BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

brave1heart

The shifter travels just as long in the '03 models as it did in the '01s. It just felt long (still very sweet, though!!) after I drove a step that I didn't have to shift for a day...

brave1heart

BMWs are engineered to be driven hard. I sure hope you toss your car into a corner every once in a while. I treat all BMW loaners the same way I treat mine - I drive them hard without abusing the car.

shipo

Yesterday I needed to take a road trip from southern New Hampshire to Mineola, NY to visit a client. Keeping in mind that there have been several queries around here recently about mileage, I decided to track mine, and to that end, I filled up with gas, reset the trip computer and hit the road. The trip was a run that was primarily done at about 75 mph with a few excursions up to about 100 (I still have my winter tires on, which have a limit of 100), some heavy construction on I-95 in Connecticut, and then heavy rush hour traffic from the Throgs Neck bridge to Mineola and then back to Scarsdale, NY, where I spent the night. I then visited another client this morning in Elmsford, NY, did a lunch trip, and then hit the road at just the right time to ensure that I would hit the Boston evening rush hour traffic. With all of that in mind, it is fair to say that I drove somewhere between 80 and 100 miles in heavy stop and go traffic, which is about 20% of the trip.

Miles: 502.1
Fuel: 17.296
Calc MPG: 29.03

OBC Calculations:
MPG: 29.4
Avg Speed: 56.4

OBC Calculations after the first 190 miles (Before I hit the I-95 Traffic):
MPG 30.5
Avg Speed: 72.1

Some folks have noted that, over time, their cumulative MPG calculations come out as much as 2 MPG lower than the OBC. In this case, I filled up at two gas stations, both of which appeared to be level, and the 0.37 MPG difference is well within the variance of how much two different pumps would fill the tank, so I am inclined to believe my OBC.

As a point of reference (for those of you who do not know), I have a 2002 530i 5-Speed with the Sport Package, which (as previously noted) is currently running on winter tires (Michelin Arctic-Alpin). FWIW, I will probably find the time to remount my OEM rubber (Michelin Pilot-Primacy) back onto the car this weekend.

Best Regards,
Shipo

erickpl

Hey again,

I'm really wanting to replace my stereo and speakers in my 325. I have the standard system. The first thing I want to do is go with MB Quart. I've listened to them and heard great things about them in BMW's. But my wife won't let me do that unless I install an amp (tough convincing job there ).

Has anybody installed an amp with the factory E46 CD43 stereo? Do you get much noise from the engine?

Has anybody installed a new head unit? I like the cleanliness of it and being able to use the steering wheel controls. Has anybody found an aftermarket unit that looks nice and clean, matches the interior lighting, and allows the use of the controls?

My wife is very specific on that and I want to get new speakers and an amp. If you have any url's to point me to that would be great.

Shipo, glad to see you back. Hope you are recovering well. Finally got my digicam Nikon 5700.

-Paul

brave1heart

You must have really enjoyed that trip after the leg accident.

On a usual trip from Boston to Albany, my OBC records an average of ~ 83 mph over 160 highway miles with occasional averages up to 85-86 mph. That's with minimal traffic and it includes having to slow down twice for tolls ;o)

shipo

Thanks for the healing rays, (((((((((Healing Rays))))))))) I can feel them all of the way to NH. ;-)

It might take some digging, however, "GuruMike" who I believe is (or was) a sales manager at Cutter BMW in Santa Barbara did some serious upgrading of his E46 audio system, and posted the entire set of details. I am guessing that this all happened about two years ago.

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Oh yeah! It felt SOOOOO good to have my car out on the open road again. ;-)

Unfortunately, I did the entire drive yesterday without any stops, and after just over four hours of only doing Gas/Brake pedal work, my leg/ankle was pretty swollen when I got out of the car in Mineola, ditto when I got home today. :-( Back to PT tomorrow, my therapist will not be too happy with me given all of this swelling. I guess it is a small price to pay for a road trip in a BMW. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

bluebeast

My salesman, when he realized I was serious made sure to tell me that the invoice he was going to show me was not the same as everywhere else on the web. Of course everything matched except the MACO/Training fee. However, in Austin the total was $560.00. Walked away, came back the next day, walked away, came back on Monday and they would not budge off that fee. Liked the price they were giving me over invoice, I just did not like the starting invoice price. Of course to complicate matters more I have a trade in, which of course I am trying to sell while I wait for my 2003 330i Silver/black with performance package, 6 spd, xenons, sunroof. I've read over the last 3-4 months that it seems to materialize only in large metro area, but I do not know for sure. Overall (trade & price over invoice) was a "fair" deal, not anything to write home about, but the performance package made it where they just were not going to deal anymore. P.S. Momentum also added the MACO / training fees when I tried to deal with them.

locke2c

baby steps, Shipo!

I know the feeling. I had some serious ligament issues with my right wrist last year and couldn't ride motorcycles until late summer. Even then, my grip strength sucked.

I'm back to normal now though and you'll be there soon too.

-Colin

ajl1000

Hi!
I own a 2000 323i and was reading through the manual. It seems to indicate that heated winshield washer nozzles were optional. How can I tell if I have them?

Thanks,
AJL1000

cutlr4

I realize we are just coming out of winter here in
the Northeast but does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the inside of my just delivered 325 clean. I do use winter mats in my Jeep but they only work so well. The new car is beautiful and I would like to keep it that way. Thanks for all the help.

brave1heart

...are probably a good idea in the NorthEast. After 40K miles and 2 winters, my driver side mat is almost completely shot.

dave330i

"After 40K miles and 2 winters, my driver side mat is almost completely shot."

Just get them replaced every 2 years then. They should be pretty worn from all the shifting anyway.

vkwheels

you're in new hampshire & speak of guru mike's aiduo upgrades in calif (2 yrs back to boot). thanks 4 the info & best wishes :-)

mfeldman

I had the retrofit a year and a half ago. I had the car aligned a few months ago and they lightened the tow. Lately I've noticed that the steering feels more sloppy and not as precise. Took it back to alignment shop and they said that the bushings are unduly worn and show too much play. THey have seen this before on the 3 series.

Were bushings part of the retrofit? Has this been a common problem?
Iseem to remember a TSB about bushings for older e46s. Mine is a 2001, but maybe has older bushings because of the retrofit. How can I get the dealer to fix this? I dread fighting the old "it's within spec" routine.

Thanks.

BTW i've never come close to Shipo's mileage. I've heard that California additives hurt mileage.

shipo

Colin,

I'm glad to hear that you well healed and back to your old self. Even though I know intellectually that I will be made whole again, there is still a certain anxiety that I won't completely heal, and recovery stories like yours certainly help. ;-)

Vicki,

My pleasure. ;-)

Marc,

I have forgotten, which engine, transmission and drive train do you have? It might be that the mileage differences are attributable not only the MTBE that y'all burn out there but the layout of your car as well.

Best Regards,
Shipo

erickpl

Shipo,

Man, you have a great memory. I'll dig back through the archives and see if I can find anything.

About The Hire, anybody gotten their 2nd season DVD yet?

-Paul

dave330i

Last I checked, they said spring of this year. If you have a BMWCCA membership, it'll come with the Roundel.

bmw323is

Heated mirrors and washer jets came as part of the sport package. You have the sport package if you have the 3 spoke steering wheel.

bing330i

Paul, I keep track of posts that I deemed useful and one of gurumikes on audio upgrade happened to be referenced there. though the msg# has changed over time and I do not think this particular post is guru's summary report on his upgrade, you can definitely browse around that time stamp to find out.
"8317 of 8321 j330i & sound system upgrade by gurumike Aug 11, 2001 (8:36 pm) "

dave330i, i've never got to thank you for your response on fog light. thanks.

bing330i

Since the replacement of (coolant) leaking water pump on my 02 330i, I somewhat feel the car vibrates a bit when the car is in idle (drive-thru, red light). I do not know if I am overreacting - I put a piece of paper with 3/4 of it on the passenger seat and 1/4 out, it shows vibration. Is this normal? If not, generally speaking, what may cause it given the scenario. TIA.

chile96

GOOD NEWS! MY Car is being built! I faxed the 3 dealerships in Houston and 2 outside Houston what I wanted and what I would pay and an out-of-town dealership called back in 5 minutes and said DEAL! Never have heard from the other dealerships though - so myabe I just got lucky with a guy who needed a sale. Keeping my fingers crossed till I see the actual paperwork but he describes everything to the tee and seems very honest/nice. Who knew it could be this easy....i hope.

Take Care.....and keep faxing!

dusterbuster

the MACO fees and system & training fees are legitimate fees charged by bmw to the dealer for your car. if you have them pull up the invoice straight from bmw on the computer, you'll see the fees. $560 for MACO sounds a bit high, but it's possible you live in a very high MACO region. here in the bay area, the MACO fees run about $320-350 for a 3 series. it's some percentage of the base invoice i believe. the MACO fees are not reflected in the edmunds invoice price because it varies between regions. some regions don't have to pay MACO (i.e., very rural areas). i think the system and training fees of $160, which are standard on every car, is included in edmund's invoice price number, but don't quote me on that. one more reason to go with european delivery (no MACO!). best of luck!

nevcool

Hey, Does BMW make rubber floor mats for 2001 3 Series?

hannah22

I am in the process of buying an '03 325i w/zpp and zcw. I just finished negotiating my deal (haven't signed yet) and have been seeing the discussions about 'MACO' charges appearing on invoices. Can someone explain what this is? I've asked the dealer that I am working with (greater Philly area) and he said he'd never heard of it.
thanks.

locke2c

I am pretty sure it's a local or regional marketing charge.

how much is it?

-Colin

mxpro738

I was unable to get an apples to apples comparison at the local dealer. I drove a 330Ci, sport, manual. I also drove a 325xi, auto.

Thus, I was unable to determine if the 330 outperforms the 325 by much. Does anyone here have a good feel for this question? Is it enough extra value for the extra money?

Thank in advance!

jean7of9

Finally I got my Orient Blue 330xi, Montana Sand, with all available options but the phone. Here are the impressions of someone driving MB's since 1975. Engine smoother than anticipated and is more silent than demo car which was really noisy. When kicked this sixer produced a pleasant roar which is soothing to the ears. The steering is fast and precise. Brakes well modulated and probably better than MB. Handling sportier, better than E Class in City driving, not as comfortable on the Hiways. Interior looked small and cramped in the beginning, but once you get use to it the seat becomes part of you. The HK Sound System is great. Music is natural and clear, not intrusive. Radio has better sensitivity than notorious MB's. Once you read the manual carefully operation becomes piece of cake. The Park Distance Control is very helpful in City parking and will keep you one foot away from your garage wall. I did not like the dealer wax, so two coats of Zaino made it looking great. The DVD navigation is helpful and could be faster if it came with a DVD-ROM. Not in Canada. BMW Canada thinks that Canadian Driver do not deserve a DVD-ROM and would not know the difference between DVD-ROM and CD-ROM. Hence, the car come with CD-ROM # 8 which covers few Canadian Cities (and is $25 cheaper than DVD) and if you want other parts of North America you will need to procure other CD-ROM's or buy the DVD-ROM on your own from Navtech. Even the 7 series DVD Navigation comes with a CD-ROM. Shame on you BMW Canada. Once you get over this deception, you still find the Nav system precise and informative. At a point in my career I worked on Commercial and Military advanced Applications for GPS. I find the precision of the Gyro and the 10 meters location (30 ft) as stunning even for small unknown streets. This car shouts drive me, test me and push me all the time. However, when the engineers designed the interior they were in shorts with no personal items, because there ain't room for anything outside the glove box.

chile96

Just picked up the new beauty last night but was shocked when I inquired about an extended warranty. I was told BMW NA does not offer extended warranties so all the dealerships offer warranties through a company named CMA. Anybody ever heard of them? I will say they were quite proud of their warranty as well(7yr/100K for $3200!) If this is the one every BMW owner gets and the BMW service dept's accept it then I will have no problem going back to the F&I guy and buying it. I just wanted to know if this is the one to get.

Thanks!

fomentar

Chile,

I would check out the extended warranty program vendors here on the Edmund's site as well as others for price comparison. Also, consider the mileage you will be putting on the vehicle...during the period of time (max 7yrs) that you have the vehicle do you expect to incur $3,200 of "warranty" type work? Also, be sure to understand what is covered by the various warranty programs...some are very limited in coverage. I considered an extended warranty, but I will reach 100K miles far sooner than 7yrs or even 5yrs (but will thoroughly enjoy each mile), making the warranty a non-starter.

chile96

Thanks for the input fomentar. I have been severely warned against the internet warranty companies by several people including many in TH. I am wondering if there is a company that usually has the extended warranty "contract" for BMW's or does it vary from dealer to dealer....

Thanks

Go Horns!

needashave

Hi folks,

I was thumbing through the Tribune today as I often do on Sundays and noticed that some dealers are offering 60 month 0% financing. Before I call the dealer, I was wondering if anyone has looked into this or has bought using this financing. I shopped about two months ago for 325 in Chicago and came up with deals in 500 over invoice range. Am I dreaming or can these cars really be had for 500 over with 0%? Happy motoring.

hannah22

No amount given--in fact my dealer hadn't heard of it. I was just researching in prep for signing off on the sale. And re: 0% financing, my dealer said rates (now 3.9%) were 'changing' as of 4/1 but he didn't know up or down.

mitchs3

For the past 3 -4 months my 02 330i tends to make a squeak/squeal when being started cold. Took it to the dealer who replaced the air pump. He told me this pumps air into the system when stating. Unfortunately still makes this noise. I can live with this slight annoyance if that's all it is. The question is can this be a sign or symptom of something else? Anyone else experience this?

hippo168

Some jerk scratched my right front bumper area (Thank god no dents), and now I have some deep scratches on both the black rubber trim and the paint area below that.

I guess I need to do some paint job for the painted area. However, I am under the assumption that the black rubber trim can be replace, and installed easily?

My next question is, where can I find the part? PacficBMW? Anyone has the part number?

Thanks.

kdshapiro

When the temperature was between 5 and 15 my 330 made some strange noises as well for the first minute or two.

It's been my experience that cars sitting outside for 12 hours when the temp is 15 or lower causes some stress on the car when first started. Almost every car ever owned, creaked when first starting up under those conditions.

dan_bmw

Heres my 2 cents. I drove both cars with the standard trans. I am awaiting delivery of a 330i at the end of April.

The 325i is a sweet car and I really liked the way it runs. If I was really strapped for the $4K (and there have been times that I was)I would be fine with the 325i with the PP and sports package. If I was getting an xi I would probably get the 325 because the extra xi weight kind of negates 330i performance advantages. Now if your like me and you love the feel and sound of a higher performance engine at the higher ranges of performance, there is the difference. The 330 gives you almost a second better to 60 than the 325 and the acceleration through the gears is far superior. Besides the HK and other 330i frills, the engine is the reason you want the 330. There is a pretty big difference when you get on it. As you know your talking a .5 liter and a 41 HP increase. Plus you get the six speed. Hell, get the 330.

wigglyman

I have a 2002 330i with 8000 miles. With the transmission is in D, the transmission starts off in 2nd gear most of the time. Is this normal? Or is this an indication of a faulty torque converter. Please help!

hgeyer

Your transmission shifting is correct. It's supposed to start in second.

You may also note that with the adaptive shifting process, it may begin to shift out of first if you are driving particularly aggressively. The car sounds louder when this occurs.

kdshapiro

I think this conservative shifting helped me to get almost 27 mpg in mixed city highway driving over the last half tank. Usually get around 24.

denk

My steptronic doesn't start out in second. Is this only on the 330 and not the 325?
Also, could you clarify your second paragraph. If its supposed to start out in second, why would it be shifting out of first?

hgeyer

The way I understand it, the adaptive automatic transmission adjusts the shifting for your driving style. If you are driving aggressively, it ups the shift points accordingly.

I drive a 2002 330i and can't speak to the 325. I took my car back when I perceived the same issue last summer (I actually thought the noise was the aux. fan, didn't initially correlate it to the quicker starts).

riez

May 2003 issue of Automobile has some good photographs and purported details on the upcoming E90 Series. See page 26. Reportedly...

Keeps front struts and Z-link rear axle. Mentions a V8 M3 (about 4.5L). Says that instead of SMG, may use the twin-clutch unit similar to Audi. Claims, "insiders predict a turbo-charged six for the 3- and 4-series (powering the 300-hp 330/430ti)". Also says will have longer wheelbase (though it won't be significantly longer overall), more headroom & legroom. Plus active steering, adjustable dampers & anti-roll bars, and a self-leveling air-sprung rear suspension as options. New electro-hydraulic disc brakes and electronic parking brake.

mschukar

Plus active steering

My steering is already pretty active when I drive ;-)

pab5

Has anyone have any experience with any after market cell phone holders. I don't want to ruin my dash and all the after markets I have seen are asembled on the dash.

gtom71

Can someone provide a recommendation for the Washington DC area in MD if possible? I'm getting close to buying a used 2002 BMW and wanted a good/reputable mechanic to do the final inspection. Any help is immensely appreciated. Thanks.

fomentar

Pab5,

I have the CCM cell phone holder (sold in Verizon stores as accessory). It plugs into lighter, has cradle for phone, is the speaker for hands free and has mike wire, which I clip to my shirt. It also charges phone while in cradle. It is functional with minimal intrusion on dash controls (I have Motorola V60 phone)...aesthetic cell phone holder = oxymoron...

erickpl

There are rubber floor mats available for the 325. I have some. They are great for water, but they don't take long to show signs of wear.

You should be able to go to Cutter or Pacific BMW's web sites and get the mats easily.

-Paul

memphis10

I have located a 330i MY 2002 that is brand new. It has metallic paint, moonroof, auto and heated seats as options. I don't know how to price it, need help. Secondly, I am wondering why the dealer still has it. It is not a demo car, has not been driven. He says that it didn't move because it doesn't have many options. Is there a possibility that it has been damaged and then repaired. How do I ensure that this has not happened. Can you compare this car with a 2003 325i 5 speed manual with SP which was my first choice. THANKS

blkonblk330i

I bought by rubber floor mats from Griot's. Made in UK by Cannon. Cost about $80, shipping included.