BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

matwags

Shipo,

One of my recent test drives was a Jetta TDI. Some people really seem to like them and I figured I could drop a chip in to make it a little more fun to drive. After driving it, I told the salesperson that I would be OK with the car if I only had to drive it in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear. I felt like the car was going to shake apart in 1st and 2nd! I would need to find a more refined diesel if I would go that route(BMW320d?, I know, wishful thinking).

I like the A3 alot, but wish it had Quattro with a 2.0 FSI. That won't happen soon.

I will be test driving the new 325 SP and non SP tommorrow. I thought I would stay small (since the HP is close to my 330), and see how I like it. Then I would move up ONLY if necessary.

I try to like some of these cars, I really do, but they just don't compare with BMW. My wife keeps telling me that I will be unhappy settling for a lesser car than a BMW. She may be right.

Cheers,

Matt

grantchstr

For my runabouts I have a Volvo S60 and a BMW 325xi and the Volvo S60 is serious competition for the BMW. The Volvo is a lot more comfortable but the suspension on the BMW seems more robust and the drive is more like the sports cars I once drove: MGs, Healeys etc. The Volvo is more refined - like the Lotus Elan I had for a while.

shipo

"I will be test driving the new 325 SP and non SP tommorrow. I thought I would stay small (since the HP is close to my 330), and see how I like it. Then I would move up ONLY if necessary."

While the horsepower between the E90 325i and the E46 330i are relatively the same, the torque is not. One of the nice things about the motor that you have in your 330i is the relatively speaking greater amount of lower end torque when compared to the newer 325i, and my bet is that you will notice the difference, especially if you are driving a manual transmission.

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Regarding the S60, I personally am not a fan of the styling, and so far at least, everytime I've been to a Volvo dealership and asked to drive a car with a manual transmission, I've been laughed at. "What on earth would you want a stick for? Sticks are for poor people." Yeesh!

As for the car itself, I'm not personally a fan of its looks, and yikes, if the 325xi suspension feels more robust then I'm really not interested because I'm much more of an SP kind of guy. The 325xi has pretty much the same suspension that I had on my 1999 328i, and while it was competent and certainly good enough when I first got it, a day and a half spent in Brave1Heart's 325i SP (pre OneLap configuration) convinced me that I wouldn't really want to live with a non-SP BMW again (which is why I ordered my 530i with the SP).

All in all, once the economics of my driving situation return to the point where leasing is again favorable, I'm thinking either an E90 330i or even the twin-turbo 335i if it's out by then. So far at least, for my needs, wants and desires, the only non-BMW that has shown even a glimmer of promise is the new IS350, and "glimmer" is being kind. What with no manual transmission, full time (as in non-turn-offable) electronic nannies and what is promising to be the smallest back seat in the class, a car that initially seemed to have to goods now seems to be well wide of its self stated goal of out 3-Series-ing the 3-Series.

Best Regards,
Shipo

tcn2k

Anyone know the best product to use to get wax off of plastic parts?

hgeyer

Griot's garage sells a dried wax remover (part 11216). Web site is Griot's Garage

I've bought some, but haven't tried it yet.

Good luck.

jbuchanan

PBR pads are great but the coposition of the pads tend to be harder,will tend to squeal after a couple of thousand miles,Akebona (watch spelling) has come out with ceramic brake pads,they with stand the heat ranges and have not heard them squeal yet,have installed them on dads car 8 months ago no dust or noise,belive me I'd be the first to know,I get my parts from Olympus auto parts in Chantilly Va.
(1-800-827-2134) call for price will ship UPS.

jbuchanan

shipo

"PBR pads are great but the coposition of the pads tend to be harder,will tend to squeal after a couple of thousand miles..."

That all depends upon which PBR pads you are talking about.

- The "Deluxe Plus" pads are actually quite soft, so soft in fact that they don't even need to have any backing on them to inhibit squealing. I used these pads for over a year and never once heard them squeal, nor have I ever heard anybody complain of such an occurance.

- The "XBG" pads are a semi-metallic pad that would most likely squeal a bit were it not for the fact that the pads are backed by squeal inhibiting shims. According to their description of the product, the XBGs are "100% shimmed ensuring squeal-free braking".

- Then there are the PBR "ULT" pads which are essentially ceramic pads, and of course most likely to squeal. Needless to say, these pads are shimmed as well, and while they might not be completely squeal free, given that they are primarily meant for track usage, any squealing will be overlooked due to their on-track performance.

Best Regards,
Shipo

erickpl

I had the PBR/Axxis pads on my 325xi and never once squealed. I was just wanting to see if they made em for the 5's and up.

-Paul

blueguydotcom

SES popped on Friday. I haven't driven the car in a bit either so this was a shocker. Had autozone run the codes and I they mentioned the crankshaft sensor and a misfire code. My dealership wasn't at all concered when I called for an appt...they made me an appt for next week.

And yet i still love the car. Lucky thing I've never dated an abusive woman.

sunilb

That's the thing that irritates me more than anything else: the sensors fail more often than the actual component that they are supposed to be monitoring. In two years, I've had the airbag sensor fail, and the MAF ("mass airflow"?) sensor fail. Luckily, both were covered under warranty but driving around with random lights on the dash is no fun.

alibajalajaula

Blue, what's the SES? Been following your adventures and misadventures sorta to be prepared. Let see, coils, DISA. Mine just gulped a quart of oil (took longer this time). So far no other thing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and knocking on wood. I also definitely love every bit of driving this car. Hey, quick question, do you have to re-align when you replace tires? Or you just install'em (balanced of course) and see what happens? At 24K I still have thread but guess it may happen before the end of the year.

kyfdx

Service Engine Soon

ek01

I have a 2002 330i and an independent mechanic who specializes in BMWs has recommended that I change my oil every 8,000 KMs in spite of the less frequent oil change recommendation (24,000KMs based on moderate driving conditions) made by BMW. Has anyone else heard of similiar suggestion? Thanks in advance.

blueguydotcom

I've tried twice. Both times they told me the car aligned fine and wouldn't charge me. Go figure.

24k miles...wow, I'd be near a third set of tires

matwags

Shipo,

While the horsepower between the E90 325i and the E46 330i are relatively the same, the torque is not. One of the nice things about the motor that you have in your 330i is the relatively speaking greater amount of lower end torque when compared to the newer 325i, and my bet is that you will notice the difference, especially if you are driving a manual transmission.

Bullseye! I drove a base 325i 6-speed non sport today. You are on the money. While the pick up is great, it does not push you back in your seat like the 2002 330i. Its all about the torque. I do like the 6-speed for the highway.

I am afraid to drive the 330i, as the last time I did that I ended up buying one!

Cheers,

Matt

motorcity3

Hello everyone.

I have two scratches on my bumper, which are a bit deep and wide and I would like to find some paint to hopefully cover them up. Something I can do on my own. My car is a Jet Black 2001 325i. Any ideas where I can find "patch-up" paint or something similar? Thanks.

kominsky

A few years ago, I got touchup paint for my wife's Odyssey in a marker type applicator. Unfortunately, I can't remember the brand. Her van is metallic gray/green and the paint was a very good match. Application was very easy too. I'll look around and see if I can find the brand on the web or a receipt or something.

kominsky

cool... I found it laying on a shelf out in the garage. It's an AutoSharp Pen. autosharppen.com. They have a paint code search to help be sure you get the right color.

nyccarguy

I got a DM piece in the mail today from BMW offering "a special loyal BMW CCA member" rebate on any '05 M3 Coupes & Convertibles from now until 12/31/05. In addition to the $500 rebate they give me if I purchase or lease any new '05 M3, htey're going to throw in an extra $2000 rebate! Too bad I'm not in the market.

grantchstr

My guess is that the 1/4-1/2 cup amount you (mis-) used is a fraction of the required ATF fluid capacity so there wont be a problem....It would have been worse the other way around as ATF fluid is not formulated to withstand the combustion environment inside the engine.

brave1heart

Thanks for correcting all of us, man - I too thought that Trailing Throttle Oversteer was a band that used to open for REO Speedwagon. Good work with that article - it's so hard getting people to laugh in an article that covers so much technical detail but I gotta tell ya, I was grinning all the time while reading it. And that guy that got away when your wife was riding with you was very lucky indeed. Maybe you'll take him with the "ti" next time you run into him ;o) My hat is off to you for not being a sellout on the SMG!

div2

You know, I liked the 6er a whole bunch more than I thought I would, but that SMG was almost impossible to drive smoothly. And I appreciate your comments, but I have to give a lot of credit to Satch; he's one great editor.

kyfdx

Yes.. a very nice article... Nice of you to slip in the pictures of your wife..

regards,
kyfdx

div2

She really didn't want to have her picture used but Satch was adamant about it. She photographs much better than she thinks she does. Of course I'm a wee bit biased.

venture

Well...here's sort of a reverse on the oil change interval thingy.

I took my '05 325i to the dealer today to make an appointment for an oil change. There are 7,700 miles on the car. I want to make a mid-recommended change the first time since BMW suggests every 15,000 miles.

The Service Manager asked me if I really wanted to do that. I stopped on my way out to talk to the Sales Manager. He said the same thing.

I don't think I have ever had a car dealership NOT want to take my money before. :surprise:

And yes, I told them to NOT re-set the service indicator.

jimbres

I drive an SP-equipped 330i. Approximately how many miles should I expect to get from my ContiSport tires? I would characterize my driving style as spirited but not aggressive; I'm not a push-the-envelope kind of guy.

What are the signs that the tires haven't much life in them & should be replaced soon? I know that this questions sounds silly, but I don't have any prior experience with high-performance tires.

goodshopper99

Hello,
I have a chance to buy a 2003 BMW 330i, with performance package, moonroof, black leather, xenon, HK audio, 25k miles, 6sp manual, mint car but had DME & coils replaced (common ZHP problem) for $26,800. Original window sticker MSRP was $43,100. Is this a good price?

bdr127

The service mgr and sales mgr are being straight with you and trying to save you money.... (It's funny how people -- not just you -- assume that there is some ulterior dealer motive... ) With the advancements in engine technology, monitoring driving habits, and especially synthetic oil, you really don't need to change your oil that often. I know that folks from the old school just find it too difficult to resist the classic "3000 miles", but it's the real deal. Like you said, you've never had a car dealership not want to take your money.... If they thought you should do, they would have already accepted your cash.

bdr127

Approximately how many miles should I expect to get from my ContiSport tires?

Most people are getting between 10k-15k miles. YMMV (literally)

kyfdx

Just for another data point...

I have the 330i Sport package set-up on my 325i.. Michelin Pilot Sports...

I have about 20K on them and the rears are looking pretty dicey... Fronts might have another 5K to go... I'd say this is typical for non-aggressive drivers..


regards,
kyfdx

gordonwd

Frankly, I've never been impressed by people who think that short tire life is a sign of driving prowess. Ask any race driver and they will tell you that the fastest line through a corner is not the line that scrubs off the most rubber. Scrubbing off rubber means scrubbing off speed, and while that may itself be a technique occasionally, it does not take much skill to just throw your car into a corner and slide the tires.

It's true that a skilled aggressive driver will wear out the tires faster than a conservative driver, but when I hear someone bragging about getting "only 5K" or something out of their tires, I start rolling my eyes. I could do the same in my car if I started using it in burnout or drifting contests .

bdr127

What are the signs that the tires haven't much life in them & should be replaced soon?

Forgot to address this question in my previous post..... Most people say that 2/32 and less tread depth needs to be replaced. The most objective method to measure (rather than just looking at them and saying, "Hmm... These are looking a little low") is to get a wheel tread depth gauge. It's a really small little instrument (maybe 3-4 long and just 1/4 inch wide).... Here's one, for example:
http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/s.nl/sc.9/category.210/it.A/id.11189/.f

Cheap and easy....

But if you want an even cheaper method (but one that doesn't give you an exact measurement), is to take a US penny and insert it into the tread with Lincoln's head down. Look at the penny from the side, and if you can see all of Lincoln's head, then you need to replace the tire. If Lincoln's head sinks down deep, then you're good.

blueguydotcom

True but soft compound tires when pushed hard - no squeeling or any nonsense - only last 12-15k miles.

sunilb

Sounds like a good deal to me, but given that the the e90 is now out you might want to haggle.

maxcat2

:confuse: I got a nail in my tire that is to close to the side wall to be patched. The tire has not been losing air pressure so I took a few days to pick out new tires and order them. So, after much research I decided not to replace with the OEM Potenzas but have gone with Goodyear F1's.

The tires arrived yesterday and are sitting in my garage. I noticed there are 3 colored lines running around the tire. What are these lines? Second, I know these are directional tires but is there supposed to be a left and a right? Both tires are the same so these lines would be running on the inside of 1 tire and the outside of the other.

Finally, I purchased all 4 tires but am thinking of only replacing the rears at this time (its one of the rears that has the nail). The tires have less than 12,000 miles and are wearing well. Other than aesthetics is there any reason not to run a mis-matched set of tires (fronts vs. rears) since the fronts still have several thousand miles worth of life left in them? Thanks for any replies.

blueguydotcom

just be sure you put the new tires on the back!

jimbres

Thanks! I'd forgotten about the Lincoln's head tire gauge.

venture

I didn't mean to imply that I'm going to do the 7,500 mile change every time. I just want to do it while the engine is still young. After that it will be every 15,000 or when the service indicator says to do it.

I have to take it in for it's 6 month detail anyway and thought, as long as I was there, I might as well get it done. It's about 30 miles to my dealer.

Normally I'd just let them come and pick it up, but after getting this car I like to drive more.

All my former cars I have changed oil twice a year. In the fall & in the spring. It's always worked for me. Hmmm - that reminds me. I think my wife's SAV (Suburban Assault Vehicle) needs the oil changed too. :surprise:

brave1heart

I got 21.5K miles out of the ContiSports that came with the SP on my '01 325i. The rears were almost bald; the fronts had maybe 5K left on them. I did not rotate that set. This was with regular driving schools, austocrossing, and everyday spirited driving. Based on your driving style, I'd expect the rears on your car will last for ~25K miles. I probably would not wait to replace them till the are bald, though - there are much better tires in that price range. The ContiSports were loud, tramlined, and had mediocre handling after the first 12-15K miles or so.

selm

I have to take it in for it's 6 month detail anyway and thought, as long as I was there, I might as well get it done. It's about 30 miles to my dealer.

Did I read that right... you get the car detailed at the dealer every 6 months? How much do they charge? are they comparable to detailing shops?

bdr127

Geez, every Saturday my local BMW dealer details the car of anyone who bought from them....

selm

I will have to ask my dealership about that one. My car is black inside and out and I am assuming it will require a lot of attention.

gordonwd

Autoweek did a report on the long-term 5-series that they have. The only expense so far was replacing one of the run-flat tires, which came out to $429. Yikes!! That's one reason why I would not be too thrilled about having run-flats on a car at this time: if you get a puncture and drive on it for more than a few miles, they recommend to replace the tire. Personally, I'd rather change to a spare and then fix the original tire for $20.

kominsky

Most, if not all, new tires have wear-bars built into the tread. Look on the outer sidewall for small arrows pointing toward the tread. When you find one, look or feel the center tread cut at that point. You should be able to see or feel a piece of rubber inside that tread cut that is higher than the rest of the tread. When that reaches the surface, the tire is worn to what the manufacturer considers the limit. If there are no arrows, just run your finger around inside the tread, you'll feel the bars if they are there. FWIW, my experience with these performance tires has been that the tires start getting questionable in the rain before the wear-bars hit the surface.

bdr127

Personally, I'd rather change to a spare and then fix the original tire for $20.

If it's dark or raining or snowing or -10 degrees below zero, etc, I'd much rather drive to somewhere I can change the wheel/tire without being exposed to the elements.......

kyfdx

Yeah.... but how far are you going to have to go to get another runflat? On a weekend trip to the mountains?

For a car like the Z4 or Corvette, I can see it.... But, their is no shortage of trunk space in my 3-series..

regards,
kyfdx
(not the host)

bdr127

Roadside Assistance.... Provided free with the factory and certified warranties. They'll be there much fast than AAA.

kyfdx

Will they bring me another runflat tire?

Seriously.... runflats fixed a problem that didn't exist.. Roadside Assistance will come and change my tire... What do they do for the E90 driver?

regards,
kyfdx
(not the host)

selm

Speaking of tires... When I go to tirerack and look for the '06 325i with sport package, all I see are a set of pirelli's. I know that my car has bridgestones on them. I have also heard that michelin makes some, but I haven't seen it with my own eyes. But there are still numerous manufacturers that don't provide rf tires for my desired sizes. When will they jump in the game? They have to be very profitable, so I am hoping that by the time I need new tires (~20000K miles, or 2 years for me) I have some options.

Coworkers have asked me what I like about the car: I say everything (with a very large grin). People ask me what I don't like: I say the rf tires because I constantly have it in the back of my mind and I am just hoping that I don't get a flat. I know I will be terribly inconvenienced and have to shell out more money than is reasonable. I passed on the tire and wheel insurance (I hope it was the right thing to do).