BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

jed4kia

all of my friends here, do you find it excitign when you go very fast in a gear and then remove the foot from the gas with no shifting, allowing the sports engine to slow down the sedan?

With me, that makes for a most racy overrun resonance that goes not only thru the muffler but also the whole body of hte car.

So far I have only heard this from the drivers seat of my GT and some day I would like to hear it from the sidewalk. So I hope all of us here at hte club can meet some day soon for a sports sedan gymkhana and trade each others cars, when you dirve mine I can hear the overrun and then I will drive yours too

hgeyer

Great post on MP3 players....But how's the trip report coming along?

I'm hoping to be able to read it before 1/9/02, when I leave to pick up my 330i.

Happy holidays!

tenet1

"do you find it excitign when you go very fast in a gear and then remove the foot from the gas with no shifting, allowing the sports engine to slow down the sedan"

Yeah, Its called driving a manual tranny. Achieved on most cars.

"Racy overrun resonance that goes not only thru the muffler but also the whole body of hte car"

Yeah, this one's called crappy design

derprofi

roc50mg, I believe that your only option is an RF modulator which shouldn't cost more than $30 or $40.

hgeyer, I was waiting for someone to slam me on my previous promises Send me an email and I'll give you access to the work-in-progress.

And a warm welcome to Son of V_Tech!

jed4kia

Hi there Mr. Derprofi, please remind that pat the Host wants us eagerly to speak of the 3 sport sedan, and not things other, I remind you of this as you are the one with the long story about the phatniose and now here you are about RF modulators, etc.

So tell us instead about your 3 BMW. Maybe about:

* is it your favourite colour?

* the best things about it

* what other sport sedan it reminds you about

* the most exciting way to drive a BMW 3

* what thoughts led you to think of hte BMW 3 to be your car

nyccarguy

Did you guys (& gals) read the Autoweek article on the E46 3 series compact? Seems like it is leaps and bounds ahead of the old E36 318ti. I'm not sold on the front end looks (maybe I have to see it to like it), but the performance seems to be up to par with the MB C230K.

Too bad a BMW hatchback got such a bad rep from the public (lack of sales) and the press (Old style E30? rear suspension and cheap interior) or it would be a perfect time to bring in the 325ti. I think if the MB C230K is a sales success and Audi brings the A3 to our shores, BMW might bring the 325ti our way.

They might not bring it in because of:

-failure of previous generation 318ti

-There wouldn't be much price room between the Mini Cooper S, upcoming 1 series, & the current 325i/Ci

What are all your thoughts on this?

roc50mg

What exactly is your RF modulator called and where can I pick one up? Is it something that will transmit to a radio frequency?

Thanks.

jed4kia

I now have had the pleasure of reading the edmunds long-terms road test wrapup of the BMW 328 from 1999, posted at this club sight.

Something I am not sure about is when they go
" Even on flat roads, if you don't rev the 2.8-liter six enough before letting the clutch go, the car bogs a bit waiting for power to build. On the other side of the coin, you can over-rev the motor while slipping the clutch excessively, creating a nasty smell along with more noise than forward motion"

nad then again they go
"More than once, I found the clutch pedal and clutch take-up getting squishy, and a definite smell surrounded the vehicle after parking it."

So Im just wondering and to ask you 3 seies BMW bored club members what that smell smells like, is it a BMW smell all by itself? My Kia GT has its own smell of gasoline and oil, mostly, so I wonder what the BMW smell is about.

dave330i

smelling gasoline, and oil inside the car is not a good thing. Take it into the dealer to have it looked at.

div2

Contrary to popular belief, the E36 ti did pretty well from a sales standpoint- and after the initial marketing blitz, BMWNA spent little if any advertising dollars on the ti. The problem for NA was the fact that the ti was not achieving its goal as a "conquest" car. Rather, the ti appealed to hard-core BMW enthusiasts who used it as a track car or as a second BMW. It essentially siphoned off sales from the more profitable E36 sedan and coupe. If you go back and read the initial press reports you will find nearly unanimous praise for the handling prowess of the ti- dated rear suspension or not. The fact that it was a hatchback and a four cylinder also tended to repel the superficial and ignorant badge-conscious buyers. That said, I initially thought the E46 Compact might appear in the US. Now however, I think it unlikely due to the fact that the One Series and Mini will have the low end covered and US buyers will almost always choose a coupe over a hatch in the mid-luxury segment.

conneen

Hey Derprofi,

I too am departing for Munich on the 9th. My girlfriend and I are going for a long weekend and to pick up my 325xi. It's my first BMW, and I can hardly wait.

What Coast are you flying from?

Conneen

cnorthrup

I have seen the DYI instructions for the V1 install and the posts of the finished product, but I am not sure about doing it when there is no sunroof?

I was wondering if anyone has done it on the 330i sedan without the sunroof?

I would assume the wiring is up there. There is a plastic plate that goes where the sunroof controls would have been. Does this snap out with a screwdriver? Will I be able to find and reach the same wires?

This is slightly different then the DYI I saw and I was just curious.

Thanks,
CNorthrup

brave1heart

The install is the same with or without the sunroof.

Yes, the wiring is still up there.

Yes, the plastic cover snaps out with a screwdriver.

Yes, you will be able to find and reach the same wires.

gurumike

I have a Rio Volt which lives in my glove box, with the external control in the ash tray. I bought a JVC FM modulator which works very well. I saw a similar product on eBay which might help you get some ideas on what FM modulator to buy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1314472946

It was a bit of a tight fit behind the factory stereo with the extra cables for the radio antennae. The box itself lives in one of the many little cubby boxes behind the glove box. To remove the head unit, you must first remove the trim (wood or other) from around it. First, the long piece on the passengers side must be removed. You have to prize it out (start on the far side) carefully, then you can remove the piece that surrounds the radio. The glove box has a couple of screws holding it in. I'd certainly recommend paying a little bit to have an experienced installer do this for you. I'll try to take some pic today.

postoak

When you get back, please give us some information on where you stayed, the nightly rate, what you thought of the place, how convenient it was to the BMW pick up place, and whether you would stay there again in the same circumstances. Thanks!

jed4kia

gurumike says
"I have a Rio Volt which lives in my glove box, with the external control in the ash tray."

I have a Rio GT, and am very keen to know about your Rio Volt, about I've not known before.

Please tell us all everything, I do not know that Kia.

Know that pat the Host likes us also to talk BWM 3 sereis so do that also for her

dave330i

Have you had that gasoline and oil smell looked at by the dealer yet? It's a serious problem, and you should have it looked at as soon as possible.

gurumike

http://www.riohome.com/

Also, just FYI, instead of "about I've not known before," which makes little grammatical sense, you may try "which I haven't heard of before."

heatmiser1

I am looking at a silver 330i with black interior and am trying to decide on leather or leatherette. Here are some points on my dilema:

1) I live in San Diego, CA which can get warm so I am concerned that the vinyl leatherette may be more uncomfortable and sticky than traditional leather. Any real life input?

2) Cosmetically they look virtually the same but am sure the leatherette is more durable. I have small children who are quite messy. The leatherette would most likely clean up easier.

3) I am looking to purchase the car (rahter than lease) and am concerned that the resale may be affected negatively without the leather. Any input?

nyccarguy

Thanks for clearing that up for me. You learn something new every day!

dave330i

In my opinion, it depends on how you option your car out. If you're going for a sportier car with very few luxury option, no point in paying for leather. If you're planning on adding stuff like moonroof, power seats, wood trim, etc, go with PP which has leather included.

derprofi

roc50mg, yes FM modulators usually take a line level stereo audio input and turn it into a stereo FM broadcast on a specific frequency. They are usually plugged between the antenna input on the radio and the FM antenna lead. This lets it operate with minimal output power (i.e., the guy two lanes over won't be hearing your MP3's if he tunes in to the frequency you're using) The frequency is usually something very low or high on the FM band where there aren't usually many stations (88.1, for example). Here are a few FM modulators I dug up, although they all look pretty much the same:

Link

Another Link

Final Link


conneen, I already did my pickup on Nov. 26th and promised to do a write-up once I got back into town. It's still a work in progress, unfortunately, but drop me an email and I can send you what I've got.


gurumike says

"I have a Rio Volt which lives in my glove box, with the external control in the ash tray."


I have a Rio GT, and am very keen to know about your Rio Volt, about I've not known before.


Please tell us all everything, I do not know that Kia.


Know that pat the Host likes us also to talk BWM 3 sereis so do that also for her


And I think those gasoline fumes in your Kia must be getting to you. PS, I know that's you, v_tech

shipo

I traditionally chime in on the "Pro-Leather" side of this argument. Now that you know what my personal bias is, here is what I think. ;-)

1) I lived in San Diego when I bought my first car with leather seats (when I got out of the USMC). That particular car did not have A/C, so, needless to say, I was HOT a lot, however, I rarely found the leather to be so uncomfortable that I wished for A/C. The car that I drove after that one (no A/C either) had 'ette, and several times people would ask if I had wet myself after getting out of the car on a hot day. As much as I liked this last car, I was miserable when driving it in hot weather.

2) Personally, I like the look of leather as it starts to wear. I think the slight color variations and creasing adds character to the hides. Obviously, this is personal preference.

3) I currently drive a 1999 328i with leather seats and during the last three years with that car, my back seats have been occupied by son (starting when he was just 5) and my daughter (starting when she was just 2). While true that kids of that age can make a MESS of any back seat, my leather seats have held up as well as all of the other surfaces back there and are no more difficult to keep clean.

In summary, I do not find leather seats more difficult to maintain, however, I do find them MUCH more comfortable than seats covered in 'ette, and over time, better looking as well.

Best Regards,
Shipo

nyccarguy

I've been checking up on the 325ti on the Euro Site, and I think with ceratin wheel combinations it looks like a cool car. I'd be nice if they could sell the Ti & Mini side by side. I just don't like the beige color of the car in the press photos.

hgeyer

Conneen: I'm leaving on 1/9 for the ED on the Lufthansa Chicago to Munich flight, I get in at about 9AM on 1/10.

Postoak: I'm staying with relatives throughout my trip, but will look for bed and breakfast info to provide for future reference.

I'm a little concerned about driving on the Autobahn in the Winter. Can anyone recommend a set of snow tires to pack with my luggage ;-) ?

div2

Well, I'm kind of biased; I've owned a 1995 ti Club Sport since it was new. The ONLY car I'd consider trading it for would be a 2002 M Coupe. Period. My main gripe with the E46 Compact is the styling. The front end is growing on me but the ricey IS300 style tail lamps are hideous, IMHO. Still, everything I've read indicates that it is a terrific drivers car. I have a German brochure and there are countless combinations of neat looking interior trims, etc. Guess I'll just have to wait for the M version of the One Series...:)

nyccarguy

I completely understand your Point of View. I actually drove a 318ti (In '97 or '98). It was a car from the dealership's loaner fleet with a slushbox and I believe 16" wheels (5 spokes, kinda rounded). I did think the car was a dog under acceleration, but was impressed with the overall handling.

What I didn't like about it was the $19,000 BMW that started out with hub caps & crank windows. All the ti's at the dealership had a Slushbox, Power Windows, Power Door Locks, Sunroof, & Spot Package and stickered for over $30K (If memory serves me right). Were these few options very pricey or something?

I'm glad you enjoy your Club Sport though. I've seen 1 or 2 of them and they are cool.

postoak

Personally, I think jed4kia is a Korean engineer/Kia employee proud of his company's product and trying to stir things up. He got the name "jed" from watching the Beverly Hillbillies -- one of the few western names he knows.

Pat or Patricia -- I've assumed the either-sex name was deliberately chosen so that "Pats" could come and go and still feel comfortable with "their" name. Am I wrong?

hgeyer - thanks, I appreciate the thought, although I'm not sure I'm a B&B person when it comes to European trips. More like a Best Western!

dave330i

Smelling gas and oil while filling is still not good. You really should have it looked at.

dantlo

I have l'rette on my 2001 325i(I live in Los Angeles area). I was also concerned about my now 2 year old girl jumping all over. I think the leatherette is hotter and it does get your back wet. If I could advise you for resale and comfort reason in Southern Ca, go with the leather! I have blk leather in my wife's Volvo.We could feel the difference.

Dan

div2

Well, my wife had a 1998 ti autobox. It wasn't a rocket sled, but once it was broken in it was adequate. The fours really need some revs to make good power and thus are better suited to a manual transmission. With a Conforti chip a 1995 ti 5 speed will do 0-60 in the mid sevens...

nyccarguy

Under normal circumsnatces I would say you're getting screwed...but I'm not sure what the market is like in South Florida. I remember when the MB 2000 S Class came out and all the dealers were charging markups on them here in NY, my friend in Boca figured he could get a good deal on a BMW 740, but there were none available and the ones that were available were going for sticker. Here in NY they would deal on a car like that at that time.

Maybe there's some high demand for 3 Coupes in South Florida right now. Maybe you should wait a few months or look at another car if it is bugging you that much. I'm sure once you drive your car off the lot, break it in for 1200 miles and then let it rip on I95 on a Saturday Morning you'll forget that you paid sticker for the car.

Have you contacted other dealer in South Florida? I know there's a BMW dealership somewhere in Miami/Ft Lauderdale area.

postoak

You never, ever, ever, pay "dealer prep" (I know you didn't).

What was the length of your lease, and the miles/year allowed?

This down payment -- was it an actual down payment or a security deposit you can get back?

MSRP sounds pretty bad -- but maybe not.

cnorthrup

Thanks

CNorthrup

huntzinger

I actually did two test drives of a '95 318ti before buying something else. I probably would have bought it too, had the first dealership not been extremely indifferent to my interest in buying the car, and the 2nd dealership had the sales person go along with me on the 2nd test drive, which made its lack of power even more noticeable.

nyccarguy's comment about power-everything, slushbox & sunroof is pretty typical of the automakers thinking, both past & present: the target demographic appears to be the same as the C-230K: young pretty female. Instead, they find that young-at-heart guys are looking to step up from GTI's and Kia rice burners, yet need some practicality accommodations, which means a reasonable back seat and a trunk that's 2x the size of the one in the Mini Cooper. A 1-Series won't fit this bill, but a 3-hatch will. The key is offering the right content without nickel and dimeing what today might be a $25K vehicle up to $35K.


-hh

PS for the Kia guy: my interpretation of your "Left braking" statement was that the car pulls to the left, even when the steering wheel is pointed straight ahead. If this is indeed what it is doing, I repeat my first comment: the car has a defect - demand that the dealer fix it. All vehicles should brake in a straight line when the wheel is straight.

shipo

I think that is how the Kia dude got his racing stripes. He hit is brakes, veered to the left and drove along left side freeway barrier for a short distance, thus grinding his stripes into his paint. That way they wouldn’t wash off. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

huntzinger

I was thinking more along the lines of:

Nails the brakes - - veers across the centerline - - becomes a "racing stripe" on the hood of the oncoming SUV!

:-)

-hh

shipo

I think you have hit upon the single redeeming value of an SUV. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

pat

Jed4kia, check your email before you post the same message over and over again.

Everyone else - you're doing a great job of not feeding the you-know-what. Keep it up, thanks.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

roc50mg

Was it hard for you to install it?

denright

Anyone know how much benefit a K&N filter offers above a standard BMW air filter?

dave330i

It shouldn't be noticeable. It's getting harder to squeeze more hp out of these engines. A full blown Dinan mods will get you only 20 hp or so.

bing330i

I agree leather is better than leatherette for all the reasons mentioned. However, I do not know if the Montana leather is necessarily better than the 'ette thanks to its leather grade, at least for the option price. If Napa leather is offered for non-M 3ers, I have no hesitation to pay even more for the leather option. But I'd pass the Montana leather. My 2 cents.

derprofi

No, I don't actually have one myself. The 330i hasn't arrived in the US yet and when it does I think I'll be OK with the CD player (for a while anyway). The SLK only has a cassette deck and I use a cassette adapter to plug in my Rio Volt.

katzer

I hear for 2002 bmw is offering the semi-automatic transmission with butterfly switches(same as on the M3) in the bmw 330 coupe for their German customers. Any idea if there is a chance they'll offer the same in the U.S. for 2003. Anyone?

golfnut7

My 325i is 7 months old and I have put 10,000 enjoyable miles on it and it is now time for new wiper blades. Before I even ask the dealer, are these covered on the 36/36,000 full maintenance program?

gurumike

If your wipers really need replacing at 7 months/ 10k miles, then they're free under the "defective manufacture" warranty. Short of just leaving them switched every minute you're in the car, there is no way in the world you could have worn out your blades yet. I think your service writer would be hard pushed to make a case for "normal wear and tear" on that one!

nobee

check out this webpage!

http://www.bmwworld.com/models/config/m3_smg.htm

denright

Thanks for the input. I wonder if this is why K&N took so long to produce an airfilter for the E46 3 Series.

Has anyone on this board actually put a K&N filter into a 3 Series? Results?

charlee

My lease is 3 years-15k miles. It's based on sticker price, yes. I agree that under normal circumstances, this sounds like a majorly bad deal. I tried working with 2 different brokers. One who could not even get me the car, one who found a car in texas and could get it for $400 under MSRP, but he couldn't offer me any lease options. I tried the dealer in Ft. Pierce (about an hour north of me) but they don't have much inventory. Same with Vista to the South.

The service at Braman has been abominable. I think they deal with so much high end business, they know there is always another buyer walking in the door. I hate to give them any business at all, but they have the car I want. And I'm sure it's true, once I'm driving the car, I'll be happy.

I'm supposed to pick up the car Saturday. Last night I made arrangements to sell my 99 Formula to CarMax (who gave me $3k more than Braman wanted to!!!!) so when I go in Saturday, I"m going to try to get like $25 knocked off my monthly payment. There are a bunch of ways to do it: lower the selling price, inflate the residual, lower the money factor, etc. etc. I'm undecided as to whether I will walk out if they don't agree ... we'll see.

Thanks to those who responded!!!! Much appreciated.