Ok, for all of you who was making fun of my enormous desire to have the storage nets on my 2006 325i After a week of exchanging emails with BMW of North America (which I’ll not post here unless you wish me to do it) I got a positive response from them:
==================== Dear Mr. Shapiro:
Thank you for your patience. We are sending out the storage nets to the dealerships when they are available, but since they are a new part, that may not be immediate. The dealership will be able to advise you when the parts will be made available for your vehicle. Again, thank you for your patience in this matter.
If you have any further questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. Again, thank you for contacting BMW.
Sincerely,
Melissa DiMaria Customer Relations and Services Representative =================
So, everyone with new 2006 3 models without nets, even if you were making fun of me , you can pick up the phone, call the dealership and demand nets now:)
I was in Germany a couple of weeks ago, touring in a Hertz rental-a BMW 525d which had Navigation and the oft-maligned I Drive. It's been said that one should read through the manual to understand I Drive before dismissing it as useless or a threat to World peace but, alas, the manual was in German. While I had a last cigarette before heading out from the Munich train station to Lindau a couple of hundred Kilometers away on Lake Constance my travelling companion played with the I Drive controller.
Ten minutes later the following had been accomplished;
The Nav voice was changed from German to English The destination input The door locks were programmed to close once moving All four doors programmed to unlock together The pathway lighting option chosen Climate control set
We were also offered the option of receiving traffic updates. The car had a Sirius antenna and during the next five days when the traffic reports (in German) burst into our music-listening the nav voice would tell us " there is a 3 mile traffic jam on your route with a delay time of 34 minutes-would you like to make a detour?" I was literally blown away the first time this happened. I have a 2004 Nav with no Sirius in my 325Ci and have spent many an hour in traffic jams but this nice lady kept me moving along briskly (100mph at only 2400 rpm and I was asked not to exceed 120mph by my passenger) One detour, heading North from Freiburg to Oberwesel on the Rhine took us west into France for about 30 miles.
I did a lot of driving between the Rhine and the Mosel, mainly on little country roads, hilly and twisty, with seldom a soul to be seen and was at one point down to 24km left in the tank. The nav found me gas (um, diesel) @ 1 euro per liter (ouch). In 1360 Km of driving I used 107 liters. Don't ask me what that is in miles per gallon- I haven't had enough coffee this morning to do the math.
The Nav allowed me the confidence to drive into cities on a whim (Freiburg and Koblenz to name two) without fear of getting lost or not finding parking. It found me gas and restaurants when I needed them. It kept me out of traffic jams and delays.
The screen is roughly twice the size of my own nav and in a better position for the driver and operates much faster than I am used to, particularly when changing scale or re-calculating when I made a wrong turn...some streets were closed off due to road works in Koblenz for example.
Interesting to note that the 525d had no cupholders whatsoever. It did have PDC which came in handy when manouevering in tiny cobbled streets with a color display of the car on the nav screen showing where impact was likely to soon occur. It was an automatic transmission , alas. Non SP too. Tires were Pirelli P7. Car was about 2 weeks old with 5,000 Km on the clock.
So-my first experience with I Drive and the improved BMW nav was a good one. Shipo- I notice you are planning an ED E90 trip next year and reccommend you choose the Nav option.
PS Kudos to Brave1heart and his co-pilot Eric in One Lap of America!
"Shipo- I notice you are planning an ED E90 trip next year and recommend you choose the Nav option."
Yeah, I'm about 80% certain that I'm going to opt for the iDrive/Nav combo and critics be damned. That said, at this point I am still highly dubious about the need for other high-tech goodies such as Active Steering, Active Cruise and Park Distance Control. My current thinking is to get a 330i 6-Speed Manual, Sapphire Black, Black Leather, PP, SP, Nav and Satellite. Configured as such, the MSRP will be $43,865, and the ED MSRP will be $41,325. Under the assumption that I should easily be able to do the same $1,500 over ED Invoice as I did on my 530i, that would come out to $39,160. Hmmm, I likey!
We were also offered the option of receiving traffic updates. The car had a Sirius antenna and during the next five days when the traffic reports (in German) burst into our music-listening the nav voice would tell us " there is a 3 mile traffic jam on your route with a delay time of 34 minutes-would you like to make a detour?" I was literally blown away the first time this happened.
It is not so much the function of Sirius as there is no such thing as sat. radio service in Europe. They do have digital radio broadcast, and the radio receiver will find the best frequency serving the same program (many regions in Germany do run the same broadcast on diff. frequency) and change itself over to that frequency.
As for the traffic info and detour, there is something called TMC module, which receives traffic condition signals sent over the radio boradcast and incorporates into the NAV. They have been doing this for a while, but the older models did not have the voice prompt. If you look at the side of the road as you drive by, there are white (some with black stripes) posts about 3 ft. or so high every a few yard. Those things actually collect the traffic density and signal to the main station which then sends that info to radio stations.
about 140 miles in two days...typically i work from home but today commuted-
my first BMW, im loving the brakes, handling, that sweet inline 6 sounds-- trying to get used to the steering--active steering, you can certainly feel the heaviness at lower speeds and it does lessen with speed-
i did pull a fast 180 U turn this mornng (missed my turn) and the response was incredible-
kind of sensing a slight pulsing? not sure if that has any relation to the active steer, its incredibly faint, just the sensitivity you feel in the wheel to the road prob allows this-
since im coming from driving a toyota 4runner past 2 years, i have much catching up to do with the art of driving, not herding-but it is coming back fast-
love the paint/interior combo, the aluminum gives you that "Sprockets" feel-
JB- thanks for the explanatory info on the traffic info markers. My last drive in Germany was on the A3 en route to Frankfurt airport early on a Sunday morning and a day later I was on I94 between Chicago and Michigan-wishing I was back on the A3 with its' lack of potholes, lack of uneven surfaces and lack of blown truck tires.
Having done ED back in September 03 I can envision no other way of my buying a NEW BMW. Saving money was of course welcome but the experience of driving my brand new car on the twisty roads of the Bavarian Alps and blasting down the Autobahn without a Police Escort on a sunny day was something I'd pay good money to do again. Sure you can fly into Munich, pick up the car at BMW, drive it a few miles and drop it at Harms the same day and save 7%....but even if just for a week it's nice to treat your new car and yourself (and friends/family) to some great driving on superlative roads populated by drivers who aren't yakking on cell phones, changing diapers or doing jigsaws as they drive. And it's not ALL about the Autobahns- the country lanes have some thrills in store, albeit with a speed limit. Germany ain't lacking in hills and bends.
I haven't actually seen an E90 on the roads here yet, although I saw a dozen or so in Germany-mainly in Munich, understandably. The 1 series were very prevalent as befits a town with a parking issue.It's fun just to walk down the streets looking at marques that don't mean much in the USA- Renaults, Citroens, Alfas, Peugeots and Opels to name a few -most of them tiny, most of them manuals and see Smart Cars, Merc 170s and Audi A3s. Jeep Grand Cherokees are much in evidence among the few SUVs-the X5 being the most abundant and the X3 not far behind. I saw one Lexus (LS430) and one Nissan (350Z).
:confuse: I realize that the 2006 cars have not been out long but I was wondering if anyone with the zhp package has moved into the 2006 330i. My wife has taken a liking to my 2005 car which I also happen to to be a big fan of. I'm not sure if I should give her my car and go after a 2006 or keep my car and get her the new model. Since the final decision will be mine I and I don't know if a test drive will give me enough info and I was hoping to hear from anyone who had the zhp package and has spent several hundred miles in the 2006, 330. The new car would be a 330 but would have very limited if any options. We both carry work supplies in our cars trading frequently is a pain and not real practical. Thanks for any insights.
I haven't spent several hundred miles (what is that, 3-4 hours of driving?) in an e90 but the time I did spend with one showed me clearly that it's a superior car to my 03 zhp.
Got my E90 for 2 wks, sparkling graphite, auto, sport package. LOVE it. Few questions: 1. Sport mode is supposed to give a sportier ride. Anyone knows the technical details on power/torque curves or gear changes with this mode? 2. seems to get lower city mpg for the first 200 miles but improves after that. Anyone with same experience?
"Add CWP, CA, and Walnut and you got a Winner ! ;-)"
Okay, the Walnut is a given, I just forgot to mention it. Even though I live in New Hamster, "Heat Seaters" drive me nuts, cannot stand them. When Mrs. Shipo orders a car, she gets them, and every time I drive her car I find myself wondering why my hind parts are sweating. :surprise: As for "CA", ummm, I don't know what that option is. :confuse:
HI..I have read threw many messages regarding tires, and I am confused..I was going to get an xi...but Shipo's message.. of std tires with 325i, and snow tires convinced me not too. So,
1. the standard tires that come with the vehicle... should be what? I will have the Sport package?
Are these tires costly to modify with the vehicle coming from the manufacturer? or Does these tires..all 4, need to be purchased after receiving the vehicle? Costs?
And the snow tires recommended were Michelin X-Ice ,,cost for these 2 tires?
If I have missed something vital, please include as well..
Good review of the 3 series in the Wall Street Journal. Rave reviews about the 325 without any options. Simplicity without mind-numbing distractive luxuries are the 325's strong points. Reviewer favors the 325 in terms of value(not worth the extra 6k for a 330).
I myself agree with the reviewer about mixing luxury with Bimmers. Whether a 330 is worth an extra 6k? I dont know, I have only test driven the new 325 and was quite impressed!
If you are a WSJ subcriber, please link the following:
Drove the 330i today. Second time. First time thought the car was ugly. Did a complete 180 today. Absolutely fell in love. That is one beautiful car! The problem with not getting comfort access is the alternative is simply unacceptable. Put the key fob in the slot. Step on the brake. Push the start button. If you have to put the fob in the slot, why not just turn the fob like an ignition key without stepping on the brake? Because of this, I will lease a 330i with the comfort access and extend my 325i lease which is up Aug. 2nd month to month until the car is delivered. The dealer said September is the month for comfort access but he told me don't be surprised if the vehicle doesn't get here until December. :sick: Anyhow, the car is a knockout in arctic and it didn't look too shabby in silver either. The only bad thing I can say is for the second time now I have found the brakes quite grabby.
Shipo, After 3 weeks i can tell you. I don't care about the "access" part to much but as for the additional steps to get in and out of the car.I mean its not horrible, But I drive about 40k miles in my "Company" car that is totally different. So once in a while im reaching for something thats not there....
The angle behind the wheel doesn't bother me quite as much, though, as the seat cushion feeling like it's tilting towards the center of the car (again, the passenger seat seems completely devoid of any of these idiosyncrasies)...the two odds angles combined makes for an awkward driving sensation to say the least, especially if I'm on a road that has a heavy crown to the right as well.
Will the dealership remove the CDV or do I have to take the car to a private shop? Will that affect my warranty?
I didn't notice it quite as much based on the shape of the seat as I did by noticing the difference in the direction of my arms as compared to my legs when I'm holding onto the wheel at the 9 and 3 position while simultaneously positioning myself in the center of the seat. Is this anomaly only apparent with the sport seats? Sorry to revive a forgotten irritation
The E90 325i comes standard with 16 x 7.0 wheels shod with 205/55 R-16 All-Season Run-Flat tires. The E90 325i Sport Package comes with 17 x 8.0 wheels in the front and 17 x 8.5 in the rear. Those wheels are shod with 225/45 R-17 Summer Performance Run-Flat tires for the front and 255/40 R-17 Summer Performance Run-Flat tires for the rear.
The Summer Performance tires of the Sport Package are less than worthless in snowy slippery conditions and while the All-Season tires are better, they still suffer horribly when compared to a set if dedicated winter tires. When I had my 1999 E46 328i, which had the exact same size of wheels and tires as the new E90 325i, I happened to live in northern New Jersey. I drove those tires through all four winters that I had that car, and while they always managed to get me from point A to point B, many of the rides were hairy enough to generate a serious case of white knuckles.
If you buy a standard E90 325i, and don't get much in the way of snow where you live, and don't have too many hills to negotiate, then the OEM rubber should be adequate, barely. If you decide to opt for a 325i SP, then it is a forgone conclusion that you will need to buy a set of winter wheels and tires. Even though the SP uses a staggered set of wheels and tires, the general rule regarding BMWs is to simply get a set of four new wheels in the size of the non-SP car (16 x 7.0) and four winter tires, also in the size of the non-SP car (205/55 R16). Per your question about cost, a set of wheels can be had starting at about $500 and a set of Michelin X-Ice tires can be had for about $400, so with shipping and taxes you are talking about a little over $1,000 for the set of four. FWIW, the Michelin X-Ice are pretty much sold out no matter where you look, but never fear, they'll be back in stock before the snow flies next fall.
Shipo, Thanks a lot for the perfect explanation about tires. I am in upstate NY with 325i non-SP. I’ll definitely need winter tires – snow can be pretty heavy here. Do you have any recommendation on a good quality run-flat winter tires? Do they even exist? mike
According to the Michelin web site, the X-Ice in size 215/55 R16 are offered as Run-Flats, as is the Pilot Alpin PA2. Even though those tires are both wider and slightly larger in diameter, they should work fairly well. I suspect that by next fall there will be even more winter tire offerings that have the Run-Flat capabilities.
Yes. I test drove the 545i today and I was told even though the car didn't have CA, you have to step on the brake to start the car. The salesman told me it was a precaution to prevent people from stepping on the accelerator when starting the car. I found the iDrive a breeze except when I tried to adjust the radio's speed volume, I could not for the life of me get my input to register in the iDrive system. Other things were a breeze but not the speed volume. Score another computer glitch with the 5. I liked the fact that you can customize the car in so many ways with the iDrive but you have to have software that cooperates.
Any comparison is really not going to be fair because both vehicles were optioned out different. A few things comes to mind. Starting with the steering, the E90 to me feels a tad less heavy. Not much as say the 2001 dibockle., but just a hair. notice it in tight parking situations. At near triple digits ( still in break in period) very stable. Also the 5 link rear suspension and the increased wheel base should equate to a more subtle ride. And it does to some point. But i think im going to blame the Run flats for the tire noise and ruff feel. Note this is different than tram line that im trying to explain.
On the braking im happy to report that after about 700 miles the "grabbyness" is improved. Although I never remember having it on my E46 from day one. I wonder if the brake drying feature could somehow be involved?? Where i experienced it was at the furthest brake travel. Which to me if your making a tight right turn at a decent speed, is well annoying and makes you lack confidence. I never had that issue in my E46.
In 2000 I had the unfortunate experience of being on vacation in the Ozarks when a Softball hail storm came out of no where... I took some pretty good windshield hits from rather large pieces. If you've never driven in that area, let me tell you its some of the most entertaining twisties you can experience. However i was not counting on having too look for shelter out in the boonies. She was so stable as I flogged her inth looking for cover. It was a horrible experience, but as i watched all the other vehicles pulled over looking helpless, as we finally made our way to a gas station cover. Where i sadly surved the damage. In my mind there is no other vehicle that could have handled that situation without loosing it. She stuck to the road like glue. I spent the next 3 days waiting on a winshield so i could make it back home and get an estimate on the body damage.
I have a very good paintless dent removal guy that was able tomake repairs without any body work. But knowing in you mind its never the same is it ? So why I think the E90 is better in almost every way I allways have a special place for my beloved E46. Matter a fact I had to order Titanium Silver again in memory .
Thank you ever so much for the complete and concise explanation. I had a Passat prior, with everything on it EXCEPT AWD. When the roads were "just wet", the car had a tendency to slide from a stop. I then purchased the 325xi.05
So, except for "speed" being the reason for going with the 325i model verses the 325xi, (again with the sport package)...am I losing out on anything else? For me, a second or 2 less for the performance of the 325i 06 is not an issue, for me just wanted confirmation that was all that I was giving up. I don't want to start sliding again when the roads are wet.
Interesting. I think this will help people deciding between the e46 and e90. It seems that you are enjoying the car and happy with it!!!
Sorry about your experience with the hail. Last year my Honda got hit. I was in the Ozarks once, and all I remember was that I got Poison Ivy and had to be rushed to the emergency room in this small town, and the nurse who was about to give me a big steroid injection on my rear end, asked if I could speak English. )
Hi, does anyone know of a good rock bootton price for a 2005 330xia w/ Gray Leather, Automatic Transmission, Cold weather package, Metallic paint, Premium package, Xenon headlamps. The list is $43,795 and dealer wants me to make a bid. What's this E-Bay???? Thanks
You might also want to peruse and/or join some of the discussions on our Smart Shopper board. There is a school of thought that says a buyer will be better off to determine what he's willing to pay and then to make the first move.
I went to the dealership again to look at the e90. After this time though, it dosn't look too bad. Didn't get to test drive it though b/c they were so busy. I did talk to my past salesmane where I bought my 325ci from and he told me that I can pick a day and take it for an overnighter and return it the next day. I'm gonna get it next Tuesday and spend the night with it. When I was there I saw a Porsche Carrerra GT in the showroom and it looked sweeeet!!!!. I guess for 450k it should. It had a sign on it saying "Sold" and "Do Not Touch".
So, on the way home this evening, a Carbon Black M3 decides he wants to race my lowly 325i . How silly is that ? Don't he know that Silver is faster ? . So I let him pass, checked out the led taillights and let him stop at Starbucks to brag about the "E90" he dusted .
How bout this..when I had my 325ci 2 years ago, I was at a light and another 325ci pulls up and when the light changed he acted like he wanted to race. Doesn't he know its the same exact car? :confuse: I can't brag about which color is faster since it was the SAME EXACT color!
On another note, has anyone seen the black metallic and the jet black next to each other? I haven't so can someone tell me if there is that much of a difference to justify paying the extra $$ for metallic? Thanks
I've seen them side by side, as there used to be a Jet Black 540i that was parked in the same lot as where I parked my Sapphire Black 530i. To me at least, the metallic paint, with it's requisite many extra layers of paint (errr, paint and clear coat) looks much richer when spotlessly clean and when a little dirty, seems to hide the dirt a little better. Then there is the swirl mark issue. My 530i was always washed in your basic car wash, I have no idea how the 540i was washed, however, in the sun you could see very distinct swirl marks in the paint. Hand washing? Automatic car wash? I don't know, but after a year the paint on the 540i was definitely looking a little ratty compared to the paint on my 530i.
Am I going to order the metallic paint on my next BMW? You'd better believe it! ;-)
The metallic seems to do a great job hiding any swirl marks. If not for my own frustration but at least for resale,I think i will allways go metallic.
Oddly enough out of the four Dealers in my area i have never seen a "lightly" equipped Black Sapphire. Its all most like its exclusive. Even on the 5er where metallic paint is "free" they still have several jet black and white, hardly any Sapphire ,go figure. If they don't bring Silver Grey back the Sapphire will probably be my next choice. If i can get brave enough for a black vehicle in the South.
As a black car lover myself, it was just one more reason why I moved myself back "Up North" when I was living in Atlanta (with a black car and no A/C no less). :-/
Life up here in New Hamster is much more conducive to driving black cars, yesterday it was horribly hot at 87 degrees (fortunately it cooled down by the time Richie Havens took the stage at our little/local 300 seat, non airconditioned, music hall last night), today we are heading for a wonderful high of 66 degrees. Yeah, that's the ticket. ;-)
Need some advice from fellow BMW lovers and experts.
My budget allows about $40K towards a new vehicle. The 2006 3 series is high on my list, but I realized I can get a low mileage, well equipped, 2004 525i CPO for about the same price. :confuse:
What say you? I realize at some level it is a personal choice, but what are the basic points for and against each of these beauties?
Well, the x25i model numbers aside, the 325i is both lighter and has substantially more power than the 525i, so... How much do you like your power? If it's a non-issue, get the 5er, if it is, get the E90 325i. Hmmm, better yet. if you like your power, get the E90 330i via the ED program and still come in under $40K.
"Nice, it was 87f here last nite at 23:00hrs when I got off work"
Hehe, yeah, I remember doing a contracting gig down in Dallas in May of 1985, and one night at about 01:00hrs I was driving by one of those blinkey-blinkey signs that alternate between time and temp, and it was 103f. I said to myself, "Shipo, its time that you finished this project and got your butt home to Chicago where its only 75 in the daytime."
Miscellaneous thought regarding the show that I saw last night... Let's see, somewhere around a half of a million people saw Richie Havens perform his three hour opening set up at Yasgur's farm in August of 1969, and I'll bet that there were fewer BMWs there then there were at the tiny gathering of 300 last night up here in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The times they are a changin'. :shades:
Interesting enough i was just reading an European car mag at Barnes and Noble and it had a small run down of the 2002 to current 3er. It states that the E30 was the most reliable to date of all models. hmmm
Since your experienced at the whole wheel/tire swap. What size lug "bolt" size socket will I need ? And any recommendation on a Torque wrench? I looked at some at Sears, 3/8, 1/2, ect any ideas ?
I have a 2006 325 stick with close to 3000miles. Has anyone out there had to do any service yet? According to manufacturer/dealer, service light will come on as required. Does this apply to oil changes as well? I usually do oil change every 3000 miles. Also any opinions about using mobil one synthetic oil in this engine?
I got my bimmer last month. Dealer mentioned no oil changes for 15K miles. They do use synthetic oil. When you initially start the engine, your display will light up with a number for a few seconds. This is the countdown indicator. When this comes close to 100, then your car is ready for it's regular maintenance/oil change. Take it to your dealer- the service is free.
Also, changing oil every 3K miles is not necessary anymore for any car for that matter. The engines have got better and so have the quality of the oil. I know many people are worried about it change it too often deligently. But really not necessary anymore.
I've seen the Black Sapphire Metallic on a few E46 3ers. It is a drop dead gorgeous color. I've got to tell you that it is my number 1 color of choice if I were to order an E90 today. That being said, I saw an Electric Red car on the showroom floor that looked great too. My current '01 Prelude is Milano Red (very similar) and I can tell you that unless red is filthy with mud and salt splattered it never looks awful, but when I get it cleaned it really sparkles. I've got a soft spot in my heart for white also, but I haven't seen an E90 in white yet.
If anybody has a 325i with a sport package, could you post a picture please?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Shipo, Do you really refer to yourself as Shipo when talking to yourself? :P In the small world category, I used to work and live in Londonderry. Last time I was back I got completely lost with the changes they did to the roads around the runway at MHT.
Comments
After a week of exchanging emails with BMW of North America (which I’ll not post here unless you wish me to do it) I got a positive response from them:
====================
Dear Mr. Shapiro:
Thank you for your patience. We are sending out the storage nets to the dealerships when they are available, but since they are a new part, that may not be immediate. The dealership will be able to advise you when the parts will be made available for your vehicle. Again, thank you for your patience in this matter.
If you have any further questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. Again, thank you for contacting BMW.
Sincerely,
Melissa DiMaria
Customer Relations and Services
Representative
=================
So, everyone with new 2006 3 models without nets, even if you were making fun of me
Ten minutes later the following had been accomplished;
The Nav voice was changed from German to English
The destination input
The door locks were programmed to close once moving
All four doors programmed to unlock together
The pathway lighting option chosen
Climate control set
We were also offered the option of receiving traffic updates. The car had a Sirius antenna and during the next five days when the traffic reports (in German) burst into our music-listening the nav voice would tell us " there is a 3 mile traffic jam on your route with a delay time of 34 minutes-would you like to make a detour?" I was literally blown away the first time this happened. I have a 2004 Nav with no Sirius in my 325Ci and have spent many an hour in traffic jams but this nice lady kept me moving along briskly (100mph at only 2400 rpm and I was asked not to exceed 120mph by my passenger) One detour, heading North from Freiburg to Oberwesel on the Rhine took us west into France for about 30 miles.
I did a lot of driving between the Rhine and the Mosel, mainly on little country roads, hilly and twisty, with seldom a soul to be seen and was at one point down to 24km left in the tank. The nav found me gas (um, diesel) @ 1 euro per liter (ouch). In 1360 Km of driving I used 107 liters. Don't ask me what that is in miles per gallon- I haven't had enough coffee this morning to do the math.
The Nav allowed me the confidence to drive into cities on a whim (Freiburg and Koblenz to name two) without fear of getting lost or not finding parking. It found me gas and restaurants when I needed them. It kept me out of traffic jams and delays.
The screen is roughly twice the size of my own nav and in a better position for the driver and operates much faster than I am used to, particularly when changing scale or re-calculating when I made a wrong turn...some streets were closed off due to road works in Koblenz for example.
Interesting to note that the 525d had no cupholders whatsoever. It did have PDC which came in handy when manouevering in tiny cobbled streets with a color display of the car on the nav screen showing where impact was likely to soon occur. It was an automatic transmission , alas. Non SP too. Tires were Pirelli P7. Car was about 2 weeks old with 5,000 Km on the clock.
So-my first experience with I Drive and the improved BMW nav was a good one.
Shipo- I notice you are planning an ED E90 trip next year and reccommend you choose the Nav option.
PS Kudos to Brave1heart and his co-pilot Eric in One Lap of America!
Norris in Chicago
Yeah, I'm about 80% certain that I'm going to opt for the iDrive/Nav combo and critics be damned. That said, at this point I am still highly dubious about the need for other high-tech goodies such as Active Steering, Active Cruise and Park Distance Control. My current thinking is to get a 330i 6-Speed Manual, Sapphire Black, Black Leather, PP, SP, Nav and Satellite. Configured as such, the MSRP will be $43,865, and the ED MSRP will be $41,325. Under the assumption that I should easily be able to do the same $1,500 over ED Invoice as I did on my 530i, that would come out to $39,160. Hmmm, I likey!
Best Regards,
Shipo
It is not so much the function of Sirius as there is no such thing as sat. radio service in Europe. They do have digital radio broadcast, and the radio receiver will find the best frequency serving the same program (many regions in Germany do run the same broadcast on diff. frequency) and change itself over to that frequency.
As for the traffic info and detour, there is something called TMC module, which receives traffic condition signals sent over the radio boradcast and incorporates into the NAV. They have been doing this for a while, but the older models did not have the voice prompt. If you look at the side of the road as you drive by, there are white (some with black stripes) posts about 3 ft. or so high every a few yard. Those things actually collect the traffic density and signal to the main station which then sends that info to radio stations.
about 140 miles in two days...typically i work from home but today commuted-
my first BMW, im loving the brakes, handling, that sweet inline 6 sounds--
trying to get used to the steering--active steering, you can certainly feel the heaviness at lower speeds and it does lessen with speed-
i did pull a fast 180 U turn this mornng (missed my turn) and the response was incredible-
kind of sensing a slight pulsing? not sure if that has any relation to the active steer, its incredibly faint, just the sensitivity you feel in the wheel to the road prob allows this-
since im coming from driving a toyota 4runner past 2 years, i have much catching up to do with the art of driving, not herding-but it is coming back fast-
love the paint/interior combo, the aluminum gives you that "Sprockets" feel-
cheers
KB
My last drive in Germany was on the A3 en route to Frankfurt airport early on a Sunday morning and a day later I was on I94 between Chicago and Michigan-wishing I was back on the A3 with its' lack of potholes, lack of uneven surfaces and lack of blown truck tires.
Having done ED back in September 03 I can envision no other way of my buying a NEW BMW. Saving money was of course welcome but the experience of driving my brand new car on the twisty roads of the Bavarian Alps and blasting down the Autobahn without a Police Escort on a sunny day was something I'd pay good money to do again.
Sure you can fly into Munich, pick up the car at BMW, drive it a few miles and drop it at Harms the same day and save 7%....but even if just for a week it's nice to treat your new car and yourself (and friends/family) to some great driving on superlative roads populated by drivers who aren't yakking on cell phones, changing diapers or doing jigsaws as they drive. And it's not ALL about the Autobahns- the country lanes have some thrills in store, albeit with a speed limit. Germany ain't lacking in hills and bends.
I haven't actually seen an E90 on the roads here yet, although I saw a dozen or so in Germany-mainly in Munich, understandably. The 1 series were very prevalent as befits a town with a parking issue.It's fun just to walk down the streets looking at marques that don't mean much in the USA- Renaults, Citroens, Alfas, Peugeots and Opels to name a few -most of them tiny, most of them manuals and see Smart Cars, Merc 170s and Audi A3s. Jeep Grand Cherokees are much in evidence among the few SUVs-the X5 being the most abundant and the X3 not far behind. I saw one Lexus (LS430) and one Nissan (350Z).
Norris, suffering sauerbraten withdrawal
DL
1. Sport mode is supposed to give a sportier ride. Anyone knows the technical details on power/torque curves or gear changes with this mode?
2. seems to get lower city mpg for the first 200 miles but improves after that. Anyone with same experience?
Thanks.
Okay, the Walnut is a given, I just forgot to mention it. Even though I live in New Hamster, "Heat Seaters" drive me nuts, cannot stand them. When Mrs. Shipo orders a car, she gets them, and every time I drive her car I find myself wondering why my hind parts are sweating. :surprise: As for "CA", ummm, I don't know what that option is. :confuse:
Best Regards,
Shipo
Hmmm, Comfort Access. I'm not sold on that one yet, $500 so that I can keep my key in my pocket. I'll have to think about it for a while.
Best Regards,
Shipo
1. the standard tires that come with the vehicle... should be what? I will have the Sport package?
Are these tires costly to modify with the vehicle coming from the manufacturer?
or
Does these tires..all 4, need to be purchased after receiving the vehicle? Costs?
And the snow tires recommended were Michelin X-Ice ,,cost for these 2 tires?
If I have missed something vital, please include as well..
Thank you for your assistance..
Marcy
I myself agree with the reviewer about mixing luxury with Bimmers. Whether a 330 is worth an extra 6k? I dont know, I have only test driven the new 325 and was quite impressed!
If you are a WSJ subcriber, please link the following:
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111775045717249751,00.html?mod=todays_us_weekend_journa- - l
The problem with not getting comfort access is the alternative is simply unacceptable. Put the key fob in the slot. Step on the brake. Push the start button. If you have to put the fob in the slot, why not just turn the fob like an ignition key without stepping on the brake?
Because of this, I will lease a 330i with the comfort access and extend my 325i lease which is up Aug. 2nd month to month until the car is delivered. The dealer said September is the month for comfort access but he told me don't be surprised if the vehicle doesn't get here until December. :sick:
Anyhow, the car is a knockout in arctic and it didn't look too shabby in silver either.
The only bad thing I can say is for the second time now I have found the brakes quite grabby.
Shipo, After 3 weeks i can tell you. I don't care about the "access" part to much but as for the additional steps to get in and out of the car.I mean its not horrible, But I drive about 40k miles in my "Company" car that is totally different. So once in a while im reaching for something thats not there....
DL
Will the dealership remove the CDV or do I have to take the car to a private shop? Will that affect my warranty?
Thanks for the insights.
R
The E90 325i comes standard with 16 x 7.0 wheels shod with 205/55 R-16 All-Season Run-Flat tires. The E90 325i Sport Package comes with 17 x 8.0 wheels in the front and 17 x 8.5 in the rear. Those wheels are shod with 225/45 R-17 Summer Performance Run-Flat tires for the front and 255/40 R-17 Summer Performance Run-Flat tires for the rear.
The Summer Performance tires of the Sport Package are less than worthless in snowy slippery conditions and while the All-Season tires are better, they still suffer horribly when compared to a set if dedicated winter tires. When I had my 1999 E46 328i, which had the exact same size of wheels and tires as the new E90 325i, I happened to live in northern New Jersey. I drove those tires through all four winters that I had that car, and while they always managed to get me from point A to point B, many of the rides were hairy enough to generate a serious case of white knuckles.
If you buy a standard E90 325i, and don't get much in the way of snow where you live, and don't have too many hills to negotiate, then the OEM rubber should be adequate, barely. If you decide to opt for a 325i SP, then it is a forgone conclusion that you will need to buy a set of winter wheels and tires. Even though the SP uses a staggered set of wheels and tires, the general rule regarding BMWs is to simply get a set of four new wheels in the size of the non-SP car (16 x 7.0) and four winter tires, also in the size of the non-SP car (205/55 R16). Per your question about cost, a set of wheels can be had starting at about $500 and a set of Michelin X-Ice tires can be had for about $400, so with shipping and taxes you are talking about a little over $1,000 for the set of four. FWIW, the Michelin X-Ice are pretty much sold out no matter where you look, but never fear, they'll be back in stock before the snow flies next fall.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Thanks a lot for the perfect explanation about tires. I am in upstate NY with 325i non-SP. I’ll definitely need winter tires – snow can be pretty heavy here. Do you have any recommendation on a good quality run-flat winter tires? Do they even exist?
mike
I just had a 525i loaner car this week.. I'm guessing that all of the new BMWs will be that way, eventually..
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Best Regards,
Shipo
I liked the fact that you can customize the car in so many ways with the iDrive but you have to have software that cooperates.
So after having owned the e46 and now owning the e90, do you notice a difference in the handling department?
AMT-
Any comparison is really not going to be fair because both vehicles were optioned out different. A few things comes to mind. Starting with the steering, the E90 to me feels a tad less heavy. Not much as say the 2001 dibockle., but just a hair. notice it in tight parking situations. At near triple digits ( still in break in period) very stable. Also the 5 link rear suspension and the increased wheel base should equate to a more subtle ride. And it does to some point. But i think im going to blame the Run flats for the tire noise and ruff feel. Note this is different than tram line that im trying to explain.
On the braking im happy to report that after about 700 miles the "grabbyness" is improved. Although I never remember having it on my E46 from day one. I wonder if the brake drying feature could somehow be involved?? Where i experienced it was at the furthest brake travel. Which to me if your making a tight right turn at a decent speed, is well annoying and makes you lack confidence. I never had that issue in my E46.
In 2000 I had the unfortunate experience of being on vacation in the Ozarks when a Softball hail storm came out of no where... I took some pretty good windshield hits from rather large pieces. If you've never driven in that area, let me tell you its some of the most entertaining twisties you can experience. However i was not counting on having too look for shelter out in the boonies. She was so stable as I flogged her inth looking for cover. It was a horrible experience, but as i watched all the other vehicles pulled over looking helpless, as we finally made our way to a gas station cover. Where i sadly surved the damage. In my mind there is no other vehicle that could have handled that situation without loosing it. She stuck to the road like glue. I spent the next 3 days waiting on a winshield so i could make it back home and get an estimate on the body damage.
I have a very good paintless dent removal guy that was able tomake repairs without any body work. But knowing in you mind its never the same is it ? So why I think the E90 is better in almost every way I allways have a special place for my beloved E46. Matter a fact I had to order Titanium Silver again in memory .
Sorry got so far off track,
DL
Thank you ever so much for the complete and concise explanation. I had a Passat prior, with everything on it EXCEPT AWD. When the roads were "just wet", the car had a tendency to slide from a stop. I then purchased the 325xi.05
So, except for "speed" being the reason for going with the 325i model verses the 325xi, (again with the sport package)...am I losing out on anything else? For me, a second or 2 less for the performance of the 325i 06 is not an issue, for me just wanted confirmation that was all that I was giving up. I don't want to start sliding again when the roads are wet.
Thank you again...Marcy
Sorry about your experience with the hail. Last year my Honda got hit.
I was in the Ozarks once, and all I remember was that I got Poison Ivy and had to be rushed to the emergency room in this small town, and the nurse who was about to give me a big steroid injection on my rear end, asked if I could speak English.
AMT-
You might also want to peruse and/or join some of the discussions on our Smart Shopper board. There is a school of thought that says a buyer will be better off to determine what he's willing to pay and then to make the first move.
Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes.
DL
On another note, has anyone seen the black metallic and the jet black next to each other? I haven't so can someone tell me if there is that much of a difference to justify paying the extra $$ for metallic? Thanks
Am I going to order the metallic paint on my next BMW? You'd better believe it! ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Oddly enough out of the four Dealers in my area i have never seen a "lightly" equipped Black Sapphire. Its all most like its exclusive. Even on the 5er where metallic paint is "free" they still have several jet black and white, hardly any Sapphire ,go figure. If they don't bring Silver Grey back the Sapphire will probably be my next choice. If i can get brave enough for a black vehicle in the South.
DL
Life up here in New Hamster is much more conducive to driving black cars, yesterday it was horribly hot at 87 degrees (fortunately it cooled down by the time Richie Havens took the stage at our little/local 300 seat, non airconditioned, music hall last night), today we are heading for a wonderful high of 66 degrees. Yeah, that's the ticket. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
DL
Need some advice from fellow BMW lovers and experts.
My budget allows about $40K towards a new vehicle.
The 2006 3 series is high on my list, but I realized I can get a low mileage, well equipped, 2004 525i CPO for about the same price. :confuse:
What say you? I realize at some level it is a personal choice, but what are the basic points for and against each of these beauties?
Thanks all for your time.
Pondering in Texas....
Best Regards,
Shipo
Hehe, yeah, I remember doing a contracting gig down in Dallas in May of 1985, and one night at about 01:00hrs I was driving by one of those blinkey-blinkey signs that alternate between time and temp, and it was 103f. I said to myself, "Shipo, its time that you finished this project and got your butt home to Chicago where its only 75 in the daytime."
Miscellaneous thought regarding the show that I saw last night...
Let's see, somewhere around a half of a million people saw Richie Havens perform his three hour opening set up at Yasgur's farm in August of 1969, and I'll bet that there were fewer BMWs there then there were at the tiny gathering of 300 last night up here in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The times they are a changin'. :shades:
Best Regards,
Shipo
Since your experienced at the whole wheel/tire swap. What size lug "bolt" size socket will I need ? And any recommendation on a Torque wrench? I looked at some at Sears, 3/8, 1/2, ect any ideas ?
Thanks,
DL
Also, changing oil every 3K miles is not necessary anymore for any car for that matter. The engines have got better and so have the quality of the oil. I know many people are worried about it change it too often deligently. But really not necessary anymore.
AMT-
If anybody has a 325i with a sport package, could you post a picture please?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Do you really refer to yourself as Shipo when talking to yourself? :P
In the small world category, I used to work and live in Londonderry.
Last time I was back I got completely lost with the changes they did to the roads around the runway at MHT.