BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

majariwr

OK, so my 325xi status just went from "awaiting transport" to "en route". Any idea how long it takes for the ship to cross the Atlantic? After that, how long will it be at the prep center?

twoof1

The last two years have been a blast driving my 325. In particular I have enjoyed the feedback and support from this Edmunds fraternity. You guys have always been helpful and I can honestly say I have learned a ton from this group. I don't post often, but I monitor the board just about every day. Yesterday I went and purchased a new G35 sedan. I sold my '01 325 with 50,000 miles to a Carmax dealer and got a little above Kelly Blue book trade in value. I work in sales and I am all over southern California everday so I burn through cars every 2 years (plus I am a car freak who loves new cars!) I will keep dropping by every once and a while just to make sure you guys are still providing the most positive posts in this forum. Anyway thanks for all the help over the years and keep up the good work!!

brave1heart

Good luck and drop by every once in a while when you think of us. The G35 is a good choice, enjoy it.

brave1heart

My 325i manual does at least 3,500 RPMs at 80 and 4,200 RPMs at 100. I love the engine sound and the gas mileage is great even at that engine speed, not to mention that the car has a lot of passing power in 5-th. The steps are geared for better fuel economy; the manuals for faster acceleration. In the end, the manuals perform both tasks better.

soverypoornow

Thanks for the info. We tried Riverside where I bought my car and previously had had loaners when work was performed on her ti. They say they've just plain ol' discontinued loaners or even rentals. They were unmoved when she said she'd just take her car to a place more on her way to OC. Riverside service business must be good.

We might try Savage, although I think she's thinking of someplace reasonably on her way from Corona (home) to Costa Mesa (work). Funny, Savage just sent me a postcard for my car welcoming me to the BMW family and suggesting that even though I didn't buy my car from them, to please consider them for service needs. I was mpressed by their marketing savvy and it couldn't have come at a better time. Hope their marketing savvy bites into Riverside's business.

I'll pass on the good reports about Crevier. Maybe we'll give them a try. Thanks again.

twoof1

Haven't seen you post for awhile.
Hope all is well.
Thanks for all your insightful posts.
You are a most valued resource for this forum.

twoof1

You would think that with that huge new dealership in Riverside, they would change their attitude. I stopped by when I was shopping Infiniti (right accross the street) and was surprised to find the same arrogant attitude that they had in their old building around the corner.
The guys at Savage are pretty sharp. Good luck and please post what you decide to do.

kdshapiro

Enjoy your new car. Now that you've had the Bimmer and have the G, post back and let us know how they compare.

tenet1

If i recall correctly, you purchased your '01 around the same time I did (9/01). 50K miles and moving on, Wow!! I only have 14K on mine and it still fells new to me. Sometimes I do lust after a late model M coupe or M3 but then reason takes over.

Good luck

vkwheels

if you go through cars in 2 yrs (wow!) perhaps in 2005 you'll be buying bmw again. have fun in the g35.

p.s. to Soverypoornow, that is one long commute!

bgt1

I too have a black 02 330i and just had the tinting done. It looks REALLY good. I highly recommend it! Oh, and it keeps the sun out!

twoof1

Thanks guys

tenet1,
Purchased the bimmer in late May 2001.

et al,
I'll post my comparison notes in a few weeks after I get this thing properly broken in. 2 days and already at 350 miles so it won't take long!!

bmwbill2

I'm pretty sure the K&N will not adversely affect your warranty, as long as you are not talking about a cone filter, since this might require slight mods. Most will tell you that the panel filters really don't add anything but cost to the whole equation.

As far as Dinan goes, it is a "Factory Authorized" aftermarket company. Your warranty is in tact as long as a BMW dealer (Only certain ones carry Dinan mods) or Dinan does the work. Some Dinan stuff, particularly their suspension tuning, is pretty impressive.

bmwbill2

As most of you know, BMW will be offering a High-Performance package for the 330i on cars produced after March 1st. This option includes an increase in HP to 235, a reduced-ratio final drive, a stiffer-than-sports-package suspension, and a six-speed.

All this sounds great, but I'm wondering if anyone has any real insight into what it does to the performance of the 330. Is it worth the $3900 sticker? I currently have an E36 M3 sedan, and this is apparantly as close as we will get to a 4-door e-46 M. Should I give up my aging M? I'd love to see some test data if anyone knows of any. Comments?

soverypoornow

You know, no one in Riverside really should be arrogant...about anything. It's RIVERSIDE!

I didn't realize there was an Infiniti dealer there now. Do you mean Lexus? One of the reasons I didn't even consider the G35(BMW purists: not that I would ever again, now that I've seen the light) because the closest dealer was so far away from home.

twoof1

You are sooo right!
The Infiniti dealer is directly accross the street (not the main street, but the access street) from Riverside BMW. It's a pretty good center if you want to test drive because they have the following dealers:
Acura, Lexus, MB, BMW, infiniti, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda and a bunch of domestics. There are some very nice areas to test drive in the hills behind the dealerships. Tell them you want to drive up into the orange groves on Madison ave. there are a few good twisty sections up there. Can you tell I was born in Riverside?? (raised in Yorba Linda)

bimmer3i

Just got my Roundel mag yesterday and it features the C30. It's actually a 330i upgrade - 4 doors -with an additional 70hp (if I'm not mistaken) and different interior design. 0 - 60 mph is about 5.6 sec. They say this is the 3 series car between 330i and M3.
Does anybody know the approximate cost of this model? The Roundel doesn't say anything about the price. BMW is now working on getting this model here in US.

cokray

Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking around this group for a few months now, since this is the most knowledgeable, civilized BMW board on the Internet, I just know you can help me out :-) After months of painful waiting, I just took possession of my first BMW, a silver 325i, PP, HK, Xenon, black 'ette. Currently teaching myself to drive my manual transmission (my poor clutch...).

Anyhow, I was hoping someone on this board had any info about the new Stereo Auxiliary Input that BMW talks about of the '03 models. I have an iPod and would love to be able to connect it to my stereo -- do I need an expensive adapter kit? How does this work? My dealer does not know anything about it and I haven't found much info on the net about it.

Many thanks for any info!

markjenn

We don't have any hard data on what the new PP will do, but it will be a small incremental improvement over the 330i, but will probably be a little short of the E36 M3, given that the M3 is probably a little lighter. I think putting a finer point on it is getting into the noise. Both cars have similar weight, similar gearing, and similar HP, so they'll be close.

I'd drive a 330i with SP to see if it appeals to you - the PP isn't going to be much different. The E46 platform is heavier, smoother, and more luxurious, but most think that it doesn't have the sharp reflexes of the E36, particularly the M3. So you have to be ready to give up a little on the sport side to get a smoother car.

Is it worth $3900? Well, the PP includes the sport package stuff and 18" wheels that cost about $2K, so you end up end up paying about another $2K for the extra hp, suspension, alcantra, interior bits, and other stuff. This seems reasonable to me, but it depends on whether this stuff appeals to you or not. Given what BMW charges for stuff like sunroofs, xenons, and folding rear seats, this seems like a fairly substantial upgrade for $2K.

- Mark

erickpl

VK, my family just got back from a week of skiing at Mammoth (actually went the week before MLK). We didn't get to take the xi. We were stuck with the Jeep (3 skiers and 1 snowboarder + no rack on the 3).

How did your 3 like that drive up 395? Did it handle the grade out of Bishop well?

We are going again in a couple of weeks (go during the week - a LOT less crazy) and plan on taking the 3 with us (no kids!). We live about 30 miles outside of Mojave, so it is a shorter drive for us.

Where did you ski out of - Canyon, Main, or Eagle? Canyon is really fun, but we are going to hit Main Lodge this time.

-Paul

brave1heart

I have an ECIS CAI with a cone filter and the dealer did not refuse to look into the "Service Engine Soon" light that had come up. I even thought it might have been related to the CAI somehow but the fault code indicated that I was running the car low on fuel. I do a lot of driving and I have a bad habit of running the gas tank down to 1/2 gallon, which is esp. bad during the winter. I started filling up gas before the warning light comes up now and I have not had that issue any more. But anyhow, my point is that a K&N filter should not void the warranty. Dinan upgrades in particular are covered by the BMW warranty.

brave1heart

I think the car will much faster than what you might expect from a small 10 HP increase. The short gear ratio will make a bigger difference. I'd never pay 4 grand for an upgrade like that but then again, I couldn't justify the price premium for the 330 over the 325 either...

chaaaosss

Man, I can't help you there but I'd definitely be interested in what you find out. I have an iPod as well and I'm looking at an '04 BMW 325Ci and I'm having trouble choosing between an in-dash CD player and an in-dash cassette player. I rarely use CDs anymore (but I do on occasion and it'd be a nice thing to have) and I always use my iPod. I thought I'd just swap out the in-dash but I'd love to have my cake and eat it too with this aux input. Maybe it's something an after-market shop would know something about. Normally stereos do have aux inputs on the back; you just have to find someone who's willing to route them to the front so you can use them. I'll call around.

chaaaosss

Does anyone have an opinion on either of these? Leather is unbelievably pricey (from my perspective at least). Is the leatherette really all that bad? I hear people can't even tell the difference.

Harman Kardon vs. the standard sound system. I hear about odd vibrations due to the HK system but I'd really like to have a quality sound system as I have an unbelievably long commute to work and I'm always listening to music.

Any thoughts?

div2

The leatherette is durable and easy to care for. One BMW salesperson I know tells of how people come in to trade their Bimmer and swear that the seats are leather when they are in fact leatherette. It's a personal choice; me, I'll take the leatherette every time.
I've been underwhelmed by the BMW HK systems that I've heard, but I haven't seriously evaluated a 2002 or newer system.

jb_shin

Correct me if I am wrong, but Dinan upgrades are covered by Dinan warranty, BMW does not provide warranty coverage for Dinan parts or the upgrade.

jb_shin

I, too, had problem getting information from the dealer. However, I have heard from some people who also have looked into getting it that it is just a female-to-female cable. Dealer has to enable it with DIS to make the system recognize it, which sounds simple and inexpensive.

vkwheels

I don't mind the vinyl. It is easy to clean (& it's beige). Have read a few notes on this board that people have worn out little spots in the leather, tho' those might be isolated cases. The HK was pricey (like the leather). I am underwhelmed by the AM/FM reception quality of the std stereo, but the speaker sound of the std is quite nice if you listen primarily to CDs (IMHO). Sometime (lo-priority, future) I'll get XM.

vkwheels

The grade from Bishop to the turnoff was fine! It was me & a friend with our stuff & gear. No problemo. The roads in Mammth were nice & clear, no need for chains. There was plenty of snow on the mt., but I hope they get more more more. On Sunday it was very slushy on far left by 10:00 & at 1:30 it was 54 degrees at Cyn Lodge! I usually ski from Cyn Lodge too. Am going again next w/e. :-)

bgt1

I dont think most people can tell the difference between the two. BUT, the difference is not the material itself but how the seats are built, and the amenities. It seems when they have just the leatherette, it does not have the Premium package, which means no wood trim, no moonroof, no center arm rest, etc. So, it feels a lot more sparse in amenities. Plus, if I can remember are the leatherette seats built a little different? Maybe not as much padding or side bolster not as good? I cant remember. Anyways you get the point.

kdshapiro

I can tell the difference and the HK upgrade emits much richer treble and basser sounds. Plus the DSP gives the music a nice spatial quality.

You have to try the two of them back to back to see if you hear the difference. Me I recommend the HK Upgrade for any who asks.

Good luck and let us know.

1pierce

Hi gang. I'm back after a few months away. Its been a while since I had a fix of the snow tire, PP/SP, and oil change debates.

I got rear-ended yesterday. The guy hit me pretty hard. My glasses flew off and my head snapped forward. There wasn't a mark on my car - even though his headlight and grill were smashed. That is one tough little car.

chaaaosss: I got the HK and the leatherette w/PP. I would not buy the leather after having the 'ette. The 'ette is so easy to maintain. I just wipe it down with a damp towel when I wash the car, and dry it, and it looks like new. It also gives the car that traditional "new car smell", while the leather gives the car a "leather" smell. The seats are shaped identical to the leather seats, and everyone who rides in the car thinks they're leather. Put the $1400 to better use - get xenons and HK.

HK is not great - but as said above, it has far better sound reproduction than the base system, which is really flat. Also, w/HK you get the subwoofer, which really boosts base, the auto adjusting volume, and the DSP - which creates a much richer sound. Overall, even the HK sound system is subpar for this quality of car. But,...its all we have to pick from. Despite the cost, I don't regret getting it a bit. I know I would have hated the base system.

tgravo2

Don't get it. I got it and was not pleased with it at all. I am in the process of replacing everything with aftermarket things. not worth $650, maybe worth $150, thats all.

chaaaosss

Thanks to everyone for the responses to the leather/leatherette and the HK/standard post.

For those of you who are considering or have already done after market stereos, I wonder... can you still use the steering wheel controls? I guess it depends what kind of stereo you get as a replacement but this is sort of a big deal for me. I like not having to reach for the controls on the dash.

soverypoornow

I was out of town for a couple days and my wife went ahead and made an appt at Riverside BMW for her car. She arranged to work from home and everything. I didn't have the heart to put up a big fuss just because Riverside wouldn't give her a loaner. So, in this morning we went. Gutless.

All four brakes/rotors replaced. Wiper nozzle jet had shorted out and melted. Replaced. Smashed fog light fixed. Oil service. Wiper blades replaced. $1,000. And still no loaner.

Darned nice new facility, though. Reminded me of Crevier or Irvine. And I did eye the Infiniti dealer right across the street.

kdshapiro

While I will admit the AM reception is downright poor, the HK upgrade is every bit as good as other higher end car stereo systems in comparabably priced cars in the same segment. See Edmunds review of sports sedans for more info. Is it fitting for a $40K car? Well I don't think I would want to pay more for the car for a "better" system, because the bang for the buck isn't there for me. Now if I got a 5er that's a different story.

And while there is disagreement about the relative sound capabilities of the HK upgrade it does tend to have a nice flat sound that doesn't overemphasize highs or lows.

For $650 dollars what kind of complete custom handpicked stereo can you get that will provide more sound quality than the hassle and expense of the installation could be worth?

kominsky

The quote from Dinan's page...

"Dinan's warranty matches whatever period remains on the individual New Vehicle Limited Warranty for up to 4 years or 50,000 miles...

And the installation of Dinan products will not affect your new car warranty coverage. So you are covered mile to mile, year to year and bumper to bumper"

If I'm reading this properly, Dinan warrants it's own product for the same amount of time your factory warranty is valid and BMW will cover the rest of the car even if the Dinan part creates problems.

khoon

chaaaosss - I too use my iPod - in the car, it's very simple for the 3 series. You can connect your iPod to your car stereo using either a tape adapter (available at any Best Buy/Circuit City for about $15-$20 - buy the Sony. An aletrnative is to use a wireless FM adapter - again about $25 and you can buy it at any of the above mentioned stores. You'll need the wireless FM adapter since the 3 series does not have a standard cassette player.

About the leather vs. leatherette - I plan to buy a 325i witht the leatherette seats - personally, am not in favor of shelling out $1500 for the leather seats. I couldn't tell the difference between the two.

chaaaosss

Like the weenie I am, I realized that people were talking about the radio frequencies being a bit "different" in Europe. Therefore I fear that my FM adapter won't work its magic while I'm driving my car around Europe. I plan to drive about 3,000 miles total in Europe so not having access to my iPod would be a _MAJOR_ drag.

Although I understand this is sort of an odd reason to get the tape deck or to figure out how to use the AUX-in just to ensure I have music to listen to on our European roadtrip, agian, it would definitely suck to be without the iPod.

brave1heart

kominsky - That's my understanding too. BMW honors Dinan upgrades - it's one of the reasons why they are so expensive. BTW, did you ever make it over to Boston?

pierce1 - sorry to hear about the accident. Good thing your car is intact. You must be a little sore, uh?

HK - It's plenty good for me, although I'll readily admit that I'm not a stereo buff. If I had to drop one option in my car, that would be the HK but not because of its quality - it's because I drive with the stereo off 90% of the time and listen to the engine instead.

I passed 36K miles on my car this week. Goodbye free service. No warranty issues at all in the past 15K miles or so. I'm glad I had the brake pads replaced at ~ 29K miles.

I had my first kart race for over a year tonight. I got bumped hard and spun off 2 out of 3 runs losing a lap each time and the third run was mediocre. Better luck next time. Don't know how many G's those little karts pull but I think I'll be sore again for a few days. I was beginning to get track withdrawals. Registration for Lime Rock opens on 2/3 for Boston CCA members - I can't wait to go to that one!!

chaaaosss

From another message board with detailed information:

http://www.bimmerfest.org/forums/showthread.php?s=86487dcac5d581d- - d3d829be6b9405e82&threadid=18387

Essentially the AUX-IN does exist, it's all possible, etc. etc. I'm going to get my BMW with an in-dash CD changer and have my cake and eat it too. Woo hoo!

jb_shin

FM frequency in Europe is spread every 1/10th, whereas in the US it is 1/5th. This is to allow many more stations with the number of countries they have. You might have difficulty finding an unused frequency and have to change the frequency depending on where you are, but FM modulator will still work.

climatecontrol

Hello room,
I just wanted to ask a question. I have a friend in the market for a newer car under $25K. He is looking at a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE with leather pack, auto, sunroof, bose. He has been cross shopping other cars. So far he has came up with a Linc L.S. V8, a 2001 Acura CL coupe Type S(asking $20,900 for the CL), and a 2000 BMW 325i sedan. All cars have between 20-30K miles on them, except the BMW, it has 40K. All except the Maxima and Acura(it's at a dodge used car lot) come with a certified pre own warrenty. The big selling point for the L.S. is 3.9% rate up to 60 months. The Maxima is the cheapest out of the group at $ 20K. A lot of car for the money, except it doesn't have a pre own cert warrenty, and it's up at 36K. Out of all of the cars, we would just like some imput from the smart people on edmunds. Love to hear any comments.
Ben

djocks

climatecontrol, all things considered I would probably opt for the Acura cl type-s, especially if it comes with a 6-speed. The l.s v-8 is an interesting car. It must be comfortable inside. I will say that it has never tested all to well on reviews but I cannot say from experience. If I were in your friend's position I would look into a Passat v-6 with a 5 speed. Depending on 4-motion and options you can cut some corners and still have a great car for under $25K that is brand new! Heck the Jetta GLI with 6-speed rips as well!

As far as the leatherette issue. I am waiting to pick up my electric red 330i with sport package, moon roof, xenon's and heated seats. When it came down to it, I was on a budget and I know the leather is of better quality, but the amazing sport seats were what I wanted. 'ette will be fine and I know personally I will not miss the added cost. The 330i was on the lot packaged this way and the dealer was aggressive in wanting to move it. I could not have been luckier!

As far as the HK, I am with the fella up top. I am not a huge stereo guy and I am sure either of the systems will be fine for me.

One last note. I do not work for a dealership or know anyone who does. Driving a BMW especially finding a way to get a 330i rather than the 325i (not to say the 325i isn't great b/c it is!) has always been a dream of mine. Because of that I did an extensive amount of research in the pricing area! I live in Connecticut and we have 8 dealerships in this little state. There is a lot of money here, I only wish I had a little more. At different times I contacted every dealership in the state, even using many of the buying strategies from this web-site. I am not going to disparage any other dealership but I must say that County-Line BMW of Watertown is far and away the superior dealer in Connecticut. They were courteous, real and understood both my dreams and budget restrictions. They even sold me a set of once used snow tires and will have them mounted when I pick the car up on Wednesday for more than a reasonable price. Truly first class, and I cannot recommend them enough!

riez

climatecontrol... My local midwestern dealer is offering 2.9 percent on CPO MY2000 cars. Believe that is thru BMW Financial Services. Your friend should talk to the dealership about finance rates for CPO BMWs.

In MY2000, it was the 323i. 325i came out in 2001.

1pierce

Brave: I thought I had a stiff neck for a day or two - but that may just be from my normal level of stress!!! Three kids, a high maintenance wife, and a high stress job will do that to you.

kdshapiro: I agree that you can't upgrade the base stereo aftermarket for anywhere near $650. So, in that respect, the HK is not a rip-off. Its probably equal to the Infinity system in my Caravan. That said, once you've listened to the premium stereo in a Lexus, which I did at the local autoshow last year, you realize that not all premium audio systems are created equal.

climate control: The 2000 BMW must be a 323i - I don't think they changed to the 325 until 2001. That means it has different engine specs than a new 325i. Despite that fact, even if it has 40K on it, if it is decently equipped, it is clearly the best car on your list - and it comes with a CPO warranty. I had a '99 Maxima, and it did not have one mechanical problem in 42,000 miles - those are VERY reliable and somewhat sporty cars. The CL looks like the best deal, since its fairly new, has very good performance and equipment, is a coupe (which I love), and has Honda reliability.

Still, if it were me, I'd use the mileage and the fact that GM, Ford, and Chrysler have killed the used car market to negotiate the price on the 323 down a little and buy that. Until you own a 3-series, you can't imagine how superior they are to drive compared to all the cars on your list.

1pierce

I've had my 325i for about 6 months, now, and I don't regret the purchase at all. I'm convinced that it is the best $35,000 car in the world - and it feels like it every time I drive it. I've driven into a couple of "Oh-sh*t" turns since I got it, and it came right out (as opposed to going into the ditch). I'm amazed at how this car can compensate for driver error. It appears that, at present, my courage, or risk-quotient, can't overdrive this cars ability to stay on the road - which is a good thing.

All of that said - every time I look at a G35 Coupe or a Cadillac CTS (from the outside - I hate the inside of both), I just can't take my eyes off them. I know its a matter of taste, but I think those cars, each in their own way, are stunningly beautiful. Sorry, but I can't say the same thing about the new 5-series, 7-series and Z4 coming out of BMW. And, have you seen that X3? What's up with that? This could be a bad omen of things to come.

tomwannabmw

Except for the trunk lid, I think the new 7 is a beauty. The Z4, while perhaps too edgy for many, is the real stunner in my opinion. The G35 coupe and sedan, 350Z, Altima, and soon to be new Maxima are all variations on a very similiar theme. Homogeny across the entire line. The Z4 on the other hand is unique and I, for one, think it is the more significant design than the much more ballyhoed 350Z. Even though this site declares the 350Z as this years most significant new car. JMO, of course, BUT I would never regret buying a 3er over the infiniti or caddy. You won't regret it either when you sell your current 3 in a few years.

leenelsonmd

I find myself lusting after fellow 3 series. Never even a double take on the G35. The new 350Z car is a little interesting.

I like the trunk on the 7 series.

The Z4 doesn't visually stir me, but after driving one I was totally amazed. Unbelievable car. BMW again redefines the roadster.

djocks

I think the future of BMW is interesting to say the least. I am leasing my 330i and the possibility of buying it down the road is real if I do not like what they have.

Looking for a little help people.

I am looking for people's experiences with recent BMW's in the snow. I am picking up my 330i with snow tires on her on Wednesday here in Connecticut.

Can anyone please provide what they have experienced both positive and negative as well as some helpful tips....

Thanks, djocks