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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    YES!!!

    hippo - why don't you get roundel?

    -Chris
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    why get the Roundel, when so many of us are willing to pass its wisdom on this board. ;)

    hippo,

    You really should think about joining the BMWCCA. It's cheap, you get great mag, discounts on BMW parts, and participate in BMWCCA sponsored events
  • ghomazghomaz Member Posts: 68
    Hello all. I have decided to go in for a Certified Pre-Owned BMW. My budget is $30K. I now have to decide which "series" to buy. Personally, I like the 5 series but is there a significant difference in maintenance and ownership costs between the 3, 5 and 7 series? This is going to be a second car so interior space, trunk volume, etc. are not decision factors. Thanks for your help.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    I got a 40% discount on my bra and a 33% discount on my alarm. So I have saved close to 100 dollars. The only accessory that I have paid full price (at US value) is my tail pipe trim. That was not big loss. The rest of my accessories were purchased in Europe. I go home to England to every other year, so I hope that my wife wants a new car in 2004. I'll go buy more parts unless the Euro is valued above the Dollar.
  • tenet1tenet1 Member Posts: 354
    With that budget I would go for a 2001 330i and get maximum performance. You may only get a used 525 for that price for something relatively new and that would be a bit weak.
  • jeopardizedjeopardized Member Posts: 2
    I have seen a very low mileage 2000 323i at a local dealer for what looks like a very good price (~$26k). When I asked why the mileage was so low, the only explanation provided by the salesman was that it had been a BMW owned car previously, the dealership bought it at an internal auction and had been using it as a loaner for owners with cars in the shop. He generated a CarFax report that seemed to confirm this.

    When I went on the test drive, the only problems I noticed were that the battery was dead when I first tried to start it and the front passenger side door would not open using the handle (from the inside or out) until the car had been turned on and off. The car started and ran fine after being jumped. Physically the car looked great (to my inexperienced eye).

    I have not returned for a second test to see if the battery is dead again. The car has been on the dealers lot for several months.

    The car has one year left on the warranty. Apparently BMW starts the warranty even though the car has never been sold on the open market. It has not been certified.

    Am I missing something, or, assuming the door and electrical system check out, is this a good deal? Something seems a little odd. Any comments?
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    Is that a particularly good price? I just bought a brand-new 325i for $30,700, driveout. You'll have to pay TT&L on that $26,000 so I'm guessing drive out would be more like $27,500. That doesn't seem like such a good deal to me. What options are on the car?
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    100Nm to 120Nm is "officially" from BMW and yes, it does seem like a big jump. Don't tighten as much as you can - this could be dangerous, as the lug nut may snap off under pressure. You really should use a torque wrench for that. It's best to get the clicking type - I just got mine in the mail today from The Tirerack for $29. 1/2 inch is preferable to 3/8. A similar torque wrench goes for ~ $60 at Sears. Oh, you will also need a 17 mm socket - I got the thin wall type.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    Just got an offer to refinance both our cars at 4.8% and this is NOT a promotional rate or a rate that fluctuates. It is not tied to our house either. It's amazing how much the rates have gone down!! All I need to do is send a fax with the payoff info - done and done. This will save us about $700-750 for the remaining term of the two loans.
  • dax9dax9 Member Posts: 7
    jeopardized – A month ago I purchased a Certified Pre-owned 2000 323i for 28,700. Same history as the car you spoke of. It's a great car. But I would not have bought it if it had the problems that you described – especially if it was not certified. Why get it when you know there are flaws from the getgo?

    Wait a little. They'll be other BMWs. Maybe not with as low a mileage as you want, but there will always be other features that will fill the gap. My car has a luxury package that wasn't part of my search criteria, but because it had really low mileage I went for it. In my experience, it didn't hurt to wait. The dealership I used had cars of all makes and models with varying packages coming in every week.

    Give your salesperson an ultimatum – that you won't buy the car with those flaws. That its the "only thing that's stopping you". See where it gets you.

    A question for all. I need to get snow tires. BMW quoted $124 per tire, $126 to mount and balance, and $130 for alignment.

    Town Fair Tire quoted me the same for the tires, but $9.95 to balance, and $29.00 to align. Big difference.

    I'm interested in finding out more about the pros and cons of going outside BMW for stuff that isn't covered under the Full Warranty. What do I risk?
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    Go to Tirerack.com for winter tires. Wheel and tire packages are mounted and balanced - free. No sales tax - very knowledgable staff.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    Went back out to BMW North and drove an M3 this past week. It was a great car, but was new so I did not take it over 4000rpm. Still waiting to drive one that has been broken in.

    I did drive a 330 5sp and WOW! That is a great car. I have not driven the 5sp and it was a totally different car than the auto. Acceleration was brisk and cornering was great. I loved how you could coax it to oversteer and really swing around corners. It even made me think for a few moments about dropping the M3 and just getting a 330, but I figured that I should go ahead and splurge while I can since the wife is on board with everything. I will say that I like the 5sp more than the 6sp. The 5sp is easier to shift and the 5th gear ratio is even higher than in a 6sp (meaning rpms at 80mph are lower in the 5sp than in the 6th). I would have thought the 6sp would have 5 relatively close gears with the 6th gear being very high for cruising down the highway (in my imagination it would be nice to go about 100mph at 3500rpm).

    I took two friends out there with me. One ordered an M3 and the other (a girl) is going to order a 330. She was going to get the auto, but after driving the manual she understands the difference. The manual gearbox on that 330 just puts a grin on your face and beads of sweat on your forehead.-->It is sortof like having xxx with your car--wonderful.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    What brand of bra did you buy for your car? My wife got the BMW-supplied bra when she bought her 2002 325Ci. It doesn't fit well, and the section on the hood flaps like crazy above 70mph. I am wondering if a different brand might fit better.

    Thanks for your help.
  • bart001bart001 Member Posts: 3
    There is no reason to go to the dealer for snow tires! I've had snow tires for my 94 325is since the winter of 96, and in fact they wore out only at the end of the winter of '01. If I dont buy an '03 330xi I need to buy 4 tires for this winter. Here's what I did.

    I went to my local independent BMW repair shop and bought 4 steel wheels, 4 318i style wheel covers and 4 snow tires. He had obtained the package from Tire Rack and I didnt have to pay for shipping. (He gets a discount, so he made some $$ and I saved some $$.) Every fall I'd swap them on, and every spring I'd swap back for my summer tires.

    Any reputable tire center should be able to sell you 4 wheels and snow tires. I didnt want to pay for fancy wheels, so just went with conventional steel rims and orig. equipment wheel covers. If your local tire center can't get the wheel covers, Tire Rack sells those too.

    My summer tires are the 225-55x16's, and I bought 65 series snows. This time around I'd buy 60's, not 65's.
  • bart001bart001 Member Posts: 3
    I understand that moisture can build up under these. Any experience? Sometimes I like the look, but I was talked out of the idea many years ago for this reason.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    I have not seen moisture accumulate just due to humidity. But, the fabric will tend to hold moisture from dew and rain. Leaving a bra on for a prolonged time will eventually damage the paint by causing it to "blush". Dirt and bugs will also accumulate under it and cause light scratches over time.

    I have concluded that a bra serves a purpose only when driving on roads that are prone to have gravel ot heavy truck traffic. Otherwise, they are too much trouble. A case in point - I always put the bra on my wife's '97 Integra when doing highway driving. After five years, it has numerous rock dings on the sides and hood that are not covered by the bra.

    So, what is the use? If the front of her BMW gets too chipped, and I can't repair the chips with touch-up paint, she'll just have the front of the car painted. Cars are made to enjoy - not to be a burden.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    "My wife got the BMW-supplied bra when she bought her 2002 325Ci." ==> it's nice of BMW to help spice up your intimate life on top of building great cars :o)
  • 325i2002325i2002 Member Posts: 6
    Hello everyone,
    I'm looking to purchase a 325i auto in the bay area (CA). I'm getting a quote for $32755 + tax and doc fees.
    Is this a good deal? This my first car BMW purchase, so thanks for any help.

    1210 auto
    635 xenon
    430 paint
    1320 leat
    2455 prem pk
    645 del
    240 ad
    31755 total invoice price
    32755 $1000 over invoice
  • golfnut7golfnut7 Member Posts: 34
    $1,000 over invoice sounds like a good deal. I got the same quote today when I stopped by to look at a similar equiped 325i.

    What is the going finance rate these days? I bought my last car when the stock market was a little better and didn't have to finance it but I can't do the same with this one. Does BMW finance offer something under 5%?
  • 325i2002325i2002 Member Posts: 6
    They were offering me 6.25% with good credit.
    What dealer did you shop at? I'm looking for a car with those options in steel blue. The car my dealer quoted me is sitting on a boat now. And I want one now.. :o)
  • golfnut7golfnut7 Member Posts: 34
    BMW of Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, Arkansas. They have a steel blue 325 coming in sometime soon. I don't know what options it has. They also have a few silver ones, a topaz blue one and a white one on the lost.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    I have the BMW bra. The hood part does fit precisely. But everything else is fine. I only use it for long haul trips (over 100 miles). I don't want to have to go to a car wash to get the Texas sized bugs of the from of my car only to repeat this when I get home. I would not keep a bra on the car for extended periods of time. I think there would be some scratches under the bra. As far as chips, I can't be concerned about that. I work near the port of Houston which translates to big semis and flying rocks. Those rocks will find my windshield and top of my hood before the front of my car. Headlight shields would be good investment especially if you have Xenon or Bi-Xenon.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    We're on the same page. I try to keep the front end of her car waxed heavily, and I do wash the car within a couple of days after a trip. I have found that Meguiars Body Scrub is effective in removing bug stains that washing doesn't get.

    You're right about the rocks. Her car has two chips on the hood and one on the windshield. All caused by one rock hit a few miles west of Fort Worth. I know what you're talking about regarding the Port of Houston.
  • dl7265dl7265 Member Posts: 1,381
    Does that AR dealer have a web site ? or inventoy list on new vehicles ?1k over is way better than a TX dealer will do.

    DL
  • dax9dax9 Member Posts: 7
    bart 001 -- Thanks for the feedback. What are wheel covers? Are they used to protect the tires that are not in use during the winter?

    Why did you purchase rims and not just tires? I was under the impression that one could just purchase tires for the existing rims and get by.
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    most get separate,steel wheels for their snow tires. The thinking is that road salt might be too harsh on the finish of the alloy wheels. I'm not sure about that,but there is a fair amount of labor involved in getting the snows mounted and taken off each season. Plastic wheel covers("hubcaps" in old parlance)are put over the steel wheels to avoid the NASCAR look. This cheaper alternative to alloys is still standard on the base sedan in Europe.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    there's an even better reason to go with a second set of wheels, and that's that you can go with a "minus-1" set up, that allows you to present a skinnier profile to the road, which is "mo bettah" in the yukky stuff...

    -Chris
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    so true. Great advice,Chris.
  • sunnybrooksunnybrook Member Posts: 74
    I am approaching 4K miles on my 2002 325i and am wondering what kind of synthetic oil most have used to fill up that which has burned off during the break-in period. Any insight would be appreciated.
  • tenet1tenet1 Member Posts: 354
    Just use the BMW synthetic 5W30 from the dealer. 1 quart cost about $4.50.

    Mine did not need to be topped off until 10K miles. Amazing, but true!
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    My dealer gave me a quart of BMW-branded oil (no charge), but the car has not used a drop in 4500 miles. Your dealer should top off the oil at no charge per BMW maintenance warranty. If he won't, then use Castrol Syntec which is what BMW recommends. Look at the oil filler cap and the label in the engine compartment.
  • john01john01 Member Posts: 246
    It was recently reported by a lister on the 5 series side that BMW oil is slightly different from the Syntech it is based on.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    As far as Bras (to be PC, hood protectors:) go, I do have one for my 2001 Prelude and only use it when I take extended highway trips. Otherwise, the BRA is off because I do not want moisture to accumulate underneath it, nor do I want the paint to fade unevenly. But then again, I'm not the type of person to flip out if I see a rock chip on my car. Salt happens:)

    To the dismay of some and the joy of others, I'll be posting less and less around here. I've made a big decision and am embarking on a big career change. I'm leaving the volitale advertising/direct mail world to work for my Dad who owns a plumbing supply/hardware store in The Bronx. I'll get to drive my Prelude everyday to and from work (as opposed to taking the subway from my apartment to my office in Chelsea). It is definitely a much better opportunity for me and will put me closer to BMW 3-series ownership (see, I'm staying on-topic). The days will be longer and I'm sure there will be a lot more headaches, but in the end it will all be worth it. I'm in the process of ordering a new computer, so after the next 2 weeks, my posts will dwindle and eventually wither away until I get my new computer (and hopefully a netwrk for my Dad's store).

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    Good luck in the new career! I went to college with a guy who's dad owned a plumbing company on 'the island'. Both his brother and he had AC Cobra's that dad got them (even his 'beater' car that he brought down to Chester was a classic Cutlass conv). Sounds like N.Y. plumbers do alright for themselves. :-)
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    good for you!

    now you and i can swap war stories about working for our dads!! :)

    -Chris
  • genie1genie1 Member Posts: 398
    Congratulations...I have to say working for yourself (or Dad) is miles better than performance appraisals, office politics and the rest...

    I've never been happier since starting up my own business. (And yes, I'm proud to say my Dad has "bought" my services). The hours are insane, my job description is eight pages long and there's not much money in it yet...

    But it's been an amazing experience so far...I'm sure you'll feel the same way. Good Luck!
  • genie1genie1 Member Posts: 398
    My '98 318 has slight leaks in the front crankshaft seal and lower timing cover gasket according to the dealer (Costs about $550 to fix).

    A friend recommended a mechanic who does freelance work and I was wondering if this was the kind of task I could use to test the guy out, for potentially larger non-warranty issues in the future.

    Is it a fairly straightforward job to fix these leaks? Or should I just stick to the dealer?
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    Good luck on your new enterprise, drop by as you can! Sounds like an interesting change for you, in a very positive sense.
  • tgravo2tgravo2 Member Posts: 70
    I read in the newest Car and Driver magazine Lexus is going to make an IS 430 to compete with the M3 which will get the 300hp V8 from the SC/GS/LS 430, they are even thinking about supercharging it to give it 400+ hp, I think this may not be till 2004 but man that would give the M3 some competition
  • dax9dax9 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks all for the feedback on the snow tires.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    The IS is a boy racer and will only attract certain buyers. Also, it is a sedan and not a coupe like the M3. Engine sizes will not be similar. As it stands, here is what you have:

    Audi S4 (sedan)- I think 3.2 ltr
    Acura TL Type S Coupe and Sedan - 3.2 Ltr
    M-B C32 (Sedan) - 3.2 Ltr
    BMW M3 (coupe) - 3.2 Ltr
    Infinti G35 (sedan and coupe) - 3.5 Ltr
    Volvo S60 T5 (sedan) - who cares?
    Saab 9-3 Viggen (coupe) - I don't remember
    Lexus IS300 - 3.0 Ltr

    The way i see it for a 3.2 ltr and 333HP, the M3 does a lot with less. A 4.3 L would be overkill in a small Lexus, might also affect weight distribution. Is Lexus scared that Japanese market share will go to Infiniti G35? Do we see a bigger Lexus coming? Ain't competition great?

    The entry level luxury market is getting tight. Bring on the Alfa 156.
  • abcnycabcnyc Member Posts: 101
    brave1heart - You had indicated that you purchased the 17mm socket set. Do you know if this will fit any of the 3 series wheel configurations ? I have a 330i with the sports package. Are all of the lug nuts that same size and will the 17mm socket set work for my car ?
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I believe the 17mm is universal but to be sure I just checked my car (330Ci - Sport Pack) and the 17mm is the correct socket size.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    The job isn't that tough, but I would still want an experienced BMW tech to perform the work. Nobody is going to use my car as their personal voc ed project.
  • john01john01 Member Posts: 246
    Didn't S4 have 2.7 twin-turbo? The new one is supposed to have the 8 cylinder engine from the A8, 4.3liter, I think.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    The S4 currently has a 2.7L Bi-Turbo V6. The upcoming S4 (due out late 2003 as a 2004 model) will come with a 4.2L 340 something horsepower V8. Many of the current audi buffs originally didn't like the idea of a V8 (for weight distribution purposes) and were happy with the TT V6. From what I've read, the 4.2L V8 only weighs a little more then the current 2.7L Bi-Turbo V6.

    From my post above, if Audi can do it, then Lexus can do it. It would be scary to see if the next generation 2004 base IS300 (which will also serve as the platform for the next Toyota Supra) came with the current 215hp powerplant (to try and compete with the 325i), a Larger displacement (3.3 or 3.5) V6, possibly turbocharged (to try and compete with the 330i), and a V8 powered IS430 (to try and run with the M3). Notice how I say try:) I'd like to see a slightly bigger and less aggresively styled Lexus. I remember driving an automatic IS300 when they came out in 2001 and the refexes and handling truly impressed me. So yes, competition is great.

    And I'm with you...bring on the Alfa 156:) Unfortunately the latest I've read says Alfa won't be coming stateside until 2007.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • mg330cimg330ci Member Posts: 162
    all this new powerful cars, and the chance of them falling in the hands of unscrupulous, drunk/intoxicated college kids (which I was not so long ago ;)

    I used to worry about Camaros and Mustangs only, now, this sophisticated beasts are everywhere. Well, if you give it enough space, even a Mitsubishi Colt would reach 100mpg !

    I guess am getting old :(
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    yea. i am. not only ending up in the hands of the people you pointed out (which i will admit to being one of once as well), but ending up in the hands of the 90% of american drivers who are basically incompetent...

    -Chris
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    It accelerates the works of Darwin's theory :o)
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    Yes, I believe they are all the same size and 17 mm is what you need. fwiw, I only got the 17 mm socket, not the whole set. You could pick up a full set at Sears for ~ $90 but I am not planning on doing that much work myself. If I need any tools occasionally, I'd borrow them from friends.
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