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Comments
postoak, in my case if a hole is drilled and a plug is used, I am afraid that if the they don't plug it right the water may lodge in the rocker panel and eventually corrode it. An alternative is to take it to a body shop and fill in the dent, then again they may not be able to match the color exactly. Neither one makes me feel comfortable so I have to get used to it for the time being.
Congratulations to all the new owners (you too Shipo!)
I've had my car eleven months to the day, and the experience has been nothing short of amazing. It's like my favorite suit: fits like a glove, can be worn all day and looks like a million bucks!
On Friday I had the chance to run with a Boxter and a 330 for a few miles on the 403/QEW. Light to moderate traffic, and I kept up with the Porsche fairly well, while the 330 dropped off. I've seen this particular car (the Porsche) a couple of times before and recognized it's distinctive crablike scuttle across lanes. I was pleased to be able to keep up and it made my day.
Off topic: Having explored several different career directions I could take, I've decided to continue the work I've done over the last few years developing brand and corporate identity for new and growing ventures...but on my own terms.
I have started my own marketing/design consultancy focusing on small to mid-sized businesses and their marketing isssues. I've always wanted to run my own business, but was never stable enough to make the leap...until now! So I'm going to give it a year and see if I can make it happen. I have nothing to lose at this time in my life (just had a birthday too, like others on this board), and a great deal to win.
Welcome to the ranks of the entrepreneur, having been self-employed since 1982, I can tell you from experience that it is the best way to work, provided you have the proper mind set, which it sounds like you do. Some days it’s “Franks and Beans”, other days, it’s Fillet Minion smothered in a green peppercorn Cognac “Au Poivre” sauce. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Entrepreneurship was always a goal and a path that I knew I'd take. It was just a matter of time. I can be bloody single-minded (stubborn perhaps?) about things so now that I've decided to go for it... LOL
Some days it's "Franks and Beans", other days, it's Fillet Minion smothered in a green peppercorn Cognac "Au Poivre" sauce.
I'm at the "Franks and Beans" stage and can live with it...it's only uphill from here.
I did have some really great food last weekend when I was in Montreal...fondue (Chinois and Swiss style), Tunisian, dim sum, tons of Moules, Saumon fumee, Escargot, Creme Brulee...not all at the same time of course.
Some yahoo in a pickup passes the car behind me and pulls up beside me with oncoming traffic. He pulls in behind me and starts tailgating. I tap my brakes and motion for him to back off. He flails his arms around at me in a not to pleasant manner. By this time, I'm getting pretty hot.
Finally, a break in traffic allows passing. I hesitate to see who is staying put. I start to pass in 3rd gear along with one pickup in front of me and the yahoo behind me. My temperament got the best of me as I passed the pickup passing with me with a car coming over the hill.
As I pulled back into my lane, I noticed I was doing 100 mph. I know I'm probably perpetuating the "jerk" BMW driver stereotype, but was a bit upset at the time. In a way, I'm glad I don't have a 330 since I would likely get myself into more trouble :-)
-murray
Yikes! That 150kmph is 93 of your stateside miles and 160 is 99 mph. This car just doesn't seem anything but stable and stately at that speed...agile too...well, maybe a little aggressive.
Can someone help with some questions
The climate control - do I have to manually turn on the AC to make it work at 72 on a hot day - the auto setting does not seem to make it cool
Waxing - the salesman strongly urged me not to wax it for the first 3 years, this dealership will wax it free every six months and he says I should not wax it at all in between
There does not seem to be a mode switch on the steering wheel for the audio controls at least not one that works - is that correct?
This board has been most helpful in helping me go the right way - BMW versus the Acura TL or the Infiniti G35 and I look forward to your answers.
Thanks
Soupie1955: 3 yrs without waxing? I would ask what kind of products the dealer uses, if in fact they do it for you. What would it hurt to do yourself anyway? But congratulations on your new car, btw. :-)
100mph: I've been too chicken to go that fast, what with concerns for my bodily safely, cops, & the fact that my motor seemed to be complaining. Exciting time ahead with the 325i.
do I have to manually turn on the AC to make it work at 72 on a hot day
Yes. It will remain "ON" the next time you start the car. I noticed this driving home from work realizing that the AC was on driving to work with temperatures in the 40's.
this dealership will wax it free every six months
I agree with vkw, ask the dealer what product and process they use to wax the car. Many here (myself included) are partial to Klasse All-in-One for it's ease of use and shine.
There does not seem to be a mode switch on the steering wheel for the audio controls at least not one that works - is that correct?
Yes, I believe that is correct.
-murray
Any opinions out there about a white 330 SP with black interior? Classic or plain?
colurs: hmm white on black i just built one in that combo on BMWUSA.COM fooling around, looks sharp.In Colorado it might blend into the Snow capped mountains
DL
I have a 318 with 16" tires which I swap for 15" winter tires for about half the year. I definitely prefer the look of the larger tires.
I think a white E46 is classic. If we didn't already have a white minivan, white may have won.
Incidentally, I didn't get to order this weekend. Family things and a whole lot of yard work did me in. I'm planning to take a half day off one day this week and get the dealing done.
One note - be sure to maintain the tire pressures at the levels recommended by your service manager.
BTW, we plan to be in your area this summer visiting our daughter at Ft. Huachuca.
Took delivery today in Santa Barbara and had a wonderful ride up 101 (along Pacific) then onto 154 (into the hills above SB--wine country). If the car is any better with SP (or with the 3.0, for that matter) I doubt that I could endure it. An absolutely joyous spin through the hills! (All below 4500 rpm and only briefly touching 80 mph.) As people say of good horses, it simply does what one asks of it.
So, bbell, the lesson I draw from this for your concern is that (1) maybe there is a guy thing to the SP (though I'm a 50 year old guy, so the testosterone tank is running low) and (2) it's a wonderful car that you will probably learn to love. So I would not swap out the wheels or trade in the car, but instead would establish a new feminity in 325SPs!
BTW, I live in Tempe but bought in Santa Barbara, and will probably hear about it when I take it in for service. I shopped around and they had a shot, so all's fair (in my book).
Best wishes,
Ed
PS Crusing up 101 I say a cherry red Mini Cooper with white roof tooling on down. My first sighting, and all too brief.
I have a 530 with 17 inch SP as well. During the winter months, I switched to a set of 16 inch snow tires, which did soften up the ride a bit. It wasn't so much the ride was much softer, but personally I noticed slower steering response, which is normal with a higher aspect ratio tires.
It was still tighter and stiffer than my friends 98 328i that has 15 inch tires and non-SP suspension.
Without really experiencing the ride yourself, it will be hard to judge what the result will be like. I would say try a non-SP model and see what it is like. Your car with a 16 inch tires will probably fall somewhere in between, but I'd say closer to SP than non-SP. While the 17 inch wheels will look great, if you cannot live with the ride everyday, then it would be worse than not having the car. It is a wonderful car and you should be able to really enjoy it without having a nagging thought in the back of your mind.
Best Regards,
Shipo
I dont know how you all can tame this car by driving speed limit. I am just always getting told off by my wife as she always has her eyes on my speedometer. She is more the cautious type, and her eyes light up when the "growl" takes over at higher rpms. It is nearly inpossible for me not to test 100 when I am on the NJTP heading for NYC (when it is safe ofcourse). I feel like I am at a standstill unless I am constantly pushing this car.
Here's the deal with 100 mph, unlike the wonderful/sexy/throaty/growly voice of the 325i, the 530i is so quiet that she would never have any reason to look at the speedo. When we were on the Autobahn, my wife was sitting relaxed, reading a magazine while I had the cruise control set at a "Buck and a Quarter". At one point, an S600 and a 911 blew by us at about 160, and she jumped a little, and said, "What was that?" "Ohhh, just a Porsche and a big Mercedes." "Hmmmm, how fast were they going?" "Fast!" ;-) Mrs. Shipo had no idea how fast we were going at the time. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
100 mph: One of the advantages of living out on the left coast is 80 mph is the norm on the HWY. I usually don't go upto 100 mph, but on those rare occasions, passengers have no idea how fast I'm going. It says a lot about the engineering that went into creating a 3-series.
Yesterday, on my way to Garbage concert, I noticed my side mirror not tilting on reverse. Not a big problem since I rarely parallel park. I'll have the dealer fix it when I take it in for the 30k service.
I'm guessing 3-4 times a year with the free maintenance, tire rotation, inspection, and other possible issues is how often my car will go to the shop.
SP vs Non SP: Drove my brother's 323i w/the SP tires on this weekend. Also drove it in April w/snows. Major difference in noise and road feedback (not necessarily the good kind - IMO). Not much difference in handling in normal driving (admittedly not driving at 9/10ths). IMHO, the tires have a MUCH bigger impact on ride quality (and obviously noise) than the suspension. MY ideal would be the SP suspension w/out the SP tires, but that is only available on 330's and coupes. For some reason, I'm really big on quiet these days, might be my three sons that made me that way.
bbell: I think you'll be very happy w/the SP seats, steering wheel, suspension and 16" HP all season tires. You just won't be able to keep up w/Brave at auto-x. And that male-female thing w/SP makes little sense, except that most women might not be able to talk themselves into the idea that the extra handling is worth the extra noise and harder ride.
We were driving home from Ontario (CA) at about 10:00 at night on the highway. We were adjusting the A/C (tho I'm not sure that caused this) and the dashboard went ape. My turn indicators would flash or sound inside, tho they worked outside. My bright and fog indicators wouldn't light, though the fogs and brights do work. My radio clock froze at 10:00 though the dash clock works fine. When I stopped the car, the flash and sound indicators for turning started up, even with the key out, ignition off, and turn stalk in the normal, non-blinky position.
When I started the car after getting gas, the seat belt light stayed on (started car first). I stopped the car, fastened my belt, THEN started the car, the light never came back on.
It is in for service, but was curious as to whether anybody has experienced anything remotely like this.
I have a loaner 99 328i (auto) and it seems like the new 2.5 has as much power as the old 2.8. Makes me wonder just how much get up and go the new 3.0 has. This loaner has no SP or PP. So I don't know if BMW has improved the quality of the E46 over the last 3 years or what, but my xi feels just so much more.... composed. My wife feels that the 328 we are driving is not as together as our 325xi. I feel unsure in this car going around curves. It leans a LOT more than ours. Again, it may be the age thing, but the overall quality of the E46 just seems to be so much more better. Thoughts?
As for the VIN number, check e46fanatics.com. They have a decoder. You can also check the BMW owner's circle and they can help you too.
-Paul
2. Try all-season tires on 17 inch rims which will soften the ride because they have softer walls. If that is still not good enough ==>
3. Go to 16 inch rims with all season tires (least preferred option)
I am willing to bet that lowering the tire pressure will solve the problem.
Is driving in reverse to the concert some sort of a Garbage ritual
If you have to swerve to avoid an accident at 75 mph, you'd be really happy you had the SP.
If you had to brake fast to avoid an accident, you'd be really happy you had the SP.
If your car started sliding or the back end came out in that curve that just tightened unexpectedly, you'd be in real pain because you did not get the SP.
Women have distinctly different preferences in cars than men. They typically go for the smallest engine available; most men go for the biggest engine available. They typically don't drive as aggressive as men (unlike guys, they have nothing to prove) and typically don't need the best handling car. Oh, and they like heated seat a lot more than guys do. What else, someone help me out here...
We are now in Chicago with a Mazda 626 rental, and though I drive at the same speeds, my wife is a bit happier because the hoarse, sore throat type noise of the 626 "does not quite give the racing effect of the 3er". Go figure.
Atleast I know that she will always make sure that we have a Bimmer in the family.
Also, your driving position makes a big difference in comfort as well. I had recently changed my driving position to more upright sitting (almost no lean in the back). It gave me a better control & overall feel of the car, but also gave me lower back pain. That is until I adjusted the lumbar support. Now I can drive for hours over crappy roads without any problems.
LOL! I just happened to notice it not working as I was backing out of my parking space. I know it was working after 15k service because I was showing it off to someone. I'm just not sure when it stopped working.
As for build quality/fit/finish, I did not notice any difference between the two cars at all, even though my car had something like 20,000 (well cared for) extra miles. Could it be that the 328iA that you are driving is simply a “Tired out old stable nag”?
Interesting item of note, while my 328i (non-SP) was not able to keep up with Brave1heart’s 325i SP in the twisties, it was a very capable car in its own right. True, it did lean more than the 325i, however, that can be directly attributed to the SP suspension and tires, not the fact that it was an early E46. The only time my 328i ever felt “un-composed”, was when I first took delivery of it, and the dealership had failed to remove the extra pressure from the tires that BMW uses during shipping, and during that time, it felt downright squirrelly.
Best Regards,
Shipo
You are probably right though. I'm NOT comparing like cars. I'm pretty sure this car was driven hard - bad ol' nag! It just doesn't have that quality I'd expect.
The low end acceleration is definitely there, so I have no doubts that it is a capable engine. I suspect it is just the automatic I'm not agreeing with. My preference. My wife even said, this car needs an automatic. I feel like I'm riding, instead of driving. She has a way of saying it so well.
I'm definitely a fan of the SP. The low body roll, the steering (wheel AND performance) and seats are definitely worth it to me. Too bad I couldn't drive YOUR 328 around while my xi is being serviced.
On another note, does anybody know the K&N part number for the 325xi air filter? I've looked at several sites, and they seem to indicate the the same filter will work in the 325i and 330i. Is this right? Does anybody have issue with using a K&N on the inline 6's?
-Paul
In answer to your question, the steering on my 530i does feel heavier than my 328i, not hugely so, but it is noticeable. As for why that is, I am guessing it could be for any/some/all of the following reasons:
1) Designed in heavier steering.
2) Wider tires, my 530i SP has 235 section width tires whereas my 328i (non-SP) was equipped with tires with a 205 section width.
3) Smaller diameter steering wheel, less “Arm” equates to a heavier feel.
4) Heavier car.
Regardless of the reason, I like the steering on my 530i more than I liked the steering on my 328i, and I had no complaints whatsoever about that one. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
I should have asked you how yours compared to Braveheart's retroed 325.
P.S. My wife doesn't really notice the super heavy feel. She thinks its great. What a stud!
While I'm certainly expecting this car to be reliable, it is naive to think that there will be NO warranty service during the life of the lease. I'm expecting one problem (hopefully very minor - and in the winter so that I can get a free wash!) per year. That is where I got the 4-5 service visits per year. A loaner sure would be nice.
PS: I have two appointments setup for tomorrow PM to negotiate my deal. I could sure use a little good mood mojo tomorrow to get it done.