Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

1381382384386387585

Comments

  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I emailed Karen today to see about creating it. I'm not sure who the host would be, but I will assume those duties if need be. Maybe our faithful host and keeper of the order, Pat, would do it. :)

    -Paul
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    but what if you're getting something 90% as good?

    -Colin
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    I thought a Road Trips discussion might be fun too, but I'd be mostly a reeader not writer. re: goodies... I'm not sure how I got on the mailing list, I am always surprised each time I get something in the mail. The pen is just a ball-point, nothing special but it does have a nice feel. That blanket was designed to entice me to buy a BMW, but I got the notice for it after I bought my car. I will check into the club to see about Willow Springs. Enjoy your trip to Paso Robles. PCH would definitely be a great drive, I suggest timing it so that the setting sun isn't going to bother you in whatever direction (north/south) you're heading. There's a restaurant at Rocky Point (about 1/2 mile north of the Big Sur bridge) where the food is ok, but the view is great. So many beautiful places around the central Calif. coast but you know that! :-)
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I don't think anyone believes they're getting wheels that are as good as OEM for that much less money, at least I know I don't. What I'm looking for is something that will be good enough... safe and not hideous looking. I have been looking on ebay daily with little luck. Most of the 17"ers listed are new replicas and it seems like any used OEM's are covered with curb rash or too expensive. Thanks for the bmwwheels link, but it keeps showing me new wheels even though I'm clicking on "Used Wheels". Probably means they have no used wheels in stock for the models I'm choosing.
  • jcivitellojcivitello Member Posts: 15
    If not on a time crunch do ED...awesome and you will save 3K, allowing you to get all the options you want and need! Otherwise I agree with bmw323is...Base package is great, even the CWP is not a necessity. Bi-xenons are! Another consideration, since you are planning on owning the car for 5+ years, get ALL the options that you want, suck it up and pay the $$, because over that time, you are essentially paying less for the options, and when you sell, it will increase resale....just a thought! Good Luck!
  • marinbeemermarinbeemer Member Posts: 7
    Does anyone have knowledge of, or experience with, snow chains or cables on a 325i with the sport package 17-inch wheels? BMW doesn't sell any chains/cables and the dealer says there are wheelwell clearance issues. What's a guy to do!? Do I have to buy a set of wheels with snow tires just for a weekend trip to the mountains?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    "What's a guy to do?"

    Get a 325xi or a Jeep! :) heheh

    Actually, I'm curious to know as well. With my 325xi, I'm hoping I won't need chains in my area. When I go ski, I'll probably take the Jeep since I have a family of 4 and all the ski gear will fill the trunk (pants, boots, poles, etc). But if it is just the wife and I, then the chain issue may rear its ugly head.

    -Paul
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    Hi there,
    Hope someone out there responds to my journalist friend on the following mission:

    Anyone out there shopping for a BMW? I'm a journalist with a national
    publication looking for people who have owned or are seeking to buy a
    BMW. I'm also looking for long-time BMW owners with thoughts about the
    styling of the new 7-series. If you don't mind being quoted, please send
    an email with your telephone number to carguy147@hotmail.com and I will
    call and interview you. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

    Thanks from both of us,
    Jeannine Fallon
    PR Director
    Edmunds.com

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Actually, I'd be delighted to host another discussion in which you folks participate. You are a great bunch of folks who are fun to read and get along around here very nicely. (Well, most of time. ;->)

    Karen will be your host of any discussion exclusive to the Owners Club board which one about ED would be. I'm sure some of you already know her from the other discussions there -- she's very cool.

    :-)
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    So, do we give the word and have it created? What's the process?

    -Paul
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    p. 131 of my '01 325i manual says that you cannot mount snow chains on 225/45/17 tires. RTFM next time and then ask for help, esp. considering the fact that you've asked this question on the board a few times already. BTW, according to the manual, the chains should be mounted on the rears only and you should NOT exceed 30 mph. That would be one very looooong ski trip... I personally would rather be driving a snowmobile at that speed. Cheapest thing by far would be to rent an appropriate vehicle for that special skiing weekend.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Have you heard back from Karen? If not, you will soon. She'll take care of it, I promise. :)
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I got my brake fluid changed this morning and I wanted to say "Thank you" to BMW Capital Cities in Albany, NY. They got me out on time and get his: it only took them 45 min to change the brake fluid and although the book says that it takes an hour, they only charged me for 45 min of work. It seems like a small, very well-run dealership. BTW, my brake pedal feels a tad firmer and it grips a little earlier. Now I know better where Colin was coming from on this issue - it does take some adjusting.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    wow, I'm not completely crazy!

    ;-)

    -Colin
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    next week with the wife and kid. I sure wish we were driving, but will have to settle for a plane instead. What I really want is my new 3 series and the trip. I cannot imagine much more fun than travelling through Colorado with a manual transmission bimmer in the late summertime.

    Of course the PCH wouldn't be too bad either.

    We are trying to find a new place to live and so we plan to check out Colorado and California.

    Any suggestions?
  • bmw323isbmw323is Member Posts: 410
    I live in Denver. It's a nice city, but getting very crowded. I suppose it might not feel that way coming from Houston. Housing will blow you away compared to Texas. We are not quite up to Silicon Valley or Northeast prices, but a comparable house here will cost 2-3 times what it does in Houston. And only 2 BMW "centers" in town, although there are five in the state. You are right about driving in the Rockies though - makes it all worth while!
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    no, just halfway crazy like the rest of us... :)

    yea, i hear you on the 90% as good... good point...

    kominski - even if the used ones have road rash, so what? trust me, you are gonna get road rash over the wintertime, if you look at my basketweaves that i use in the winter, they are pretty beat up... i forget which 3er you have, can you go minus 1 to 16" and fit over the brakes? if so, that'd be an even better choice for winters... and you might have a larger selection to choose from... just a suggestion...

    -Chris
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    This morning I parked next to a new 325i in a color I've never seen before. I would describe it as a metallic "rust". Is this the new red -- "Electric Red"? If so, it looks nothing like the color shown on the BMW website. If I had known that this was what BMW's red looked like now, I might have considered it.
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    I have a 330Ci... according to the folks at tirerack, the only 16" wheel that will fit over the discs is the ATP Italia Type 5 (E36 M-Contour Replica) which is on my "short list". *Alledgely* they were designed with the inner section a little larger than normal 16" wheels for that very purpose. I agree with your road rash comment, but being the goof that I am, I'd rather booger them up myself... :-) I'm keeping several options open for the next month or so until I have to decide and buy before it's too late.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Okay, for all you ED'ers, I need your help!


    There is a new forum just for BMW Euro Delivery. Yesterday, Karen created "BMW 3-Series Owners: European Delivery". It is located in the BMW 3-Series Owners Club:


    /direct/view/.eec944a


    For those of you who have posted about your ED experiences, from delivery, to touring, to driving on the Autobahn, let's have it!


    -Paul

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    those wheels are the only brand name but non-OEM 16" wheels that fit my M3 also.

    but even after I bought them with winter tires I'd still have a front lip spoiler at most 3" off the ground. that won't work.

    so instead I'm taking my $1200 (or so) winter wheel budget and putting it towards a beater 4x4 for the winter. I've seen a few interesting things...

    -Colin
  • marinbeemermarinbeemer Member Posts: 7
    Hey, Brave: I guess I have to post three times to get a response! Oh well, at least you have a sense of humor: "RTFM...." I did RTFM and read that chains aren't advised for my car, but owner's manuals are edited by the lawyers protecting the corporate butt. I thought that creative guys like you and others had found an alternative to tire chains (e.g., "Spider Spikes," other than renting a 4WD or buying an X5) for those occasional trips to the snow. 'Guess I'll have to either give up winter driving, or buy a set of wheels and snow tires or that Jeep that erickpl suggested!
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I dunno... with those fat wheels on the X5, I'm not too sure how IT would handle in the snow!

    Actually, brave, with the tire size you mentioned, the xi I believe has a bit narrower wheels, though they are 17's. I didn't notice anything in my manual either (since they are all the same I think). I just don't look forward to having to add chains or spider spikes or anything like that to all 4 wheels, so I have my Jeep Grand Cherokee ready to go.

    I'm just looking forward to GETTING some snow or rain. We haven't had rain since April or May and everything is SO brittle.

    -Paul
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    wondering if the xi's ground clearance is higher than the RWD's because of that...
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Tire size aside, I believe the Xi suspension is higher than the RWD. I remember reading somewhere that it is .6" or .9" higher.

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

  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    .9" higher.
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    Let me try mine another way. Has anybody seen the 2002 red? Does it look more rust colored than red? If not, what the heck was that metallic rust colored 325i I saw today?
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    My wife's 2002 325Ci is electric red. The color literally screams RED. There is no rust (say, brownish) tint to the color. I can't see any hint of orange (like a former BMW red) or even blue (like some reds). I can't figure what color you saw; the electric red is the only color in the red spectrum in the 2002 brochures. I wonder if you saw a completely new 2003 color.

    I think the electric red is terrific, especially with the natural brown leather interior in my wife's car. I have found it an easy color to keep; it doesn't show dirt.
  • skobolaskobola Member Posts: 207
    Postoak, I believe that what you saw is Sienna red, that one looks kind of rust-ish...
  • dl7265dl7265 Member Posts: 1,381
    ive run across a 1999 E36 M3 coupe Silver/Grey with only 19k miles.It is in perfect shape,. Edmunds shows 28-32k tmv does this sound about right ? And does any one have any advise other than a good check up ? im not as familure with the E36 line.

    Thanks
    DL
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    yea, i hear ya about wanting to do it yourself... actually, mine came in pretty decent shape (got 'em off a guy in california), but between me and mrs. ccotenj, we've put a hurtin' on them...

    hey, i should be encouraging you here, at least you are getting winter wheels in the first place...

    colin, i still have that 84 seville sitting in my driveway if you want a beater... :)

    -Chris
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    Okay, so I saw Sienna Red -- but they made the 325i in that color only in 2001, right? So what I thought was a new vehicle (because it had paper plates) was actually one that had just been purchased used. That would explain the facts, so I guess that must have been the case. Thanks.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I have seen this color before on a 325Ci SP with Black interior and I thin it looked sharp. It is deinitely an "older" car.

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

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I have a '95 M3.


    Learn about the E36 M3 here:

    http://www.eurospeed.org/e36m3faq.pdf

    (adobe acrobat reader required)


    28k-32k sounds fair for that car on paper. many of them are in very good shape, mine certainly doesn't look like a 7 year-old car!


    In fact if it's in very good shape, it could easily command significantly more than $28,000 in most parts of the country.


    -Colin

  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    On the Meet the Members board there's an article on the history of the 3-series posted by Karen. At the end there's a couple of paragraphs on the M3. I'm sure you'll find it interesting. Here's a clip from it: "M3 was muscular, refined and just a bit menacing--a frat boy who's both the smartest kid in school and the greatest steroid abuser." Sounds like a bad boy to me, lol! Congrats on ordering those 333 ponies ( whoosh! ), hope all goes well.
  • 1pierce1pierce Member Posts: 284
    That "rust" you saw was definitely Sienna Red. Pretty rare, although I saw one once here in Pgh. Kind of neat for the fact that it is rather novel.

    As Nerd said, Electric Red (like my 325i) is RED,...as it should be, no ifs, and or buts about it.

    (Even though I actually liked the old Bright Red, with its hint of orange, a little better).
  • 1pierce1pierce Member Posts: 284
    for the first time this weekend. I believe you can't really appreciate the beauty of a car until you hand wash it for the first time. That red car has so many character lines, subtle sheet metal breaks, and curves, its a work of art. The black lines, tires, and hint of chrome on the grille just make it perfect.

    After I dried it, I kept walking around it, admiring it from every angle. I couldn't help but think - with a car like this for excitement and gratification, who the heck needs a mistress.
  • 1pierce1pierce Member Posts: 284
    I have one small problem with my new car, maybe you guys can help.

    When the temperature is hot (above 80 degrees), and I put the back left window down, the window makes a snapping noise when I put it back up - as it seats in the top seal. Its like something is catching in there. I can see the top of the door move very slightly when I hear the snap, but I can't see anything for the window to catch on when I look up into the seal area, or any marks on the window.

    This only happens when its hot and the car has been in the sun - not in the cool morning, or when the car has been sitting in a garage.

    Anybody else have this problem, or ever heard of this happening? I've only had the car for two weeks. I'd hate to have to take it in for service already.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    If you try this you will lose your station settings. I found this out accidentally while trying to adjust the speed volume as suggested, I believe on this board. The way to adjust the speed volumne is by pressing the music note on the left side for a few seconds, not what I'm describing below.

    1. Start with car off, key out of ignition.
    2. Insert key, turn to accessory.
    3. Turn on radio.
    4. Press the m button on the right for 15-45 secs (never timed it) until you see a SN XXXXXXXX in display.
    5. By using the plus and minus, 1-6 buttons, and left right arrows, a number of settings can be adjusted.
    6. Does anyone know what this stuff means?
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    You found one of those secret modes. This is used to change your radio setting. The Nav has a couple of those. The mode that you entered comes in handy if you pick your car up in Europe. It allows you to change the radio setting for Europe. There are some other things but I have no use for them.
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    Yep, it is very rare. I have only seen one other and that was in Munich. I chalked it up at the time to being a color available only in Germany. When I walked the dealer's lot a couple of times last year I never saw a single one.
  • khoonkhoon Member Posts: 85
    Thanks to Edmunds and Carpoint we all know the invoice price for the US. Where can one get the invoice price for ED? Is there a site/source that shows the Invoice/Retail breakdown of the 325i with the option equipment?

    Tx. in advance.
  • khoonkhoon Member Posts: 85
    Thanks to Edmunds and Carpoint we all know the invoice price for the US. Where can one get the invoice price for ED? Is there a site/source that shows the Invoice/Retail breakdown of the 325i with the option equipment?

    Tx. in advance.
  • rogerabrogerab Member Posts: 29
    I am considering purchasing a 330i and am wondering about changes for the 2003 model & when a model update will happen.
  • rabrightrabright Member Posts: 13
    Go to Eurobuyers.com for the ED invoice priciing.
  • rabrightrabright Member Posts: 13
    Model update started 2 weeks ago, the first 2003s are now finished and on the boat to America.

    The changes are very minor and you can go to Bimmerfest.com to find the threads by Jon Shafer that lists the few changes in detail.
  • khoonkhoon Member Posts: 85
    RABRIGHT Thanks for the response.

    How much over invoice are dealers selling 2002 stock these days?
  • rabrightrabright Member Posts: 13
    Dealers in Atlanta are selling 2002s for 4-5% over invoice right now.
  • czzczz Member Posts: 1
    After a loooooong wait (my '93 Accord with 170k will not die), I placed an order for a 325i (SG, black 'ette, SP, MR, HK) for ED delivery in the middle of November. Thanks to all for the great advice over the last 18 months or so.

    One question, I haven't seen written much about. I really don't like the Type 96 wheels that come with the Sport Package and would much prefer Type 68 or 44. My sales rep, who's otherwise been great to this point, has been unable to help. Is there any recourse via Special Order? Gurumike are you out there? As a long shot, would the Munich BMW dealer (Nederslung or something to that effect) be interested in a trade plus cash?

    Thanks for any advice.
Sign In or Register to comment.