Buying a Used 3-Series
Which of these is better buy, 1999 M3 2dr or 2001 330ci? I have seen that a used 1999 m3 can cost as much as nearly a 2002 or 2003 BMW 330ci. Thats pretty interesting despite that fact that the M3 is a super car. Id like to know which one is the better buy and why? I am looking for acceleration, handling, and overall performance. Which do you think will be more reliable? Looks also count, but performance is more for me in my opinion. Thank you very much for your time.
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P.S. BMWs retain their value for years so you can always keep trading it in for a new one around the 50-60k mark for a minimal (relatively speaking) cost.
LOL!
expect major problems around the 50-60K mark
LOL!
maintenance costs are out the roof
LOL!
Hope this helps.
That said, if the condition matches the mileage (immaculate?), and it is a 2-door... and really a 325i, not a 325...
Then, somewhere around $3000-$3500 would be fair...
Is it a manual-transmission?
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A complete mechanical and safety inspection of any ultra low mileage car is in order.
If the car passes the test with no problems and needs no repairs, it's certainly worth the price.
Yes, the handling and braking of the E36 M3 is better. It is also less "idiot proof" than the 330i; you have to know what you are doing in order to extract the best performance from it.
I mean arent the mechanical parts of the m3 made to handle more power then the 330ci if I put on lets say a chip or turbo??
Almost any vehicle will need a brake upgrade if you add forced induction. The E36 M3 is no exception. The best bang for your buck would be a Conforti Shark Injector and CAI.
im also wondering which one has the better braking and which one requires more maintanance and is more expensive to repair and maintane despite its age
Maintenance and repair costs will be roughly similar as, unlike the E30 and E46 variants, the US E36 M3 uses a 3.2 liter version of the garden variety BMW six cylinder engine.
A chip-actually an ECU reflash for OBD II cars-will not affect engine longevity to on a normally aspirated car. A turbo or S/C is more likely to shorten engine life due to the increased loads placed on the engine. A lot depends on the maximum boost as well as how long the engine operates at high boost pressures.
To reiterate: Either car would be an excellent choice. If you are a hands-on kind of driver you'll find that the E36 M3 makes an excellent street/track car which can be tweaked or modified to your heart's content. The 330i will be equally as quick only smoother and more civilized. You really need to drive both, evaluate YOUR priorities and then YOU need to make the call.
Interesting. Which E46 parts are better? And in what way? What "new technology" are you referring to? Double VANOS?
i would say that the m3 is going to be more expensive and harder to repair 1) because it is older (may have to order parts for it, versus having them in stock)
That's funny; my dealer stocks almost any E36 specific part I've ever needed. As for ordered parts, they cost the same as stocked parts. An E36 is no more difficult to repair than an E46.
it was probably driven harder than the 330ci and could have much more wear.
Possibly, though I've run across more than a few thrashed E46 cars. Either car should undergo a thorough PPI from a good BMW tech.
You should look at each car's technical specs to find out about braking, but, once again, the 330ci probably has equal or better braking due to its newer technology.
And that "new technology" is?
M3:
-heavier steering
-LSD (limited slip diff)
-a good clutch, not a "self adjusting" garbage clutch like the 330ci
-does NOT have the CDV like the 330(clutch delay valve.. also garbage)
-M3 is faster
for smoothness/luxury.. 330ci
edit: i'had a 2001 330xi automatic, 2002 325ci stickshift, and my cousin used to have a e36 M3 so i do know what i am talking about
edit2: i just saw in another post of yours that you are looking at AUTOMATIC BMWs.. if that's the case, then my comments about the M3 and 330 gearbox do nto matter; i do not know much about the e36 auto tranny, but i do know the e46 auto tranny has had high rates of failure due to BMW's lifetime fluid.. in reality, it should be changed every 30k, but once the tranny has reached a certain age, doing a tranny fluid flush would probably do more harm than anything
IMHO, you are nto really looking for pure performance if you want an automatic
And please...
Bimmer=BMW Automobile
Beemer=BMW Motorcycle
http://research.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?section=reviews&crpPage=reviews.jsp- &makeid=5&modelid=47&year=1995&myid=&acode=USA50BMC111A0&mode=&aff=mcall
http://research.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?revid=27941&indcriteria=ASSET_TYPE-- Affiliate+Review%2CBuying+Guide%2CVehicle+Profile%7CM-_5_%7CD-_47_%7CY-_1995_%7C- resultStructure-combined&makeid=5&modelid=47&year=1995&myid=&revlogtype=19§i- on=reviews&mode=&aff=mcall
http://research.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?revid=30528&indcriteria=ASSET_TYPE-- Affiliate+Review%2CBuying+Guide%2CVehicle+Profile%7CM-_5_%7CD-_47_%7CY-_1995_%7C- resultStructure-combined&makeid=5&modelid=47&year=1995&myid=&revlogtype=19§i- on=reviews&mode=&aff=mcall
If you're looking for performace, go with M3. If you're looking for more luxury, go with 330ci.
Hate to burst your bubble, but E36 M3 does have a CDV.
Yes. It's in all modern BMW with manual transmission. It makes it easier for novice to shift, but makes "spirited" shifting more difficult. It's a pretty easy thing to eliminate though.
Does anyone here know if maintaining and repairing a E36 M3(1999) is more expensive than a 330Ci
They are going to be about the same. If things break, then it's not the part, but labor that's going to be expensive.
Unless you get a '01-02 M roadster (S54 engine), it's not going to be much faster than M3. Also, unless you replace the differential on the '01-02 M roadster, it's not going to be that much faster than 99 M3 in 0-60. The roaster will pull away at higher speed though.
well as dave330 said, fortunately the CDV is easy to take out anyway
from what i heard, the cdv can acutally cause more wear? this may seem counterintuitive as the purpose of the CDV is to reduce driveline shock, but during spirited driving and quick shift, the cdv will slow the engaging of the clutch and thus cause more slippage, therefore glazing the clutch etc..
this is a good writeup from david zeckhausen, a good in NJ who performs the cdv-ectomy for bmws:
http://zeckhausen.com/cdv.htm
the s2k, m roaddsters/coupes, m3.. real sport/performance cars imo
Neither cars are good for 5 ppl. For short trips they're ok, but not on a regular basis.
If this is going to be your 1st performance car, I'd recommend the '01 330Ci. It'll be a easier car to live with on a daily basis. In terms of performance, if '99 M3 rates a 10, then a '01 330Ci would be 7 or 8. The increased comfort on 330Ci will more than make up for the performance loss.
Both cars are reliable. Either one will almost certainly need a water pump at 60K-70K, but that's no big deal. A new radiator should be fitted at @100K miles.
Rear shock mounts fail at higher mileages, as do ball joints and control arms. One important point to note is the fact that US E36 M3s do not tolerate any significant over revs- valves meet pistons very quickly should you miss a shift. In my opinion any difference in reliability is not significant enough to consider it as a selection criteria.
"When the last BMW M3 was sold in North America (from 1995 to 1999), it was an emasculated version of the car available across the Atlantic. While Europeans were ripping about in 321-horsepower M3s, we made do with choked 240-horse variants. Sure, they were great-handling cars armed with that razor sharpness endemic to all BMWs. But with the release of the more powerful 2001 330Ci making nearly as much power as the old M3, an upgrade was clearly needed."
If you would like to read the rest of the article the url is: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=46799
I am looking to buy BMW 3 series (for the first time) and need some help on deciding what's the right price to pay for a Certified pre owned vehicle.
I just looked at a 2004 black 325i with 28000 miles with sports package, power seats including passenger seat and power moon roof. I test drove it and liked it. The dealer asking price is 28k. Edmunds says 27.5 for such certified pre-owned car in CA. Any opinions on what a reasonable price for this car is? Am I better off buying a new one? I never bought a car from a dealer before so appreciate any tips on where I should start the "haggling".
TIA,
dinks
Edmunds has a board (Real-World Trade-in Values, or some such) that used to give excellent target numbers. The guy who provided the best input (Terry) has been AWOL since early summer, so that resource is much less useful. There are a few industry insiders who still go there, so you might give it a shot.
Dealers mark these things up to a fare-thee-well. What it'll actually sell for has to do with the local market for just that vehicle. If there are a fair number of ignorant people (or even one) willing to pay too much. . . In the absence of input from people who actually know something, you could start at 10-20% below what they're asking.
As to whether you should consider buying new, I answered that question for myself a few days ago. I'm interested in a 3-series, sport package, manual, with fold-down rear seats, in electric red. There are exactly zero of these available anywhere in the USA on the CPO list, and the 9 red cars with manuals don't have anything even resembling the options I would choose.
Besides which, if I buy new I get a smokin' deal on European Delivery, exactly the car I want, and it comes back into the country with the Austrian & Swiss windshield decals for the local autobahns (plus the one for Grossglockner) to remind me of where I've taken the car, as I sit in Phoenix traffic.
Priceless.
Nothing wrong with buying a used CPO BMW.