BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

thedeepdarkblu

macdude44

Wow! I figured that my car was WAY ahead of schedule. I ordered it around the 1st of May and might end up getting it the 1st week of June. Amazing, especially given the horror stories from others on these boards having 3 and 4 month waits.
I have yet to determine how I'm gonna get there. I may have an ex-girlfriend (current friend) who is from Lafayette take me. Or it might be best just to pay the $145 and fly. It would be great if we can hook up and arrive together. That way one might not be stranded should a car overheat as I continue to read about.
Let me know your plans. Hopefully we can take delivery by the end of next week.
Tom

dhanley

I agree that keeping a home loan going is reasonable.. I currently don't pay extra on our mortgage payments, but i do pay off other less advantageous debt ( car, student loan ) quickly. Many of these let you skip payments if you're ahead on payments. So, if you're $5,000 ahead on car loan payments, and cashflow gets tight, you can skip payments for awhile to help cashflow, and you're still saving money on that interest. I see it as two horizons.. Aggressively paying off debt is a short-term investment ( you can reduce of eliminate payments and interest right away ) , and buying stocks is long-term. I think it makes sense to do both. A million dollars in my 401K does me no good if i need to pay some huge bill in a year. But by the same token, having a lot of goodies and no investment is also foolish.

I was recently laid off when my company failed ( bye bye, big wad 'o options ), and because i had significant cash and not much debt, i was(am) able to be picky about my next job--which is good in the long run.

Another thing to remember is that getting a return of 10% is only just as good as saving 7.5% because of cap gains taxes.

I used to beleive in mutual funds, but now, with cheap online trades, and for tax reasons, i pick a few good stocks every month to plow money into for the long term. Dividends get reinvested, of course.

Back on topic, if my wife's car self-destructed, i'd get her an AWD car because of her skiing. But i like to drive cars for a long time. Would anyone mechanically inclined care to comment on the potential longevity of the BMW AWD system? Would a 325xi be a good bet for a 7-10 year ownership? I see in roundel that a 325xi wagon can be had via euro delivery for 28,995. I think that makes it very price competitive with the audi, and i, of course, prefer the driving experience of the bimmer.

dave

brave1heart

I didn't notice any problems with steering leaning left. Not even with the VT senator adding extra weight to the left side of the car :0) I will let you know if I notice anything unusual.

I am a technical lead for a PeopleSoft implementation partner and do not have any professional investment experience whatsoever. Everything I know about investments has been DIY. Yep, last year was brutal for mutual funds. A lot of them were under pressure to buy momentum stocks because of fund underperformance worries. What happened is they realized a lot of short-term trading gains and huge long-term trading losses. So at the end of the year, a lot of tech-heavy mutual funds were halved in value but investors still had to pay capital gains because the funds were too focused on short-term momentum stocks. See, I don't have a crystal ball and I may well be wrong about my predictions. They are only predictions and they may change if conditions warrant that. But keep in mind that the stock market is typically about 6-12 months ahead of the economy. If you wait for stocks to start showing a healthy profit before you buy them, that will be much too late. The key thing is perception and that's toughest to gauge. It's not whether cisco will turn a profit and how much. Rather, is it better or worse than the broader investment community expectations, that's the key thing. Right now, we are seeing a lot of momentum because of Fed easing but the interest rates alone will not help us long-term because we have structural problems that will take years to resolve. So yes, I think it's OK to buy tech for 4-5 months but I would not be holding it next year. Good luck.

brave1heart

"A million dollars in my 401K does me no good if I need to pay some huge bill in a year...".

A million dollars (just an example, right) in a 401K does a body good :0) 401K loans have been around for a while. You do pay interest on the loan but you pay it to yourself and it's like moving money from one pocket to the other. The only disadvantage of these loans is that the interest you pay to yourself is after-tax. Bottom line is, 401K plans are more liquid than you think. I always find it amusing how little people know about stuff that determines a lot of their future. I've seen benefits business consultants who can take apart any benefits-related issue but they have no idea after all these years that you don't have to invest your 401k money in mutual funds; some of them can't believe they didn't know you could keep your 401k funds in a money market w/o taking a withdrawal )

brave1heart

Well, now that my 325i is officially broken in, I've started gradually increasing the engine speed. I started with 4,800, then 5,000, even 5,200 a couple of times this morning. I have to admit that the engine sound at 5,000 and above is absolutely intoxicating. It has this deep, powerful, get-out-of-my-way yet refined growl that is irresistible to listen to. Looking forward to 6,000 in the very near future.

lewparker1

WOT
Brave1heart, let's agree to disagree, OK? I too have had this conversation many times. I personally would rather match the market every time than lose to it once. I know I'm young (36), I've been investing for over ten years and have a pretty hefty portfolio, including my 401K and personal investments. I've got my plan and I'm sticking to it. Based on historical rates of return (always tricky, but what else have you got?) the stock market should return 10-12% over a 20 year period and at this rate and with my current assets, I expect to retire moderately wealthy. You might be able to tweak a bit more through careful asset allocation. However, my own view is that anyone who expects a higher rate of return, over the long term (i.e. 20+ years), is unrealistic. Based on 10-12%, anyone who starts investing early and doesn't stop will be wealthy when they retire.

I realize that in any given year, there are individuals and fund managers who can beat the market. Show me one who can average a higher rate of return over a 20 year period than the S&P 500. That person is rare indeed, and may not even exist. There have been numerous studies that have shown that over the long term, market timers will have a lower rate of return that the buy and hold crowd, and no, I don't follow Peter Lynch.

Regarding mutual funds, Vanguard Index funds are all no load, no redemption fee, and have very low management fees. That's because they only buy and sell when stocks fall off or join the tracking index. They don't run around and try to figure out what's the latest and greatest, so their fees are typically lower than other funds - about .5% per year. Also, since there is less buying and selling, your tax liability on realized capital gains is lower. Of course, anyone can get a diversified portfolio by buying 20 - 30 individual stocks, and blowing off mutual funds. However, you can't beat mutual funds for convenience. I do agree that I would never buy a mutual fund that had a load or redemption fee.

BOT - salivating reading about your cruising w/e, can't wait to be able to report my driving escapades, hopefully starting next week!

VIN - there is an FAQ, I believe that it's on www.e46fanatics.com, that deciphers the VIN and explains what each position indicates.

lewparker1

...was coldblooded ;^)

brave1heart

You said "I've got my plan and I'm sticking to it" and I said that discipline is the No 1 priority. Really, your approach is wise. As far as what rate of return is realistic long-term - yes, you can expect higher (even significantly higher) than 10-12% a year but only by taking on more risk. More risk, better expected rate of return over the long-term; less risk, less expected rate of return. I'm sure you'd agree with that and if you added that the normal distribution for more risk will be significantly wider, that would be more than fair.
What's WOT - wasting our time, I'm guessing. I really don't know, just a guess.

lewparker1

Way off topic ... I've seen it on bimmer.org and that's my best guess...

Now let's get back to talking about cars, OK?

brave1heart

I said "That's what I call the Camry approach (boring but it works pretty well for the masses)". Not sure what you mean about the comment being cold-blooded. Most people are perfectly happy with a Camry... Do you mean that I was insensitive by saying that?!? What I really mean is that there is inherent risk in going against the grain. Camries are perfectly fine for most people but would not work for me. I like taking caclulated risks and going against the grain. I probably want out of life more than what most people dare admit and I mean more of everyhing - love, emotions, experiences, excitement, happiness, and why not -resources to help me achieve all that. I am also ready to deal with the consequences and take responsibility for my actions if my plan doesn't work out. I don't know why you think that was cold-blooded - maybe you can help me understand?

lewparker1

Way off topic ... I've seen it on bimmer.org and that's my best guess...

Now let's get back to talking about cars, OK?

lewparker1

Just joking braveheart. It occurred to me that it was pretty funny referring to my approach as the "Camry" approach, considering that I'm really into BMWs and think that Camry's are about as boring as it gets.

No offense taken and none intended.

brave1heart

I see what you mean. I wanted to say I'm sorry that I tend to be overly aggressive with my arguments and that is not an isolated event. I guess I was too sensitive in my teen-age years and it's some sort of a defense mechanism I've built... My analogy with a Camry approach for an enthusiastic BMW buyer was not appropriate, even if it relates to a different topic. I wish you the best of luck with the Bimmer. Picking it up next week, eh?

e46avatar

Thanks for the input everyone. Over the weekend I experimented with several tire pressures and finally settled for 34/35. The ride is definately rougher, but I like the response of the car better.

danhug - I was wondering, since yuo are going to keep the car for a long time, did you purchase the 7 year/100K extended warranty? I bought my extended warranty from my insurance company and it cost me an additional 70 dollars a year on my insurance policy. I thought that was a pretty decent deal.

Alpine325i - could you pls let me know where you bought your kleen wheels from? I am having a tough time locating a set for my Star spoke 43 rims. thanks

Has anyone gotten chrome tips for their exhaust? I saw one on a dark blue 325xi and I think they look great.

One last note - I have been lurking at some other e46 boards and this one is the best, hands down. The members on some of the other boards are rude and even abusive and that is kinda sad from an E46 driver whom you assume to be more mature.

denright

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2038a.shtml

This is the Motorweek review I have been yammering about. It just went up on their site today.

Of particular note, I am extremely pleased with the 0-60 time they clocked (6.2 seconds!) and the 1/4 mile results (14.7 seconds at 96 MPH!). I am also very pleased with their review of the handling capabilities.

I guess I can add this to a long list of reviews making me more and more comfortable with my purchase decision. I'd hate to get buyer's remorse before I even take delivery!

As an aside, I would be interested in any links to any good reviews of the 3 Series, especially the 330xi. I am particularly interested in any technical discussions concerning performance (torque and HP output) and the steering issues that we have all heard about.

brave1heart

From the article:
"In fact, the added grip allowed us to shave a few tenths of a second off our 0 to 60 pace, as the 330xi hit 60 in just 6.2 seconds versus 6.8 seconds in the 330i." Am I the only one laughing here? BMW conservatively rated the 330i at 6.4 secs and the 330xi at 6.9 or 7.0, I forgot. Let's just say that there is half a sec difference. These guys also came up with half a second, only in the reverse direction. Wondering if they drove the 330i in reverse to achieve this time or maybe they couldn't figure out how to get it past first gear.
At any rate - you should not have second thoughts - the 330xi is a great choice for an enthusiastic driver who wants AWD. Just don't believe everything you read. The 330i will still be a little faster and will also brake better because it is lighter but for a lot of people, the security of AWD more than justifies the small disadvantage of the AWD's added weight at the drag strip and braking distance.

roc50mg

Thanks for posting the link to Motorweek. It's a nice little write-up. I'm still a little skeptical about the 6.2s 0 to 60, but hey, if they wrote it, it must be true. Every little bit will help when I race it alongside my friend's soon to get S4.

BTW, has anyone seen the guru?

denright

I see your point, but I also am starting to think Motorweek may be correct. If you recall, a recent Motor Trend performance comparison timed the 330xi at 5.8 seconds in the 0-60, about a half second faster than the 330i. I assumed that was a typo when I saw it... but now I am not so sure.

FYI, you were correct, BMW has the 330xi listed as doing 0-60 in 6.9 and the 330i in 6.4.

lewparker1

Sorry I earlier mistakenly said that the car did the quarter in 6.2, I should have said 0 - 60 in 6.2.

The motorweek guys are usually pretty careful in their reviews. I don't know why their 0 - 60 time is so quick compared to the "official" stats. FWIW, they put it down to the the extra grip off the line afforded by the AWD system. I also agree that Denright made an excellent choice. I understand the concept of buyer's remorse before taking delivery. I had a bit of a panic recently for not ordering SP, but I got over it.

BTW, what's the 0 - 60 time for the 325i? Is it around 6.9? Brave and alp, others, are you happy with the acceleration from the 325i? Considering I'll be upgrading from a '94 Dodge Shadow with a 2.0 liter 4 banger, I'm sure I'm going to be more than happy with it. BTW, lest you think poorly of me, that Shadow was inherited from my wife who bought it before I met her. She drives our '91 Camry now ;-)

brave1heart

I am guessing what these publications did is they tested just the AWD. So they clocked the xi at 5.8 and 6.2 and compared that to the manufacturer's 6.4 secs for the 330i. I am guessing what they did in order to achieve this spectacular time is rev the engine while keeping the brake pedal depressed (heel and toe), then drop the clutch, release the brake pedal and take off at a near-redline engine speed. I wouldn't be surprised if they really pulled off 6.2 or even 5.8 secs doing it that way. However, they should be comparing apples to apples and do the same thing with the 330i. In any case, the 330xi will be fast enough for almost everyone's liking. Also, keep in mind that the extra 200-250 lbs from the AWD matter a lot more off the start and not as much once moving.

I have a question for all of you. Can anyone explain if the car accelerates the fastest in absolute terms at the max torque point or at the max HP point? I kept thinking it was the torque point but that must depend on the speed of the car, no? Also, is low-end torque better for, say, 0 - 100 mph acceleration or a higher max torque level would be more beneficial? As always, just hypothetically, other things equal.

aaa330i

At least your wife has her priorities straight! Mine wants her own BMW now, too! Too bad she JUST got a new mini-van

shipo

According to the BMW web site, the 330i runs to 60 in 6.4 seconds and the 330xi does it in 6.9. My guess is that both tests were under similar (read that as optimal) conditions. Under the assumption that the rear wheels have adequate traction the 330i SHOULD be faster than a 330xi, given its lower weight and the more efficient drive train. Can a 330xi run zero to sixty in 6.2 seconds? I suppose if the testing was done on a very cold day (greater air density) with low relative humidity (again, greater air density) at a low altitude (even greater air density), perfect fuel, perfect surface, etc... it COULD happen. I did not see a reference to when the 330i was tested in the MotorWeek article, but it would not be a fair comparison to test a 330i on a hot & humid day at high altitude to a 330xi on a cold & dry day at low altitude. Unless they list the actual conditions for each test, the results are invalid as a comparison. Even if they do state the conditions, the only TRUE test is back to back with several examples of each car so that manufacturing anomalies can be factored out.

Best Regards,
Shipo

elroyxx

Hey everyone. I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. Have found tons of great info over the past couple of months.

I really hate to waste my first post on a topic that has probably been beaten to death on this board. However, I'm kind of going nuts reading posts about how everyone is having such a great time with their new toys. I want my toy!!!

Here's the question, typically how long do cars manufactured in Germany have to wait before they are loaded onto a ship bound for the states? According to the Owner's Circle, my 325i (Orient Blue, Black Leather, PP, CWP, Step., CD) has been "Produced not Shipped" since May 11. BMWNA and my dealer gave me the same info late last week. Is this normal and I'm just getting impatient? I hope to have something meaningful to add to the discussion soon.

Thanks

denright

If you think about it, an AWD vehicle is going to leave all its torque on the street, rather than spinning wheels and burning rubber. This improved traction may provide a sufficient improvement in efficiency to make up for the extra weight of the AWD system.

Make sense?

shipo

Chill. It has been noted that there is at least a several day (if not a week or two) lag on the BMW Owners Circle web site regarding current status. I highly suspect that your car is on a boat and heading across the pond as you read this.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dhanley

In the same gear, a car will accelerate faster at it's torque peak than at it's HP peak. HOWEVER, typically, the torque peak is low enough that if you're utilizing the HP peak, you could be in a lower gear, accelerating faster.

P.S. i know about 401K loans, but i agree we should let this drop.

dave

brave1heart

Lewparker1, I am reasonably happy with the acceleration in my 325i manual and you know I am big on performance. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't want 20 ponies extra but for me at least, what I have is reasonable. There's not a whole lot of pickup below 3,000 but above that it is more than adequate. I figure I'll get the Cold Air Intake and Stage 2 software from Dinan for about $1,000 if I want more horsepower. That mod should be good for a 7-11 HP gain across the whole band, better throttle response, and expanded redline by 240. Again, reasonably happy and even happier knowing that there are upgrades from reputable tuners out there if need be.

brave1heart

http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/

has an interesting explanation on this - follow the link to "Horsepower vs. Torque explained". However, the article is too technical for those like me who are mechanically challenged and I can barely make sense out of the summary even: "Repeat after me: It is better to make torque at high rpm than at low rpm, because you can take advantage of *gearing*." Help, please.

brave1heart

I agree with you on burning rubber but only under the circumstances that I described - revving the engine to near-redline and then dropping the clutch. No one does that in everyday driving and if they did, their clutch would not last more than a couple of months with that abuse. But I am inclined to believe that the xi MAY outrun the i when revving the engine high off the start because of the added traction.

shipo

Another thing to consider is that the SP equipped 330i has wider tires than the 330xi. By my calculations, the SP equipped 330i has rear tires that are almost 20% wider than the tires on the base 330i or the 330xi. The extra rear wheel traction should easily make up for the initial off the line advantage of the 330xi in a marginal traction environment. Once rolling, the 330i (any tire configuration) should easily outrun a 330xi (all else being equal -- including the driver).

Best Regards,
Shipo

bmwagonmaster

Try www.bmwnation.com. Click on "articles" at the top of homepage and then check the left side column of page
that comes up. There's a first-person article on the steering "fix" , a good overview of the BMW engine, and others.

brave1heart

... is a very informative web site, I like it a lot too. I really enjoyed the long-term 323ci and the F-1 trip articles.
BTW, denright will not be interested in the steering fix - his car should have the original heavy steering.

denright

The 330xi has 17" x 7" tires, as does the 330i without SP. The SP increases 330i to 17" x 8".

How did you figure on a 20% increase in footprint? I am intrigued.

jasonkureejii

Since you've had the chance to take your 325i for a spin and have it broken in, how do the brakes feel on dry and wet roads. All this talk about HP and torque, I'm just as interested in how the brakes have been responding, especially in "new" rain. When I test drove it, I was so impressed with the 60-0...felt like I could stop on a dime. However, it's been a loooong time since I've driven a RWD again (not since my '67 Mustang 289ci V8 in high school), and I'd like to know your impressions...or do you down shift alot???

brave1heart

Ballpark: the 330i SP tires' width is 245 mm, while the 330xi's are 205 mm - that's roughly 20% wider. Rim diameter would not matter at all - it's all about the patch that makes contact with the pavement.

mccerio

Guru:

Is there any way to track a car without knowing the production #? My salesman is refusing to give me the production #! Is there any way I can force him to give it to me, or can I call BMW NA, or can you suggest another course of action?

It's a week 25, steel gray metallic 325xi, SP, PP, Xenons, business CD, black leather. Ordered at BMW of North Haven in New Haven, CT. My last name is Cerio (but they may have misspelled it "Ciero" on the order - at least that's the way it looks based on the report I have which the salesman crossed out the production #).

Thanks for your help / advice in advance.

- MCC

brave1heart

If I told you that I hit the brakes maybe 4-5 times all the way from the Mass Pike tolls to the Triboro Bridge (200+ miles) in mostly pouring rain you probably won't believe me, right? It is true, though. I do not tailgate, I observe the driving pattern of other cars and anticipate. Whenever I have to slow down, I downshift first and only use the brakes if I determine that downshifting alone will not do it. I think it may be smarter to tap on the brakes every once in a while when driving in rain to keep excessive water buildup from the disks. Every time I had to brake, the car felt solid and balanced and it gave me the highest degree of confidence and security. On a few occasions, I had to reduce speed by 30 miles or so on the way back due to speed traps (just watching the cars in front of me brake for no apparent reason) and the car felt extremely solid. I have not had the ABS kick in yet and I hope it will never have to come up. The overall grip is truly amazing with the SP at least.

raybear

Mike should be able to track the car just from your description. I worked at a competitive dealership in Bridgeport, we were a bit funny about handing out info too.

brave1heart

Call BMWNA and give them your last name and dealership where you bought the car. They were able to give me my production and VIN # based on that input only. They seem to be using the exact same system as the dealerships - maybe a different front-end but the data should be the same. There is absolutely NO reason why the dealer would not give you the production and VIN #s and I'd be getting suspicious if they did that.

errickson

Your auto is most likely going to be shipped by Wallenius Shipping. The port it will most likely leave out of is "Breverhaven".

You can call BMWNA and they can give you the name of the ship once it is loaded. Then you can go to the ship's website "www.wlna.com" and track the schedule of the ship. The departure will be Breverhaven, the arrival will be Charleston, SC.

Couple of potential factors delaying departure from Europe: I know the car sits awhile at Breverhaven while they do some final preparations, and they may be waiting for the next ship to arrive.

Hope any/all this helps.

brave1heart

My 325i was produced on 4/1 and it was shipped out on 4/9.

getz1

Rumor has it that Acura Cl-S will be available with a 6sp MT MY 2002. A 260 hp VTEC six mated with a 6spd MT sounds extremly tantalizing, now if it were only RWD and had a comprable interior to Lexus and the German pack.
-Getz

rmk17

Hello everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster.

What kind of lease deals have you guys seen recently? Specifically, residuals/money factors for 36/15K lease on 325xi/330xi? I know there were lease specials on 330's back in April, but havn't been keeping up with the board as well lately (just got married!)

Thanks for any help in advance

Ryan

shipo

Well to be exact, the rear tires on a 330i SP have a section width (width of the contact patch) of 24.5 Centimeters while the 330i and the 330ix have a section width of 20.5 Centimeters. That gives you a contact area on the 330i SP that is 19.512% greater than the others. Basically the same thing as Brave1heart said.

Best Regards,
Shipo

lewparker

Geez, you go home from work and there's 40 new messages!

Brave, I hope I'll be satisfied with the 325's power. I'm getting a 5-speed so that should improve my chances. I've read up on Dinan's CAI and Stage 2 chip, and will probably do the upgrade too eventually. I'll wait and see how things go before deciding. Are you getting their muffler too? I wonder if that does anything other than sound cool.

aaa330, I think I will have the same problem as soon as my wife drives the bimmer. I think she'll probably ask for one too!

Here's something I've been wondering. What do you more mechanically minded guys think about downshifting/engine braking vs. using the brakes? I've heard that since a clutch is a mechanical device, the more it's used the sooner it wears out. I think I heard the guys on Car Talk on NPR say that your clutch will last longer if you use engine braking in the gear you're in when you start to slow down, but that you should avoid downshifting. I currently downshift all the time, and have had no problems with my clutch in the Dodge at 82K. Any thoughts?

lewparker

My car was also at the dock on 5/11. It got on the Jingu Maru (sp?) leaving Bremerhaven on 5/16 and was supposed to dock in New York today. I wouldn't be surprised if your car is on the same boat, or is on the way. I would call BMWNA, they gave me the scoop. At any rate, I think your wait will soon be over. I sympathize with you, my friend.

platypus

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!

bavarian - glad to see you enjoyed my post. Yes, there are cons to ED (payment 30 days in advance, extra waiting time for car), but they are FAR outweighed by the pros. Just do it!

I've decided just to wait for my car to hit Texas rather than pick it up earlier in Maryland. I was contemplating combining a MD pick-up with the two-day driving class at the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina, but there are no open seats until October. :-(

Maybe later in the year or next year...

Concerning the 0-60 time in MT of the 330xi, I thought I read somewhere that they recently declared that the 5.8 second split was indeed an error - off by a second - actual being 6.8 seconds. This makes more sense and is in-line with official BMW specs.

alpine325i

I bought my Kleen Wheels from autoaccessory.com. They were $29.95 for a set of 2. Bavarian Autosport (bavauto.com) also has them, but they are $32.95 for a set of 2. Great product, Best thing that I've bought for my BMW so far, next will be the new sound system with MB Quart speakers which are second to none. )

laflea

My car was one that arrived in 3 days. I had no surprises with the whole process. Richard even put my car in the showroom for me. You shouldn't have any worries.