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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • cecilt1cecilt1 Member Posts: 74
    I'm sure this has been addressed. I'm in the market for a used '01 330i. Found 1 with Zenons and 1 without. I like the one without due to the color of the car. How much and where would you get zenons added aftermarket. Thanks
  • peterpan223peterpan223 Member Posts: 22
    Man, I just test drove my first 3 series today.
    I drove both the 330Ci and 325Ci. Mistake on my part maybe, I drove the 330Ci first, so the 325Ci definately felt under powered. Although I should be getting 325 when I think about my budget, I just can't feel the ultimate driving experice as I did on the 330Ci.
    So I'm kinda leaning towards the 330 and got an offer from the dealer at $41,270. 330Ci silver, premium, sport, bi-xenon, and steptronic. I think this is about 6.6% over invoice. Do you think this is a good deal or should I try to bargain more?

    One more thing, I just found out that 3 series does not come with the alarm and it cost about $650 to get it installed. The saleperson recommanded LoJack at the same price. Do most people get the alarm? If so, at what price?
    Or does anyone know any good BMW dealers in Souther California?
    Please advise.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    My dealer installed the alarm about $350 (I believe). I know for $650 I would not have gotten it installed or would have looked at an aftermarket solution.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    This query routinely comes up on bimmer.roadfly.org forums. I pulled down one posted there on 2/2/02. According to it the 17-character BMW Vehicle Identification Number can be decoded as follows:

    First three digits are manufacturer's code (e.g., WBA=BMW AG, WBS=Motorsports).

    Digits 4-7 are the model code (my '98 540i6 is DE53; my wife's '00 323ia is AN33).

    Digit 8 is the restraint system identifier (e.g., both my car is 2=seat belts and dual airbags; my wife's is 4=seat belts, dual-stage advanced front airbags).

    Digit 9 is a check digit.

    Digit 10 is the model year identifier (e.g., W=1998, Y=2000, 2=2002, etc.).

    Digit 11 is the plant code (e.g., B & D=Dingolfing, A=Munich, E=Regensburg, N=South Africa, and L=Spartanburg). Mine is a B and wife's is N.

    Digits 12-17 are the sequential production number.

    Hope this helps.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    Thank you for the VIN decoder.

    I see that my 2003 325i is being built in Rosslyn. I have read that it is among the best car assembly plants in the world. I ordered the car on 1/11/03, and it is scheduled for production on 1/31/03. My wife took delivery of her 2002 325Ci eight weeks after ordering it; it was built in Regensburg.
  • indiana97indiana97 Member Posts: 58
    Try BMW of Peoria, IL. Much better deal on a 330i then anyone in the Chicago area was willing to to give. After a week or so of dialog I feel I got a nice deal.
  • majariwrmajariwr Member Posts: 24
    Where can I find a complete list of plant codes? According to the VIN of my ordered 325xi sedan, the plant code is a "P". Although the BMW web site indicates that 3 series "saloons" are made in Munich, a poster above indicates that his 2003 325i is being made in Rosslyn, S.A.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    majariwr... According to Jeremy Walton's book, BMW 3 Series Enthusiast's Companion (RB Bentley Publishers, 2001) E46 3 Series is assembled at Munich (Milbertshofen), Regensberg, and Rosslyn (South Africa). Regensburg plant opened in 1986. BMW has been assembling BMWs in South Africa since the late 1960s. Spartansburg, South Carolina, assembled the Z3. (Forget where BMW has their simpler knock down kit assembly plants around world where they use completely knocked down kits. Thinking there might be one in Thailand. Believe BMW wants to do same and more in China in future. But so far these kit plants are for local and regional markets.)
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    The February 2003 issue of BMW's "Inside track" pamphlet came in mail with my BMW FS statement. Headline story is about "2004 3 Series Coupe and Convertible". Says they will be out "this spring". Redesigned face and two new colors (Mystic Blue and Silver Gray).

    Also says "Standard on all 3 Series models this March are Adaptive Brake Lights". Goes on to say "A new option, Adaptive Headlights" will be available (they turn with the steering wheel). And finally says "And in all 3.0-liter models, a crisp-shifting six-speed manual transmission is now standard."

    Think it interesting how MY2004 is being pushed so early. E46 platform is winding down.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I think this is good news. Not many car manufacturers can pull off what BMW has done. But I don't think there is a whole lot to be done to improve on the 3 series.

    But if BMW is going to do anything do the following, this is my wish list.

    1. performance - make it abundantly clear BMWs come out of the factory with class leading performance and no room for after market tuners. Put a super-charger in as a factory available option on all models. In addition, increase the redline for the engines to about 7,000 rpm.

    2. offer an LSD as an option

    3. offer SMG as an option

    4. kick up the options on the stereo system a notch

    5. maybe, offer a better type of leather for the interior
  • fomentarfomentar Member Posts: 49
    Is it necessary to put snows on the Xi? I understand that snow tires improve any vehicle's dynamics in snow...just wondering what your opinions and experiences are. Thanks.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    kdshapiro... Where BMW is headed in the next 5 years or so has been discussed extensively in Roundel by their columnists for last year. There was a good recent one discussing how market forces are driving BMW's moves toward luxury and high tech. They want to keep a certain amount of performance, but their target market is wanting more and more "goodies" and BMW is also inclined to want to be at the cutting edge of "goodies". Some are performance enhancing (e.g. the next generation steering systems) but many are not (e.g., iDrive).

    Unfortunately, these tend to raise prices, make the cars more complex & nearly impossible for DITY work, and make it harder to keep them for long periods of time (say 10 years or 200K miles) while staying within a decent budget. [I can't imagine how much it might cost to drive and own a new 745i from 100,000-200,000 miles. So much to go wrong. So much that is so expensive to fix. Will many of these systems last 200K? Would you want to own one out of warranty?]

    I'd much rather see BMW keep its civilized performance image. Give me LSD over iDrive any day. But if BMW wants to sell a million plus cars a year worldwide and hundreds of thousands annually in USA, then they have to offer what their major target markets want. Too bad too many Americans want luxury and image over the ultimate driving expereince. Is there any way to re-educate enough potential buyers with money?
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Sadly, I agree with your assessment. The cars that will run to 200K miles are the cars that don't have all this stuff in them. I don't need cars that are expensive because they have this non-useful stuff that drives up the price without adding to the driveability in any way shape or form.

    That's why I would like to see BMW add more power while making the engine, drivetrain and all car components absolutely bullet-proof. Add the SMG, LSD and I'll be a happy camper.

    You'll then be able to take that car to 200K.
  • topspin627topspin627 Member Posts: 67
    If you go to the BMW official site, it says that SMG will be offered as an option this fall on the 325Ci and 330ci. I think that's great. I would welcome any input from those who have lived with SMG and their experiences with it. One car writer said that he hated it at first but by the end of the test drive loved it. I wanted a stick on my 330i but gave into the convenience of the step as I live in a highly congested area and do a lot of driving for business reasons. The SMG sounds like a perfect solution.
    As for BMW marketing, it's a race to have the most sophisticated cars on the market. The electronics on the 7 series may be extreme but I think they had their best year ever with the new 7. By keeping their image as the number one technologically advanced company with the top of the line 7, this trickles down to all of the line.
    Where it ends, I don't know but let's face it, most of the people driving 7's lease them and will turn them 3 years later with less than 50K on them. So any long term reliability issues won't affect them.
  • butmywife1butmywife1 Member Posts: 26
    Hi folks. My 3er has developed a buzzing sound which seems to be coming out of either the left side pillar that separates the front and back door or somewhere in the left rear door.

    I recall some discussion on a service bulletin regarding this problem but my search uncovered only an inquiry from TENET1 about 9 months ago.

    Anybody remember anything about this?

    Still loving the car (except the buzzing)
    ButMyWife
  • majariwrmajariwr Member Posts: 24
    Riez, thanks for the info. But if my 325xi were to be made either in the Munich (Milbertshofen), Regensberg or Rosslyn, South Africa, plants, according to post # 21561, the VIN code would be an A (=Munich), E (=Regensburg), or N (=South Africa), respectively. But's it is none of the above. So I am still stuck wondering which plant is designated P. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • rhmassrhmass Member Posts: 263
    My answer to that is "yes". We bought our 325xiT
    last March that has finally seen snow this winter. While it seemed stable enough if you drive it carefully in slippery conditions, it didn't handle the icy condition as well with our other RWD BMWs with a set of dedicated winter tires. We keep the AWD wagon in the garage whenever we have snow storms which have been more than usual this year. My advice is to pick up a set of good winter tires. Then you won't have any problem going anywhere with your 330xi. A very worthwhile investment in my opinion.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    Hmm...I can't find a match for a plant code "P". You might try sending an e-mail from your Owner's Circle website; I would hope that BMW NA would have the codes. Or, perhaps your dealer can find out. Let us know what you learn.
  • fomentarfomentar Member Posts: 49
    Thanks for the feedback on your AWD/Winter tire experiences. I am also from Massachusetts and I now would pose a question to you regarding your dealership experiences. I am currently in negotiations with BMW of Peabody and Tulley BMW in Nashua. Do you (or anyone else who may also be from Northeast) have any experience with either dealer? If so, I would be interested to hear your opinion(s).
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    majariwr... Sure you are looking at the right digit? The production sequence code starts with a letter. Maybe that is where you are getting a "P"?

    The window sticker also shows plant of origin. That is written out, not in code.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    P is Regensburg.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    "Black is also good because it decreases interior ambient light, increasing your ability to see outside the vehicle and it makes it much more difficult for people to see into your car when you are driving it. In Houston, this may help you dodge a bullet if you cut someone off in traffic. They might break a window or something, but the chance that they will pop a clean cap into you is much less with a black interior"

    Dr. Nelson, I'll have to remember this in case I see a grey M3 cut me off in West U. Talk about cut off, I got off in an intersection by a Porsche 911 Carrera S4. If my truck only had enough power, I would have gunned it and let him slam into the side of me. He should have turned right and made a u-turn. Nobody told him to get in the turning lane.

    There are days that I wish my Ranger was a Hummer H2 with cow bars on the front.

    Oh yeah, my Bimmer is at 22K miles and still going great.
  • jb_shinjb_shin Member Posts: 357
    The site says it is accurate up to ETK CD data of 11/2002

    http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    I bought my car at BMW Peabody. They were much better than the other dealerships in the Boston area and they gave me a reasonably good deal two years ago. I've heard good things about Tulley but I've had no personal experience with them.
  • jean7of9jean7of9 Member Posts: 192
    My 03 330xi delivered in mid December 02 had also a VIN with PG#####. I knew at that time it was manufactured in Germany. Incidentally I rejected that car because the dealer's mistake in ordering a manual instead of Steptronic. The replacement car should arrive by the end of February 03.
    By the way I punched my last 7 digits numbers in the VIN Decoder. It assumed my car was manufactured in August 2001 while BMW's internal production log confirmed the car was end November 02. It has a DVD NAV which was not available in 2001.
  • majariwrmajariwr Member Posts: 24
    Riez - plant code is confirmed as a P. Production code begins with an F.

    Seivwrig - thanks for the info.

    jean7of9 - Don't know if you've seen the posts, but a lot of folks are beating up on AWD BMWs, asserting that a good set of snows on a RWD does as well if not better. I personally find this hard to believe (maybe I'm just trying to justify my choice of a 325xi), but perhaps chalk it up to context. While I am sure that snow tires are invaluable in . . . snow, AWD has benefits in other slippery conditions where snow tires are no help, like rain and otherwise wet roads, wet leaves in the fall (I drive to work on twisty, tree-lined roads that can be treacherous in the fall when wet leaves abound), etc. In all, I don't see how AWD can't improve all around traction in wet conditions. What is your experience so far?

    BTW, I also plugged my VIN into the VIN decoder, and it said that my car was produced in May of 2001. Obviously an error, right? BMW's Owner's Circle says I'm scheduled for production around 1/24/03, and I hope to be driving it at the end of February.
  • rhmassrhmass Member Posts: 263
    I always tried to make my auto purchase as simple as possible by calculating what I was willing to pay above invoice. I considered $1600 reasonable for the 325xit last March and that was what I offered. Once the dealer knew I was firm with the offer, they accepted it. At the onset I also had floor mats, two mugs, touch-up paint, key chain included in the deal. It was a fair deal at that time for a car ordered to my specifications. I think you might be able to do better now because of the economy. I did hear BMW Peabody is good, but had no first hand experience. I have bought all my cars from a BMW dealer close to me and have had good experience with its service dept due to my long-term relationship. The dealer has subpar reputation among many I know, so I won't recommend it to you.
  • bgt1bgt1 Member Posts: 50
    I have to respectfully disagree with leenelsonmd regarding interior color.

    First, mine has the tan interior and even with the black dashboard it still looks very classy, especially with the wood trim. I thought, too, it would be an eyesore, but looks really good.

    Second, Ive heard black is much harder to keep looking clean than tan- thought it was the opposite but people ive heard that owns the black tells me otherwise.

    Third, In Texas (im in Dallas) it gets so hot here, interior and exterior color can make HUGE differences. Yes, a/c does the trick but stepping into a black/black car or a white/tan car, you WILL feel an intial heat difference.

    Just my $02.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    quote:In all, I don't see how AWD can't improve all around traction in wet conditions.

    what's the great mystery here? there is a limit to how much traction a pair of driven wheels has. that limit is reached sooner when the axle does not have limited-slip capabilities; basically when one wheel starts spinning you've lost nearly all the driving torque to the other wheel. traction control can help this by applying the brake on the spinning wheel. if you don't have traction control you can do it yourself if you're stuck-- but since you're applying all the brakes you may not go anywhere. (might be worth a try if you're ever stuck though.)

    if you're on board with me at this point, just translate that to another axle. you have two more driven wheels fighting for traction. more is better.

    on dry tarmac though, there's plenty of traction. the AWD system's weight just hampers performance. and what others are saying is that with real winter tires their BMWs are driveable. I'm sure that's true, given my ex-wife's Miata is very capable with snow tires (as long as it doesn't high-center).

    however I choose to drive a beater '93 Taurus SHO that only cost me $1000 more than a set of winter wheels & tires, plus I protect my M3 from salt and other drivers' mistakes.

    -Colin
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    I agree with bgt1. The physics of light dictate that lighter colors will not absorb radiant heat as much as darker ones. I just ordered a 325i with tan leather interior and white exterior. It looks great with the wood trim, and it will be easier to keep clean than the dark colors. Actually, my wife suggested that color scheme even though she is not a fan of white cars. (Her 2002 325Ci is electric red with the natural brown interior - a knockout combination!) The black dash and brake handle and the wood trim provide striking accents to the tan.

    No doubt, color is a subjective issue; so all of us have to assume that each one has made the best choice for him/herself.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    Yes, this is a subjective topic. My 325i is Black on Black. I have no problem keeping the interior clean. The leather cleans quite well. It is the exterior that is not worth washing. I wash my car every two weeks. Washing a black car is a chore. You see every imperfection known to man. It does look good when it is clean. I live in Houston and find that tinted windows does help keep some of the heat out of the car. Regardless of what colour you get, your car will be hot as hell in Texas. I like the Ecru interior available on the BMW individual cars but I would never purchase this unless I was single.
  • nerdnerd Member Posts: 203
    I have lived in East Texas for 25 years, so I know what you are talking about. Getting into any car during the summer is about like walking into a sauna. I used to live in the Texas panhandle - cars are like ovens during the summer there. There are very few dark colored cars out there; the sun is just too brutal.
  • vkwheelsvkwheels Member Posts: 218
    For sales, Shelly in Buena Park was great for me. I haven't been through the service dept yet.
  • tenet1tenet1 Member Posts: 354
    Saw yor post about the buzzing sound. I had this annoying sound coming from the same areas you describe. The sound was intermittent and not very loud so I decided not to pursue it with the dealer. I figured that they would have to take 1 or 2 doors apart along with the B pillar to figure it out, which may in turn lead to new sounds and rattled. I initially thought that it was the speaker in the rear door but that did not turn out to be the case.

    I let the issue rest and the sound just went away after 1 or 2 months. At the time, when the sound reared its ugly head, I would just rev the car a bit higher to let the "growl" take over.
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    I think that buzzing/rattling sound is the seat belt. I just don't see thing as worth fixing. It seems that many have taken their car in to get this fixed. It just seems that none of them really get rid of the problem. If you play your music loud enough, you would hear it.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    Yeah, color is subjective. I pretty much find myself lusting after practically every 3 series I see. I just think the E36 and E46 are beautiful cars. I have not seen a color combination yet that did not catch my eye.

    I have not had any trouble keeping black leather interior clean. The dashboard does show dust, but that just gives me an excuse to clean it..I feel better that way.

    Cutting people off: I like to think that I very rarely cut people off in traffic. I am guilty of "exhibition of acceleration" however. I just love the sound of my engine roaring. People around me may think that I am just some testosterone laiden man who is trying to draw attention to himself. I actually am a little embarrassed if people notice me in the car, but I cannot get enough of the engine roar. I take it to the redline in 1rst and 2nd every chance that I get.

    I have not noticed many rattles in the new car, but the engine tends to drown them out.
  • billherrmannbillherrmann Member Posts: 108
    Ten days ago took delivery of 330xi w/auto trans.
    Transmission has VERY noticable hesitation when
    shifting to next {higher] gear. Most evident when starting out on cold days. Previous cars: maxima, lexus ,infinity, acura, etc. did not exhibit this pause. Is this normal? Or, should I return to dealer. Thank you for comments.
  • rghesselrghessel Member Posts: 122
    This evening I bought (to be picked up tomorrow)
    a SILVER 330xi...which was immediately available as I wanted (with the exception of no xenon).

    Silver was a very close second choice to my first choice which was the steel grey (which would have to be ordered).

    Now I'm panicking...should I have ordered the steel grey with xenons and waited for 2 months?

    Putting aside the "get what you want" arguements, any opinions about silver vs. steel grey?? Think silver would be MUCH better at not looking crappy in our salt-infested (chicago) climate...
  • fomentarfomentar Member Posts: 49
    I have intentions of going for the Steel Gray myself. At first I was dead set on the silver but when I saw the gray I changed my mind. At this point I haven't made any comforting replies to your query...my friend has a siver 3 series and it is a very nice classy color. It will also be a better color than the darker gray in terms of not showing dirt/salt. Salt spray makes any color car look awful though.
  • rghesselrghessel Member Posts: 122
    Any opinions about the sport package??

    I love the seats, but could take or leave the "aerodynamic package" and and wheels and the 3-spoke steering wheel... Are there any disadvantages to the run-flat wheels on the (2003) sport package? Wish I could just get the seats...
  • jean7of9jean7of9 Member Posts: 192
    People can bash the AWD for ever if they want too, It is their right to speak their mind in a free country. However none of these people is "paying" for my car neither will drive it for me in snow, ice, slush, mud, heavy rain etc. Obviously most of these people are fortunate to live in Florida or California and not on the snow belt. I am driving a E320 4matic since four years. After such a rich experience in all the above slippery conditions I elected never to buy a car without AWD. The AWD system can hamper the performance by 0.3s in 0-60, but hey I seldom push the pedal to the floor, I do not need to. My E-320 has plenty of power at 3500-4000 RPM and my next 330xi will be even faster at that level. For those who race every day maximum performance is required. I even advise them to remove the back seats, spare tire, tools, passenger seat.. for better performance. But for every day driving the performance of 330xi or 325xi is more than adequate. Beside its superior traction, AWD provides you with better stability and security all year round (ie Porsche Carrera C4). It is not an accident that all German manufacturers are moving to AWD across the board. MB will offer a 4matic S this Spring.
    After a miserable winter with his 03 SL-500 my next door neighbor got a ML-430 for winter. For those who will claim that he does not know how to drive please hold on to your guns: He is a racing driver/trainer and test driver for an F1 House. At last, around me there are lot of amateurs and professional car racers who race every week-end, almost every one has either a truck or an AWD car for winter beside his 540, Z8 or 745. Last month an F1 Grand Prix Champion attended a charity event at a ski resort in my town, he was driving a truck.
  • jean7of9jean7of9 Member Posts: 192
    Run Flat Tires are Pre-assembled on their wheels by BMW and are delivered as such to the dealers. If you order the the Sport Package and elect to replace the Run Flats with Standard Wheels in the future then you will have to ask the dealer to disengage the Tire Monitoring System.
  • butmywife1butmywife1 Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for your input. I, too, notice that it is intermittent. I hope it goes away soon as it is driving me crazy. I've tried the loud music fix but it's not a good solution for me. I remember seeing a service bulletin about it somewhere---perhaps not in this thread. I'll keep investigating.

    ButMyWife
  • nobeenobee Member Posts: 194
    Steel Grey is a fantastic color but that's not the main reason why you should wait a couple of months for your bimmer. It's the Xenon lights that you should hold out for. I'll never get another car without it. Check out my old ride ('02 325i, Steel Grey, PP, Cold WX, Xenon, STEP).
     http://photos.yahoo.com/jonneandbrian and then go to the nurburgring folder

    -nobee
  • seivwrigseivwrig Member Posts: 388
    The Xenons are a plus. Outside the base where Nobee used to work, the Xenon were excellent especially on the road that heads to Nurburgring. If I stilled in Miami, I don't know if I would buy them because of the lighting. If you drive in alot of areas that are well lit, you might not notice the difference. You really have to do a night drive to determine if you need them. I personally would not drive another car without them. I am actually to find some Xenons for my trunk too!
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    Wow! Incisive commentary. Did your 4-Matic come with training wheels or did you pay extra? :)
  • eyc1eyc1 Member Posts: 3
    I am looking to buy a new 2003 325xi. Can anyone tell me how it handles in bad weather (snow/ice).
    Is it worth it to buy the 325xi verses the 325i
  • bgt1bgt1 Member Posts: 50
    I just got a 330i and it does NOT have the sports package and I dont miss it. If you get the 325, DO get the sp. If you get the 330, you might not need it. First, the 330 already has an upgraded suspension that is not included in 325 unless ordered with the sp. The 330 also comes with standard 17" rims whereas the 325 comes with 16" w/o sports package.

    Yes, I sometimes wish I had the sports seats and the wider tires but one, I dont care for the look of the 3 spoke as opposed to my 4 spoke steering wheel and two if the sp for the 330 makes the suspension even more stiff, I dont think id want it anyways. Its stiff enough as it is!
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    There is nothing like the security blanket of AWD/4WD in deep snow. RWD with snows is not the same thing. You can always limp along, but I'd rather not get stuck or have the rear of the car keep swinging out with the DSC engaging.
  • eyc1eyc1 Member Posts: 3
    I will be purchasing the 325xi soon but would like to know if anyone has any idea what year BMW will change the exterior look for 3 series.
    I do not want to purchase a new bmw to find out next year the exterior look will be different.
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