BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

yeeeha · May 2001

Awhile back, someone asked about getting the VIN if you only had the production #. Just following up...Once you know the production #, you can register with the BMWNA Owners Circle. Once registered, you can click on your information, and it will have the VIN number.

frank69m · May 2001

Mercedes: get the sports model if you choose this. Steering won't and handling won't feel as tight, but will feel a little more roomy and luxurious than the 330. fully loaded C320 sport ...slightly more expensive than a fully loaded 330i.

IS300: This is the wannabe BMW. It looks like crap, especially the clearlights in the back. It has the drilled pedals to make it look sporty. Sorry, my rx7 will dust this piece of crap.

330i: Just buy it. Nuff said. Looks better than all the rest.

M3 Frank

jpcbearden · May 2001

go to bmwusa.com. you can choose a model (or go to virtual center), then click on "build your own bmw", then you can choose the color, interior, whatever you want. you'll have a rough idea of what the car looks like. they also tell you what colors they have for the car.

parump · May 2001

Evidently, the trunk floor liner can be reversed so that the rubber coated side faces upwards. This might help to reduce items from sliding across the trunk during spirited driving. Has anyone tried this?

Getz,

Good luck on your boards!

Parump

aaa330i · May 2001

The owner's circle has been down all day so I haven't been able to view the exact same status update multiple times throughout the day!

I wish there was an ETA date on there.

jpcbearden · May 2001

just checked on the web. the z3 roaster 2.5i has siena red and bright red. they should be the same as 325i.

postoak · May 2001

Thanks, I didn't think of checking the color names. I've kind of lost interest in actually LOOKING at colors on my computer -- they don't really look like the real thing. That's why I made an actual trek down to the dealership.

jpcbearden · May 2001

you are right. we too actually went to the dealer a few times just to check out the color. even with the same color, it usally looks better on the z3 than 325i, though.

micga · May 2001

mfeldman - I notice the exact same thing with my new 325i

breaking80 · May 2001

If you don't mind me asking, what med school are you in and what is your intended specialty?
I was in your shoes (re: step 1) seven years ago.. fortunately, there wasn't much of internet as a distraction.

dl7265 · May 2001

After attending for several years at the Texas Motor speedway, i now see there are no schedualed dates for TX! I am disapointed !

I registered for the Mercedes -benz powertrip out there but its only this holiday weekend ,and im working Grrrr. Oh Well,

DL

Gold101 · May 2001

I too have made this comparison before selecting the 330. I also currently own an Acura 3.2 TL Type S, so I used that as a basis for comparison. Here are my thoughts on the class.

Merceded: Great looking, but not lithe and low like a sport sedan should be. The interior was nice, in the Mercedes tradition, meaning it was a bit stark. The materials, however, were great. The seats were comfy, but were not torso-hugging like a great road car should be.The engine felt good, with above-average power throughout the rev band. The ride(with the sport pkg) was well snubbed and firm. Handling was predictable, with slight understeer. The steering was a let down- light, and lacking in feel.
Overall, however, Mercedes has done a great job, as the new C is a definite step in the right direction.

Lexus: The car looks hot with its smoked tail light covers, and it has a boy racer look. From the outside, I loved the short overhangs and subtle details. The interior, however, killed it for me. The gauges are arranged in a confusing manner, and the font-types are way too small. The seats were firm, but I hated their fake suede. The drilled pedals were cool, but lifted right off of a Celica. In addition, the hard plastics and lack of armrest ruin the feeling of luxury. I found power to be lacking. Though the engine sounded fast and was smooth, it lacked the punch of the others. The steering was a real treat, however, and the car had VERY little body roll. The trade off comes in ride- Very harsh, with a pounding, gritty feeling. Add in the arrogance of Lexus dealers, and the IS300 added up to overkill for me.
My Acura: Amazing power, awesome acceleration. This car hauls some serious [non-permissible content removed], and the engine sounds the best in the process. The interior is beautifully trimmed, with great sport seats. The Bose stereo sounds good(better than the HK in my 3), but was lacking in bass compared to the Benz. Handling is quite good considering FWD, but the size of the car makes it less agile than the 3 and the IS. The steering is meaty, with good feel. The ride is firm, yet comofortable, and the car is very quiet. The exterior is subtle, which lends a stealthy image. Very cool.... Overall fit and finish on this car is the best in the group(surprising, given the US assembly), and the car is an AMAZING value.

Subjective ratings:
Power/Accel:
1. Acura
2. BMW
3. Mercedes
4. Lexus
Handling:
1.BMW
2.Lexus
3.Acura
4.Mercedes
Ride:
1.Mercedes
2.Acura
3.BMW
4.Lexus
Interior ergonomics
1.Acura
2.BMW
3.Mercedes
4.Lexus
Engine Sound:
1.Acura/BMW(tie)
2.Lexus
3.Mercedes
Interior materials:
1.BMW
2.Acura/Mercedes(tie)
3.Lexus
Sound System:
1.Mercedes Bose
2.Acura Bose
3.Lexus
4.BMW HK
Fit and Finish:
All were excellent, but the Acura's glossy paint and tight panel gaps took the prize.
Value:
1.Acura
2.BMW
3.Mercedes
4.Lexus

Overall: All are great cars. Depending on what you desire, each car has its pros and cons. In final, however, anyone of these awesome vehicles can easily satisfy all/nearly all of the discriminating enthusiasts demands.

Gold101 · May 2001

Sorry for all the spelling errors in that last post- My 50+ year old fingers are not what they once were!

adam68 · May 2001

I own this car and have been very dissapointed for the following reasons:

-Driving position...Driver sits far too high...I am only 5'10" and my head is one inch from the ceiling and the visors are at my forehead. I've called Acura and they are aware of the problem, but no fix until '04.

-Poor quality leather
-Interior is staight out of the Accord. Too
plasticly with a general "cheap" overall look.
-Plastic "wood" trim is not even close to
looking like the real thing.
-Great engine, but the handling does not do it justice.
In summation...I find it to be an overpriced Accord...actually the Accord has more interior room.

I'm not all negative. Two good points:
Bose stereo is very good
Acura service is fantastic...I'll miss it.

In my opinion, when the new es300 comes out this fall, Acura is going to take a huge hit.

Remember, the above is just my opinion...not looking for an argument..

lewparker · May 2001

Anybody see the review of the 2001 330xi on Motorweek (a car show on public TV) yesterday? I found it interesting that they tested it at about half a second faster in the quarter than the 330i. I think it came in at 6.2 xi vs 6.5 i or something along those lines. They said the extra grip from the front wheel drive allowed it to get off the line a touch faster than the rwd only. Interesting...

getz1 · May 2001

I seriously considered the Cl-S before going with the BMW and felt that the acura represents a better value overall, but misses on many of the intangibles that make a bmw a bmw. The acura was faster, the options were cheaper, and the stereo was much better, but no matter how many times I tried to convince myself on paper that the acura would be the right choice, I could not get the BMW out of my head. The level of refinement in the 3-series is a level above the acura, especially with regards to the interior (the acura has that grey marbled plastic trim). What made the decision was the way the BMW "felt" when cornering, cruising at highway speeds, along with agility lended by the smaller size of the 3. In my opinion both cars look great but the body style of the current 3er is a classic and hopefully will age as well as cars like the old 560 sl. The acura is a sweet car, the engine is remarkable, but it felt a little too similar to my Accord coupe and it just didn't make me feel as "cool" as the BMW.
-Getz

P.S. Parump, thanks. Breaking 80: Midwestern University of the Health Sciences (Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine). I don't really have a clue about specialty, I like Emergency med and ortho sounds cool, as does OB, but I just havent had enough exposure to all the tracts. My first month of rotations is in general surgery with an extra month in ortho, and then I am off to Cook county (place where they film ER) for a month of internal med. Which one of the multitudes of specialties did you funnel into? I am always interested to hear from younger docs about their field, as they seem to be a little less jaded. Thanks.

roc50mg · May 2001

Has anyone compared the 330 to the S4? IMO, the S4 is the closest competitor to the 330 when you consider price (both around 40k fully loaded) and overall perfomance and handling. In fact, didn't the S4 beat out the old M3 in a motor trend comparison test a while back? Test driving both cars for only a short time, I could not tell which car was really better. I'm wondering if anyone out there has any extended experience with the S4 or actually owns one, that may put in their 2 cents on the car.
I ended up going with the 330 xi simply b/c I liked the BMW name and exterior styling better, but I still wonder if the S4 is really a better car/value. Plus, I think there are more S4's available on dealer lots than BMW's that usually have tobe special ordered and takes months to receive.

P.S. I live in NY, hence my interest in AWD.
P.P.S. The weather in the NE sure is terrible this Memorial Day weekend!

pat · May 2001

may be interested in joining a new discussion on our Sedans Comparison Board at this link: MB C-class vs BMW 3 series vs Lexus IS300.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

cddlimited · May 2001

Last Thursday I finally made the decision to purchase a 330i (After almost 6 months of researching and almost buying the passat). I walked into my local dealer 15 minutes before closing and offered $1500 over invoice. The young sales women said she would need to talk to her manager, after 15 min. she returns and accepts my offer and we work out the following details:

330i
Black/Sand
Xenon
Roof
SP
CD
$38100 Retail
$36050 Purchase Price
36-Month 15,000/Yr
.60 Residual
.00240 Money Factor
$512 a Month + Tax (around $1900 due at del.)
Early Aug. delivery-

My question is that on most posts in this forum most people are getting a Money Factor of .00210, is my dealer trying to increase profit? No matter what I told the saleswomen, she said their was no way to get any better than .00240. It equals out to around an extra $600 over the life of the lease. Has anyone else experienced this?

Since their are different size tires on the front and back, what is the rotation procedure?

Do most just buy a new sets of basic rims with a all-season tire?

Cant wait to get a production #....

mfeldman · May 2001

So I'm not crazy. How old is your 325? Have you taken it to the dealer or do you plan to dod anything about it?

postoak · May 2001

Of course, it makes a huge difference to most of us on this board that the Acura and the Lexus aren't available with a manual transmission. Also, the Acura is a 192 inch car! Still, I understand not everybody here has the same requirements. Thanks for the writeup.

breaking80 · May 2001

There wasn't one rotation that really stood out until radiology. Since then, I haven't been happier. In fact, I'm studying for the radiology boards, June 11. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I bought my first new car, 325 SP, earlier this year. I also have a ton of student loans though; they are like mortgages and the first checks went entirely toward interest. Fortunately, the interest rates have been depressed lately. Brave1heart, I was actually going to ask you whether you would invest any extra cash or apply extra toward 7-8% student loans.

kominsky · May 2001

from the owners manual - "The tread wear patterns at the front end differ from those at the rear... In the interest of safety and maintaining optimal handling characteristics, tire rotation is not recommended."

In your question about "basic rims with all-season tires", do you mean for winter driving? I believe most people who have sport tires (and probably some with all-seasons) swap out for dedicated winter tires. Packages with alloy wheels and winter tires can be bought for ~$1,300 from TireRack.com and considerably less for 325's.
If my Altima doesn't survive until next winter, that's the route I will be going.

max63 · May 2001

The money factor for the BMW program is .00210 for this month, they are tyring to make more profit off you. I would walk away if they dont give you that number.

lobs · May 2001

Each dealer has the option to sell the money at the price they choose. The finance dept gets any money factor profit over .0021. It is just like selling an option on the car.

gold101; Gotcha by 4 years.

General: Anyone considering the 3ers must test drive both the 325 and 330. You may find that the price difference is overcome by the extra power and accoutrements of the 330.

kominsky · May 2001

Grand-pappy used to take me fishing alot, but he doesn't have the time any more... either of you would make an excellent fill-in! Interested?? =:-)

kominsky · May 2001

I agree on the 325 vs. 330 issue. Everyone has different priorities and economics so the 330 may not be for everyone, but don't over-look it. I think the extra $4K (optioned out the way I would have gotten them and with the discounts available at the time) was justified.

lobs · May 2001

I'll defer to that young punk gold101. I'm just too tired from walking around car dealer lots.

e46avatar · May 2001

Hello Everyone,

I have a 01 325Ci with 1000 miles on it and I need some simple advice from the other drivers who have already broken in the car.

1)at what mileage did you have your first oil change? The woman I bought the car from told me to bring the car in for an oil change when the maintainence counter shows zero.

2)When I left the dealer the tire pressure was 30psi all round, butthe car felt very heavy and sluggish. I added another 3psi and the car feels a little better. The reccomended tire presure in the manual and the one listed on the inside of the door are both different. I was wondering what pressue you guys ahve your tire pressure at.

3) I read a post by Alpine 325 about Kleen wheels but I could not find then for my rims which are the standard 16 inch ones that look like a star.
Does anyone know where I can get the kelln wheels for those rims? Also has anyone put them on by themselves or did they have the BMW dealership install them?

Thanks in advance and have a good M-day.

aaa330i · May 2001

...was pretty sad.

getz1 · May 2001

Its great that you love what you do. Good luck with the board studying, and in your position I wouldn't sweat the loans too much. One of the pathologists at my school asked for volunteers to come down and point out any unusually items on a KUB film (obvious pelvic kidney). When no one volunteered he asked if there were any budding radiologists in the crowd. Following even more silence, he stated "what's the matter with you guys? Doesn't anybody wanna drive fast cars and make way too much money!" Thought you might get a kick out of that. Student loans suck, I will probably be 200k in the hole. Plan is to put my residency salary into the loans, and then throw the wifes salary at them for a year. That should clear them up mostly. Probably not smart since the interest rate is fairly low, but it will feel good to climb out from underneath some of that.
-Getz

uofmich1 · May 2001

Gentelmen:
I took delivery of my 325i this last Monday and yesturday, I noticed that when it sits on in the driveway for about 15 min. ,it overheats. After playing around a bit, I realized that the fan NEVER comes on in the car. Any suggestions? I plan on taking it in obviously but thought that maybe someone may have a suggestion. It does not overheat when the car is moving, given the automatic airflow that results. Thanks

sec1 · May 2001

I'm interested in purchasing either the BMW 330I,the 330XI or even the 530I. I've been reading some posts on other sites that question the reliability of BMW. I do not want to spend the money and then have the car be in the shop. Looking for any experiences that you might want to share. Thanks.

330ibob · May 2001

Has anyone used a polymer wax on a silver BMW and what were the results? I am still undecided about carnauba wax versus a polymer. I have seen a lot of posts say that carnauba does not last but is easier on the paint and that there could be problems with polymer waxes on German paint - hazing and clouding.

Has anyone used Zaino on a silver BMW E46? What were the results? Are there any long time users out there? What were your results?

I pick up my new 330i tomorrow, after a painful 90 day wait, and I want to wax it right.

Thanks
Bob

qpham11 · May 2001

I really like the looks of the sport wagon for the dimmer but comes only in 325 form... really wanted the bigger engine. The local Audi dealer had a silver wagon on the show room but I test drove a yellow 4-door. I liked it but just didn't drive like the bimmers. I'm sure everyone here knows what I'm talking about. Plus the dealer was not discounting on the S4 wagon.... so it would have been 6-7k more that the 330i. I really like the looks of the wagons but my friends and family think I'm nuts.

I ordered my 330i back in April and should take deliver this week. The waiting will finally come to an end. I have been living vicariously thru this board. Thanks for all the interesting stories about your bimmers.

Hmmmm....maybe I can get that 540i Touring later.

derprofi · May 2001

sec1,

Where are the posts you mention which question the reliability of BMW? Are they from actual owners of current model BMWs or from people who heard from a friend of a friend who heard from their uncle who read it on the internet somewhere?

Seriously, a lot of the vague negative comments floating around are coming from people who don't even have the car, fer goshsakes. Honestly, I'd guess that many of them are just jealous. My suggestion is to take a few hours to read through this entire forum from message #1 to the end, and draw your own conclusions. You can also check out Edmunds ratings, most of the major motorcar rags, Consumer Reports, Intellichoice.com, whatever, and you'll be hard-pressed to find cars with such unanimous praise.

aaa330i · May 2001

Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino!Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino! Zaino!

bavarian · May 2001

Having just failed to make the cut in the latest Survivor auditions-I asked them if it was ok to bring my car along (and apparently it's not) I figured the only way to win some big cash is to answer Brave1heart's trivia question.
It concerned Platypus,who observed that reaction to his ED story failed to amount to hysteria. For
me it was a page-turner, a very crisply written piece and set me off into a reverie, the outcome of which was my irrevocable decision to follow in the great man's footsteps in October 2003. Driving in Germany is a wonderful experience and can only be heightened by driving your very own brand spankin' new BMW3 and Platypus captured it admirably.
As I recall,after picking up his car from BMW his next stop was (and I can't blame him)a BMW dealership in Munich. That was followed by a visit to Dachau (which I will pass on)then on to Nuremberg etc. A great read!
Now-what is my prize Brave1heart-and does it have the Sports package? Is it (gulp!) an M3??!!

adam68 · May 2001

In the 3-Series, Are the door panels and back of
seats leather as well, or vinyl?

lewparker · May 2001

There have been some well documented problems with faulty auxiliary fans causing overheating. BMWNA is well aware of the problem - apparently a bad batch of Siemen's fans. Contact your dealer and BMWNA.

steam3 · May 2001

I'm planning to sign the paperwork to lease a 330 rag top today. Does the .0021 MF I've seen posted here apply to ALL 3 Models? Dealer's mentioned nothing of it to me so far!

gurumike · May 2001

.0021 MF is on 4 door sedan only. The convertible is a standard MF car, expect closer to .0034.

postoak · May 2001

expressed an interest in a UBB/INFOPOP format BMW site, I just found

http://www.bmwplanet.com

It looks very promising (appears to have just cranked up in January of this year). Please check it out.

BTW, this is NOT UBB, but it looks/works much the same.

bmw323is · May 2001

On the question of oil changes, you'll find many opinions from "follow BMW recommendations" to "every 3,000 miles". I used to be the 3,000 mile type (religiously). I think that is overkill for alomost all new cars today. For the bimmer I follow the "1 year or 15,000 miles" recommendation (with synthetic oil). For my '95 Ford Ranger, I change every 4,000-5,000 miles with regular oil.

BMW used to say 2 years or 15,000 miles. I don't put that many miles on my car since I have two vehicles. If BMW hadn't changed to one year, I would have had it changed annually at a minimum.

On the tire pressure, I have 16 inch wheels with performance tires. I use 32 psi in the front and 35 psi in the rear for everyday driving (crisp handling but not punishing). On the track, I go to 42 all the way around.

bavarian · May 2001

It took quite a while to find The Tale of Euro Delivery but the epic read is post 2424 and continued on 2425. It reads even better on the second time around and any reader who has joined since May 8th should check it out. It gets even better as there is a link to 39 great photos of his car and other cars found in European streets.
A driving holiday on great roads amid the most picturesque scenery imaginable-in a brand new 3 series....that's the way to go.
There is also a fine photo of the speedometer showing 132mph-and no fear of a speedtrap!
Wonderful account-don't miss it!

pat · May 2001

Here is a link to the first of the two fascinating posts on the European delivery: platypus May 8, 2001 11:22am

(I can hardly believe that you folks have made around 1400 posts in just 20 days - oh wait, yes I can, I've read them all! :-))

Great story, platypus, and I'm sure anyone who might have missed it will enjoy!

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

garyva · May 2001

Be careful, MA's are an art. The one you see posted usually is a low ball @ 10K miles a year. Your factor goes up with the number of yearly miles. In addition, a dealer typically will make from 1 to 2% off of any financing or lease deal. They also will monkey around with the residual so compare.

denright · May 2001

Hey Mike, care to check up on my order status? 330xi, steel gray metallic/gray, PP, CWP, CD, bound for VOB BMW in Rockville, MD.

I was hoping some good newss might be waiting for me as I return from my Memorial Day weekend.

danhug · May 2001

I also have a 325ci 01 and went through the same you are going through right now. I read everything everywhere and decided to change it at 1000. I will also change it at 5000 and 10000. I might do it every 7500 after the 15000 but for the time being, I prefer to spend the money. Everybody tells me that the oil is the "blood" of the engine and that it can only help. As I planning to keep this baby for a long time, I do not mind spending the money.

denright · May 2001

I have not driven an S4, but I have driven a few A4s. I have also read numerous comparison articles and posts on other message boards between the S4 and the 330xi. I understand that the general consensus is that the S4 has better acceleration and sheer power, but the 330xi is easier on the eyes, somewhat nicer interior, and better handling.

Comparably equiped, the S4 is slightly more expensive.

Also, keep in mind that the A4/S4 platform is about to be redesigned for the 2002 model year, so any 2001 model you got would have been instantly outdated.

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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