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Can anyone verify?? Also, where can I get info on an alarm? $529 from dealer! Any info on tinting would also be appreciated.
My 325Ci /auto/orient blue/sunroof/nav is on the Rigolatto, scheduled for NJ on 7/29, so it's probably the same ship as yours. What part of NJ will yours be shipped to? I'm expecting mine about 8/2 or 8/3 in South Jersey....good luck with yours!
Find a decent dealer and test drive and your mind will be made up.
Also, the resale value probably is stronger on the BMW. I got creamed selling the Maxima, practically had to give it away.
carpevino: Do you feel the same way about driving the 330i as you do the 325i? I too would have to get an automatic (can't drive a manual).
Don't get so caught up in the horses of an engine, horses and torque alone do not make for better performance from one car to the next.
If you've got the extra $$$ and you have to go auto, then go with the 330i. If you can really tell the difference that 1 second can make (none really, unless your racing) then the 325i auto straight line acceleration will disappoint you, but it's handling won't.
I really need you opinons and advice on this subject. Thanks...
Jon
If everyone goes for more hp, (and size for that matter), the Ford Crown Victoria would have been the best selling car for the past decade...
Does anyone know the address to order the alarm along with detailed instructions to install?
Has anyone else notice this or had problems similar. Is so, what is the fix. The dealership tells me that everything performs to specs.
thanks.
rodney
But when a black BMW is freshly washed and waxed, it's absolutely stunning. What a beautiful car. It's worth the work - I get ooh's and ah's from everyone that sees it.
I also have a couple of comments about cleaning supplies for anyone as anal as I am. Meguire's Gold Class wax does give a wonderful shine, but it is somewhat difficult to apply and remove. And it only lasts for a couple of months at best. Next, I'm going to try Zaino products. Lexol conditioner works great on the leather. I use it sparingly and just wipe it on the seats - takes about 15 minutes. Mother's Back-to-Black works miracles on the black trim on the bumpers and doors. Even if you're careful, you get wax on the trim and the Mother's product works great for removing it (so does peanut butter, but that just doesn't seem right).
One last tip - after you finish buffing the car use the same rag and wipe down all of the windows (don't put wax on them, just wipe them off with the rag). Wipe the inside wood/aluminum trim too. Then put the rag under the front seat for quick touch up on the inside of the car when you need it. Most good waxes now have fruity scents and it will make the inside of the car smell good.
Happy cleaning!
Based on your experiences, do you know how long until the car is now shipped out to the US?? How long have some of you waited??
Thanks
BTW, it's really nice to see some more owners introduce theirselves on the owner's board!
brejtinlj:
On the $33,000 question of a 98 M3 or a 99 328i - - If you're hell bent on one or the other, I would go for the M3. A (now) 3-year old 328i for $33k is a horrible deal, even if it only has 12k miles. I'm not basing this upon any knowledge of the used car market in your area. Rather, I'm basing it upon being able to get a brand new 2002 330i loaded for no more than $35k european delivery (w/dealer that discounts). Surely if you have $33k to spend, you can figure out a way to spend an extra $2-3k for a new car that is quite a bit more powerful and will be worth at least $8-10k more in three years (when the 328i is then a 2-owner 6-year old car).
The 98 M3 at least has the uniqueness of an M-series and won't depreciate as much. I still don't think it's a great deal though.
licoeur:
As others suggest, I wouldn't get hung up on comparing your Maxima's 222 horsepower to the 184 of a 325i. I have a 190-hp. 1995 Maxima (5-speed SE) and it is quicker than the 222 hp. 2000/2001 Maximas. My Nissan dealership also sells BMW's (VOB in Rockville, MD) and they admit that Nissan's horsepower ratings for the 2000/2001 Maxima are inflated - especially compared to BMW's.
Also, it's none of my business, but if you "can't drive a manual" because you haven't learned, it might be worth trying. I encouraged a friend who recently turned 50 to learn and he has since treated himself to a new 540i 6-speed (traded in his 528i automatic). He's loving life! I apologize if there is another reason - another friend had to give up his Porsche a couple of years ago because of disk problems in his back that made shifting painful.
I hear you both are calling BMWNA to check status. Could you give me a number I can call to get my vehicle status?? It seems they may know more than my dealer (who is even unsure of where it is coming from.) I suspect my vehicle may be coming from SA as well.
Please let me know. THANKS
The VIN consists of 17 digits.
Digit Value Meaning
1,2,3 Manufacturer
WBA BMW AG
4,5,6 Model
AM3 323i
AM5 328i
BM3 323Ci
BM5 328Ci
AV5 330i
BS5 330Cic
7 Country
3 United States model
8 Restraint System
3 or 4 Dual, de-powered airbags
9 Check digit
10 Model year
X 1999
Y 2000
1 2001
11 Assembly plant
F Munich
K Munich
C Dingolfing
F Dingolfing
E Regensberg
J Regensberg
12-17 Serial number
6 digit serial number
Do you know if there are any differences in the car from those built in Germany? I am probably being paranoid now.
Coolbret - thanks for your info. I do have a VIN and Prod #, so it should help when I call.
I ended up getting a great deal. I paid $1500 over invoice, including floor mats and wheel locks. I also got the alarm installed before delivery for $425, so it is covered by the full manufacturer's warranty. Final price, excluding tax and tags, came out to $38,900. Including Maryland's 5% sales tax and the federal luxury tax, final out-the-door cost was $41,017.
I had my old car, a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire GT (yes, this is a big trade-up for me), appraised at CarMax a few days before. They offered me an insulting $4300. I concluded that I would probably end up selling it through the paper, but brought it to the dealership to see if they offered me something acceptable for a trade-in. I wasn't optimistic.
VOB offered me $1200 more than CarMax, $5500. This number is $1500 less than I would get in the paper, but this way I can cash-in the remaining value on my extended manufacturer's warranty -- probably worth several hundred dollars. Thus, I traded my old car in for approximately $5500 + $300 (warranty refund) = $5800. For the $1200 difference, I was glad to avoid the hassles of selling throught the classified ads.
Driving away from the dealership with my precious new toy, I was in heaven. My wife and I went right out and drove the entire way around the Capital Beltway -- approximately 65 miles. FUN!
First impressions... this car is FAST. Effortlessly fast. It is so smooth, so buttery that sometimes you don't even realize how fast you're going.
Accelerating from a stop, first gear presses you back into your seat with an impressive burst of acceleration. Shifting into 2nd as the Tach approaches 4,500, the burst of new power is just as impressive.
Second gear is so powerful, the engine so willing that I have accidentally let the tach exceed 4,500 in this gear two or three times before realizing it. I have to be careful in this gear, as I could easily take it straight up to 6,000 RPMs if not paying attention. A big no-no during the break-in, but my salesman told me not to be overly anal and take the break-in instructions as general rules, not as ironclad laws with grave repercussions.
Highways cruising is clearly this car's core competence. I have found myself passing other cars on the Beltway, accelerating up to 80 mph, and then looking to shift up upon passing the other car only to realize that I am already in 5th gear. That is, 5th gear has so much punch that it FEELS like I down-shifted for additional power when I didn't!
Driving on winding back roads at 6 AM this morning (after spending 10 minutes installing the wheel locks) I realized for the first time just how capable this car's handling is. Zipping through curves and corners, this car grips like it resents even the slightest body roll or yaw.
The "stiff" new-old steering is heavy without being cumbersome. The feel of the road is viceral, instinctive. I am pleased with this change relative to the testers I took out in April.
The AWD is imperceptible, and I have found the car's feel to be almost indistinguishable from a RWD vehicle. Switching off the DSC, the rear will readily swing out on turns like I would expect from a RWD pony car. The 62/38 torque distribution is a marvel -- BMW's engineers have created a vehicle with the safety and reliability of a AWD family car and the thrills of a RWD sports car. I am incredibly impressed.
The interior appointments and overall impression of this vehicle is that of an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove. It is masculine and capable, but it also presents it self with the refinement and quality details of a top-level luxury sedan.
I could not be more pleased at this point. I am crossing my fingers that there are no nasty surprises waiting for me -- no sticky gas pedals or malfunctioning fans.
Ok, that's it. Thanks for reading this incredibly long post. Cheers!
And a week from tomorrow the body shop will begin to make the repairs due to the rear end collision. Soon, back as good as new, I hope!
Denright: Welcome to heaven.
Remember, no full throttle acceleration or engine speeds over 4,500. I'd recommend 3,500 max for first 500 miles - the car will still go plenty quick enough !!!
One other point for Steptronic drivers. I read, some time ago, some one had posted that they recommend making an effort to use manual shifting as much as possible in the running in period "to use different engine speeds". Please, ladies and gentlemen, it is my strong advice that you AVOID manual shifting for anything other than necessary "show yer buddies" operation and then only briefly. We want to use different engine speeds, sure, but all driving situations will allow perfect running in conditions. The point is, we just don't want you going on a 300+ mile trip where you might be able to set the cruise at 65 and leave it. In the real world, even a long trip such as this would likely encounter a great variety of engine speeds - especially when it's brand new and you have to do that thing where you accelerate with no fuss up to 90 or so mph and then slow to normal speed (or not) - because you can!. So please, when running in, leave it in "D" and drive it "NORMALLY".
Thanks!
Has anybody tried Zaino on a white BMW? I've been thinking about using Zaino on my 325i but I have no clue if using Zaino would make a difference on a white car.
Boelke
Also how do I go about having you check on my car. Its a 325i black/grey/pp/xeon/HS/CD.
I called they said it was status 160, I'm wondering how much longer my wait will be. Do you need my production #.
Thank You
Josh
Speaking of which, my car now has a tad more than 1500 miles on it, and while I haven't redlined it yet, I have been trying out different shifting points.
OMG does the engine sound sweet at 5000-5500 RPMs! It's just amazing!
My gas milage also seems to be improving.
1st tank = 20.2
2nd = 22.5
3rd = 24.9
4th = 26.2***
***still on tank 4
Denright -- congrats on ending the torturous wait.
I will say that the 330i beat the S4 (my other choice) hands down. The steering on the Audi is lame, the back seats are practically non-existent, it felt more sterile, and it was 2000K more expensive.
The Harmon Kardon sound system is far better than the posts on this board led me to expect. The subwoofers really thump, and I think the 10 other speakers do a fine job in the mid and higher ranges. Then again, I am not exactly an audiophile. At the very least, I can tell you that Metallica and the Offspring sound great to me on this system.
As great as the car's acceleration is, the braking feels even better. The short stopping distance is really confidence inspiring.
The leather upholstery is not buttery or particularly pliable, but it makes me suspect that it will wear far better than a softer leather over time. It feels more like my old biker jacket than my wife's Italian leather coat. It is masculine. I like it.
After ordering back in April, I was worried that I would regret not getting the sport package, and even considered specially ordering sport seats without the rest of the sport package. After taking delivery and living with the car for a few days, I don't think I will have even the slightest remorse. The non-sport seats are actually incredibly comfortable, and the bolstering is actually very impressive, more than sufficient to keep me glued in place in tight turns. Cosmetically, I prefer the non-sport fascia, so this was never a concern. I am convinced that I made the right decision for me -- thank god. I would hate to have even the slightest regret about how I had the car configured.
Finally, to touch upon a recent topic of conversation, the headlight liner is titanium, and the window moldings are as well. I think they look sweet.
Do you know how long it takes for the car to be built once it gets to 150 status? I know it takes about two weeks to arrive to the dealership, right? But how long to be built?
Ordered on 05/11
325xi (Tulley, Nashua, NH)
T-Silver
AWD
Step
Fold down rear
CD in dash
HK
Wood trim
Thanks, Mike.
I know everyone talks about Zaino products. Where can I buy this line of products? Will they have them at Trak Auto? What specific Zaino products should I get?
Any and all comments appreciated.