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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • rizzotreemanrizzotreeman Member Posts: 14
    I would recommend Wide World of Cars in Spring Valley, NY (Rockland Cty). I picked up my 02 330i in October, and couldn't be any happier with them...a class act...anyway, let me know if you want details...
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    When using a debit card, upon your return to the U.S., you might find a 2% surcharge. This surprised me, because this had never happened to me in the past. So, it might actually be cheaper using a credit card and just pay your balance when you return. Contact your bank first before you leave. Have a safe trip, drive careful and have fun.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    I guess you will be picking up that 5'er soon. I don't have to tell you to drive safely since you are a veteran driver of European roads. As for me, the love affair should continue for me by next week or I'll probably yelling expletives to my dealer. Guter tag.
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    Josh, can you tell me how you bought (ED) from a dealer in the east, then got it delivered to Denver? How much extra? Who did the scheduling for the truck?

    Thanks.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I talked to Mike yesterday (the salesman that both HPMan and I used), and if I understood correctly, Mike arranged for the shipping of the car and included it as part of the cost of the car.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I thought that I had book marked the hotel that several of y'all had recommended, but, apparently I had a brain fart, and forgot to do so. The hotel name that I am looking for starts with a "U", if any of y'all can help me in my "Addled" brain state, I would appreciate it.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    I am going to wait for the '03 330. I am having some trouble waiting, but IMO if you can wait, you should. April is halfway through the model year and since car depreciation is tied to the model year (mostly) I think it is better to wait--the caveat is of course "if you can." In my situation, it doesn't matter anyway with regard to price cause here in Houston, my perception is that everyone is paying MSRP anyway. My dealer (who happens to be a terrific guy on a personal level) already wants me to give him a check for $500 so that I will reserve the very first pick of the 2003s. Of course we both know that is just the party line and I am waiting just a little longer.

    If I keep logging in every night reading these messages I probably will break down and go get an '02 in a moment of weakness anyway.

    I will be happy in any event.
  • bbell4bbell4 Member Posts: 34
    Does the sport suspension make a big difference in the ride? I want the steering wheel and maybe the seats of the sport package but I want a comfy ride too!

    Also, what is the school of thought on the wheels. Handling is better but they wear out faster on the wider ones? If you get a 330 you automatically get the wider ones? Can you get the 16 inch ones if you want?

    I'm by no means a crazy driver but I'm not a grandma either :)

    Still haven't decided (as you can see). Still taking my poll - is the 330 worth the money?
  • derprofiderprofi Member Posts: 250
    You're probably thinking of Hotel Uhland.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    I am usure what the sport suspension will do to the ride, but the high performance tires with the sport suspension may cause the ride to be a little bumpier--The aspect ratio for the standard 330 tires is 50 whereas the sport tires have 45 and 40 aspect ratios which may cause slight ride deterioration--Keep in mind it is still a 3 series --I doubt that the sport package will keep the ride from being exceptional and the tighter feel may offset any feelings you have about the slight increase in road feedback.

    FYI: I am not getting the sport package.

    The tires are another issue altogether. You cannot rotate the tires of the sport package. They are in the same position on the car until they wear out and you buy new ones. What this means it that you will be replacing the rear tires probably twice as often as you replace the front tires. I am not sure if this fact by itself increases the cost of the tire maintenance, because the front tires will not have to be replaced as often as they would be if they were rotated. Most people feel, however, that tire rotation increases tire life by making the wear patterns more uniform and so therefore it is likely that all of the above notwithstanding you will have higher tire maintenance costs.

    Another fact: The larger tires are more expensive to replace and if you replace them with Z rated tires, they are very expensive.
  • woobahwoobah Member Posts: 21
    Just curious, What age bracket do all you 3 series drivers fall into?
    Under 28,
    29-36
    37-45
    46-55
    56-65
    over 65

    Me, I am in the 37 to 45 bracket. What about you:)
  • mschukarmschukar Member Posts: 351
    Does the sport suspension make a big difference in the ride? I want the steering wheel and maybe the seats of the sport package but I want a comfy ride too!

    I've had my 325i with SP for a month (70 more miles to 1200!!). I drove my wife's '98 Volvo V70 GLT this week for the first time since we got the BMW. I almost think the ride in the 325i with SP is better than the Volvo! I think it has to do with the Volvo being a wagon with 70k miles creating more road noise.

    I wouldn't hesitate getting the SP again. The ride certainly isn't overly rough.

    You cannot rotate the tires of the sport package

    Why not? I plan on rotating my tires when I exchange them with the winter tires,

    -Murray

    p.s. I'm 37.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    you can change them, but not rotate them.

    They are unidirectional tires, therefore the tires cannot go to the other side of the car. The front and rear tires are different sizes, therefore the front cannot be exchanged with the rear. They cannot be "rotated"

    I am 30.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Derprofi,

    YES! That's it, thank you.

    LeeNelsonMD,

    All 330i cars have a Sport Suspension regardless of equipment (unlike the 325i), the only difference is the tires. The stock 330i and any version of the 330xi have All-Season 205/50 R17 tires that CAN be rotated if you wish, however, BMW does NOT recommend this practice. Please note that when you "Rotate" radial tires, you simply swap ends, you DO NOT change sides, so, even if tires are Uni-Directional, they can still be "Rotated".

    The 330i SP is a different situation entirely. This car comes with 225/45 ZR17 fronts and 245/40 ZR17 rears; obviously, these cannot be rotated at all. That said, I have noticed on my 1999 328i, which has NOT had its tires rotated during its 39,000 miles life, that the rear tires are probably good for about a third less mileage than the front tires, at least, when the tires are the same size front to rear. With the 330i SP, the rear tires MAY actually be just wide enough to balance out the life of the rubber, so that, both sets wear out at the same time.

    BBell4,

    If you get the 330i, you are stuck with 17" wheels (with the exception of a special set of 16 inchers that TireRack has for winter tires, which JUST clear the brake calipers). Having driven my 1999 328i sans SP for the last three years, I was surprised at how well Brave1hearts 325i SP (and 17" wheels/tires) rode. IMHO, his car had a slightly stiffer ride, in exchange, the handling was MUCH improved. Once again, IMHO, the ride vs. handling trade off of the SP is well worth it, as such, I ordered it on my new 530i.

    Woobah,

    I will graduate from the 328i to the 530i on or about my 45th birthday.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • tim_stltim_stl Member Posts: 4
    My 330ci should be here in about a month (as of Friday it was waiting to be shipped), just shy of my 24th birthday.

    Tim
  • hpmanhpman Member Posts: 33
    Shipo is correct. The dealer was able to fit the shipping to Colorado as part of the price. Not exactly sure how that works, but that was the deal.

    I believe it is going through the standard BMW delivery process, no special trucking to be arranged.

    Best,
    Josh
  • hpmanhpman Member Posts: 33
    Before I was smart enough to bookmark (or knew that I would actually being doing ED), I remember seeing some debate on the safety of taking your new BMW into Italy. This presents a large dilema for me as Italy contains some of my ideal destinations. Can anyone shed some light by sharing their experiences/thoughts of doing this?

    I've read various warnings about things like flat tire scams, bandits marking tourist cars when they stop to be targeted later, etc. I don't know how much of this can be avoided or if it just isn't worth the risk. I have two weeks to have fun there and I would really like to spend at least a few days visiting the Italian Riviera... but not if it is a rediculous risk.

    Also, any destination suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My wife and I have never been to Europe, and this decision to go came up quickly, so we are going at this blind. I have a rough idea of heading south from Munich, looping through Switzerland and Italy... possibly France.

    Thanks for your help!
    HPMan - Josh
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    29-36
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    I'm in the 46-55 bracket, & my car is an '01 5-spd 330i w/SP & PP.
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    Best bet if its your first time going over is to make sure as many of your cards that are ATM-capable are set up as you reasonably can. One trick with bank ATM cards is that the only ones that generally work are the ones that tap into checking accounts, not savings.

    Also, if you're an AAA Member, you can order & pick up EU$'s (or whatever other currency) in advance at your local AAA office. This can save you the work/time of finding an ATM while still in the airport.

    -hh
  • luftig1luftig1 Member Posts: 23
    330i SP PP in Titanium Silver.

    The 3 series does seem a bit more youthful than the 5 or 7 series, but the 3 series is nore fun to drive. Maybe the Z3 even more so, but a two door roadster was not in the cards.

    Will I ever want a larger sedan, yes - but not as my primary daily commuter vehicle, probably a M5 for my wife. We could use this when picking up in-laws at the airport and driving fast to scare them from returning soon or on long drives where I think the 5 series is better.
  • mjones6mjones6 Member Posts: 9
    My age is 37-45, just ordered a 330cic a few weeks ago.

    I thought the extra power of the 330 was worth the extra money.
    I am already taking a step down in power and the 325 just felt
    too sluggish.
  • dej0dej0 Member Posts: 36
    I'm in the 29-36 bracket, we have a steel blue '02 325i w/ SP, moon roof, power seats and xenons.
  • lyoutslyouts Member Posts: 6
    I'm in the 29-36 bracket, and have about 900 miles on my '02 330i w/PP, SP, bi-xenons, and steptronic transmission. The car is fantastic, and I can't stay out of it. I'm traveling alot for work right now, but will post a pic soon.

    Please hold the bimmer.org-type flaming posts for my choice of transmission. I get my manual fix via my motorcycles. Unfortunately, I do crash from time to time. Latest injuries included (a) ruptured tendon in the right hand requiring plaster cast, and (b) cracked rib on the right side. So I'm probably due for a foot injury soon. Anyway, I need to be able to drive the car when I'm hurt.

    I'll be happy to report my experiences with the step if anyone is interested.

    lyouts
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    As a rule, European ATM systems won't recognize a PIN that's longer than 4 positions. If necessary, change your PIN now to satisfy this requirement.

    Also, the keypads on most European ATMs are numeric only, in contrast to the alphanumeric keys that we're used to seeing in North America. If you've memorized your PIN as an alpha character string - "BLUE", for example - then you'd better memorize the numeric equivalent - "2583", in this case.
  • vishnu11vishnu11 Member Posts: 59
    Besides the warnings about security of your car in Italy, you also might want to think about the drop-off in Italy. If the car is dropped off in Italy, it is *driven* (not trucked/shipped) back to Munich. I guess you have to trust the drop-off driver you've never met before! Also add the extra mileage put on the car without you driving it.


    If you are thinking about trips, Gary Ray's site describes his EuroDelivery in great detail. This gent has done two EuroDel trips and documents it very well.


    Also, to document the pickup process, Jim's site


    Vishnu.

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I'm not sure how many of you read "CAR," the british auto publication, but there is a great article in the magazine on the BMW 330d (d standing for diesel). The 330d has a 3.0L Diesel motor that pumps out 175hp and 305 lb-ft torque! They said that except for the heating coil (required waiting before starting up a diesel), the 3.0 Diesel is as smooth as its gas (petrol) powered sister. Too bad diesels have such a bad image here in the US (and they pump some nasty stuff into the air as well).

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • hpmanhpman Member Posts: 33
    Thanks for the info! I will definitely need to look into the whole ATM/PIN thing. Regarding drop-off, my plans were to complete a loop and drop the car off back in Munich (round trip tickets to and from Munich).

    Thankfully, I won't have to deal with the agony of a stranger placing hundreds of miles on my new car that is in the midst of being broke-in!

    Thanks again!
    Josh
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    Modern diesels are extremely clean. The problem in the US is quality & quantity of fuel.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I read that too! Maybe not in the 3 series, but if they offered an X5 3.0d that had similar performance and got somewhere in the mid to high 20's mpg would be a great sell here.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Well, I'm 32 and my wife is 36.

    Next topic. We went to San Simeon and Hearst Castle this weekend. Stayed in Paso Robles. Took Highway 46 to the PCH in Central California. 46 SUCKS when you are behind trucks But the 325xi took it well and I had NO problems passing up hill. YAY!

    But we REALLY had some fun up on the PCH north of San Simeon. There are some really tight twisties on that road. NO room to mess up or cross the line. Blind turns, up and down hill. Man was I having fun. The BMW handled like it was on rails! Had a big ol' grin plastered on my face. This is living! I don't think the kids liked it in the back seat though. So I slowed down a bit so they wouldn't get sick.

    After driving on that road, I realize the sheer pleasure a well tuned and balanced car can bring. The SP kept the car tight and level in the turns. At NO time was it harsh for us.

    Right about the time I turned around to head back to Paso Robles, I saw a brand new 325xi - alpine white. Guess I'm not the only xi in California now. :) hehehe

    I took a few pictures of the car along the coast with the ocean in the background. Hopefully I'll get them developed soon and post them for you all.

    Hope you don't mind seeing a bunch of bug guts on the front. :)

    Now I'm back at work... (sigh) dreaming about the coast and a twistie...
  • mr323mr323 Member Posts: 30
    Hi!

    I'm 50 and should pick up my '02 325i (titanium, 5 sp, PP, leather, Xenons, HK, rear bags--still have kids, 16 & 10).

    Best wishes,

    Ed
  • gwunjgwunj Member Posts: 26
    For the pollsters: 29 and a Topaz/Grey 330ci, SP, PP, Xenons, and Heated seats on order.

    So, my baby's produced and should be on its way over shortly. What sort of information do I need from BMW NA to track it through Wallenius? I vaguely remember something about that a billion posts back, with no way to find it. Is it a ship name or tracking number? Thanks!

    Glenn
  • kenduxkendux Member Posts: 7
    I am considering whether to buy a 330 or an M3 convertible. Is there a huge performance difference? Is the M3 difficult to keep in tune or a lot more expensive to service? I am also wondering about waiting for the new convertible that will be introduced next year. Is a 4 series or a 6 series. Would appreciate any input. Kendux
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I am 32.

    erickpl - my wife is 34 (she's about 18 months older than me). It is very common these days, probably because women reach their sexual peak later in life (j/k).
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    My wife is only 5.5 months younger than me, and she is the second youngest woman I ever dated! ;-) AND she drives a stick, just like Mrs. Brave1heart. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    Depends on E36 (older) or E46 M3 (current). E36 M3 & 330 are very close in hp, but M3 is lighter. E46 M3 has about 100 more ponies than 330.

    As to expenses, you've got to pay to play. The 18" tires on M3 will cost you at least $200 a piece. If you opt for 19", it'll be even more expensive. Higher the cost of the car, more expensive it'll be to maintain it.
  • genie1genie1 Member Posts: 398
    Under 28 (but not for much longer) :)

    I'm getting my winter tires off tomorrow...finally! Should have had them off a couple of weeks ago, but I've been expecting a freak snowstorm so I hedged my bets. ;) (ok, so I procrastinated a wee bit)

    I did almost get run off the road this morning by a truck that decided to change lanes as I began to pass him on the left at 140 kmph. This was on a steep curved overpass, in somewhat patchy fog. Not a v. pleasant experience, but a safe one thanks to the superior brakes and handling of my baby.
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    38 - '01 330Ci (my wife is 1.5 years younger than me, is absolutely untrainable with a manual tranny, and by the way, I'm still patiently waiting for that peak thing brave mentioned... LOL!)
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    So I've decided to order Klasse Auto Polish for use on my Prelude when I get it. Question for all of you BMW 3 Series (see, staying on topic) owners (Shipo, AHEM) who use this product: What's the best kind of towel (or cloth or T-Shirt) to use to apply this stuff (technical term) with?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    I'm the 37-45 bracket. Whoosh!

    Phone # to track the cars once en-route...got it at home, will post it tomorrow if I see noone else has. It was posted last week sometime. It's too early for me to use.

    Not much new with me. Erick's post re: Calif Hwy 1 reminded me of a sweet little road named G16 that goes through Carmel Valley (S. of Monterey/Carmel). Anyone know it? It twisted through very pretty hills & pastures between the coast & Hwy 101. :-) Hmmm, future road trip in new car!
  • luftig1luftig1 Member Posts: 23
    as long as you can afford it. You certainly will have a lot of fun with a M3 convertible or the 330. But do not drive the M3 unless you are ready to spend the money , the M3 performance will spoil you. Also, IMHO everyone should own a convertible at least once, I have already had mine ('95 Mustang GT), sold it and got the 330i.
  • cnorthrupcnorthrup Member Posts: 74
    47 - '02 330i, step, steel blue, 4500 miles...
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    Had my passenger side fog lamp replaced last week. People at the shop told me I lucked out. The driver side is more labor intensive (i.e. cost more). I guess it's time to research on protective film.

    Never heard of G16, but I do head down to Monterey regularly. Only problem with a lot of these roads is that there's always be a slow moving car in front of you.

    poll: I've got a 2001 330i (silver, SP, PP, 5-sp, xenon), and 28 for another month or so. BTW, anyone keeping track of the data?
  • bbell4bbell4 Member Posts: 34
    For those with the 330i PP, SP, xenon - what did you pay if I can ask?
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    What ever MSRP was in March, 2001. You can get better deals these days.
  • hpmanhpman Member Posts: 33
    25, just ordered a 2002 330i SP Heated seats
    HPMAN
  • luftig1luftig1 Member Posts: 23
    univeral remote - paid full retail & install on those. Felt I go a good deal, but better have been had. They did throw in the floormats.
    I also had metallic paint. The 330i SP/PP Xenon with premium paint, Universal Remote & Alarm has been a blast. The way I see it, get every feature you want, 6 months ago the little extra you spent will have been forgotten and you will be glad you did.
  • gary330cigary330ci Member Posts: 9
    42 - 2002 330ci (alpine white, SP, PP, xenon) delivered Jan 2nd (happy new year!).
  • silverprincesssilverprincess Member Posts: 75
    30, wife 29 - 1999 323i (jet black, tan leather, 5 speed, SP, moon, wood, folding rear seats).
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