BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

mmcbride1

I think he was referring to the not-yet-here 2002 A4 being roomier.

Although I'm 6'2" and I fit just fine in the driver's seat. The front is fine, it's the back that is small.

burrsr

brave1heart

Langley2 said that "the interior felt very cramped to me" and he was saying that "Even if the Audi were roomier" he would have still passed on it.

langley2, I am very surprised to hear about the reliability report. I am not familiar with the specifics but one of the huge advantages of buying a car nearing the end of its production cycle is that all the bugs have typically been worked out over the years. The A4 has been praised for its reliability and it should be getting better over the years, not worse. They have been making the A4 on this platform with insignificant changes since '94 or '95 I think and they have had enough time to work out any problems with the setup and/or platform. Same holds true for most vehicles. My '97 Jetta GLX had been produced on that platform for at least 3 years when I bought it back in '97 and the car had no problems whatsoever until I got rear-ended at 50K miles 2 years after I bought it. So far, it beats my 325i in reliability, even if we're only talking about a jammed coin holder and a rubber-and-plastic piece that fell off at 1,900 miles. Older platforms do depreciate faster - it's a tradeoff, although I still like the looks of the A4 and the E36.
The '02 A4 model is bigger (I'm sure much roomier) and sportier, more aggressive-looking - it would be interesting to drive it.

wong911

I usually fill up the gas right after the yellow light is on.
But, last week I waited too long and couldn't find any gas station.
The mile range went from 5 to 0 so fast (was going up hill),
and then it showed "-----". I was so scared and finally
found a gas station 3 miles down the road.
Whew.

brave1heart

It seems that the remaining miles estimate will vary based on driving conditions, driving style, and I'm guessing much more that I'm not even aware of. I remember once when my Jetta's trip computer miscalculated the remaining miles, I had done mostly mountain driving (coming back from skiing). I guess the steep incline and especially the lower oxygen density in the air might have helped miscalculate the remaining gas. The other time I ran out of gas I was doing a lot of snow driving and that would have confused the computer with all the tire spins. It is safe to say that the BMW computer's estimate will not be perfect either because of driving style and/or conditions and it would be smart to look for a gas station as soon as the yellow light comes up. In addition, I need a bigger margin for error because not every gas station will carry the premium fuel that I use (93 AKI).

brave1heart

I can't believe trip time is not a setting on the trip computer. Am I missing something here? I RTFM-ed to make sure and could not find anything mentioned about driving time. Am I the only one thinking that it would be nice to have that option? My Jetta VR6 had time traveled, avg fuel consumed, avg speed, and a few more for BOTH long- and short-trip settings and that was standard on the GLX model. So I used to reset my long-trip settings every time I filled up. The short-trip settings reset themselves when the car is not started for a couple of hours. I was very much used to it and I miss these stats.

shipo

We are just spoiled by the VW trip computer. I have been without my Passat for almost 2 and a half years, and I still look for my current ET and such. I think that BMW would do well to mimic the VW trip computer.

Best Regards,
Shipo

brave1heart

I forgot that you used to have a Passat GLX. I thought if the Jetta had a trip computer that good, then most other cars would as well. The funny thing, though, is that they had everything BUT the remaining fuel/miles estimate. I was so used to dividing the miles traveled by the avg consumption to derive remaining fuel and thus the miles remaining - all in my head - that I actually enjoyed doing it in my own masochist way. I'd trade my modest BMW trip computer for that awesome VW computer any day.

wong911

I usually fill up the gas right after the yellow light is on.
But, last week I waited too long and couldn't find any gas station.
The mile range went from 5 to 0 so fast (was going up hill),
and then it showed "-----". I was so scared and finally
found a gas station 3 miles down the road.
Whew.

macdude44

The Good News is my 330 coupe is being detailed at the dealership as I type.....a full 4 weeks earlier than I expected.

The Bad news is the dealership is in Lafayette, Louisiana and there's a monstrous tropical depression sitting on top of the area for the next several days. It's enough to give ME a monstrous depression.

Guess I'll find out how well the car handles in foot-deep water.

brave1heart

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2001-06-07-xenon.htm

It's very controverisal but all I needed to hear is this: "... the real xenons have won the hearts of driving enthusiasts."

errickson

My car is also sitting in Lafayette. Been there since Tuesday. I feel for these people with long wait times, as I ordered mine on April 30! Please check on the blk/blk/sp/moon/step/xenon 325 while you are out there! I am in Houston, and at the moment I am getting pummeled with about a foot of rain per hour!

As anxious as I am to pick her up, I am going to have to delay until weather permits. Have a safe trip, and watch out for the Smokies while in Cajun Country!

trejos28

shipo

It sounds like it is getting time to take that trip with the Angry Racoon, only now it will be Angry and WET.

Best Regards,
Shipo

brave1heart

langley2

Sorry, guys. Maybe it was the way I phrased it. To clarify, I was comparing a 2001 325i and a 2001 A4. The 325 was MUCH more comfortable (i.e., had much more interior room) than the A4.

brave1heart: It's true. As much as a vehicle's styling might catch my eye and its performance and driveability might appeal to my "fun to drive" receptors, my very first priority when purchasing a new car is reliability -- within reason, of course; if reliability were my only concern, I'd be waiting to take delivery on a new Toyota Corolla, not a 325xi. The greatest-looking, quickest, most comfortable vehicle in the world isn't much good to me if I can't depend on it to consistently get me from Point A to Point B without breaking down, burning up, etc. So, having decided a couple of years ago that I might like to buy an A4 Quattro as my next car, I started checking the car out from the reliability perspective. Consumer Reports annual car issue had the A4 listed as a "Recommended" vehicle in its 1999 and 2000 editions, so I was fully prepared to commit to it. However, roominess aside, in 2001 the magazine pulled its recommendation. Yes, it is surprising, because as you said, reliability logically should increase over the years of a vehicle model's production cycle. In this case, however, apparently something happened, and problems began to creep in (probably in the 2000 model). I don't remember the exact details, but I think I recall reading or hearing somewhere that the electrical system was the primary problem area. Maybe the company changed suppliers or just got a bad batch of parts similar to the 3-Series' bad auxillary fans.

macdude44

We must have ordered on the same day as well.....can't believe how quickly our cars came in!
I'm not 100% sure when I'll get out there.....might try to leave tonight. The rain, unfortunately, is supposed to last well into next week.
I'll keep you posted and thanks for the well-wishes.

kominsky

A mid-year 2000 update could be the culprit in diminishing reliability. There was an over-haul that included some muted design changes and pretty extensive interior and chassis "improvements".

http://www.audiworld.com/news/99/99_5pix/99info.shtml

Then in 2001, there was a slight re-working of the 1.8T to increase power. This also may be partly responsible.

brave1heart

It's possible. I've never been a big fan of CR but they may have enough feedback from consumers to back up their claim so I'm not ruling it out. I can only say that our A4 1.8t has not had a single problem over its first 3,000 miles. Having said all that, my 325i has considerably better HEADroom and especially visibility - both frontal and all-around. I'm 6'1 and I fit in fine in the Audi but if I move my head forward, it bumps against the ceiling too soon and I've noticed I have to peak underneath the roof to see the traffic lights sometimes. The BMW's roofline does not slope back as fast. It's a tradeoff that I am happy to take: you get a little more wind nose at interstate speed that way but you gain better visibility and headroom.

kominsky

Sorry, that should have said a mid-year 1999 change. Actually the change occured in the beginning of 1999 but it was the middle of the model year.

brave1heart

Hey, a colleague of mine just signed the papers for a 3-yr lease on a E320 Benz. Of all MB sedans out there currently, this is by far my favorite - I love those headlights that look like big expressive eyes. Anyhow, she wanted the C class at first (yeah, I know but she's 50 and is not interested in a very sporty car) and it came out that the E class was only about 100 bucks/mo more than the C320. I guess they are phasing the E styling out and she was able to get a 3-yr lease for $700/mo with no money down. Not bad at all for a 50+grand Benz.

Oh, and get this: the dealer will pick her car up at home or at work at her preference whenever she needs service, oil-change including. Does BMW offer that too or did I miss something? Maybe not on the 3-series?

alpine325i

Feeding the angry racoon Big Mac's, lol, great visual. I like Dave Lettermans "live angry bird in a bag", also a great visual in my mind. I picked up my police report of the hit and run, now I'm waiting for the adjuster to call and set me up with a good body shop. Man, my car took a big hit, but didn't bust up in a million pieces like my 93 Z28 did. I'm just glad I didn't get seriously hurt. Some poeple would get real upset about their car. I remember the movie American Beauty, where Kevin Spacey, I think that's his name, was trying to repair his relationship with his wife and right before they are about to kiss on the expensive Italian designer couch, she becomes more concerned with him spilling his beer on the couch, therefore ruining the moment where they have a chance at getting back together. He jumps up and yells: This couch is just a thing! this is just stuff! What happened to US! They're not his exact words but you get the idea. I loved that movie! It's kind of like a wakeup call for people that are so into themselves and their material things or how good they look to other people that they lose themselves and any chance of having any healthy relationships. Great example of two disfunctional families, Great Movie!

brave1heart

is one of my all-time favorite movies too. Definitely the best one I've seen in a while. I was very happy to see it receive multiple Oscar awards - I thought it was a little too sincere, radical, and brutally honest about our society. But yeah, great scene. BTW, there is a new series on HBO from the same guy who wrote the movie (forgot his name) that's supposed to be very interesting, very different. It's called Six Feet Under - I missed the first episode but I am hoping to catch one of the repeats.

Hey, it's good to see that you are getting over the accident very well and you are taking care of yourself. Do you have rental coverage for hit-and-runs through your insurance? I don't have any but the insurance carrier of the guy that hit me two years ago put me in a Grand Am while I was waiting for my Jetta for 3 weeks. Oh, it was some car even worse before that - I had to fight to get the Grand Am but it was so bad, I couldn't wait to get my Jetta back from the shop.

uge123

Braveheart: Such pick up and drop off treatment seems to be dealer specific. One BMW dealer in the Chicago area offers this type of service to all its customers. The service person drives out the loaner, drops that off to the customer, and then picks up the car for service. My dealer does not offer this service.

Alpine: Good point. Great movie. It's just stuff. Braveheart had a good point about your neck, though. I've seen lots of back and neck sprains secondary to auto accidents, both from the rear ender and the recipient. But from the sound of the type of damage you suffered, it seems like a pretty low energy impact. Good luck with all the repairs.

And just on a high note. My car's almost here! Whoopee! (tomorrow or Monday. not sure yet)

alpine325i

Yeah, one of my all time favorite movies! Especially the camera work and the music, and of course superb acting! Great stuff! My insurance company offered a rental car with a $20 a day allowance. I opted to pass on that deal since I have a ford taurus wagon that is my all purpose sticks and mud-truck kind of car. I love The Sopranos, when is the next episode? I'll have to check out Six Feet Under, since it's the same guy who wrote American Beauty, Thanks, Alp. )

brave1heart

I was wondering if there is anyone (other than me) that does NOT get a free loaner. My dealership charges $10 for the loaner and they don't necessarily promise a BMW either. This is a very minor annoyance but I still think it's very cheap. I'd say - either give it away for free OR if you're going to charge, make sure I get a BMW at least. Lexus dealers typically give you another Lexus for the day even if it's just an IS300. I'd love to see the dealer charge a 7-series owner $10 and put them in a Honda for the day - hmmm...

thedeepdarkblu

My salesperson said that everyone who buys from their dealership gets #1 priority for loaners--and they are ALL BMWs. She said they have a limited number of loaners, but they really try to provide this service to the customers who have purchased from them.

It would really blow chunks if you were getting your 3 serviced, only to drive off in a 1987 Pontiac LeMans.

brave1heart

Wait till you hear this: a friend of mine parked his Saab 9-3 by the Charles River in Cambridge one weekend while he was visiting town. When he went back to pick it up at the end of the day, his car wasn't there. He called the cops immedaitely and they told him they didn't know anything about it. Well, if it's not towed, then it must be stolen, right? So he called it in stolen. He had rental coverage and he got a PURPLE Ford Aspire (in PINK letters) through the insurance company. Oh, the car came with a pretty impressive size spoiler to reject any notion that it might not be a serious sporting car. So I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this guy barely squeezing in behind the wheel of the Perspire and the color scheme and the spoiler and it was just so funny... Anyhow, while the insurance company was waiting for his car to turn up, he got a call AT HOME from a towing company claiming that he owed them something like $700 for towing and 17 or so days of storage. The police had misplaced the paperwork and he never figured out he'd been towed until that call...

tchoo

My dealer - Foreign Motors West says they provide free BMW loaners. I thought all Bimmer dealers did that?
Speaking of loaners, I'm shopping for insurance. Does anyone use Chubb insurance (recommended on www.bmwusa.com)? I'm leaning towards Amica cos they have a really good customer satisfaction rating. Any recommendations?

platypus

What fond memories this fine vehicle conjures up...

The first time I took a business trip, my company sent me to Phoenix. Our travel coordinator was notorious for her miserly ways. She reserved me an economy class rental. Picked it up at 7pm in the 114 degree heat - a lovely white Aspire, accented with pink and teal lettering, complete with rear spoiler. (You knew this car said, "Don't &!*? with me!")

The next day, I had to fetch a colleague at the airport who was flying in from Texas. This guy was a tried and true Texan, the kind that wears boots with his suit. I pull up to the curb and he doesn't recognize me immediately. When he finally does, he's flabbergasted. "What in the hell is this POS?!?! Ah sure hope 'dem two cylinders gonna git us there!" And so we were off. Two businessmen in suits in the white Aspire Sport. Thank goodness we didn't have to take our clients out to lunch.

I will never forget that car... (and no, I did not make this up)

brave1heart

Good to know about Foreign Motors. We've used Amica in the past and we've been very happy with them. They are very professional and do good work.

brave1heart

And on top of everything, you are a pretty tall guy, right? I hope the Perspire had a sunroof at least so you could stick your head through it and breathe better. Just curious, what line of biz are you in?

platypus

Should have mentioned the size aspect in my story. I'm thin, but I do stand 6'1" - the seat was pushed all the way back. Can't recall if sunroof or not. My partner was, shall we say, wide. Although shorter than me, he barely fit.

As for my line of work, if you would have asked me next week, you'd get a different answer than today. I've been in various sales/marketing roles in technology - semiconductor industry.

I can say with great joy that tomorrow will be my last day of employment for the next two years. (Jumping up and down trying to control myself.) I'm one of those crazy fools who's going back to graduate school.

My wife will be bringin' home the bacon and puttin' supper on the table while I get to re-live the joys of being a student.

denk

Could you please tell which Chicago area BMW dealer provides the pick-up loaner service you referred to. Thanks.

trejos28

platypus

esarraf

I am planning on buying a new 325i with Auto transmission, Leatherette, Moon roof and BMW DC. MSRP is $30,160. Invoice is $27,618. I live in LA.

Could someone please tell me how much I need to pay for the car? I am interested in both leasing and finance options. It is my first experience with a car dealer and I appreciate your feedback. Anyone knows a good dealer in So. Cl?

Thanks,

platypus

Try Eddie Yeh at New Century BMW in Alhambra. He offered me $1500 over invoice plus MACO three months ago. Deals are probably even better now.

bmwagonmaster

1.Shipo: Did I miss something, or did we get an answer to your post 4819? I'm curious and clueless.
2. Did we get an answer to the post for our Host about the Message "Go To" button not working?
3. What happened to our FAQ board? Looks like Erickson's "borrowed" E46 Fanatics posts were removed. Only the Brave survive...

veekay1

bmwwagonmaster: the go to post does not work and we still haven't heard from Pat on that one.

I have a question: If I order the BMW alarm from CircleBMW and get it installed by my dealer, how would that affect the warranty on the electrical system in the event there is an electrical problem down the road and the source was, let's say the alarm wiring?
Thanks for any input!
veekay1

yeeeha

by our gracious host Karen. She sent me an email explaining that the e46fanatics info was "copyright protected". After going back and fourth with her a couple of times (ie: How can you copyright "the BMW order process?") I decided this was DEFINITELY not a battle I wanted to fight. So I let it (and my posts) go.

bmwagonmaster

Too bad about both situations. And while I'm here, veekay, my guess is that the alarm would be covered because your dealer installed it. But then my guess is worth what you paid for it, so ask the dealer and let us know their reply. There seems to be others here who are thinking about the same install.

brave1heart

esarraf - anything in the range of $29,000-29,500 tops would be reasonable. The only thing that you should have to pay in addition to this is TTL. Good luck!

No answer to Shipo's question yet. Shipo, please give us more clues or at least make it a multiple choice and take votes )

"Go To" button not working - by now I am convinced that Edmunds is very slow to react to posters' feedback. It is wrong not to listen to your customers (even if they are not currently paying) and that's a bad way to run a business. I get the feeling the so called hosts are some kids right out of college who are getting paid very little to follow a list of words that are not allowed and delete posts that contain those. No response so far and I can imagine the standard answer: "Our WebX vendor is working on it and is very close to completing this wonderful feature. Please be patient and remember that Town Hall is an excellent and free..." Yes, I know, thank you. Is WebX still in business?

"What happened to our FAQ board? Only the Brave survive..." Or die, I might add - but they are rarely bored )

veekay1 - I believe the car is already wired for the alarm - it's almost like plug-and-play. There's no reason why the warranty would be voided if this is indeed true. I've heard some unscrupulous dealers charge up to $85 for activating the alarm even if you install it yourself - it's best to negotiate a good deal with the dealer for installing the alarm for you, IMO.

brave1heart

Here's why I'm guessing this:
1. You are going for two years and that's the typical duration of an accredited MBA program.
2. You are a business person and an MBA would enhance your career better than any other grad school
3. I think it's Stanford because I'm guessing that you are making very good money right now and would not give up two years' worth of income for an MBA that is not top 10
4. You are moving to California
5. There are not a lot of other Top 10 MBA programs there
6. I am convinced from your posts that you possess the maturity, intellect, work experience, recommendations, and all other credentials to make it to a Top 3 MBA school.

You don't have to share this with us, I'd respect it if you wanted to keep it private. What do I get as a prize for guessing, though? Hey, if you are ever visiting Boston, send me an e-mail - I'd love to meet a class act like you. Congratulations and good luck!

bmwagonmaster

Man takes his wife when going to his heart doctor for a checkup. After the exam, the doc tells the man he'd like to talk to the wife first in private in his office.
Doctor says to the wife,"Your husband has serious heart disease. If he's going to stay alive, you have to treat him really well and make his life as stress-free as possible. Is there anything that might make him feel especially good?"
The wife replies, "Well, he's always wanted to drive my BMW." So the doc says,"Then you should let him do that, it may keep him alive!" And she says, "OK, Doc, thanks for being so honest."
The woman then steps outside the office where her husband anxiously asks, "What did the doctor say, honey?"
Her reply:" You're going to die..."

pneubmw

i am having my keys programmed saturday at the dealer. some functions are already in place. can the car be programmed on the 325i to confirm lock/unlocking of doors by the signal lights blinking twice.my salesman says no(i dont have the alarm system)
any help is appreciated.

denk

In fairness to Pat-Host, she did reply to me personally within a day or so of my question. Apparently the go to program counts all messages including those that were deleted, so when you punch in a message # the program takes you to a message that is about 300 messages away from the one you requested. I'm not a computer programmer, but this would seem to be a very easy problem to fix.

ccchen1102

My dealer said the same, unless you have alarm installed, you can't have that. I can understand the chirping confirmation is from siren, but how does it have anything to do with turn signal? So I am still speculating even after alarm is installed.

veekay1

veekay1