BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

brave1heart

Every profession has good and bad people. I'm sure what you do is the high end of legal work (securities-related) and honesty is very important for you as a professional and as an individual as well. However, that does not change the fact that a lot people have been ripped off by attorneys and it will not change the image of ambulance-chasers that most people have. There's no reason to take it so personally. You should use the same yardstick for what you say as well - your comments about Audis being glorified VW's sound as general and ignorant as this morning's comment about attorneys. I've had mostly good experience with attorneys the few times that I've used their services. I have at least 3 or 4 attorney friends/acquaintances who are very intelligent, fun, and sharp. I also remember a case when I paid $200 for an attorney to fight a traffic ticket (lane change violation) for me and he was just so horrible in court, I took over after a couple of minutes and did all the defense myself. It all depends and there's no need to take things personally. I value people individually for who they are, not what they do for a living. You sound like the type of person that gives attorneys a good name. Anyhow, here on this board, we should all focus on giving BMW owners a good name - as owners we owe it to ourselves, right?

veekay1

I hear you! Well, lets leave it at that and talk about more pleasant things!
While I was waiting for my car, I found a particular BMWNA rep to be particularly helpful and knowledgeable (believe me they are not all the same!) : his name is Greg and he is at x 6197 after u dial (800)8311117. Since u are expecting delivery in mid-July, I am sure u will be calling BMWNA more than a few times between now and then!!
Good Luck!

veekay1

Where have u been all morning?
Didnt get any coffee this am??

Hey man.....I am totally nerved out!! All this hype and the moment is finally here!!! The worst part is that I took a day off and that was a WRONG move!!!
Well, I am ending up keeping myself busy anyway with the laundry , mail, phone calls etc.......its a tough wait!!!
Veekay1

brave1heart

I know the feeling - I barely got any sleep the night before I picked up my car. Good thing Alp and the Westies were around late that night. Listen, you have to calm down. You will have this car for years to enjoy but the delivery is very important and you need your brains for it, OK? So, here's what I recommend you do: First and foremost, breathe. Then breathe deep again. Forget housekeeping stuff and focus on the imp. stuff. Print out the pickup lists that I mentioned and go over them carefully. Highlight the stuff that you definitely want to go over. Make a list of everything else that you need to talk to the dealer about. They shoot for a 1/2-hr delivery. Mine was a tad over 2 hrs and it was well worth it. I have not had to go back to the dealership. I'll be around in the aft - write if you have questions. Good luck.

genie1

Any one know anything I should watch out for on these. I've made up my mind that the 318 coupé is the one I want, but would consider a 328.

I am test driving a 97 318 tomorrow and am really excited about actually driving this car after having read so much about it. There are tons of them in Toronto, but not too many are up for sale right now.

The comments on this board (compared to the mundane stuff on some of the other car boards) helped me decide that this was the car for me.

This may be the car that makes me take that road trip to the East Coast...Nova Scotia, New Brunswick here I come...

Anyway...is there anything I should look out for?

Thanks

veekay1

brave1heart

Your questions are too general and they do not provide enough info for a meaningful feedback. This is the 318ti compact that you're talking about, right? What year is the 328 that you're looking at? The 318ti is the single most unloved BMW in the U.S., unjustifiably so IMO. It is a BMW in every way - esp. road feel, but the 4-cyl BMW's have never been popular here because the 6-cyl BMW engines are a masterpiece. Go with what you like better. You have a point about the other boards - they seem to be degenerating fast and are rapidly becoming unreadable and useless.

burrsr

I cannot possibly recommend the 328 any more strongly over the 318. Although the 318 will deliver very similar handling, braking, and the general feel, you will be missing out BIG TIME by not opting for the inline-six. It is the heart and soul of the car -- the other 50% of the balance equation between engine, braking, handling, overall feel, etc. This has been one of the best all-around engines on the planet (smoothness, linear power delivery, aural sensations - MAN the AURAL sensations! - , efficency, etc.), whereas the 1.8 is just another rather mediocre 4-cylinder with none of those qualities. Why do you think they quit marketing and producing the 1.8 for the US? The 2.8 is a true benchmark and gives BMW a decisive competitive advantage over other cars in the segment. Its inline-sixes are simply the best 6-cylinders around. I really think you'd be doing yourself a great disservice (and missing out on a HUGE part of the BMW ownership experience!) if you did not get the 2.8.

brave1heart

BTW, I read somewhere recently that female buyers statistically go for the smaller engine even w/o regard to price savings. I said statistically, don't come back arguing with me.

brave1heart

The Automobile mag write-up on the 330xi that denright pointed out yesterday made an interesting statement that the 330 engine may be approaching the limit of what BMW engineers can achieve in vibration-free power from a 6-cyl engine. I'm not sure if the article was also implying that you could already feel some vibrations with the 330 engine or I misunderstood something. Any thoughts from those who read the article?

brave1heart

unboringuy

First of all, I'm sorry you took my remarks as a personal attack against attorneys. I did not mean to imply that most lawyers are viewed as being dishonest, but rather that the profession (like car salesman) is generally viewed by the public with disfavor.

If you read the sentence, applying the same strict scrutiny that is used in construing statutes, I think you will see that I did not generalize that lawyers are liars. I did generalize that the public views lawyers and car salespeople negatively.

"And that's probably why, as a general rule, car salesmen (like lawyers) have a bad reputation. "

Res ipsa loquitur.

genie1

The 328 would also be a 97 or 98. I'd prefer the 2dr to the 4-dr sedan.

I will drive both the 318 and the 328 to see which one I prefer though. The last vehicles I drove were an Altima and a Pathfinder which were both fine but too big for me (The bimmer I sat in on the other hand seemed to fit me like a glove) (Being 5'0, size is an issue).

I guess I will see if the 318 seems underpowered tomorrow...I probably won't sleep a wink tonight

veekay1

Typically, if I am financing with BMW FS, what type of "title" should I expect at Delivery?

a.) A Title, clearly mentioning that BMW FS (or a bank thereof) holds the lien.
OR
b.) A scrap of paper mentioning the financial details.
thanks in advance

brave1heart

The financing company keeps the title. You should get a near-newspaper size financing document with all details. As a reminder, you can manage your financing through BMWNA's web site. I even signed up for an automated payment through my on-line account.

denright

Sorry I got so heavy guys. It just gets to me -- all the lawyer jokes and casual lawyer bashing in the news.

One thing, Brave, that I would point out. It seems inappropriate to me to compare a systemic slander of an honorable profession with one quote of a co-worker describing an Audi as a glorified VW.

I am off to Florida for my dad's 75th birthday and (coincidentally) Father's Day weekend. Happy Father's Day all.

brave1heart

And who knows, maybe next year you'll be celebrating Father's Day too. You still have three months to catch it )

jnscheong

brave1heart - My impression of the Automobile article is completely different than yours. The article seems to say that whatever engine vibrations there were with the 328 has been remedied in the 330.

"You almost long for a little of the 2.8-liter's coarseness, as a sort of memento of human frailty. But the new 3.0-liter engine proves that no vibration can hide forever from a BMW engineer."

jnscheong

burrsr

328's come in coupe format, too, ya know... Good luck -- do whatever feels right.

emilyk

You're right, I've spoken with Greg at BMWNA and he is extremely helpful and very friendly. Probably the best rep that I've dealt with there. BTW, congrats on your car!

brave1heart

I had definitely misunderstood it. Should've taken longer time to read it more carefully.

reubencahn

I don't know whether the limitation is vibration or other but I did read (I think in Roundel) some comments from a BMW engineer that the current M3 engine may be at the outer limits of of the I6's performance. On the other hand, the new valvetronic system is supposed to result in a 10% increase in power.

Denright: I understand your annoyance but you shouldn't take things so seriously. I've been a public defender and a federal public defender for 13 of my 17 years as a lawyer, so I know something about being despised for what you do. It really doesn't pay to even address the various slings and arrows that come your way.

ohioal

I'm new to this group, and hope you can help. I've got a 2000 328i w/Prem pkg, leather, sunroof, et.al. At night after about 5-10 minutes my headlights begin to dim and brighten, not so much that it looks like normal to bright lights, but certainly noticeable. My wife is getting concerned about driving it at night ( will the lights just go OUT?) and frankly I'm getting concerned, too. Any ideas what might be wrong? btw, it does not vary w/eng speed. Thanks.

brave1heart

Does anyone else think that the Bullitt looks a lot like the Dodge Intrepid and that the oversize, tacky fuel cap is totally out of place? Will American car manufacturers EVER learn? Or maybe they have learned but the consumers have not and the manufacturers are just chasing poor taste?!? I don't get it.

veekay1

veekay1

While financing thru BMW FS, if you wanna pay off a huge chunk at one time, will the eventual overall payment be lower? Or does it not matter?
Thanks!!

brave1heart

I knew about the 10% improvement if fuel efficiency due to the new valvetronic system. I've never seen anything on 10% power increase. Can you point me to the article that states that, please?

brave1heart

You can make accelerated payments w/o a penalty of any sort. They will just recalculate your monthly payment every time you do that. You obviously should be paying less after each accelerated payment - after all, you are paying off principal and there should also be less interest accruing.

genie1

Yes, I just saw one the other day on the highway...in the green...(don't know if it comes in any other color)

About the fuel cap...is it a TT wannabe?

Actually, just looking on the website...I could get one of the base or GTs new instead of my current choice of 318/328...The Ford doesn't appeal to me as much though

I am not really seriously considering an American car...even the small ones are horribly designed. I found huge blind spots on the Alero (my view over my left shoulder was basically the central pillar and the rear frame...I couldn't see out of the car)

allano

Your last sentence really threw me because I was about to guess that you had alternator problems. Just before my alternator malfunctioned(not on a BMW) and before the idiot light went on, I also saw my headlight intensity increase and then decrease once every 2 to 3 seconds; however, they also dimmed when my car engine slowed to an idle.
Are they HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights? Are both lights changing intensity at the same time or only one (filament short)? Does the intensity change at a regular interval?; only when going over bumps?; at a constant speed?

gurumike

Takes me less than 15 mins to do any amount of car and key. Your dealer can take as long as they want as they're not charging any one to set them.
Paying extra lease payments does not reduce your overall out of pocket over the term of the lease. On "normal" financing, any extra would come off the principal so there would end up being less interest than if you paid according to the payment schedule.

brave1heart

I just heard the great news and I'm very happy that everything worked out fine. Isn't she great to work with? Hopefully the wait won't be too long. Congrats again!

reubencahn

I'll see if I can find it but don't hold out hope. I know it was in a European car magazine that discussed the power increase on the British manufactured I4 valvetronic engine.

brave1heart

Thanks for clarifying that my comments are valid for traditional financing only and that with leases, you cannot reduce the total out-of-pocket expenses. I never have and probably never will lease (unless I have my own biz some day) and I often forget that what - 2 out of every 3 BMW buyers actually lease?

ls11

From Post 5501: "Just reminding you to bring along the e46 and the Foolish pickup lists and take your time to inspect everything carefully during the delivery process"

Braveheart, where are these lists located?
Thanks

gurumike

brave1heart

http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/ - Jerry's E46 Pickup Checklist

http://www.fool.com/Car/Worksheets/DeliveryChecklist.htm

dantlo

Go with the 328, try to avoid the 318i, In a long run you will feel like having more hp. 328 is a blast to drive. My wife had a 318 conv 5 sp, a lot of fun to drive and I had a 325(93) 5 speed at the same time. Everytime when she drove my car, she appreciated all the extra power and it is a big difference.

Dan

tchoo

Don't know about the new Bulitt, but I had the chance to drive a Hertz rental 2001 Mustang. Eeeww, why would anyone buy this? The 3.8L 6cyl felt no better than the 1.8L 4cyl in my Toyota! Pickup and acceleration was terrible. Its not even the same league as the BMW I6! Next time I get a rental I'm taking the Camry.

brave1heart

I would tend to agree with you but again, everyone should go with the car that fits. The convertible is almost 1,000 lbs heavier (that's 30-35%!!!) than the 318ti compact that she's talking about. The 318ti's engine is adequate for a car that small and especially for someone who does not place a lot of emphasis on horse power.

ohioal

Speed, curves, bumps, nothing seems to change the frequency or pattern. They are not the HID's. The dealer I'll take it to Tuesday was stumped on the phone. Any idea if they'll just crap out some lonely night?

genie1

Glad to hear the engine is adequate. With the driving I do it's the impression of power rather than the power itself that will count.



Considering that my first choices were the RAV4 or the CRV (for the 4WD feature)...I think the 318 will suit me just fine. I found the mini-utes are over priced here. They are ugly inside to boot.

ohstbadger

It's bloody hot this week, and I've had the A/C on most of the time. In stop-and-go city traffic, my 330i engine heats up quickly, even into the red zone on the indicator light. Is this normal? Dangerous? Any advice? Many thanks!

brave1heart

By god, ANY BMW would be to the RAV4 or the CRV like traveling first class to economy. Good move. As far as power, it's all very subjective. You need to determine for yourself what's adequate but it's safe to say that the 318ti would be a lot quicker than the RAV4 or the CRV. Are you fine with the RWD, though?

brave1heart

It is not normal and it is very likely you have one of the '01 3-series' infamous defective aux fans produced by Siemens. It is dangerous and if the needle goes up to the red zone, you should pull over immediately and wait till it cools off. You should have your aux fan replaced by the dealer immediately if that is indeed what's causing it.

As far as A/C driving, I've never been a big A/C fan (unless it comes with D/C :0) and even in 90- degree weather I typically roll down the windows and open the roof. The only time I'd use it is if I have passengers in the car.

uge123

One of my friends owns the previous generation 318ti and swears by it. Having driven it I'd say that despite its weaker engine and narrower tires, and cheaper interior materials and switches, it's still a BMW. It still has that wonderful sense of balance, nice sounding engine (although nowhere as nice as an inline-6), decent tight build, and is spirited to drive. She's had it some years now and hasn't had any problems with it and she drives like a banshee.

genie1

Yes. I think I should be fine with RWD. Its a matter of control and safe driving anyway. I can always take the Go-train in to work on a really bad day.

I sat in the Honda because I felt it was a good buy (based on reviews/reliability/safety ratings. But it was ugly and didn't handle very well.) For the same budget (well almost) my brother convinced me to look at the Bimmer. I tell ya...I just sat in the 318 for about 30 seconds...I had this huge grin on my face...it was the first time the seat fit me...

Anyway, since then, thats what I've been looking into. The A4 didn't seem as comfortable a fit for me.

uge123

Open the windows in 90 degree weather!? You're nuts! But then again...you're not in Chicago, where 90 degree weather is often accompanied by 100% humidity. Yuk. I've been running the A/C everytime I turn on my car since I picked it up on Wednesday. The only problem with the windows up is that at lower engine speeds and throttle, you can hardly hear the engine. It's amazing to be able to listen to the Brahm's Requiem on and off the highway without having to raise and lower the volume. WOW!

Today I finally was able to drive with the windows down, just to listen to the hum of the engine. Okay everybody. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Yeah!

genie1

Your friend with the 318...how does it handle in winter?

allano

At this point, I'm at a loss and would appreciate anyone else's suggestions. I don't mean to alarm you but just to be safe, I would not drive it too much at night until you have it checked. With a bad alternator (only charges your battery slightly), your battery will discharge pretty quickly (conservatively less than 20 miles) with the lights on. During the day, it might go about 60 miles after an overnight charge.
If you have access to a voltmeter, check the battery voltage at idle: it should be around 14+ volts or so. If its down around 12 volts, then alternator is not charging. If the battery voltage is around 12 and varies like your lights, then you definitely need a new alternator.
If you don't have access to a voltmeter, check if the battery symbol in your instrument cluster glows at night (but so dimly that you cannot see it during the day) when the car idles. If so, you'll need to have your alternator checked.
Hope this information helps and not confuses. Good luck.