BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

larryintn

Are you in Wichita Falls? I'm in town this week visiting family with our '00 323i.

goody4

The blinking temperature is an ice warning indicator (It "dings" once--the same tone used for fasten seatbelts--and flashes the current temperature 8 times. It does this only when the outside temperature 37F degrees or lower. If you depress the "BC" button once on the turn signal stalk BEFORE the 8 flashes are finished, it will display the clock (or whatever you had showing on the OBC at the time) again without you having to go through all of the OBC displays.

Or you could just move to a warmer climate. (j/k)

white6

Nope, I'm in Arcadia, OK (just outside of Oklahoma City). The BMW dealer here in OKC was not willing to negotiate at all, so I shopped elsewhere. Thanks for asking, though.

larryintn

Well, we came through OKC Monday (I-40, I-240, I-44) but don't think we ever slowed below 40mph and that was just on the I-240 to I-44 entrance ramp.

rascal8

Looking at a 325ci. What do you all think are the chances of getting a better deal on this car at year-end (i.e. last week of December)? Usually you can get a better deal at year-end since dealers want to book more sales in the current year, unload inventory, etc.

goody4

Model "year-end" deals for BMW are in June. Sometimes also in September when they're phasing in minor changes. These cars must already be on the lot for you to get the deal. But good negotiating should get you the car you want any time of the year.

rascal8

I was referring to fiscal year-end sales. Sometimes the dealerships want to get as much revenue booked before the year ends on Dec. 31 (IF their year ends on 12/31) and will be more apt to be provide a better price. Something tells me this will not matter much though. Just a thought. Thanks.

bavarian

I drove from Chicago to Michigan Sunday night and had some wonderful stretches of dry open road ahead, cruising along at 90mph once I got into Michigan. Next morning my 325i had a four inch layer of snow. The roads hadn't yet been salted nor ploughed but I was curious to see how the car would handle. ABS was quickly brought into play but to get the DSC to work I had to deliberately overdo the gas on sharp turns to make the rear slide out. The DSC immediately brought the car under control and heading straight. Very impressive, so much so I repeated the experiment when and where it was safe to do so.
Wonderful car!

fourizonly

I'm purchasing a '01 325i sedan with following specs:
Jet Black, leather package, premium package, automatic, business cd. MSRP $33,985 INV $30,610.
I'm in So Cal and the best quote so far is $32,600+tax & lic. Is this a good deal or should I ask for more? Thanks in advance.

fourizonly

Can anybody point out the pros and cons for leather and leatherette? Will it affect the resale value of the car if I choose leatherette? Thanks for any input.

larryintn

Leather: Softer, slightly different appearance, real leather smell. Not are rugged, requires more care, will crack and split if not cared for carefully, more easily stained.

Leatherette: Almost everyone will think it's leather, easier to clean and care for, more resistant to damage, will take a lot more abuse before it cracks, more restistant to staining. Not as soft, lacks the 'gathers', lacks leather smell, isn't 'real leather'.

What it will do to the value of the car will depend on how well you care for the leather. Neglected leatherette will look a heck of a lot better than neglected leather in five or six years.

aaron300z

If you really want to have a nice looking 325 BMW you must get the sport package. The car will handle better, you will get better seat and nicer wheels. I got the sport package instead of the leather and I dont regret my decision.

Resale value with the sport package will also be higher.

If you want also get the leatherette interior on black and add the WOOD TRIM to get nicest looking car in town. Black leatherette will look clean after 7 years

stokdgs

I calculate your car costing 26,175 + options.
Best I can get in Sacramento is 26,990 to start.
Im getting almost the same as you, except I have
SP pkg, Xenon, HK sound upgrade. Comes out to 36,160 + tax, etc.. Where did you get this quote?
Thanks
DanF

fourizonly

Hi Dan,

I got the quote from South Bay BMW and it's the best quote I've got so far. Here is another quote that I requested:
Color: Jet Black, premium package, automatic, xenon, foglight, cd. MSRP $33,295 and South Bay's quote is $32,000+tax&lic.

BTW I thank Larryintn and Aaron300z for the input.

steve1526

I've always been under the impression that the Sports Package changes the ride appreciably. If you like a tighter, harder drive its ideal. But if you want a softer feel with less road feedback, the Sport Package is not the way to go (although everyone seems to agree the seats are a major plus). Any reactions?

Steve

larryintn

Our car is a 323i WITHOUT the sports package. At the recently Ultimate Drive in Nashville I drove two cars WITH the sports package (323iT and 323Ci) and was surprised at how little difference there actually is.
First, I really did like the sport seats. Very nice. Not that there's anything wrong with the standard seats, they're great, but the sports seats are better still.

As far as handeling, there's very little difference. The cars felt slightly sharper but it wasn't a big deal at all. I was also impressed with the ride as it wasn't noticeably rough. In short, I wouldn't worry about not having the sport packages handling if you're inclined to skip it and, if you DO want the sport's package, don't worry that the ride will be too rough, it isn't.

The one area that would have been a consideration to me is the wheels. I really like my 16" wheels as they are better protected from damage from impact (curbs, pot holes, etc.) as well as from "curb rash". They should also do better on those few days per year that you must drive on snow and ice. My car, BTW, did very well on the one snow day it's seen in it's year of 'life'.

div2

I have a 1995 3er with the Sport package as well as a 1998 without the package. Frankly, the only time I can tell any difference is during "spirited" driving. The 1995 has much higher lateral grip as well as increased roll stiffness. The wider tires are also a bit prone to tramlining. I can't really detect any difference in ride quality. I'll always spring for the Sport kit. If you really don't plan to flog the car, you may want to save your money. Drive them back to back then make the call that is right for YOU.

lbennett

After lots of looking, the best deal I could find on a 330 coupe (sp, pp, xenon) was 1100 off MSRP - at a dealership 2 hours away from me - is this the best I can expect for this market? All the dealers say there are fewer coupes available than other models, so they're less willing to deal. Can anyone verify this?
Thx.in advance for the help.

benjaminchoi

Similar question to above, except in the Seattle area. How much can I get off from MSRP here in Seattle? Either BMW of Bellevue of BMW of Seattle. A friend of mine recommended BMW of Seattle.

330Ci... $1,100 off in the Bay Area sounds damn good to me.

markjenn

I live in Bellevue and I've had little luck getting either Bellevue or Seattle to budge much on price. I'm going over toe Hahn in Yakima. They've been responsive on email. I've had much, much better luck dealing with smaller out-of-town dealers compared to the dealers in dot-com land. There is just too much Microsoft-style money floating around.

BMW Northwest in Tacoma has the best prices of the three in this area.

Good luck,

- Mark

rdream

Has anyone installed an aftermarket CD change in their BMW? If so what brand did you go with (model number would be helpful), did you need to purchase an adapter, and how hard was the install? I am asking because on my deal I am paying $695 for the BMW changer and I know for sure that I can get a cheaper changer that will interface with the head unit. Any help would be appreciated.

benjaminchoi

it's all bill's fault.

so realistically, do you think us seattle folks can find a 330ci for $1000-1500 under MSRP?

if a dealer is yakima is offering that, i'm so there. markjenn, let me know of any successes you've had at getting with a good dealer.
thanks, man.

jiulietta

I just got my BMW 325i from VOB in Rockville MD, I got these options:
1.Metallic paint
2.Leather interior
3.Premium pkg.
4.Cold pkg.
5.In dash CD
6.Fog lights
The MSRP was $35720 and I paied $33785 before tax and tag. I have called around in VA an MD and I had a hard time to find a much better deal. In MD you can always try to go between Russel BMW and Brooks BMW, they are only 12 mi. from each other so they always try to outbet one another.

benjaminchoi

It all comes down to this: which care would young coeds dig more?

benjaminchoi

Which car... sorry! Honda S2000 by the way

dtlee

Who was your Sales Rep. at VOB? How was the pricing at Russel?

Thx

pinkoo

Hi,
Could you give details on the model you bought, the options and the total cost. also, which dealer in Albany?
thanks in advance!
pinkoo

fourizonly

Anybody aware of these charges? The $245 AMOC and $160 training fee? I believe the AMOC is the advertising fee. Do I need to pay the fees?
Thanks
James

bcerveny

I haven't heard of a training fee, but you can pretty much expect to pay the advertising fee. Those glitzy Monday Night Football commercials aren't free.

jiulietta

My sales person at VOB was Levant, he is very nice and, if you give him a little hard time, he will really compromise with you. At Russell BMW the pricing was a little bit better (A couple hundred dollars), especially if you take a little time to bargain with them and to call Brooks BMW. I Picked VOB because is a little bit closer to VA (where I live), and because they had what I wanted on the lot. Remember, they can run a locator to see who has what you want and they can always exchange cars with another dealer. YOU ARE THE COSTUMER AND YOU SHOULD EXPECT THE BEST SERVICE

dtlee

Thank you very much for the info.
I'm trying to decide between a 325i or 330i.

mmcbride1

AWD is a $1,750 option, not $3,000. And exactly how is AWD or 4WD a gimmick?

onehitboy

if you have enough $$$, go with the 330i. i have the 323, and am wishing for that extra "oomph".

dont get me wrong, the 323 is a great car. but like tim "the toolman" taylor always says, "grunt grunt, more power!"

mike432

I have some water spots on my car paint. They
are from a sprinkler. I tried stain remover and
car wax but they are still visible. What can I
do to get rid of them completely. I really
appreciate your help on this matter.

rlee

MEGUIAR'S #34 FINAL INSPECTION will do.

larryintn

I think it varies a lot from person to person. I just finished an 840 mile trip in those same seats and I find them very comfortable. I don't know what to suggest...

beetlebug62

www.eurobuyers.com and check out the pricing
sheets. BMW has a different invoice ammount for ED
versus US. According to the research I have done
so far it should be pretty easy to achieve a sales
price below US invoice for ED.>>

Roughly, 7% less for eurodelivery.

<<As far as the details I still don't know. I am
also looking at leasing and based on my math it
looks very favorable for ED (fully loaded 330Xi
with 0 down, 36 mo. 36k mile for under $600 / month
vs. $800 / month). Also it take about 3 months to
set up ED but you get exactly the options you
want.>>

Actually, NOT! My 330Xi did not have rearside airbags. For some odd reason, BMW decided not to offer them on the 3 liter, but you can get them on the 2.5 liter.

While I loved my 2 and a half week vacation in europe, I have to say I was dissappointed in how long it took to get the car here. The ship was plenty fast, taking only 2 and a half weeks from drop-off in Paris to Zeebruges Belgium to New Jersey; however it's spent 2 weeks sitting on the dock, and only now is supposedly arriving at the dealer TOMORROW! woohoo!

beetlebug62

<<#276 of 331: euro delivery (dhanley) Mon 20 Nov '00 (09:04 AM)
I wonder about this too:

1) Can a finance the car through BMW as normal if
it's euro delivery? Can we euro deliver and lease
the vehicle?

2) Do dealers make normal profit on a euro
delivery car? I am thinking that if they do, they
may be more willing to negotiate than usual,
because they do not have to worry as much about
preperation, stocking, etc.>>

...however on the last question, I didn't get the sense that dealers negotiate more for ED. They still try to maximize their profit, particularly for high demand models.

beetlebug62

<<274 of 332: Euro Delivery (rascal8) Mon 20 Nov '00 (05:34 AM)
I was interested in buying a 325ci with the
European Delivery (ED) Program. Does anyone know
how the finances are arranged with this program. In
other words how much of a deposit is required for
the order and when do you actually tender payment
for the car - before going to Germany ? Any
comments re. ED are appreciated.>>

I paid no deposit; however it's my 3rd BMW from this dealer. My impression is that $500 to $1000 will do the trick. You must settle the deal at least 1 month before delivery.

steve1526

I have heard of a money factor of .00310 but otherwise the numbers seem right.

steve1526

I have heard of a money factor of .00310 but otherwise the numbers seem right.

white6

Nope, I actually live in Oklahoma (not Texas, where the dealer is); we don't pay sales use tax on vehicles, but we do pay an "excise" tax (3.25% of actual sales price) plus a flat fee of $85 for the tag. I asked the dealer to NOT figure the tax, tag, registration, ect., in the lease payment; I would be paying them up-front (about $1100). They did add a $525 "BMW acquisition fee" into the cap cost. What spreadsheet did you use? Could you e-mail a copy of the file to me? If so, my e-mail address is cwhitegr@theshop.net. Thanks.

steve1526

Haveyou considered the automatic rear window shade you can buy in after market? Check out on www.bimmer.org

stokdgs

Hey neighbor, I just bought a 325I last Sat at Niello. It sure is sweet ! Wondering the same thing, what I have been able to gather is that the newer metallic particle tints that supposedly do best at blocking, are the ones to avoid on the rear window, but then there are some posts that say it only hurts a little radio reception. Suppose you could not put the metallic on the rear and use it for the sides? Im still debating on putting it on my JetBlack baby, actually the window tint from factory looks pretty good on this car. Ive always tinted my windows in the past, but again, not sure yet on window tint. I know Roseville BMW did it to a 325I and charged like $625 on something that should have not cost more than say 3-400 tops . What are you getting?
DanF

beetlebug62

<<#336 of 339: Beetlebug62 (white6) Wed 29 Nov '00 (07:05 AM)
Nope, I actually live in Oklahoma (not Texas,
where the dealer is); we don't pay sales use tax on
vehicles, but we do pay an "excise" tax (3.25% of
actual sales price) plus a flat fee of $85 for the
tag. I asked the dealer to NOT figure the tax, tag,
registration, ect., in the lease payment; I would
be paying them up-front (about $1100). They did add
a $525 "BMW acquisition fee" into the cap cost.
What spreadsheet did you use? Could you e-mail a
copy of the file to me? If so, my e-mail address is
cwhitegr@theshop.net. Thanks.>>

...the $525 lease doc fee in your CapCost. I could send you my spreadsheet, but it's an old Mac Excel 4 version, and since I made it myself, it'd take ages to explain how to use it, as it is optimized for my state's wacky way of calculating LeasePmts!!! There is a website, www.leasesource.com, that has an accurate lease websheet built-in.

goose1207

I have had an AWD vehicle in the past and had no luck getting up my steep driveway in the winter (Boston). I am currently leasing a 4WD Pathfinder and I have had no problems getting up my driveway in the snow while in 4WD mode. I am interested in buying a new 3-series sedan and am wondering if the combination of DSC and traction control will get me up the hill? Or should I buy a 4WD SUV instead?

Also, when did DSC become available on the 3-series? I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone (BMW 800 hotline or several dealers). Is it towards the end of the '99 model year or was it offered only beginning in the 2000 model year?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

goody4

ASC was the precursor for DSC. ASC stood for: All Season traction and Control. In addition to generic traction control, which senses wheel spin on the "power" axle (whether the car is FWD or RWD)and uses ABS to stops the spinning wheel and allows the other wheel to go, ASC would also sense when the car was moving laterally (a skid, which the computer reads as undesirable) and, because BMW is RWD, would brake either the right rear wheel or left rear wheel or both, in an effort to "steer" the car to the path the driver was trying to follow. DSC, on the other hand, will brake one, or two, or three, or all of the wheels as it deems necessary in order to get the car back on track.
Model-year 1999 was the last year for ASC. All U.S.-made "3"s had DSC starting with the 2000
model.
My 328i struggles on steep hills. I'm
guessing these hills have a 10 degree pitch or
higher.

white6

Thanks!

325buyer

I will check with Roseville BMW and see what tint they used. I have heard the same thing about the metalized tint. I am getting a black w/sand leather, PP,In dash CD, fog, and Xenon, HK stereo. I shopped at Neillo and RV, but went online to get the best price. I ordered from Concord BMW MSRP = 34145 , I paid 32715. Any deal is better than no deal.

crikey

This may have been discussed before. If so, I apologize.

BMW Canada has it, why not U.S.? It would be an ideal BMW entry-level car for younger people. For details, check here.