BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

dc_75

First of all, you are right about this forum. I have been on other boards (namely Lexus IS, Acura CL and even Audi A4) while researching cars and I have to tell you, some posters get downright hostile and narrow-minded. :-) They don't realize to each their own and that we are lucky to have a plethora of fantastic vehicles offering whatever you might be looking for in a car/truck.

Actually, I was the one who posted about French cars in response to Carguy about the Bimmer clutch. Like you said it, I did note that the bimmer clutch does get smoother with much spirited driving. It only starts to get difficult during lower-speeds in-town stop-n-go puttering. I guess these babies were designed to run and get cranky if you don't stretch their legs right. BTW I, too adore french cars. Those French makers sure know a thing or two about balancing ride and handling, the suspension on them are sweeeet. Too bad about build quality. I too wished they make a return stateside. The 306 is a sweet litte car and some models even come with 6 speed and sport suspension. Also the 106 and 406 are way sweeet. I enjoy citroens too, had great recollections flogging a ZX volcane 5dr hatch through some nice roads. Would you believe that little econo-car has a passive rear steering system. When you are mid-corner and loading the rear up, the back gives in and turns the rear wheels 1/2 to 2 degrees (opposite, I think) and you feel your cornering line gets tighter. You can even dial in a little oversteer (throttle off) quite smoothly all this with a nice raspy exhaust note to boot. I am digressing.

Its all good to me. I can only commit in June/July anyways, just finalizing some finances from a property sale. This car will be my first big-ticket purchase and I would like it to be peeeerfect. :-) I wouldn't mind not getting a lot off from sticker (dealers are not too generous anyways, as it is) for a little more content in the MY2002 models, IMO. I mean, following the mid-year comp'ing of goodies like fog lights and cruise, maybe this is clearing the way for a little bit more, though I am not expecting thaaat much. So its not really the cosmetics that concerns me, well maybe just a little bit :-). Like I mentioned, I wouldn't mind those halo lights (funny name as they look more diabolical to me :-) and I imagine barreling down the left lane with gusto and those evil eyes glaring forth would surely make it easier to clear a nice path. *sigh*

btw what is the part number for the BMW Euro Plate Frame mentioned in earlier posts. I am making notes and would like the dealer to throw these into whatever deal I strike up and have them installed, together with a center arm rest at delivery. Interested in getting a real or faux euro tag to give my soon (very soon *cross fingers*) to be purchase a I-just-took-a-wrong-turn-off-the-autobahn look everybody clamors for.

dc_75

Was the Edmunds long-termer under comp scheduled maintenance? I am not quite sure.

mikesm6

I love my M6 clutch, but it is a really stout item! The E 30 325is is nearly perfect, but the E46's I have driven are awful! Unfortunately, after almost eleven BMWs, I am leaving for a 2002 Subaru WRX 5 sp AWD wagon! BMW refused to answer or acknowledge my many requests to build a (E46) M 3 Touring, or bring the 330iT to the USA! The E 34 M5 Touring was way popular in Europe ( I think 55% of either German or European E 34 M 5s were Tourings). So, I am voting with my feet (and checkbook)!
I would encourage anyone looking at the 325iT to drive this little, sweet (227hp/217lbft/3000 lb), rather ugly thing! M

alpine325i

I share the same feeling that Brave1heart does about this forum, one of the most intelligent 3 series board, talking about BMWs over beer, and losing sleep. I always look foward to new messages when I wake up and before I go to bed, even when I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, addictive. The FAQ on the E46fanatics.com is awesome. I forced myself to stay awake last night just to read all about the audio conversions with the new E46 if you decide to add aftermarket components. My local car audio store probably knows all about these conversions because they all own BMW's, but I printed this stuff out just in case before I let them install my new system. Tons of great info on that site!

jamesf5

tcn2k, Thats great, and good to hear about the steering. Guess your going to "deal" with getting yours ealier than expected also.

carguy5000

I looked at one with a very critical (believe it or not) eye yesterday at the NY Auto Show and walked away wanting to drive one. It is a really impressive package, but a little on the "tinny" side. The 4 door that I looked at had an msrp of just over $28k and no leather. Little steep for a SueBee.

jhox85

Does anybody know if the 300 BMW have the smoked glass option? They come in handy during the hot summer time in my area.

Karen_S

Having an BMW 3-series Owners Club does not mean you will be forced to abandon this discussion! It will always remain here in Sedans. In a club folder, you can have specific discussions for maintenance, accessories, future models, member chat, photo gallery, etc. PLUS, the possibility of perhaps one day having a BMW Community Page. Take a look at Edmunds.com Subaru Community Page as an example.

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bmwvadriver

I purchased a BMW 325i manual in February of this year. I love the car, and haven't had anything significantly wrong with it. One annoyance, however, is the brake pedal. For some reason, it seems noticeably (although slightly) to catch on something when I depress it. The catch makes an audible, almost single clicking noice. Has anyone else experienced this? I tried to schedule a service call with BMW of Arlington, Virginia to have the car looked at. Despite their assurances that someone would promptly respond to the service request, it's now been 4 days.

Thanks for any insight.

uofmich1

Ok guys, heres a warnings for you. I ordered my 325 on feb 27, the car was produced and passed inspection on march 16... and guess what, it has been sitting at the port in South Africa ever since!!!! The status is still "awaiting transport" with no word on when that will be. Essentially, if you plan on getting your order before the next model comes out, REFUSE S.A. built cars! Ive personally decided that I will never order a S.A. car again, at least until they get thier heads out of thier a??es. So even if BMW claims S.A. cars are built to German standards, thier delivery and management of these ports is PATHETIC. Ive lost quite a bit of respect for BMW because of this.

gocham

I was just trying to find out if I'm getting a good deal on the car and if I can get a better one. It's my first time buying a car over $20K and I'm a little nervous about it.

brave1heart

dc_75 - I LOVE those halo lights on the 5-series -they look friendly (I'm watching out for you, buddy) and evil (don't mess up with me) at the same time. Most of all, they are just beautiful!!! I hear 'ya, if you have to wait till July and esp. if you are not getting more than $500 or so off on '01 models, it's worth looking at the new model year. They won't be cheaper or have a lot more standard options, though. BTW, I'm putting no money down for my 325i, I'd rather borrow at 5.9% from BMWNA and invest my money (nasd will hit 2900 before year-end, that's 40% from here).

mikesm6 - the WRX is a great choice, can't hold it against you even if I wanted to. You know they're bringing more powerful models to the U.S. in the future, right? I value your BMW experience but just curious - what is it in particular that you didn't like about the E46 clutch? To me it engages almost as geracefully as the '98 Carrera 911 that I rented once for a day, only not as hard and it is not attached to the floor.

bmwvadriver - I had a clicking noise like that on my Jetta VR6. It happened after I slammed on the brakes and clutch to avoid a Sunday driver leisurly crossing an intersection in the middle of a red light once. I slammed on the brakes so hard, my leg muscles were sore for a week. So I started getting a clicking noise from the brake pedal (sounded a little like a coil was out of place or something). I had it looked at - it was some kind of a brake bracket that I'd twisted and it < $80 to fix it.
+++

gocham

I was just trying to find out if I'm getting a good deal on the car and if I can get a better one. It's my first time buying a car over $20K and I'm a little nervous about it.

errickson

Greetings All:
If ANYONE has opinions / thoughts / preferences, etc for one of these vehicles over the other ....please post them!!!!

I may have an opportunity to pick up the 2000 328I for well under NADA. PLEASE provide your valud input. Thank you!!!!!

dc_75

brave1heart: Thank you for your vote of confidence in my rationalization. I will love to invest the outlay for the 325Ci I'm looking at, but I do not think I qualify for the 5.9%. Like I said, I am lending myself the money and making payments every month into may money market or fund or something, I haven't decided. Will welcome suggestions though...:-)

Glad you like those halo lights, they make the car stand out...makes me giggle just to look at them...with awe of course. :-)

mikesm6: Never had the pleasure to have sampled the M6 (beautiful car IMO) but I think the E46 clutch is representative of earlier models IMO, if not a little lighter and smoother. Applaud your choice of the WRX wagon and also your admiration of the M5 touring. Luxury Sport Wagons are so popular in Europe as they have a different image i.e. a more upscale, lord-of-the-manor, professional active lifestyle air to it vs. soccer-mom/dad here in the US, no doubt spoiled by Domestic whale boats last seen in the Chevy Caprice/Buick Roadmaster and similar??? Actually a wagon, makes sense. The influx in the number of SUV drivers are just people in denial. :-) The WRX is one awesome car though, can you imagine an STi version but as I researched it (I considered if prior to a 325Ci) I fear its a little rambunctious for me and its purpose (while very effective) is rather narrow in scope...i.e. back road dirt road devil. Maybe if they launch a souped up Legacy sedan/wagon like the one in Japan, I might bite. :-)

alpine325i: I stumbled upon e46fanatics.com last night too...and stayed up most of the night. I thought the audio applications section might appeal to you. Never been into DIYs especially in an electronically complex auto like a bimmer, but that site showed how easy installation of the alarm, and to a certain extent the hard-wiring of detectors is...great way to save.

uofmich1: sorry to hear about your delay. Having read numerous posts about s.africa v. german assembled bimmers, I agree with you that though theres no difference in quality, the inefficiencies in delivery is justification enough to specify german 325is.....btw is the Ci also assembled in S.A....i remembered reading that on 325 sedans are assembled in SA, the Xis and 330s in Germany.

Actually, for a long time lurker content in the dark, this site IS getting addictive...I can't stop posting...let me know whenI get annoying, ok? :-)

tcn2k

dc_75
325i are built both in SA and Munich Germany.
The rest of the series are in Germany. Xi's are all made in germans.

bmwvadriver

I had no idea that any BMWs were produced in South Africa. Wow, that's a wakeup call. I need to check whether mine was produced there, and I'll be bummed if it were. Are a majority of the 325s sold in the U.S. produced in Germany?

Thanks brave1heart for the info. on your Jetta brake pedal. I don't recall slamming on the brakes ever as hard as you, but I'm sure something similar is causing the brake to catch. I'll have it looked at.

carguy5000

More importantly than the obvious differences....why can you get such a good deal on that specific 2000? Just as these cars are in demand brand new, the same is true for used. Before jumping in, have the car run through BMW's Cray SuperComputer to see if the specimen has any long stories to tell in its short life. Also, how is it equipped? Roof, leather etc? And what about the color? For starters make sure it is all one color. Often times, as I might have stated differently in the past, the "selling price" and the "deal" can be two separate items.

dc_75

brave1heart: Thank you for your vote of confidence in my rationalization. I will love to invest the outlay for the 325Ci I'm looking at, but I do not think I qualify for the 5.9%. Like I said, I am lending myself the money and making payments every month into may money market or fund or something, I haven't decided. Will welcome suggestions though...:-)

Glad you like those halo lights, they make the car stand out...makes me giggle just to look at them...with awe of course. :-)

mikesm6: Never had the pleasure to have sampled the M6 (beautiful car IMO) but I think the E46 clutch is representative of earlier models IMO, if not a little lighter and smoother. Applaud your choice of the WRX wagon and also your admiration of the M5 touring. Luxury Sport Wagons are so popular in Europe as they have a different image i.e. a more upscale, lord-of-the-manor, professional active lifestyle air to it vs. soccer-mom/dad here in the US, no doubt spoiled by Domestic whale boats last seen in the Chevy Caprice/Buick Roadmaster and similar??? Actually a wagon, makes sense. The influx in the number of SUV drivers are just people in denial. :-) The WRX is one awesome car though, can you imagine an STi version but as I researched it (I considered if prior to a 325Ci) I fear its a little rambunctious for me and its purpose (while very effective) is rather narrow in scope...i.e. back road dirt road devil. Maybe if they launch a souped up Legacy sedan/wagon like the one in Japan, I might bite. :-)

alpine325i: I stumbled upon e46fanatics.com last night too...and stayed up most of the night. I thought the audio applications section might appeal to you. Never been into DIYs especially in an electronically complex auto like a bimmer, but that site showed how easy installation of the alarm, and to a certain extent the hard-wiring of detectors is...great way to save.

uofmich1: sorry to hear about your delay. Having read numerous posts about s.africa v. german assembled bimmers, I agree with you that though theres no difference in quality, the inefficiencies in delivery is justification enough to specify german 325is.....btw is the Ci also assembled in S.A....i remembered reading that on 325 sedans are assembled in SA, the Xis and 330s in Germany.

Actually, for a long time lurker content in the dark, this site IS getting addictive...I can't stop posting...let me know whenI get annoying, ok? :-)

brave1heart

I just got off the phone with BMWNA (Michael) and he confirmed that any 3-series produced on and after April 1 will have the steering column from the '00 and '99 models. My car was finished on April 2 (the first working day of April) and will have the heavier, tighter steering from older models (platypus, take notes). You never know till you get the car in your hands but that's the official stance from BMWNA and it's good enough for me. BTW, BMWNA has been a much better source than my dealer and none of them have been as good a source as you, guys! Retrofits are offered on 3-series produced before 1/1/01; after that date, they had a fix from BMW that was in between the old and new setups and retrofits they told me are not offered on those. I'm happy as a clam! I beat the clock by a few hours. Eeeeee-ha! Is it weekend time yet?
+++

jhdevoy

Went to sign the papers for my car yesterday (I pick it up in about 1 hr), and found my monthly lease payment had dropped $60 due to higher residuals and lower interest rates courtesy of my buddy Al G. Just to let you know, 3 yr 36k lease resid is 64%, with 65% for 3yr 30k. Those are pretty good residual values for any car... When I ordered the car in February, monthly payment was going to be $630 pre tax, now my monthly payment is $630 after tax (Mass tax is 5%), and I got an alarm installed too. That works for me!

Can't wait to burn up Storrow Drive on the way home (which means a blazing 35mph at rush hour)

JD

brave1heart

I'm actually enjoying your writing style and thought process, so you won't bore me, that's for sure. 'Whale boats' - I hadn't heard this one before - I'm laughing as I'm writing this. I've been to the Whaling Museum in Nantucket, Mass and I have a very good visual idea of your 'Whale boat' comparison.

errickson - NADA is a joke. Between me and Mrs., I've sold about 4 cars in the past and NADA is typically about 15% overstated. Best source by a long shot (in my experience) has been right here at edmunds.com. The price I've been getting in the private market for used cars has been between the trade-in and private deal prices that they calculate after you enter the car parameters. The third price you get is retail - that should be a very good approximation of what the dealership should be charging for a used car. I'm always very suspicious of cars that are < 2 years old and are for sale. There is never a good reason to sell a good car like that - typically it's been into an accident or something and I'd certainly go for a new car or a 3-4 year old car.
+++

dc_75

brave1heart: you're much too kind sir, much too kind. Once again, I appreciate your approval.

My only regret is that I am not able to contribute e46 specific and ownership info/experiences....not quite yet!!. So I fear, I may not be providing this forum much service IMO.
But I am happy to be throwing my pennies (my 2 cents' worth) all around and getting this fine forum rolling along.

WRT steering racks retrofit...did they install new units or remanufactured ones on your car. I faintly recall reading somewhere about remanufactured (not that there is anything wrong) sterring racks on the retrofits. To be honest with you I have never driven the 325/330 just the 323/328 with the 'traditional' steering racks. How 'bad' were the new racks anyhow? Nevertheless, I'm happy you got the retrofit, let us know how it works out.

I probably do not have to go through the concern about steering racks if I go with the 2002s or even with the last batches of the 2001.5...thats good I gather.

Still no news on the 2002s...still surfing for details...would appreciate links/add info about the MY2002 from this forum. I'm all excited thinking about it. :-)

Thank you everyone

kominsky

According to Aaron at BMW NA, the interim changes went into production on 1/16/01. Again, my car was built on 1/12/01 and I'm on "the list". If they did do anything after 1/1/01 but before my car was built, it was worthless...

hkiliccote

$2000 over Euro Delivery Invoice for a MY2002 325 ci convertible? (October 2001 delivery)

tcn2k

Now when they say build, do they mean the time of the car production, or when the car was finished being produced? Mine was finished on 4/11 but i do know when it was started, i think sometime before that. I think roughly about a week to a week and a half. So when bmw refer to this time frame, are these time frame considered before or after the cars production?

Also, when bmw say your car production date is, say 4/1, is this the date it went into production that is embeded in your cars sticker, or the date after production. Thus when getting your car fixed between such production dates, which one applies?

muscle1

Anyone have thermostat problems on 01's? I and 2 others were in today for Service engine soon warning that turned out to be thermostat.

bmwow

Guys,

A belated thanks for the info on Joern Esser's number! I'm still trying to get my deposit back from the local dealer but (incredibly) I'll still come out substantially ahead, even if I have to eat the $.

Platypus, another question for you - did Joern send you anything confirming the quotes - in other words, what was the process - what did you get before you gave him a deposit? I liked him a lot too - a very decent guy. I'm just nervous since it's out of state and want to know what/how much written 'assurance' I should be getting on the pricing before I plunk down (another) deposit...

Also, where did you get the $2380 discrepancy between US and ED from? : "The Euro MSRP on this car is $2380 less, or $35,180."

I thought it was $1890 (base price US: $26990- base price ED: $25100). If I'm wrong, I'm paying $490 more than I should be... please help me confirm!

Also, I wasn't quoted this: "My dealer does not add any additional charges such as MACO advertising, or excessive documentation fees."
According to Joern, MACO is $200, and US delivery will be $1700 over (US) invoice, not $1400 as for ED. I agree w/you on processing fees though- only $25. Did you actually explore us delivery and did he say no maco/extra dealer profit would be added?

As I'm stuck flying to Munich in the height of summer season if I want to get the car w/$1400 over, I'd love to find out if I can negotiate the $1700 w/him instead. Please let me know if he told you the prices as quoted from above - I'd really appreciate it! (we're signing on Monday, so anything you have to add before/by then would really help me out a lot.

Thanks to all again!!

pat

Hi from Edmunds.com's PR Department.

A journalist from one of the country's largest newspapers has asked us for help finding consumers who recently purchased a Lexus L430, Mercedes C class or BMW 3 series after considering a more expensive vehicle, or anyone who recently considered purchasing a luxury vehicle, but decided not to because of the economy.

If you fit this description and care to share your story, please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com and/or rpopely@tribune.com with your e-mail, phone number, city and state of residence, and a brief description of your experience. The journalist promises to keep you identity hidden at your request.

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kominsky

I found a web page with a small write up by someone who got the steering 'fix' done to his 330Ci. Pretty nice BMW page in general.

http://www.bmwnation.com/home.html

for steering write up, click on 'articles' then 'steer me right: the e46 steering fix'

adam68

Ordered my 325 CI on April 1. Any ideas on how long of a wait I have in front of me? Status as of now is still "on order"...

Thanks

jhdevoy

Well, I've had a lot of discussions on this board about buying versus leasing, and Sport Package versus not and "i versus xi" and the bottom line is this: BUY OR LEASE, BEG OR STEAL, OVER OR UNDER MSRP, JUST GET IN THAT "FN" CAR.

I finally drove home in my 330xi last night and I really don't want to do anything else but drive it. It is the bomb. So many people tried to talk me into the Volvo S60 T6 and the Lexus whatever and the Acura whatever. They may be great cars, I haven't even tried them out, but I can't imagine how any car could be better then the one I got. Here is the bottom line -

"i versus xi" I ordered the xi as I live in New England and felt it would be better in the snow. Then I saw numerous posts about how few days it actually snows, and how much slower the car is from 0-60 and I really second guessed myself. Now that I have the car and see how unbelievable it is on dry pavement in the spring, I'm very happy I got the all wheel drive. My point is this, it has exceed my expectations by so much without yet having to use the AWD, that I'm happy I'll have it available this winter. I wouldn't change a thing.

"sport package" I saw posts that the sport seats are hard to get in and out of, that you bump yourself on the way in. I didn't test drive the sport seats, and I pictured a five-foot obstruction blocking my way into the car. The seats are DYNAMITE! I am 6' 1'', which is not huge, but I have plenty of room in the driver's seat, and I LOVE the sport steering wheel. Also, even though the "xi" comes with all season tires, they are about the lowest profile all-seasons that I have ever seen, and they are perfect for the Northeast.

"night driving" could the cockpit be any cooler at night? The subtle orange glow which emanates from every conceivable instrument in the panel is really a sight to see when driving on a dark road at night.

"steel gray" - somewhat like the orient blue in that it changes color depending on the light, but I absolutely love it.

"Harman Kardon" - there is a button to press to turn the HK system on. Let me put it this way, without the HK the system hurts, with the HK it's still not that great. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty good and I couldn't imagine not having the HK, but I would recommend not getting the upgrade and putting in a good system, if you are a true audiophile. However, the car could come with a mono 8-track and it wouldn't take away from the zen experience of driving it!

Heated seats - this is my first car with heated seats and I will never go back!

Steptronic - again I second guessed myself after seeing posts about how inferior automatics are to standards. If this is true, the clutch must be pure heaven, because I love the steptronic. I don't like the manual mode, but the regular automatic and sport modes are awesome. The only downside is that my wife can drive an automatic!

When I picked up my car, the heiress to the Mennen fortune was picking up her brand new M3, the third production car sent to the East Coast. She got a black on black, and it looked great. She ordered it 2 years ago, so don't complain about a 10 week wait! However, there was no jealousy aroused as I was COMPLETELY happy with my 330. Don't get me wrong, I would have traded with her! Also, the CEO of CMGI was picking up his armor plated 7-series. He let me feel the inch thick glass and feel the weight of the door. $107 grand, and I was just as happy with mine.

negatives- there is no place to store a radar detector or even a CD. There is absolutely NO cargo space in the cockpit. The manual alone fills the glovey, can't even smash 2 CDs in there. Once again, I can live with it!

unboringuy

Sounds like you are in heaven! I had mine for 6 hours, then it overheated. Long story short, I'm waiting for my new 330xi to be delivered. I expect it will be another 6-8 weeks. I agree with everything you said. However, I'm driving a 1999 automatic as a loaner, and I really miss the manual. It shifts as smooth as butter.

I have a CD wallet storage case that holds 20 CDs, and it fits very easily in the cargo area at the bottom of each door!

Happy driving!

dcwong1

Does anybody know if any of the Chicagoland BMW dealers give discounts to CCA members? I'm nearing my first inspection @ 30K and can't wait for the first tuneup, which I have heard cost more than $400.

mrpeltyn

Greetings...I have a few questions about purchase decisions, and hope you forum participants can help! I had a deal on the table a few weeks ago that was GREAT, but I was told that the car that the dealer was trying to locate for me was sold right before he could claim it. This effectively killed the deal because he said it would be a minimum of 30 days to get another car the same. Thus, I went shopping and negotiating pretty hard around other places. Who thinks this is as good a deal as I do? 325i with Premium & Sport, Titanium Silver, Black Leather, In-Dash CD, and Automatic for $33,150...including Mats and and 5.9% financing...Also, can someone please tell me whether the 4th year of scheduled maintenance and the extended warranty make good sense, and how much I should be able to purchase them for?? Thanks very much!

jk26

I am going in this week to order my car. I need some clarification though on a few things. Once we negotiate a price and have them draw up the order to have it made, will I have to figure out the financing at that time? Or do I just put $500 down to secure the order and then give them a down payment when the car arrives? I've never bought a new car before and have never gone through a dealer for the financing. I will be putting down a large down payment though and don't know if that will affect the price we negotiate. Thanks for the help.

jk

holeinone

It seems to me that platypus was comparing the ED pricing for the 330i and you were comparing for the 325i, at least the $$$ speaks exactly that...

jdlana

I ordered a steel blue 325xi on April 2, due the end of June. I went with the automatic (my wife can't use a manual and neither of us have any interest in her trying to learn on this car). According to the BMW literature, the automatic loses 1.2 seconds in the 0 to 60 time, to 8.8 seconds. I test drove the 325i automatic, (no AWD's were available), with a published time of 8.1 seconds, and it had plenty of punch. Can any 325xi automatic owners share their impressions of the car's acceleration?

jimbres

Enjoyed your post. You picked a terrific car. BMW's steel grey is rich & deep; no one does this color better.

What color did you choose for the interior?

kv007

jk26: you should only have to put the $500 down now and everything else can be decided after the car arrives. i will probably lease, but i negotiated the price w/the dealer and it didn't make any difference to him whether i bought w/straight cash, financed, leased, how much i put down, etc (he gave me $1500 over invoice, which i think is the best price i was going to get anyway). a large down payment could i suppose impact the deal you get but again, didn't seem like that'd make a difference to my dealer.

i take that back a little though because if you want to finance or lease and lock in current rates, you need to start that paperwork now. for example 330 sedan leases are very attractive until april 30 -- these rates can be locked in for 60 days so as long as your car arrives before jun 30 or thereabouts you can use it. let me know what happens...

what kind of car are you looking at?

kv007

thanks for the informative post.

i just ordered a 330xi orient blue/black similar to how you've equipped it and had some of the same second thoughts about awd, sport seats, harmon kardon, etc. just me driving though, so i got a stick.

steel grey is a fantastic color... thought about it a lot.

also, to add - i went back and forth w/the nav system option and ultimately decided to go for it. not real popular (well, bmw has some issues -- cd v. dvd, etc.) but i drove a friend's 528 w/nav last week for a few days around central north jersey and it saved me about 3 hours over 2 days. it got me out of so many traffic jams and it even has all those stupid jughandles and traffic circles that new jersey is famous for clearly marked. i think it's a great option for someone who travels a lot (salespeople) or someone who has family members who gets lost easily (since bmw enthusiasts never get lost!)

kv007

i just ordered a 330xi w/nav so i need to put a cd changer in...aftermarket seems the way to go, hate to pay bmw $850 for a changer that everyone else sells for $300...

alpine-you seem to be the resident philadelphia expert on audio, know any good car audio people in the area to put one in?

i've never done anything aftermarket to a car audio, anyone have any thoughts of stuff to watch out for. i'm leasing the car so i don't want to mess it up.

mikesm6

Hey thanks, Y'all! I got the Euro del invoice stuff from my son who is taking a 5 sp 330i spt/lux in early June in Munchen and spending June on the Spanish Riviera! BTW, my BMW clutches have included '86 325 es, '87 325is, '88 M-5, '88 M 6 (still drive @ 49K mi),'90 325 is(still drive at 74K+), son Mark's '95 M 3. BTW, the Euro del price of Mark's 330i is about $5K off MSRP, but the car has spt/lux options (WH/red), etc.
The Subaru Silver WRX 5sp wagon (227hp/217lbft tor) was $ 500 off MSRP ($22,995.)here in DFW where there are some REX cars still on the lots - can't break the truck/SUV habit here!
Also, if you buy a Euro del car without a quote from Joerg Esser @ Passport BMW in MD, you are burning $$'s! M

jk26

I'm ordering a 325i, titanium silver, either black or grey interior, PP, auto, heated seats, cd player. As far as the financing, I had heard that it is best not to tell the sales person how much you will put down before you settle on a price b/c they will be less willing to negotiate if it is a big down payment. Who knows if that is true or not. Thanks for the help though! Let me know if you have an opinion between the black or grey interior. I will post what I get for a deal this week.

jk

mikesm6

If you can't afford to pay cash, consider a home equity loan (tax deductable) or H/O line of credit, and pay cash with that. Otherwise, be upfront with them: i.e. ask them before you sign anything. They are businesspersons, and they are your servants - everything is negotiable, but it helps if you have an eight figure net worth, lol!
M

wailea

I have a '01 325i. After starting it up, I can hear a mid pitched buzzing/whining tone (kind of like those orange street lights when they first come on at night but not that loud) when I stand outside the car. This sound is not discernible from the inside of the car.

I could swear that I a read a post a couple of months back talking about this but I just can not seem to find it. Has anybody out there noticed this similar sound?

mikesm6

Quite frankly, I think anyone buying a BMW without a sport package should consider a MB or Lexus. The sports seats (and rest of the suspension) were std on the M cars and the E 30 es/is, and were more than worth the sport pack $800. MSRP charge on my daughter's '93 325is (she now has '98 328is spt wheels and tires on that car). M

mikesm6

Be sure your starter is not still engaged @ the foward (start) key position. Sometimes the key sticks! M

brave1heart

mikesm6 - good call on the Sport Package, I think it's totally worth the money. If I had to choose one and only one option on my 325i, that would be the Sport Package. BTW, do you know if the brakes are the same size with the SP? Does anyone know the brand of tires that the 325i with SP comes with? I could only find the size of rims and tires. I think they are Bridgestone Potenzas but not sure.
I talked to a guy with a '00 323i SP at the golf courses Sat morning. He said the ultra high performance tires that come standard with the SP were bad in snow but he could still get around with them even in the most severe winter conditions, just as long as you are careful. This is not what P. Beddard is claiming in C&D's May edition (p. 24), so I'm willing to try and see how it goes with the SP next winter. Oddly enough, though, the 323i guy said that sometimes he had to turn off the ESP in snow so the car would keep going; the ESP doesn't like the tires spinning but sometimes that's the only way to advance in snow with the summer tires. In either case, the SP would be worth the money just for the seats and the M suspension, IMO.
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brave1heart

It's important to keep in mind that to the dealer, all deals are cash. They do not finance you directly, that's all done by a finance company/bank or whatever but the dealer always gets cash before they release the car. So obviously, how much you are willing to put down would have no impact whatsoever on the car price negotiation. If I were a dealer and you didn't seem like you'd be able to afford the car, though, I may not be willing to spend too much time with you, so looking like you've got the money doesn't hurt. As far as financing, in my experience, I've always found the best deals on the Internet (E-Loan and PeopleFirst Finance). You get approval in a matter of minutes, it's hassle-free and their customer service is great (better so with PeopleFirst). Just keep in mind that they are looking for a minimum of 700 on you FICO score and if you've never financed a car in your life, chances are you'll have a score < 700. You can find your FICO score through just about any major credit agency. With the prime coming down so much, I think the new car finance rates are down to below 7% by now, so even if BMWNA doesn't extend the 5.9% deal past April 30, you'll still do all right in the open market. Just don't pay cash for the car, that's about the stupidest thing you can do credit history and return on investment-wise. Just my 2 cents.
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