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2007 3-Series
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How many miles are on the E39 M5 you're looking at?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
The E30 or 993 epitomize what a sports car should drive like.
The Miata, RX-8, S2000, Elise/Exige, and even the STi and Evo IX give me hope that there will always be undiluted new cars.
BTW, I drove the C6 (non-Z06) recently and liked it very much. Yeah, it's got power, but it also handles - and with rigid body structure and a nice, quality feeling and designed cockpit.
I'm really not in any hurry, but I can pick the M5 up for a really good price -ditto for the Charger- so I really will have to make a decision in the next few days. One thing that does concern me is the level of dealer support for the Dodge; I'm sure the service department will just laugh and scratch if I request a loaner. And who knows what they would do with the warranty if they found out(GASP!) I drove it on the track. Then there's the fact that I've been hard-wired into the BMW community for so long that I can easily find help with any problems I might have with the M5. I'd have to start from scratch with the Charger.
That engine has so much torque that I don't miss a stick(heresy, I know ).
And what is the story with this Charger with less than 2K miles? Is it a demo?
Some well-heeled good ol' boy bought it and then decided he missed his pickup truck- so he turned around and traded it back in on a new Ram. I think he must have been dropped on his head as well...
How many miles are on the E39 M5 you're looking at?
@52K. The S62 V8 appears to be nearly bulletproof. The only red flag involves some engines that develop problem with carbon accumulating in the secondary air injection passages in the heads. Eventually the carbon accumulation blocks the passages and trips the CEL. Since the air injection system only functions at start-up(in order to light the catalysts off quickly for emissions purposes) the problem has no effect on driveability or vehicle performance. BMW's fix involves removing the heads and cleaning them(BIG $$$- dealers charge $7K or more to perform the procedure). I've heard through back channels that at least one aftermarket tuner has developed a $600 "Off Road Use Only" ECU reflash that causes the on-board diagnostics to ignore the secondary air injection system and thus the CEL stays off. That gives the savvy E39 M5 buyer an advantage over the non-gearheads who may want to unload such a car-or hesitate from buying one-because of the problem.
Take a look at this track test done by a Greek car magazine:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40398&highlight=335i+track
ON A TRACK, DRIVEN BY PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS, the 335i beats the M3 and barely trails the SMG M3. Clearly the 335i can turn, slalom and brake... And oh yeah, this was the Automatic version of the 335i.
Also, one of the tuners on that board has a plug-in product that is dyno tested to produce 400HP and 400+ ftlbs torque - and it's sold for $1300. Search around, you'll see the before/after dyno tests. And it doesn't change the shape of the curve at all - simply takes each point and moves it up on the graph. Take the base price of a 335i, tack on $1300 and you've got a 2009 M3 beater....today.
But of course, you don't have the cool/bragging/posturing factor of the M3, if that's important to you.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Best Regards,
Shipo
As far as modified engine/computer/drivetrain, you're either racing or you're wasting! I'll never modify a stock car designed for a certain specification. All guarantees/warranty are gone (unless certain Dinan mods) which are certainly not designed for bang-for-the buck crowd.
My view is have a good daily driver and a dedicated track car if you want to make it a true hobby. So, M, Quattro, Type S, CTS-V, SRT-4,6,8,10, C-6, should be good enough for the street with no mods.
Regards,
OW
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Maybe I should have been clearer. Most of the dyno results were not posted by the manufacturer. They were posted by group members who went out and bought it and did a pre and post-install dyno test. I intend to do the same once mine arrives.
Given the very similar results across different users, either it actually does work or there is some really big conspiracy for various consumers in various states to fool the 335i population into buying a worthless device. Maybe it's led by the same people who faked Elvis's death!
What other device costs you $1300, is undetectable (and I don't condone lying), takes 20 minutes to install and gives you +90 ft-lbs and +70 HP? If you can find it, I'll buy it.
The only way you are going to get anything close to a 25% power boost out of that engine is to crank up the boost pressure to the ragged edge. The problem is, for $1300 you won't be getting an upgraded intercooler or cooling system, both of which you would need to keep the motor alive. It will be intersting to see how established tuners such as ACS, Alpina, and Dinan modify the 335i.
How much would that cost?
I'd want an all-metal radiator such as the one Zionsville Autosport offers for the E36/E38/E39. You get increased reliability as well as an improved cooling capacity. As for the intercooler, I just don't know; I'm not even sure that the E90 has enough room to fit a larger unit. As I said, it will be interesting to see what the professional tuners do to the 335i.
Well, I've moderated my anti-slushbox views a bit as well. The newer autoboxes work very well with an engine that has a broad torque curve, such as the M62 V8 or the new turbo gas and diesel engines. The autobox in the 335i will even match revs on downshifts, making it a treat to drive in a "spirited fashion". That said, I still prefer a stick in a car that develops power further up the RPM band. The older fours and the ///M engines are good examples of this. And, a bit OT, I think Jeep Wranglers are absolutely ruined when fitted with a slushbox.
My main gripe with most BMW slushboxes is the fact that they will often ignore the driver, upshifting or downshifting even in manual mode. I can understand why the box would ignore a downshift command in order to prevent a mechanical over-rev, but why should it upshift on its own? There's already a rev-limiter in place. Finally, I'm not as pessimistic as Mike regarding BMW automatic transmission longevity. My old E39 has over 140K on it and it is still running fine- and there are a lot of slushboxes on the E39 Enthusiasts Group that are pushing 200K.
Obviously I know that I will ultimately need to test drive the vehicle, but I was wondering if any of you had experience with these vehicles.
Of note, I didn't buy the 325xi in 2003 because I thought that it had a really sluggish drive (with the added weight of the AWD).
Thanks!
The 328 should be quick enough for you if you were satisfied with the '03. Let us know when you test drive it.
If the performance is very important to you and you are set with BMW, go for a 2 year lease. Your other option is to stretch your current lease for 3-4 months until the 335Xi is due out.
Regards,
OW
2003 330xi
225 HP @ 5,900 rpm; 214 ft lb @ 3,500 rpm; weight 3538 lbs
2007 328xi
230 hp @ 6500 rpm ; 200 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm; weight 3582 lbs
If this is correct, the newer 3xi also has a much improved transmission, now at 6 speeds vs the 5 speed auto that was the norm in the older version.
This with the torque coming on slightly sooner will make the new version "probably" feel more zippy than the older 3.
The mileage too will be better, the engine will pollute less and maintenance intervals are up to 15,000 miles for the normal routine stuff (oil is about it until you get past your term of ownership, basically.)
Overall, you will be taking a step forward.
The 335xi will be a BLAST, there is no doubt, but if you can't wait, well then that's that.
If you want to consider such a move (and I bet you won't since the new 335 will probably not have much BMW financial support at least initially -- translation high lease payments now, declining after a few months when the newness of the 335 is replaced by someone else's newness, etc.) you can ask to keep your current car for a couple of months.
Here are two possible scenarios. . .you keep the current car and make the lease payments and that's that. There have been times, however, when you can keep your current leased vehicle WITH a replacement on order and a portion of the lease payment is considered a cap cost reduction on the new car.
I am generally not in favor of a DP on a leased car PERIOD. This may be the one circumstance that if offered may make some sense if what you really really really want is a 335xi.
Well, yes and no. Excessive heat breaks down the ATF and the lubricated/moving parts in the transmission suffer accordingly. If the transmission isn't running all that hot, a change of the fluid at 50K-60K intervals will be sufficient to keep it running for 150K-200K miles.
I wish ATs had temp. gauges.
Don't hold your breath... My 1993 Pathfinder at least had an ATF temp warning light.
I wish BMW would fit a glass cockpit that could be configured by the driver. That way we gearheads could have all the information we want at our fingertips.
BMW model designations used to correspond with engine displacement. Tody the numbering system is used to differentiate cars within a model range.
I was rereferringo the drop in power output. Doesn't make much sense to go from 255/230 to 230/200.
Regards,
OW
I believe it will get to a threshold where many customers will be quite satisfied with the power offered on the lower-end models, although it will always be different story with the performance-pushing buyers. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a shift in sales percentages from say the 335 to 328 in the future. Speed limits aren't being raised but power and acceleration times have improved substantially through the years. All of this is benefits the consumer and it’s a good thing too because we have to put up with all of the other bs they put into these new cars in addition to increasing weights.
Then, you don't need 500hp/383 lb/ft of tourque to move the added weight in say an M6.
250/250 or 300/300 would be quite potent. Pushing 900 lbs. less is a big advantage for total performance IMO.
A Z06 weighs 3,132 lbs and comes close to my goal weight. This is probably the only car manufactured in the U.S. that is world class (now). With 500 HP/470 lb./ft. or in stock 400/400 model, there is more than enough blend for an enthusiast or meglo-enthusiast.
Regards,
OW
The 335i (turbocharged 3.0 litre) replaced the 330i.. A power jump from 260 hp to 300 hp..
2006.. the two 3-series models were 215/255 hp
2007.. the two 3-series models are 230/300 hp
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Audi S4 performance for over $7,000 less -- with better gas mileage to boot!
Now if you could just get the RED leather interior in the sedan. . . .
:confuse:
Also, is it worth to go CPO (or buy extended warranty from another party)? And do the 04-05 models have free maintenance?
I’m located in the SF Area (south bay) any recommendations?
If you check swapalease, you might pickup someone else's good deal..
However, if your ultimate goal is to own the car, that won't save you a lot of money...
If you can find a leftover '06 right now... It has $5500 of dealer cash on it.. You could probably negotiate $8K off of MSRP. (Of course, that is still $46K for a ZHP model).
'04 models should be coming off lease all this year.. Should be a good supply.
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Any idea what to expect for total build and delivery time. In the past for other BMWs, I got to at least Schedule for Production in the first 2 weeks. I imagine there might be a backlog for this vehicle, however, given recent introduction.
I went to the dealerships this weekend to check out the price and some of the them were quoting me outrageous price. One of the dealers was quoting me $5K to $10K above the MSRP due to new model while another was quoting me $1000 less than the MSRP price. I think about of them are high.
Good luck - keep us posted.
Don't worry, they'll make it good as new.
Just my $0.02
FWIW, I see no reason why BMW should replace the car when a repair will be just as good.
Best Regards,
Shipo
If you ever saw some of the damage they repair at the port, you might never buy a new car again.
If I'm not mistaken, "minor cosmetic repairs" to new cars that do not require disclosure under the law do not include the repaiting of bumpers or body panels. I had a friend several years ago that ordered a BMW 7-series. It wan't until after he took it to a different dealership for service that they pointed out that the driver's door had been repainted. The selling dealership claimed no knowledge. After a couple of months of getting no where, he put one call into a particularly notorious attorney that handles BMW claims specifically. Two weeks later he was told told he could pick up a brand new car at comparable MSRP off the lot or order to his exact specifications.
I don't know if the issue was failure to disclose, or that body repairs of that degree are not permitted to be sold as "new" period, but he prevailed.
I am sure the involvement of the "particularly notorious attorney" played a big role in BMW/dealership's decision. The loss of profit from selling one 7-series just isn't worth it compared to the legal fees that might have cost them.
Of course, it could have been for the sake of customer relation.;)
But I believe the case was won on the basis that the repair would affect the future retsale value of the car and could not be done to "factory standards"; hence it should have been disclosed. Obviously, some repairs can be done without any compromise to the integrity of the car. I've heard of chipped windshields and xenon headlights being replaced, and even an entire convertible roof replaced on a 911 Cab when it was somehow ripped in transit.
The issue with repainting a metal body panel is that it is virtually impossible to replicate the factory finish process. I was awarded "diminished value" damages when my Acura TL was hit when it was only 6 months old. The repairs (new repainted bumper, grill, etc.) were done professionally, and I can't tell the difference from new, but my dealer would disclose that those parts have been repaired / replaced on trade in.