This doesn't have a thing to do with buying a car, but a couple of years ago I was visiting in SF and bought a bunch of stuff at a discount sort of store. I had them ship it to my home in Virginia. Because of that, I paid no sales tax at all.
I certainly didn't mind not paying it, but it seemed an odd law to me. :-)
Hey everyone, I have been OVERJOYED with my 2001 325i after 2400 miles and it is just entirely too much fun to drive. I have not had any problems whatsoever (knock on dash wood), BUT I do have a question about startup after the car's been sitting overnight or for more than 6 hours or so. Yes, I understand that it will rev high after ignition (around 900 RPM) and in less than a minute, it will drop down to idle (around 600 RPM). However, during that period before it drops to idle, I feel some erratic vibrations (not exactly smooth). I didn't think too much of this, because once it reaches idle and thereafter, it is smooth. I assumed it was normal. But after talking to a coworker this morning, he said I should still have it checked. Of course, since I am drawn to feeling everything in the car as the owner and driver, of course I will be entirely sensative. I was just wondering whether anyone can give input on 325s idling a bit (not sure anyone else would feel it unless I pointed it out to them) rough. Thanks in advnace. Otherwise, I hope no one on this board knew anyone who died during Tuesday's horrific tragedy, and if so, my very sincere condolences.
I have experienced a slight roughness for about 30 sec when starting first thing in the morning but assumed it had to do with a rich mixture for winter driving. Within the last two weeks, I have experienced a much longer engine warm-up time and occasional engine drop-out (almost die but recover) just after releasing the key from the start position. The "Service Engine Light" went on when driving home last night (filled gas on Saturday) and I'm going to the dealer over the noon hour to have them interrogate the diagnostic system. I will also request they start the fan recall process since I still have not received my notice. From the combination of symptoms, I suspect the "Service Engine" problem has to do with a faulty thermostat as other people on the board have experienced. I'll post the cause after its repair.
How many miles do you have on your 325, and how much longer warming it up currently? Do you know of the updated fan recall list? I posted one almost two months ago, but I forgot to write the link down...
opportunity to purchase one owner, pampered 2000 328ci gen. specs as follows - silver, grey leather, 5 speed, sport pak, xenons, heated seats, h/k stereo upgrade w/ in dash cd - 24,000 mi - asking $29,900 - thoughts?
ZERO problems with people who choose to drive an automatic... if someone wants to drive an auto, live it up...
however (there's always a "however")...
you can't have it both ways... if you claim "real enthusiast" and then say "i didn't get a manual because i didn't want to shift in traffic", seems a little weak to me... part of being a "real enthusiast", whether it be cars, wine (or whine!), or shoes, is being willing to sacrifice a little bit...
bottom line... you wanna play, you gotta pay...
fwiw, i can't think of one person who has died (or even suffered grievous injury) from having to shift in traffic...
I can answer all but one question at this time. > How many miles do you have on your 325? 6880 miles (built 14th week, delivered May 10th) > how much longer warming it up currently? I normally let the car run about 30 seconds until the idle drops to normal and then start to move. Before the malfunction, the temperature gauge would be over the thermometer symbol (vertical) by the top of the street (~1/8th mile). When it began to malfunction about two weeks ago, it took about 5 miles. > Do you know of the updated fan recall list? Yes, I have the link at home, will find it tonight and post tomorrow morning. I've just returned from my dealer (Tulley, Nashua NH) after asking them this morning to look at the car. Indeed, the cause of the malfunction indicated by "Service Engine Soon" was the thermostat -- they replaced it on the spot. Took about 1 1/2 hours for diagnostic, replacement and a wash. They also ordered a replacement fan (took 3 wks with my daughter's car). A first-class dealer in sales and now service.
I just saw this happen on my 99 323i with in-dash CD. When I first started my engine and driving, I had the radio on and all was working OK. Later turned off the engine and then back on again and now the radio and all other functions are working, but there are NO LED's at all! I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary other than changing radio stations. Did I hit a wrong button or something? Anyone experience this or heard of this one before??? Please help! I just took delivery of my CPO bimmer less than 2 weeks ago. Thanks in advance.
thx James - appreciate your perspective - i had ckd edmunds, kelley bb, etc and does seem like a pretty good price - problem is that car is in buffalo, ny and i'm in nashville, tn so prob won't work, but you never know...
I just saw this happen on my 99 323i with in-dash CD. When I first started my engine and driving, I had the radio on and all was working OK. Later turned off the engine and then back on again and now the radio and all other functions are working, but there are NO LED's at all! I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary other than changing radio stations. Did I hit a wrong button or something? Anyone experience this or heard of this one before??? Please help! I just took delivery of my CPO bimmer less than 2 weeks ago. Thanks in advance.
Friday Night, September 14, at 7:00 p.m., in your time zone, step out of your door, stop your car, or step out of your establishment and light a candle. We will show the world that Americans are strong and united together against terrorism. Please pass this to everyone on your e-mail list. We need to reach everyone across the United States quickly. Fax or call your local TV News station.
Actually, that was the same link I posted a couple months ago. Has there been any newer updates? Hopefuly, not, because my VIN is not in that range....yet! Did yours happen to be in that range, but BMWNA didn't give any notification yet? Sounds like your dealership is a rare class act.
Jason, Your posted link is the last list I have seen anywhere. Yes, my car is on the list but I have not received any notice yet. My daughter (330xi, built Wk 14 also) received notice in late July with the fan replaced in August. I was very pleased that I did not have to convince the dealer (i.e. show him your posted list) that my fan should be replaced w/o the recall notice. After the thermostat was replaced yesterday, I looked again at the distance it took to have the temperature gauge needle reach vertical. This morning it was between 1/4 to 1/2 mile after the idle dropped. I would hate to be the cause of a run on thermostat replacement for cars that don't warm up within the original estimate.
I just picked up my new 325i Monday night. While giving it a good look in the garage, I noticed that under the hood it states to use only BMW synthetic oil. But...on the top of the oil filler cap it states, BMW recommends Castrol oil. When I called the service adviser, she stated that BMW makes its own synthetic (which I doubt), and then she said that when I add oil between changes, Mobil 1 would be what she would recommend! My intention is to use Amsoil products on this vehicle! So...do all of you BMW owners stick with BMW synthetic or use something else? What do you recommend?
I also contacted Amsoil to ask about filters and they said to use the Hastings LF-482 filter on the 325i. Anyone have any experience with this filter? I intend to go with changes between 7500 and 10,000 miles instead of the recommended 15,000.
I have had something very similar to this happen to me once and only once. I don't know exactly what I pressed, but after turning the car off and back on the LED every other function worked except the LED. I turned the car off and started it back on, but it did not come back. The next day everything was back to normal and it has not happened since then. My 2001 325i had about 3000 miles on it, I believe, when it happened. By the way, in reference to recent posts, my "Service Engine Soon" light is on also. It has been on for about a week. I am bringing in my car in about a week so I can get a loaner because I am also having the scheduled maintenance done on the car. I have not noticed any change in the car's behavior or its thermostat so I figure it is safe to wait until my scheduled maintenance.
Thanks, motorcity3...I will be asking the service dept about this when I take the car in next week. I'll let everyone know if there are any answers.
By the way, how does the scheduled maintenance program work? Do you take it in only when the inspection mileage indicator tells you so and/or when the Service Engine Soon light comes on? Barring any unique problems that causes the Service Engine Soon light to come on, is there a maximum number of times that you can take it in for service without being charged?
If I remember correctly, the manual recommends BMW or Mobile1 oil. When I did a 7K mile oil change, I used BMW oil since it cost $3.25 a quart at my dealership which I didn't think was too bad for synthetic. The parts guy, when I bought the oil, told me that it was Castrol with a BMW label.
Scheduled maintenance is when the Service Interval indicator says it's time. There should not be a limit to the number of times you bring your car in for a scheduled maintenance. Also, while you are under warranty and the problem that you have is covered (and the warranty covers a lot of stuff), then the service is free. If anyone thinks that this is different, please let us know. Thanks!
I'm interested in purchasing a 330xi. Steel Metallic Blue, PP, SP, CD-indash, Xenon, Park Distance. I priced this at $37,415 invoice/$41,710 retail. Would 8% over invoice be fair? Also, when do the 2002's come out? Do anyone have any experience driving the 330xi in snow? I've heard they are awesome in snow, but with 17" rims? Wouldn't snow tires be better with smaller rims? Also, how does Harmon-Kardon sound with rock/metal? Haven't heard HK but others say it's not the best in audio. Any help would be appreciated.
snow tires; unfortunately, you cannot put anything smaller on than 17" wheels. The only real advantages I can think of with smaller wheels are higher profile tires(good for those winter potholes) and lower cost. I don't THINK there would be any winter performance difference between 16" and 17" (anyone disagree?).
H-K; I mostly listen to metal (metallica, maiden, disturbed, dio, etc) and consider the H-K system to be adequate. The subs tend to bottom out a little early and there is a shortage of mid-range, but overall the sound isn't bad and it seems to improve the faster you drive (speed sensitive)... just one more reason to drive too fast ;-)
I have read numerous posts with comments about the H.K. sound system. In my opinion (and that of my buddy who owns an upscale audio shop) the BMW set up is some what bass heavy. I recommend trying it with the bass turned down two clicks for best, cleanest performance. Other settings should all be in the middle (flat) position.
On a different note, thanks for the recommendation (twoof?). Although I no longer sell BMWs I'd be more than happy to assist anyone with their purchase with some guidance. This must be done by way of emailing me. Oh, and my middle name is Graeme, not my last name! I had put my full name on the Edmunds profiler when I'd signed up and it only shows your 'first' name.
And just one other note - has anyone seen or heard from Brave1Heart recently? Seems like I've not read a post from him in forever. Hope he's okay.
I changed my oil at 1200,and recently at 7500.I did it at the dealer and I am planning to continue to do it every 7500.The first 2 were on me , the next one on them...
I still have problems with the seal of the driver's door.(3 times to the dealer). Manager advised that BMW is aware and looking for a solution. Anybody else?
Not sure if anyone has seen this link yet, but I thought I'd post it just in case...
BTW, up here in Canada, the 330 prices were raised C$600 (whereas for you in the States, they remained unchanged). And not only that, but I was told by two different dealers that "BMW Canada has decided to take a new approach to pricing ie. to limit the discounting on all 2002 models to only C$1000 off the MSRP." Maybe due to supply/demand factors.
Please - do NOT try to second guess the engineers on when to change the oil. Apart from needlessly wasting money, there are reasons to do it when BMW (remember - the people who made it) tell you to. When the car is made, they use a different formula than that which is subsequently used. Over a year ago, we received a notice from BMW (who are aware that people like to change their oil like their Grandpappy did in his '54 Buick) asking very specifically that if new owners insist on unscheduled oil changes that they wait AT LEAST 3-5000 miles before the first one.
I strongly recommend that you all read your service and maintenance books for the official word on this, not uncommon, practice. Remember, they are covering the cars powertrain for at least 4 years / 50k miles (longer in some states) and they do want your engine to stay in absolute perfect shape. Do not consider that any of you know better than the engine specialists in Germany. Read the paragraph titled "Unscheduled Maintenance".
Castrol has signed an exclusive supply contract with BMW; thus, the oil in the car and what is used at the dealerships is Castrol Syntec, which is what I have been using in all of our cars for the past 7 years. Most discounters and warehouse clubs have it - I prefer the 5w50 since it has a viscosity range that covers the extreme temps we often see in the Calif Central Valley [30F in the winter, 100+F in the summer].
Mobil does a lot more marketing and thus has higher visibility, but I have been extremely happy with Castrol Syntec - no accident BMW went with this choice.
... by the terrorist attacks this week. I walked in the office at 9 AM Tuesday coming back from a two-week vacation... I have been glued to the TV this week and hoping the investigation will keep making progress. The Westin hotel where one of the terrorists' associates was arrested Wednesday is less than two hundred yards from where we live in Boston. I was in Albany, NY for work this week and I was worried for my wife who's home alone and 5 months pregnant. We are both OK but everyone seems to know someone who died this week... It makes you put everything into perspective.
Traffic from Albany to Boston yesterday was very different. Everyone was going much faster and all drivers were a lot more alert than usual. It felt like there was a sense of camaraderie between drivers and I was thinking "Can you imagine if everyone drove as well as that on our great roads all the time?" Getting around would be a lot faster and safer. Anyhow, have to go take care of my wife. So happy to be home and know that my family is OK.
I am planning to buy a 2002 325i (PP, CWP, no SP therefore all season tires) but am a little concerned about handling in snow/ice. I live in Colorado and I am also considering a 325xi (PP, CWP, AWD [to get sport seats]). I currently drive a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo (good car but long on tooth) and have never had problems in winter. I have used Blizzac snow tires on the Saab but want to avoid the hassle and expense of two sets of wheels and tires for the bimmer. Is the 325xi worth the extra cost?
Buy snow tires for either one. AWD will only help you go forward, a little during cornering and actually increase stopping distance because of the extra weight and higher Cg.
Snow tires will help in all aspects of handling your car in the white stuff and a set of tires/rims will cost less than the AWD.
I would get AWD if you plan on going over mountain passes, though.
Anyone here considering not taking their Euro delivery? I am scheduled to pick up my car Nov 6th and am now thinking that may not be a good idea. Any comments?
I think that given the extra security that is/will be in place throughout the free world, I wouldn't be too overly concerned about my safety if I was bound for Germany right now. On the other hand, if I was bound for the Middle East, well, I might seriously think about canceling or postponing my trip.
By the way, Germany is beautiful in November.
Best Regards, Shipo
P.S. All my family and friends made it out of NYC on Tuesday; however, a few of them were rather dusty. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones.
All other variables being equal - - particularly the outside circumference of the tire - - a 16" snow will be slightly better than a 17" snow.
The reason is the 16" has a higher ground pressure (psi) because its footprint is smaller.
The difference isn't something huge - - driver skill (and wisdom) are still far more important. But if you're looking for every advantage, for winter snow driving, the rule of thumb is "the skinnier the better". Just make sure that the smaller rim size clears the brakes :-)
Also, 16's will cost less than 17's, which is a minor bonus.
Thanks for your feedback on my question, but I'm not sure that a second set of wheels/tires will be cheaper. My salesperson quoted me "about $2500" for a second set of alloy wheels and snow tires, while the the difference in MSRP between the 325xi and 325i is $1750. When I asked about using steel instead of alloy wheels in the winter, the salesperson said that BMW did make steel wheels but infered that I would compromise the "ultimate driving experience" by using steel wheels. Is the salesperson feeding me a load of #$@!*? I have not researched the cost of alloy versus steel wheels, but I'm leaning towards the 325i because from what I have heard the 325i handles well until snow is deeper than 10 inches. I do not live in the mountains, and contrary to what most people think, it is rare in Colorado (Front Range) to face deep snow,. I also am concerned about the compromised acceleration and braking with AWD that you pointed out (will the driving experience be "ultimate"?). Also, there is one more thing to go wrong if I get AWD. Thanks again for your feedback.
Anybody that tells you that you can drive an E46 in 10 inches of snow is either severely under-informed or far too inebriated to be offering technical opinions, much less driving.
I have a 1999 328i without the SP (which means that I have an additional 0.5" of ground clearance) and a quick measurement shows that portions of the floor pan and undercarriage start dragging when the snow gets 6" deep. At 10" any 3-Series would simply become a snowplow and regardless of the number of driven wheels and size/quality of tires, sooner or later the car would pack enough snow under it to completely eliminate all traction. I have driven in 4 to 5 inches and trust me, that is about as far as you are going to want to go.
As far as using steel wheels in the winter, go for it. I do not know whom the salesperson is trying to snow (pun intended), but with four snows (not known for their stellar handling) mounted on your car, the quality of the rims will be a fairly irrelevant factor. After all, we are talking about wintertime driving here, not autocrossing or other types of timed racing.
On the topic of a reduced driving experience with the addition of all wheel drive; in the immortal words of Colonel Sherman T. Potter, "Horse Hockey!" An E46 equipped with the all wheel drive option will not get quite the acceleration as with the standard layout (according to BMW’s numbers both the 325xi and 330xi are one half of a second slower to 60mph when compared to the 325i and 330i respectively), however the extra 250 pounds or so is just not enough additional weight to negatively affect braking and handling under normal driving conditions.
bavauto.com has a 3-series 16" winter tires package (rims and tires) for < $800. I have a 325i SP and I am not planning on putting in snow tires - they handle much better in snow but much worse on dry and wet roads. I live in Boston but do mostly highway driving and the highways are so well-maintained here that I only get to drive on snow/ice 10-15 days tops every winter. To me, the additional cost, hassle, and especially worse dry/wet road performance does not justify winter tires. If we do get a lot of snow and I absolutely need to go some place, I'd borrow my wife's A4 Quattro.
A note on the XI's handling: the reason why the XI has been losing comparos against the A4 Quattro (and recently against the WRX) in C&D is because the 3-series XI package is too soft - the car has higher ground clearance, softer suspension settings, and non-performance tires (even when equipped with the sport package).
Switching off the ESP - someone recommended about a month ago that you need to hold the ESP button down for 3-4 seconds to switch off the ASC-T in addition to the ESP. I noticed that I when I press the ESP button, the ESP light comes on and then holding it for another 3-4 seconds makes the "brakes" sign on the lower right side of the dash come on. Using this tip, I have finally been able to slide my 325i in corners without the electronic braking system kicking in - it is a lot of fun!!
I also live in Colorado. I have a 2000 323i with SP. Tire Rack sells a winter tire package for my car for $456 (15" steel wheels and hub caps). You can also get 16" alloy's with Dunlop Winter Sport M2 tires (a higher performance snow tire) for $1,020. And if you have to go to 17" alloy's, $1,388. These come mounted and balanced. I have a friend that does just fine here with all season tires on his 5 Series. So far, I've kept my 4X4 truck for the bad days, but will go with a set of winter performance tires on alloy's when I sell the truck. The problem with Colorado winter's (other than the heavy snows) is that you need to have the snow tires on for six full months. Therefore, the extra $150 for winter performance tires is worth it to me. Also don't forget that the summer tires will last twice as long. Remember that AWD does not help with braking and will do little to help in turning on snow. Hope this helps.
<<Anyone here considering not taking their Euro delivery?>>
We're set to take delivery on Oct 23 and are wondering the same thing. Called bmwna and they said they would let sept/oct ED's either postpone their delivery dates or just ship the car here if we want. We're really torn - our 25th anniversary present to ourselves, both the car and the trip. Either way, we have to let them know within a week or so.
Hello everyone. I've read with great interest the entries on snow tires and performance. I'm a first-time buyer and have a 325xi on order. However, there's a 330ci for sale in my city at a great price. If I purchase the xi do you think I'll be giving up anything performance-wise? I'm not sure how the 330, which includes a set of snow tires, would perform in the upper Midwest. Any thoughts from veteran owners who live in this part of the U.S.? Also, any commentary on buying pre-owned from a private seller (the 330ci has 15k miles)would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Somebody keyed scratches on the hood of my new 325xi. I was shocked to see this. After rubbing it with cotton towels, it is still visible. Can anyone please advice me my options. It is steal blue. The scratches are about 2 inches in length.
This is a tough decision. The 330 with snows should be okay unless you live somewhere with a lot of snow all winter. The decision really depends on your needs. One car is a sedan, the other a coupe. The difference in acceleration will be fairly significant - how important is that to you? If you decide to pursue the private sale, find out where the car was taken for maintenance and warranty work. If you suspect any kind of problems, get it checked out. You will still have a significant portion of the warranty available to you. Taking the dealer out of the process could save you quite a bit of money. In any case, you'll love the the car.
Kominsky- thanks for the info on the tires/HK. I heard from some tire dealers wide tires are bad in snow (not sure why, I would think there would be more traction). But then again, these are tire dealers. Good info on HK!!! Mschukar- I read an issue of Bimmer magazine with regards to the 330xi. They claim the AWD is better all year-round in regards to handling vs the 330i. I live in area where lots of wind driven snow is common. Plenty of hills to climb, too. I'm not sure if RWD will cut it or not, that's why I'm opting for the AWD. Huntzinger- Good info on tire sizes. Wouldn't changing the tire pressure on the 17's make the difference or just make the tires wear faster? One more thing. I was considering a 325xi but I've heard the AWD takes away too much power from the smaller engine. Any thoughts?
If you get the 325xi with all-seasons, you'll be fine without snow tires in the winter (if it comes with summer tires, you'll need at least all seasons, if not snows). If you get the 325i, I'd get snows.
I have an A4 and I live in Denver. I have all-seasons on and it does fine in the snow.
I just picked up my black 330I sedan with sp. It's everything I had hoped for so far. I see some posts here which talk about summer and winter tires. Are the high performance tires summer only. I spoke to someone who seemed quite knowledgeable about tires who told me that based on the specs of the tires, both the standard tires on the 330 and the ones on the sport package are really all weather radials in spite of the fact that the sp tires are lower profile etc. They also told me that living in NY I would be fine in all but very severe weather where I probably would not want to drive anyway. Also, had the slight misfortune of getting some gum on my floor mats. Any remedies? I also read in the owners manual that various features can be programed into the key ie: signals to indicate that the doors have locked and DRL's. Can I do this myself? And finally, I see that their is a feature to tell if the tires are inflated properly. Is that offered as an option in the US?
We just got back from Germany yesterday. The security in the airports were really tighten up. They did check the bags pretty thoroughly. We felt pretty safe then. We had a really nice trip. I'd say go for it. Go to the BMW factory tour on Monday or Friday. It was really interesting for us to see how the cars were made.
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I certainly didn't mind not paying it, but it seemed an odd law to me. :-)
Pat
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Sedans Message Board
Within the last two weeks, I have experienced a much longer engine warm-up time and occasional engine drop-out (almost die but recover) just after releasing the key from the start position. The "Service Engine Light" went on when driving home last night (filled gas on Saturday) and I'm going to the dealer over the noon hour to have them interrogate the diagnostic system. I will also request they start the fan recall process since I still have not received my notice.
From the combination of symptoms, I suspect the "Service Engine" problem has to do with a faulty thermostat as other people on the board have experienced. I'll post the cause after its repair.
gen. specs as follows - silver, grey leather, 5 speed, sport pak, xenons, heated seats, h/k stereo upgrade w/ in dash cd - 24,000 mi - asking $29,900 - thoughts?
If it is the car you like with the stuff you want on it, and the records and mechanicals check out, I say go for it.
I would have a BMW mechanic look it over and I would review all service records, but it looks good from here.
however (there's always a "however")...
you can't have it both ways... if you claim "real enthusiast" and then say "i didn't get a manual because i didn't want to shift in traffic", seems a little weak to me... part of being a "real enthusiast", whether it be cars, wine (or whine!), or shoes, is being willing to sacrifice a little bit...
bottom line... you wanna play, you gotta pay...
fwiw, i can't think of one person who has died (or even suffered grievous injury) from having to shift in traffic...
-Chris
> How many miles do you have on your 325?
6880 miles (built 14th week, delivered May 10th)
> how much longer warming it up currently?
I normally let the car run about 30 seconds until the idle drops to normal and then start to move. Before the malfunction, the temperature gauge would be over the thermometer symbol (vertical) by the top of the street (~1/8th mile). When it began to malfunction about two weeks ago, it took about 5 miles.
> Do you know of the updated fan recall list?
Yes, I have the link at home, will find it tonight and post tomorrow morning.
I've just returned from my dealer (Tulley, Nashua NH) after asking them this morning to look at the car. Indeed, the cause of the malfunction indicated by "Service Engine Soon" was the thermostat -- they replaced it on the spot. Took about 1 1/2 hours for diagnostic, replacement and a wash. They also ordered a replacement fan (took 3 wks with my daughter's car). A first-class dealer in sales and now service.
Found the link faster than I expected: http://www.bimmer.org/3series/messages/archive/msgsy2001w31/2734.html
Other piece of info about the fan recall is that it applies only to cars with manual transmissions.
fowler3
Your posted link is the last list I have seen anywhere. Yes, my car is on the list but I have not received any notice yet. My daughter (330xi, built Wk 14 also) received notice in late July with the fan replaced in August. I was very pleased that I did not have to convince the dealer (i.e. show him your posted list) that my fan should be replaced w/o the recall notice.
After the thermostat was replaced yesterday, I looked again at the distance it took to have the temperature gauge needle reach vertical. This morning it was between 1/4 to 1/2 mile after the idle dropped. I would hate to be the cause of a run on thermostat replacement for cars that don't warm up within the original estimate.
I also contacted Amsoil to ask about filters and they said to use the Hastings LF-482 filter on the 325i. Anyone have any experience with this filter? I intend to go with changes between 7500 and 10,000 miles instead of the recommended 15,000.
By the way, in reference to recent posts, my "Service Engine Soon" light is on also. It has been on for about a week. I am bringing in my car in about a week so I can get a loaner because I am also having the scheduled maintenance done on the car. I have not noticed any change in the car's behavior or its thermostat so I figure it is safe to wait until my scheduled maintenance.
By the way, how does the scheduled maintenance program work? Do you take it in only when the inspection mileage indicator tells you so and/or when the Service Engine Soon light comes on? Barring any unique problems that causes the Service Engine Soon light to come on, is there a maximum number of times that you can take it in for service without being charged?
H-K; I mostly listen to metal (metallica, maiden, disturbed, dio, etc) and consider the H-K system to be adequate. The subs tend to bottom out a little early and there is a shortage of mid-range, but overall the sound isn't bad and it seems to improve the faster you drive (speed sensitive)... just one more reason to drive too fast ;-)
On a different note, thanks for the recommendation (twoof?). Although I no longer sell BMWs I'd be more than happy to assist anyone with their purchase with some guidance. This must be done by way of emailing me. Oh, and my middle name is Graeme, not my last name! I had put my full name on the Edmunds profiler when I'd signed up and it only shows your 'first' name.
And just one other note - has anyone seen or heard from Brave1Heart recently? Seems like I've not read a post from him in forever. Hope he's okay.
I changed my oil at 1200,and recently at 7500.I did it at the dealer and I am planning to continue to do it every 7500.The first 2 were on me , the next one on them...
I still have problems with the seal of the driver's door.(3 times to the dealer). Manager advised that BMW is aware and looking for a solution. Anybody else?
Yes I also had the thermostat problem...
Nevertheless, I love the car..
http://www.bmw.com/e46_3/e/downloads.html
Not sure if anyone has seen this link yet, but I thought I'd post it just in case...
BTW, up here in Canada, the 330 prices were raised C$600 (whereas for you in the States, they remained unchanged). And not only that, but I was told by two different dealers that "BMW Canada has decided to take a new approach to pricing ie. to limit the discounting on all 2002 models to only C$1000 off the MSRP." Maybe due to supply/demand factors.
I strongly recommend that you all read your service and maintenance books for the official word on this, not uncommon, practice. Remember, they are covering the cars powertrain for at least 4 years / 50k miles (longer in some states) and they do want your engine to stay in absolute perfect shape. Do not consider that any of you know better than the engine specialists in Germany. Read the paragraph titled "Unscheduled Maintenance".
Thank you.
Mobil does a lot more marketing and thus has higher visibility, but I have been extremely happy with Castrol Syntec - no accident BMW went with this choice.
Guru,
Sorry about the name screw up. I just took it from your profile. I must have missed it, but did you change jobs?
Traffic from Albany to Boston yesterday was very different. Everyone was going much faster and all drivers were a lot more alert than usual. It felt like there was a sense of camaraderie between drivers and I was thinking "Can you imagine if everyone drove as well as that on our great roads all the time?" Getting around would be a lot faster and safer. Anyhow, have to go take care of my wife. So happy to be home and know that my family is OK.
Some of you may be interested in this article: BMW Group Pledges Aid for Relief Efforts.
Pat
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Sedans Message Board
Snow tires will help in all aspects of handling your car in the white stuff and a set of tires/rims will cost less than the AWD.
I would get AWD if you plan on going over mountain passes, though.
-Murray
Does anyone know if this will be available in the US? From the text in the article, SMG would be less expensive than Steptronic!
Bring it on!
-Murray
By the way, Germany is beautiful in November.
Best Regards,
Shipo
P.S.
All my family and friends made it out of NYC on Tuesday; however, a few of them were rather dusty. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones.
The reason is the 16" has a higher ground pressure (psi) because its footprint is smaller.
The difference isn't something huge - - driver skill (and wisdom) are still far more important. But if you're looking for every advantage, for winter snow driving, the rule of thumb is "the skinnier the better". Just make sure that the smaller rim size clears the brakes :-)
Also, 16's will cost less than 17's, which is a minor bonus.
-hh
SLW
I have a 1999 328i without the SP (which means that I have an additional 0.5" of ground clearance) and a quick measurement shows that portions of the floor pan and undercarriage start dragging when the snow gets 6" deep. At 10" any 3-Series would simply become a snowplow and regardless of the number of driven wheels and size/quality of tires, sooner or later the car would pack enough snow under it to completely eliminate all traction. I have driven in 4 to 5 inches and trust me, that is about as far as you are going to want to go.
As far as using steel wheels in the winter, go for it. I do not know whom the salesperson is trying to snow (pun intended), but with four snows (not known for their stellar handling) mounted on your car, the quality of the rims will be a fairly irrelevant factor. After all, we are talking about wintertime driving here, not autocrossing or other types of timed racing.
On the topic of a reduced driving experience with the addition of all wheel drive; in the immortal words of Colonel Sherman T. Potter, "Horse Hockey!" An E46 equipped with the all wheel drive option will not get quite the acceleration as with the standard layout (according to BMW’s numbers both the 325xi and 330xi are one half of a second slower to 60mph when compared to the 325i and 330i respectively), however the extra 250 pounds or so is just not enough additional weight to negatively affect braking and handling under normal driving conditions.
I hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Shipo
A note on the XI's handling: the reason why the XI has been losing comparos against the A4 Quattro (and recently against the WRX) in C&D is because the 3-series XI package is too soft - the car has higher ground clearance, softer suspension settings, and non-performance tires (even when equipped with the sport package).
Switching off the ESP - someone recommended about a month ago that you need to hold the ESP button down for 3-4 seconds to switch off the ASC-T in addition to the ESP. I noticed that I when I press the ESP button, the ESP light comes on and then holding it for another 3-4 seconds makes the "brakes" sign on the lower right side of the dash come on. Using this tip, I have finally been able to slide my 325i in corners without the electronic braking system kicking in - it is a lot of fun!!
We're set to take delivery on Oct 23 and are wondering the same thing. Called bmwna and they said they would let sept/oct ED's either postpone their delivery dates or just ship the car here if we want. We're really torn - our 25th anniversary present to ourselves, both the car and the trip. Either way, we have to let them know within a week or so.
Thanks in advance!
Mschukar- I read an issue of Bimmer magazine with regards to the 330xi. They claim the AWD is better all year-round in regards to handling vs the 330i. I live in area where lots of wind driven snow is common. Plenty of hills to climb, too. I'm not sure if RWD will cut it or not, that's why I'm opting for the AWD.
Huntzinger- Good info on tire sizes. Wouldn't changing the tire pressure on the 17's make the difference or just make the tires wear faster?
One more thing. I was considering a 325xi but I've heard the AWD takes away too much power from the smaller engine. Any thoughts?
I have an A4 and I live in Denver. I have all-seasons on and it does fine in the snow.
Also, had the slight misfortune of getting some gum on my floor mats. Any remedies?
I also read in the owners manual that various features can be programed into the key ie: signals to indicate that the doors have locked and DRL's. Can I do this myself?
And finally, I see that their is a feature to tell if the tires are inflated properly. Is that offered as an option in the US?
Thanks for any data on the above.
Go to the BMW factory tour on Monday or Friday. It was really interesting for us to see how the cars were made.