BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

genie1

Pre-owned makes the best sense for me. I'm considering a summer purchase...so I have some time to make up my mind.

erickpl

genie, that 2005 SLK350 is looking REAL nice, especially with that airscarf!

-Paul

bazooka15

I have a 04 325i with 16" wheels and wanted to upgrade to 18". Will it be beneficial or will it just be just a waste of $$$.

Thanks

kyfdx

If you go to 18", you will need to lower the car, or it will look like there is a big gap between the wheel well and the tire.. an optical illusion..

Plus, your ride will worsen, and the tires/wheels are extremely expensive...

I'd suggest going half-way... to 17".. A lot of wheels to choose from (I suggest used wheels off of a 325i Sport or a 330i) and the tires are probably 30% cheaper..

And, they should still look good without lowering the car..

Are you looking for improved handling, or just better looks?

regards,
kyfdx

brave1heart

With 18s, your car will handle better due to the lower profile tires. It will be slower accelerating because of the added rotational weight. Not sure how braking would be impacted with the wider contact patch and added rotational weight... Ride will be noticeably worse, all else equal. You don't need to lower the car... Basically, eye candy but not very functional and you pay up the nose for wheels and tires...

mjday1972

Does anyone know if dealers will be getting more 2005 325s or is their current inventory it? I'm interested in buying a 2005 but don't want to do it until April.

Thanks!

tenet1

I think that they have halted production (or are close to halting production) of the 2005 sedans, not sure about the coupes, but I would assume them will continue the coupes for a year or so more. The new 3 series sedan will be out in a couple of months.

lgtt

I also believe the production for 05 325 sedans has ended. However, new 05s are in the supply chain and still arriving. I placed an order for an 05 325i on December 22, 2004. I received a call from the dealer this afternoon and I will pick the car up tomorrow.

ggs2

i will be looking to purchase a 2003 325xi within the next month or two. i want at,ac,moonroof,leather,premium package,and heated seats.i hope to find one with less than 30,000 miles.my color choices are silver-gray,black,orientblue,or titanium silver.i prefer the paint be metallic.what cost should i expect? also,how much do the extended warranties usually run? thanks.

gordonwd

I always thought that, when buying a used (sorry, pre-owned) car, that you pretty much had to give up much hope of finding the exact color/options/price combo that you wanted, usually sacrificing color to get the rest of it. But if you prefer black, grey, or silver, then with a BMW you are pretty likely to get it.

tslbmw

Does anyone know if my local BMW dealership can install the BMW navigation system to my '01 330i? Or is this something that has to be done at the factory? I would love to add a NAV, however, all of the after-market systems look cheap and out of place in the 3 series.

Thanks!

shipo

I'm thinking it would be cheaper to trade you car in on a 2005 330i with Nav.

Best Regards,
Shipo

tslbmw

ahhhhhhh, which dealership do you work for??!!:)

Fun thought though!!

Does that mean you think that it is not possible or just too pricey?

shipo

Under the heading of "Enough money can fix anything", I'm betting that it is technically possible, however, I'm betting that it would be WAY cheaper just to get a new car. Sorry, I tells it as I sees it. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

P.S.

I used to work for a dealer, a Chevy dealer that is. That was on the National City Mile of Cars, in National City, CA, located between San Diego and Chula Vista. I quit after one week because I refused to lie, cheat and otherwise generally rip off customers.

tslbmw

I appreciate your honesty, but I absolutely love my 01 330i (decked out in Alpine white, with the sport pkg, prem pkg, xenons & slick 5spd manual) with only 42K miles and after buying it used and plunking down a lot of cash, I don't have much to pay off. . .so as much as a new one is a fun thought, I think I'll wait about 3 years and buy one of the E90s. I have a NAV system in my G35 coupe and I love it. . .I know, I know, it's an overpriced map, but I dig 'em and it's the only thing missing from my bimmer that would make it THE PERFECT car.

Thanks!
Tony

P.S.
You're a good man. . .although the car industry could use a few more guys like you!:)

m4d_cow

please note: BMWs navigation system does not include a cd player on e46s, you might wanna try it 1st before buying, its a real pain to use imo.

robopop

You might want to look at this website.
http://www.webquart.com/magellan/ I have their nav unit in my '01 530 and find it fantastic. Granted it isn't integrated with the dash but it is far superior to anything BMW provides it also is able to be easily moved to a rental for a trip. I have the one with the hard drive with info on the whole US. This way you can keep your 330 till it drops.

tslbmw

Thanks for the link and I'm very interested in going this route, but I have a few questions.

1) Did you have this unit mounted on top of your dash?
2) Other than the $940 that the unit costs, what other expenses did you incur?

And it sounds as though you really like this particular unit. . .any negatives?

Thanks for your help!
Tony

robopop

The unit is suction cupped to the windshield, very secure but easy to remove when necessary (when I bought the nav unit one had to specifically ask for the free windshield mount). When I bought mine, I had to spend more than the $940 you quoted - the downside of being an early purchaser of electronics - but there are no other costs. Negatives - the unit has twice not located correctly the place I requested .... don't know why but otherwise, it is superb in the country or city. The other negative relates to its being an add-on.. doesn't look sexy and is easy to steal; so if you are in a high crime area you might want to simply remove it and put it in the glove box. Otherwise seems great. I'll probably forgo the nav unit in my next BMW and just us this again.

jamfis

I am interested in a 2005 325xit automatic with heated seats and metallic paint. MSRP is $35,865 and the lowest quote I have gotten is $33,995. What kind of further reduction could I reasonably expect if I do a deal by month end?.

kyfdx

The only incentives on the 325XiT are lease incentives.. You may be able to get the price down to $33,500, but that would be about all of it... Not a big spread between MSRP and invoice at that price... $2K off MSRP is pretty good..

regards,
kyfdx

jamfis

Thanks for the response. However, I was not aware of any lease incentives, as I thought they would not apply to the wagons, only the sedans. Could you please tell me what lease incentives exist for the wagon. Thanks.

kyfdx

Well... now that I have run off at the mouth...

I'm showing numbers for 325 wagons, but I'm not sure they apply to the AWD wagons, as well... But, I think they do...

The main incentive is an extra low money factor of .0010... that equates to 2.4% interest..

Although, the residual is nothing to shout about.. 54% for 3yr/45K lease...

No cash incentives to lower the selling price, though...

hippohippo

sorry for the belated question... but the BMW shop in Somerville you mention in your earlier post is "Albright Mighty Motors", right?

I work near Somerville, so it should work out great!

Thanks for the info.

brave1heart

Exactly!! They are listed as Albright Mighty Motors.

kyfdx

It turns out that the money factor for the 325XiT is actually .00125, which is slightly higher than the 325iT. The residual is the same as the RWD wagon.

regards,
kyfdx

mjday1972

I test drove a 2005 325i yesterday and am looking to pull the trigger on the deal this week. The car I'm interested in has auto trans, heated seats, and power seats. My question is, will I be able to add Sirius radio as an accessory given this option combination or will I have to get a different combination?

I'd ask the dealer, but they're closed on Sundays here.

pjo1966

With the 325i you can add Sirius with no problem, regardless of the options you get. On other cars like the X3 you need to get one that's specifically been prewired for Sirius.

expertbi

With the new 2006 3-series expected in May, delaers are offering great prices on 325i RWD. Can those who have the RWD please tell me what their experience has been in tri-state winter weather/snow and rain? Does the RWD fish-tail badly or are you driving home with white knuckles and drenched in perspiration wondering when the car will go out of control?

gordonwd

I believe that there is more than one area in the U.S. that refers to itself locally as the "tri-state" area. I grew up in Cincinnati's "Tri-State" area and would not hesitate to drive a 325i there in the winter as long as I put snow tires on it. OTOH, where I now live up near Detroit, I have gone through an exceptionally snowy winter in my 325i with the stock all-season tires with no problems at all. But then it's a LOT flatter here than in the Cincinnati area.

kyfdx

He is in Jersey.. not much different weather from Cincinnati....

If you have winter tires on.. the car will handle as well as any other car.. The only thing you are giving up to an AWD car is straight-ahead traction...

mark_325i

My e46 is shod in a full set of Dunlop WinterSport winter tires and it is very secure in the sloppy stuff. I drive it often to Vermont during the winter with no worries. In fact, on I-91, I have trucked along nicely past various Suburbans and other family trucksters that were in the ditch. Of course, one must drive carefully in the snow and ice, and if you do, the RWD BMW will be just fine -- as long as you get a set of winter tires for it. I purchased them and mounted them on a set of OEM takeoffs for about $800 -- way less than the cost of the XI option.

brave1heart

The dynamic stability control will cut power off if it detects wheel spin/slip so it's pretty hard to fishtail unless you force the car to overpower the DSC...

fishtook

I have 330 RWD and all you need is a good pair of snow or all season tires.

I use Kumho's (Ecsta ASX), they're great. Go to tirerack.com and look for user ratings.

That's how I got my tires 9from other owner feedbacks)

brislance1

I own a 03 330i and know little about these radios. My wife and I travel between our homes in Minnesota and Arizona and are able to get almost nothing on our radio unless we are near a large city. We would like to have a sirius installed, but don't know where to start! Can BMW install a radio like this in my 03? Money is not a big factor. Would appreciate any advice from you experts out there.
Also, does BMW now sell extended warranties and maintance agreements?

cartalk

January 10th, 2003, Woodcliff Lake, NJ... BMW of North America, LLC and Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI), the premier satellite radio broadcaster, today announced that Sirius Satellite Radio systems are now available as an accessory on select BMW 3 Series, 5 Series and X5 vehicles at BMW centers across the country.
All 2003 model year BMW 3 Series Sedan and Coupe, 5 Series Sedan and X5 vehicles equipped with an in-dash CD radio are compatible with Sirius receivers. BMW customers who commit to a one-year Sirius service subscription and activate their receivers at a BMW center will receive two months free Sirius service plus free activation. Drivers coast-to-coast now have access to Sirius' 60 channels of originally programmed, commercial-free music and 40 sports, news and entertainment channels.

"BMW is excited to offer Sirius' unique, uncompromised service to our car buyers," said Hans Duenzl, Vice President, BMW Aftersales and Engineering. "Sirius' world-class programming and state-of-the-art technology fit perfectly into the lifestyle of BMW drivers."

"Sirius is thrilled to bring our service to BMW buyers. BMW sets the standard for high performance, and Sirius complements this by offering the best in digital quality music and entertainment," said Doug Wilsterman, Sirius Senior Vice President, OEM.
-------

And yes, BMW is selling extended maintenance agreements and warranties.

pat

Here's a link - http://www.autoworld.com/apps/news/FullStory.asp?id=2165&frame

When you copy and paste an article from somewhere else, you need to include the link to avoid any copyright issues.

expertbi

Thanks to all of you who responded to my post re. 325i RWD in snow and rain. YOur feedback is really appreciated. Makes me more comfortable making my decision.

myob

Can someone elaborate on exactly what the differences of the "sport tuned suspension" are on the 3 series? I know about the seats, wheels, etc. But I mostly want to know if it's just springs, springs and shocks, and even if the springs lower it or not.

brave1heart

Spring, shocks, and more. It is definitely lower. Also, front camber settings are a bit more aggressive. Corners much better!!

myob

Is it even possible to find a 325i with just the sport pkg and no other options? All I see on lots are relatively loaded ones and stripper base models.

IMHO, the car is a steal when modestly equipped at a price under $30,000 driveout. You can live w/o power seats, real leather, stereo upgrades, etc, but the driving dynamics are impossible to find anywhere else for the price.

peakpro

You are 100% correct. If you can find one.

Lasr week I purchased a 325i manual with just sports package and heated seats. Less than 30,000 out the door. To me it's a terrific buy and the ride is priceless.

potemkin

In January I purchased a 325i with just the sports package and the xenon headlights for under $30,000 here in North Georgia.

Tip: Find the website of your local dealer, email their contact (usually the "internet sales manager") and tell him/her what you're looking for. If it's not on their lot they'll search other dealers for it.

Worked for me.

blueguydotcom

Get lucky or order it. My bro-in-law got lucky and found a sport package/xenon equipped 325i on a lot. With incentives i 03 he paid 27k for the car. Not a bad deal. And he loves it as it's perfect for his needs.

Ordering is most likely your best option for a stripped, fun car.

ggs2

i am in the beginning stages of buying a 2003 325i and i need some advice. hope you're out there kyfdx. the car is mystic blue with sand leatherette,at,ac,premium package,heated seats,am-fm cd, 23,696 miles and they are asking $24,999.car fax report is clean. how does this price sound? the salesperson doesn't think they will come down on price.i would appreciate any and all responses. thanks ggs2

kyfdx

Is it CPO at a BMW dealer?

I'd have to check prices.. It doesn't seem out of line... Low miles.. That car probably had an MSRP of about $33,500..

The salesperson doesn't think they will come down? Gee.. I never heard that before...lol

My gut feeling is this is probably a $23K-$24K car.... If this is a BMW dealer, I'd want to see the vehicle history report... If it isn't a BMW dealer, get the VIN number and ask your local dealer to run a report for you..

heg32

Has anybody installed the $39 BMW aux input and then attached their ipod. Is it possible to attach to the bottom of the ipod and not attach to the headphone jack. Also can you use the aux input if your factory radio has Sirius?

mg330ci

Long time no see guys, but I'm back.

The end of my lease is approaching and I am leaning towards buying the car.

Any advice on getting an extended warranty?

How about making the car a CPO, any experience on how much it costs?

Thanks

ggs2

hay kyfdx;the car i'm interested in is not a cpo. i was told it was because it only had a little over 23,000 miles.it is being sold by a bmw dealer.the car fax report i got on the car indicated no accidents or mechanical issues.i think i forgot to mention it has xenons and cold weather package.boyh edmunds and kelley blue book seem to indicate this price is very reasonable.your thoughts.thanks

don54

Interested in some advice from some of the experienced BMW owners out there. We are looking at a 325xi. Are the leatherette (vynl?) seats noticably more uncomfortable (hotter in summer, colder in winter) than the leather? Is the leather really worth the 1450 premium? Any other differences? Would seat covers (over the leatherette) be a good idea. Thanks in advance for your help.