear that i wanted to test drive the car on twists, get the true feel for the car as I did in the bmw. the response was "you felt it on the freeway." very disappointing. I'm trying to line up another test at a different dealership.
ksoman... The 04 coupes and convertibles have a new front end... headlights, lower facia, hood, etc. They also have bi-level LED tail/brake lights and the climate control panel has been tweaked/simplified. I just returned from my dealer last night (traded my 01 Formula for a special order 04 330Ci) and he just got in the 04 coupe and convertible books. You might check with your dealer... he should have them by now too. Now I just have to make the decision on what color I want.....
The what color I want deal almost killed me... my wife, who will be the primary driver could not decide for weeks and many dealers gave up, one of them who stuck with me finally got the deal and she's getting the exact car she wants.
Best Regards,
Shipo
I was very sure of myself last week with buying the 325XI. Matter of fact I have one on order:
325XI Steel Blue, SP, CWP, PP, NAV, Xenon, and HK upgrade.
But listening to the stories about the 330, it is making me think about changing my order. Production does not start for 1 more week, I think I could change it right?
Jeff
Maybe shipo will chime in and tell you what is wrong.
Drop by sometime and we will lay some rubber out on B. Spdwy or Holcombe.
I am so happy I bought my car and I am becoming more and more pleased with it. My only desire might be a 3.07 rear to go with the 3L and 6 SP. You can get this with the Performance package plus 10HP if your willing to put up with the upolstery and the $ tag.
On straight line acceleration, they are not Mustang or Corvette muscle cars but the 3 series delivers so much more on a more civilized level.
The minor physical changes to the 2004 make it look all the more appealing and what a fine color... hey wait, that's subjective and repetitive...
ksso
Additionally, Braveheart is right about experiencing the other side of the tach.
On my test drive of the 325i I kept the tach in the 4k range. It was no more powerful than a 20k jetta turbo (180/164). There was little punch in the car. No ability to scoot if the need arose. Quite simply the car moved smoothly but never with the sort of neck-snapping, pull-up-anchor and explode acceleration I would expect of any car with a price tag over 25k. Remember this is not about off-the-line acceleration but 30-70, or 50-80 acceleration. I'm talking about hitting a hole in traffic or rounding a corner and taking off. Both 325is, even with the tach over 4k didn't exhibit any tendency to pull strongly from 2nd or 3rd. You guys may be satisfied with the that feeling but for me, I live that daily with a horrible VW and I want to move up in handling and performance, not just handling.
Luckily, most people who own the 330i claim it's a night and day difference. Actually I'm supposed to drive another G35 sedan today and the salesguy said I could take his personal 330i out for a comparison if it'd help convince me to buy a G from him. LOL
Were I in your shoes, I would hunt down a 330i with the ZPP and take it for a spin, I am positive that you will LOVE it. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Also unlike the 330i which has no power spike in the rpm band (just smooth power), the G35 has a noticeable power surge at about 4500 rpm. Make sure you hit this point during your test drive.
If you test drive an automatic G35, make sure you try manumatic shifting. Otherwise at part throttle, the G35 auto tranny upshifts aggressively which sometimes makes it feel slower than it really is.
I like my 330i SP 5-speed better, but the G35 has great power and chassis dynamics.
Remember the G35 sedan is available with a sport option. Unlike the 330i SP, it includes slightly revised spring rates and shock valving, plus summer performance tires (albeit the same size as non-sport).
However I think the base, non-sport G35 has a great suspension. The Goodyear RS-A summer performance tires on the sport version had noticeably more road noise compared to the non-sport Bridgestone EL42 or GS-A all-season tires.
Compared to my 330i SP, the non-sport G35 was quieter and had less road noise. However the sport G35 was a little noisier. Again this can vary depending on road texture in your area.
Make a note of what tires the G35 has, and whether it's a sport or non-sport version.
Biggest Stick
I just took delivery of my 2003 325i and at the 700 mile mark, the coolant temp. sensor overloaded while I was driving. And because I did not know that it was the sensor, I had to stop and have the car towed back to the dealer. They had to special order the part and the whole thing took 3 days to resolve. While I was at the dealer, one of the service advisor told me that it was not their record -- some guy had to bring his BMW back 4 hours after. And another service advisor said his new BMW experienced Service Engine Soon Light after two days of ownership.
Now does this mean they are less reliable than Infiniti or Lexus? Can't tell. I'm sure if you read their boards, they probably have reliability issues as well. I am equally sure that there are thousands of BMWs out there without any problems. My last car, 99 Nissan Max., had lots of problems as well.
But for me, the bottom line is that I love BMW driving experience and if I have to take it to the dealer more than usual, so be it. At least most of the problems are covered under warranty.
Knew a person who bought a Honda. Drove it off the dealers' lot, had a failure in the car in the first five miles, crashed said car. (Driver was unhurt). Said car almost totalled. At least your BMW did not cause you to crash the car.
Granted all one off events, but they all break, some sooner than others.
I agree that all cars will have some things go wrong, no matter what the make. And your experience demonstrates that for every car like mine, there is one like yours -- trouble-free. I guess that was the point I was hoping to get across.
At least I did not crash and the towing/repair was free. And hopefully, this is the only thing that goes wrong.
But the driving experience outweighs any potential problem I might have.