BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

kominsky · August 2001

This time when I dropped my car off, I had the choice of an M5, a Z8, or the owners 911 Turbo. In honor of you, I opted instead for the same Orient 323i that I got last time. :-)

genie1 · August 2001

Got my package in the mail today. Will be trying it out this weekend and will post results. I'm expecting a lot from the Z. Hope I'm not disappointed and this puts an end to the sticky wicket in my driveway.

Can anyone recommend a dealer/service dept in the Toronto/Mississauga area? Perhaps one that can loan me a 6-cyl so I have something to aspire to in a couple of years?

tigerdave · August 2001

I've seen some questions about lease deals.If anyone cares,I am leasing an 01 330xi with metalic paint,cd,HK sound,power seats,leather,sport package and step tran for $600 a month.I put no money down,only the first month's lease payment at pick-up.The lease is 36 months and 36k miles.I live in Virginia.

yank23ees · August 2001

Ok, I just got my vehicle and I need some
re-assurance from what the dealer told me as well as what I read in the owner's manual

1) Oil changes - Once every 12-15k miles ??
Anyone with '00 models that followed the "recommended" maintainence schedule ??
If so, notice any loss of performance ??

2) Anyone install a K&N air filter ?? If so, did it help ??

christofori · August 2001

Hi Denright:

I did drive S4. It is a very nice car. I was leaning towards it after I test drove a 330xi with automatic. But once I drove the manual 330xi, I fell in love with it.

I am still having problem with my car. Last week, my dealer replaced the clutch and the fuel pump. It is better now, but I am not sure whether it is as good as it was. I still feel subtle vibrations when it is idling. I am not sure whether it is my imagination. Would it be possible to entertain me in your car for about 15 - 30 minutes. I would like to compare it before I further harass my dealer as well as BMWNA. If you could, I would appreciate it. I live in Baltimore. I assume you live in DC.

Thanks

kominsky · August 2001

"Oil changes - Once every 12-15k miles ??"

I imagine you're going to hear MANY different opinions on this one. I, personally, will NOT go 15K miles between oil changes. I intend to do mine at 7.5K intervals, with BMW picking up the tab for the one's the computer recommends. I may, in reality, be wasting my time and money, but the I'll feel much better erring to the side of too many changes instead of not enough.

325i87 · August 2001

Just a word of caution.

For winter tires, wider is not better. I guess the M wheels are 7.5" wide front and 8.5" rear. For snow tires, you probably want 7J17 wheels on all four. You may not find any 8.5 wide snow tires in any case.

I may be in the same situation soon. My 330 coming in October, but with the regular alloy rims. Please keep me inform of what you find.

hippo168 · August 2001

I was drving back home from work on some back road. There were 5 or 6 cars IN A ROW who flashed to remind me there was a cop down the road.

It never happened to me when I was in my light green accord, at least not 6 in a row... maybe my car "looks" fast. : )

bmw323is · August 2001

Yank, I have a 2000 3-series and have changed the oil once at 12 months which is the time option to mileage. With the synthetic oil and the large capacity, I'm comfortable with that. But kominsky makes a great argument if you are concerned. Have one extra done in the middle. Cost should be around $50. My dealer gives me four free oil changes as part of a buying rewards package. I'll use them after the free maintenance period. They also wash the car for free anytime, but I only hand wash my baby.

The K&N filter will do little, if any, for your car's performance without the entire CAI (cold air intake). Total cost is $250 and up.

daswolf · August 2001

bmw323is · August 2001

I have to ask why any of the exceptional long term posters on this board would go to 'That BMW Thing'. I went there to take a look. Once I saw v-tech posting I got out, ran three different virus software programs, and I still felt dirty! If you encourage him, he will come back here.

j330i · August 2001

I am preparing to wax my car for the first time. Sorry for the stupid question, but everyone has to learn. Do I wax ALL painted surfaces (bumpers, etc) or just the main painted body?

daswolf · August 2001

Yes, wax all painted surfaces with "shiny" body color paint. You should also wax any chrome trim and your aluminum wheels. Make sure the wax is clear coat safe.

DO NOT wax the "Flat" black trim and/or painted surfaces, such as the flat black painted trim between the windows on the sedan. There are products used to treat this trim, maybe someone on the board can recommend a product. I have a hard time removing fingerprints from this flat trim.

j330i · August 2001

Thanks daswolf, you da man! I am using Klasse all in one. Do you know if that is clear coat safe? Before applying my first coat (and before washing), should I wash with Dawn to remove any existing wax?

j330i · August 2001

One more question on waxing. What do you remove the wax with? I was going to use a 100% cotton towel. This won't scratch the paint, will it? Or is there something better?

gurumike · August 2001

Hi ! I read all of your posts, so I have this to share. No on the Dawn. Klasse removes all undesirable between the paint and the surface. Dawn will, indeed, strip the paint of any polish/wax on the car but isn't "paint friendly" and you run the risk of dulling the finish. Now we do need to wash the car first. It seems logical to use a straight up car wash, I use Turtle Wax Zip Wax car shampoo which I love; I don't think it matters that it leaves a wax finish as Klasse cuts it. I use one of those small round polish applicators to put the Klasse on. One of the big mistakes that people make with Klasse is using it too liberally. Only a tiny amount should be used. The applicator should be "out" of Klasse before putting more on it (never directly onto the car). For removal, I had purchased a big bag of Meguires polish cloths from Pepboys. They're cheap and non-abrasive. Owners of Jet Black cars might substitute the softer lint-free detailers' cloths so as to avoid leaving any spiders web finish.

Just finished install on my amp & Bazooka. Stunning difference. My total out of pocket was around $300. I hadn't fully considered how I could turn the bass down on the head unit (the amps signal is not affected) thus relieving the factory speakers from frequencies they couldn't cope with (which, in theory, shouldn't happen anyway in any car with an external amp w/crossovers!). Bazooka tube can be removed in about one minute should I ever need all the trunks space. I'll have the mp3 side finished tomorrow, so look for some pics soon!

aaron330i · August 2001

Cotton towels will work, just make sure they're 100% made in the USA cotton towels. If they're not made in the USA, they're not 100% cotton!

In addition, if you're a detailing zealot like me, cut off the edges of the towel and surge the edges, this will remove the possibility of scratching do to the fancy edging on most towels.

Also, the plusher the towel, the better. The best I've found so far are Charisma towels.

shipo · August 2001

Hey Gang, back in town...

Between work and a family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina (OBX), I have not even been able to be in lurk mode for two or three weeks. A couple of items:

Dunde,

In my car, I only hear the "Clicking" noise when I have the signal set one way and the wheel is being turned the other beyond straight. As an example, when approaching my home, I have to turn left at the apex of a right hand curve. I normally activate my left signal prior to the curve, and then proceed around the curve to the right. My BMW simply clicks away without canceling the left signal, however, our Minivan in the same situation will cancel the signal and you must then re-activate it. I suspect that the clicking that you hear is a "Ratcheting" mechanism to prevent the canceling of the signal.

Brave1heart,

How is the steering retrofit?

Guru,

Thanks on the "Heads Up" on the Klasse ALL-IN-ONE, I ordered the 1 liter size from classic-accessories.com for $34.95.

Interesting item of curiosity department:

Does the climate control system on the E46 shut all vents into the car when it is turned off? When I turn mine off, I hear "vent activation noises" from the dash, and recently I have noticed that when I get into my car in the morning, the interior is still cool and dry when compared the air in my garage. In fact, after being on vacation and not driving my 328i for 10 days, the air in my car was still dry with just a hint of leather smell.

Best Regards,
Shipo

mfeldman · August 2001

Haven't heard from B on the retro. I hope it went well. I'm set for next week. Finally I got my wife to drive the car with an eye to the steering. She asked "why do you want to make it heavier?" She used to drive an e36 but never loved that steering. It's heresy but she does have a point. I don't need heavy for heavy sake. I have the 3-1-01 medium steering. While it is a bit light, it is precise -- you go where you want and do it quickly. It's not like a Buick.

I drove a 328 today. It was heavier, but not as quick. It's a tradeoff. Probably the 2002 steering will be the best of both worlds.

My issue has always been the right left imbalance, with the left being too light for my tastes. But no one has an answer for that --- except maybe now that Shipo's (welcome) back -- other than to do the retro.

The 328 I drove was a coupe. With 40k on it it made a lot of noise. The rigidity of the sedan seems better.

derprofi · August 2001

I'm considering a Zaino purchase and one thing has me puzzled. How is it that the guy who actually makes the stuff (Sal or Sol, isn't it?) says to wash with something like Dawn before applying his products, but many people on these boards are saying "No, never ever use Dawn!" Admittedly, he says "I don't advise making a habit of washing your car with Dawn" but he goes on to say "...for this scenario [prior to Zaino application] it's fine." So who am I to believe?

Also, has anyone here ordered from a local reseller or do most of you just purchase direct?

habitat1 · August 2001

...I should be down to bare metal by now.

I have a 1995 Nissan Maxima with 112k miles. My car care routine for the past 7 years has consisted of approximately bi-weekly washing with Palmolive or Dawn (takes 15 minutes, 20 if my 6 year old rinses, 30 if my 3-year old does). Every 3 months or so, I wax with Meguiar's Hi-Tech Yellow Wax #26 (takes 1 hour +/-). The car has been parked outside since new (that's D.C. for you, $500k+ early 1900's houses without garages). Under all these self inflicted and environmental conditions, the finish of the car ("ruby" color) looks virtually brand new.

I'm likely to be getting a new car in the winter/early spring. (Now #2 on the list for a 2002 M3; high on the list for a C32; also considering a 330/530/540). While I'm looking forward to "upgrading" my mode of transportation, I'm not sure I want to increase my maintenance and care responsibilities beyond what I (and my wife) already consider "near-anal". And I definitely don't want to feel guilty for possibly damaging my $40-$55k+ car with the same Palmolive product that "Madge" used to "soften hands" a couple of decades ago.

So what's up with all this Zany and Klasse and other stuff? Are BMW finishes more fragile than Nissan's?

P.S. I have also never, ever, had to take my Maxima in for repairs or maintenance other than routine service, which in 7 years and 112k miles has cost a grand total of about $3,800 including 2 sets of new tires and new front brake pads at 95k miles.

The Maxima is no BMW and I know I would enjoy the driving experience of an M/3/5 series (or an AMG). But I don't want to spend any less time with my family or more time at the dealership. Am I being unrealistic? Have you all had to make this trade-off?

jrct9454 · August 2001

Yes, you are being unrealistic. Yes, it is part of the trade-off. You may be the one in a hundred where your German car experience will someone be less taxing from a service and reliability perspective than your Japanese car experience, but having owned dozens of both, all I can say is, "don't count on it".

mule714 · August 2001

I just bought from a stash (Z1/2/6/7) from a local reseller. Nice and easy transaction. Delivered to my office, instant gratification, and some freebies thrown in too!

As for the Dawn, I would reccommend it for the first time only before starting the Zaino process. It will strip off all wax buildup and leave your car's paint surface squeeky clean. From then on, I plan on using the Z7 wash when needed and continue with the normal Zaino process.

Should be taking delivery of my 330i this week. Woohoo!!

aaron330i · August 2001

The only purpose for Dawn is to get every bit of wax, road tar, etc. off from your vehicle before you start the Zaino. It's a one time deal and works real well.

mschukar · August 2001

Gurumike

Did you upgrade the speakers? Did you start with the standard stereo or the HK upgrade? Also, is it simple to add external amps to the standard head unit?

I'm planning on buying a '02 325i and I would like an excellent audio setup. I plan on listening to the HK upgrade and checking with the local car audio store to see what they can do for an upgrade. You can buy a lot of stereo for $650! I would like to leave the head unit in place since another unit would look silly.

-Murray

scholl · August 2001

When I start to accelerate or decelerate to a stop, I hear a whirring noise (almost like an electric motor) come from the instrument panel - it seems to correspond with the movement of the needle on the MPG gauge. Any suggestions - I have a 2000 323i. Its very annoying.

hippo168 · August 2001

in post #8317, you said "Klasse removes all undesirable between the paint and the surface." and "...as Klasse cuts it." What do you mean by that? I'm thinking of just applying the Klasse All-in-one right after washing (my friend suggested the Eagle 1 product line.) Does it mean it doesn't matter if I strip the wax first or not?

I haven't done ANY waxing/polishing on my previous car, but I'm planning to take good care of my new 325i, and I hope I can learn some good tips from you guys. Thanks.

ownertobe2 · August 2001

My '01 330I w/ 1800 miles has overheated 3 times. First time, the dealer replaced the Siemens fan w/ the Siemens fan. Second time, I got the Bosch fan. Car overheated again this weekend. Any insights on the potential cause and how best to deal w/ situation would be appreciated.

unboringuy · August 2001

Yikes! Sounds like you've got real troubles. I had the overheating problem on my 330xi, and it caused a rupture of the cooling system. The dealer was gracious enough to take that car back and order me another. The new one arrived in early July, and its VIN is about 30 numbers outside of the recall range. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as thus far I have not had an overheating problem.

If the Bosch has now failed twice, it sounds to me like you've got bigger problems than the fan. Of course, that's just a guess on my part. Good luck.

bingusa · August 2001

Found the reference from bimmer.org.
http://www.geocities.com/~dawgstats/e46/

jbuhac · August 2001

I would like some advice, thinking of buying a M3 convertible, specific questions are:
1. anyone seen or own a phoenix yellow mettalic, and if so can I come and look at it (I live in upstate NY, but will travel)
2. should I buy the hard top for the winter
3. how quiet or loud is it with the top up at highway speeds

Thanks in advance.

jk26 · August 2001

Can you tell me anything about leasing a 01 or 02 325i with PP, heated seats, met paint? How much down, how much a month for 36 months? Even ball park figures would be greatly appreciated!

Jason

visordoc · August 2001

Thanks for the most excellent link on the upcoming 2002 3-series!
This should keep me occupied for a good half hour :>

denright · August 2001

I have heard people talk about using Dawn to wash their car before applying Zaino products for the first time, in order to strip away any wax buildup.

My question is this: does the car come with wax on it when you take delivery? I have not waxed it myself, and thus I don't have to use Dawn to strip away any wax unless it came with wax on it when I took delivery.

Anyone know?

killer99 · August 2001

Someone (about 30 posts ago) asked why everyone was leaving to post in the "BMW Thing" forum... My guess is that the "what kind of wax do you use?" conversation that has been predominant in the last couple of hundred post is not as exiting as it is for others.

stgreen · August 2001

To All:

Whenever I ask my salesman (so far a good experience) about installing a CD player on my own (or non-BMW installed) or alarm or anything of that nature, he always begins with "If you do that it'll void the warranty..."

Is this really true? Whats the REAL DEAL?
thanks - stg

derprofi · August 2001

Dealers are free to bargain on top of the factory Euro delivery discount, and a few of them will. Most of them will not, however, and will offer up something along the lines of "Come now... You're already getting $3K off the US MSRP, and besides, it's more paperwork for us to arrange Euro delivery." Total nonsense. Head over to the 3-series message board where you can find more details.

unboringuy · August 2001

I don't think you can "void the warranty" for your car simply by installing a piece of equipment. Now, if you screw something up when you do it, and they can establish that what you did caused the problem, then BMW will not be responsible to fix whatever you messed up. It reminds me of the olden days when dealers tried to scare people into thinking that if they (or someone else) did an oil change (or any other routine service) that it would "void the warranty". As long as the work is done properly, you should be ok.

bmwagonmaster · August 2001

shipo: Welcome back! I do hear the "vent" sound you described, but ONLY when I activate the air recirculation button to stop outside air.

scholl: I've got a 2000 323 (wagon obviously) and I don't hear the sound you described from the dash, even though I specifically listened for it after reading your post. The whirring noise I do hear is the engine, but I'm sure you don't mean that...

stgreen: I have to agree with unboringuy. I can't speak about the alarm install, but for the CD changer there is only one simple electrical plug connection you have to make. Not much chance you'd get into warranty territory there.

bmms8 · August 2001

what do you guys think is a better car between a 325Xi, or a x-type 2.5 from jag?

nohash1 · August 2001

can someone help me with european delivery? How hard is it and what kind of discounts can you get. derprofi you got yours for 32k with tax what was msrp? help?

aaron330i · August 2001

Generally the dealer will put a coat of wax on the car before delivery to make it look nice. Dawn will take it out.

mschukar · August 2001

Take a look at http://www.bmwusa.com/virtual/eurodeliv/overview.html

All your questions can be answered there.

-Murray

div2 · August 2001

I installed the BMW alarm in my 1995 3er. Turned out the control module was defective. My dealer replaced the module under warranty even though I offered to do the R& R myself. Any dealer that tries to scare you out of installing a BMW accessory such as a CD changer or alarm yourself is slime. Period. And you can tell him I said so.

gurumike · August 2001

http://www.autogeek.net/klasseallinone.html

I got this link from another board member from a few days ago. The all-in-one really is just that. It doesn't matter what's on the paint, whether it's new from the dealer (and there-fore well waxed(in theory!)) or if it's been car-washed for a year. If you have an older car with more severe build up of "hard" debris on the surface, Klasse will remove it but in that situation I would likely buy a small clay bar (or use one at work !!) for ease.

jk26 - click my name for my profile and email me with that question!

mschukar - My 330i was a May production and therefore had H.K. standard. I would not have ordered it if it were optional. I haven't changed any speakers. I've had all the different high-end speaker combinations available and, for my ears, the factory speakers perform quite well provided you don't ask them to reproduce lower frequencies at any medium to high volume. An after market sub-woofer doesn't have to take up half the trunk and totally transforms the whole listening experience. I scored an Xtant mono amp on eBay for $100 and I purchased my "didn't really need a 10 inch" Bazooka tube for $186. About $35 total in shipping. I'm friends with one of the owners at a local home theater shop who used do installs for 10 years. He put the amp in for free, but it only took an hour so I'd guess any local stereo place would do the same for around $50. Let's say you're not as cheap as me. I'm fairly sure the local Circuit City could supply and fit similar equipment for well under $400 all-in. That will certainly offer performance well in excess of the $675 H.K. option. If you're leasing and/or you don't mind paying a little more, factory H.K. AND the additional sub would definatley be best. Beyond that, you'd need to be spending around $2,500 - $3,500 at a decent stereo shop and entirely replace the factory audio equipment. As for installation, it's a breeze. The amp has 4 wires going in to it and what they need to be connected to is all in the trunk !! The factory amp, on both standard and H.K. cars is behind the panel on the left of the trunk. You can easily pick up the signals from the wires going into the amp for the remote turn-on and the audio signal. I'd have to look to see which ones they are. We only need one audio line as we're running mono. Then it's just pos. and ground! Any part of the cars metal body is ground, so just a short cable to either an existing nut/bolt combo or, as I did, screwed to the parcel shelf's underside. The battery is already in the trunk so it's not going to be too far from the amp. Then it's just the one line of speaker wire to the sub. Pictures to follow...

gurumike · August 2001

http://www.drsoundzonline.com/bazooka.htm

This is where I purchased my tube from. I got the RS104 (10 inch, 4 ohm). They have a link to Bazooka's home page at the top.

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1255468601

Not the most comfortable I've felt buying something on eBay! No pics, thin description and came to me in an USPS Priority Mail box with some screwed up newspaper for protection! But hey - it works !! I highly recommend trying to buy the same item, this model's frequently for sale there.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/klassealtes.html

Some more info on Klasse.

gurumike · August 2001

The Klasse one should have been:

http://www.properautocare.com/klasapguid.html

I wanted to edit the above post, but Edmunds edit feature will not permit a "word" greater than 17 characters in length. Odd.

The information on how to use to product is good.

uge123 · August 2001

Hey everybody! Been rather busy recently so I'm just checking in. My 325iT has 3200 miles so far and it a complete dream to drive. After a bumpy start where I was a victim of the faulty fan, things have been great. The A/C has been absolutely great in the recent bout of summer heat (95 in Chicago). I feel like I'm still breaking in the upper range of the tach but the car seems to be getting stronger and stronger with each passing 1000 miles. I love driving this car. I usually commute at odd hours so I have the road largely to myself. The feeling of power as I cruise off the clover leaf ramp onto the expressway at an incredible speed if exhilerating. Quite a way to start a morning. I even enjoy the vehicle in the awful traffic we can have here in Chicago (on the rare times that I have reasonable hours). The car has impressed everybody that has ridden or driven it, even my father, who's a complete M-B fan.

I only have a few complaints about the 3 wagon.

1. It could really use a 6th gear. 1:1 in 5th gear means that 60mph comes at about 3000rpm, about the same as my old Integra. This impacts fuel economy and eventually can lead to increased wear. (oddly, the car seems to get better milage at 75 than at 60)

2. The continental sport contacts that come with the sports package chirp and squeal all too much for performance tires. Any suggestions for the eventual replacement? What tires have worked for you?

3. A combo CD/tape player should be standard in a car of this price range.

Other than those things, the car is perfect. Everything is intuitive, the controls are perfectly weighted, the handling is phenomenal. I love this car!

stgreen · August 2001

- 330xi should arrive in a week or so.. question:
* Where is the definitive internet place to buy BMW products like mud flaps, all-weather trunk liner, rubber floor mats and things of the like for my new car?
* Also - what is 'fair' for installation of mud flaps. (I live in Western Mass and in a snowy area)

thanks -- stg
also - thanks for warranty info on electrical equip.

Andy98 · August 2001

A month ago I negotiated a price for a 2002 330AWD based on (then available) 2001 prices. Of course, there was an understanding than any 2002 price increase would be factored into my final purchase price. I have been reading on another BWW chat board that the 2002 increase amounts to 2.7%. Can anyone confirm this figure or provide an accurate one if this is erroneous? I find this hike to be, quite frankly, quite high (about $1,000 on the model I purchased), considering that I was told that the hike should be between 1%-1.5%. Thanks for any help.

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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