BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

dave330i

Had my first mishap with Tirerack. With the rainy season, the Coupe needed new rears, so I placed my order with Tirerack as usual. 2 days pass and I receive delivery of 1 tire. :surprise:

Not sure if the fault was with Tirerack or Fedex, but I called up Tirerack, talked to the nice lady at costumer service, and the other tire should be at my front door when I get home today.

abfisch

Forum:

Does anyone have any experience with adding front and/or rear stress bars to the shock towers. I have read alot of reviews and they are all very positive. I was wondering if the ride quality changes significantly??? They seem very easy to put on, at least the fronts.

I am not sure of the different models, but for above purposes, the manual recommends 35psi Rear and 30 psi front, for the 225/45 W 17.. 38 psi in the front would appear to be a little excessive, even for track purposes. Perhaps that is why the blowout occurred.

abfisch

brave1heart

I've had a Racing Dynamics front stress bar for 3 years and I've been very happy with it. It tightens up the front a bit, it cuts down understeer and the car plows less. There's no noticeable ride comfort penalty.

I run ~ 36-38 all around during the winter to protect the rims from potholes (Boston). If the pressure was lower when I hit that pothole, it might have impacted the tire AND the rim.

grantchstr

I have a 325xi only a few months old with 7,000 on the clock - this morning it wouldn't start (my 2001 Volvo S60 fired up no problem - with its original battery). Now there had been a snowstorm and the temperature had dropped to 15 degrees - the car is used regularly doing round trips of 20 miles a day so surely that wouldn't run the battery down. The car started, splutteringly after concking out a couple of times, later in the morning when the sun was up.
BMW, on the phone, reckoned it could be a frozen fuel line? Is that possible? My guess is that the battery is defective and should be replaced - would this be a warranty item or am I stuck with the cost? :sick:

jaj

That absolutely should be a warranty repair, no matter what the cause turns out to be (unless of course you're adding sugar to your gas tank or some such thing). Good luck.

-jaj

brave1heart

My E46 325i has never failed to start in temps as low as -5 F. I've had it for nearly 5 years (Boston). Whatever is causing your issue should be covered under warranty!

nyccarguy

was fantastic. the 5 series history was informative. The article on how the E90 325i held up on the track was great. I enjoyed the 130i article (especiallt Satch's commentary).

kyfdx

...to fix a wandering tuner.. and a rattle..

Of course, my wife didn't bother to tell me that the tuner had starting working normally.. I didn't find that out until during the trip to the dealer..

But, the rattle.. they really go all out at my service department.. Verbatim from the service order:

Test drove car ..heard two separate noises.. lubed conv. top seals, test drove again, noises remained unchanged. Adjusted rear storage cover latches. Test drove again. One noise gone. Test drove car again with another Tech in back seat. Found that the tapping noise was coming from the rear shock tops. Replaced both rear shock tops. Test drove again. No noises.

Not too bad.. I got free coffee and doughnuts, and got to drive their X3 all day.. and, the rattle is actually gone!!

div2

You should come to Gateway Tech-it should be a blast!

brave1heart

The E90 325i write-up puzzled me. The author felt that the E90 325i was noticeably faster and would lap the Glen much quicker than the E46 325ci that he once drove there. Yet, he is only hitting 122 mph on the back straight. I used to hit 121-122 mph consistently with my stock E46 325i (sway bars only) a few years ago. A couple of minor mods (still street tires and stock suspension), and last time I was hitting 125-128 mph consistently. Based on the E90's trap speed on the back straight at the Glen, I don't see how it can be so much quicker than the E46 325i at the track... Maybe the author wasn't driving either car close to its potential?!

bdr127

Or maybe the driver was able to go into and come out of turns faster in the E90.

potemkin

Also possible that the driver was getting to 122 MPH sooner.

sammva

:confuse: Hi All,
I bought a used '99 323I from a private party this morning but failed to notice or did not notice correctly about the headlights earlier. I just wanted to take a short drive in the night and noticed the headlight on the right side wasn't working. the highbeam lights work on both sides but the normal light on the right side doesn't work and also i see slight moisture buildup.... my question.... can i take the car to a gemini/midas workshop and get that fixed... or do i need to take to the dealer.

secondly the moisture buildup is that a pre-cursor of a problem about to come?

Thirdly i want to take the car to a dealer to do a inspection reg the cond of the car etc... is this necessary atleast for my sanity?

i trusted the guy who sold to me and called him and left messages but not sure if i trusted him too much... Pls. give me suggestions.... this was my dream car ever since school but alas on the first day of my possession my stomach rolls and am upset if there might other issues aswell

shipo

If the car has the standard lighting, then the headlight bulb can be had pretty much anywhere (Autozone sells it for $14.99) including most independent garages.

Regarding the condensation, I wouldn't worry too much about that, it was pretty common in the early E46s when the headlights hadn't been on in a while to dry out the inside of the front lens. Unless you find a crack or hole in said front lens, then once you replace the bulb and drive with the lights on for a little while, the condensation will disappear.

Best Regards,
Shipo

nyccarguy

Thanks for the invite! St. Lawrence, MO is a little far from NY - especially for a guy who works 6 days a week (that reminds me, I've got a truckload of toilets coming in tomorrow t 7:00 AM).

I would like to try and get to a NY Chapter CCA event this year. I know they offer members a sneak peak into the NY Auto Show the night before it opens. I'd like to maybe check out an autocross event (check out, not participate) if they hold 'em on a Sunday. Mr. President Blazey wrote a great column this month. I'm going into my 3rd year as a CCA member and haven't once attended an event. I would feel a little intimidated being a NON-BMW owner (although it will be high on my wishlist when I blow the candles out on my 30th birthday cake in April), just an enthusiast.

ROUNDEL really gets me charged up. I want a BMW more and more every time I read it. Lots of thoughts go through my head: Do I lease an E90 325i (SP/Stick), should I look into a really low mileage CPO E46 325i (or a 330i ZHP), or maybe taking over the lease of an E46, or look for a low mileage late model E36 M3?... Then reality sets in...

francisr

HI, guys
I just got my 01 325i from a dealer with a third-party 3y/36k warranty. It is 45k miles with sports and winter packg and I just love it more than I can say. The warranty said I only need to pay $50 for the things it covered (not the tear-and-wear stuff such as rotors or pads, but do include poewr-train blablabla).

Now I want to know which is a good way to maintain the bimmer and how to use such warranty. Do I have to bring it to a close BMW dealer for a thorough check and do the maintainance every time? Besides them, are there any also-good regular mechanics (also qualified for BMW cars) I can trust and go for?

Thank yo and have a nice weekend!

Francis

grantchstr

Dealer could find nothing wrong......... :sick:

gordonwd

Besides them, are there any also-good regular mechanics (also qualified for BMW cars) I can trust and go for?

Well, that depends entirely on where you live, but in almost any city there are likely to be independent BMW service specialists since they are such a popular car and many people own older models, etc. Just check around and see what you find. They are definitely cheaper for routine maintenance.

francisr

Thanks!

I got one guy who used to be working in Passport BMW for ten years and now has his own shop. I will check him out this week.

grantchstr

It is my understanding that the use of computertized systems and modules requires software diagnostics which can only be obtained through subscription services. So an independent dealer would need to subscribe to BMW in order to use the software - usually a monthly service fee. For independents who work on a number of usually foreign cars this is costly and few subscibe unless they do a large volume of a particular make.

teutonicdriver

My 325 XI inexplicably did not start a couple times in very cold weather. The battery is really weak too in really cold weather. BMW dealer Service Dept. could not find a problem. My advice: Keep it in your garage in cold weather. From BMW owner N.W. N.J. USA

abfisch

Thanks for the response. I put one in the other day, took it for a spin, but the roads are so full of dirt from the salt trucks that I just did not feel comfortable about pushing it. It did seem like it limited a little flex but not enough to change any ride quality whatsoever, at least at speeds below 65MPH. I was wondering if it causes an alignment problems. i cannot see how it can, but one mechanic I spoke to said he has seen this to be an issue(not particularly with this car), in general. The one I purchased was from UUC and I was quite impressed with its simplicity, construct, and the fact that the strut tower anchors where not a full circle but crescent shaped, eliminating fitting the passenger side one under the positive jump terminal. Clever.

If I was in Boston and used the car year round, I would think buying winter tires and steel rims or going to a minus one conversion with a slightly higher sidewall might be an alternative to worrying about hitting a pothole. Even though you would lose some handling/transient response, how much would you need in Boston during the winter. Just a thought.

Thanks for the note above. I am using my 02 Avalon now, until Spring when I start to use the BMW as a daily driver.

abfisch

kenyon

I have a 10 month old 330xi with 21K miles. When I bought it the dealer negotiated not only price ($7K off list with the rebate) but also the extended maintenance plan from 50-100K miles. I paid $650 for what I believe listed at $995. I am now interested in the extended BMW warranty but am a little taken aback by its cost. Does anyone have experience negotiating an after sale purchase of the warranty for below list price? If so, what prices are you paying and did you shop different dealerships?

3catmom

Still no satisfaction with the chrome trim around the windows on my 2003 330. Yesterday, I had the car fully detailed by the service center the dealer uses. I dropped the car off with the dealer and they took care of bringing it back and forth to the detail place. The rest of the car looks great - but the trim is still garbage.

I spoke with the service adviser at the dealership and he told me that this has been a common problem on many BMW makes. I told him that I found it unacceptable that my car has no dents or scratches outside or inside, is cleaned all the time, has been detailed several times, and is less than three years old but - because it gets rained, snowed, or sprinkled on - I'm supposed to live with this mess. Even if my car was garaged at home, what I am supposed to do if I park it in an uncovered parking lot and the mall and it starts to rain? Is it really that fragile? He told me that the dealer cannot replace the trim on its own. A rep from BMW will have to look at the car and decide whether it's worthy of replacement.

Needless to say, I continue to be VERY frustrated by this issue. And, it has greatly impacted my opinion of the quality of BMWs. Everyone has commented on the way my trim looks and it has impacted their opinion of BMWs. If this doesn't get fixed, I can say with certainty that I will never purchase or recommend a BMW again. My trim looks like cheap tin - not what I expected when I purchased my "dream car."

I am sure that, if I were to trade it in and the dealer wanted to sell it as a certified pre-owned, the first thing they would do is replace this trim. And given the condition of the rest of the car and the fact that it doesn't even have 10,000 miles/year, it would most likely be the only thing they would have to do.

I know I've asked before - but since the dealer mentioned it was a common issue - has anyone had any similar problems with their trim and, if so, how was it resolved? Thank you!

alibajalajaula

Sorry to hear your problem, but I still don't understand; could you please include a closeup picture? I have trim in the door sills, and so far so good.

3catmom

I don't have a picture to post. Basically, it's all dull, white, and spotty - instead of shiny metal. At the very beginning of each strip, you can still see the old shiny chrome the way it's supposed to be. It hasn't pocked or anything yet and there's no rust. It's just dull, battleship gray, flat, dull, and ugly.

This happened within the first year I had the car - very disappointed and not too satisfied with the situation. The rep should be looking at the car in the next month.

nickjc

Dealer is asking $33,900. Vehicle has 18,600 miles, is Imola Red, black leather, and looks clean. Drove nicely. Thoughts? What would be a reasonable deal?

Thanks for input. Want to do this deal before month's end.

kyfdx

Is it CPO from a BMW dealer, with the extended warranty?

If so, it sounds like a good deal.. Even better, if you can knock off a couple of thousand..

nickjc

No, it's not a CPO. I generally keep cars for 30 months or so, so I will not be outside of warranty or scheduled maintenance. I figure the dealership (not BMW) will move a little on the price.

Think 31k is doable? Thanks again.

kyfdx

I think it'll go for somewhere between $31K and $33K.. Sounds like a nice one... Of course, if you use up most of the warranty, that will hurt re-sale some on the back end...

That is a lot of car for the low '30s...

kyfdx

I saw an '04 330i ZHP for sale from a private party.. They started out at $32,900 early this month.. Now asking $29,500....

So, don't fall in love with the first one you see..

nickjc

I'm with you...The local BMW dealer has an '04 330i, zhp, step, leather, cold...the works. However, vehicle saw 2000 miles at the performance center. Asking price is $33,850, qualifies for new car financing, etc...

I'll admit, I've been waiting for months to pull the trigger, and am getting anxious...

Thanks for input.

brave1heart

Yep, the stress bar is almost 'invisible'...

Correct, I use snow tires mounted on downsized wheels. My M2 snow tires were so worn out, I could barely get the car moving in a couple of inches of snow in a nearly flat driveway. With the new M3s, the car is almost like a snowmobile and the DSC barely ever comes up even when climbing steep hills. The depth of the tread makes a huge difference with snow tires! FWIW, I got 15,500 miles over 4 seasons with the M2s. They are really only good for ~ 10K miles (unless you always drive them on snow and they don't wear out nearly as much).

fedlawman

Some of you who frequent some the of E30 enthusiast sites might already know this...

After only 8 months of ownership, I'm getting rid of my 325is



My good friend who sold me the car is now an expecting father, and suggested a "325is + cash" arrangement for his recently restored M3. We finalized the deal 2 days ago:







My friend did a complete ground up restoration using only original BMW parts. He rebuilt the motor using only genuine BMW EVO III components (no aftermarket) - it's a virtual mechanical clone of the 240 hp 2.5L EVO III. The rest of the drivetrain and the suspension are also suitably modified (Rogue SSK, Bilsteins, Eibachs, etc.)

He's going to drive it up to me in 3 weeks...I'm going nuts!

nyccarguy

Nice Ride! You're going to ENJOY the E30 M3 :shades:

kyfdx

Nice ride... you are no longer my friend..

fedlawman

div2

You won't regret it; the E30 M3 is a fabulous drivers car. A generous friend once let me hammer his Dinan modded E30 M3 around Sears Point(now Infineon Raceway) for an entire CCA Drivers School. The only cars I gave a point-by to were an old IMSA 3er and a C4.

fedlawman

Lucky! I don't think I have any friends THAT generous.

The only negative about my M3 is that it's so clean, I'd almost hesitate to track it.

I did say "almost" however...I don't have it yet and I'm already shopping for lightweight 15" wheels (Kosei's?) and R-Comps (RA-1s?).

I'm thinking about trekking down to Santa Barbara this April. Anyone else here planning to go?

jcero5223

I did a very stupid thing this morning. In my haste to get to work on time and add some engine oil, I mistakenly poured the oil into the power steering reservoir (about 6 ox). I was able to extract most of the oil with an eye dropper. Should I have the reservoir flushed or just top off with additional steering fluid?

Thanks

grantchstr

I have seen this accident reported before on Edmunds so you might want to do use the search engine on this website. Now if you had poured haudaulic fluid into the engine ...............but IMHO you dont have a problem. You might want to read this:

http://www.insidersecretstohydraulics.com/hydraulic-fluid.html

diehldun

We're going to be picking up a used '01 325Ci next weekend from a friend of ours, and while he's a careful driver, we want to take it somewhere for a check.

Should we take it to a BMW dealership for a checkup (can they do a "Certified BMW Pre-Owned" check?), or should I just take it to a reputable service place? How much do these usually cost? Basically, I want them to make sure that there aren't mechanical/technical problems with the car, and that the car is safe to drive. It's got about 80,000 miles on it.

Thanks for any advice! We haven't taken delivery of a used car for many years!

div2

Any good dealer or good BMW independent shop can do the work. An excellent list of quality independent BMW shops can be found here. If you don't have a full service history I'd suggest changing out all the fluids-lubricants, brake fluid, and coolant-so you'll know when to change them in the future.

grantchstr

What is the qualification requirement, if any, of being a member of the International Association of Independent BMW Service Professionals? It would be nice to know whether these shops owned or subscribed to the necessary BMW software necessary for onboard computer and module diagnostics.

div2

Well, all I can say is that the member shops that I have had experience with are first-class operations. That said, there are also plenty of good shops that aren't affiliated with the organization.

sunilb

Holy smokes... that's brilliant!
I need friends like yours
Seriously, if you ever to decide to part with that car (or if your friend decides to let go of the 325is), let me know!

Looks like a lot of fun... keep us posted on how you like it.

like2drive

Hi.

Does anyone know if / how to activate the flashing LED in the "clown nose" of the rear view mirror of a 2006 BMW 330i? This is for cars equipped without an alarm - AKA a dummy LED for when the vehicle is locked.

My dealer said this was not possible but per gurumike this is possible. Any help would be great ... Thanks!

-- gurumike, great idea about the flashing "clown nose" LED! I simple deterrent ... :-)

brislance1

Your dealer is wrong! I was told the same thing, but I had the directions and they did program it for me. They honestly didn't know how to do it and were quite appreciative when they realized it could be done. My car is an 03 330i, but I think the same procedure would be true for your 06. Go to message #15225 on this board for the exact directions. Good luck. By the way, my dealer did not charge me for the service.

dragon1952

Yep. The search feature brings up too many unrelated threads so you'll have to suffer through another one
I've got a '98 328i sedan. Tire size P205/60 R15. Based on price/reviews I'm thinking about BF Goodrich radial TA's at 61.99, Falken ZE329 at 72.99 and Dunlop SP Sport 5000 at 73.99. Will be moving to Oregon so wet traction is a must. Any opinions? Thanks!

gordonwd

Actually, if the car in question is the new E90 (and he posted in the wrong thread here), then it really is not possible to make the light blink. It can be done on an E46, but not an E90.