Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
As far as rattles and squeaks, I've had 3-4 different types that have all been resolved by the dealer. My 325i has a solid feel that I think will last for many miles and years. If luxury is more important than performance, though, you will be happier with a 5-series.
Happy 4-th, gang! It's right smack in the middle of 3- and 5-...a nice compromise for those who can't decide between the two cars ;o)
as far as the "overly picky" person... uhhh... yea, you might be a little overly picky... the suggestion above of a lexus probably is correct for you... my old man's es is completely soundless... of course, that equates to characterless in my book, but that's just me...
-Chriss
Oh, btw, is the company you'll be working for hiring? Sorry for the shameless networking, but Silicon Valley isn't looking too promising. Although gainfully employed now, it's only a matter of time...
May I at least send you my resume? ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
I also have occassional "popping" noises coming from the parcel shelf, but I'm not even going to try to get that fixed.
Like you, I still love the car for it's driving feel and handling (don't want a Lexus). I'd be surprised if you could only spend $6,000 for the upgrade even with ED. I've had the same thoughts about moving to the 5, but for me, I would want the 530, and without ED, I would be talking nearly $20,000 (including taxes) - that is crazier than living with a few rattles!
I read the article on long-term boots in Roundel last night. I thought you'd love that "2% science and 98% marketing" comment they made on all-season tires. Also, I think that although they try to sound upbeat about all the tires they reviewed, I could detect some irony when they were talking about those bionic Contis. They must have had a few chuckles writing that part ;o)
I kind of like the new look.
-murray
FWIW, try to avoid taking delivery before a holiday in Germany. I'd also have gotten in a day earlier or scheduled an immediate stop in Munich if I'd had a little more control over my schedule. Places to go, people to meet and all. Of course, sleep is overated..anyone with young kids will understand. Lastly, keep in mind that they give you a 50 Euro coupon for food at the cafe in the delivery center. Had I been thinking I'd have taken something with me!
Final word: Just took delivery yesterday and now the wife wants to replace her SUV as well. X5 is a possibility but doesn't have the 3rd row seat (an absolute must with 3 boys). It is interesting to see, without exception, the reaction to my new 325 from the salesman at the other dealerships. It's like their cars don't exist anymore!
- The use of too many lines take away from any fluidity that the Z3 had. I wasn't a huge fan of that design, but at least it was classy and elegant. What is with the Roundel behind the front wheel arches and the line that bisects it? Who's the MENSA reject who came up with that one? Bring back the Z3 vent!
- I have nothing good to say about the posterior of the Z4. Clearly a case of trying too hard or the answer to a question no one asked. What's with the brake lights? The whole end just looks like a pregnant S2000 .
- The headlights are too busy, esp w/ the parking lights that wrap around the bottom.
- The kidney bean grill is too far below the headlights. This is consistent with the new 7, breaking up the line along the front. Looks like someone with their facial parts in the wrong location.
- Other than the crisp and clearly roomier interior, there's not much I can say that's positive about this car.
I'm sure it will look better in person than in photos (like the new 7 does), but I'm still not a fan. The new trend in BMW design has me stumped. What are they thinking over there? I want to hold onto my E46 for as long as I can. Wonder how they're going to bludgeon the 3 when the redesign comes around?
i like the way the z4 looks... but as someone pointed out to me on another board, that might be because i tend to like all things bmw...
yea, brave, i got a kick out of that line...
-Chris
Instead, I'm going to keep an eye on a good deal for a used and/or CPO 528i or 530i. More likely, I'll be ordering a 2003 3-series. '99 528i CPO models seem to run between $33k-35k, and '00 models are a few thousand more. It's hard for me to pay as much for an '00 528i as I would pay for an '03 330i.
Just from light reading it appeared the E46 , being the newer has been more reliable the the former and current E39 ? 5er. That said i drove a 528i for about a month and only issue was reaching in the center console for the window lifts that were not there ! habits hard to break ... lol
Good luck in your choiceDL
Happy 4th
DL
Your car is configured very similar to mine. I have a 2001 325ci, silver/black leather(the best combo out there), PP, SP, HK, 5-speed. The only modifications I have made include installing clear lenses (it does make the car look much cleaner and sportier), a lite window tint job, and a UUC clutch stop (it does make a big difference). Again congrats, and what are you doing reading this you should be out driving!
If the new 7 is any indication, the above statement would be incorrect - see link below -
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46/forum.php?postid=818322&page=3
Quick question/survey: What is everyone's thought on fold-down rear seats? I've heard that the rigidity of 330i sedan may suffer a bit from it. Practically speaking, is this "reduced" rigidity something that I would notice?
JingleJill:
Thanks. I'll definitely ask for items such as tinting, floor mats, and cargo net. Hey, I just got a quote from Autobahn--pretty darn good.
Thanks,
Ken
Dismiss that myth. The whole rigidity of a car is dictated by its chassis, seats have nothing to do with that. The chassis simply has to be large enough to accomodate the seats within, that's pretty much all
As far as BMW designs growing on me, I have to say that when the E36 came out in (1992?) I didn't like it. Granted I was 16 and wanted a 5.0 Mustang GT, but I was still a fan of the old E30. E36s still manage to turn my head to this day. I like many of you was not a fan of the new 7 when it was released, especially in the photos (The interior is still funky looking to me). I really likt the looks of the 7 series with the optional 19" wheels. It is a long, wide, & tall car that (to me) has the presence of the previous generation (1992-1999) Mercedes-Benz S-Class. I'm a HUGE fan of the old 740i SP and put one of those next to a new 7 and it looks out dated already.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
If ever your assertion came from someone who 1. has fold down seats and 2. feels they squeak, then it's very good indication that there is a problem with the chassis itself. In this case I'd urge this guy to go visit his local dealer. Altered chassis rigidity is many the worst thing that can happen to a car.
The noise resembles that of a very loud fan and it occurs when I accelerate from a stop and only after the car has warmed up. I've noticed this only on super-hot (100+) days - it began on the first hot day of this summer.
I recall there being an issue with auxiliary fans on the E46, but thought that this had been resolved prior to MY2002.
I haven't noticed a drop in performance, yet I wonder if this noise may be the engine trying to increase airflow, given the hotter climate. Is this noise common or should I have it looked at by the dealer?
Thanks
Why not just park in your driveway and adjust to the details in the mirrors? ie find a detail (tree, neighbors garage, etc.) at the edge of the rearview mirror and adjust the side mirrors to that detail.
Sounds a lot safer and easier than doing it on a highway.
-murray
p.s. Ever wonder why we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
Can 3-series SP owners comment on the long distance comfort (including seats and noise level) of their cars?
- joe
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/useyourmirfo.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/rdu/rearview.html
CNorthrup
I have had dreams of owning a Lotus Elise Exige (177 BHP, 124 lb-ft, 0-60 in 4.7 mph and more than 30 mpg). I would not buy a U.S. specs if it ever happened and I know that most of the people that I know would not fit well in it. So, who are these European sports cars made for anyway? I'm 5'8", 190 lbs to 200 ibs and can fit in just about anything as long as my soccer leg does not give (Corvettes are out because I have a problem crawling out.) But really who are these cars for. I could never make sense of the 6'8" basketball player that is forced to buy a targa top Ferrari that he cannot drive on a rainy day.
http://www.autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svolfc.asp
Sportseats: i agree with brave on this, i just had 2 different 2001 325i Non sport loaners and i tell you my bum was killing me , i was so thankful to get my Sport back!!! The only negative i mentioned before is a little wear on side bolster entering and exiting..
DL
it should be noted that i have the smaller 2.5L engine.
Autosite's numbers seem to be behind by a month or so. They just published the May numbers at the end of June. As far as the other board, there is a lot of junk there but there are a few posters that are very knowledgeable and the poster from the link is one of them.
I never did initiate contact with the dealer in Temple; however, I did talk to Dave at Mike Pile's BMW in Tyler. (I may have mis-typed in my earlier posting) Are you ready? The deal I got was ED invoice plus $1,250. For my specs, a loaded 330i, the price comes out to about $36,000. I think I got a little bit of a special treatment from the salesperson in that he forgot to return my drivers license and insurance card after my test drive; I was already half way back to Dallas.
Well, as soon as my career situation settles down a bit, I'll pull the trigger on that 330i, with orient blue and natural brown interior.
Ken
I thought about not ordering fold-down rears; however, as a single guy with one car, the additional cargo room from the fold-downs might come handy.
Ken
I also don't think you need to buy a Lexus or even a luxury car to achieve these things. A friend of mine has a diesel VW beetle-- and i was riding w/ him the other night over rough roads (the kind that turn my car into a rattle symphony). The only noise I heard in his car was a solid "thump" as we went over bumps. I noticed that I couldn't actually make any of the interior trim squeak by pressing on it and everything actually seemed more tightly constructed than on my car. His car had 60k miles on it btw.
Unfortunately, I hate nearly everthing else about the car, so I guess its not a real option. But if VW can mass-produce a 17k diesel car that feels solid-- I don't know why BMW can't do this for 30k+. I guess this also confirmed to me that my standards aren't unrealistic in the automotive world. I think if I decide to replace my car, I'm going to get a car with cloth (not leather or vinyl). I think this goes go a long way to quieting down any interior.
Shipo-- thanks for the offer to let me drive your 530-- that's very generous of you. I'll think about it. If I do decide to move forward w/ a 5- i'll probably just ask my dealer to loan me one over a weekend to see if it is as rattle-free as I hope.
Brave-
I think there really might be something to your comment that the 99 and 00 3 series were better constructed. I had a 99 323 loaner a while ago and it made less noises than my 01. This could've also been due to lack of the tighter sp suspension though.
I had another "pleasant" experience w/ my friendly neighborhood BMW dealer on Friday. I took it in to have a the shop foreman try and diagnose the loose on-center feel (its been like this since they did the retrofit a few months ago). He couldn't feel anything (of course) , but said that he'd take a look to see if "everything was tight". Then, the service write told me that she'd have to charge me $88 for the tech's time to look at it! Needless to say I walked out. This reminded me of how much I hate all of the BMW dealers I've been to, and why I should really try and like another brand/model. Unfortunately, I can't really warm up to anything else-- except maybe a Passat or an A4. But, I really don't like the driving experience too much in Audi/VW products. Oh well. Alhough, the hopeless, angry and frustrated feeling I get when I drive my car doesn't do much for the driving experience either.
My '02 325i from South Africa feels very solid, more so than our 5 year old Volvo. Granted, it only has 4k miles on it, but I can't seem to find any of your concerns on my car. Perhaps I just have lower standards :-)
-murray
- BMW is ranked third overall manufacturing conglomerate behind Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura. Volvo (part of GM) is also ahead of it, which puts BMW in 5-th spot in the ranking for best brand in terms of initial quality.
- The 3-series is ahead of the 5-series
- the Rosslyn factory in South Africa and the Munich plant are the second and third best IN THE WORLD behind only a Toyota plant in Japan. So if your 3-series was made in one of these two factories, it's likely to have some of the best qualilty.
- The Rosslyn factory in South Africa is slightly ahead of the factory in Munich with 85 problems reported vs. 87 for the Munich plant. Anyone concerned about S.A. build quality, take note.
- BMW ranked highest of any European brand. It was ahead of Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, and Jaguar (in the same order). Interestingly enough, Jaguar fell from 2-nd spot to 19-th with a little help from Ford.
As I've said before, I'm not as concerned about initial quality as long term reliablility. To that note, how many 30 year old Japanese (vs. European & American) sedans do you see on the road?
Thanks for the news Brave. Makes me feel better about my SA 325
-murray
The European marques were seemingly firmly entrenched back then. Is amazing how many VWs were sold annually in USA pre-1975. Not to mention fact there were tons of established European marques now long gone from our shores: Fiat, Peugoet (can't remember how to spell this marque), Triumph, MG, British Leyland, Rover, Lancia, Alfa, Austin, Jensen, Healey, and more.
But notice that all the then bigger Japanese marques--Toyota, Datsun, and Honda--survived and pretty much prospered. And we added new ones like Suzuki and Mitsubishi. Thinking Daihatsu is the only marque that ended up failing in USA.
And keep in mind that a ton of American cars were sold back then but most weren't worth putting on the road when they came new from factory. Very few 30-yr-old American cars still on road really worth keeping on road. I see beaten up Novas spewing clouds of smoke. Old Mavericks and Pintos rusted badly and losing parts. Lowly Valiants, Gremlins, and Hornets in poor shape. The odd LTD, Impala, or Monaco. Some Monte Carlos, Grand Prixs, Cutlasses, and Cordobas. Few worth a darn then and not many worth anything today. The only American cars back then worth keeping on road today are a few muscle cars and convertibles.
I still have the plymouth valiant I bought used 25 years ago for $800. All I do is change the oil every 2500 miles and I replaced a $40 timing chain and $45 water pump once. It has room for 6 and can tow my trailer without any trouble. The only thing I can fault it for is the amount of gas it uses. For that matter I still have my 1931 Ford Pick up for the last 30 years. I guess it is all how you look at things and what your expectations are.
Silvert323@aol.com
take care,
DL
Thanks, ButMyWife
-KR,
kbhockey
I agreed to the examination charge; they found a piece that was broken and I was not charged anything at all -everything was then covered under warranty.
I think that you would have gotten the same deal.. If they'd found any problem that was covered under warranty, you would not have been charged. You might want to ask your service rep if that's the situation with your car . I have to say that I've been pretty pleased with my BMWs - there have been a few small things that I've had done under warranty, but there's also been a determination (for lack of a better word) from BMW to make me a happy customer.
At this point, however, I don't think that you'd be happy with another BMW - you'd always have some hard feelings or suspicions in the back of your mind. The point of driving a BMW is the pleasure it gives you to drive one. You don't have that anymore, for whatever reason. I suggest that you consider another make.