BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

seivwrig

Physically, you cannot tell the difference from the 325i SP and non SP exterior. To add insult to injury, the aero package for the 330i is not really listed as far as parts numbers. Some 325i owners have gone and got the M Aero package. It costs about $1000 before painting and installation (I don't know if this includes the foglights". I think the M-kit looks better and it is the same one used on the 330i Performance package. The 325i with SP does get you the seats, steering wheel, 17" wheels and Sport Suspension. I have heard that to retrofit to the SP suspension or M suspension would cost more that the SP package. Why have an aero kit and no performance.

div2

The old 1K-2K break-in oil change is not applicable to modern BMWs. Remember, there are lots of businesses(such as Jiffy Boob) that stand to lose large sums of money if people adopt extended drain intervals. Like I said previously, I have yet to see any data which indicates that extended drain intervals have a negative effect on engine longevity.

topspin627

I know it was posted way back but this long term road test is really lacking in substance. It still has not been updated for Feb. and if you read the past months reports you get the feeling that no one is really DRIVING the car. Maybe this report will be different but I hope it doesn't concentrate on the look of the car in the California sun! If anyone has a line to them maybe they can find out what the deal is. They usually do such a good professional job that I wonder how this slipped through the cracks.

need4speed1

So are you saying that it is perfectly acceptable to replace BMW oil with Mobil 1 0W-40?

How much should I expect to spend on a new filter and Mobil 1 oil if I change it myself? How much does the dealer charge for oil changes after the maintenance period is over?

shipo

I buy my filters from Steve at http://www.ultimategarage.com/filters.html for $7.50.

I have not tried them yet, however, you can buy Mobil 1 0W-40 from http://www.avlube.com/ for $34.32 for a case of six quarts.

I have never asked a dealer to perform a mid cycle oil change, so I have no idea what the cost would be.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dave330i

I noticed the same thing. Didn't they have a '99 328i in their long term fleet? Maybe there just isn't enough of a difference, and they don't feel like repeating themselves.

killer3

I was just wondering if anyone else has had the experience I had this morning. I got in my car, and did not notice it at first, but my RR tire was low on air. I drove a little bit, and when more air escaped, it got to the point where I had to pull over. Well, when I changed the tire (which now is wrecked) the only defect I found was one small slit on the treads, no nail or anything else. The whole Firestone thing has me a little worried, and I was wondering if I may have run over something or if the tires could be defective or partially stabbed by the factory conveyor or something. BTW, the jack in the trunk totally sucks, (It twisted and dropped my car, I had to get a friend to come rescue me with his Buick factory jack) if you have a three series go out and buy a decent jack if you travel in the hinterlands like I do. Please post if your new three series (I picked mine up in January) has had a non-incident (like running over a nail)flat tire.

squirreljam

You guys think the long term test on the 330 is bad, have you been following the Ferrari?!? All they've done for several months is talk about exhausts and repairs.

Yeesh, if I were driving a 550...

Squirrel

topspin627

Hey, it seems that maybe they need some volunteers to help them actually DRIVE these cars.
Who wants the Ferrari and who wants the 330i?

dave330i

"Who wants the Ferrari and who wants the 330i?"

Wouldn't mind the Ferrari. The 330i is an automatic. :P

vkwheels

Hi. I have a 325i with PP, which includes the power seats, but I wouldn't mind manual ones either. The leatherette is great. So if everything else is equal, my vote would be for the 330 with manual seats & leatherette.

shipo

...you frequently use a valet parking garage/lot. Prior to moving to New Hampshire, I would park my car in a valet parking lot in Manhattan twice a week. Invariable, the seating position was totally hosed. Prior to my BMW, I would have to spend the better part of 5 minutes re-adjusting the seat EVERY time I left the garage. GRRRR. Now, all I have to do is push a button, and RRrrrRR,SSSssssSTSTST,SSHHSHSHS and you have your perfect seating position again. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

tcn2k

The filters you mention at ultimate garage, are they oem bmw filters? And do they suppose to last average of 15k miles like the filters that are on my 01 325i car right now?

shipo

I had a conversation with Steve over there last year (The Ultimate Garage is located about 8 miles from my old house), and he told me that BMW and Hengst (who makes the BMW filter that comes from the factory) had to re-engineer the filter back in 2000 or 2001 because the original filters would occasionally self destruct under the load of 15,000 miles of dirt. The filters he sells (and that BMW now uses) are capable of well over 20K miles under normal usage, which allows for enough room for a very large margin of error/comfort.

So, in answer to your question, depending upon when the newly engineered filter made it into BMW's supply chain, the one that Steve sells is either the same as the one you have or better.

FWIW, when I changed the oil in my 530i last fall, the filter I removed matched the Hengst almost exactly (an exact match would be difficult given that the used one was black and the new one was brown ;-)).

Best Regards,
Shipo

tcn2k

Thanks for the response.
Second question is, if i don't plan on using the pump that you and another member mention, and wanted to use the drain plug; is the drain plug fairly easy to get to? I tried looking but seems like it there is a cover that sits underneath the engine block.
Third question is, do i need a special equipment to get to the filter?

shipo

Regarding the drain plug, I cannot tell you, I have yet to crawl under my 530i. I can tell you however, that the Hengst filter comes with a new brass crush washer for the plug, and if you use the traditional "Drain" method, you should absolutely use the new washer every oil change.

Regarding the filter, yes, you need a torque wrench (to put the filter cap back on with 18.5 lb-ft of torque) and a big honking socket, 36mm to be exact, to fit the top of the filter. In addition, you will also need a 17mm socket or wrench to work the drain plug, should you decide to go that route.

Let us know how you make out.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dusterbuster

the february 2002 long term review update is now in. not much to read about though...

pheonixuno

Hey guys I'm in the market for a new used car and after a while of searching I've come to 3 cars. The Bmw M3, Audi A4, and the subaru WRX. Each have their own likes and dislikes. The M3 has a 240 hp engine, great handling, and is a BMW. I only dislike the rear wheel drive and the interior very stuffy. The a4 I loved the quattro, the interior, and the cheaper price. I disliked the exterior and it isn't very sporty. The wrx I liked the power, awd, and handling. I disliked that it had no moonroof and the interior was very civic like plus after the BMW and AUdi it is just a subaru. Right now I have a 96 honda civic cx and I'm ready to upgrade. Also I live in CT where it snows. What do you guys think? My budget is anywhere from 20k and below. THanx

robs328i

div2 ... thanks for the info.....my 328i is a '98, but I still think you answered my question. Evidently 9K-10K is not an unusual interval for changes using regular oil, as far as the service indicator goes anyway. My independant mechanic, however, has still recommended every 3K which I have recently started to do.

Leather (thought on, IMHO)....I like leather and I can tell the difference in look, smell and comfort over vinyl. About the only thing vinyl has going for it is ease of maintenance. I don't think it wears longer but is less resistant to chafing, which is common on leather seats where you rub you butt against the same spot getting in and out of the car. I would never choose vinyl over leather but that is just IMO.

Power seats....I would also never go back to manually adjusted seats. You can get your seating position just right with power, and can change it easily if you get tired of the same position. The downside, like someone mentioned, is in letting someone else drive the car. If you found that perfect position and someone messes it up it really sucks.
Having said all that, I also like 4 doors and the sliding sun roof, which are no-nos for most true enthusiasts as they both tend to add weight and spoil looks to some extent. The power seats will add weight too. And, even liking all of these no-nos I still consider myself a driving enthusiast in that I enjoy driving sportingly and also enjoy the driving dynamics of the 3-series....that's the MAIN reason I bought it. I wish my 328i was a little quicker off the line, now that I'm used to it, but it has plenty of power for me once I get the revs up. It is an automatic and that's my main displeasure but, unfortunately my wife has to drive it occasionally. If it was strictly my car and I didn't have to carry more than one passenger I would definitely go for the coupe in a manual.
Ramble, ramble, ramble....blah, blah, blah.....for anyone who wants to listen to my opinion.

pheonixuno

Hey guys I'm in the market for a new used car and after a while of searching I've come to 3 cars. The Bmw M3, Audi A4, and the subaru WRX. Each have their own likes and dislikes. The M3 has a 240 hp engine, great handling, and is a BMW. I only dislike the rear wheel drive and the interior very stuffy. The a4 I loved the quattro, the interior, and the cheaper price. I disliked the exterior and it isn't very sporty. The wrx I liked the power, awd, and handling. I disliked that it had no moonroof and the interior was very civic like plus after the BMW and AUdi it is just a subaru. Right now I have a 96 honda civic cx and I'm ready to upgrade. Also I live in CT where it snows. What do you guys think? My budget is anywhere from 20k and below. THanx

chewie5

Hello all,

Just a quick question: If I want to raise my xenon lights, do I turn the adjustment knob clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Thanks!

Chewie

slowg20

Merci!
   Your input is great. Of course, one could dance around this debate longer than those guys at the UN!
   I am actually now leaning towards both leather and power seats without the SP. I sat in both sport seats and regular seats, and I really couldn't feel a big difference. My test drives have all been non-sport seats--and they seemed fine. Further, I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the three spoke steering wheel that comes in the SP.
   Does SP make a big difference to the car's appearance in the 330is?

brave1heart

There was ~ 1/2" of snow and slush in the right lane on the Pike and up to 2 solid inches in the left lane. It was fun passing SUVs at 20 mph faster than their speed and even more fun getting away from them when their drivers' jaws drop and they try to keep up with a REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE SEDAN. How can that be?!?

brave1heart

Does anyone know how much the power seats in the 3-series weigh approximately?!?

dave330i

Are you trying to tell us that a RWD sedan with snow tires is better than a top heavy, awd, SUV with all-season in the snow?

shipo

Sorry Dave, I think that what Brave was trying to say is that a RWD BMW with snow tires is WAY better than a "top heavy, awd, SUV with all-season in the snow". ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dave330i

That would mean that millions & millions of SUV owners were mislead?! :O Now who would hoodwink people like that?

shipo

Shhhh! Don't let them know, folks hate to think that they have been "Had". ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2

And don't forget all those SUV owners who bought them because "it rains a lot where I live."...:)

kdshapiro

I bought my SUV, because it's very sunny where I live! NOT!

dave330i

You two have to be mistaken. I mean how can tires, the only part of the car actually making contact with the road, be that important?

ryoken

...because it's getting thick in here.

Speaking of tires, if you get the sport package which comes with the staggered tire sizes, you can't rotate. How well do the tires hold up on a 3 w/o rotating?

dave330i

Most low-profile, performance tires are only good for 20-25k (depending on driving style), so not rotating them isn't a big deal.

kominsky

tcn2k - drainplug - There is a plastic cover over the area where the drain-plug is located, but it's no problem accessing the plug. That said, last summer while doing my second oil change on my car, I snapped the drain plug off. I used a torque wrench and double checked the setting before using it. After snapping the plug, I checked it 5 more times to be sure. The bolt is hollow and, as I learned, somewhat fragile. My understanding is that it is made to sacrifice itself, rather than the oil pan. Anyway, remembering Div and ccotenj (I think) raving about the top side extractors, I put it at the top of my Christmas list. My wife, being the goddess she is, got me Griot's version. I haven't used it yet, but have a change coming up in about 1K miles. I'll report back.

ryoken - My OEM Conti's (rear) were down to the wear bars in about 16.5K miles. I replaced them with Kumho's at about 18.5K miles. At that time, the fronts looked like they probably had another 5K or 10K miles left in them. The Kumho's seem to wearing much better.

steering kit - A couple of weeks ago I asked if anyone was experiencing the steering-wheel tug under heavy, quick braking. Last week I took my car in to have the 'steering kit' installed. It consisted of new ball-joints, steering coupler, brake pads and disks, various connectors and bushings, and a four-wheel alignment. Again, there is a service bulletin on this problem and I would recommend that everyone pays attention to see if their car exhibits this behavior ~while your car is still under warranty~. I imagine that this would have cost well over $1K if it wasn't covered.

brislance1

I got my CR Auto issue yesterday and found that my 00 3er is on their used cars to avoid list. So is the 0l. I suspect the 02 will be next year. As far as I can tell, though I have not read the whole issue, there are no German cars on their list of CR Good Bets in Used Cars nor do they recommend BMW 3 series except the 97 and 98 Z3.

Any comments?

bruce330i

Wanted to introduce my self to the group - have been reading the posts for close to half a year but have held off until I officially became an owner.

Picked up my 2003 BMW 330i on March 5. Orient Blue, 5spd, Sport and Cold Weather packages and a moonroof. Absolutely love the car but wish the snow here in MN would melt!

Also wanted to thank everyone for the excellent information available on this forum - was very helpful when making my decisions and purchase.

Best Regards,
Bruce

robs328i

uses very strange considerations in their selection process, regardless of the product, than most of us would...especially as buyers of BMW's. They tend to place extremely high importance on 'value' or cost, often in total disregard for quality, IMO.
In other words, the cost of an item will be worth more 'CR' points being awarded, vs quality points.

brave1heart

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new baby - I love the options. Mine is very similar except it's a 325. Orient Blue is a beautiful color, esp. when it's clean.

victord1

I guess each to our own. Many have praised the legendary BMW rides. So I expected it. But after a test drive in that 325 w/ SP, I left with a so-so feeling. I thought that the ride wasn't all that different from that of the '03 Maxima SE--the car that I'm looking to replace. Maybe the tires were over inflated or something, i dunno, but it was kinda jittery. It curved out corners and stayed flat, though.

Yesterday I took out a regular 330 w/o SP for a test drive, just to counter my previous experience w/ the 325 w/ SP. This time it was much much better. A compromise of ride and handling was well balanced, IMO. Yet, I noticed another thing; exhaust note. Now why does it sound 'throaty' all the times, even when with a light touch on the throttle? I don't mind the sound if I'm flooring it, but even just to creep along the traffic? It was kinda loud too.

I'm not picking on BMW or anything. I was willing to live w/ the sound and ready to deal. The final deal was stunning (I think): 2002 CPO 330i(8000 miles) w/ premium, winter package, and xenon for $30,700. But when I told them I wanted to trade, the dealer started low-balling my Maxima. So, now I'm off to another dealer.

kominsky

While I agree with robs328i on the sometimes 'strange' criteria CR uses in ranking cars, I think this is something different. The 3-series is (or at least was) CR's highest ranked entry-lux sedan. I believe they were put on the Cars To Avoid list and removed from the Recommended list due to lower than average reliability.

robs328i

I should have mentioned my bias, I guess :~P

brislance1

Yes, I agree that reliability must have fallen below the standard that CR sets in order to put a car or cars on the avoid as a used car list and drop the recommendation for almost the whole 3 series. Yet on page nine of this issue,they rate owner satisfaction which takes in such things as reliability and ask the question (would you buy this car again? )Under the category upscale cars the BMW 3 and Lexus 300 are listed as having the highest owner satisfaction and indeed owners would buy the car again! I guess we BMW 3 drivers have a lower standard of reliability than CR and look more to the fun of driving and the engineering of the car. I have had no mechanical problems with my 00.

chrism124

I have the same opinion as you do about BMW’s and winter handling. I have a 02 530i and until last week had a set of Blizzak WS-50’s on my car. No comparison. It has been the best winter vehicle that I have owned. I once had a Grand Cherokee LTD w/ the Quadra-drive and all season tires. Very good when going straight. Just okay in the turns. Not as good in braking. Sure with dedicated winter tires it would have been better but there is still the issue of a high center of gravity plus weight in-balance.

I also had been caught in the same snowstorm yesterday. Driving on Rt 495N from Marlboro to NH was, to say the least, slow going.

ultrarunner

Thanks Shipo for the detailed response on the 530 and 325.

I had to make a quick trip from the Bay Area to L.A. and am just now checking the board. My 325 was great to drive and I actually enjoyed the trip. (2002 Sport Wagon with Step)

My trip stats: SF to LA round trip 967 miles (1 day) 28.9 mpg, average speed 62.3mph (highway and city)

At my last fillup my "miles to empty" display posted 497. Anyone else have such a high "miles to empty"

kominsky

"guess we BMW 3 drivers have a lower standard of reliability than CR and look more to the fun of driving and the engineering of the car."

I couldn't agree more. And are we, as a group, pickier about the cars we drive? I would guess the answer is yes. I know any rattle in the dash would be a huge issue to me now. When I drove my Altima, I would've just turned up the stereo. ;-)

twoof1

I believe that the two issues being discussed have very different and unique meanings. While my two BMW's where not the most reliable cars I have ever owned, I was very satisfied with the ownership experience. I think most people are willing to deal with some minor reliability issues IF they are dealt with in a courteous, prompt and detailed manner. Every time I had the slightest issue with either of my bimmers, the dealer always bent over backward to correct it and get me back on the road with a loaner quickly and with a minimum of inconvenience. They were always polite and thoroughly efficient. This experience is the polar opposite of my experience with my ownership of 2 Volvo wagons (1998 & 2001) the dealer and their service department were inept to the point of absurdity.

robs328i

""guess we BMW 3 drivers have a lower standard of reliability than CR and look more to the fun of driving and the engineering of the car.""

Yeah, and I'm SURE that when they build our cars, the main thing on BMW's mind is pleasing CR :~P

gpwatfrd

I was just curious if there are certain car mags that any of you prefer over others. I receive Automobile and Road&Track. I find a lot of inconsistencies w/mags like Motortrend and Car&Driver and would be open to hear some good recommendations.

Note: chrism124 Do you mean Marlboro NJ?

sopecreek

I like C&D and Automobile magazines. IMHO, these two magazines at least write about cars/driving based on their experience. R&T and MT seem to care more for car manufacturers, hesitant to say anything bad. I subscribe to C&D because it does review more cars that I can afford to buy (eventually) whereas Automobile mag tends to review more exotics.
My two cents, of course.

brave1heart

If I remember correctly, CR indicated that other manufacturers have improved faster - it's not that BMW reliability has actually gone down. It's relative.