BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

nobee · May 2002

I remember a post a while back that talked about getting rid of door dings. Since my car is going back to the states, I was wondering how much would they charge to get two minor door dings out and how do they get them out anyways?

-nobee

postoak · May 2002

Paintless Dent Repair - they usually charge by the "panel" and I've seen prices running from $45 to $150 (this last is way too much in my opinion, except for an antique/showcar being worked on by a nationally acclaimed expert).

They have to be able to get behind the dent. In some cases (but fewer than you might think) they have to drill a 1/2" hole in a relatively inconspicuous place to gain access. For example, in my case the tail light mechanism was removed and the hole drilled under the area normally covered by it.

Once access is gained, they use metal levers of different size/shape on the back side and a small hammer and sometimes a punch on the outside to remove the dent.

dave330i · May 2002

"When I posted the question, I knew the difference between a car alarm and LoJack and also that if
someone really wants your car, they'll simply load it onto a flatbed truck and drive away with it."

If a thief is willing to go to the trouble of loading your BMW onto a flatbed, what are the chances of him not disabling the LoJack?

kominsky · May 2002

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting more pleased with each confirmation that the feedback will improve since that was the one real negative in mind so far. You mentioned their wet road traction warning, how are they when the road's dry? Do they "sing" before letting loose or is it a full grip to no grip kind of thing?

vkwheels · May 2002

If the GPS heart of LoJack is 'hidden' wouldn't it be hidden in the same place on every car, therefore it'd be pretty easy to find? I'll have to do some digging on this.

tenet1 · May 2002

I though that I had heard of all the seat belt rattles and squeaks by now through this board.

Recently I have begun to hear this buzzing noise coming from over my shoulder while driving. Initially I though it was the door and then the seat belt anchor area, but realized that it was the speaker in the driver side REAR door that seems to be the culprit. This speaker seems to be buzzing all the time (sometimes even after I have turned the Stereo off). Has anyone noticed this?? I cannot confirm this is the speaker since it only occurs while I am driving, but I cannot imagine that it is anything else that is buzzing.

The sound is not loud but loud enough for the driver (me) to want to rip the speaker out.

Any suggestions or similar experience?

dave330i · May 2002

Do you have HK sound system? There are some buzzing issues with them.

tenet1 · May 2002

huntzinger · May 2002

If the GPS heart of LoJack is 'hidden' wouldn't it be hidden in the same place on every car, therefore it'd be pretty easy to find?

Supposedly, they have several different locations which they can use, which is a good thing, and probably makes for a slight advantage over OEM systems (TeleAid, On*Star, etc). Of course, if you have a lazy installation technician, he will only bother to use the "easy" spots, so the amount of protection is not as great as it can be.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the Original LoJack is not GPS based. It was merely a directional beacon that required the police to have a tracking system in their squad car, so if they're out of range, they're out of range. If there's a new LoJack that is GPS based, I've not heard of it (nor can I find it on their website). This is where the TeleAid/On*Star systems have their advantage: when activated, they literally cellphone in their current GPS coordinates. This assumes that the bad guys haven't been smart enough to disconnect the GPS or cellphone antennas.

No system is going to be completely foolproof, except perhaps for the one James Bond had (Boom :-)

-hh

nyccarguy · May 2002

Does a GPS based system like Tele-Aid work when the car is off too? I have a friend who has a C320 that was stolen right out of his driveway a few months after he got it. The waiting period for the insurance company had almost passed when he got a call from an FBI agent saying that his car had been recovered in a box, on a ship in Halifax, Nova Scotia and to come get it (he lives on Staten Island). When he finally got the car back (after they wouldn't let it back into the country because the plates came up as a stolen car), he took it to a Mercedes Dealer to have it checked out. The entire car was in tact except the floor mats were filthy.

1pierce · May 2002

brave: Thanks for the input. It sounds like the $500 is reasonably standard. I'll pay it. I can't take a chance on buying out my lease and selling the car privately. If it sits for just two months, I could be out much more in payments than the deductible cost to replace the windshield. I'd have to ask about $19,000 to make it worth my while, and that seems high to me in today's market (per your comments).

QUESTION: Has anybody returned a lease car to a manufacturer that they didn't buy again from? If so, did you do a "pre-inspection" so that you could have any items repaired yourself prior to return? Do they typically drive the car while inspecting it (i.e., if they heat up my brakes, they'll figure out that they need to be replaced - on visual inspection they still look pretty good)? I'm wondering if a pre-inspection is a good idea, because I can have my windshield repaired cheaper myself, or if I'm just tipping them off that I think something is wrong. I'm REALLY afraid I'm going to get ripped on the disposition of my Maxima.

nyccarguy · May 2002

I have returned leased cars back to manufacturers which I didn't buy from again. I can tell you that in my experiences with Mercedes-Benz, Ford, & Jeep That the only thing we've ever had to pay for was a nasty door ding in my Mom's 1998 CLK that cost somewhere around $225. Mercedes-Benz actaully comes to your house at your convenience to do the lease end inspection (would you expect anything else). The lease end inspection is mostly visual and they check the mileage. When I returned my Ford Explorer with a massive scratch on the tailgate, the dealer only seemed concerned that the CD Changer cartridge and Tonneau Cover were not there (I brought those items to the dealer later that day). Definitely just keep the Maxima until the lease is up and turn it in. The used car market stinks!

sunnybrook · May 2002

Approximately how long after dropoff at harms were you guys able to track the location of the cargo ship? I dropped off over a week ago but still can't get any information off the website. Is that normal?

1pierce · May 2002

It looks like I don't really have a choice - BMW doesn't want the car.

So you think letting them do a pre-inspection is a good idea? I'm most concerned about the windshield. That car has been a rock magnet on the highway, and there are three pretty obvious chips in the windshield when its clean. Maybe I'll just let it sit outside the night before and then not wipe the windshield after the dew dries. That ought to hide it.

I've traded a few real stinkers. I traded one car that had a terrible power steering leak. It was so bad that I had to stop at K-Mart on the way to drop off the car and buy PS fluid to add in the parking lot. Another car I traded had a main seal leak that I was told would require them to lift the engine to fix. Somebody got a world of hurt when they bought that used car. My trades (the Maxima excepted) are actually a pretty good argument for not buying used cars.

erickpl · May 2002

Gee, I sure think Shipo is awful quiet today... probably out driving that immaculate 530i of his. What a way to start a long weekend. *sigh*

-Paul

kp40m · May 2002

Does anyone know the differences (if any, including price) between the 2002 325xi and 2003 325xi. I will be ordering one no earlier than the end of July and am curious if I should just wait for the 2003 model year. I have a reliable (but boring) car so I there is no time pressure on my part (other than incredible desire).

Once again, my preferred config:
325xi, 5 speed, ZPP, ZCW, xenon, metallic

dave330i · May 2002

I'm sure there'll be subtle styling queue changes to make it look more like the new 7 series, similar to the difference between the 2001 & 2002. The changes shouldn't be extensive though.

jagzbimmer · May 2002

I'd wait for the '03. I just ordered a 330xi last Saturday. I, like you, am in no big hurry to get another car. However, I agree that the wait is going to be BRUTAL. Dealer tells me the car will arrive at the end of September. But, when it arrives, the wait will certainly be worth it!!

Hopefully dave330i's thoughts are correct. I don't want there to be too many changes to the current style b/c I think the current style is the best yet! I love my X5, which is the main reason why I chose the 330 over EVERY OTHER CAR OUT THERE!!

seivwrig · May 2002

There were significant changes from 2001 to 2002. I can't imagine that the changes will be any with the exception of the 10-way seats on PP and maybe some more standard stuff. The 2003 coup and convertible might see changes similar to the 2002. I just don't see that much happening. Most changes for 2003 will be the new Z3 and maybe the 5er in late 2003/early 2004.

jameswbcox · May 2002

Any problems with rotors warping on 2000 323i- I've had a replacement at 21000 mi which should never happen and at 40000 I'm beginning to feel the pulsation again, my only dissappointment in an otherwise fine car

dl7265 · May 2002

The transmitter is the size of an eraser and the owner of the vehicle does not even know where it is installed.And contrary to reports of cars being taken and the transmitter being left in the parking space is caca....

The joy would not be so much as getting your car back quickly in tact but the ******* getting busted, Any ring stealing such exclusive cars , towing them, shiped over seas ect.. need to be caught.
The recievers are provided to Law Enforcement by Lojack , but if you are in a real rual area i would call to see if they are so equipped.

In addition i have been offered pricing around the $300.00 mark i believe. I would pass for $750.00 i think.

DL

dl7265 · May 2002

A large % of stolen cars are the clown owners running into 7-11 "for just a second" leaving keys in car running , unlocked.

DL

div2 · May 2002

The 712s will let you no before they let go; breakaway is fairly progressive.

div2 · May 2002

Also, a lot of dealers and owners put the plastic emergency key in the leather owners manual case. All a thief has to do is reak a side windo, grab the key and they're gone. I once took a E34 touring to my shop for a ppi and we found a key case(with key) velcroed to the underside of the front apron. Anybody could have walked on to the lot and driven away...

shipo · May 2002

I heard last year sometime that the car thieves around the NYC metro area routinely steal cars, and then park them in a different public lot, just to see if the Police show up after a couple of days due to a LoJack installation. After said couple of days, they assume the car to be safe, so they move in for the kill.

Best Regards,
Shipo

mr323 · May 2002

I will be driving my new 325 home from Santa Barbara early next week and wonder if I have the driving rules right for the first 1200 miles. The two keys seem to be:

1. Under 4500 rpm

2. Vary speed (Wolfgang sez a 10 mph difference every hour).

Am I remembering correctly? And is there anything else?

Thanks and best wishes,

Ed

shipo · May 2002

Sorry for my absence, NOT! I have indeed been driving the new 530i quite a bit, but before I get to the nitty gritty, a quick delivery report. Yesterday, when I picked it up, I immediately noticed that the Tow Plug covering on the right rear bumper was missing, and after a quick look around the lot, I saw several other new cars missing theirs as well. Apparently, somewhere between Bremerhaven and the New Jersey VPC, somebody has started collecting Tow Plug coverings. Grrrr. Park Avenue has already ordered me a new one, and will have the paint shop match it to my car. The other thing I noticed was that the First-Aid kit had been emptied out (yes, I knew that I was supposed to take it with me, however, I forgot, until it was too late that is). My dealer explained to me that the contents are confiscated when they come into the country, as said contents are not FDA approved.

On to the driving; I have already put a couple of hundred miles on the clock since Thursday evening, and my impressions are interestingly different from what they were in Europe. Now that I am driving on familiar roads, it seems that I am now better able to compare the 530i with my old 328i, in terms of handling and performance. Simply put, the 530i SP blows the 328i non-SP away in the handling department. In the acceleration department, I suspect that the 530i has a slight advantage over the 328i, until 70 or so, however, once into the mid 70s, its all over for the 328i, the 530i just has that much more power. In fact, this afternoon, I hopped on the NY Thruway for a quick trip to our local MB dealership (long story), and as there were few if any other cars around, I had little to judge my speed by. When I casually glanced at the Speedometer, I was stunned to find that I was going just a little over 100 mph! The 530i is that much quieter than the already quiet (in my opinion) 3-Series, this could become a problem, I am going to have to keep a sharp eye on the Speedo, until I get familiar with driving it around here.

Handling: Hmmm, would my 530i SP keep up with Brave1hearts 325i SP on a tight twisty road course? Maybe, would it keep up with Dave330is 330i on the same road course? Probably not. Having driven Stroumpf, the 325i would seem to have an advantage in the transition, and a slight advantage once settled into the curve, however, the 530i has more power, which might make up at least some of the difference. I have never put a 330i through its paces, however, given its smaller size, lighter weight, along with all of the rest of the basic E46 goodness, I am sure that the 530i SP would be no match for the 330i SP.

Luxury: The first thing a former 3-Series driver notices when getting into a 5er with both PP and SP, is the level of luxury. This is a Luxury car first, and a sporting one second, and to that end, it really fits my Mid-40s (thanks to all of you folks who wished me a happy B-day ;-)) sense of balance between the two. Sometimes, it is the little things that matter the most. Case in point, I have driven a 3-Series equipped with the SP on two occasions (some of yall might remember one of them from early last December when Brave1heart and I swapped cars), and one of the little annoying things I noticed on SP equipped E46s, was that when I get in and out of the car, maneuvering my thighs between the seat bolsters and the steering wheel (which I like to set low) was a bit of a pain. This may not be a problem for most folks, however, unfortunately, after many years of some serious cycling, my thighs are uncomfortably round, and so, the 5er fits me better. Why? Simple, when you shut off the 530i, the power tilt feature of the 5-Series, automatically moves the wheel to its upper stops, and then brings it back down when you restart the car, making ingress and egress much easier for me.

A couple of other small items have made their presence pleasantly know to me as well, the first being the two-zone climate control (you E36 3-Series drivers will be shocked to discover that the E46 only has one zone for its climate control). Finally, I can set my wifes side of the car to 74, and leave my side at 65, that puts a smile on both of our faces. ;-) The next cool thing is how the steering wheel controls work with the preset radio stations. In the 3-Series, the head unit allows for something like 12 AM preset stations and 18 FM presets. Of those, they are broken into chunks of 6 at a time, so, the buttons on the wheel that allow you to step to each of your presets only works on 6 stations at a time. The 5-Series head unit on the other hand, has the same number of presets, however, the groupings are two sets of 6 for AM (AM1 & AMA) and one set of 12 and another set of 6 for FM (FM1 and FMA), so, with the 5er, your wheel buttons can scroll through all 12 of the non-FMA presets. I really like that.

Well, it is getting late, so I will close here. I will keep yall posted as other observations come to me. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dl7265 · May 2002

When you run that thing dry , take a few more photos

. Oh yeah any ideas on a name , i see you refer to Braves Sport as Stroumpf.

Only knock on my Sport seats is the wear getting in and out on the side bolsters ! however the retractable thigh support makes up for it to me.

DL

530bmw · May 2002

Excuse me, 100 MPH and not knowing it! You are not driving on autobahn anymore, let me introduce you to OBC that you have to set and control your speed limit so you do not get carried away. It happended to me before too(but I did not get up to 100 MPH) and I am now paying attention to how fast the car is going.

Happy driving and enjoy your car.(:-)

kdshapiro · May 2002

First Shipo - enjoy your 530. That was my impression of the 530 when I was shopping around and compared the two of them. Luxury first, sport second. About the dual climate control, my Jeep Grand Ltd has dual climate control. And while one could say it's a cool feature to have, there are very few times when I've actually used it. We've found rather than adjusting the temperature we move the vents instead. Although my wife likes it cooler than me, so it's in the winter that sometimes the temperatures are set differently for each side. Not something I would pay for again.

Second keys- I do not carry the small carbon key with me, I leave that home. I have the main key and the valet key. Yes I do park the car and 7-11 and leave it running, but I always lock the door. Someone in 60 seconds would have to smash the windows, not a very discreet act to get the car. If I really think it's not wise to leave the key in the ignition with the car running, well safety first.

Third Lo-jack and car thefts. We know that a bound a determined thief can get any car. However, I was under the impression it's very difficult to hotwire and start a late model Bimmer unlike other cars that use the transponder. Also, the fact that the doors cannot be unlocked without the key make it a pain to get it, even if the outside lock was compromised or the windows were broken. The standard alarm, which I think is a great investment, with the tilt protection and motion detector is also a deterrent. And that's all you really want is to make it *more* difficult for the average thief.

mschukar · May 2002

Congratulations on getting your 530! Maybe I'll graduate to the 5 series when I'm in my mid 40's as well, although my thighs probably won't need the extra room despite 45k bike miles over the past dozen years :-)

I agree with the previous poster on dual zone climate control; we seldom use this on our Volvo. It's actually a bit of a pain to set two thermostats instead of one. I guess my wife and I have similar "temperaturements".

Regarding the steering wheel radio controls, my 325i with HK and SP allows me to scroll through all 12 presets. Perhaps this is a recent change on the 3 series.

Try not to wear out your new car too soon!

-murray

vkwheels · May 2002

June 15 is the date I should be picking up my 325i at Shelly BMW in Buena Park. This is definitely a bright spot on my horizon. Thanks to the many of you who responded to my queries over the last couple months!

mark325i · May 2002

I read an article on the E46fanatics site on
how to de-badge (remove the 352i letters)
your car. I was thinking about doing this to
make the car less cluttered and easier to clean
and wax. I wondered what peoples thoughts were
about doing this and is it done very much and
would it hurt resale value? I guess I could
keep the letters and re-attach them when I
sell the car.

soverypoornow · May 2002

It's been such great fun tracking my car wherever it goes in the production and shipping process that I fear I will feel somewhat empty inside when the car actually arrives. No owner's circle to check. No Wallenius site to check in on. Just me...and my car. But for now, here's a webcam at the Panama Canal. Now if only I can figure out when approximately the Trianon ought to be in the canal so I can try and catch a glimpse...

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

brave1heart · May 2002

Congrats on the reunion with your 530i. I'd agree that the 3-series is a luxurious sports sedan and the 5-series is a sporty luxury sedan. The SP makes all the difference, though. Do I smell another comparo coming up? fwiw, taking a 200-lb instructor in your car does not make any noticeable difference in your time at autox events. I know what you mean about effortless speed - I have a tough time keeping mine at a reasonable speed and I've had it for over a year now ;o)

butmywife · May 2002

Thanks for the Canal URL. You are singlehandedly keeping me informed on the whereabouts of my car.

ButMyWife

shipo · May 2002

Don,

I've done gone and run it dry oncet (sic) all ready. ;-) I'll have to clean her up tomorrow and (weather permitting) take some nice shots. Given that I have the Black Leather interior, I am really hoping that the Auto-Lift feature on my steering wheel allows me to avoid scuffing the left bolster, time will tell.

Naming, hmmm, I know this is kind of weird, however, while I named my 1969 Plymouth Sport Suburban Station Wagon (383 2bbl, complete with rust bubbled fake stick-on wood grain side panels) Bessie, and we have sort of named our 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport (with the rare 3.8 engine), the Green Monster, I have never felt the inclination to name one of my nicer rides, and I have no idea why. ;-)

530bmw,

I still have not been able to finish plowing through the manual, including the OBC programming part. Hopefully, I will not get a ticket before I finish the manual. ;-)

Climate Control

Hmmm, well, in our case, I suspect that we will use it constantly. I say this because my wife and I have temperature preferences that are about 10 degrees apart, I like it the 63-65 range, and she likes it about 74. That said, our Dodge Grand Caravan has two-zone temperature control (much more of a pain that dual climate control), and I cannot remember a single instance (other than when first getting into a very hot or cold car) when the two of us were using the same setting. This is a feature that I really like. ;-)

Mschukar,

Wow, it seems that you and I have similar saddle time. Your legs havent grown too much? Hmmm, I wish mine were like that.

So, your 3er allows you to scroll through all 12 FM presets in one continuous loop? Hmmm, this must have been one of the later changes (like the clock on the radio display when the radio is off), as my 328i certainly did not do that.

Brave1heart,

Yup, I dont think it is avoidable, we are going to have to do another comparo. ;-) That is, if you can stand being seen in a Black/Black 530i SP 5-Speed, that is. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

nobee · May 2002

Thanks for the quick brief on the door dings. It's on the passenger's door side and even though it's barely noticeable, I cringe every time I look at it! I'll definitely have to take it in.

-nobee

dl7265 · May 2002

its easy here in Dallas, set to 59f leave for all 12 months

We will wait your photos Dale, i have tons just dont know how to post them here

Ok time to go boating,
DL

brave1heart · May 2002

As long as it's 5-Speed, I could stand being seen in anything. I hope you are not going to tint the windows on your Black/Black 530i SP, though. As far as the Shtroumpf, I am pretty sure it's opened up more since the last time you drove it and it sounds even more aggressive. Oh, I am also getting new tires in a couple of months and that would make the comparo more meaningful.

eos · May 2002

Congratulations on the new car. When we picked up our new 325i last week they also told us not to exceed 105 mph for any length of time

Bob

postoak · May 2002

I forgot to mention that when they DO have to drill a hole they plug it with a plastic plug. People who've had it done say its not an intrusive look. Plus, it might be in a wheelwell or some other place where it isn't noticeable. On a door however, they can probably come down between the window and the door with a special tool they have and not have to drill at all.

gurumike · May 2002

I have certain memories of comments made about one Robert Horrey.
Any of you care to expand ?? !!

I still say they're going to do it again. LOL

wabends · May 2002

Dear Shipo,
Congratulations on your new black beau! I hope you have not been making too many trips to your garage to eye candy it. I did that a few times during the first week of having our 325iT.

I look forward to your interesting and thorough updates. However, keep your eyes in the speedo before the fez catch up with you; 100MPH is not safe!

Regards,
Wabends

brave1heart · May 2002

Why is 100 mph on a wide open road with no traffic in sight not safe? The 530 was engineered to run all day at speeds higher than that.

shipo · May 2002

Hmmm, when my wife and I were over in Germany a couple of weeks ago, I had the cruise control set at 125 for several hours time, it seemed pretty safe to me. ;-) I let my wife drive for a stretch, and as she had never piloted a car over 100 before, she decided this was the time to do it. Her comment was, "This thing feels more stable and controlled at 110 than my MiniVan does at 65!"

Over here, on a wide-open road with no traffic, the only danger that I can see is what would happen to my drivers licenses and insurance rates if I got tagged by the local constabulary.

Best Regards,
Shipo

P.S.

Maybe tomorrow I can finish the detailing on my car and take some pictures.

div2 · May 2002

On my way home from O'fest '84 my 1973 Bavaria 3.0 crossed PA at an average speed of @100 mph. It was a drizzly Sunday morning and I was equipped with a CB as well as a first generation Escort. My wife was reading a mystery novel and later told me that she thought I was going about 80...

nobee · May 2002

Actually, If I'm not traveling at least 160kph or more on the autobahn, I feel as if I'm at a standstill...Just yesterday, coming back from Luxumbourg, I hit 240kph--on winter tires. yikes!

-nobee

bbrimmer1 · May 2002

I have a 325xi on order, which will be in the latter part of June. I ordered Titanium Silver w/gray leather interior. I know normally that the exterior door protector is generally black. I happened to see a 2 door 3 series with a silver rather than black protector. Does anyone know if this is an option that can be ordered? Is it too late? Thanks.

john01 · May 2002

I believe that you can only get the silver/chrome trim with 330. If you really wanted to, I am sure you can get the parts and replace it yourself.

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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