BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

huntzinger

IMO, if the angle really was that large, you should be able to get it thrown out, based on cosine angle. I think the US Motorist's Association has this one in their literature.

But I'd suspect that they're betting that you're not going to contest it, being an "out-of-stater".

-hh

kominsky

When I took my car in for HK warranty work, the mechanic noticed the notchy pedal and they replaced it (thankfully, since I forgot to mention it to them). They told me that there was a service bulletin about it and they replaced it with an "improved" unit. I'll check my invoice when I get home and see if I can find a bulletin number or something.

jhox85

Well folks, I have been reading and asking questions in the past but this past weekend I went to my 3rd dealer to see if I get a better deal. The other 2 dealers gave a deal of $500 below MSRP for 2002 330XI, which I did not take. The 3rd dealer basically said the same thing. We were getting ready to leave when he went back to his manager and came back with another offer that floored me. He offered $1300 (everything included) over his cost for a 2002 530. We were floored and pulled the trigger. The cost is even less than the 330XI. With all the extra equipments (alarm, garage door opener, metallic paint, etc) I thinke we got a bargain. Now I have been checking the 5's board, but it is not as active as this board. I have learned so much from everybody on this board, specially Guru. So, I will not quite go away.

Keep contributing.

tenet1

You got a 530 with more equipment than a 330xi for less money doesn't make sense. Are you sure you aren't getting a demo or screwing up the math?

brave1heart

Sorry to hear about the ticket. Wrong year will not be sufficient to throw this out. Wrong color and/or model probably would. Not sure if a FL ticket would show up on a GA license - this varies by state. I had a ticket make its way from NH to MA once and I think states have been getting better at exchanging information.

However, if you can prove in court that "... he got me at a 90% angle (him on side of road) across 3 lanes in a pack of 3 cars and 2 motorcycles", that should be sufficient to get you out. According to the inventor of V-1 Mr. Valentine himself, it is impossible to clock anyone's speed from the side - it is only possible to measure it accurately directly from behind or in front. Another general rule is that the officer must maintain contact with your vehicle at all times. It would have been next to impossible for him to maintain contact with your vehicle across 3 lanes in a pack of 3 cars and 2 motorcycles. It seems that you were singled out because of out-of state plates. If you have the opportunity, you should fight this ticket - it seems that you have a very good chance of getting out based on what you're describing.

kominsky

It sounds pretty wild, but depending on how its optioned, I think it's definetly possible...

530i (Invoice) 35,665 + 1,300 = 36,965

330xi (MSRP) 36,385 - 500 = 35,885

If you start tacking on options, paying MSRP on the 330 and invoice on the 530, it wouldn't be too tough to make up that ~$1,100 difference.

petrarch

Allison BMW in Mountain View was a pleasant experience, at least for the test drives. Any other recommendations, fpereira?

RedNBlack -- Steel Grey looks like a dull black to me, and sometimes at night like the Steel Blue. I'm leaning toward Silver myself.

Brave1Heart -- Thnx for the FAQ 325 vs. 330 link recently. You make good points, but the 330's engine still beckons...

kominsky

I too am sorry to hear about the ticket, but...

My first question would be, were you going 86mph in a 70mph zone? If you were, I personally think, pay the fine and move on. The only way I might try to get out of it would be if my license was at risk. I am by no means saying that speeding is inherently wrong or that it's 'fair' that you were picked out of the crowd, but you probably knew that if you were caught driving that speed it would cost you. I engage in the 'sport' of high-speed highway cruising on a near daily basis. With the help of a radar detector, a little common sense, and a big dose of luck, I've never been pulled over. I imagine if/when I am, I'll pay the fine without a fight.

That being said, if you weren't going that fast, fight with whatever ammo you can find.

(climbing off the soapbox now)

brave1heart

This would vary by state but here in Mass, I've calculated that every speeding ticket you get increases your insurance premium by about $200-300 a year for at least 3 years. An innocent ticket 10 miles over the speed limit can quickly turn into a $1,000 avalanche because of insurance premium surcharges. In addition, 3 speeding tickets in a calendar year and your license might get suspended and you'd have to take driver ed. Not to mention that every new speeding ticket you get increases your chances of getting pulled over AND getting another ticket (most officers do take your history into consideration). So my strategy is to do the best I can to avoid tickets but if I do get one, I fight it hard. If the fine were the only expense, I'd gladly pay it and move on. You've done a good job at staying clean but believe me, the first ticket you get will slow you down for a long while. Second ticket in the same year and you'll be crawling on the roads and know all blueheads my their first name )

kominsky

Since I've never gotten one, it's possible that my tune will change when I do, I don't know. Around here, the Staties give you a pretty wide berth (about 10mph) before they'll nab you unless you're tailgating or doing something reckless.

By the way, what do you think the fine would be for doing 70mph over the posted limit on a bright red motorcycle?? ;-)

kominsky

I just reread your message and saw the "blueheads" comment. As someone who's 38 and about 80% gray, I may have to take offense at that remark... got my first gray in junior high, looked like a skunk by my mid-twenties and it's been all downhill since then... LMAO!

brave1heart

<<< 70mph over the posted limit on a bright red motorcycle?? >>>

I am guessing about $650. I thought you get suspended for 25-30+ mph over the speed limit in most states, so you'd be extremely lucky to keep your license with that kind of ticket.

Last time we checked your age you were 35 or so. Funny thing is, that was 6 months ago. You may be living in a warped time zone or something ) Second, it's OK if you look like a skunk - just as long as you don't smell like one. I am sure your wife has to put up with a lot worse than your appearance anyhow ) I know mine does.

dl7265

Now thats some good eye sight, lol bottom line is just take responsibility for your own actions, its not like its a suprise when you knowingly and intentionally violate a posted law.

Oh, one more thing PLEASE buy all the RED cars you want , that is the most rediculous old wives tales ive ever heard . although i agree Bright Red in the 3 sedan isnt the most attractive.

on a side note, after 26k miles on the clock i finally replaced the worn Bridgestones with Yoko AVS DB, on a 500 mile trip for the holidays they lived up to their claims, allthough at 7/10th cornering they sqwak a bit more than the summer tires, but then again we are getting freezing rain in Dallas now ! yikes,

Drive safely,
DL

twoof1

I am very interested in hearing about your experience with the Yokohama AVS DB's. I am asking because I am thinking about replacing my Pirelli P6000 Sport Veloce's on my Volvo T5 Wagon with the Yoko's. The pirelli's only have 15,000 miles on them and they are super loud. It's driving me crazy!
Are the Yoko's noticeably quieter?
How do they feel when driving?
Do they corner as well as the Bridgestones?
Where did you buy them?
How much were they?
Best price I have found was Tire Rack @ $153.00 ea. including shipping. That is for a 235/45/17
My local Discount Tire center is asking $193.00 ea.
Sorry to go off-topic, but this one hits close to home.

tenet1

Almost always go to court as you have nothing to lose.

I was pulled over for 86 in a 55 and was looking at a $400 fine and 5 points. Since it was my first offense, I went to court admitted my mistake and apologized, but asked for lineancy. The judge was in a very forgiving mood and let me off with a warning. Give it a shot.

ccotenj

you get caught...
you pay...

as for "fighting it"... look yourself in the mirror... say to yourself, "self, was i speeding and breaking the law?".... self says "yes, i was"... does self then say "i do the right thing and pay the ticket and live with the more expensive insurance" or does self say "i'm more important than everyone else, laws don't apply to me"...

i guess if you answered the second way, you were happy when oj walked, because, hey, he fought it and got off, right?

-Chris

ccotenj

with tenet's position, however... you go, you admit you were wrong, and you live with the consequences... nothing wrong with that...

what i have a problem with is the "how can they prove i was doing it, he picked me out from everyone else, yada yada yada"... as if you are saying, well, yea, prove i was doing it... that, i have a problem with... it's called "personal responsibility" folks... i know it's lacking in today's world, but i doesn't hurt to practice it a little bit...

-Chris

shipo

In 1985, I was driving down Sheridan Road in one of Chicago&#146;s northern suburbs with my girlfriend of the time. It seems that I accelerated a little too enthusiastically away from a light and less than a quarter of a mile later, I got pulled over by an officer who was sitting in a driveway shooting radar through a hedge.

This officer was more than a little belligerent practically screaming at me that I had been going 17 over in a 35 MPH zone, &#147;52 MPH, you ought to know better than that&#148;. All the while, my girlfriend had a very smug look on her face sorta &#147;I told you so!&#148; Needless to say, I felt that the best policy was to keep my trap shut and let the storm pass.

On hearing day, sitting in the courtroom, I watched the Judge make his entrance as was immediately struck by just how singularly un-attractive this man was. His face was fairly distorted and he had a large purple birthmark that covered at least a third of his face. What made my heart sink even further was the positively nasty scowl on said face, which screwed up his features in such a way to make him appear REAL nasty.

Before Mr. Judge started hearing cases, he started with a fairly funny (dark but funny) monologue about how &#147;We may believe that we were innocent regarding the tickets in our hands, however, we all know that over time, we have broken the law upon occasion, and today, we are going to face the music. I don&#146;t want to hear about good driving records, 100 years without any tickets or any other sob stories of that ilk, I simply want you to accept your fate.&#148;

True to his word, he sentenced every person who came up in front of him, including &#147;Little Old Ladies&#148; who had been driving for decades with no tickets and had &#147;Illinois good driving certificates&#148; (I did not know there was such a thing ;-)). During the proceedings, I noticed that my ticket DID NOT read &#147;52 in a 35 zone&#148;, but instead read &#147;17 in a 35 zone&#148;! Now what do I do?

When my time came to talk to Mr. Judge, he said, &#147;Mr. Shipo, how do you plead?&#148;

I responded with &#147;Your Honor, I am really not sure.&#148;

Mr. Judge got a fairly aggressive look on his face as he picked up my ticket so that he could confront me with the facts. He had just started lecturing me on accepting my responsibility (the same lecture he gave everybody else who did not immediately plead &#148;Guilty&#148;) when he saw what I was charged with. Mr. Judge then slumped back in his chair and put a very funny grin on his face and said to me, &#147;Mr. Shipo, I agree with you, I would not know how to plead either.&#148;

The prosecuting attorney was about to say something when Mr. Judge spoke and after hearing what His Honor had to say, Mr. PA stopped talking and looked at the ticket as well. He then asked His Honor for a moment to consult with the complaining officer. When Mr. PA got to Mr. Officer, said Mr. Officer looked at the ticket and did a double take that would have made Curly Howard proud. Mr. PA, then re-approached the bench and told His Honor that he wished to dismiss the case.

Mr. Judge then said to me, &#147;Mr. Shipo, you are a very lucky man, I had no intention of letting anybody go today.&#148;

When I talked to my girlfriend later that day, I avoided the subject of the ticket, simply because she had been teasing me about it for several weeks. When she finally brought up the subject (assuming that I got a fine and all of that) I told her that the case was dismissed. She did not talk to me for two days. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dave330i

Just got back from my vacation and noticed couple of things. Don't drive a Honda Accord like a 3-series unless you're really into tire squealing, hydro planing at 50 mph is an interesting experience, people seem to think driving slowly = safe driving, amazing number of people early apex a corner, have no idea how people deal with all the LLC on the Capitol Beltway, or the Capitol Beltway in general.

1pierce

I'd say that you have to weigh the inconvenience of fighting the ticket. I just got one for about $100 and 3 points (77 in a 65). I payed it because it was out of town, and I wasn't going to use a day of vacation and spend the other costs to travel and fight it. In the end, I'd have spent half as much money, and probably not beaten the ticket. It was the State police - and they are hard to beat in PA.

Several years ago, I fought a local ticket in Pgh city court. It was $159.00 and 5 points, for 62 in a 35 zone (ridiculously low limit for the road). I basically threw myself on the mercy of the court, and argued that I had never had a ticket and that there were a bunch of mitigating circumstances (I don't think you can win on technicalities like arguing that it wasn't your car clocked, or the speed measured was wrong - that's a loser every time). While I was there, I heard the judge shut people down for that after three words. I came across as very upstanding and sincere (by contrast, you should see the collection of losers that are obvious regulars at traffic court). The judge seemed genuinely sympathetic, and reduced it to $50 and 2 points. I considered that a big win, and well worth the effort.

If it isn't too inconvenient - I'd fight it. After all, if you wear a suit, are very respectful, and seem remorseful and repentant, the judge will almost always reduce the fine and points - even if you don't get it kicked.

ccotenj

that's reasonable too, because you really aren't "fighting it". you are admitting what you did and asking for lenience. i don't have a problem with that either. again, it's the ones who want to "weasel" that bother me...

-Chris

williamshim

I don't know if I'm lucky or not but all my tickets (2 so far..) have been non-points tickets... In both cases, police mentioned that since I don't have any previous records, he won't report it....I just had to pay the fine.... One case was doing 79 on 55 and other 39 on 25...... Both cases, I was moving along with pack...basically all were speeding and I got picked out...:(

dave330i

just one parking ticket, which I would have fought if I wasn't leaving the next day (signs were removed due to construction).

A lot of it is luck, knowing where the speed traps are, and speeding in residential area isn't a good thing in the first place.

jhox85

The car is being assembled in Germany. I don't have any VIN or Prod # yet, but he told me that the car should be here within 2 months. He is asking for a fight if the car is a demo. If it has anymore than 10-20 miles on the car I won't take it. In other words, it is a new car.

dave330i

I got mine from East Bay in March for MSRP. There's a big dealer in Fremont (can't remember the name though).

Things are still pretty expensive in NoCal. You might get ~1k or so off MSRP.

huntzinger

What is your position on where the party is at least somewhat guilty (1mph or more over the limit), but the Officer is guilty of improperly using his equipment and then misrepresenting the situation (ie, perjury).

Specifically, the GA ticket was one where the reported geometry of the participants would have resulted in a significant cosine error even if you eliminated the extra lanes of blocking vehicles.

FWIW, I don't know if you've driven in Georgia, but there are some small towns that have extremely gross examples of "revenue generators". It is the only place that I've ever seen a Government-posted sign that says "WARNING - SPEED TRAP AHEAD" (ironically, this sign was placed in the neighboring town, so as to deny this hamlet the illicit revenue, along with a string of speed limit signs to get everyone slowed down before they crossed the border).

-hh

ccotenj

my position is that FAR more people are guilty of speeding that officers are guilty of perjury... i'd be willing to bet my 3er that 99.99% of all speeding tickets are deserved (i.e. the person was speeding, not that the equipment was faulty)...

the original poster ADMITTED they were speeding, and was trying to invent a way to get out of it... that's what set me off... again, personal responsibility...

also, the example at hand isn't a small town sheriff set up... do i agree with those? well, i don't like 'em, but georgia IS part of the usa, and in the usa, towns are allowed to set their local traffic laws... fwiw, we've got those in our small towns in jersey as well... you know what? you slow down to the posted limit...

-Chris

fwiw, you can't be "somewhat" guilty... you either are or aren't...

fpereira

Oh yeah, plenty more. I would really recommend MY BMW first. They have a good service department, and charge reasonable prices. The sales manager I met seemed very good. MY BMW is in Seaside, which is quite a drive unless you live near south San Jose. For me it is 1h 45min one way.

I personally wouldn't buy from the Mountain View or Santa Clara/San Jose dealerships, because their service departments are chock full (month+), and service is likely to be 2nd rate. I have also heard plenty bad about both dealerships. However, if you want to buy from Allison, I recommend Dave Parker. He's been there for years, I know others who've bought from him, and his name has come up in various places. When I talked with him he didn't give me any nonsense.

I don't know anyone at Stevens Creek, because the person I would recommend (Lenny Witana) moved to Allison.

Navi Jax at Weatherford. Seems to be (have been) the internet guy there; low pressure, gentlemanly, colleague bought from him and thought the same.

There's a guy at San Mateo, but I don't know too much about him. I can't recommend the San Mateo dealership, because they stole my car key :-) and were otherwise nasty (and smarmy).

I personally wouldn't go to the dealership in Fremont. The exceedingly nasty people who were there are almost certainly gone; but I wouldn't care to find out who's there now.

I would urge trying Sonnen BMW, I haven't been there but I've heard good things about them. I don't know much about Concord or Pleasanton (East Bay BMW); I was at Pleasanton once for service and found they outsourced their tire work, and they really scratched up my wheels. Otherwise however their service was OK.

Good luck!

brave1heart

I checked the oil last week and I thought I might need a quart to top it off, as the dipstick was near the minimum recommended. I also needed a tire pressure top, which I had misplaced last time I checked the tires, so I figured I'd stop by Capital Cities BMW here in Albany, which turned out to be just a few minutes from my office. I was very impressed with the dealership - everyone was very friendly and helpful; no attitude whatsoever. On my way out, I saw an E36 M3 parked in front ready for a test-drive. I peaked inside to make sure it was a manual and asked a salesperson to take it out for a little spin. Last time I'd driven an M3 was about 3 years ago so I was excited about it. At any speed, this car pulls like a locomotive. It was fun seeing the salesperson go back and forth in the passenger seat like a fast pendulum. I gave it a couple of minutes to warm up and before I knew it I was going nearly triple-digits on a back road. There is absolutely no hesitation at any RPM range with this car - passing on two-lane roads is effortless. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face for hours after I came back to work. It would be humanly impossible for me to drive this car anywhere near the speed limit if I owned it.
This M3 was a '95 with only 45K miles on it. The clutch was heavy as a rock. You really feel your leg getting a good workout, especially when shifting into first and second (shifting is always quicker in higher gears). The take-up feels incredibly precise and every shift is totally orgasmic, especially past second. My 325i's clutch felt a little mushy after the M3's but I can see how the M3 would be a lot of work to drive in stop-and-go traffic. Shockingly to me, the M3's steering felt much lighter than my 325i's retrofitted steering, probably about as light as my pre-retrofitted steering (March '01 build). Road feel was great but I honestly could not say it was better than my 325i SP's. It's hard to tell from a 15-min test-drive but it is likely the 325 SP is working harder to reduce body motion because of the car's increased weight thus creating the wrong perception that it is tight(er). I was surprised that the steering wheel did not telescope but other than that, the heritage is there and could be felt throughout the whole cabin. The interior was a little worn out and there were squeaks and rattles coming from all over. I was happy to be back in my new 325i. The M3 is very raw in a great way; the 325i SP feels very refined by comparison. Different cars for different purposes but it's fair to say that the M3 was a rush to drive. Best lunch break I've had in a while... Still smiling...

brave1heart

Next time you catch yourself speeding, pull yourself over and write yourself a ticket ;o) Also, avoid watching The Practice at all cost because you might get second thoughts about it.

Good Morning,
You Worm Your Honor
The man who now stands before you
was caught red-handed showing feelings...
showing feelings of an almost human nature...

The evidence before the court
Is incontrovertible
There's no need for the jury to retire
In all my years of judging
I have never seen before
Of anyone more deserving
The full penalty of the law...

OK, please don't correct me, I'm sure I got most of it wrong...Guilty as charged.

petrarch

Thank you very, very much for the info.

cnorthrup

'02 330i

I have gotten the feeling from reading many posts here and elsewhere that it might be a good idea to change the oil about half way between the scheduled oil changes at the dealer or at about 7500 miles.

I have read that the easiest way to drain oil would be with a device that sucks out the oil through the oil fill opening?

If so... then any suggestions as to what device and where to get such device?

CNorthrup

allano

I have not experienced the gas petal stickyness but have felt a notchy release in the clutch petal every so often (~twice in a week). For the reason you mentioned in message 11051 (Go To 11572), I'm waiting for it to become more consistent before taking it in.

seivwrig

I am consider buying a 325i with the European delivery program. What I would like to know is this> Beside the 7% discount, can you still bargain with the price of the vehicle. If anyone has bought a BMW in Houston, is anyone dealer better to work with than another. If I go with the BMW especially since Audi does not have ED, how should I go about getting the best deal. I am not worried about expenses in Europe because I will visit my brother in Spangdahlem near Trier and visit Dad and the rest of my family in England.

div2

Here's a link to Overtons:

http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/order/pdetail.cgi?26696++

It works fine on my 1995 3er and 1997 5er. In both cases the extractor gets all the oil out. FWIW, BMW uses a similar device to remove the break-in oil from E46 M3s while they are at the VPC, so if it's good enough for Munchen...

ccotenj

i use the one from griots garage... dunno if its the same one as div2 pointed out... just warm up the oil a little, pump the handle a couple of times, and it sucks it right out...

its MUCHO easier than attempting to get at the drain plug on a 95 or after convertible, or if youve installed a x-brace on your coupe/sedan, because the x-brace runs directly underneath the drain plug, and you gotta be a contortionist to get at it...

dont forget to use a torque wrench when tightening the filter cover and to use oem filters... you can get oem filters in bulk cheap (well, relatively cheap) from ultimate garage... the oem filters come with a new o-ring and washer, use them... you can also get them from the dealer at a discount if you are a member of bmwcca...

good luck.

-Chris

jsc3

Hi, I'm going to buy a new 2002 325 sedan. Does the resell/trade in value of the car change dramatically if I get a car with a few options vs one that's "fully loaded". The dealer has a couple of cars in the pipeline and I have a choice between a car with the Sport Package and Moonroof and one with Sport and Premium package. I've been told that the latter car will have less of a percentage drop in value than the other. Is this true?

dl7265

Well we had rain, freezing rain, sleet, and some mild snow today in Dallas, id say the AVS DB did a mighty fine job, they are very quiet and a smooth ride.
ps i have the Sport Package
the only negitive if this is one is like i mentioned i feel a slight break away in extreme cornering compared to the er30 's but your talking a treadwear rating of 140 compared to 320. Far as pricing tell Discount tire what the internet price is and they should match it plus $5.00 for shipping , they have allways done that for me.

RE: traffic citations, i commend you all all this board for being professionals and taking responsibilty, i have never written anyone that was truly sorry and admitted responsibilty for their actions, in extreme cases yes but not very often, after all compliance is what we are after not to hammer someones pocket book, however sometimes that the only way to get someones attention. Many moons ago as a teen i had my share of violations and deserved them all and them some.

Shipo thats a funny story..
Take Care,
DL

twoof1

This is for all of you who were told that if your car was mfg. after March 2001 that the TSB #720101 does not apply to you. I thought you might find it interesting that I emailed BMW through the BMW Owners Circle web site questioning the date range of the TSB. Here is the response I received:
"Mr. Woolf,
Thank you for your patience. The Service Bulletin #720101 does not specify production dates. If you are experiencing problems with the seat belts in your vehicle , please contact the Service Department at your authorized BMW Center.

Thank you for contacting BMW
Customer Relations
800-831-1117"

According to them, there is NO date range on the service bulletin.
Good luck, I hope this helps.

rednblack

Severing,
You can do much better than a 7% reduction on a European delivery.I received an 10.5% reduction in Huntsville Alabama.My best qoute however was from Craig Kadell in Temple Texas; 11% reduction with a 50$ doc fee.
His phone # is 254-771-0128
Good luck!!!

BTW any opinions on selecting the Steel gray metallic with Black Leather.Any comments would be appreciated.

shipo

Hi Don,

Maybe I missed it before, but based upon your last post, I get the impression that you are a Police Officer somewhere in Texas. Yes, No?

I liked what you said about " never written anyone that was truly sorry and admitted responsibility for their actions".

When I was young, I too received many citations (not the good driving kind either ;-)) and probably should have received a few more as well. One day, I had helped a friend buy a 1970 Dodge Challenger 383cid from a gas station, which was selling the car because of a "Mechanics Lien". Among other problems, the car had a broken left side motor mount, so, we immediately drove the car over to my house and replaced said mount (it took 2 hours and several cuts and gashes on my hands, not to mention a few nicely chosen words). Given that I owned a 340 Challenger at the time, I wanted to find out how fast the 383 was, so, time for a &#147;Test Drive&#148;. As soon as I pulled out on to the local main road, a 340 Duster pulled up next to us wanting to race. About a mile down the road was a new sub-division being built, at that point in time, only the roads had been put in, but not so much as a single foundation had been poured, we decided it was a perfect place to race.

My friend (the one who owned the car) gave the sign and away we went. The Duster was clearly faster by a substantial margin, so at 85 or so, I shut down, just as a San Diego County Sheriff pulled up to a cross street, OOPS! Maybe he did not see the Duster, but he sure as hell saw me, I pulled over on the spot and got out of the car and waited for him. When he got out of his patrol car, I noticed that he was a very buffed looking (ie. lots of muscles) Asian man with a stature of only about 5&#146; 5&#148;. He came up to me, looked me in the eye, and did not say a word. He then walked around the car, made a few notes, and then asked me for my license and the paperwork on the car. I told him that I had left it all in my car, and that the car was un-insured and had just been bought off of a lein.

Mr. Officer looked sort of disgusted and said, &#147;Lets see now, 85mph in a 25mph zone, Excessive Acceleration, Speed Contest, Reckless Driving, Excessive Smoke (a radiator hose blew during the race and was spraying coolant on the exhaust manifold), Bald Tires (wear bars on three of the four tires), Driving Without a License, No Registration, Expired License Plates AND Driving Barefoot."

I had no idea "Driving Barefoot" was illegal, however, my response to him was, &#147;Guilty as charged, what are my options?&#148;

Mr. Officer said, &#147;Well, I *HAVE* to get you for not having a Drivers License.&#148;

I quickly suppress a big smile and said, &#147;OK!&#148;

After he wrote me my ticket, he said, &#147;I have to tell you, you knew you were toast, and you did not try to weasel out of any of the charges, that was cool. I just pulled over a man who was a retired San Diego cop for a minor violation, and he started yelling at me that I had no right to give HIM a ticket. In fact, he told me that I had no right even being in this country much less giving ANYBODY a ticket. Needless to say, I looked for, and wrote him up for every violation I could. Besides, I have a Plymouth GTX at home that I like to race from time to time, so I have a soft spot for people who drive MOPARs.&#148;

Whew, I *SHOULD* have been toast, but he was very cool.

Best Regards,
Shipo

cnorthrup

Thanks.

Sounds good to me.

I am trading in a '90 Toyota 4 cyl. that never saw the inside of a dealership, 165,000 miles and the engine still runs perfect, body is shot. I changed the oil and filter every 3500 miles. Of course that was with regular oil. The more I can do myself the better from a $$$$ point of view and for my piece of mind.

I can only hope I have the same luck with my new car. But a hands on, pro-active approach should give me the advantage.

Any thoughts on oil? Mobil 1 or should I go with the dealer's stuff?

CNorthrup

whitepenguin

I've been reading the forum for a while and I found some insightful opinions.
I recently ordered a new 318 my 2002 "valvetronic" (I'm based in Europe)and I would appreciate some feed-back about the debated issue sport suspension (within the SP), handling, comfort etc.
I know that the US version of the 325 with SP comes with 205/45 r 17 tires, while my one will have 205/55 r 16 (with sport suspension), but nevertheless I'd like some info possibly in terms of comparison with other cars rather than personal feeling. I had an Infinity G20T and I wonder if it could be taken as reference to match the said characteristics (ride, comfort etc.)
By the way, you do not imagine how different (bad) is the treatment in Europe from dealers. Forget about test driving .......

ccotenj

either or... when i change it myself i use mobil 1, when the dealer changes it (i.e. when it's in for inspection i or ii), they use their stuff... fwiw, i use mobil 1 in my truck too... so i guess i'd give the slight edge to mobil 1, however, you can get the castrol from the dealer cheaper with your bmwcca discount... which oil is better has been beaten to death in a couple of topics in news & views, if you've got a few days to go through all the posts...

-Chris

kominsky

I've never used an extractor and would be curious to hear the advantages/disadvantages of using one on a non-convertible w/no X-brace. Do they get any 'grit' laying on the bottom of the oil pan that would normally flush out when draining, etc?
TIA

rjg96

Interesting. My dealer did actually order the part, I waited for it for 6 weeks, and then i took the car in. They kept if for a day, and said that they didn't replace anything because the part they had was already installed in my car from the factory. I don't know who's right- but I didn't feel like repeatedly taking my car in for a small problem that BMW and the dealer would probably be incapable of correcting. Armed with some felt, I was able to make myself happy. Thanks for following up about this.

ls11

I also got a very good ED price from Craig Cadell in Temple, TX, and I'm in the DFW area. Unfortunately b/c of 9/11, we didn't do ED; BMWUSA did a direct delivery under the circumstances. It's really hard to read all the write-ups on ED plans and experiences, especially since everything would have been fine. We'll have to do it when we replace our other car. Anyway, our 2002 330i SP PP should be at Temple any day now - hard to wait!

ccotenj

the key to the "grit" issue is the same as if you are draining through the plug... warm the oil so it's circulated through and any solids are now suspended in the oil... draining through the plug will leave solids behind as well if your oil hasn't been circulated...

the big advantage is that it's REAL easy to do with the extractor... no oil spills, no nothing... pump it into the extractor, dump it in your oil container and take it to the local autozone (or whatever) for recycling...

-Chris

rjg96

Interesting. My dealer did actually order the part, I waited for it for 6 weeks, and then i took the car in. They kept if for a day, and said that they didn't replace anything because the part they had was already installed in my car from the factory. I don't know who's right- but I didn't feel like repeatedly taking my car in for a small problem that BMW and the dealer would probably be incapable of correcting. Armed with some felt, I was able to make myself happy. Thanks for following up about this.

brave1heart

We swapped cars with a colleague yesterday on our way to dinner - I'd never driven a Prelude so I was interested to see how it drives and she felt the same way about the 3-series. This was a 5-yr old car so it's hard to say if it drives the same way when it's new. I was pretty impressed with the acceleration - at 2,850 lbs and 160 HP the Prelude has about the same power-to-weight ratio as my 325i but because it is a lighter car and the Bimmer is so much smoother, the prelude creates the wrong perception that it is as fast (I am sure the v-tech model with 190 HP will smoke the 325). The ride was unrefined but firm and the handling was very good. The brakes were frightening, though, and the Z-rated tires must have had quite a few miles on them because it was too easy to spin the fronts off the line. It reminded me a lot of my old VR6, which would spin the fronts almost as easily off the line (too much torque for a FWD). The interior is definitely not sized for anyone taller than 6 ft tops and it is unmistakably Japanese. Overall, pretty good enthusiast's car for the money and completely different from the 3-series...