BMW 3-Series 2006

shipo

"Besides the ~$1300 extra, the balance isn't so good either ~54/46, which seems a bit odd, given that I'd expect the added weight to go more toward the rear."

Yeah, I noticed that too and wondered the exact same thing. Could it be simply a typo and that the numbers are actually reversed?

Best Regards,
Shipo

nyccarguy

that's some decision you've got there. Either a sporty, practical wagon or twin turbo charged sedan. choose wisely grasshopper.

shipo

Ship-pup? I like it. ;-)

Two weeks ago Wifey and Kiddos informed me that:

A) They'd picked out a breeder, found a dog and bought it.
That we were to go and fetch it over this last holiday weekend.
C) They hadn't thought to check the location of this kennel.
D) All they had was a phone number and a web site address.

I got online and took a look. Yikes! Charlotte, North Carolina! :confuse:

The next conversation with Mrs. Shipo went something like this:

"Ummmm, Dear? Do you really want all of us to drive all of the way down to Charlotte to fetch the puppy?"

"Absolutely, I think this is very important for the kids to see where he comes from."

"Got it." Now what? I thought to myself. "Ummm, Dear?" I asked again, "You do realize that this trip will probably take fifteen to twenty hours of driving each way given the holiday weekend traffic we're likely to encounter. Don't you?"

"How could it take that long?" My wife responded, "It's only to Charlotte and back."

"Yes, Charlotte which is located in southern North Carolina, that means about 900 miles each way from southern New Hampshire, passing Boston, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Richmond... On a holiday weekend!"

"Oh. Well, I guess you'll have to leave us home and go fetch him yourself."

I did. It took 14 hours to get down there Thursday (Thanksgiving). I picked the puppy (Ritz) up Friday afternoon and immediately started back. Unfortunately, just prior to leaving the kennel gave him latest round of shots and medicines, and that gave him the runs. :P Twenty seven hours, LOTS of doggie related stops and two very stinky accidents inside the car later I rolled back into our driveway, completely exhausted.

"Okay gang. Your dog. Good night." I think I slept for 14 hours straight.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dhanley

Well, that's quite an adventure, shipo!

I have much the same conundrum. I had set on the coupe, i love its looks and i think it's set up "just right" but headroom is too tight for me. Big-time dissapointment.

So that made me look at the sedan, so i thought, "why not a wagon?"

I'd love the wagon, space to toss bikes in the back, and lowered odds of getting picked out by a cop. However, i really want the TT engine.

I suspect the right setup (335iT) will be available for '08. Word is BMW is in love with the TT and wants to jam it in everything.

However, perhaps the 328it would be adequately powered, cheaper to buy and own, and lower my speeding fine odds even more.

Here's hoping the job change is 100% opportunity!

tayl0rd

Hey! What's wrong with Charlotte?? Besides, we had beautiful weather that day. You should've stuck around for a while to enjoy it. Besides that, IIRC, we have the best retriever breeders in either the nation or the east; one of those two. I'm thinking of picking up a golden pup, myself. Luckily, I won't have to drive far! :P

shipo

Hey! What's wrong with Charlotte??

One thing and one thing only; it's 913 miles from my house to the breeder. That made for a long day on the solo shot down there and for a VERY long day on the return trip with an 11 week old puppy that wasn't exactly feeling his best after all of his shots and such.

True, your weather was absolutely wonderful and I donned shorts accordingly, however, by the time I got gas at 4:00 the next morning in northern New Jersey, it was 25 degrees and them shorts got me lots of hairy eyeball types of looks.

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

230hp? That is more than the 530i that you adored... With a stick-shift and sport package? What more could you want?

I mean.. other than 300hp..

nyccarguy

shipo...you're a machine! No way I could have done that trip & picked up the dog and came back without stopping for some degree of sleep!

JingleJill

I want 300hp...

I have a 2005 330ci w/performance package and the alcantara seating. I absolutley LOVE the car. (4th BMW)...

I am kind of in the same situation as the Great Shipo. Long story short, the coupe is not practical anymore.

My husband and I drove the 3-series when the redesign came out and did not like them; thus I found my 330ci with only 5k miles on it. I wanted a Z4 coupe, but again no back seat, not practical, etc... I'm still not fond of the redesign and the new coupe is growing on me, but it doesn't compare to my El Rojo Loco (Crazy Red). So, that leaves the 4-dr or the wagon. I do like the wagon, but 300hp sure would be nice... I haven't driven a wagon because there are no manuals in stock anywhere...

Shipo... My sportwagon configuration came to $38,045 (6spd, spt pkg, xenons, heated seats, and shades)... Yeah, I like the sport instead of the luxury!!! BMW's are meant to be driven. ;o)

Keep us informed...

Stacy

shipo

"What more could you want?"

You're correct, 300HP would be more desirable, the 230 is probably acceptable although it isn't the slam dunk one might initially think. Consider the following:

Year -- Model -- HorsePower --- Torque --- Weight -- lb/hp -- lb/tq
2002 --- 530i ---- 225@5900 --- 214@3500 -- 3,494 -- 15.53 -- 16.33
2007 --- 328i ---- 230@6500 --- 200@2750 -- 3,527 -- 15.33 -- 17.64

I'm thinking that even with the 6-Speed that the 328i Sport Wagon would be barely faster (if at all) than the wonderful 530i.

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

"Shipo... My sportwagon configuration came to $38,045 (6spd, spt pkg, xenons, heated seats, and shades)... Yeah, I like the sport instead of the luxury!!! BMW's are meant to be driven. ;o)"

Hehe, I like them both (hence 6-Speed, PP, SP, Audio and Xenons), the question is, "Do I like my Sport with my Luxury?" or is it, "Do I like my Luxury with my Sport?" :confuse:

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

"Besides the ~$1300 extra, the balance isn't so good either ~54/46, which seems a bit odd, given that I'd expect the added weight to go more toward the rear."

I played with the numbers and I'm thinking that the specs are wrong. Consider the following:

Model -- Weight -- Fr% --- Fr/lb --- Rr% --- Rr/lb
328i ------ 3,340 --- 50.5 -- 1,687 -- 49.5 -- 1,653
328iT ---- 3,527 --- 53.8 -- 1,898 -- 46.2 -- 1,629 -- See Note 1
328iT ---- 3,527 --- 46.2 -- 1,629 -- 53.8 -- 1,898 -- See Note 2

Note 1: Hmmm, the front end gained over 200 pounds in weight? What the heck did they do, make it a Front Wheel Drive vehicle? :P

Note 2: That's better. The front end loses 60 pounds (probably due to weight transfer) and the back end picks up 245 pounds. Sounds about right.

Best Regards,
Shipo

chrism124

Shipo,

I thought part of the experience was for your kids to see where the puppy came from? Perhaps you took some video or made a scrapbook.

My family and I have a dog, being a Golden Retriever that we purchased from a breeder. The round-trip drive time was 3 hrs. People around me thought I was crazy to drive so far to “get a dog”. You deserve the Iron-man award for making the trip in such a short period of time.

Shipo, it’s been awhile since I have posted something on this board but I was the other guy in Southern NH who also had the 530i sport w/ 5-speed (think Prime Butcher). I have since sold that car (big mistake) and moved onto an Infiniti M45 sport. I am now looking at a 335i sedan.

Regards,
Chris

shipo

Hey Chris, long time. ;-)

Yeah, you're correct on the whole "Trip for the family..." thing, however, when I impressed upon them that it was probably a 20 hour drive (my wife and daughter have a habit of taking 45 minute pee stops almost hourly, yeesh), they quickly decided to let me do the trip solo.

Just to make sure nobody is attributing super human driving powers to me I need to describe the time line:

Thu-05:15 - Gas up at the Mobil (by the Prime Butcher)
Thu-19:30 - Check in to the hotel in Charlotte, 913 miles later
Thu-20:00 - Fetch dinner at the local Cracker Barrel
Thu-21:00 - In bed, lights out
Fri-10:00 - Breakfast
Fri-11:30 - Start the paperwork process
Fri-14:30 - Back on the road
Fri-22:45 - Start a couple hour snooze at a rest area
Sat-04:35 - Rockland County, NY/NY-Thruway, wimper, wimper, sniff, sniff. Oh geez, yet another puppy-poopy explosion.
Sat-05:15 - Puppy is rinsed off with soda water and we're snoozing in the driveway of a friend in Bergen County, NJ.
Sat-11:00 - Obligatory visiting with the new family member done, back on the road.
Sat-17:30 - Arrived at home after negotiating massive shopping traffic between the NYC metro area and home.
Sat-17:35 - "Okay gang, here's your dog. I'm hitting the shower and the sack. Good night."

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

Maybe Note 1 is really the 328XiT?

shipo

"Maybe Note 1 is really the 328XiT?"

Nope, they are both the 328iT, "Note 1" shows the weight and the Front/Rear weight distribution as shown on the BMW web site. "Note 2" is the exact same car and same weight with the Front/Rear weight distribution reversed (which seems more likely correct).

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

Okay. I see what you mean now...

Doubtful, though... Only 46.2% on the front? Can you find any other front-engine car that has that much rearward weight bias? It just seems off...

kyfdx

From the BMW website..

328iT 53.8/46.2
328XiT 50.9/49.1

I think these are the two that are transposed... The XiT numbers should be for the iT and vice versa..

shipo

Well, look at it this way, how does a 328i gain over 200 pounds over the front end when it's converted to a wagon while at the same time losing 24 pounds over the rear?

That's the anamoly that cdnpinhead and I were noticing and discussing. What't the truth of the matter? Hell I don't know. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Hmmm, interesting. I hadn't thought of that possibility. Hopefully BMW will correct them soon as it seems pretty clear that an error exists somewhere. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

From the BMW website...

3-series sedan..

328i 50.5/49.5
328Xi 52.6/47.4

This looks right... and makes me think the wagon numbers are transposed between 328iT and 328XiT.

shipo

Funny, I just checked the EXACT same thing. Great minds think along similar lines. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

dl7265

What can Brown do for you ?

dmargo2

Today was the first test of my 2006 330xi in snow. Live in the Milwaukee area..hit with a great snow today. I could not have asked the vehicle to perform better! I've had ML320 and Cadillac SRX in the past...this car is significantly better. If someone is using this forum for decision making, I can't recommend the 3 series xi high enough based on todays fun in the snow.

in2b8

I have 2006 330xi bought in April. Live in Edmonton, Alberta. This past week temp went down to approx. minus 30 degrees celcius. Car started OK :sick: but then got engine warning and 4 X 4 warning and car went into limp mode. Was not drivable. On account of weather there were no tow trucks except for real emergencies, no rental cars and no taxis available. Had to limp back to Hospital lot and borrow a car. Apparently there was some freezeup in the throttle mechanism. Many other 2006 3 series came in with same problem that day and BMW does not have a fix yet. I am not impressed!!

magilla895

Just received my 335i a few days ago and drove to Germany. I couldn't have found a better car.

Premium Pkg
Spt Pkg
Nav System
iDrive
Comfort Access
Heated Seats
PDC

I will say that I don't think that this car is for everyone. You feel every bump in the road and it is very stiff feeling. I personaly, like that feeling in a car.

Since I'm in the "break-in" mode, I couldn't really open up the vehicle, but it still was a thrill to drive.

kdshapiro

"You feel every bump in the road and it is very stiff feeling. I personaly, like that feeling in a car."

Especially with that sport package, eh? Congrats on your new car.

div2

I have a large collection of BMW brochures and ads- big surprise, right? Anyway,one of the '80s vintage folders states,
"That unfamiliar sensation you feel in a BMW is called the road."

davidd3

I went the other way, which I also can't recommend highly enough. I live in NY. I have the 2006 330i, one of the first ones to get it, before it was available in "x." At the recommendation of other contributors to this forum, I got a winter wheel/tire package. The changeover is being done on my car this morning as I write this post. This will be my second winter. Last winter was beyond my expectation. After driving gingerly at first, waiting for some slipping and sliding, I came to realize that I could actually just drive this car in the snow without any worries. I never felt more secure in a car while driving in snow. A remarkable transformation. You have to buy a set of winter wheels/tires and you have to swap them out twice per year. Total investment, in my case, will be about half the cost of "x." The advantage is less weight, which enables the car to perform better (accelerate faster and stop sooner) all year round. I would go this way again even if I have the "x" as a choice next time.

Dreaming of the 335i. 21 more months to wait. I'm 15 months into a 36 month lease. :shades:

kdshapiro

LOL! After I saw your post I tripped over this:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/12/01/lexus_review.fsb/index.html

shipo

I have a large collection of BMW brochures and ads- big surprise, right? Anyway,one of the '80s vintage folders states,
"That unfamiliar sensation you feel in a BMW is called the road."

Hmmm, I wonder what brain-trust decided to stop using that line. I think it's absolutely perfect. :shades:

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2

Hmmm, I wonder what brain-trust decided to stop using that line. I think it's absolutely perfect.

On the other hand, I have a mid-seventies magazine ad wherein BMW brags that they built the engine(the BMW 801D) used in the Fw 190s that took on the 8th Air Force in WW II...



:surprise:

shipo

"On the other hand, I have a mid-seventies magazine ad wherein BMW brags that they built the engine(the BMW 801D) used in the Fw 190s that took on the 8th Air Force in WW II..."

While true, what most folks don't know is that the 801 is an engine developed by and (initially) manufactured under license to Pratt & Whitney. :surprise:

Best Regards,
Shipo

cdnpinhead

University Hospital, perchance? My wife worked there in the early '70's.

At the time I was driving an MGB in the -30 to -50 degree weather (F, but it's all the same at -40), and so long as I kept the block heater plugged in, all was good. My throttle mechanism consisted of a cable, two butterflies & a couple of springs.

That was then . . .

fedlawman

Maybe BMW should replace "The Ultimate Driving Machine" with "Born from Radials."

fastdriver123

BMW was recently rated on par with toyota for reliability. however, when you take into account usability issues like controls that might seem overly complicated to dumb people, they rank lower. BMW knows this percpetion exists, and that's why they have free maintenance for 4 years.

kdshapiro

That makes no sense. You cannot drive a car without learning the controls, any car. The BMW maintenance program has nothing to do with interior ergonomics.

dl7265

I was recently made to "donate" a portion of my rather large Brochure collection... :surprise:

DL

lcdrkev

I am considering an 06 325i, red/tan colors, 8k miles. Salesman claims it has premium/sport/cold weather. I can tell it has sport. Seats are manual, shouldn't premium package have electric seats. It has seat heaters but I can't tell if rear seats fold which is part of cold weather package. Small used car lot is now asking $30k, already came down $3k. How can I confirm car has premium and cold weather package? Does this seem like a good price? What else should I be looking for? All thoughts appreciated.

kyfdx

No power seats... no premium package..

Cold weather package will have headlight washers.. You'll see a spot where they pop out of the front bumper..

Premium should also have rain-sensing wipers.. you can see a sensor located on the back of the rear view mirror, through the windshield. (looks like a little camera lens)

thepdmm

Asked this question in a different discussion but it may be more appropriate here

I am looking to get into a 3 series I have sat in one without a sports package. I have enough headroom in this car, however I can not get into a car equipped with the sport package so I was wandering does the sport package seats change the amount of headroom in the car? Is there any difference in the seat besides the number of adjustments and bolstering. I am 6'3" by the way, but I do like to sit more upright then most people I know.

thanks for your time

kdshapiro

As far as I know the only thing that would change headroom would be the moon-roof or lack of it. The seats are different (more adjustments, etc) but I don't know if that increases the vertical height of the sports package seat over over the non-sports package.

nkeen

I am 6'2" with long trunk and shorter legs. Headroom is an issue with me in many cars -- just rented a new Pontiac Grand Prix and my head was on the roof unless I reclined the seat to an unnatural angle. My 2006 325i with ZSP/manual seat adjustment is fine for me -- plenty of clearance. I've read that the electric seat mechanism eats further into headroom, but can't say for sure.

dhanley

"I am 6'2" with long trunk and shorter legs. Headroom is an issue with me in many cars"

Hey, another one!!!

There's a big difference between the 3 coupe and sedan. The sedan has a *lot* of headroom. The coupe is suprisingly tight. It's the first BMW i've felt was too tight, including the z3!

European cars are generally best for me, but even an a6 was a little cramped around the head.

And the sport package on the 3 doesn't seem to affect the headroom.

lcdrkev

Thanks. I thought rain sensing was a standard feature. Do you know what the red cap is on the bottom of the internal rearview mirror is? How can I tell leather from the fake leather (vinyl)? How do you fold down the rear seats?

vcheng

... the sensor for the anti-theft system.

kyfdx

Actually.. the red cap flashes if you have the factory alarm, and it is set.. On some models, the dealer can program the light to flash, even if you don't have the factory alarm (a dealer installed option).

I'm pretty sure that rain-sensing wipers are part of the premium package... though, I guess that could vary by year and model.

I'm terrible at the leather thing... I mostly go by smell..

nevcool

I'm in the market to trade in my 2001 330xi for either a 2007 328xit or a 2007 X3. i have a 4yr old and a 7 month old. I also put in some fairly long drives visiting clients for work. Does anyone have any thoughts?

My pro's and cons for each are as follows.

328xit
Pro - better Navigation system with Traffic Updates
- Easier to Park
- Sportier, less body roll

Con - Lousy cup holders. The look like coffee cup ejection seats.
- Cramped back seat(I'm 6 Foot and tend to keep the seat all the way back.

X3
pro - More storage space
- More leg room in back
- More Horse power

Con - Worse MPG
- Older design
- May seem more ostentatious to some.

I'm torn between the two. I'd appreciate an opinion on either car.

Thanks!

carnaught

Do you know what the red cap is on the bottom of the internal rearview mirror is? How can I tell leather from the fake leather (vinyl)?

You're talking about the famous clown nose.

The leather seats are so aromatic; that alone is worth the "cost of admission".

div2

First off, do you really need AWD? If so, I'd drive them both and see which one "clicks" with you. I'd lean towards the 3er because of its superior driving dynamics. That said, you may find the X3 to be superior for hauling kids. And as for the X3 appearing "more ostentatious to some", why would you even care? Any self-righteous weenie who doesn't approve of what I drive can go pound sand. Where the sun don't shine...