BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

seivwrig

I guess if I had to move back home to the U.K.(God forbid). It would be hard to put me in an Econobox. Unless I got paid a ridiculously low wage, I would try to get a Jetta (Bora). I have driven in Euro with a 4-cyl (VW Passat)and 6-cyl (Ford Mondeo and my beloved 3er). I would rather have a 6-cyl anyday. Fuel economy is fine, but when it comes to fast response on mountain road and hard curves, most 4-cyl don't cut it. I can't see the purpose in a 520i. It looks fine but it is probably not suitable for towing a caravan and other European stuff. Some cars should stay in Europe because they would not make much sense in the U.S. Some cars that i would like to see in the U.S. are Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Rover and maybe Citroens. I would not like to see any Fiats, Renaults, Trabants, Smarts, Skodas, Ladas or any other piece of rubbish.

postoak

My salesman, Jef Sims, with Garlyn-Shelton BMW in Temple just called -- I've got a VIN! Now, can somebody direct to the info on how you decipher a VIN? What letters indicate the country of origin?

Jef sure is making it easy for me to buy out-of-town. I won't have to go to Temple until time to pick the car up and he has offered to deliver to me here! I don't think I'll take him up on that offer, though, as I've been looking forward to the highway ride back, getting reacquainted with the car.

He said that a number of you have contacted him and he appreciates it. Anybody tired of the attitude of these big-city dealers in Texas, give him a call at 254-771-0128.

Forgot to mention that earlier this week I got a nice little surprise package in the mail from BMW NA -- my gift was a nice pen with an internal light. It has the BMW logo and "European Delivery" written on it.

shipo

Funny you should mention Alfa Romeo, I just posted some wonderful pictures of an Alfa 156 that I shot in Paris. Assuming the mechanicals are up to snuff, this car would give the 3-Series and interesting challenge, if just on looks alone.

If you would like to see it, check out:

http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo and then click on the Parisian Cars album.

FWIW, I saw a black G35 sitting out in front of my BMW dealership today, ummm, ugh. To my eye, this car looks much worse in the "flesh" than it does in pictures.

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Over the past several months I have written several posts that documented the process by which I came to lease my new ED 530i. One of the issues was that the dealership that I leased my 328i from (Prestige in Ramsey, NJ, which with the following (and already corrected) exception, I have only the highest praise for) had promoted my salesman from 1998/1999 to a management level position; as such I was assigned a new salesman. Right from the very start, I had this creepy feeling about said new salesman, which I found to be incongruous with all of my previous visits to a BMW dealership, it was sort of like talking to a Ford salesman or something. Anyway, being a loyal customer, I visited this guy four times, trying to nail down a deal, and in the end, he simply said that he could not accommodate me.

With the lease end looming on my 328i, I needed to make a decision, so, I made a single phone call to Mike Weber over at Park Avenue BMW (201-843-7900), offered him a $1,500 over ED invoice deal on a new 530i, and he agreed. On the day that I visited Park Avenue to complete the ED paperwork, I noticed that old strange feeling again, and looking around, saw the guy from Prestige standing across the showroom. The hair on the back of my neck immediately stood up, this is just too weird. At the time, I just assumed that the two dealerships (about 15 miles apart) were just doing a vehicle swap or something, and that said salesman was simply there to pick up a car.

This morning, I finally dropped off my ex-328i at Park Avenue so that my ex-Leasing company could pick the car up and take it off to auction. On my way out, after completing the paperwork, I was walking through the Used Car Department, and who do you suppose I saw sitting at a desk? You got it, the salesman from Prestige (or should I say ex-Salesman). I have no idea whether he simply left of his own accord, or if he was asked to leave, however, regardless of what happened, he now appears to be working at Park Avenue.

As a side note, today when Mike Weber first saw the ex-Shipomobile, he checked the interior, walked slowly around the car once, gave it a good look, and then said, “Hmmm, maybe I will have to call your leasing company and see how much they want for this car, I think that we might buy it.” Given its history, this car is an easy candidate for a CPO certification, so, if the price is right (for Park Avenue to buy it that is), I may actually see my car sitting on the Park Avenue lot waiting for some lucky new owner to snap it up.

Best Regards,
Shipo

luongh

With the old generation car audio cd player, I realize that you can hurt the cd player by playing CD-R over a long period of time. Does the 2001 325i's cd player support CD-R. Thanks

tenet1

Nice pic shipo. Whats with the ugly rear lights?? Is BMW going after the altima/IS crowd?

seivwrig

Tenet1: I had made note of this on my posts that I made from Germany when I did my ED. In Europe, most new BMWs had white lights and no numbers on the back (I also saw this on some M-Bs). The compacts have the round honda/lexus style lights. I saw funky wings on the back of some cars. But I think we have to realise how many German tuners there are (Breyton, Hamann,Alpina(actually a manufacturer),AC Schintzer,etc...). The Europeans have a different option of what their cars should be. Karmann, Zender, and Cosworth have been doing this stuff for years. I think some of us are more purist then we want to believe. I saw my first Alpina 3er back in '86 and i personally have no problem with tuned European cars. The M3, C32 and S4 are essentially in-house tuned cars. They are probably more tasteful than a RUF Porsche or Alpina B10, but tuned none the less.

I don't think we will see the likes of the compact in the US but I think it could sell in the US, at least with the same crowd that would buy Civic, Integras and Sentra SE-Rs.

Shipo: My brother would create some drama everytime a 156 would pull along side of us. At that point, I would procede to drive faster. The 156 is gorgeous especially the hideaway door handles. Designwise, it is a very clean car. It is still trumped by the 3er and A4. Looks don't make a car, also Italian cars are not known for reliability.

shipo

I understand the reliability issue, Italian mechanicals have never had the greatest record, however, that car looks GOOD. ;-)

As for the "ti", on the surface, if I were 20 years younger, single and relatively affluent, I could easily see myself buying a 3xxti, expecially if I wanted to do a little weekend cone mashing. After all, one would think that if you take the basic goodness of the E46 sedan, put it on a diet by trimming some of the content and size of the car, a little track screemer might could well be the result. Hmmm, lets see, how about a 325ti weighing in at say 2,600 pounds with the Sport Package, sounds very tasty.

-POOF, Dream over!-

I was totally stunned to find out that the 325ti weighs a whopping 11 pounds less than the 325i! According to my calculations, here are the German weights for a few cars:

325ti -- 3,256 lbs.
325i -- 3,267 lbs.
330i -- 3,311 lbs.
530i -- 3,531 lbs.

So, like, what the hell is so "Compact" about the "ti" series?

Best Regards,
Shipo

dave330i

That's what the M Coupe is all about. Small, nimble, and fast.

nyccarguy

As much as I'd like to see the 3 Compact sold here in the US, it wouldn't be pitted against the Civic Si/RSX/Sentra Spec V/Focus SVT, but against the MB C230 Coupe and upcoming Audi A3. The HOT HATCH import crowd wouldn't be interested in a bare bones BMW with a wimpy 140 hp 4cyl or 184 hp 6cyl engine when their ____ Hot Hatch has almost as much stock Hp as the (presumably) more expensive 325ti and they can modify it to go faster (not what I think, but I can just see it now on the Acura/Honda/Nissan boards). Despite the build quality, excellent reliability, and well handling, many of the kids today into the import scene are into straight line drag racing & 1/4 mile times. They wouldn't appreciate the BMW for its superb handling and strong Inline 6 (on the 325) among its other superior qualities.

As for the Alfa-Romeo 156...From what I've read in CAR and other European publications, Alfa Romeo has come forward leaps and bounds in terms of build quality & reliability since the day it pulled out of the US market in 1995.

tenet1

I thought that the M coupe was the ugliest thing made by BMW until I saw a silver one on the GW Pkwy in N. VA. The guy was doing about 50mph in the right lane until I passed him. This car look SOOOO GOOOOD!!! With the twin tail pipes, and that amazingly sporty look, I think I began to drool.

Seeing my excitement, this guy pulls up next to me in my relatively wimply 325 (with a baby seat in the car, nonetheless) and just floors it. This M coupe was a spec on my windshield within seconds. I chased after him and was soon doing way way over speed limit weaving through trafic on the twisty sections of the parkway. We had quite a run together for about 7 minutes. What a blast this thing must be just judging by the way it moved.

I must say this my "most lusted after" vehicle now. Gotta wait till no baby seat is necessary, though.

seivwrig

Shipo: If you need any numbers on the 3er compact, I have the UK and German specs brochure for 2002. I would post the pics but I don't need any hassle from BMW AG.

The HOT Hatch crowd are an interesting bunch. Especially when you consider that you buy 120 to 150 HP hatch and try to double it at a costly price. It would seem that you cut to the chase and buy a WRX or the upcoming EVO VIII. I think some of those folks like the sound of the motorcycle sounding engine. The BMW compact or A3 is probably not their type. I love the Mini. I might have to post the photos of the MINI and C1 on my website. The price on the MINI cooper is too steep. This seems like the Miata frenzy revisited. I saw a used one with about 400 miles for almost $30. It was cute but I prefer my 3er.

dave330i

It does have the rear hatch area. I'm sure a baby seat will fit there. I hear the model will be discontinued after 2003.

tenet1

That is funny, Dave. Though I am sure that my kid wouldn't mind.

Discontinued!! That sucks!! They must have a replacement for it or something??

shipo

I just cheat; I go to www.bmw.com, and then pick a country to see "What's up". Sometimes I pick Great Britain, sometimes Germany, sometimes Spain, and even occasionally, Australia, just to see what the folks down under are “Down to”. Interesting item of note, the Australians cannot buy the 330i with a manual transmission, and with the exception of the M5, no 5-Series can be had with three pedals either.

Best Regards,
Shipo

vkwheels

My new car has been built and is now "Awaiting Transport". So it's somewhere between Munich and the port. It's pretty much on schedule.

bbell4

Tucson's awesome if you can deal with a bit of heat in the summer. You outta check it out!

shipo

If you are getting this information from the "Owners Circle", you may find that it is so far behind that your car is already on a ship. In my case, my car still shows "Awaiting Transport" here on 8-May, when the ship that my car is on left Bremerhaven back on 2-May!

Best Regards,
Shipo

brave1heart

It is gorgeous - I think it's right up there with the 3-series in terms of looks, maybe even more original. Two problems, though: FWD and V6 instead of in-line 6. Alfa claims that it's best FWD in the world. As far as reliability, I've also read that Fiat/Alfa have gone a long way in the past decade.

I am sold on the looks of the M coupe and although I've never driven one, I am sure it will be a lot more fun to drive than the 3-series. The M engine is probably too much power for that chassis - I'd be more than happy with the 3.0 ltr engine. You give up a lot of practicality, though.

nyccarguy

I don't like the looks of the M Coupe 1 bit (I think the Z3 3.0 Coupe is even worse). I'd take a 3 series anyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Supposedly (from what I've read, obviously I've never driven one) even though the Alfa 156 is FWD, it does not have FWD handling characteristics, it doesn't understeer, no torque steer, and can actually be pushed to over steer.

nyccarguy

I have sat in both the M Coupe & M Roadster and have nothing but delightful things to say about their interiors nor do I have a beef with the way they drive (I believe Motor Trend picked the M Coupe as its favorite M Car out of them all). I really just don't like the looks of them.

brave1heart

... to handle better than the M roadster because of its superior structural rigidity. I too thought it was butt-ugly at first but every time I saw one, I just couldn't take my eyes off of it. "I love to drive and I don't follow the herd and I could care less about what everyone else thinks of my car" - that's the image M coupe owners project and they win my respect for it!!

seivwrig

When you talk about the FIAT stable (FIAT, LANCIA, ALFA ROMEO) reliability has not been their strong suit even though they have made some very stylish cars over the years. My preference for Italian cars has always gone in this order Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Lambo farm equipment and Fiats. I think the Italian and French have the same mindset when comes to cars, form over function. I don't think an italian car will ever be better than BMW. I don't care how many shades of red that an Italian car come in. If I had to pick between a Porsche GT4 and a Ferrari GTO(last version), I'd take the Porsche. Or BMW M5 over Ferrari 400i(what a joke). If it was not for Bertone or Pinanfarina(sp?) some italian car companies would not stand a chance.

kominsky

Personally, I think it looks like a big hightop sneaker on wheels... that said, I'd love to have one taking up some of my garage floor space. ;-)

seivwrig

I'd pass on the M coupe. It looks like a jack'd over Aston Martin DB5.

stokdgs

I traded in my black '01 325I for an "02 titanium Silver/black M Coupe end of last year. Loved the 325I for what it was, style-wise, driving wise, mileage, handling, etc.., drove BOTH vehicles the same round trip from Northern Calif to Texas and back. The 325I never made me feel tired, I could drive the 1150 miles straight through to Tuscon and not even feel tired.
In my M Coupe, I drove the same route and got out of that ROCKET, feeling like I was now back in the earth's gravity. The ride and absolute power at any speed including 5th was just amazing.. Ask those 2 guys in their modified Posche 928's what they tried to keep up with going over the Grapevine on I-5 South... It drives pretty darn close and sounds like a race car, is not going to win the most stylish award compared to the 3 and 5 Series, etc., but for what it does to your adrenaline, and the fact that you almost NEVER see yourself going down the road, I am glad to have it in my garage.. The '02 M3 S54 motor in that light a vehicle is what sold me and I have no regrets.. I will always have one BMW or another from here on out.. Its not for everyone, that is a definite, but it works great for me !
DanF

postoak

Well no one answered my earlier question on interpreting the VIN so I had to find the answer myself. We all know Edmund's search engine is not very good so I didn't even bother looking for the information here. I found an excellent breakdown of the VIN at the E46 fanatics site:

http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/faqs.php

This is a really good faq with lots of stuff of interest to BMW newbies.

My VIN indicates that my bimmer will be Munich built. That's cool, that means that I will actually be touring the factory where it was built.

genie1

There's something addictively intoxicating about the M coupe.

I didn't like it on paper...but when I saw my first one in motion...grrowl! It's an amazing exotic creature...moving with a feline grace and power...sigh

The G35 I spotted yesterday...a rear end only a mother could love. (I do believe it surpasses the new 7 series in this category).

I did also spot an impeccably maintained 80's 325 convertible, red with black leather interior, plate: Beemer1

Shipo: your car pics look fabulous...I bet you can't wait to get it Stateside.

If anyone is still considering polymers over wax...I still don't recommend Zaino (due to the multi-layer procedure) but am wholly convinced of the benefits of using polymers over waxes. I looked at a friend's freshly waxed two-week old Jetta and could see the dust sticking to the surface. It reminded me of last summer when the same problem drove me crazy...however dust doesn't stick to the polymer and that's a good thing in my book.

mitchs3

Coming off a Volvo s70-GLT, here is my $0.02. Seats slightly better in Volvo, I have the non-sport seats, as more adjustments possible. Stereo clearly better in the Volvo compared to the HK system..How could this web site rate the HK among the top? At moderately high volumes, distortion and speaker rattle/rumble are the rule. However, the 330i is orders of magnitude more fun to drive than the Volvo!!!This is why I made the move..
Also the little storage compartment below the climate control door jammed and my dealer replaced it with a swing out tray. He tells my the door has been changed and not available. I now have a draw type tray that slides out with hinge on the bottom as opposed to top hinge fold up door. Is he right or did they order and install the wrong part?

1pierce

Volvo is to seating what BMW is to suspensions, and Lexus is to quiet. There is a magic formula somewhere that nobody in the world can duplicate. Every year I go to the local autoshow and sit in many cars,...and every year, I nearly melt into the driver's seat of the Volvos, even the S40. I'm afraid it will never be the same for you.

As for the stereo, I'm 100% with you. I find the base system in the 3-series to be nearly awful by luxury car standards. I've listened to the HK, and still find it to be quite inferior to the Bose system (w/only six speakers) in my Maxima (but much better than the base system). I like my high notes very defined at high volume, and my unscientific method of evaluation is that if I have to turn the trebble all the way up to suit my ear, then the system doesn't have enough range for me. This was the case with the HK. I could live with it, though, unlike the base system. Speaking of superior by orders of magnitude,...I listened to the Bose system in my boss' A6, and it was awesome. I am test driving an A4 this week, and I am hopeful that the Bose system offered in that car is equally as good.

Can't help you with the storage door, but the Audi dealer I am visiting also sells BMW's, so I'll ask about it if I think of it and report back.

yalesom

Does anyone know if MACO is a legitimate fee that a dealer must pay to BMW? A dealer told me that in addition to the invoice price, he has to pay a MACO fee of $330 which he must pass on to me. Thoughts on this, anyone?

gurumike

I had an Alpine White/Kyalami Orange 2000 M Coupe for a year. Every moment behind the wheel of that car was an adventure. And the hard tops handling was super rigid. If you can, lease one for a few years. You can always change it for a sedan again if you don't like it.

shipo

So, I complain about the stupid BEEP BEEP of the banner ads here on town hall, and I get un-subscribed from the 3-Series discussion. Maybe just a coincidence.

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Thanks, and yup! The ship hits New York Harbor next Wednesday.

Best Regards,
Shipo

brave1heart

I might go the same route if I were single and had no kids ;o)

ddblue

Most Wanted Vehicles 2002:

Entry-Luxury Sedan -- Under $40,000 BMW 3 Series
Midsize Luxury Sedan -- Over $30,000 BMW 5 Series
Luxury Station Wagon -- Over $30,000 BMW 5 Series
Sport Luxury Coupe -- Over $30,000 BMW 330Ci
Sports Car -- Over $30,000 BMW M3
Convertible -- Over $30,000 BMW 3 Series

brave1heart

I might go the same route if I were single and had no kids ;o)

tenet1

nyccarguy

I got unsubscribed too!

What do you all think of the idea of having the 325ti as a US spec car only available through European Delivery (at first)? Maybe if enough inquiries and purchases/leases were made, BMWUSA would bring us the 325ti. Just a thought!

dave330i

I got my raffle form yesterday. Not quite sure which color M3 I want.

nyccarguy

Imola Red/Black Leather

dave330i

It seems I've lost all my sedan subscriptions as well.

nyccarguy: nice choice. I like the M cloth insert better than all leather.

nyccarguy

I'm sure you would, you'd probably want the car with a Stick and nothing else. I know weight and options bother you on a magnificent car like the M3.

stokdgs

Gentlemen: Thanks for the responses ! I posted extensively back in the year 2000 before I bought the 325i and a little after, and have been gone for awhile. Good to see your and the other regulars still on, giving us all great feedback and help..
There are times when I wish I still had the 325i for the space, etc., but a single person does not need 3 vehicles.
If you ever get an opportunity, I would try to at least take an M coupe or even a Z3 3.0 out for a test drive. I test drove them all, the Z3 2.5, 3.0, M Roadster,and the M Coupe. All are great fun but not practical for alot of needs. I see alot of Z3's in California with tops down, so the style must be appealing to alot of people.. Any of them always seem to catch my eye whenever I happen across one..
A great toy to have someday when the kids are all grown, eh??
You guys,gals are all awesome!! Thanks for letting me post here !
DanF

brave1heart

Did you decide what tires you are going to replace the Contis with? I thought I was going to get the Bridgestone RE730's which have very good overall ratings. The S03's will only come out to be <$100 more and have top ratings in nearly all categories, so I may end up getting those instead. Anyone else that would like to chime in on this, please do. My Contis with 18.5K miles on them have ~ 3 mm left on the outside grooves and I have lost about 5 miles through corners lately.

dave330i

Something like that. There's no price difference between the M cloth insert vs. all leather. I slide around too much with all leather. Only option I want is the xenons, and maybe the 19" tires.

brave1heart: My current plan is to replace my Contis with Kumho 712s. S03 are considered by many to be the best street tires, but I'm not sure about tread life. I've got a friend who used to ride on S02, but he got tired of replacing his tires every 8k miles.

tcn2k

Mitchis3 - About the compartment, mine was sticky so my sales order me the one like yours. Apparently there are two types of draws. It takes some getting use to but i love it. I put my sunglass in that compartment and it works great! My bmw dealer said if i don't like it in the week, bring it back and he will put the other compartment in for me. It has been 3 months and i love this compartment. Much more practical.

Dunde - I filled up my car couple of days ago, weather been cold here lately, and in the morining, the car start just FINE. So it must be the gas at that particular station.

dl7265

After seeing a review of the Alfa 156 about a year ago on Autoweek on speedvision, i belive it was i am sold. The last rumor i heard was a possible return to the US in 2005, but i guess we will wait and see.

Brave: Are you wanting a AS or Summer tire ? with all seasons i choose the Yoko AVS DB and could not be hapier. However at 9/10 i can see a little sacrifice from the Sport Brigstones my 323i Sport came with. That said i have a 320 treadwear over the 140 the Turanzas had....

Good luck
DL

brave1heart

I have decided to get summer tires. Honestly, if I weren't planning on tracking my car, I would have gone with all-seasons because they are half the price per mile, ride better, and eliminate the need for snow tires in most areas of the country. That said, I've seen the difference that tires make on the track and I am not ready to go tracking with all-seasons. One thing I'd really miss is the fast turn-in and responsiveness that you get from the stiffer walls of summer tires.

silverprincess

Have you considered Michelin Pilot Sports? They're only $32 more than the S03's. I have 10k miles on my 99 323 SP Manual and couldn't be happier. (Plus, they look so aggressive!) The handling in wet and dry are amazing, and they're very quiet.