BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

brislance1 · May 2001

I just returned to my northern US home from Arizona, a 1800 mile trip. I found the driver and passenger seats to be terribly uncomfortable. My wife found the same to be true. She wants me to trade the car for a more comfortable one. Had I known about this board when I ordered the car, I would have gotten the sports package. At that time I didn't do enough research. Other than the uncomfortable seats, I love the car and hate to give it up. We make this trip twice a year. Has anyone had the same problem and corrected it somehow? Would appreciate any advise given. Thanks

camnellum1 · May 2001

kv007...there are no "sport" suspensions on the xi with sport package. The xi sport package has seat, tire upgrades etc...I believe that by getting the xi model you trade off the performance suspension for the all-weather grip. Probably because by going to the xi package, the car height is increased almost 1.5 inches!

Also, I believe the steering on all 325's is the same: boosted pre-April01 and unboosted after...

Gurumike may be able to offer more substantiation.

gr8st8 · May 2001

Some answers:
1. Yes, the front armrest does come standard with any 330s.
2. The power seats don't come with the sports seats, they are already a standard item for post-March production cars. So if you don't order the sport seats, you will still get the power seats.
3. The "M" aerodynamic package for a 330xi includes a slightly modified front bumper with round fog lighs(instead of the rectangular-shaped ones) and a rear air diffuser for the rear bumper. And no, it doesn't include the rear deck spoiler (I wish it does...:-) ) If you are really so anxious to see what it looks like, go to www.e46fanatics.com, there's a poster over there who has some pics and a very detailed writing of his 330xi pick-up from the BMW's South Carolina plant.

Your car, with the exception of the NAV system, has the exact same specification as mine. Congrats on the purchase, I've put about 1300 miles already in 2 and a half weeks and believe me when I say this, the car won't disappoint you!

euro325 · May 2001

I ordered a 325I in the 1st wk of April for Euro delivery and was given a production number that week.

When I went to pay for it 3 weeks later, they already had a VIN for the car, even though pick-up date is 6/18.

When I checked mid April the car was listed on the BMW site as being on order. When I checked yesterday, it said production was complete and it was awaiting transportation. How long does it take to build one?

Can one tell from the VIN which week it was built in?

Thanks for any input. I guess the car will sit in a parking lot in Munich for 6 weeks till I get to drive it in mid June.

brave1heart · May 2001

Friends,

I just wanted to say that everything went smooth with the delivery on Friday. Driving the 325i is addictive and I've been out driving all the time. I am still pinching myself trying to convince myself that I actually OWN this incredible car but it's hard to believe it. I feel like I'm only renting it for the weekend and I am terrified at the thought of having to turn it Monday morning. So in the meantime, I'm driving it as much as I can. We are off to another day trip (great weather today) in a couple of minutes. I will share my experience with you in great detail soon. So far, it's been all miles and smiles.

denright · May 2001

A couple things:

According to what I have read, the Xi AWD system only increases vehicle clearance and height by .67 inches. After several test drives of Xis and "i"s, I detected very little additional (if any) body roll in the Xis. That's why I decided to buy one.

Roc50-

I extensively test drove several different versions of the three series with and without the sport seats and found the sport seats to offer only marginal additional performance on tight turns. I actually made a point of having my wife concentrate on the seats' effects on passenger comfort and jostling in high-G turns, and she and I agreed that there was minimal difference. Did you find that these seats offered significant additional lateral support?

alpine325i · May 2001

Congratulations on picking up your new car! I felt the same way trying to convince myself that I actually OWN one of these beautifull machines. Sounds like you're having a great time. You couldn't have picked a better weekend

)

veekay1 · May 2001

golfnut7/add123:

i was bumped from week 22 to week 18 as per BMW NA
have not spoken to dealer yet.
not complaining, but if its true, why is my status still "on order/111": any ideas what the deal is???

lewparker · May 2001

Greetings all,
I've been lurking on this board consistently for about 6 months, and I finally ordered my 325i on April 15, week 21 production. On April 26th, the car went into production according to OC. I was told to expect a July 1st delivery, but now anticipate a few weeks early, perhaps mid-June.

Of course, I've experienced a bit of second guessing re: color choice, not going with SP, 325i vs 330i, etc. But in the end, I feel comfortable with my choice: 325i, steel blue, grey, PP, CWP, Xenons, CD.

The one thing that's got me a bit concerned is that I didn't go with HK. Having had a pair of MB Quarts in a previous vehicle, I was convinced that their speaker package for the 325 would be the way to go. I even have a 100 wpc Orion amp sitting around that I figured I'd slap in there.

Recently, though, I read an article on e46fanatics.com in the faq section, I think, about upgrading the audio system in a BMW. The article was written by a guy who spent mega hours installing some equipment in his bimmer, and explained the problems he encountered. Since most of the stuff was way over my head and to make a long story short, the problems appeared to be associated with installing a new amp. I don't know if the head unit has preamp outs or not, and replacing the factory amp seemed like an undertaking fraught with difficulty.

At any rate, my question is this: Alpine325i, have you installed an aftermarket amp in a 325i and if so, any suggestions? I've heard that there is a shop outside Philly that specializes in installing audio systems in bimmers. I live in Baltimore, but would drive there for the expertise if necessary. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks,
Lewis Parker

swingtempo · May 2001

A couple of questions regarding steering system in the 330.

1) Is it true that current box being placed in new orders is that of last year with a lesser boost?

2) If so, what is the production cut off date for the change.

I'm ready to order, but want to make sure of the stearing box change or will wait until next year. Thanks so much for any input.

brave1heart · May 2001

Well, I am thinking of posting a series of 4 posts on my 325i experience with the following topics: Pickup, Layout, Performance, and Steering. Here's the first one:

Part I - Pickup

Everything with the pickup went pretty smooth. I picked a day when my salesperson had no other deliveries scheduled for the afternoon. I took a tad over two hours. There are plenty of details to check and I'd strongly recommend to anyone to take their time and set aside 2 hours for the delivery. Preferably, the delivery should be done when the service department is open - this will likely save you a second trip to the dealer. Go in prepared and do not expect your salesperson to know and remember everything that she has to do. Thanks to Jerry's Pickup List from e46fanatics.com and the Test-drive List from the Motley Fool, I was much better prepared for the pickup than my salesperson. Jerry's list is a total overkill, so what I did is underline all the things on the list that I wanted to check. The car's condition met all of my delivery requirements. However, not all of the key memory options that I had specified were set up correctly. The service department was still open, though, and they took care of it in no time. It saved me an additional trip to the dealer. Also, the financing of my car was for a longer term than the one that I had specified. It's OK with me, at 5.9% I really don't want to pay it off any time soon but just keep in mind that it's better to provide these details to the dealer in writing, so they'll have no excuses for screwing up. Another important thing to remember is to tell your dealer in advance that if they want an excellent review, they will have to earn it. My dealer treated me a lot better ever since I mentioned that to her. She even got me a BMW T-shirt as a present to make up for some mistakes that she had made in the pre-delivery process. She said that the review is the single most important thing for her and that she could lose her job due to a poor review. Good to know that you have a lot of leverage over the salesperson and you shouldn't allow them to push you around. I gave her 'excellent' on everything because she is a very nice person and she tried hard in the end. Off the record, I was less than impressed with her overall knowledge of the product. However, I always felt that she is trustworthy and if she's not sure about something, she wouldn't BS me and she would try to find out the answers. Trust is most important to me.

Gotta run watch the Sopranos. This is the only regularly scheduled program I watch on TV and I will continue with the other parts later.

veekay1 · May 2001

brave1heart:
Congratulations!!
Sounds like you are having a perfect weekend!!
When you have more time, be more specific about the whole process: eg: how would you prioritize Jerry's e46 pick-up list and so on......

Have fun!

josephl526 · May 2001

Don't second guess your choices. You'll love them. I have a 325i, steel blue, grey dead cow, SP, CD, Sunroof alarm, and arm rest. I love it. Every person who has seen that color combo has fell in love with it. Congrats. I also did not go with the HK upgrade. For me the HK upgrade is good but not great. I plan on having an aftermark high end system put in soon. Enjoy your car.

burrsr · May 2001

Brave1heart -- congrats on the new ride. How sweet it is!

Question for others: anyone have any experiences to share with oil consumption during and around the break-in period? My 330i now has about 4,500 miles and should be sufficiently broken-in. Today I added about 2/3 of a quart of oil to top off the reservoir (really just moved the level to the low marker to about mid-way between low and high markers). The engine could have consumed the 2/3 of a quart over and beyond break-in, or the reservoir may not have been 100% topped-off from the factory, or operating temperatures may have caused a 2/3 quart variation in levels, etc., etc., etc. Any input is appreciated.

After 4,000 miles, I have noticed a significant increase in mpg, which indicates to me that the engine is finally settles in and is approaching its optimal efficiency point of operation. In a 120-mile trip yesterday, averaging 70-75 mph (actually 61.8 according to the OBC -- includes some in-town miles), the 330i turned in an impressive 31 mpg. This is by far the highest to date, by a significant margin (3-5 mpg). Any others have input as to when their engines finally hit their respective "sweet spots"?

BTW, I'm conducting a little experiment regarding oil change interval/frequency. In my previous cars, I've changed the oil at 500 miles, then at 1,500, then every 3,000. This regimen yielded extreme engine longevity and minimal (none) oil consumption. This time, I plan to follow the OBC's recommended services (roughly every 15,000 iles for oil/filter). This is a debatable topic always, but I certainly cannot see any engineer allowing such a frequency unless it's been proven, and proven by a significant safety factor. The risk of losing potential repeat and additional buyers because of poor engine longevity is far too great, and certainly does not outweigh any "marketing" gains to be had by BMW.

FINALLY...anyone see my previous post regarding the "Ultimate Driving Experience"?

All for now...

brave1heart · May 2001

I've always loved the shape of the 3-series, and esp. the E46. Compared to the A4, the 3-er is more masculine, yet refined and not overly aggressive looking. The style 44 wheels that come with the SP are beautiful and give the car a lot of personality. I've noticed that at traffic lights, a lot of other driver get carried away staring at the wheels for so long that they don't even notice it's green light and just keep sitting there on green. The interior is very roomy, probably bigger than what I personally need in a car. The all-around visibility is perfect, in spite of the car's slippery shape. The trunk is small but it's fine with me - I was able to fit in my golf bag (incl. driver) with ease. There is plenty of room for the rear seat passengers, although the rear seat is violently shaped for two adults. The interior really grows on you and the more I get used to it, the more I like it. All the controls seem to have been designed to please the driver. Every single control has a well-defined pressure point that lets you know what you're doing w/o even looking at it. The controls layout is intuitive and easy to get used to. The blinker lever is perfectly weighted and easy to reach. The seats that come w/ the SP are perfect, I seriously doubt if it's possible to design more comfortable and supportive seats. All controls are easy to read and you know you are looking at a driver's dashboard when the tach numbers are larger than the speedo numbers. Storage space is limited but all I really need is space for a lot of CDs and some maps. Even the cupholders are great. I love the black 'ette - it's actually charcoal gray with a hint of bluish tint that complements the Orient Blue exterior. The high-gloss black trim adds an extra sporting touch to the interior. The only complaint that I have as far as layout is concerned is that the emergency brake is too light at first and then it tightens up too fast. It's likely the dealer can regulate this easily. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing on the interior or exterior.

golfnut7 · May 2001

I may be having the same luck. I spoke with my dealer last Thursday and he confirmed a 5/18 production date and a late May -early June delivery date. I checked the BMWUSA web site yesterday and the status on my 325i is "Produced Not Shipped". I guess this means they are about two weeks ahead of schedule. How do I get a VIN, from the dealer or is there a way to get it from the BMWUSA web site?

brave1heart · May 2001

This is the real fun part. Even after having this car for two days, I'm still so excited about its performance that I don't know where to start. The manual tranny comes to mind first. Shifting gears in this car is a near-orgasmic experience. The clutch is perfectly weighted and it engages gracefully. The short-throw shifter is precise and it fits in my palm perfectly. And the handling, oh the handling. The SP drives very firm but definitely not harsh. All of my passengers have found it to be very comfortable. You can abruptly switch three lanes at a time at 95 mph and the 325i would feel totally composed and balanced. Judging by the engine growl, I'd be guessing it's asking for more of the same maneuvers. The car drives, feels and sounds like a wild cat. Maneuvers that would look totally reckless in most other cars seem totally natural and graceful with this car. You can take any off-ramp about 30 mph faster than the rest of the traffic and that's not even beginning to push the car yet. There's room for another 20-30 mph at least. The 325i SP is absolutely composed, balanced, and predictable at any speed. Acceleration in the 325i, however, is just adequate even with manual tranny. We ran it head to head with my old '97 Jetta VR6 on the way back from the dealership and the VR6 pulls away at any speed and any gear. I am used to knowing that I can launch my car off the start like a rocket and have an advantageous power-to-weight ratio over most cars out there and I feel that I'm giving up some of that acceleration advantages due to the added 300 lbs. of the 325i. However, it's very encouraging that I started noticing a marked improvement in acceleration after the first 200 miles. I suspect the car will keep getting quicker as it is being broken-in. I've heard on multiple occasions that a 3-er with 20K miles on it would typically run faster than a newer one. In addition, putting in a high performance K&N air filter should improve horse power by 5 to 10 horses. Now don't get me wrong - this car is still reasonably fast - it's just a matter of what you are used to. Also, I've noticed that most of the exciting stuff is happening above 3,000 rpms where you are in max torque curve territory. I am trying very hard not to push it over 4,500 rpms during the break-in period. Having the full torque band available after the break-in should improve acceleration dramatically. Honestly, if you do care about acceleration, the 325i manual is just adequate. Anything like auto tranny and esp. AWD (another 250 lbs.) would significantly hinder acceleration in the 325. The steering is incredibly precise and has that WYSIWYG (where you steer is where you go) credibility. I never felt like I had to adjust the steering during aggressive cornering. The steering wheel gives you a good road feel but it is incredibly light (more on that in my next post). The ContiSports that came with the SP are quieter than I had expected and grip very well. Braking is incredible - I ran some numbers on stopping 70 to 0 mph: at 167 feet, the 325i SP is only two feet behind the $300,000 Lamborghini Diablo. The brakes are not overly sensitive and have a nice progressive feel. The only thing I have yet to get used to is the fact that the three pedals are a bit too close. It's great to have the gas and brakes very close for heel-and-toe fans but it takes some getting used to. Every once in a while I'd tap on the wrong pedal with my large feet. Again, it's great for aggressive driving and I wouldn't mind it once I get used to it.
Well, the key thing about the 325i SP is that you will LOOK and FEEL like a great driver. The only thing you gotta watch out for is other drivers who can't focus on the road from staring at your car :O)

thorbjorn · May 2001

Hi all... this is my first post after lurking for some time.

Currently I drive an Audi A4 2.8 Tip -- after test-driving both a 325i and a 330i (sport, Steptronic) yesterday, I'm totally sold. It's going to be the 330i... love that growl when you give it gas.

I'm considering Titanium Silver, because I think those black rubber side stripes really MAKE the car, and they don't seem to show up as well on Steel Grey or Black. However, there are a LOT of silver BMWs on the road, here in Houston. So I was thinking of ordering a Tanin Red interior, with aluminum trim, as a way of making it a little less anonymous :-)

I THOUGHT I had seen this color in person, on a Z3 at the dealer. I even asked them "Is this the same red leather as on the 3 Series" and they said yes. But bmwusa.com calls it "Dream Red" on the Z3. Ooops!

So... I'm wondering if anyone here owns a Tanin Red interior with aluminum trim -- and has any strong feelings about it. Are there any caveats? Will it lower the resale value? Does it turn pink after a couple of years -- or a few months -- of summer heat and sun?

Any replies would be wonderful! This board is a tremendous resource -- thanks to you all for making it what it is.

brave1heart · May 2001

Part IV Steering Controversy

I had arranged with my dealer to drive back-to-back my week 12 325i SP and a '00 323i with the pre-controversy steering. Subjective as it is, I will try to quantify the steering weight on some cars that I am familiar with (1 is lightest, 10 heaviest)

'97 Porsche 911 ==> 10.0
'00 BMW 323i ==> 8.5
'97 Jetta VR6 ==> 7.5
'01 BMW 325i ==> 6.0
'01 Audi A4 ==> 6.0

My week 12 325i has the patched up steering that is supposed to be heavier than the first '01 cars. All I can say is that the steering in my car is incredibly light and it just doesn't seem to belong in an otherwise athletic, almost masculine car. The steering in the '00 323i felt much heavier with better on-center feel. However, compared to a Porsche 911, even the 323i's steering feels relatively light and it could benefit from a slightly heavier feel. The road feel is only marginally better with the old steering. However, the new steering acutely lacks an on-center feel and esp. cornering feel. The old steering gives you the feeling that even if you let the car straighten its wheels out coming out of an aggressive corner, it will bring the wheels back to their straight position by itself. The new steering simply doesn't let you feel what the car would do by itself and esp. how far you have turned the wheels. The new steering doesn't belong in an otherwise great performance car. It would probably be more appropriate in a whaleboat. BMW sales are up almost double-digits worldwide for '00 and 22% in the U.S. alone. Obviously, most buyers don't have a problem with the light steering. But no true motor sport enthusiast would put up with it. If BMWNA insists on keeping the light steering on future models, it should at the very least offer the heavier, more BMW-esque steering as a no-cost option to its sports enthusiasts. And it should never forget that the sport enthusiasts are the core group that brought recognition and respect to the brand in the first place. Offering retrofits on ALL '01 models that have the patched up light steering would be a good start.

alpine325i · May 2001

Hi Lew, I was at my summer house in Maryland playing with my wave runners, that's why the late post. Anyway, The guy who had so many problems with adding amps and aftermarket speakers was a novice installer. I don't do installs, my guys at Sound Waves are the only ones that I trust to do any work on a BMW. I have an appointment this wed to have an amp installed. 1100 watts for my 2 12" JL subs. I will be doing the rest of the car with another amp running the MB Quarts in the doors and the rear deck at another time because I can't afford them right now. They have done aftermaket upgrades for 65 or 70 BMW's with or without the HK system. The last time I was there I saw a Z3 and a 740iL with new systems that were installed like a work of art, just like all of their installs. For them it's a piece of cake, HK or non HK. They are among the top 10 installers in the country and have won numerous awards. Their web address is www.s-waves.com. The phone # is (610) 534-0668. Ask for Rob Elliot, he's the owner and also owns an awesome M3. I'ts quite a drive from baltimore, but he has some of THE best installers in the country and I feel lucky to have them nearby. If you call them make sure you talk to Rob Elliot, he will help you design a system within your budget and you will surely get the best sound quality and the most bang for your buck. These guys are the cream of the crop. I think it's well worth the trip for peace of mind. I sure wouldn't want to take a chance with an average installer possibly hacking up my new car. They are real easy to get to, right off of I95. Their web site has all the info, Sorry for the rambling, hope this helps

)

wailea · May 2001

What type Synthetic did you use? Castrol? Mobil?
My 325i has 1300 miles on it and I just went down and checked the oil level and it was fine - close to the max indent on the stick. I'll let you know when I approach the 4500 mark.

from_pit · May 2001

I am looking for my first BMW. Currently interested in 325xi or 330xi. Does anyone know good dealers in Western PA especially in/near the Pittsburgh region? I went to one and did not like the "lack of knowledge" on the part of the sales agent and return un-satisfied.

Any help will be appreciated.

jimbres · May 2001

I've seen & sat in a titanium silver / tanin red 325i & think it's a terrific color combination. This particular car was equipped with the premium package, which includes myrtle wood trim, so I could not tell you how well the aluminum trim goes with the red leather.

I've ordered a steel grey / tanin red 330i for July delivery. I picked this combo partly because I think it will look great, although I've never seen it "in the metal", & partly because BMWs are abundant in my neck of the woods (a NYC suburb) & I wanted something unusual. Resale value doesn't concern me because I plan on keeping this car for many years.

In any case, I don't see how you can guess today what colors will be in or out of fashion 2, 3 or 4 years from now. Choose a combination that excites you today.

fjm1 · May 2001

The 2.5 really rips in the higher rev range. I can also attest to the feeling that the BMW I6 gains power as it breaks in. Mine has 19K miles and seems faster than the early miles. Also, it has developed a "growl". Origionally, I thought the engine was too quiet. Now it sounds wonderful.

I hope your BMW motoring experience is a trouble free one. If mine didn't have to go to the shop once a month this would be a love affair.

jimbres · May 2001

Many thanks for the great posts! Keep 'em coming; I'm at least 2 months away from my delivery date & I'm living vicariously through you. Share every detail.

Glad to hear that you like the stick & clutch. My salesman couldn't find a 330i with stick anywhere in the NY metro area, which forced me to go the special order route. Reading your post convinces me that I did the right thing.

Please keep driving & posting.

lewparker1 · May 2001

Thanks for the info, Alpine325i. That sounds like the way to go. When I finally pick up my car in mid-June (the Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise), my first order of business will be to install an alarm and upgrade the stereo. Thanks again,
Lewis

jamesf5 · May 2001

Golfnut7...If you look on the web site (Owners Circle)When you get to your cars page , click on edit miles. Your Vin # will be shown

motorcity3 · May 2001

Hello everyone,

So the time had arrived last Friday and I was called to pick up by new 325i. Last minute, as I am walking down to my soon to be previous car, I get a phone call from the salesman. There has been a problem. After running all the disgnostics and checks on the car, one of the computers was malfunctioning. To make a story short, they need a new part so I will not have the car until Tuesday. Man, that really ruined all the excitement for me. This is a brand new car!! I know that glitches do happen, even with brand new cars, but I was really bummed. After all I am buying a BMW. Well, I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else.

roc50mg · May 2001

Does anyone know, for trivia purposes, why BMW changed the "ix"to the "xi" in their AWD 3-series?

brave1heart · May 2001

I just wanted to sincerely say 'Thank you' to everyone on the board that wished me luck and congratulated me on my new car. You have all been very supportive and I appreciate you sitting through my automotive babble here. I feel that sharing our experiences has helped me tremendously with gaining viable knowledge and enjoying my new baby even more. If it sounds and feels like a family, then it must be family!! What a great, intelligent, witty, diverse, fun board!!!

burrsr · May 2001

wailea: I used BMW synthetic, which I picked up at my dealer a few weeks ago. I'm sure it's outsourced (probably Castrol or Mobil), as I don't believe BMW has ventured into the oil refinery business.

Oil consumption is often proportional to driving style, and I hold nothing back (after the break-in, of course!). Keep me posted...

brave1heart: thanks for the input on the steering. It sounds as if even the retrofit is still lighter than the '00 and earlier models' steering. I'm sure my 330i has the lightest steering; I would probably not opt for a retrofit (assuming BMW offers one) unless it's comparable to the original.

drew37 · May 2001

Does anyone know what I might expect to pay for a 325xi relative to invoice or MSRP in Michigan? Are there any Michigan dealers willing to discount significantly? Thanks.

brave1heart · May 2001

Just a clarification on the steering controversy: my car has the steering FIX, not the retrofit. As I mentioned in my Steering Controversy post, even the steering with the FIX (or patch as I referred to it) is extremely light for my taste. The retrofit, however, is using the steering column parts right from the older models, so it should be exactly the same as the older models.

sanand5 · May 2001

I have a '98 328i and have noticed on my car as well as all other E36 models that the leather of the center armrest gets much darker than the seats. Does anyone know of a why it is like this or a way to fix it. I know it sounds like a small item but I think it makes the car look "old". I try to maintain my car in "new" condition and I am unable to do so with this problem. Also, does anyone with an older E46 model have the same problem?

kominsky · May 2001

brave1heart; CONGRATS!! I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you get to use the above-4,500RPM part of the engine. If everything is relative with the 330Ci (only on a SLIGHTLY smaller scale), it's a blast. As far as performance gains with miles, I believe the CPU re-maps to driving style over time. If you drive it hard, it 'learns' that and makes the necessary adjustments to compliment that driving style.

burrsr; Go to the Ultimate Drive and enjoy yourself! Different sponsering dealerships handle the events slightly different. Two years ago the one I went to at Otto's (I think... somewhere down near Philly), they had a big lot with an auto-cross circuit set up. They also had some displays of traction control and DSC that were pretty impressive. Last year I went to Horrigans event. All they had there was a chance to test-drive the car(s) or your choice on a pre-determined course (16 miles in my case). The roads were a mixture of city, highway, and farm roads which was a great way to see what the car does on varying road conditions. By the way, you don't need to be a BMW owner to 'play'. Anyone can sign up (owners may get first chance at reserving cars) and, at Horrigans at least, people could walk in with no reservations. Anyone interested can go to bmwna.com, I think they have registration info there. Be sure to take a friend/spouse who can appreciate a spirited drive. I had my wife with me last year and after our first drive (323Ci) she didn't want to join me in a test drive of an M-coupe. Rather than let her sit alone in the van and feel her wrath for days (weeks?), I passed on the chance to drive it... :-(

gr8st8 · May 2001

I don't know about 325xi, but I got my 330xi for $ 1,500 off of MSRP. The dealer I got this from is Williams AutoWorld in Lansing, 517-4841341.
They are pretty hard to negotiate with but with some efforts a decent deal could be made.

mfeldman · May 2001

Your posts have always been informative. Last week you alluded to your decision to not get DRL. Would you care to elaborate? I'm going to the dealer tommorow for key programming etc. BTW what do you think of auto door lock at 5mph? Thanks?

gurumike · May 2001

Although I was originally opposed to DTL I have decided to get mine switched on. I will have Xenons and I didn't want to keep turning them on and off when I'm on the freeway or those desert roads with "turn on headlight" advisories. I personally don't like autolock but if you live in a crime city, it might be worth it (not that it's really a big hasstle to pull the door handle twice!!)

brave1heart · May 2001

I can't wait to be able to push the rpms above 4,500. I briefly went up to 4,800 a couple of times and the power gain is so progressive, smooth, sweet and addictive - it was painful to let go. I think the 325 and 330 are very similar as far as "pressure points" (max torque, max hp, etc.) and your experience with the 330 should be relevant to the 325 as well.

brave1heart · May 2001

I also chose not to go with the DRLs. I don't see a reason to have them - if I need the lights on, I'll just turn them on. I have xenons, which are supposed to last a long time. However, they are over $1,000 to replace and using DRLs would shorten their lifetime significantly w/o a well-defined performance gain.
As far as auto door lock above at 10 mph, I am convinced it is well worth it. It provides better security from intruders at traffic lights and most of all, you definitely want all your doors locked in the unfortunate case of an accident. It might protect you much better that way. I even like hearing the 'click' at 10 mph - it gives me extra sense of security.

burrsr · May 2001

Brave1heart: appreciate the clarification -- I understand now. I guess if BMW offered a full retrofit installing the old steering components, it'd be worth a look; otherwise, anything less (i.e., the "fix") would still be somewhat compromised in terms of weight/feel, according to your back-to-back's...

Kominsky: thanks for the input on the Ultimate Drive. I'm looking forward to it as a chance to *really* test drive some other models.

I picked two cars that I'd potentially upgrade to in a few years: the 530i (although the 540i approaches my "ideal"), and the 740i (at least I get to try out the V8 -- it may be 25 years or so until I fit the 740 demographic a bit better...).

gurumike · May 2001

Although I was originally opposed to DTL I have decided to get mine switched on. I will have Xenons and I didn't want to keep turning them on and off when I'm on the freeway or those desert roads with "turn on headlight" advisories. I personally don't like autolock but if you live in a crime city, it might be worth it (not that it's really a big hasstle to pull the door handle twice!!)

brave1heart · May 2001

Yep, you can go either way with the autolock. I personally always forget to lock my doors so the autolock is one less thing to remember. You are right that you need to pull the door handle twice but at least it only opens your door, so the rest of your car's occupants are still safe. It's not a crime thing as much (Boston is VERY safe) - it's more of a safety issue for me. In case of a high-impact collision, your doors are more likely to open prematurely. I ALWAYS wear my seat belt on (with my driving style, I have to :O)) and that should be sufficient to keep me inside the car in case of a collision. But the locked doors may help where the seat belts fail...

gurumike · May 2001

Although I was originally opposed to DTL I have decided to get mine switched on. I will have Xenons and I didn't want to keep turning them on and off when I'm on the freeway or those desert roads with "turn on headlight" advisories. I personally don't like autolock but if you live in a crime city, it might be worth it (not that it's really a big hasstle to pull the door handle twice!!)

wailea · May 2001

Had my wife take the car to the dealer 10:30 morning (after rush hour) to have the Aux Fan looked at. She got a 325i TS wagon with PP as a loaner.

At first they said the didn't have a loaner available, but once my wife tracked down the service guy who promised it to her, when she called earlier, as well as the salesman who sold the car everything was staightened out.

The service guy said he has heard of the problem and will have it checked and fixed sometime today. We'll see what they say later today though. Overall experience, as rated by my wife, has been very pleasant with little hassles.

I'm kind of hoping that they do not have it ready tomorrow so I can drive the wagon and see how it compares our manual 325i sedan.

I'll give another update later with the final and official particulars.

BTW, Congrats on the new ride Braveheart.

gurumike · May 2001

Although I was originally opposed to DTL I have decided to get mine switched on. I will have Xenons and I didn't want to keep turning them on and off when I'm on the freeway or those desert roads with "turn on headlight" advisories. I personally don't like autolock but if you live in a crime city, it might be worth it (not that it's really a big hasstle to pull the door handle twice!!)

wailea · May 2001

Had my wife take the car to the dealer 10:30 morning (after rush hour) to have the Aux Fan looked at. She got a 325i TS wagon with PP as a loaner.

At first they said the didn't have a loaner available, but once my wife tracked down the service guy who promised it to her, when she called earlier, as well as the salesman who sold the car everything was staightened out.

The service guy said he has heard of the problem and will have it checked and fixed sometime today. We'll see what they say later today though. Overall experience, as rated by my wife, has been very pleasant with little hassles.

I'm kind of hoping that they do not have it ready tomorrow so I can drive the wagon and see how it compares our manual 325i sedan.

I'll give another update later with the final and official particulars.

BTW, Congrats on the new ride Braveheart.

gurumike · May 2001

Although I was originally opposed to DTL I have decided to get mine switched on. I will have Xenons and I didn't want to keep turning them on and off when I'm on the freeway or those desert roads with "turn on headlight" advisories. I personally don't like autolock but if you live in a crime city, it might be worth it (not that it's really a big hasstle to pull the door handle twice!!)

gurumike · May 2001

I would be fasinated to learn how the doors are more likely to open in a wreck if they're not locked. I've been with BMW for over six year, I'm product knowledge specialist for the western region and, while I'll reserve judgement until I read your answer, I think you'll find that door openage in a collision is unrelated to whether they're locked or not. .......

shipo · May 2001

Hi Marc,

SoapBox

I personally am not opposed to the concept of DRL's, however; I am very critical of how the U.S. has decided to implement them. I think that some safety committee tucked away somewhere in Washington D.C. came up with the "Brilliant" idea of using low-powered high beams. The problem is that said high beams are just that, high. Even low powered ones are aimed right into the eyes of oncoming drivers and I personally find them VERY annoying. As such, I decided not to add to the problem. On the other hand, if DRL's were low-powered low beams, I would be all for it.

On the subject of the auto door locks, I absolutely cannot stand driving cars that automatically lock their doors. I suspect that it is a very deep seeded irrational emotion; nonetheless, I refuse to drive a car with them. As far as safety is concerned, I was reading something from BMW back in 1998 about the then new E46 and it's safety features. In a crash, the doors cannot open regardless of whether the doors are locked or not, so there is no safety benefit to having them locked. That suited me just fine, my car has both the locks and the DRL's deactivated.

/SoapBox

I hope this helps.

Best Regards,
Shipo

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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