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Comments
what colin says is correct... service history is a must... if the oil changes/inspections have been done on a regular basis, that's a good sign... but i'd still spend a hundred bucks or so and get it checked out real good... you don't want to buy one of these and realize that you need to drop a new engine in it 6 months later...
at 100k, you are looking at some wear part replacements... probably struts and ball joints, brakes if they haven't been done (and yes, you gotta replace the rotors at the same time as the pads)... belts... water pump (although that SHOULD have been done)... the darned plastic thermostat housing... probably an o2 sensor... muffler is probably reaching the "shot" phase... if automatic transmission, it might be approaching the "rebuild" stage (maybe/maybe not, conflicting information on this one with 3ers)... if it's a 318, make sure the profile gasket has been replaced (when did they "fix" that issue div?)... various other things will have reached the wear stage (like in my example of the fan clutch)...
of course, all of the above would pretty much hold for any used car with 100k and 10 years on it...
as far as "routine" maintenance for 12-15k per year... you are looking at an oil change and an inspection about once a year... if you do it at the dealer, around 100 for the "oil service" and around 300 for inspection 1 or 5-600 for inspection ii... less if you can find a good independent to do the work (again, NOT joe at the corner garage)...
does that help?
-Chris
1) when you say "belts" what belts are you talking about? i thought they dont have timing belts but timing chains(im not a mechanic so i might be wrong)
2)howcome it only needs one oil change per year?do they use synthetic or what?
3)when is the inspection I necessary and when is the inspection II necessary? and whats the difference between these 2.
thats pretty much it for now :-)
btw im looking for a manual so the rebuilding wont be a problem hopefully.
Oil change every 5000 miles
Inspection I every 15000 miles
Inspection II every 30000 miles
Inspection I includes an oil change, plus inspection of other fluid levels, belts, lights, airbags, brakes, fuel system, exhaust, doors, transmission, change HVAC filter, etc.
Inspection II includes all of Inspection I, plus new fluids*, new fuel filter, new air filter, new spark plugs, etc.
* Except for brake fluid, which is replaced every 2 years, and coolant, which is replaced every 3 years.
These engines do have timing chains, so "belt" refers to the belts that drive various accessories (alternator, AC compressor, etc.).
Eric
Inspection II every 30000 miles
so if were looking at a car with lets say 100k miles that just had an inspection 2 performed on it.
inspection wise the next inspection I will be at 115k ?
what about inspection II? will that be at 130k (that is 15 k after Inspection I) or at 30k after the Inspection I(which would be at 145k) ?
please clarify this for me
yes, next inspection would be inspection i at 115k... inspection ii would be at 130k...
that's about my schedule eric, ever since i crossed the 100k mark... change the oil halfway on the si lights... especially since most of my driving now is 5 miles at a time...
-Chris
ps. thanks div...
Also, my privious car was a 2001 325 sedan with 20,000 miles on it. It seems like the 2002 330ci (7,000 miles) is so much loader in engine noise than the 2001 330ci (26,000 miles)i test drove and my old 325.. i know the 330 has 40 more ponies but would that make such a big difference since the 2001 seemed quieter? maybe it's just my imagination...did they change anything in the engine from 2001-2002?
Also, does anyone know if Goodyear Eagles All season tires are any better than those crappy Continental touring tires they usually put on the car?
thanx again guys and i'll keep you posted when i pick up the car on weds. the 6th.
See reply 19936 on this forum for comments by bmw323is on this topic. Bavarian Autosport has this product listed on their website,
I am thinking about this option as well, but haven't shopped around for the best prices.
Steve
Probably the best ultra-high perf. all-season tire is the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. Tirerack.com tested it vs the regular summer performance Pilot Sport, and in general the A/S did about 85% of the dry performance. That's roughly equal to a mid to lower-mid pack summer performance tire. Not bad for an all season tire. The downside is it's very expensive. Some say the regular Pilot Sport tramlines more than the Contis, don't know about the A/S version.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/mi_pilot_sports.jsp
-- Joe
JP
I believe Consumer Reports opinion of that year was agreed with my experience.
I would get a later year model if I were you.
If so, here's the link...
http://e46fanatics.com/faq/rizzo.html
JP
can you give me some more info on this? like how many miles did it have when you bought it, when did you get it, for how much, what problems did you have, was it 2 dr or 4dr? auto or manual? why was it constantly in the shop?
more info would be appreciated.
I bought the car (from a BMW dealer) with only 19,000 miles on it. It was a 5-speed, 4 door. I don't remember what I paid. It was 8 years ago.
The biggest repair was the complete replacement of the transmission not too long after I bought it. It would slip out of 1st gear on takeoff. It was replaced under warranty.
Over the next year and a half, there were just a lot of small problems - both electrical and with the body hardware. Like I said before, the interior door panels started coming apart, the drivers door handle came apart, electrical glitches with the on-board computer, the front windshield defrost never worked effectively, drivers heated seat failed, etc. I'm sure there is more that I've forgotten.
The car never left me stranded, but when the warranty expired I traded it. It was fun to drive. Probably more fun than my 2002 325i.
I would get a later model year if I were you. 1992 was the first year for that body style. Also, I believe BMW did something in 1994 (or so) that increased the torque rating on the 325i's engine. You might want to do some research and get one with the improved motor.
Good luck.
My best advice is to get some references if you are picky. I wasn't satisfied with my first installation, so I made them redo it. I'm not completely happy with the second one either. On dark cars with the oddly shaped BMW E46 hood, it is difficult to get a perfect installation.
thanks
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15128
I saw the G35 coupe at the auto show this weekend. I had high expectations and I was let down. I think the car looks much better on pictures than it does in reality. The rear bumper is extremely bulky; the headlights are too fashionable for my taste; the dual exhaust is much too big and approaches grapefruit launcher territory; the interior is OK IMO but it looks much too techno for my taste with all that excessive brushed aluminum. Everything else about the car seems great - fresh new styling, pretty clean lines; great handling, braking, and acceleration. The car is a huge bargain for the money but it still has to prove itself in the market. Infiniti has done a great job here and it will probably take some of BMW's market share. Competition is all good news for consumers!
if im not mistaken i dont think they changed anything for 2003. so it should be pretty much the same as the one your friend has(depending on the options).
I am looking at the BMW 3 series, Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70 convertibles to choose from. I like a smooth ride and nice plush leather seats (as I am 6'2" and my wife is tall also (5'10") and we are both long legged, so we need leg room.
We are looking at probly a year old one, as that is more in my price range. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I subscribe to the other town hall discussions, but cant find the bmw 3 series convertibles discussion.
Even though the S-03s are new, wet traction is far superior to the broken in Contis.
-Colin
It does help some, but it can also hurt because you now have more mass that you need to start & stop.
Generally speaking, if the basic weight distribution is "bad" (IMO, less than 40% on the drive wheels), its worth carrying the extra weight over the drive wheels.
Nevertheless, I generally carry some sand or kitty litter anyway, from a "get unstuck" traction aid device, regardless of what the vehicle is.
-hh
Not coupes, but I formerly owned a G35 sedan and now have a 330i SP 5-speed. Had to get rid of the G35 because I have arthitis and the G35 seating position hurt me on long drives.
The G35 is a great car, and anybody interested in this market segment (coupe or sedan) should test drive the G35. It has tremendous power, braking, interior room (sedan), and very good handling. You really got a lot of bang for your buck. I especially liked the ride/handling tradeoff on my G35 sedan. It was relatively smooth, yet still handled very well. By contrast my 330i SP can be somewhat choppy on certain roads.
The G35 steering had a good sense of "straight ahead", making it a good highway car. My 330i on certain road surfaces tends to "hunt" or wonder a little, requiring more correction.
That said, the 330i handles better at about 8/10ths and above. Pushed really hard, the 330i always tells you the situation -- no surprises. By contrast when pushed hard, my G35 sometimes scared me, although at 8/10ths and below it was fine.
The 330i has more linear throttle response, and the engine is significantly quieter at high revs than the G35.
For some reason reviewers never mention these, but the G35 has several refinement shortfalls: no telescoping steering column, no fore/aft adjustable headrest, no self-leveling xenons, no lighted steering wheel buttons, no adjustable theigh support, left armrest very hard.
If you've got the money I think the 330i is still a better car all things considered. However for many people the G35 will give sufficient handling, power and refinement to suit them, at a lower price. If you're talking about a 325i vs a G35, I have to give the G35 the edge (roughly the same price, depending on options). The power advantage is just so great it compensates (for me) the small lack of refinement in a few areas.
Definitely test drive both cars. IMO the G35 is the first car truly competitive with the 3-series. The 3 still retains an edge, but BMW had better get on the ball with the enhancements.
It’s my understanding that the 911 has more weight on the rear than the front. When you brake, the moment from the force applied from the ground to the tires and the center of gravity decelerating causes weight to shift to the front tires. This would cause the 911 to have more even (ie better) braking force front to back than a car with 50/50.
Likewise, under acceleration, more weight in the rear of a RWD car is beneficial for traction.
-murray
Just curious, did my answer agree with the article?
-murray