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The explanation of it not having a lot of options is feasible. From what you said, it sounds like it has parts of the premium package and cold weather package.
Check the invoice on the car, see what it has (CWP, Sport Package (SP), and/or PP).
Most people on here will opt for the sport package for the seats alone. But most importantly, does it have the features you want? Can you add the features you want? If the car has been there a while, they make a deal and install some additional stuff to get you into it and off their lot.
Check the BMW website, Edmunds, or kbb.com to see what options are available for the 330i. I know it comes with more standard than the 325.
-Paul
- I woke up to 14-degree temp and an inch of snow sitting on my car. Luckily, by the time I got close to the track, the snow was mostly gone, the temp was close to 32 degrees, and the sun was shining.
- Showing up in a lowly 325 can be a little intimidating at first, esp. as you get closer to the track and start catching up in traffic with cars that have almost twice the horsepower.
- It's great to see some guys that I met at last year’s CCA events. Interestingly, a couple of them mentioned that they were planning on getting an M3 but the economy soured their plans.
- The setting at Lime Rock is absolutely spectacular - it’s all green hills and serenity. NHIS looks industrial by comparison. Lime Rock is the first true road coarse that I will be driving and I am excited about it.
- Classroom sessions are OK but didn’t learn much racing stuff this time – it was mostly stories and history?!? There’s no substitute for Ian Prout (the instructor I had at NHIS last year).
- Off to the first run. I am glad the instructor did 3 laps to show me the racing line. No two turns are the same. We switch seats and in a brief second, I am at turn one. I felt comfortable with the car but not with the track during the first few laps - I am still looking for the right braking points (usually brake too late), get on the throttle too early, and overall drive too aggressive for my skillset. Not keeping my head up doesn’t help either. However, relative to other people in the group, I must be doing all right- I passed a few cars and no-one ever got on my tail.
- Run 2 – now that they’d built their confidence from run 1, more drivers were into a racing mode. We were all bunched up at the start – I was the 6-th or 7-th car in the bunch. It took a few laps to clear the traffic and in the process, I passed an M coupe, a WRX, an E36 328, two other 3-series, and I was on an E46 328’s tail. I don’t know or care why but once at speed, my 325i could at a minimum keep up with an E36 328, E46 328, 330, and the WRX going into the straightway with the same speed. These weren’t Sunday drivers – I know some of the guys and the 330i owner always places first or second at the autoX. Anyhow, we both got very aggressive and started making mistakes. After a couple of laps, my instructor asked me to go into the pit lane for a little chat. His feedback was very fair and to the point but in the process, we wasted too much track time and I only got one more lap out of this run.
- ½ hr later it started snowing and everything put on hold until the weather cleared up. The weather didn’t look promising and after an hour, some people packed up and left.
- The weather cleared up and since some people had left for the day, the organizers rolled up two groups and two runs into one so we’d catch up with the schedule. At least the last run for the day was longer than the morning ones. The track was extremely slippery. I’ve driven NHIS in much wetter conditions and it didn’t seem nearly as slick. On top of that, my instructor had left for the day and I had a different instructor (same name, different guy ) ). He wanted me to drive very slow and just practice the rain line, which is basically one car width over to the right or left of the regular racing line so you can avoid the real slippery stuff and get more traction. I learned quite a bit that way but it wasn’t nearly as much fun as driving on a dry track at almost twice the speed.
- I think I could do this every day for a few months before I start getting tired of it )
Dealer says that the car has never been titled to anyone. But he says it has been sold to the delership on Jan 31, 2003. It means that the 50K warranty is still valid but I will lose 4 months of warranty. Same for the scheduled maintenance.
Options - 0205 - Automatic Transmission, 0403 - power glass moonroof, 0494 Heated front seats. Silver titanium metallic paint. No CWP, SP or PP.
I am fine with the options. I am making the trade off between a loaded 325i vs this 330i. The sale price on both are very close. The reason it is difficult to price is because it's 02 and brand new. I don't know how to depreciate the car with 0 miles.
Besides, I am very skeptical about why this car has not been sold yet and I am trying to guard against being cheated. Any suggestions would help. I have the VIN # but I don't think Carfax would help in this scenario.
Averaged about 89mph on the way up there.
MPG: 23.2
Averaged about 93mph on the way back
MPG: 24.0
(There was a tail wind coming back)
Overall, I was happy to get this kind of mileage at that speed in an M3.
Just went over 10k miles on it (just over 5 months old)
Went to Lowe's home improvement today and bought a 12 foot Live Oak tree. I hung it out of the back of the car and drove home--I thought it was pretty cool to use a 3 series to haul a 12 foot tree around town. I took some pics just for the heck of it.
Anyone else used the bimmer to haul some stuff?
brave1: great post. I almost forgot to mention it -- until kdshapiro reminded me below. -- You are lucky to get a CCA course at Lime Rock.
I haven't used my 325i to haul stuff mostly because it doesn't have folding rear seat but my wife's A4 does and I used her car instead. I was able to fit a 6 1/2-ft Christmas tree INSIDE the car last December. There were a couple of monsta SUV guys that were trying to tie theirs on the roof?! I guess they didn't want to get the interior dirty. I showed up, picked it, paid, folded the seat, put the tarp over, shoved the tree in and left all within 5 minutes. SUV guys were still there working the rope. That said, I have no idea how you can possibly take home a tree TWICE that length?!? Must have been quite a sight. Maybe it explains why your average was higher on the way back - the tree acted as a spoiler giving you extra downforce!
Especially if the 325i is an auto, do anything possible to get the 330i. If the 325i is a 5-speed, it's less clear: it is cheaper, and with the manual tranny, not too slow.
My $.02
Settled on a very low mileage 328. A little less power than the 330, but a lot more low end grunt than the 325. It's all about the tourque available for everyday driving.
Of course, those who own them will vehemently disagree, and this is most likely due to the buyer's remorse effect.
You are right about something however. And that is buyers remorse. I do have a big case of it, because I really wanted the M3.
The fact the 325 outsells the 330i is no surprise, as is the fact the Mercedes CL320AMG outsells the Ferrari 360.
Regarding the HP, I guess that I just do not have as finely a tuned posterior to truly appreciate the 40-hp-for-$6,000 effect that others on the board do. As far as fling-ability, though, all must agree that whether you are driving a 325 or a 330, these are fun cars to toss around.
Hmmmm, I find that statement odd. I moved up from a 1999 328i to a 2002 530i last year, and without a doubt, I have more head room in the 5-Series than I ever had in the 3er. Oddly enough, the 3-Series "Officially" has 1 inch more head room than the 5-Series. Go figure.
Best Regards,
Shipo
The new 7 has quite a bit more headroom than the previous one (I had also read an article that quoted a BMW engineer that said they were increasing the headroom of the cars as they redesigned them due to demand for this). So, maybe the new 5 has taken those of us who are tall into consideration.
If memory serves, my old 325 provided more than enough of power, especially if you revv'd up the RPM scale in the lower gears. Of course, the automatic might be a different story.
In my averages, I count only the time on the highway -- not driving in the city of Houton or Austin.
I don't feel the 325 is inadequate, but when it's stacked up to a 330 with the same tranny one can really feel the difference, 1/2 liter makes.
Best Regards,
Shipo
If you add 17" wheels, power seat w/memory, on-board computer, and the HK stereo, add about $3000 to the price of the 325i.
And you're still shy 40 hp and a 6-speed XMSN.
Up here in the NorthEast with all its traffic enforcement, it's risky to cruise at high speed for too long. Speed traps are everywhere. You guys are lucky.
your '93 325 was several hundred pounds lighter than today's 325, and they just now have caught up in HP. when the 325 was the top dog (besides the M3) it received a lot more HP than what it got when the 328 arrived, and only now is the 330 sufficiently "ahead" to allow the 2.5L to make decent power again.
we covered this maybe 100-200 posts back. someone was curious why the '94 325 made so much HP.
-Colin
Hope this helps.
I'm wondering if anyone with more experience can help me with any tips for prepping the car (2002 330i - no SP). I have the Goodyear all season 17" tires and fill them at the recommended 33f/38r. My gut tells me that this is not going to be optimal for AutoX. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Hans
I would recommend not destroying the all-seasons and instead using a relatively inexpensive summer tire. (tell me your size and I'll suggest a few.)
There are autocross and roadrace specific tires, but I wouldn't use those at this point-- you will learn just fine on performance summer tires and they'll last longer. I have autocrossed and done track days on both types of tires, so I'm not just tossing this out as a best guess.
If it's in budget your best bet would be an additional set of wheels with your summer tires on them. If not, you can mount/dismount tires on your stock wheels twice a year but may quickly realize that if you stick with this very soon you'd have paid for an inexpensive set of wheels anyway.
If your club allows it, definitely do take along a passenger who has some good autocross experience and ride with them too. Walk the course with them and even if you've raced before listen to the theory on lines... autocross is a bit different than any other motorsport.
I still get out a few times a year but don't do it as a regular hobby... too much time & money for <5 minutes of seat time per weekend.
-Colin
Thanks for the feedback... which I find useful.
mxpro738
Thanks in advance.
Sorry my message above was interrupted. -- MDX is a nice vehicle, but there is no doubt that a road trip to Austin will be twice as nice in a 3 series.
Throw the bike in the back and maybe an oak tree too. Have fun. Don't get a ticket.
hgeyer: My first autocross was a couple of weeks ago. I agree with locke above if you can swing some cheaper summer tires then I would probably do this. I could not do this because although it may be rational, it would have required a measureable investment and my wife would have been pretty reluctant to allow this. I was lucky that she even allowed me to drive in it. In this regard, if you go with your stock tires I would put at least 44 in the front and probably 42 in the rear. This will definitely help protect the lateral tread. Some might rec even more than this, but this should be a reasonable start.
brave1: "Yeah officer, I had to hurry and get this tree back to Houston -- it needs water pretty bad and in my estimation the root ball has reached a critical mass within the pot and I think it needs to be planted STAT if it is going to make it. I am talking life and death for this plant sir."--I would probably start with this and see what develops.
You can't cruise on HWY 71 at 100mph without a radar detector. In my experience on the 150mile trip to Austin there are usually about 2-3 speed traps along the way and you can be sure that they do not tolerate speeds that exceed 10-15mph over the limit (the limit is usually 65-70mph). (Usually you can get away with the limit plus 10mph). The V1 has definitely paid for itself on this trip alone.
As an example of how tough the Texas DPS can be, one time I was cruising along at about 75mph (in my old E36 325) with a Toyota Camry containing a typical family of 4. Both of us came up on a DPS vehicle (speed limit 70mph) and I slowed down to about 74mph and the Camry (over about a 5 mile stretch) passed the DPS officer (who was going about 74-75mph) at about 76mph. The Camry drove beside him for at least 3-4 miles and then slowly eased in front of him and not 500 yards after passing him, the lights came on and to my shock and amazement the Camry was pulled over. I could not believe it -- the Camry was barely speeding and had the most innocent appearing people inside. I guess I learned a lesson -- I will not pass a law enforcement vehicle unless I can do it within 2-3mph of the speed limit.
Thanks in advance.
As for the 325 vs 330, I think of it more of a x25 vs x30. I have the 325xi and I wouldn't have considered anything but a manual for that engine. When I consider a 3.0 litre engine, I could probably go either way. My 325 manual more than does it for me, so a 330 manual would certainly get up and go. The numbers mentioned above seem to prove that (to me at least).
In my considerations for a 5, if I end up with a 525, it will be a manual. If I can convince my wife that the car is really heavier and 'needs' the 3.0, there will be some room for negotiation on the tranny. I still prefer manual and she isn't too wild about the step.
Just my .012 (.02 adjusted for a bad economy).
-Paul
FWIW, if I'm not mistaken, with the clips removed, the 5er has a lot more leg room than a 3er, with them in place, the 3er wins by a something less than an inch.
Best Regards,
Shipo
For the premium above the price of a 3, I was disappointed that there was almost no difference in the amount of room in a 5. The car is almost a foot longer -- is it all just bumper?
Best Regards,
Shipo
the 3.5L used in the older 5 series was an inline six... a high-revving, 310HP inline six.
I think there is a 4.0L V8 though.
-Colin
http://www.bmw.co.uk/couk/model/datasheet/1,2053,COUK|016-015-5-L- - - I-535i%20Sport-DATASHEET_MOD-0,00.html
Admittedly the 3.5 V8 has only 14 BHP (245 vs. 231, about 6% more) more than our beloved 3.0 I6, however, it has an extra 45 Nm of torque (345 vs. 300, about 15% more). Assuming that I understand this all correctly, the 535i should have noticeably more low end grunt than a 530i, however, on the top end, the difference will be relatively minor.
Best Regards,
Shipo
R
I have never fussed about this problem because I have always assumed that the rotors were cold, and back when I was first learning to "Turn a wrench", the guys who were my mentors (all trained no later than WWII) always warned that "The higher the metallic content in the brake pad compound, the hotter the brake surfaces need to be to generate good stopping power." On guy told me a story about a truck that he used to drive that had full Metallic pads, and how he used to drive with the brake pedal partially depressed for the first few miles after starting it up for the first time on cold winter mornings.
Best Regards,
Shipo
The 325i is a sweet car and I really liked the way it runs. If I was really strapped (and there have been times that I was)for the $3.5K (net after features). I would be fine with the 325i with the PP and sports package. If I was getting an xi snowplow I would probably get the 325 because the extra xi weight kind of negates 330i's performance advantages. Now if your like me and you love the feel and sound of a higher performance engine at the higher ranges of performance, there is the difference. The 330 gives you almost a second better - 6.3(6sp) vs 7.1(5sp)to 60 than the 325 and the on the roll acceleration through the gears is far superior. Besides the 17 in., HK and other 330i frills, the engine is the reason you want the 330. There is a pretty big difference when you get on it. As you know your talking a 1/2 liter and a 41 HP increase. Plus you get the six speed. Hell soldier, huff and puff and get the 330.
Dan
KarenS "BMW 3-Series Owners: FAQ" Jun 1, 2001 12:46pm
I doubt the numbers have changed much since then. Once you rev up the 325, it is more than adequate for street driving and fine for the track, at least for me. The ECIS CAI that I installed for $350 takes care of the low-end lack of grunt, throttle response throughout the torque band, and esp. the engine sound, which has a lot more growl than the 330 now. The $4,400 will give you a car that is faster in a straight line but not much else when compared to a 325i SP with a CAI. Also, I don't want staggered tires on my car - I'd much rather have the same size all around. The difference of 41 ponies is somewhat countered by a much more aggressive gearing in the 325. It's all about tradeoffs but if I had to do it all over, I'd get the 325i SP again. The money you save will buy you a lot of driving schools, which ultimately will make you a faster driver if that's what you're striving to achieve.
disclaimer: My 'Service Engine Soon' light has been on since shortly after I installed the ECIS CAI, although there has been no impact on drivability whatsoever.