BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    I'm surprised you're having such problems there. When I took delivery of my car, it was actually a week early. Sometimes bad things just happen and it's beyond anyone's control.

    From your post, it looks like you'll be getting your car 2 weeks later than the original ESTIMATE. Getting it 2 weeks later does suck, but think of all the fun years you'll have with your BMW vs. CL. Is it worth cutting off your nose to spite your face?
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    Eurobuyers seems to be a nice medium between an online place like Carsdirect and the usual dealer malarkey. I printed the revised (Jan 02) prices. There's the retail & the wholesale. Anyone know which one the price will be based on? If it's wholesale, there's the prem pkg... Anyone ever do the Spartanburg delivery? Always wanted to take a driving program, it's been a long time since driver's ed! Would love to hear your comments, could take the discussion to email if it's too involved.
    re: braking to decelerate, if it's done right (I try) it's one of the pleasures of owning a manual. Doing it in an automatic, the heel-toe thing, seems hard.

    OT: I have an FHA loan & u need 80% equity (!!!) before the PMI goes away. What a mistake. The % is low enough to where I'm constantly on the fence whether to re-fi or not. The loans w/ LIBOR rates sound good.

    riez--my Nissan Se-R has same engine as G20, and what a fun reliable zippy little car its been for the last 7 yrs.
  • jjshabadoojjshabadoo Member Posts: 17
    You can't go wrong with an Acura CL. It's a great car and the value for your money is incredible. With that said, you will miss out on some of the intangibles of the BMW that you can't put a dollar value. What's two weeks as compared to the amount of time you will spend with your car.
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    Maybe you should look at the Acura, and look again at the BMW (look=drive)... I am very analytical and tend to go off paper specs, but when I drove the BMW, I was drawn to & here I am.
  • wrjohnsonpghpawrjohnsonpghpa Member Posts: 53
    As I ordered the car on 1/22, it was 10 weeks this past Tuesday. Two more weeks will make it more than 12 weeks. Three months! Has anybody else experienced this kind of wait? (Must be that damned Mini!)
  • mschukarmschukar Member Posts: 351
    Has anyone wired a cell phone into their 3er other than the BMW phone? I have a Nokia 5160 (I think) and would like to connect it to the prewired cell phone system if it's not too much trouble.

    -murray
  • mschukarmschukar Member Posts: 351
    Three months! Has anybody else experienced this kind of wait?

    I ordered my 325i on December 1, 2001 and picked it up on March 11, 2002. I'll let you do the math.

    Believe me, all will be right with the world when you take delivery of your new Bimmer.

    -murray
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    What do you mean when you say "if it's wholesale, there's the prem. pkg."?

    The price you pay is based on both the wholesale and the retail in as much as $xxxx above wholesale is $yyyy below retail.
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    "Believe me, all will be right with the world when you take delivery of your new Bimmer."

    All will be right after the break in period. The longest 1200 miles of your life.
  • jjshabadoojjshabadoo Member Posts: 17
    Did you know ahead of time that you were going to wait that long? When I placed the ordered, the salesman told me it usually takes 6-8 weeks to take delivery.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    While we're on this topic... or a bit after :) How does the BMW Hill Descent Control work? I know it does because I use it in my driveway so I don't go flying through the house. (Don't think the wife would like to own a drivethru! :) )

    Even in my Jeep, they recommend downshifting for steep hills to reduce brake wear. This would make sense, as using the brakes may be more likely to induce a wheel lock situation on slick roads (read snow) whereas if you downshift properly, the engine will use its compression to slow the vehicle.
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    With ABS, I don't really see a wheel lock situation. It take a lot of effort to cause BMW brakes to fade (mostly in race conditions).
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Actually, you are way more likely to incur skidding (near wheel lock) on slick snow covered roads when using engine braking because DSC is effectively inactive under this scenario.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • wrjohnsonpghpawrjohnsonpghpa Member Posts: 53
    Only made it as far as the Volvo dealer at lunch. No comparison to the bimmer that I believe I will never see! I think Volvo took a giant step backward with their latest generation. Those cars border on ugly! Does anyone remember the AMC Matador?
  • gary330cigary330ci Member Posts: 9
    Hi folks. As a long time lurker, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the broad range of topics, humor, and passion for automotive excellence on this board. Today I have to chime in with my first post. Before I ordered my 2002 in October, I'd spent a great deal of time researching cars I was interested in (MB CLK320, Volvo T5, SAAB Viggen, Acura CL to name a few). They are all great cars, and on paper some made better fiscal sense than others. But the BMW was the hands down winner because there were no compromises in the design and manufacture of this vehicle. It really can't be quantified on a spec or price sheet. Three months later when my 330CI finally arrived and I rushed over to take delivery and sat in it the first time, I knew I made the right choice because it felt better than even I expected. Three months later I still feel that way. It's definitely worth the wait.
  • lfgpitlfgpit Member Posts: 9
  • wrjohnsonpghpawrjohnsonpghpa Member Posts: 53
    Three months ten days! I nominate you for sainthood!

    I know luck is a factor in determining how long you wait. Ordering is essentially changing the specs of a car that the dealer already has on order as part of his allocation. There is a deadline each month, is there not, after which the dealer can't change the specs of a car for his dealership. After that date don't you have to wait until the next month's production? Maybe that's what happened to you, you may have just missed the deadline. In my case, I ordered the last day that the dealer could make changes. I thought I was in like flint.

    Do you know where your car was hung up? Did it come from SA (that's where mine came from; as you can see from my earlier post, 30 days on the boat from there)?

    On another (slightly different) topic, on the way back from the Volvo dealership, I stopped to look at a Mini that a local used (yes "used") car dealer had. It had 200 miles on it. First one I've seen. Very cool, but very small. Asking $27,900, original list something like $17,000. I'll stick with my as yet to be seen 325i (or Acura CL if I decide I can't wait any longer).
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    I was justing adding up the #s & the difference btw the retail & wholesale is about $2480, & the cost of the PP is $2455 wholesale, so that's what I meant when I typed "there's the prem pkg". I'm not sure what your note meant. I was wondering if going through Eurobuyers, which list would show the price I pay. I imagine wholesale, or something close to it. What would be the reason to go through a specialized broker otherwise if it's just MSRP?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I had the exact opposite situation from some of y'all.

    In 1998, I was car shopping because the lease on my 1995 VR6 Passat GLX (5-Speed, of course) was set to expire at the end of Feb 1999. Long story short, I decided to order a 328i, and did so around Thanksgiving 1998 (late November), targeting a mid-February delivery.

    Imagine my surprise when on Monday 4-Jan-1999, my salesman calls me and says "Your car is here, prepped, and ready for delivery!" Ummm, now what do I do? In the end, I made him sit on the 328i until 30-Jan-1999, and then had two cars for the month of February.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • genie1genie1 Member Posts: 398
    My brother ordered his C230 in mid-October, with a delivery date of March 13. The car was scheduled for production in December, in transit in January and arrived mid-February. (Part of the wait was for the leather)

    He waited till Mar 8 to pick it up.
  • dafreakdafreak Member Posts: 154
    check out the new Infiniti G35 as well...you will be pleasantly surprised....
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    I see. Well, the price you will pay through a broker, whether eurobuyers, carsdirect, priceline, or someone else is going to be between invoice and MSRP -- closer to MSRP, probably, so the difference is not going to pay for your PP. From what I read on here, just about anybody can get $500 off MSRP without using a broker -- just basically by asking. So, a broker better do better than that for you (don't forget his fee!) or there is no reason to involve him.
  • deutch194deutch194 Member Posts: 6
    The lease on my 1999 Maxima is up in a few months, and I, too, live in Pittsburgh. I was wondering if you had any luck getting a good deal on your 325i ($1,500 over invoice) or if you had to go elsewhere for your car. Being that there are only 4 BMW dealers in the area, I have prepared myself to hear "MSRP only" from the local dealers, and possibly go out of town to get a good better deal.
  • mg330cimg330ci Member Posts: 162
    Hi BMWphiles

    Just finish watching the VHS video that came with the car and I am sort of curious about this:

    The instructions suggest that you should disable DSC during snow driving to allow traction control to take over the car!

    Can somebody expand on this?

    PS: I wonder if there are any plans of developing a good search engine within edmunds town hall. Such a large data base of information is wasted otherwise (has anybody reviewed the 15269 messages on this board for the answer to a question already asked?)
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    Nah, I believe he wants to shift his car.
  • dafreakdafreak Member Posts: 154
    ah, and im sure he doesnt want to wait until the fall when the 6 speed G35 coupe and sedan come out....well, BMW is the game then...the G35 coupe is striking though...I just bought the sedan and it will be hard to not want the coupe...maybe i could give my wife the sedan and i could get the coupe...hmmmmm....
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I guess I've never really thought much about exactly how I do it because I learned on a manual and somehow it all came very natural for me (that doesn't mean I passed the driving test the first time :o)). I was paying attention this morning and I guess I follow two rules: quick clutch release and no lurching!! The first one is so the clutch does not wear out fast. The second one is so I drive smooth. I typically blip the throttle if I think that downshifting will result in a lurch with a fast clutch release. If I am downshifting from 3K to 2K in higher gears, there's typically no need for a blip. If I am downshifting into second, it typically needs a blip but bottom line is, if you are a passenger in my car and don't listen to the engine, you won't typically know that I just downshifted. BTW, shipo, I NEVER downshift and brake at the same time. Tap on the brakes first, shift it into the exit gear and then enter the corner. I don't like downshifting into the corner either - I want to be ready for exit by the time I start entering the corner. But I do agree that both downshifting and braking should be used to slow down the car UNLESS you are coming to a full stop. Even when approach the tollbooths at the highway (meaning I'd have to go from highway speed to ~ 20 mph), I'd row from 5-th to second and blip the throttle whenever I need to (typically third to second). I guess it's not intuitive to use the throttle to slow down, I know. As I said, I use it so I can downshift smoothly. I think most people coast to the tollbooths, then brake harder at the end, then shift it into the right gear (second). FWIW, my VR6's clutch AND brakes lasted through 96K miles when I sold it. The clutch felt like new and it had a lot of life in it. I had the rear pads (I think) replaced but the fronts were still fine.
  • mg330cimg330ci Member Posts: 162
    Hi BMWphiles

    Just finish watching the VHS video that came with the car and I am sort of curious about this:

    The instructions suggest that you should disable DSC during snow driving to allow traction control to take over the car!

    Can somebody expand on this?

    PS: I wonder if there are any plans of developing a good search engine within edmunds town hall. Such a large data base of information is wasted otherwise (has anybody reviewed the 15269 messages on this board for the answer to a question already asked?)
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    The G35 coupe looks very good from the pictures I've seen. I think it will be a viable competitor to the best sports coupes out there. I personally do prefer sedans, though.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    First time I'm hearing that you're supposed to switch off the DSC for better snow driving. I've been wrong many times before, though, so I might have missed something here. You're supposed to switch off the DSC if you are rocking the car to get going in snow but for regular driving in snow you'd be better off with the DSC ON.
  • dafreakdafreak Member Posts: 154
    yea, it is a beautiful car...the sedan is great too...im loving it...i would have prefered stick but the wife does not know how to drive one and with a baby on the way it seemed impractical...the BMW is a beautiful car too...It was my original choice...
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    It's tough to come up with an original car that looks good these days but the G35 looks pretty original AND good!! It should offer great performance (accel, braking, and handling) for the money!!
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    As those who frequent this board know, I did not buy at the dealer closest to me, the one who I will be going to for service, because of price considerations. The salesman at that dealership warned me that I wouldn't be getting a loaner since I didn't buy there. Can they do this or is providing a loaner BMWNA policy?
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 17,532
    What they have to do is fix your car. They DO NOT have to give you a loaner. I suggest to maybe grease the service writer's palms and maybe he'll put you on the list and you can get a loaner. How much money did you save by buying elsewhere?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD

  • mg330cimg330ci Member Posts: 162
    Hi BMWphiles

    Just finish watching the VHS video that came with the car and I am sort of curious about this:

    The instructions suggest that you should disable DSC during snow driving to allow traction control to take over the car!

    Can somebody expand on this?

    PS: I wonder if there are any plans of developing a good search engine within edmunds town hall. Such a large data base of information is wasted otherwise (has anybody reviewed the 15269 messages on this board for the answer to a question already asked?)
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Yes, there certainly is a plan. We are hopeful that we can introduce a comprehensive search engine that will allow keyword searches within discussions and also will integrate the Town Hall content with that of the main site. I believe the ETA of that revision is May.

    Believe me, I understand EXACTLY what you are saying. If you can't search within a topic, what the heck is the point of saving all the posts?

    Stay tuned - no one will be any happier when this happens than your hosts, I promise you! :-)

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans Message Board
  • wrjohnsonpghpawrjohnsonpghpa Member Posts: 53
    I e-mailed all PA dealers with e-mails, and offered $1,500 over invoice. Two accepted my offer. The first, and closest, was New Motors in Erie. That is who I am buying from. (Sewickly's best offer was approximately $350 higher.) I used to live in Erie and am comfortable buying there. My salesman's name is Tom Hoida. No hassel; he is throwing in the floor mats.
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    How much did I save? Hard to remember what their best offer was -- I dealt with so many dealers. I think $800, at least -- may have been $1700.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    postoak... Think you are screwed like me. This is one big area I really miss my old Infiniti. My local BMW dealer has the same policy. He'll only give you a loaner if you bought from him. Like nobody ever moves? Travels on vacation? Heck, a couple years ago I was on vacation in a Ford product. The dealer in Georgia had no problem giving me a service loaner. I was 1,000 miles from home.

    Every time I get a service survey phone call or card I always complain about the service loaner policy and mention how much better Infiniti is on theirs.
  • cuppajoecuppajoe Member Posts: 1
    Still not sure if I want the "base" 325i or a
    Acura TL-S (in Northern California.)
    I seem to see every few posts discussing prices and deals- I was wondering if this is attributable to the rumor that everyone nearly pays MSRP on Bimmers. Is this true? Did anyone pay anything lower than $700 off MSRP? I can
    very easily get $1200 off MSRP on the TL btw.
  • chewie5chewie5 Member Posts: 61
    I was in a similar situation as you and posted a little while back about my decision regarding the TL-S vs. 325i. I also live in Northern California and ended up going with a 325i. I got it for $1500 off MSRP and had floormats thrown in for free.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Bought my 330i in to have the speakers replaced for the buzzing, in front of me was a Z8. When I asked the service rep about it he said it was $135K..yikes. He's not even allowed to drive it. I guess only "qualified" service personnel are. I went over to look at it and they pulled me away because I started to drool uncontrollably. :)

    After which I went into the dealership and sat in a silver 525i. After having my 330i for almost 2 months I really appreciated the upgraded interior and the beauty of that vehicle. It has got to be one of the all around best looking sedans. I could see another Bimmer in the family.

    After which I went over to a gorgeous M3 convertible and checked it out. $61,000... Hmm with next years bonus that could be my weekend car. Not!

    And, oh yes, even after replacing the speakers the buzzing wasn't fixed. And I had to drive my dinky little 330i home with buzzing speakers. :)

    Ken
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    Well, it isn't a big deal to me not to get a loaner. I just wanted to know if I was entitled to one or the salesman was blowing smoke.
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    Murray - I have you beat, I waited 3 months 13 days. But the dealer didn't promise any sooner.

    Loaner car - it is up to the dealership. However, at my dealership loaners are booked for about 2-3 weeks. So if you have an immediate need, your still out.

    Seat belts - I've had my car in the for the TSB seatbelt fix and my driver side retractor still makes noise. It's different now. It used to "click" now it makes kind of mild squeak (but not all the time). Should I keep taking it back? Are others having this problem and just living with it? If it weren't right at my left ear, I'd forget about it.
  • mr323mr323 Member Posts: 30
    Hello, All!

    I'm trying to decide how much of an issue to make of the following that has arisen in the course of trying to buy a BMW from a reputable SoCal dealer. (if you must know, it is a 325i with metal paint, leather, pp, xenons and rear bags; just about $33k).

    I ordered the car by phone on 15 March and was told they had a week 13 build available that would arrive here around 10 May. I used a credit card for a $1000 deposit on the car, which was to be ordered that weekend. I asked for the ordered sheet to be mailed, but it didn't arrive. In response to one email query I was told it was "on schedule." When I pushed, also by email, for the order sheet or a production number, I was given a number and told that the car will be built 12 April. It took about 2 weeks to get to this point, and the BMW site does show that production number scheduled to be built that day, but no specs are available online. The explanation for the delay amounts to "the car wasn't available."

    So, how concerned should I be? This isn't the straightest shooting I've ever encountered, nor the best level of information flow, so I sometimes think I should cancel the order. The dealer is out of state, so reliability and information will be important for me to schedule pickup etc. OTOH, I'm usually inclined to ride over the small bumps in life.

    I haven't yet received the credit card bill, let alone paid the deposit.

    What to do?

    Thanks!
  • hpmanhpman Member Posts: 33
    Has anyone heard what changes are coming for the 2003 3 series? Valvetronic... and if so, specifically what is that going to do to power (how much increase), efficiency, etc.?

    I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on a deal in the next few days and this is the last thing I want to consider before making a decision to buy now or hold out a little longer. It seems like I've been waiting my whole life to order this 330i, not that I really want another reason to have to wait any longer:-)

    Thanks!
    HPMan
  • stgreenstgreen Member Posts: 74
    i have the same drives side seatbelt problem: clicking noise in my left ear. i too took it in for fix and they 'lubed it' and basically
    m a y b e its a bit better, but it still clicks like all heck... guess ill give it another shot...

    stg
  • f1116f1116 Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know of a good BMW dealership around the Dallas, Tx area?
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    If you are looking to buy, I would recommend dealing with Garlyn Shelton BMW in Temple. They will give you the best price in the state, I believe. Ask for Jef Sims.
  • jonnyjjonnyj Member Posts: 15
    Is it me, or are the BMW leasing deals lousy these days?

    I priced out a lease on a loaded 330 yesterday, nothing down, 36 mo. 12 K / yr, and it was $660 / month. I think they've dropped the residuals down to 61%, which hurts, but their interest rate must also be pretty high.

    Looking at other things out there, this doesn't seem very competitive. Comments?
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