BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

ponytrekker · November 2003

If you are going to own a BMW, best way to do it is to lease it or own it until the free maintenance runs out. Then get another one with free maintenance. If you are driving anywhere near normal mileage that is the way to go.

If you are driving more but not cab driver miles, then consider Japanese.
Scheduled maintenance on Japanese cars is generally like a suggestion. The dealers try to schedule crap like ball bearing rotation but if you look in the manuals, you can probably get by with fluid changes, brakes and rotors, timing belt to 100k. Not much more beyond that, maybe an alternator, CV joint. However, after 200k, the aluminum block engines might start to wear.

IF you are driving cab driver miles, like if you want to keep a car past 350-400K then the only way to go is Caprice Classic or some other cab car. But you will pay through the nose for maintenance.

ponytrekker · November 2003

is my color and I love it!

andergtr · November 2003

i have a 2002 model, which means scheduled maintenance is only included to 36K miles. the first maintenance i paid for at 45K miles was $1400. i'm pretty sure that i'm not going to get anywhere near $1400 TOTAL even if you add up all the maintenance work on my toyota.

andergtr · November 2003

i've had four japanese cars and my BMW. the japanese cars were an '89 acura integra, an '87 acura legend, a '01 acura CL type S, and a '93 toyota corolla. the BMW i have is a 2002 325ci.

in my experience--and the half-dozen or so japanese cars my family has had over the years, plus my brother's '95 325i--the BMW's are just more expensive to maintain if you are keeping the cars to 100K or 150K miles. the bimmers just require more maintenance and upkeep--which is not surprising, because you are dealing with a performance vehicle, not merely a passenger car, which is how i view a camry, you know?

again, if you just keep the cars until, say, 50K miles, your experience is gonna be very different than mine. as i said before, i average 35K miles a year, so i'm probably in a different situation than the average driver who leases his/her car.

in addition, i'd say that i'm probably tougher on my cars than the average guy or housewife. put it this way...i used to make the 360-mile trip from LA to san jose in under four hours every time, be it the BMW or the acuras.

lawdawgfl · November 2003

What is so special about BMW oil, it is a super secret blend? When the warranty is up could you put Mobil 1 synthetic in? I am thinking about purchasing a 325ci from a friend with 15,000 miles. I figure I would ease into the BMW experience, see how it goes and then purchase a new 330 in a few years. I am getting the 325 for 25k, it is a 2001. Thanks for the help.

rpadilla · November 2003

If memory serves, BMW oil is merely Castrol Syntec, which is one of the few true synthetic oils. And, believe me, buying the Castrol Syntec from Wal Mart is far less expensive that buying the BMW oil from the dealer. Just make sure you buy the right weight -- I believe it is 5W30.

And, IMHO, I hope that the 325i that you are looking at is fully loaded -- $25k seems a bit high to me, even if the car only has 15k miles.

jb_shin · November 2003

It is made by Castrol, and I believe it does use slightly (very) different formulation. I seem to recall that Syntech is also one of those that is not a true syntethic.

div2 · November 2003

"BMW oil is merely Castrol Syntec, which is one of the few true synthetic oils. And, believe me, buying the Castrol Syntec from Wal Mart is far less expensive that buying the BMW oil from the dealer."
Sorry, wrong on both counts. The oil is very different from the garden variety Syntec; the BMW Synthetic meets the stringent ACEA standards. Recently some "Made In Germany" 5W-30 Syntec has appeared in some stores and that oil may be very similar to the BMW Synthetic, but at this time no one knows for sure.
As for cost, BMW Synthetic is one of the least expensive synthetics on the market-and it's an even better value when the CCA discount is applied.

rpadilla · November 2003

rpadilla · November 2003

Doesn't the oil fill cap have Castrol stamped on it?

andergtr · November 2003

while i definitely see the value in having a good indie mechanic, how do you differentiate between someone who SEEMS to know his/her stuff and someone who merely poses that way?

i love my BMW, so it's a car i obviously want to take care of. i like the idea of saving a few bucks here and there, but honestly i would rather pay an extra $50 to $100 if i know the quality of the work is the best it can be.

ddblue · November 2003

I pulled this info from the web:

"Viscosity Index" (ASTM D-2270) is an imperical number indicating the rate of change in viscosity of an oil within a given temperature range. HIGHER numbers indicate a low change, lower numbers indicate a relatively large change. The HIGHER the number the better. This is one major property of an oil that keeps the bearings happy! These numbers can ONLY be compared within a viscosity range. It is not an indication of how well the oil resists thermal breakdown.

HT/HS or "High Temperature/High Shear" (ASTM D-4683) is an rating that determines the oils stability in a high temperature, high stress conditions. The oil's ability to withstand shearing and tearing is very important especially in a high RPM engine. The oil's ability to protect bearings, cylinder walls and rings, connecting rod bearings, main bearings, cam lobes and lifters, etc. is vital to an engine. For an oil to pass the ASTM D-4683, an oil must have a protective viscosity of 2.9 cP at 302 degrees F. The HIGHER the number the better!

"Flash" (ASTM D-92) is the temperature at which an oil gives off vapors that can be ignited with a flame held over the oil. The lower the flash point the greater the tendency for the oil to suffer vaporization loss at high temperatures and to burn off on hot cylinder walls and pistons. The flash point can be an indicator of the quality of the base stock oil used. The HIGHER the flash point the better! 400 F is the minimum to prevent possible high consumption. The flash points shown in the data are in F.

Castrol Syntec Viscosity = 172
Mobil 1 Viscosity = 162

Castrol Syntech HT/HS = 3.0
Mobil 1 HT/HS = 3.35

Castrol Syntech Flash = 455
Mobil 1 Flash = 445

It's a close one, according to the data. Both brands are very high in quality. The difference appears negligible to me. If someone can provide more insight, please do so.

As far as costs of BMW oil changes are concerned, this is my understanding:

-Scheduled oil changes (about every 15K) = free up to 3 years/36,000 miles
-Unscheduled oil changes (at the drivers whim) = $60 up to 3 years/36,000 miles
-Any oil change after 3 years/36,000 miles = about 160 smackers. OOOF!

It appears that

ddblue · November 2003

I would look into replacing the spark plugs yourself. I was going to replace my 325Ci plugs a few months ago, thinking that they were not platinum. I bought Bosch four-prong Splitfires and went to replace them in the Bimmer. Turns out that BMW puts in platinums, as you already know. Well, though the removal was a bit tedious, it can be done in less than an hour. I think it's more than worth it to do this yourself.

div2 · November 2003

You're right; the BMW oil is made by Castrol-it's just not the same formulation as Syntec. And the Castrol TWS 10W-60 required by some M cars is very expensive; @$6.00/qt. if I recall.

div2 · November 2003

If you're a CCA member-and you should be-you can check with local chapter members regarding good indie shops. A lot(but not all) of the good shops usually advertise in the chapter newsletters. You really shouldn't have any trouble finding a shop once you are wired in to the local chapter.

vkwheels · November 2003

Nice color, doesn't show dirt too much, goes well w/ tan interior.

mrl11777 · November 2003

325 with sand interior always looks great. Easy to keep clean. Black floor mats, to me, look better, and they do not show ground-in dirt.

bartalk2 · November 2003

When will the current 3 Series be redesigned: 2005 model year or 2006?

lawdawgfl · November 2003

OK I give what is CCA? Car Club of America? Just a thought. The 2001 325ci I am looking is loaded, with home link except for the cold weather package, not much use for it here in south Florida. 25k might be a bit high, but he is allowing 3 payments and will then sign over title with "gift" marked in the price spot on title to save on taxes when its registered. Thanks for the help with the oil question. What is the oil extractor for? Besides extracting oil :P Is the oil change not the same in a BMW as any other car?

postoak · November 2003

Only BMW seems to know when the redesigned 3-series (E90) will be out. Some say January 2005, others say September 2005.

CCA is short for BMWCCA:

http://www.bmwcca.org/

div2 · November 2003

"OK I give what is CCA?"
www.bmwcca.org
"What is the oil extractor for? Besides extracting oil :P Is the oil change not the same in a BMW as any other car?"
On modern BMWs the oil filter element is located in a canister on the top of the engine. If you use an oil extractor such as the one I use- http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=10122 -there is no need to get under the car to remove the drain plug since everything can be reached from under the hood. It's an easy half hour job-and that's if you take your time. It's inexpensive, too:The last oil change on my 5er-using seven quarts of BMW synthetic oil and a BMW filter-cost $36.60. Not bad for a half hour of work.

lawdawgfl · November 2003

Thanks for the info:)

ksoman · November 2003

oops i meant, i hope i dont offend everyone, but every second car is a white, third car is a black and fourth car is a variant of grey/steel, so where is your individuality? :-)

mystic blue is deeper than topaz, much much deeper, its like the geometric mean between the wavelength spectrum of topaz and oriental.

nyccarguy, i've often seen that spanking broad in her m3 lately...

ksso

tcn2k · November 2003

Ok, I found out from my local bmw charges 75 bucks for oil/filter change. During and after the maintence warranty. Not bad.

But i have a question for all your do it yourself folks. Once you change the oil/filter on your own, how do you reset the oil indicator in the car's computer?

brave1heart · November 2003

From the Bentley manual:

To reset the indicator:
-The car should be off
-hold down the left instrument button (the trip odometer reset)
-while holding the key, turn the ignition to position 1 (radio)
-you will see a test menu
-keep holding the button
-after maybe 10 seconds, the word "reset" will appear
-let go of the button and press again
-THe indicator is reset!

In reading about the indicator, I also learned that BMW changed the way the intervals are calculated for cars post 6/2000.
For cars buiilt after this date, it is calculated based solely on gallons of fuel consumed (for example, 601 gallons for 328i manual).

Cars built prior to this date take into account other factors such as engine temp, # of cold starts, etc. I don't know why BMW bothered to change and simplify this-- if they already had the electronics, why not just leave it alone?

txbmw · November 2003

Hello!
First time poster and occassional lurker.
Wanted to seek some opinions/knowledge regarding a current problem my 2002 325i is having.

To make a long story short, the automatic transmission started acting up when the car had only 11,000 miles. The tranny started bucking/jerking when shifting/downshifting. The transmission malfunction light came on and the car was taken to the dealership. They stated that they had to "reprogram" the computer, as the it detected something strange, and the the car had gone into a safety mode.

4,000 miles later, the problem has resurfaced. This time the dealership is stating that the transmission needs replacement - they also stated that they use remanufactured transmissions. Needless to say I am quite disturbed that the transmission is shot after only 15,000 miles of safe driving.

My question is this- is this commonplace for authorized BMW dealerts to replace transmissions with rebuilt ones, or do I have a right to request a new one? Also, how would this affect the warranty if a remanufactured one is placed in my car?

Thanks for any advice!

scipio1 · November 2003

As any schoolboy could tell you: Mystic is is much closer to the ARITHMETIC between topaz and orient. The geometic mean would be closer to, say, an Aegean metallic blue.

:P

kyfdx · November 2003

This applies to virtually all cars, not just BMW's.. After the model year is over, there are no "new" transmissions left. There are all the new parts to put inside the transmission, but no completely assembled transmissions. And, they won't use those parts to individually rebuild your transmission, as this would be cost prohibitive. As the housings of bad transmissions are returned to wherever they are rebuilt, they are used to house "new" parts being rebuilt on an assembly line. So, this "rebuilt" transmission will just be swapped out completely by the dealer's mechanic, with the one in your car. Its easiest to compare it to an engine. You wouldn't really expect there to be a warehouse full of "new" 2002 engines sitting around, waiting to replace the bad ones. If you have an engine problem, they just replace the parts needed, if its a small problem, or swap it out for a "rebuilt engine", if its a major failure. Its actually preferable to have a complete swap done, whether engine or transmission, as they are rebuilt on an assembly line by people that do only that job. In general, this would be done much better than having a general mechanic spend the time doing your individual transmission.

To recap: There are no "new transmissions" to put in your car. This is how all used cars transmissions are replaced.

regards,
kyfdx

txbmw · November 2003

Thanks for the explanation kyfdx!

bartalk2 · November 2003

Thanks for what info you have on the timetable for the redesigned 3. If you hear more, let us know.

fastcajun · November 2003

Hello everyone:
I've been reading for awhile, but am new to posting. Does anyone know if E46 sport seats can be fitted to an E36? I have a 1998 3281.

Thanks for the expertise.

bing330i · November 2003

Hello. Have not been on the board for awhile. I still see Brave's posting :->

I plan on moving from CA to DC next year. In preparation for the weather change I plan buying a set of OEM wheels for winter tires. I have a 2002 330i with Sports Pkg. It comes with M68 2 of 225/45-17 in front, 2 of 245/40-17 in rear. My question is what SIZE of wheels should I get? Same as the existing M68S? or 4 17s in same size? or even 16s (I do not think that will fit the 330i SP though I may be wrong).

Any recommendation would be greatly appreciated. TIA !

ddblue · November 2003

I lived in DC for two years with my 2001 325Ci. One bad winter. I bought new wheels and summer tires (18"). I kept the original 17" SP wheels for my snow tires, but kept the size down to 225/45 17s. I would stick with 17s or see if 16s will fit. Your front brakes might be too big to get 16s. Contact www.tirerack.com (call them) and they can advise you correctly. They know the limits of your tire size.

Definitely go with narrower snow tires if you can. Don't go staggered like your current setup. If you can get 205 or 215s with 16" wheels, you'd be good to go in the snow. My 225/45 Dunlop Wintersport M2s have been great, but narrower is better.

brave1heart · November 2003

I'd go with 205/55/16. There is one type of wheel that you can get on the Tirerack that clears the 330's brakes - I think it's the Type 5 but they'll be able to tell you for sure. And yes, narrower is better.

330ifan · November 2003

I recently took delivery on a 2004 330i in Silver Gray, a new color that became available during the summer. It is a striking color, particularly with black leather.

rgnmstr · November 2003

<<<This applies to virtually all cars, not just BMW's.. After the model year is over, there are no "new" transmissions left>>>>

I'm not sure I understand your post. Yes there may not be any more "new" 2003 transmissions left with a 2003 serial number but the exact same transmission remains in production with a 04 serial number. If I had purchased a new car and the transmission went at 1500 miles I'd be screaming for a new transmission and I wouldn't care what technical game they wanted to play about "no new 2003" or whatever. Just give me a new transmission. I would refuse someone else's 50,000 mile rebuilt unit. I didn't buy a rebuilt car.

sjmurray3 · November 2003

I missed opportunity to buy a 2003 325i with HK and I am wondering about the stock radio in a few other models on the lot. Has anyone successfully upgraded outside BMW? Opinions on the stock radio? I find it rather tinny sounding!

scipio1 · November 2003

Try the guys at e46fanatics.com. Many of them have switched head units for more bling-bling units.

The only thing I've heard is that the head unit isn't as bad as you might originally think. If you upgrade the speakers first, it might get you to a satisfactory answer.

chile96 · November 2003

Hi all - I have an '03 325ia that predominantly my fiancee drives that has the OE Bridgestone Turanzas on them 225-45-17. Yesterday morning I noticed a sidewall bulge where she had scraped a curb about 6 wks ago - no problem, ordered a new tire from tirerack. Well today, I go ahead and look closely at the other tires and notice another bulge in a different tire so I decided to do some reading about these bridgestones. From the surveys at tirerack.com I see that several people have had trouble with sidewall damage from these Bridgestone low profile tires.

My question - is there a tire that is known to be a little more forgiving(i.e. stronger sidewalls) so I don't keep on buying tires every few months thanks to her lack of curb attention? I am willing to spend the extra money if it is worth it.

thanks for any help
fo

andergtr · November 2003

i've heard that you can get a lot of mileage out of changing the speakers and adding more power so that you get tons of clean headroom.

i'm going to look into that shortly. the bimmer gets the pimp treatment in the near future. a bling-bling system is de rigeur.

denk · November 2003

About 50% of the time when accelerating from a stop or near stop I get a hesitation which causes a jerk on take off. I posted about this when I first got the car and some on this board suggested that it's just a matter of practice. Well, after over a year of practice including the gas pedal module replacement, I am concluding that it is not a matter of driving skill but rather perhaps a characteristic of or problem with the electronic throttle system. Have any of you with automatic transmissions had this problem and if so, how was it solved. Any comments or ideas would be appreciated.(2002 325 xi)

tcn2k · November 2003

My sister had a brand new honda that had the transmission replaced with a rebuilt one. I never heard of a car dealer replacing a transmission with a new one. But if you argue long enough, they would extend the warranty on the transmission that is rebuilt.

kennynmd · November 2003

I have the stock system in my 325ci and was disappointed. I didn't change too much to get alot better sounding system. I only changed the tweeters and added a subwoofer and an amp to power the subwoofer. Now it sounds awesome.

andergtr · November 2003

when the tranny in my acura CL type S died, they replaced it with a refurbished one. i had to scream and moan with acura to get them to extend the warranty to 75K miles, which they did reluctantly.

soon after that, i dumped the acura and got the BMW.

walter12 · November 2003

I decided to look under my 2003 325xi before starting an oil change. Good thing because there is no access plate as on the coupes and convertibles but one solid plate. This plate appears fairly easy to remove. Now I am weighing the pros and cons of buying an oil extractor as suggested by Div2. Does anyone know whether this plate is truly easy to get off or is it just enough work to justify buying an oil extractor? In the opinion of those who use the extractor, do you feel that you can remove the equivalent amount of oil as in the gravity method. Opinions please. Thanks in advance.

mrl11777 · November 2003

I just did my first oil change on my 03 325i over the weekend. I used the MityVac extractor (purchased from toolwarehouse.com for $56). Extremely easy to use. Sucked out just under 7 quarts of oil (and I pumped the extractor several more times to suck out every drop and it just sucked air at the end). The filter was very easy to change, too.

I, too, was not completely sure that extracting the oil was going to remove as much as draining it. So, before I started, I warmed the car up, parked it and let it sit a bit. Then, I checked the oil and made a careful note as to where the oil level was on the dipstick. I then extracted, changed the filter and filled it with 7 quarts of Mobil 1 and, voila!, the oil level was, after a short ride, at the same level on the dipstick as before.

I am convinced that using the extractor is the way to go.

memphis10 · November 2003

Just wondering why did you have to change the oil on your own. Shouldn't it be covered under scheduled maintenance. Or did you change it before 15k miles.

mrl11777 · November 2003

Changed it at 7500. Next one will be on BMW when the computer says so.

kominsky · November 2003

My experience was very similar to mrl11777's.

FWIW, looking through some back issues of Consumer Reports the other day I found a little write up they did on extractors from Griot's and Overton's. They liked them.

and, this is from Griot's page:

"A Japanese magazine (Automechanic, Nov. 1997 issue) tested our Oil Extractor to see if it would be able to withdraw more oil versus draining the oil using the "drain plug" method. Great news! The Oil Extractor was able to withdraw an additional 71ml of oil on a late model Toyota. Due to the ultra tight packaging of engine compartments these days, it seems manufacturers are locating the drain plug in areas that compromise complete oil
drainage. You're gonna love changing your oil! "

mrl11777 · November 2003

MityVac holds more oil so you don't have to stop and empty it out before you are done extracting.

Mityvac is cheaper than Griots, as is the shipping from toolwarehouse.com.

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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