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totally different sides of the fence. My ZHP feels soft and underpowered.
and whats up w/ that suede/ alcantara seats....not my taste for sure
That's why i got leather. I won't own a car with cloth if I can help it. Too hot all the time...
330i has std sport suspension & narrow 17x7" & 205/50 since '01.5. That's just like the 325i/328i sport but w/o the 17x8" wheels & 225/45 tires. The '99 323i sport had 16x7" wheels & 225/50 tires.
"so far i find audi a4s seats most comfortable and supportive for me."
I kind of suspect that VW/Audi forgot to keep the bottom cushion flexible over bumps. I found my aftermarket Recaro(which has been supplying sport seats to VW/Audi before) SE quite unyielding over bumps compare to the original Corolla seat. So I sat in a Long Beach installation center & found the Flofit aftermarket seat way more absorbent when I bounce my 180lb body on it to simulate bumpy ride. & it seems that BMW 3-series' sport seat is slightly more absorbent than the non-sport seat.
Try to bounce you butt on the seats hard & see what you got.
You can even order a 330i with sport seats as a stand alone option... You still get the sport suspension, just narrower, all-season tires.
regards,
kyfdx
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330i: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330xi: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330xi SP: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330i SP (Fr): 17x7.5 225/45 R17
330i SP (Rr): 17x8.5 245/40 R17
330i ZHP (Fr): 18x8.0 225/40 R18
330i ZHP (Rr): 18x8.5 255/35 R18
Am I missing something?
Best Regards,
Shipo
Even if you replace the all-season w/ summer tires, this may still be the most ideal way to drive the efficient-3.0 3-series w/ std sport suspension. The tire-wear uneveness from the wider-wheel/tire set up in the sport package is more of a nightmare, especially when you also can't rotate them around.
Just remember the coupe w/ std sport suspension even comes in 16"s.
btw my friend told me M3 CSL is coming to US, is it true? if it is you might wanna give it a try, its one hell of a car and its noisier than any std M3 could be lol its fast though and accelerates like crazy
Like most new 2004 BMW owners, I was unhappyto find out the alarm did not come standard. I read a link (here at Edmunds) of a site someone reccomended, where you can buy the factory alarm, install it yourself, then go to the dealer to program the key (for $40). Can anyone help me with a link?? I've tried to do a search here, but I keep comming up empty.
Thanks in advance-
Love
True or not, the future lighter M2 w/ 5-link rear suspension & costs less than the base M3 makes more sense. My cousin who was used to the Corvette V8 & got an '01 M3 convertible recently just couldn't stand the lack of push in his back...
I opined that the non-sport would ride softer due to the model of tire, and not because of the size. (disregarding the ZHP, which has 18")
Unless we are crossposting about different messages.. in that case, never mind!!
regards,
kyfdx
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They're worthless. If somebody wants your car bad enough they are going to take it. Whether they drive it or tow it away on a flatbed, the alarm is not going to deter tham one bit. Some car thieves are so good they can practically steal the car while you're driving it:)
Think about it. When is the last time you called the police when a car alarm was going off?
If you're that worried about the car being stolen, then go for an alpine alarm (or some other aftermarket brand) which beeps you when the alarm goes off so you can run out and check the car to see if it is still there.
Mostly they just make noise.
But if you must, there is probably something on E46fanatics.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
If I remember correctly, you can find the alarm in the parts department of either of the two following dealership sites:
http://www.pacificbmw.com
http://www.circlebmw.com
Kyfdx,
Ahhh, now I see where you were going with your previous post. Yes, I was in fact missing something. Sorry about that. ;-)
Regarding the same ride across the various width ranges for 17" wheels assuming the usage of the same make and model of tire; hmmm, I'm not sure why but something in my gut just doesn't feel right about that assertion.
<Thinking at the keyboard>
First off, a 17x7 wheel with at 205/50 tire will weight somewhat less than the wider widths.
Second, the wider tires while still running the same basic inflation will have a broader surface with which to contact the road, and that too should cause a harsher ride.
Finally, according to one of the TireRack consultants, the same Make/Model of tire may NOT have the same construction and as a rule, costs more money to cover the differences.
</Thinking at the keyboard>
Does any of this definitively mean that the wider/lower profile (as a percentage of tread width) will ride firmer than the standard narrow rubber? Probably not. It's just that my gut says it does.
Hopefully somebody with more knowledge on this subject will chime in here and enlighten us all. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
If for some ungodly reason you'd want a stolen car back, then go for the old lojack. Of course with many friends who have had their cars stolen, the ones who got the car back were always the least happy. The saying "drive it like you stole it" has is roots in what people do to stolen cars (the ones that aren't taken to a chopshop or across to mexico).
I hope no one with more knowledge steps in... It is much more amusing for me to guess...
regards,
kyfdx
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-Also, interested about special options like stand-alone sport seats and myrtle-wood, where can I find the list of option codes. Any feelings on SC performance center delivery? Thanks.
The dealers should have'em.
415 rear sunshade $400
431 auto-dimming mirror $325
438 dark wood trim $500
481 sport seats $550
488 lumbar support $450
502 retractable headlight washers $375
Our special-order 325i arrives from Germany at the west-coast port 6 weeks after placing the order.
Im considering valentine1, but im not so sure if its any good...
There are really only two choices.. Valentine One and Escort. You can't go wrong with either one.
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They are just a check to keep you safe.
-Paul
I'd opt for the Valentine though. Multi bogey counters, arrows, etc. V1 or the new Passport/Escort 8500? would probably be the top choices for reliability and accuracy.
ive heard a lot of cops are starting to use this technique, but imo as long as we keep our eyes open well be ok
I looked at ebay and found new v1s for sale at lower prices...im starting to wonder myself if they might be selling fakes, anyone know anything about this?
Pacing? Heck, in CA all they gotta do is see your car and give you a ticket based on visual assessment of speed.
Fortunately, I drive up in the Mojave desert area - Lancaster, Palmdale, Edwards AFB area and out to Barstow and Vegas. Wide open areas. I can be zipping around 80-85 and they don't even bother with the cars they see on a regular basis. I drive past a CHP and 2 Sheriff's depts each day.
-Paul
Check out radarbusters.com
That's where we bought the Passport from. Free Shipping.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Your Membership Agreement is very clear on this point: "Edmunds.com does not allow the promotion of illegal conduct or activities or fraudulent schemes in Town Hall."
That means that we aren't going to further pursue radar jammers, or other illegal methods of avoiding getting caught speeding.
How about we just get back on topic...
Thanks for your understanding.
and thx for reminding me, totally forgot about the rules before
ButMyWife
"then again some view going to europe as a vacation. to each his own. when i go on vacation i want to go to fun places."
Such as? Disneyworld or Cancun? Where are these fun places?
When was the last time you were in Europe and what "fun" was lacking there?
Some of the best "fun" to be had in Europe is picking up a new BMW in Munich and driving it on the autobahn where you can go as fast as the car will go which in the case of your car would be 155mph rather than the piddly 95mph you do on the highways of CA (with all due respect to the CHP). The roads are also smoother there and twisties abound. The people driving on the same road also have a rough idea of how to drive, unlike their American counterparts.
ED is a great way to go, to save money and to savor the car , even if it is a "lowly"(sic) 325.
Norris, European by birth and future M3 owner
Asia, Africa, So. America, Australia.
When was the last time you were in Europe and what "fun" was lacking there?
Never been and don't plan on it until I've exhausted the rest of the interesting continents.
Some of the best "fun" to be had in Europe is picking up a new BMW in Munich and driving it on the autobahn where you can go as fast as the car will go which in the case of your car would be 155mph rather than the piddly 95mph you do on the highways of CA (with all due respect to the CHP).
I've done 130 on the freeway. 155 was attainable but not desirable given it was the middle of the night. I needn't visit the autobahn to have fun on the road.
ED is a great way to go, to save money
That's true in select cases. Purchasing a normal 330i or 325i you can get as good, if not better deals locally. And without the expense or hassle of going to europe. High end makes like the 5 and 7 and M should save you cash. But again, there's the hassle factor.
Norris, European by birth and future M3 owner
Me, American by birth, German by blood and not at all interested in Europe. Give me Thailand or Tokyo anyday...
Too bad -- I was planning to install a box under each seat and was looking forward to the extra storage space under the seats. Has anyone had a different experience with this item and seat configuration ?
westmorland
Those of you getting the $995 power feature on the non-sport seats just to gain the thigh-tilt adjustment might as well save the $ & special order the $550 manual sport seats w/ even more adjustments including the cushion length(Wow, something the S-class got). I also find the sport seats' headrests a little more comfortable possibly due to being able to lower further. & w/ the $445 left over, get the $450 4-way power lumbar on these manual sport seats, as the memory feature from the power seats does not memorize your lumbar position anyway.
Combining w/ the absence of moonroof to keep the front occupants sitting high AND more forward, a 325i can be a decently roomy sedan so everyone gets to enjoy the ride. What a bargain!
I also noticed BMW purposely ruined the rear center armrest lately by changing the nice thick high one into something uncomfortably low just like the one w/ the optional $500 folding rear seat, so those who spent that $500 won't get jealous? This doesn't apply to our leatherette 325i, which doesn't have one to begin with.
Tonight I was just persuading the teenager student driver of the family, that's bound to take over our "unwanted" TSX auto, using the left hand to hold the steering wheel so he can eventually adapt to drive stick easier, but he prefers using the right hand since he's right handed. 'cause I'm sick of his nerdy dad that can't drive stick & is against stick.
Thailand & Tokyo drive on the left just like the Brits. Is "right-hand steering/left-hand shift" a reason? I visited Thailand in '98, & I think the E46 sedan's rear-glass width sucks for lane changes in crowded cities. The C-class sedan & IS300 are better. No wonder I like to drive my '84 Jetta & '90 Protege.
Each time I've been there I think to myself, "Self, if you ever have to live here for a while, drive a Toyota or a Dodge (yes, they have a lot of Dodges over there as well), and never, make that NEVER even consider bringing your BMW along for the duration." ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Thanks,
ButMyWife
My salesman was so stupid & lazy that I had to do 100% of research & all he did was taking the commission!
First of all, he didn't know that, lately, special-ordered 325i can be equipped w/ optional sport seats or pwr lumbar. Then he told me it's too late to add these features even right before the production starts. So when he was off duty I had to speak to the manager directly just to find out that changes can be made prior to the production date. When calling the salesman over the phone, he was also too lazy to check for me to see if the pwr lumbar is linked to the memory system(there was one car equipped so in front of his face in the show room!) & told me that it should, which is false! & he even told me that he's 90% sure that pwr/memory seats are required for the pwr lumbar, otherwise he would call me later in the day, which he didn't -- another misleading info. But we decided to get the $1k pwr/memory function anyway due to having different drivers taking turn using it. ;-)
FYI, during the 7th-year ownership w/ hardly any miles, our '94 stripped C220 costed $2k just for repairing the malfunction pwr VINYL driver seat, which didn't even have the useful memory function to begin with. & the non-factory extended warranty refused to cover it! So we traded it in for an RX300 instead of repairing it. Isn't it nice that the 3-series has the 6-cyl instead of the pwr seat std? ;-)
Anyway, it was when I tried to equipped the pwr lumbar on manual seats at www.BMW.ca, it went thru adding to the price of the car. & it's only $400 Canadian dollars!
3-series coupes always come w/ the lowered sport suspension, while AWD 3-series cannot be equipped w/ it. So it's no wonder that the coupes don't come in AWD. The sport package in the 325xi still adds the narrow 17"s. While the 330xi adds the less-comfy-riding run flats as if BMW trys to keep the comfort difference less dramatic from the 2WD 330i, which already has the narrow 17"s AND the lowered sport suspension std.
Thanks for making this a great site!
I would like your feedback.
I plan to get an Orient Blue as the exterior color.
But I am thinking between the Natural Brown leather or the Black leather. I am leaning towards the brown leather.
What do you guys think?
Thank you.
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I will say, though, that you might want to get the premium package if you go with the Nat.Brown, in order to get the wood trim. It really ties the whole interior together nicely. Without it, you get the titanium or silver trim (at least in the 330, which is all I shopped), and IMHO there are too many different tones and contrasts going on that way. There may be a way to retrofit an interior with a wood trim kit, but it's probably on the expensive side.
I had a chance to buy an Orient Blue/Nat. Brown without the premium package off a dealer lot, and chose to order one instead to get what I wanted -- Mark