BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

jpierce26 · July 2002

Hi All,

I have been reading most of the recent posts and have thoroughly enjoyed everyone's comments. I was hoping to get some feedback on a new car purchase.

I have been toying with various cars for the last month or so. I went from BMW 3 Series, to Lexus ES and IS, then Infinity G35, Passat GLX, and Maxima. I have gone full circle. I ruled out the BMW and Lexus for stupid reasons in the beginning. (I did not want to pull into the parking lot at work with a better car than the VP of the department). After some careful thinking I decided that life is too short to worry about other peoples thoughts.

So I think I am ready to move forward with a BMW 3 series. I have a few questions though?

1. Is the 2003 coming soon?

2. What is the scoop around the AWD? I live in New England and we get some nasty weather sometimes. I have heard so many different opinions about the performance of the car with AWD vs. RWD. Some say it is sluggish and slow. Others say it is no different than the RWD.

3. Comparing the engines, is there much of a difference from the 325 to 330?

4. I really want the Navigation system but it appears you lose the CD player when you purchase that option. Is that really true? Did they change that in 2003 models?

5. Is the NAV system really any good? I checked out the Maxima and I LOVED IT! PC Magazine reported it was lousy in a Feb 2002 review on in car NAV systems.

Any thoughts on any of these items would be helpful.

Jeff

leenelsonmd · July 2002

Platypus: Wow! What a hit. That was dead on your face and chest if it came through. Dead man walking...Breath easy, someone is looking out for you.

Just got back from a trip to San Antonio and Austin this weekend. I thought I would share my feelings about BMW speed since that seems to be on topic. Took my '95 325i and had a blast. On my way up I35 to Austin from San Antonio, I met a pretty cool fellow in a '99 Mustang GT (4.6L) and we were caught in a little traffic going 60mph and then he broke free and took off in front of me. He opened all 4.6 Liters up and I decided to follow (not race!). I took off too and floored it and we went 65-125mph and he did not put more than a single cars distance between the two of us and I think he was shocked later to see that I was in a measley 325i with only 2.5 liters to his 4.6. This went on for about 30 miles and we exchanged the lead a couple of times (always in a congenial manner--I emphasize no racing) and it was terrific fun. We always slowed down for traffic, usually by just letting off the accelerator early--not much screeching into the back ends of people out for a leisurely drive. We did the acceleration thing about 5 or six times 80 to 115/120mph and each time I think he was awestruck to see how the 325 performed. I was dumbfounded myself as I never thought it could keep up with a Mustang GT. I have not done the research, but I bet his low end torque would be better and he could have done better 0-60mph, but at 60-120mph we were evenly matched. Not only that, my car was solid-no vibrations and one time I braked heavily (just to be safe) from 125-55mph and the brakes were solid as a rock. I fell in love with my car again. I cannot believe how terrific these cars are! Totally different league from my wife's 2000 Maxima.

postoak · July 2002

Sorry about your bad luck. It could easily have been worse, as leenelsonmd said. You could have lost control of the car and crashed. So, in a way, you're "lucky".

leenelsonmd · July 2002

Did I mention all of the great driving in Austin's hill country roads at the relatively legal speeds?--What a great weekend.

Here is the latest on my car buying dilemma--I was waiting for the 2003 3 series and was hoping to see a 6th gear added and since this appears to not be happening, I was thinking about waiting another year or so. My wife says that if I wait another 18-24months I can get a new M3 instead--should there be any more debate? I could taste the new 3er this fall, but waiting would land me the car of my dreams. What would you do? 2003 5sp 330 in 11/2002 or 2004 M3 in 6/2004?

One more question: When they update the 3 series, when does the M3 change? Does it lag a year behind the change or does it come concomitantly?

orkwis · July 2002

Yup, I dropped off in Amsterdam at the beginning of June. It took me 4 weeks and 2 days to get the car back to Cincinnati, and that's because it sat waiting 5 days for the next boat. Check out the wallenius web site, I think it's www.wlna.com; they have a complete schedule of ship port calls. The wait is excrutiating, but I ordered it at the end of February, so it was short in comparison. bmwusa order tracking stgill shows it at the processing center, I will have had it 4 weeks on Wednesday! BTW: The Woodlands is an exceptional place to live; I have friends who left about a year ago.

Platypus: Guess your guardian angel can travel at least 55 mph! I think I'd have been in church right away after that. Glad to see you and your daughter are safe. Three years old is a hard age to try and make a lesson out of the experience, hope you can.

soverypoornow · July 2002

Platypus, seriously, that's scary. I have a silver 330i and it made it all the more real to me seeing your car.

My story is this: Soverypoorwife had her '99 318ti hit on Friday. Took out most of the front bumper, the front fender and into the passenger door. She's okay, but the car was undrivable. She's got the picture on her website -- www.clamhead.com. Hit by a fine, uninsured college kid in a Hyundai. Sucks. That's the bad news.

The good news: Her boss felt so bad for her, she insisted Soverypoorwife borrow her car for the weekend, instead of making me drive out to pick her up. So, after much "Nah, I couldn't," Soverypoorwife accepted the offer to borrow the car -- a '01 (I think) M Roadster. Imola red. Beautiful. So, that's what she's been driving all weekend. She has to give it back tomorrow. I figured I'd probably never get the chance to drive one again. So, tonight I put the top down and took it out for a little spin. Oh...my...God. It is just an amazing car. So much more car than I should ever be allowed to drive. Got on the freeway doing 95 mph. Didn't even realize it. Slowed down to about 70. Get bored, drop it down into fourth gear, and zooooooom, 100 in just a few seconds. Incredible power at any speed.

The curse of the tall is that I'll never own a car like that, but man was it fun cramming my 6'4" self into the car for a few glorious, yet oddly terrifying, minutes.

harlequin1971 · July 2002

Having an M3 means never having to say your sorry.

I guess if I were in your fortunate position, I would be trying to settle into the wait for the M3. Question is, what about both? You could buy the 330, drive it for a year...even special order that M3 the way you always wanted it...then sell the 330 once you take possession of the M. Of course, should you trade it in, you will get bilked a little...but at retail, BMWs hold their resale value so very well that you might lose only 4-5k on your car for a year's driving, provided you don't load it down to heavy with options (options tend to depreciate faster than the "car").

Either way, you are getting a very nice car, but if I could do an M3, I would wait for it...

Personally, I am waiting for a 1-series...kind of a different ballgame.

esq1 · July 2002

Does anyone have the navigation system? I'm thinking ahead to the next purchase and my wife (who gets lost easily) thinks the navigation system will be a great help. True? Or is it just a very expensive map that happens to talk?

burrsr · July 2002

Platypus -- glad to hear you're both OK; inanimate objects can always be replaced, animate ones cannot. As for damage, I'm sure you'll be able to find a reputable shop to do the work, but THIS IS KEY! When our Z3 was rear-ended (while parked in front of our at-that-time house), there was significant damage, even to the frame since the impact was high and at an angle. I immediately called my dealer and a few other resources to find the most reputable repair shop in town. All three resources immediately gave me the same name (unprovoked), so which shop to take it to was then a no-brainer. Seven weeks and $8,500 later, she was good as new! And since the shop took twice as long as they had originally estimated, they didn't even charge me the full deductible ($100 instead of $250, I think). I happened to witness a brand new 530i get T-boned a few weeks later (no injuries), and I immediately walked up to the owner and recommended the shop I had used. After about 5,000 miles since the accident, I'm convinced that the Z3 is as good as new; quite a feat given the extent of the damage. So rest assured and be confident that you will find similar results.

Soverypoornow -- I find that the power in the Z3 with the 2.5 is more than adequate. I couldn't imagine the M Roadster's surge. Personally, I believe the 3.0's power to be pushing the limits of the e30 rear end. Do you know if it was the "old" (240-hp) M engine, or the "new" (315-hp) M engine? If the latter, I believe it's one of the quickest cars on the road, given the freakish power-to-weight ratio (something like 4.5sec 0-60mph)...

john01 · July 2002

I have a 530 with Navigation, but it seems to be the same one in the 3 series. I love the thing and provides a bit of peace b/w my wife and myself now that she does not have to fumble thru the map. However, had I been in the states, I probably would not have gotten it. I understand that the coverage in the states is not always good, especially in rural area, and the updates can be problematic. In Europe, it has a great coverage and love it when I did not have to ask for a direction to parking garage, say in Salzburg.

My wife also is not very good with directions, and she loves it even more. I think you will like it if you tend to drive in or around major urban area.

There is a rumor that the 03 models will have a DVD-based system, just as they do in Japan (for a while now).

kp40m · July 2002

What I really want is a 325xi with 5-speed, PP, CWP, and Xenon's with a list close to $35,000. I am also considering an Acura CL-S with a 6-speed listing around $31,000. I know one is a four door and one is a coupe, FWD vs. AWD, etc., but I'm curious if anyone has driven the Acura and what you think of it.

1johann · July 2002

Have been driving FWD cars (since my highschool RWD Mustang)and like the way they handle on the snow/slippery roads.

Considering a CPO 328i or 323i. Living in the mid-atlantic area, most say that the RWD will not be an issue. True? or False?

Does the 323i and/or 328i come with any special traction control or stabilization features standard? OR Do I have to look for something special/optional on the cars, i.e. PP or SP etc. etc.

Looking at year 2000 and 1999s.

Any difference between the years that would sway your decision in one direction or the other?

Some say that never buy a car on the first year of a redesign - i.e. 1999 for the 3 Series.

However, I have not seen much on the 'trouble' boards about the 1999 vs. 2000.

Thanks in advance,

J

nyccarguy · July 2002

glad to hear that you and your daughter are OK and walked away w/o a scratch. A member of my temple had some 2x4s fall off the back of a truck and he wasn't so lucky.

You should send your picture and description of the accident to BMW Magazine.

The fact that you were able to drive away in your car is a credit to how well the BMW is engineered.

soverypoornow: Glad to hear your wife is OK!

nyccarguy · July 2002

To stay on topic for a sec, I was in the Washington, DC Metro area (Bethesda, MD, Vienna, VA, & Leesburg, VA) and saw tons of BMW (3s & 5s). I thought there were a lot running around here. WOW! The numbers I saw over the weekend seemed to rival Southern California. I just wanted to say to any board members in DC that you are about the most courteous bunch of drivers I've ever encountered. There were quite a few times where I made a wrong turn or had to get over and I never once had to fight my way into a lane.

1pierce · July 2002

Platypus: I wouldn't credit your BMW for saving you as much as dumb luck. It looks like that table hit you vertically, i.e. perpendicular to the road (is that true?), with the roof beam absorbing the lion's share of the impact. My guess is had that table hit you flat across the windshield, and not hit your roof, it would have penetrated the windshield and sheared your head off. Either way, you were lucky, rather than not.

Leenelson: Are you sure you want an M3? That is a radical hardcore sports car, with all of the inherent pros and cons (brutal ride, loud highway noise, insurance out-the roof, etc.). A guy at my office has one, and to honest, I would never trade a 330 for one. Maybe you've already considered this, but one of the beauties of the 3-series is the "balance" between sport and luxury/comfort. I think the M3 breaks that balance. Try before you buy. If what you want is a racecar with 4 seats, then ignore everything I said.

JPierce26: In answer to your questions:

1. Yes. 2003's can be ordered now.
2. AWD is better in a 330. I thought the 325xi felt noticeably slower than the 325i w/step.
3. Yes. A bunch. But, the 325i still feels fast.
4. Yes. You will need the in-trunk CD changer if you go with Nav.
5. No comment. Nav was not in my budget. I think they are only worth the money if you travel out of town alot. Just MHO, though.

1pierce · July 2002

If you think DC drivers are the nicest you've encountered, you have obviously spent too much time in NYC. Other than Boston, I've found drivers in DC to be the rudest this side of,... well..., New York!

You should spend some time in the midwest to find out just how friendly people can really be.

(just a little tongue-in-cheek)

katkison · July 2002

Hey, we are also considering an M3 for our next car! I know I still have 25 months left on my balloon financing, but you can never plan too far ahead! We are looking at an M3 convertible. Of course, I will have to drive one first to see if it is acceptable for me, but my fiance has a friend with one and he rides in it all the time and doesn't think the ride is that much harsher than our 330i with Sport. Also, I want the SMG, so I will have to find one to test out, which is a bit difficult right now, but as the time draws closer, it should be easier to find one to test out. I am also keeping up with the conversation in a different Edmunds discussion about the blown engines in the M3.

I don't know how long you have to wait for one here in Houston, but I can't imagine it would be more than a few months, given the volumes of BMWs sold here.

And, since I am a Buckeye, I should get my M3 as an Imola Red with grey leather!

Kelly

cmnott · July 2002

As a former owner of a 99 Mustang GT, I would say that he was playing with you...if he really put the hammer down he would have disappeared.

But nice to hear, sounds like it would have been a blast!

mg330ci · July 2002

I’m glad you guys are ok.

1pierce comments are scary and probably true.

I will clarify with the insurance company about the issue of who will pay for the damages. Since, if your insurance company takes care of it (we all understand this was not your fault), it might reflect on an increase in your premium in the future (BECAUSE YOU ARE AN IRRESPONSIBLE, ACCIDENT PRONE, RECKLESS BAD DRIVER WHO WANTS TO DRIVE THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO BANKRUPTCY WITH YOUR CLAIMS!). You know, they are in the business of collecting money and KEEPING it.

hiddendragon · July 2002

Does anyone knows if I want both pp and sp option for a 02'325i, how do they deal with the power seat? looks like both options provide an fansy power seats. will that make any different in price?

And guys, what do you think of the best options/combinations for 325i?

erickpl · July 2002

ttenn, I spent about 9 years in the DFW area, living in NRH, Keller, Irving / Las Colinas, Watauga. Whereabouts in NE Tarrant do you live?

Whenever I hear anybody talking about DFW, I get a bit homesick... send me email offline if it would be more appropriate.

Which BMW dealer did you purchase from?

-Paul

platypus · July 2002

I'm leaning towards paying my deductible and letting my insurance company deal with the claim. They told me that they would subsequently pursue getting the money from the other party's insurance company.

I made one call directly to Farmer's requesting a rental car, and the adjuster who is handling the case was not the most pleasant individual. Just don't feel like having the aggravation of dealing with a potentially adversarial insurance company myself.

Now that almost two days have passed, I'm more and more struck by how lucky we were to escape without injury. As 1pierce said, a number of things happened that prevented the table from crushing me. Had it struck slightly lower and not been deflected by the metal roofline, or had the corner of the table struck the windshield as opposed to the edge, horrendous consequnces would have ensued.

While I do agree that luck played a key role, I do not question the structural integrity of my car. I know I'm speculating here, but had the identical impact been delivered to a lesser/different car, the outcome may have been worse. Who knows...

In any event, I'm still a bit shaken by the accident, and felt a slight unease when behind the wheel of my wife's car yesterday. It's affected me more than I originally thought.

leenelsonmd · July 2002

harlequin: I think that waiting is always the best decision as it buys you optionality. There is no way that I could have my cake and eat it too, so I could never get a 330 now and then an M3 later. The M3 is a carrot for waiting, but a 330 now would obviate the need for the carrot.

1pierce: I have thought about the issues with the M3. I have not checked into the insurance, but it is sure to be sky high relative to the 330. I have also heard a little about the ride being harsh, but I have not experienced the M3 yet to compare. Additionally, I sometimes wonder if I am getting ahead of myself--I am only 31 and sometimes I think that I should wait another decade or so before spoiling myself. There are no guarantees and spending too agressively when you are young can create financial problems later. I do not feel like I deserve an M3 yet. Additionally, I wonder whether it is really necessary--as my little story points out, my E36 325 does pretty well with its 190 horses, and so is the 333HP really necessary. Each additional horse beyond a certain reasonable level has a decreasing marginal return when it comes to street cars.

katkison: Keep me posted on your M3 aspirations. I think the wait is pretty long in Houston--18-24months, but you can sometimes pick up one that is already built when the purchaser backs out of the deal. I would check with the dealers now to see what the wait for ordering one to spec is.

cmnott: You are probably right, but he gave every indication on about 7 attempts that he was dropping the hammer so to speak. His exhaust note seemed to confirm this as well and I love to hear that roar when the opportunities developed. I have no doubt that 0-100mph he would have taken me by at least a few seconds, but I was surprised to see how well the 325 did from 80 to 110mph. My car seems to live for these speeds unlike any other car that I have driven. It is bad because I have never been prone to speeding, but the 325 just brings it out of me. I love the acceleration and ease with which it moves on the highway. The bottom line though is that I am probably hallucinating and you are probably right, but the dream sure is enjoyable.

leenelsonmd · July 2002

When does the M3 change relative to the 3 series change? I know that I asked this above, but will the M3 change in 2005 when the 3 series changes or is it due for a change in 2006?

vkwheels · July 2002

SpecV vs 3-series. I recommend another 1 or 2 test drives in each, see which turns you on more. I had an SER for 7 yrs, 'twas a great little car. However, I do love my 325i now. I thought about the Vspec & the new SE-R but (a) 6 gears to deal with in L.A. no-way (b) so staid (c) I got excited by the way the 325i felt. So whatever floats your boat!

locke2c · July 2002

leenelson,

the M3 changes one model year after the regular 3 series. at least that's the way it has been since the M3 was a regular model (1995).

also, I haven't driven an E46 M3 much but I did comment here previously that an E46 3er with sport package actually rides *worse* than my '95 M3. insurance is reasonable on mine but obviously that can't nearly compare. ($360/6mo, 100/300/100, $500deduct; 26 year old male)

-Colin

bmw323is · July 2002

This isn't an M3 board, but I've had the chance to ride in and drive (for a short distance) a new E46 M3 with SMG. I was considering a move up from my 323 to a 330 and then thought about ordering an M3. I've decided that the M3 isn't for me. It really is a race car, although it can be driven just fine in routine traffic. It does ride harsher as well. The analogy of getting a greyhound dog for a 20th floor apartment seems to fit. Unless you track the car regularly, why pay the extra cost for something you cannot use? It sure is a dream car though.

soverypoornow · July 2002

Burrsr: It was the 315 hp engine in the M Roadster. Amazing and, again, way more than I would ever need or even want.

Comment on the Nav system: I've had mine ('02 330i) for a few weeks and although I certainly don't use it daily, it has saved me a couple of times already. Once when I was in an unfamiliar area and had about 8 miles left on my tank of gas. Dialed up a gas station and drove right over. Another when I was in a supremely scary part of LA on accident (think Chevy Chase in Vacation). I needed to get out of there forthwith. Didn't dare stop to punch anything in. Just looked down at the map and dead-reckoned myself to the freeeway.

ttenn · July 2002

erickpl:
I live in Keller. Work in Colleyville. I've been here for a little over four years. Moved up from San Antonio when I got out of Med School/residency.

leenelsonmd:
I was also considering the 330 vs M3 question. Since I am going to use it as a daily driver, I went for the 330. I thought the M3 would be too harsh on these lousy roads of north Texas. Maybe someday as a weekend car I'll get a M3 convert, but I think I'll be satisfied with the 330. I'll settle for a little less in 0-60 for a smoother daily ride, less gas, less insurance, a car that my wife can handle on those rare occasions (you know they are gonna come.... :-(

ttenn · July 2002

BTW, I bought it from Classic BMW in Dallas. I have a friend of a friend.....

Tried to go through John Roberts, but they would not go below MSRP.

soverypoornow · July 2002

So, I've just been informed by Soverypoorwife, who previously aspired to a $21,000 MINI, that she has changed her mind. Nothing will do but an M Roadster. CPO is okay...how nice. Here I thought her boss was all generous letting her borrow the M. Now it's costing me thousands.

On another note, I forgot to mention that I actually enjoy the sound of my 330i engine more than the M. Mine has more of a growl. The M revved higher and therefore lost the growl. Might be partly because I was hearing the outside sound with the top down. I would still choose my 330i over the M Roadster or M3. My difficult decision, if I didn't have a child, would be between the 330i and the 330ci.

soverypoornow · July 2002

Just had to congratulate leenelsonmd for the use of "optionality" and "obviate" in consecutive sentences. Truly a literary inspiration.

lanas · July 2002

My new 330Ci has just arrived and it is damaged on the roof (a dent and some scratches). The damage was incurred during the transportation to the dealership. It is currently in a body shop. I can't decide whether to accept it after it's been repainted or to refuse the car. The dealer has offered $100 in car accessories as a compensation. Is this reasonable? What would you do in my shoes?

dl7265 · July 2002

I live few miles from Classic, but never could get a deal from them , ended up driving to Moritz in Arlington,its a shame......

DL

jpierce26 · July 2002

What does E46 mean?

Jeff

jpierce26 · July 2002

I enjoyed reading your profile. I wonder if we are related in some distance family tree. The similarities are weird. I own a Maxima now and I am looking at a 3 series as I type.

Feel free to drop me an e-mail, it is in my profile.

Jeff

postoak · July 2002

hiddendragon - the SP does NOT include power seats

jpierce26 - E46 is the body designation. Here's a link to a good FAQ:

http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/faqs.php

jpierce26 · July 2002

Thanks, I felt stupid asking, but it was driving me nuts reading it every where.

Jeff

tcn2k · July 2002

If i was in your shoe, i'd order another one. Why get a new car that has been repainted. That is just my opinion.

1pierce · July 2002

Your's is kind of a weird comparo.

My advice: Get the Spec V. Nissans are really wonderful cars. They are reliable, fun to drive, attractive (if a little nondescript), and a relative performance-per-dollar bargain.

Finally, if you are excited about the Spec V, and you really do feel that it is more fun to drive the way you will usually drive it, then why even consider spending $10-15,000 more on the BMW.

As I see it, the only reasons you should consider getting the BMW would be prestige (this doesn't seem to bother you), high technology, and subjective feel (you've pretty much taken that out of the equation). That leaves only technology, which can't be underestimated. Then again, what did we all do before air bags, anti-locks, DSC, steptronic, VVT, etc??? We all got by just fine.

Let us know what you decide.

Crevels · July 2002

I'm researching replacing my 2000 TL (great, yet boring car) with something more exciting. I have been doing alot of browsing and have narrowed my list to 2-3 cars, one of which is a BMW 325Ci. Stopped at my local dealer to see/touch one, and to discuss options, hence my questions:

1) Loved the sport seats on the showroom 330Ci, hated the premium seats. Dealer told me that you could get the sport seats by themselves, but I only see them as part of the sport package (according to the brochure). Does anyone know for sure. I'm looking at getting the PP, but don't want the SP, because I drive over 30,000 miles per year, and will need to drive the car in the winter. Could I get the SP and have the dealer swap the 17" sport tires for the 16" all-season? Any thoughts?

2) The dealership doesn't have a 325Ci in 5-speed to test drive. They have several 325i and 323i with the SP on their CPO lot. Would a test drive in either of these cars be representative of what the 325Ci would be like?

Still doing my homework, and any insights are appreciated.

locke2c · July 2002

FWD... bleh. Made that mistake once, never again for a sporty car. Mundane transportation and nothing more-- yeah, I guess that'll work.

-Colin

Crevels · July 2002

I'm researching replacing my 2000 TL (great, yet boring car) with something more exciting. I have been doing alot of browsing and have narrowed my list to 2-3 cars, one of which is a BMW 325Ci. Stopped at my local dealer to see/touch one, and to discuss options, hence my questions:

1) Loved the sport seats on the showroom 330Ci, hated the premium seats. Dealer told me that you could get the sport seats by themselves, but I only see them as part of the sport package (according to the brochure). Does anyone know for sure. I'm looking at getting the PP, but don't want the SP, because I drive over 30,000 miles per year, and will need to drive the car in the winter. Could I get the SP and have the dealer swap the 17" sport tires for the 16" all-season? Any thoughts?

2) The dealership doesn't have a 325Ci in 5-speed to test drive. They have several 325i and 323i with the SP on their CPO lot. Would a test drive in either of these cars be representative of what the 325Ci would be like?

Still doing my homework, and any insights are appreciated.

katkison · July 2002

Excuse the off-topic: Just for giggles, I am checking with my dealership to see what the current wait time is for an M3 convertible. I know it has to vary by dealer, but I did not have a good experience when I wanted to purchase my car from Momentum, so I ordered from Advantage Downtown. And now that the Enron guys aren't buying new cars from Advantage BMW every year, maybe we can all get lucky!

Kelly

erickpl · July 2002

ttenn: I lived in Keller while I was working for IBM at Westlake and going to UNT in Denton. Lived in the neighborhood behind the grocery store plaza, by the high school. Loved that area, but I agree, the roads in North Texas leave to be desired, given the ice they can get in the winter, causing rough roads. Highway 26 used to be a much more fun road before they widened it... oh well.

-Paul

JingleJill · July 2002

ericpl...Hey, I used to live in Denton a long time ago. I'm currently in San Antonio.

katkinson...I went to Houston to test drive BMWs. I figured the selection would be better than in SA. I went to Advantage downtown and was not impressed. In fact when I cut to the chase and said do you have a car for me to drive or not; he went to his board, came back and said NO. I left.

I also went to Momentum and must have waited 10 or 15 minutes just for a salesman. When I asked to test drive a 5 spd, he said all their demos were automatic. I asked him how he could sell me a car if I could not drive a 5spd. Well, what do you know, a 5spd was found. I still was not impressed. He kept excusing himself for a call here and a call there...

I was most impressed with BMW of North Houston. Nice sales lady (client advisor), no pressure, but never returned my e-mails.

So, when it came time to order, BMW of Austin was prompt and met/beat the other dealers prices. I expect delivery in 4-6 weeks. ;o)

Stacy

kominsky · July 2002

1) Maybe you could custom order the seats without the rest of the sport-pack if your dealer is willing to work with you, but normally they are only available as part of the package. Personally, I would get the the sport package and swap on dedicated winter tires/wheels during the snowy season (there have been many debates on this throughout this groups history if you feel like paging back to read some pros and cons). Your idea of having the dealer swap tires/wheels, again, will depend on their desire to work with you.

2) I think that a drive in a sedan would approximate the experience you'd get in the coupe. Be sure to sit in the 330Ci some more since the biggest difference in driving experience is probably the seat height (coupe is considerably lower).

good luck!

1pierce · July 2002

lanas: If I were leasing, and I really didn't want to wait another two months, I'd just take the car. If I were buying, and planned to have the car for 10 years, I might think twice and refuse it. Can you afford to wait?

That said, one of my cars got wrecked a year after I bought it and had to have a door and rear fender repainted. Six years later, those two body panels looked better than any other part of the car.

crevels: To my knowledge you cannot get the sport seats without the SP. If the seats are a deal breaker, why don't you get the SP and replace your summer tires with all-seasons. If you did this right away, I'll bet you could sell your virtually new SP tires to somebody with a BMW, and recover some, if not all, of the cost of the all-seasons. The Ci comes standard with the SP suspension and steering wheel, so I think the price drops to about $1000 (from $1400 on the 325i).

I think a test drive in a used E-46 3-series sedan (1999 to present) would be pretty representative of the 2002 Ci. That said, the 325i's that I test drove seemed a little quicker than my brother's 2000 323i SP (both with auto), even though the 323i has more on-paper torque. Nevertheless, I'd personally be comfortable making a decision based on test driving an older E46. After all, if you have to order, you don't really get to test drive the car you buy anyway.

katkison · July 2002

JingleJill:

The dealers in Houston are all controlled by a few people (I think maybe two or three), except BMW North. I would have gone there, but it is on the complete other side of town from where I work and live, so I wanted some convenience for service, etc. It turns out, after we bought ours, that BMW North delivers a loaner to you for some friends of ours, but they were LONG TIME and frequent buyers of BMWs, so I would probably have to throw their name in to get the same service.

Anyway, Momentum was somewhat rude to us when we wanted to deal on an ordered 330i, since they didn't have any on the lot to buy. I decided I could be served better elsewhere. I went to the Internet sales person at Advantage and she was very nice, but has since left. Anyway, I wasn't planning on buying off the lot, so they could order one just like anyone else and were willing to deal up front. Of course, it turned out they had a car on the lot configured close enough to what we wanted (I wanted the cold weather package, which would have to be ordered in in hot Houston) and they were willing to deal a lot more on a car off their lot. I also went in at 5 pm on a Friday, just because it was the easiest time to get there, and they closed at 6, so they wanted to make a sale. So, while I did not get the best deal in the world, I got a pretty good deal for Houston, without doing Euro delivery, which we will probably do next time, even for the M3.

LeeNelsonMD: Ok, talk about quick service! I e-mailed the new Internet sales person at Advantage BMW and he says 3-4 months for an M3 order, so I was thinking about right. With the number of M3s I see in Houston, I figured it had to be quick. Drive down Kirby on a Sat. afternoon and you will see what I mean. He was also anxious to offer up that I could have a Sept. build if I ordered ASAP!

As much as I would like to have one, with the fiance at Reliant, a large purchase is not in our near future! So, anyone who wants an M3 in Houston (or willing to travel), you can get one in a couple months!

LOL.

Kelly

orkwis · July 2002

Have them fix it and take the car. No matter how hard you try you are bound to get a door dent or scratch or windshield chip sometime along the way. If you believe in bad luck you can feel that you got it out of the way. Every new car I've had and I've had a lot (see back at the very beginning of the sucession game) has gotten one of the above mentioned blemishes before the temporary tags were taken off. My ED 325i is 4 weeks in the states tomorrow, I just put the plates on today and noticed a windshield stone chip. Some things never change, but at least I got the bad luck part over with (knock on wood). I wish I could write this in 4pt font but "it's just a car."

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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