BMW 3-Series 2006

corvette

...vehicles equipped with run-flats do not have a spare…or a location for a spare.

You're correct. The new 3 was designed from the ground up to use run-flats. The suspension was tuned to compensate for the stiffer sidewall of run-flats, the wheels are designed to prevent the tire from slipping off when there is no air pressure, and the well in the trunk is too small to hold a spare tire.

A spare is only "required" without run-flats for your own peace of mind. Some people just carry a can of Fix-a-Flat and a compressor or the BMW Mobility Kit, in lieu of a spare.

amigos

I am about to become a first time BMW owner, and recently ordered a 2006 330xi. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to test drive the xi version. I did test drive the 330i and really loved it. My question is to all those who have driven the AWD....is it really a big difference between the xi and i....i mean I have heard that the xi is heavier and slower than the i version. I live on the East Coast and we do get these snow storms every now and then. thanks for your response.

dl2005

Hi all - just wondering where everyone keeps their owner's manual, warranty guide, etc. that come with the car? They don't seem to fit in the glove compartment of my '06 330i. Thanks.

chatkat

I put mine in the trunk, but, I do prefer the glovebox - it just doesn't fit there unless I take it apart.

chatkat

I have the 2002 7 series with I drive and I have the new 3 with the I drive. My DH drives the 7 and I loved the I drive enough to buy the new 330 with it, replacing my 2000 328i. The I drive on the 330 is almost identical to the 7, but, there is a menu button that makes it easier to use. The screen on the 7 seems to be unreadable with my Maui Jim (polarized) sunglasses on. We've updated the software on the Idrive again just recently. Not a problem with the new 3

The sound system is incredible. I hear sounds and tones that I've never heard even with my home stereo components. And the Sirius Radio is really great. I did not buy the 6 CD changer - no reason.

Only problem I am having is pairing my Verizon V710 phone. The dealer is going to do that I have a Tmobile phone I should try with Bluetooth Taking the car in to the dealer this week. Ordered the wooden transmission/stickshift handle. It used to be standard on the 328 with the premium and sport pkg. I don't like the stainless/leather one. Also got the wood parking brake shaft and the phone cradle and the trunk drawer and cargo net. Oh and my chrome wheels are in - finally. They shipped the wrong size.

I love my new 330. We took a drive today and hit 1000 miles on the odometer going up the California Coast from LA to Santa Barbara. What a perfect car. Avg speed to date is 36 mph and avg mpg is 23.4

manybmws

The 3 Series Coupe/Convertible will get announced at the Geneva 2006 car show in the spring. Availability I am guessing would be spring/summer 2006.

bmwe90

Has anyone purchased the chrome exhaust finishers for their 06 325? The 330 comes standard with them and I really like the look. They are available in the accessories catalog- but I wondering if it's easy to install them (just slip them over the tailpipe and clip them on or something) or if I would have to pay for a BMW tech to install them. ALSO - has anyone had their 06 3 series programmed for automatic locking of the doors, daytime running lamps, illuminated entry/exit, etc.? or will these "updates" become available with the new software presumably in Sept.? :confuse:

dl7265

Your right the manual is too thick to properly fit in the glovebox. I do currently have mine crammed in there.

I purchased the Exhaust tips for my 325i. They simply slide/tap on with a rubber malet, and then tighten up the set nut. Don't pay anyone to do that.

Oil light. I have 4100 miles and upon delivery the oil bar was to the max line. Now i notice its about 1/2, but still in the safe range. I wonder if some oil has used in break in ? or its part or the electronic's. Id still prefer a dipstick.

DL

bmwdave

No I just tried ordering my 330i with only the style 162 wheels and not the whole sports package. The dealer said you have to order the sports package in order to get the wheels. So I ended up going with the sports package even though I didn't really care too much for the sport seats and the stearing wheel. But the improved sports suspension should be nice.

dl7265

Thats the way to go,ud pay about $1600 or so just for the wheels. BMW parts after the sale are rediculas. On your dealer the TX/ Okla region is pretty stiff. But have you tried the Center in Wichita Falls ? Thats the best dealer in your area that im aware of.

DL

kruntal

325i - 6 speed manual.

Turned 1000 mi yesterday in 2 weeks. Average somewhere between 25 & 26 mpg, more towards 25 with about 1/3 hway, 2/3 country roads. Absolutely no negative to report so far.

Adequate accommodation for driver + 3 adults.

The drive feels like I have been driving this car for years - no getting used to period. Amazingly friendly to drive from day 1. I usually take a few weeks getting used to new cars, not with this one.

More than adequate acceleration - I am doing 60 mph on country roads from a stop sign in no time at all, and it feels like I am doing 40. Very quiet and stable on windy roads (I mean curvy country roads). Not much tire noise or wind noise.

I keep my manuals in the trunk, on the right when you open, there seems to be a plastic box-like place holder that seems made for it.

Excellent fit & finish. Loving it every minute of it. I have a top of the line 04 Accord, I like that drive too, but it's not even close to this one. There is something very special when you drive this one that I am not able to explain, that's worth the extra $$.

There is one negative though, I have been averaging about $40 per fill for about 390 miles each fill so far, those dang oil prices, they are way too high. I remember pumping full tank in my Tracer (a rebadged 323) for about $10 to $12 about 6-7 years ago, and it went almost 400 mi on it.

planoml

I took everything out, except for the service record book. It was distracting reading and driving on the Tollway during rush hour

rbmw60

Sorry if this has been discussed previously. My 2006 330i is now 2 months old and approaching 4000 km. Should I change the oil and filter sooner than the first scheduled oil change? (In the "old" days I would change the oil at 3000 miles)
Thanks

blueguydotcom

here is one negative though, I have been averaging about $40 per fill for about 390 miles each fill so far, those dang oil prices, they are way too high. I remember pumping full tank in my Tracer (a rebadged 323) for about $10 to $12 about 6-7 years ago, and it went almost 400 mi on it.

Please, out in so cal we're paying near $3 a gallon and I get about 320-340 miles to a tank. That's almost $50 a fill up.

blueguydotcom

no need. the car will tell when to get the oil changed.

planoml

That's why everyone should do ED. After $6/gallon, $3 is cheap. What was really cool in Italy was the little Vespa. If I wasn't scared of the all the monster SUVs in Dallas, I would get one in a heart-beat. I really feal bad for the bikes on the road. They should at least get a seperate lane or something.

michaeln1

i wanted to tint my 330i when it arrives but i was curious if anyone knew if that would effect the autodimming on the rear-view and side mirrors. i understand that the sensor is located on the rearview mirror and becasue of the tint not as much light will get to the sensor to start the autodim- would this in turn not dim the side mirrors.

thanks.

ivan_99

I previously had an A6 with really dark tinted windows and it did not appear to affect (that i could tell) the auto-dimming features...everything looked greenish when it got too bright.

I suspect it will be the same on the 330.
.

dl7265

Speaking of toll roads, aren't u glad 121 is gonna be a toll ? that makes 3 toll roads to get to Frisco, rediculas

DL

michaeln1

thats good to know, thanks a lot.

odessit

Anyone pay any attention to service countdown indicators? I have 3500 miles on my 325i already but it seems that all indicators stay on the same level and are not counting down as I assumed they would. Oil change indicator is still at 15000 miles, microfilter –20000, rear and front breaks – both at 24000, service tuneup –27000. spark plugs –100000.
I understand that all those indicators for the future maintenance are not strictly mileage based and wont go down with each mile I drive. But still I would expect them to go down at least a bit with 3500 mile on the car already. Any ideas?
Thanks a lot to everyone who responds,
mike

blueguydotcom

most likely you drive moderately and thus the computer believes your service won't be needed for quite some time.

I just had my inspection 2 done at 28k miles. I'm nearing 32k miles now and my car's indicating my next service should occur in the next 7k miles.

michaeln1

ive been debating whether or not to buy the alarm. anyone here have one and how much did you pay for yours??

does the 330i come with a somewhat standard security mechanism. i.e.- the horn blows if you open a locked door or something. in my honda pilot the horn goes off and im pretty sure there isnt an actual alarm system.

thanks.

blueguydotcom

does the 330i come with a somewhat standard security mechanism. i.e.- the horn blows if you open a locked door or something. in my honda pilot the horn goes off and im pretty sure there isnt an actual alarm system.

On the e46 that could be programmed in. If it's not available yet, then I'd expect soon dealers will be able to adjust your car's settings to beep when you lock it.

as for security - the car's got an immobilizer. essentially the only way to steal a bimmer (unless one is super hi-tech or working with inside help from bmw) is to tow/flatbed the car. 3 series cars are not high theft items...it's easier to go boost a 90s integra and part it out fast.

michaeln1

i see what you are saying. thanks for the reply.

planoml

Here's an idea-pay to get on a Tollway with unlimited speed, so we can drive our E90's the way they were meant to be driven. I guess we're doing that anyway-friend of mine was in his M3 doing about 80 and got zipped by an Aston Martin probably doing 120+. Very humbling experience according to my friend.

sunilb

I just had my inspection 2 done at 28k miles. I'm nearing 32k miles now and my car's indicating my next service should occur in the next 7k miles.

Inspection 2 at 28k?? Wow... that's actually impressive (in a weird sort of way), given that this is usually done at 60k.

bartalk3

What's with the direction signals on the new 330? Took a test drive and they were weird. How do they work? Couldn't get them sorted out on a short test drive, and the salesman couldn't enlighten me. How long does it take to get used to them?

BMW needs to learn the expression, If it's not broke, don't fix it.

corvette

How do they work?

Move to first stop, immediately release: Triple flash of signal to change lanes
Move to first stop, and hold there: Flashes until released
Move to second stop, release: Flashes until you make a turn or cancel
Cancel flashing signal: Move to first stop in either direction. If you move to the second stop in the opposite direction it will lock on in that direction until you cancel...

How long does it take to get used to them?

A week or two.

newowner

Do yourself a favor and drove the 2006 Mercedes C280. I test drove both and there is a huge quality difference. The C280 has much better interior quality and the ride is much smoother. The run flats are made that way so that you continue spending $$ at the dealership. The free maintenance is also figured into the price, especially when they will only do 1 oil change a year, you pay for any extra's if needed. I received much better service at Mercedes. The BMW dealership seemed understaffed the 3 times I was in there. I was able to get my C-280 at invoice price so I can't complain.

bartalk3

corvette: Thanks for the tip on the 330 turn signals. For people who have driven a lifetime with conventional turn signals, this is unnecessarily confusing. This is change for the sake of change. Progress that's no progress. Who needs it?

corvette

I'm not sure of the exact reasoning, but I speculate that, compared to having a mechanical automatic cancellation on the signal, it allows the car to electronically sense when you have completed a turn, which may be more accurate than the mechanical cancellation.

This is probably TMI, but it's part of a larger trend in electronic stuff towards momentary contact switches instead of solid state ones (the E90 turn signal switches are momentary contact, conventional ones are solid state). If you think of the way your computer turns itself off when you shut down, compared to computers years ago where you had to flip a switch, it's the same sort of thing.

rs1157

I accidentally filled wit regular, dont ask how. But the car runs the same, I though i would get knocking, but the engine did not miss a beat. I guess the 325 has its pluses, I would not try it on a 330. Ill tell you how many mpg I get, but from what it looks like im getting record mileage.

shipo

325i or 330i, it wouldn't have mattered. The OBC simply retards the valve and ignition timing to deal with the faster flame front of the regular fuel. At the limit both engines would be down on power and fuel economy will certainly suffer when running lower grade fuels.

Best Regards,
Shipo

erickpl

This behavior is not just with BMW's. Audi's do it too. So don't think BMW is doing some kind of funky thing.

-Paul

corvette

I knew Audi had the triple-flash feature, but didn't know they had gone to momentary-contact switches for the full-on signal (second position). I didn't remember the A3 being that way, but I drove it a few months ago.

The 2005 Volvo V50 I drove had the triple-flash, but solid state (locked into place) on the second position...

bamaboy

I got a call from the dealership I took delivery from on Friday and they said there was a recall on my car for some kind of computer programing? Anyone hear anything about this and what it is all about? I still live in Germany so sometimes the communication gap is still there. Let me know if anyone can explain what this is all about.

div2

There's nothing to worry about. Modern BMWs have dozens of microprocessors which operate everything from the engine management to the climate control. From time to time BMW develops and releases upgraded software to correct problems and/or improve vehicle/component performance. The new software is downloaded into the car through the diagnostic port using the dealer's DIS/MODIC. I'm sure that is the situation in your case.

michaeln1

im asking for another member, maybe someone here would be able to help.

"what is the range that people can run so that they are not putting undo stress on wheel bearings or casuing camber issues etc. I want to know the acceptable range for 17" x 8 offset for E90."

thanks guys..

bamaboy

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll see if the day time running lights program is ready also. It might even be part of the new install.

bartalk3

Can someone evaluate the radio/cd player on the 330i. I took a test drive, but with the a/c fan working full blast and the salesman gabbing away, I didn't get a good sense of the quality of the set. Most important, how would you compare it to other upgrade sound systems in other luxury or near/luxury cars?

Thanks

bmwe90

I thought the stereo in the 330i was good. It is a step up from the standard on the 325i which I also think is good. As far as I was concerned, it was not worth the extra 1100 they were asking for it on the 325. As compared to other vehicles - the Infiniti G35 has a Bose system, during the time I owned that car there was quite a bit of crackling that came from the tweeters mounted on the door near the a-pillar, other than that I would say the systems are comparable. If there is something lacking in the 330i's stereo, it would be highs and deep lows. While it seems to produce midrange quite well, it produces just acceptable highs and for me, dissapointing lows. Personally I think they should have had the standard system in both the 325 & 330 and charged the 1100 for both cars for an upgraded system - but here's the catch - the upgrade should have bought you a killer stereo. IMHO - the 330's stereo satisfys, but fails to impress. Many people I know love the stereo in the 325 and the 330 and say it's the best they've had. I guess im just picky when it comes to stereos, both for my home and for the car. I find the growl of the inline 6 to be better music sometimes anyway.

kruntal

I saw quite a few articles supporting RFT technology for safety - apparently in a few short years that's all the tires will be. BMW apparently is the first automaker committed to put RFT in its entire fleet of cars. I am guessing the opposers of RFT in this board and other E90 boards hoping to see BMW do away with RFT in the coming years cannot stop this industry wide trend towards RFT. As early adopters of a disruptive technology we have to pay for it, but before long that will become the way of life when it will become as affordable as the current non-RFT tires.

In the mean time, I notice TireRack only has Turanza EL42 in RFT for my non SP 325i, at $165 a pop. For winter tires, they only have Blizzak LM-22 in RFT, at $146 a pop. Turanza has a real bad review on TireRack. Not having options doesn't look good. Hope more manufacturers offer RFT before my first set wears off.

odessit

I also was looking at winter runflats for my 325i –(non-SP) this weekend at TireRack.com. And in addition to Blizzak LM-22 I also found Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero at 148 a pop. Just few bucks higher than LM-22. Why didn’t you mention Pirelli? Are they not as good as LM22?

innhitman

Glad you're happy with your C280.... cute little starter mercedes..... But don't kid yourself.... the 3 series is the better vehicle.

kruntal

I tried again, couldn't pickup the Pirelli on Tirerack.com. Only the Bridgestone RFT's. I like Pirelli, they are good performing tires. Tell me how you picked it up. I am looking into Winter tires. Wonder if there are other vendors with Winter RFT's other than tirerack.

djocks

I am in the need time coming out of a lease of an '03 330i. I looked around but in the end simply NOTHING beats BMW.

An Interesting decision in front of me though.

I test drove the new 3's and they are amazing. I am leaning towards the 330i but I would have no problem going with the 325i. The thing the I do not like on the 325i's are the tires. I do think the ride is so close that it is a game time decision as far as which to get. I would probably lease again.

However, down at a local dealership is sitting a 2003 540i loaded (exp nav) 6 speed. My family is in slight need of a little more space than the old 330i but not much. Just a 2-year old daughter. I am going to test drive the 540i today. But with a price of $37,000 and 21K miles and 2.9% financing it is an intereting alternative.

I have always felt that the last generation 5-series might be one of the classic cars of all time. And in my opinion potentially the most well rounded and greatest combination of elements BMW has ever made.

I also feel that the new 3 is scarry athletic and when I drove a 325i I honestly felt that it drove better than my present 03 330i.

With so many of you feeling the same way as me about BMW, what is your feeling on this comparision, with price so close?

thanks,
djocks

kdshapiro

I'd love to be in your shoes making that very same decision.

I would not buy *any* used/pre-owned luxury vehicle without an extended warranty. (This even includes Lexus). You just don't know how the vehicle was cared for and the test drive may not turn up any issues. But you get the thing home and....

Good luck.

div2

Although it really comes down to YOUR personnal preference, I'd go with the 330i. My wife drives a 1997 528i and while it's a nice car, we both think that it's a bit too big and heavy. I can't see why you'd need anything larger than a 3er for one child; we have a ten year old son and we usually take the Club Sport on vacation trips-and sometimes we even take the Jeep TJ on day trips. If I was going to buy another E39 it would have to be an M5.

kyfdx

Figure on your fuel bill going up 50% with the 540i...

regards,
kyfdx