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Comments
Jean
Thanks, I think my eyesight has improved since I took delivery. ;-)
Jean7of9,
I use Klasse All-In-One followed by Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze, on both the paint and the wheels.
Best Regards,
Shipo
A few words of advice if you drop off in Amsterdam...Harms is no longer in the office on BMW's list, they are one floor up...for the last 2 years they tell me! My drive was long enough to get it past the 1500 mile break-in point, and yes the car will do 130 on the Autobahn. It was amazing to me how safe a 95mph cruise can be on the Autobahn, a really natural speed if you ask me. It also seemed to me that the Italians only have a speed limit in theory. I was lapped more often on the Autostrada than the Autobahn. Also interesting to ask who the Italians give tickets to; it will certainly be whatever country the person you are talking to is from! I saw no police my entire drive.
Other advice/observations: I'd not seen any posts talking about the small towns and country roads in Northern Italy. I passed through to Switzerland after driving up along the coast of Lake Como. Beautiful, but it was absolutely hair raising to drive your new ride through those towns, where there seems to be only enough room for two Mini's to pass between the buildings and up comes an enormous truck from the other direction. I also think it was just a much fun (just different) driving through the switchbacks of the Alps as driving the Autobahn. I learned just how far I can go into a corner, but think I would have taken better advantage if I'd had taken one of the BMW driving classes first. Food in the Ligurian Riveria (West of Genova) was excellent, and a great place to go if you want an adventure (no one spoke English). Paying for gas in Europe has got to be a shock for most people, unless you originally drove an SUV here in the States. I did 1669 miles and paid dearly, abuot $4 per gallon. The new ride averaged a little over 27 mpg even while cruising in the 85-95 mph range and taking on about 7 hours of mountain driving. The car seems to have better average fuel economy while crusing 80 mph rather than 55, anyone with similar experience?
Hotel report.
Lugano, Switzerland, De La Paix, 240 CH Francs, approx. 160 Euro. Great location a street off the lake. Nice parking lot for the first day. About 5 hours from Munich. I certainly wouldn't conside driving further than that.
Varazze, Italy, Hotel Eden. Best place yet, I had business in Genova and my hosts paid! Schwangau, Germany (around Neuschwanstein castle), Hotel Maximilian, 55 Euro! Excellent staff (especially after not hearing English for a few days). Good food, and decent parking on the street. In the middle of a residential neighborhood and close enough to walk to the castle (but you'll drive anyway). This would probably have been a better first stop, only about 1.5 hours from Munchen.
Berlin, Germany, Berlin Hilton, 150 Euro (weekend). Adequate staff, free breakfast, but the best parking in Berlin, where you really don't want to leave your new ride on the street! Great town to visit though. Much greener than anyone would ever expect, lot's of parks.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, Le Meridian, 200 Euro. Good friendly staff (except for the snotty French waiter who seemed taken aback by a pair of shorts in his restaurant). Food was excellent though and made it worth it to find a little spider in my glass of wine, a nice attitude changer for the waiter. Nice parking lot and a great section of town. You could really screw up in that city, as other have posted, don't drive around there. no free breakfast.
Best car I've ever driven...and please don't tell me about the Sport Package or the 330..why spoil a good thing?
I plan to check out the Hotel Maximilian! One last question, what interior did you order?
I understand that part of Star Wars Episode II (the draggy romantic part in the middle (!) ) was filmed on located in North Italy -- on Lake Como perhaps?
I still notice how the fuel economy is excellent about 70 mph. This is contrary to what the EPA wants to tell you. City driving uses more fuel, so this should be fuel to increase the speed limits in states with pollution problems.
I feel the need for some driving classes. I will probably take advantage of some of the local BMWCCA's safety classes.
The only thing about the Maximilian is that they don't take charge cards (at least that's what they told me). But the cost is almost as much as the cab fare and it is a real nice place.
I got the leatherette in sand and am quite pleased with the look and feel. I'm sure people will mistake it for leather.
postoak: I was in Northern Italy for all of one full day, left Lugano on Thursday morning (2.5 hours to Genoa, unless Milano's traffic would have been better), and left the next morning for Neuschwanstein.
The dropoff point in Amsterdam is near the airport and no it's not really on any tourist maps I could find. If you go to mapquest you can get the street and BMW's map will then make sense to you. It is off the A-9 I think and just one exit after getting on from the A-10. Le Meridian is in the Apollolaan, right near the RAI convention center. It is due south of the city and very near to the University. It's a 10 minute cab ride to the airport and about 25 Euro.
I'd say all three cities (towns really) are close to the castle with Schwangau the farthest away, but still only 2km. It is a really small area. Schwangau is more residential (people actually building new private homes in the area, that's a whole nother story), and Fuessen is really very touristy. There were a few nice places within walking distance of one another and the lake. My only complaint was that I had a very tight schedule and need to be in Berlin that evening. So when I went to the castle I discovered that you need a tour ticket and they set the exact time. I got there at 9AM and the earliest English tour was 10:15, I just didn't have time to go in, but I did see it. I'd really spend a few days if you could. There is a German travel website with castle hotels that you can get by typing Neuschwanstein into a search engine (I have it bookmarked at work, sorry). The process is strange since a travel company is booking it for you, you have to fax back confirmation, but it worked fine. Lot's of cool hotels there, I liked the Ruebesal too, but it was full.
The end of Episode II might have been Lake Como, but to tell you the truth, I was really looking at the road since it was so small! It would have been better with someone elseto navigate and a little more time. The lake really is beautiful, but Lugano is Switzerland is a little less crowded and they are more likely to speak English. Part of the area actually speaks Romanshe, the 4th official language of Switzerland.
seivwrig: I like your ideas on the speed limit. My major observation about driving differences is that you really have to keep an eye out for faster cars in Europe, but here in the States you worry a lot more about fast trucks! The trucks there are very well behaved. The driving classes would be a cool way to get the most out of the car. I was hesitant because by previous cars could not corner as well and I drive and SUV right now; no comparison!
Enjoy your trips, take someone you like with you!
My favorite part of the MINI: The wheels are at the corners of the car--I love it.
Taking soverypoorfamily to drive a Mini S today, instead. Sure would have liked to drive up to the Mini dealer in my shiny new 330i.
To the group, thank you for letting me vent my trials/tribulations/excitement and meaningless drivel. It's unhealthy for one to keep such angst bottled up inside and soverypoorwife is so very sick of hearing it. She's endured it these past 10 weeks, after all. Y'all are my personal 12-step program. "Hello, my name is Paul and I am a BMW addict."
Anyway, off to the Mini dealer in a feeble effort to pass the time. Maybe I'll try and sleep the rest of the weekend. Wake up Monday morning...
Hey, look, it's already 11:35 a.m. I've already killed just about half a day. A day and a half to go.
14889 (14282) -- Info on costs of buying the parts.
14895 (14288) -- A brief list of the required tools and other items to make for an easy brake job.
14913 (14306) -- A step by stem description of the brake job, as best as I could remember it 3 days after the fact.
Once again, use the number that is not in parenthesis for the “Go To”, the number in the parenthesis is the one that you will see when you get to the post.
I hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Shipo
I did the entire car, including the windows and wheels. Of course, it has yet to be tested in a storm, but it seems that the acrylic shield will hold up great. It was a bit tough on the windows--getting the haze and swirls complete buffed out--but much easier than wiping off rain-x.
I've already recommended Klasse to my brother and two friends today. What a slave to commercialism I am!
I believe one of the twelve steps is apologizing to any cars you have offended in the past. Please feel free to exclude any cars with the letter "G" and/or the number "35" from that list.
My dealer didn't know our cars had been off-loaded yet so I have no idea when mine might arrive. I'm having trouble getting on to Owner's Circle for some reason so I can't get a date there either. I'm just sitting back biding my time and trying to finish this school year (I teach 3rd grade). I'm looking forward to a trip planned for Victoria, B.C. to caddie for my nephew who is on the Canadian Golf Tour in late June so I'm hoping to get the ButMyWifeMobile before then.
Again, congrats and let us know your soveryfirst impressions.
ButMyWife
Thanks!
From your explanation, the radio's amplifier is the only part used by AM, FM and tape. When you say it works just fine after you initially turn it on, my guess is that the amplifier stage malfunctions after it warms up (which might explain why you mentioned some variation with the weather/temperature).
I don't think the malfunction had anything to do with lightning. It you did experience an electrical discharge, I would expect your radios to be "fried" and not work at all.
There is one incentive though for BMW to make a change prior to releasing the next 3-Series, and that is to the engine. With the advent of the G35, the 3-Series is finally meeting with some very creditable competition, both on a price basis and a performance basis. BMW has been working on a fully dynamic valve train for its I6 engines (they have already completed that work for their I4 engines), and that development could (in theory) lead to higher HP ratings (like to the tune of ~215 for the 2.5 liter engine and ~270 for the 3.0 liter engine). Time will tell.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Ok, I bit, I had to ask. I looked over to a big burley security guard who was watching me very closely and said, “Can I come in and have a closer look?”
He just stood there with his thick arms crossed over his barrel chest, and his legs spread in a wide stance and said, “Sure, just as long as you don’t cross the tape.”
“How did these other folks get in this area?”
“They were invited.”
“How do I get an invitation?”
The guard then motioned to another gentleman and said, “Ask him.”
The other gentleman then walked up to me, who by the way, I had noticed watching me when I opened up my car, and said, “You want an invitation?” And then with a big grin on his face, “Do you have your first born and the title of your house with you? Our client has a very specific list of people who they want here. Do you have any idea what we are doing here?”
“Well, my guess is that you are trying to get public feedback on how well the as yet unreleased Infiniti G35 Coupe stacks up against its competition, specifically the BMW 3-Series. By the way, are these cars equipped with the 6-Speed or an Automatic?”
“Hmmm, shrewd observation, however, that is another problem. You see, Infiniti is very particular about who gets invited to these events, so much so, that they have hired the security firm to police us as much as the folks who happen to be milling around outside the tape, like you. Another problem is that you don’t fit the profile even remotely for the type of person that Infiniti wants here. By the way, they have automatic transmissions, that should tell you something about who they want here.”
“Excuse me? I would think that folks like me would have very valuable opinions regarding how well executed their car was.”
“Look, I happen to agree with you, I have an 840i and an M6 at home, so, we are singing from the same page of the hymnal, so to speak. The problem is that they want ‘Milk Toast’, totally unremarkable, everyday run of the mill Americans for this analysis. Enthusiasts need not apply.”
I was stunned, could it be that Infiniti is actually afraid of what the enthusiast might have to say about their new car? Unfortunately, I had to go and fetch my kids from school; so I couldn’t stick around longer and talk with this guy, who obviously knew more than he was saying.
Anyway, as for my impressions of the exterior look of the G35 coupe, to me it looks like a slightly enlarge version of the new Nissan “Z”, which isn’t a bad thing, if you like that look, which I personally do not.
Best Regards,
Shipo
It has a whole lot of detail (2 1/2 inches thick) -- I could not go it justice with just a few examples. For maintenance, it shows where the drain-oil access port is on some cars (if you don't have a pump to suck oil from the filler tube). It tells you how to gain access door panels, accessory areas or where to find stuff (if you pull a trailer, where to look for the lighting cable bundle in the trunk). It has a section on brake replacement and other user-friendly maintenance. However, it also contains "heavy" stuff like how to pull the engine, a list of all diagnostic codes and what was being monitored to produce the code.
Technology includes information such as pictures of the variable value timing mechanism, the fact that climate control has a "sun" sensor staring through the defroster grill and exploded views of the engine, transmission and differential.
I think the manual is very worth its cost from both an information and maintenance point of view. I use it as much to determine if I have the ability and inclination (how much do I want to disturb) to do a job as learning how to do it. But take into account that you are hearing from a person who still has the maintenance manual for my 1972 BMW2002 which was traded a long time ago.
My BMW dealer really wants to please and certainly knows how to gain access to the radio in the dash. I'm sure they will be on the high side of cost but that extra cost may be worth it if installation is done right the first time (your time) with no damage to your radio/temperature control panel.
However, I'm sure there are a lot of competent audio or independent car shops (not large discount stores) who will cost less and do as good a job. Try to find a shop which is recommended by your friends or someone on this board (i.e. what city are you near).
vkwheels: Thanks for the Klasse info. We're heading over to Irvine MINI today. Didn't get there yesterday. We'll keep an eye out for you while in OC. But first to properautocare.com...
Mfeldman: Since I don't have any constructive ideas for getting the stain out, I suggest the following:
1. Don't let your wife ride in the car unless she is wearing older clothes.
2. Buy seat covers that match your wife's new dress colors.
3. Tell your wife you are going to buy her "The Ultimate Drying Machine" and a year's supply of color guard for Christmas.
Hope this helps!
ButMyWife
Try this at your own risk. I take no responsibility for possible minor damage. I really don't think it'll hurt though. Try a quick wipe with 100% Ethanol. Be sure to get it off, as soon as the stain is removed, to prevent harming of the leather. Different solvents have different properties... some basic chemistry from college, and med school. Let me know if it works. I may have other suggestions...
Jeff
fwiw, i always replace my car when the radio starts to go bad...
the amp is shot, is my guess... what i'd do is buy a decent head unit and install that, if it's really that bad... bypass all the existing stuff...
-Chris
As for radios, I was getting ready to replace the radio in my Civic for my daughter with an Alpine that is XM ready. The shop is the one the BMW dealer here recommends for aftermarket stuff. That got me thinking, XM in the xi. Clear digital radio - coast to coast.
Here's what I'm thinking, and I'd really appreciate feedback. Is the stock radio in the 3 series xm capable? My guess is NO, but I want to ask anyway.
Alpine and Pioneer make universal xm receivers that work using a frequency on the radio (89.1 I think). We also want to add a small amp to get a bit more juice going to the speakers. Are these speakers HK even in the base stereo? I was told yes, but I'm not sure.
Here's my proposed configuration:
Kicker amp under 1 seat
Alpine or Pioneer XM unit under other seat (or behind dash if possible)
Factory head unit
Factory speakers
Would it be worth my while to swap out the speakers? I would go with Stillwater Designs Kicker units here too.
Anybody else have the XM in their 3? I'm curious as to sound, any feedback/buzzing issues, and how they configured it (replace head unit or not). Does anybody make a replacement stereo for the 3 that looks fairly stock? I like the cleanliness of the factory unit, but want great sound. Also, anybody mounted the antennas for XM? What kind did you get and how did it mount?
Sorry for all the questions, but if I'm going to spend some cash for this upgrade, I want it to be great. I also want to minimize how much the shop goes into the car cuz I don't want to introduce rattles or have things coming loose.
-Paul
increasing your "juice to the speakers" probably isn't going to improve your sound, and will probably make it only worse, as the speakers are designed to work with the power levels from the stock system... actually, (not knowing a whole lot about e46 wiring), my bet is that you would have quite a difficult time "fitting" in the amp into the system...
hate to tell you this, but if you want "great", you are going to have to spend some serious cabbage... start thinking at about 2k and then go from there...
your best bet to improve your sound and spend less than 1k is to do the speaker upgrade and get the xm... this is a good case of "more power isn't always better"...
for more info on upgrades, you can email me if you like... i can tell you what i did to my e36 and what my options were...
-Chris
Yeah, I think that Nissan is in fact going to partially compete with itself. Of course, I would rather lose sales to my self that to another company, so; maybe they are not so dumb after all. ;-)
Chris,
Thanks, it drives GREAT, and given that my 328i did not enjoy the benefits of the SP upgrade and my 530i does, it is both faster and handles better than the 328i. Oh, and it is way more luxurious too. ;-)
ErickPl,
Hehe, just lucky I guess. ;-)
Oddly enough, I brought my FinePix in today just incase they were running the program again. Yup! I managed to snap two shots before I got my hind parts “Run-off” with some rather severe words by a different person (the guy in the blue shirt) than I talked with last Friday. In case you are interested, I posted the pictures over on my Yahoo! album area at http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo in the album titled “G35 Coupe”.
FWIW, I re-posted my discussion on the “G35 vs. 330i” and “G35 vs. 530i” topics over in the “Sedan Comparisons” area, and took a little heat from one member (bjbird2), who posted that “Shipo was full of shi*o”, or some such remark. Oh well, I guess there are still those who deny the Holocaust as well. :-(
Best Regards,
Shipo
I find it amazing that people can be so blinded by their opinions, especially about cars. Many, including us I guess, are so one tracked - BMW, Infiniti, GM, etc that anything else is pointless to consider, let alone talk about.
It's people like that that really grate on me.
-Paul
FYI, that other car was an Acura, probably the 3.2 CL.
-Paul
My mom seems to be suffering from buyer's remorse. For the most part she really likes her 02 Audi A6 3.0Q, but thinks it is a little too big and she doesn't like the insanely light (read Lincoln Navigatoresq) steering. She thinks she should have gone with a 330Xi afterall. Oh well, maybe when her lease is up I can convince my parents to get an ED 330Xi for their next car (I'll of course volunteer to pick the car up in Europe).
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD