BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

blueguydotcom · May 2004

And getting a harsh ride like what i experienced in a 330i w/ performance package isnt what im expecting either,

totally different sides of the fence. My ZHP feels soft and underpowered.

and whats up w/ that suede/ alcantara seats....not my taste for sure

That's why i got leather. I won't own a car with cloth if I can help it. Too hot all the time...

creakid1 · May 2004

"what about 330i w/o SP?"

330i has std sport suspension & narrow 17x7" & 205/50 since '01.5. That's just like the 325i/328i sport but w/o the 17x8" wheels & 225/45 tires. The '99 323i sport had 16x7" wheels & 225/50 tires.

"so far i find audi a4s seats most comfortable and supportive for me."

I kind of suspect that VW/Audi forgot to keep the bottom cushion flexible over bumps. I found my aftermarket Recaro(which has been supplying sport seats to VW/Audi before) SE quite unyielding over bumps compare to the original Corolla seat. So I sat in a Long Beach installation center & found the Flofit aftermarket seat way more absorbent when I bounce my 180lb body on it to simulate bumpy ride. & it seems that BMW 3-series' sport seat is slightly more absorbent than the non-sport seat.

Try to bounce you butt on the seats hard & see what you got.

kyfdx · May 2004

A 330i without the sport package will have tires with the same sidewall height as the sport package, but they should be softer riding, as the 205/50-17 they use are usually "grand touring" tires, rather than the "max performance" tires you get with the sport package. Both of these will ride softer than the 18" tires that come with the performance package.

You can even order a 330i with sport seats as a stand alone option... You still get the sport suspension, just narrower, all-season tires.

regards,
kyfdx

shipo · May 2004

Hmmm, I'm not sure that I understand your last post. Based upon the BMWUSA web site, the following wheel and tire sizes come from the factory on the following models:

330i: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330xi: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330xi SP: 17x7.0 205/50 R17
330i SP (Fr): 17x7.5 225/45 R17
330i SP (Rr): 17x8.5 245/40 R17
330i ZHP (Fr): 18x8.0 225/40 R18
330i ZHP (Rr): 18x8.5 255/35 R18

Am I missing something?

Best Regards,
Shipo

creakid1 · May 2004

"You can even order a 330i with sport seats as a stand alone option... You still get the sport suspension, just narrower, all-season tires."

Even if you replace the all-season w/ summer tires, this may still be the most ideal way to drive the efficient-3.0 3-series w/ std sport suspension. The tire-wear uneveness from the wider-wheel/tire set up in the sport package is more of a nightmare, especially when you also can't rotate them around.

Just remember the coupe w/ std sport suspension even comes in 16"s.

m4d_cow · May 2004

it makes sense now, thx guys

btw my friend told me M3 CSL is coming to US, is it true? if it is you might wanna give it a try, its one hell of a car and its noisier than any std M3 could be lol

its fast though and accelerates like crazy

freelove · May 2004

Hello-

Like most new 2004 BMW owners, I was unhappyto find out the alarm did not come standard. I read a link (here at Edmunds) of a site someone reccomended, where you can buy the factory alarm, install it yourself, then go to the dealer to program the key (for $40). Can anyone help me with a link?? I've tried to do a search here, but I keep comming up empty.

Thanks in advance-

Love

creakid1 · May 2004

"btw my friend told me M3 CSL is coming to US, is it true?"

True or not, the future lighter M2 w/ 5-link rear suspension & costs less than the base M3 makes more sense. My cousin who was used to the Corvette V8 & got an '01 M3 convertible recently just couldn't stand the lack of push in his back...

kyfdx · May 2004

Just that all 17" tires on a 3-series have the same sidewall height. The only difference in how they ride is the model/style of the tire.. A 205/50-17 is the same height as a 245/40-17. If they were the same model tire they should ride the same (i.e.: Brigestone Turanza ER30). However, BMW usually uses more aggressive tires on the sport package (i.e.: Michelin Pilot Sports) which have stiffer sidewalls and ride rougher.

I opined that the non-sport would ride softer due to the model of tire, and not because of the size. (disregarding the ZHP, which has 18")

Unless we are crossposting about different messages.. in that case, never mind!!

regards,
kyfdx

nyccarguy · May 2004

I can't post a link to assist you with the alarm, I can only offer my opinion on car alarms.

They're worthless. If somebody wants your car bad enough they are going to take it. Whether they drive it or tow it away on a flatbed, the alarm is not going to deter tham one bit. Some car thieves are so good they can practically steal the car while you're driving it:)

Think about it. When is the last time you called the police when a car alarm was going off?

If you're that worried about the car being stolen, then go for an alpine alarm (or some other aftermarket brand) which beeps you when the alarm goes off so you can run out and check the car to see if it is still there.

Mostly they just make noise.

But if you must, there is probably something on E46fanatics.

shipo · May 2004

FreeLove,

If I remember correctly, you can find the alarm in the parts department of either of the two following dealership sites:

http://www.pacificbmw.com
http://www.circlebmw.com

Kyfdx,

Ahhh, now I see where you were going with your previous post. Yes, I was in fact missing something. Sorry about that. ;-)

Regarding the same ride across the various width ranges for 17" wheels assuming the usage of the same make and model of tire; hmmm, I'm not sure why but something in my gut just doesn't feel right about that assertion.

<Thinking at the keyboard>
First off, a 17x7 wheel with at 205/50 tire will weight somewhat less than the wider widths.
Second, the wider tires while still running the same basic inflation will have a broader surface with which to contact the road, and that too should cause a harsher ride.
Finally, according to one of the TireRack consultants, the same Make/Model of tire may NOT have the same construction and as a rule, costs more money to cover the differences.
</Thinking at the keyboard>

Does any of this definitively mean that the wider/lower profile (as a percentage of tread width) will ride firmer than the standard narrow rubber? Probably not. It's just that my gut says it does.

Hopefully somebody with more knowledge on this subject will chime in here and enlighten us all. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

blueguydotcom · May 2004

If for some reason you really worry about your car, get an aftermarket alarm that will contact you when the alarm's tripped. Otherwise, it's useless. Passerby simply don't care.

If for some ungodly reason you'd want a stolen car back, then go for the old lojack. Of course with many friends who have had their cars stolen, the ones who got the car back were always the least happy. The saying "drive it like you stole it" has is roots in what people do to stolen cars (the ones that aren't taken to a chopshop or across to mexico).

kyfdx · May 2004

I agree with you.... that the same brand/model may not ride the same, even though they have the same sidewall height.. but, I guess my point was, specifically in this case, the difference between the ride in the sport and non-sport 330i was more likely (or most likely) due to the difference in the "type" of tire, rather than the width.

I hope no one with more knowledge steps in... It is much more amusing for me to guess...

regards,
kyfdx

memphis10 · May 2004

Pacing is a legal method to catch speeding. I figured it out the hard way this past weekend. Got pulled over doing 55 on a 40. RD didn't go off and when I saw the ticket, I found that the cop had checked off pacing as the option of detecting speed. BTW, I love the exhaust note of the ZHP. I wonder if an aftermarket exhaust like Borla or something else will give me the same kind of sound.

rshaw11 · May 2004

I have a 2002 325i and the ignition key is sometimes very stiff. It doesn't seem to spring back all the way after starting the car, and once I couldn't even turn it when I tried to start the engin. I moved the steering wheel back and forth, but this didn't free it up. After trying it for three or four minutes it finally worked. Anyone else having this problem? When I took it in last year and reported the problem, the dealer said it was ok, just like all the other cars.

decs · May 2004

-I understand that Sat radio is available as an accessory on the 3er, how integrated is the unit going to be wrt displays, multi-function steering wheel etc. Thanks.

-Also, interested about special options like stand-alone sport seats and myrtle-wood, where can I find the list of option codes. Any feelings on SC performance center delivery? Thanks.

denny · May 2004

I have had the problem you describe several times but haven't asked the dealer to check it out as yet.(2002 325xi).

rshaw11 · May 2004

I'm going into the dealer in two weeks and will have them check it out again. I'll let you know how that goes.

bmw323is · May 2004

I had the whole ignition lock up on me when the engine was running! Couldn't turn it off. I could have just popped the clutch, but then I wouldn't have been able to restart it. It happened on my return to the office from lunch, so I left the engine running, called the dealer service department and brought the car in. They had to send the whole ignition part to the factory. The car was out out of service for 5 days (over Labor Day weekend). They were very nice to give me a loaner with no notice. However, when I got the car back, the ignition was very hard to turn and sometimes I have difficulty in getting the key out (it sometimes sticks part way out). I've been told that the stiff turn is fine and what happended to my car was a fluke that they never heard of before. Most of the loaners I've had also had very hard-to-turn keys.

flyf1sh · May 2004

I am very interested in what you said regarding your dealer offers "tires for life". Could you elaborate on this a little.

creakid1 · May 2004

"-Also, interested about special options like stand-alone sport seats and myrtle-wood, where can I find the list of option codes."

The dealers should have'em.

415 rear sunshade $400
431 auto-dimming mirror $325
438 dark wood trim $500
481 sport seats $550
488 lumbar support $450
502 retractable headlight washers $375

Our special-order 325i arrives from Germany at the west-coast port 6 weeks after placing the order.

m4d_cow · May 2004

Does anyone know which RD is the best? I got pulled over once doing 88 on 65 lol, and somehow my RD didnt warn me

Im considering valentine1, but im not so sure if its any good...

kyfdx · May 2004

Valentine One has the reputation for being the best out there.. The guy that owns it started at Cincinnati Microwave and helped develop the original Escort.

There are really only two choices.. Valentine One and Escort. You can't go wrong with either one.

erickpl · May 2004

RD's are not licenses to speed. They are not effective against pacing and other techniques like observations from aerial platforms.

They are just a check to keep you safe.

-Paul

I'd opt for the Valentine though. Multi bogey counters, arrows, etc. V1 or the new Passport/Escort 8500? would probably be the top choices for reliability and accuracy.

m4d_cow · May 2004

seems like the cops out there r getting smarter

ive heard a lot of cops are starting to use this technique, but imo as long as we keep our eyes open well be ok

I looked at ebay and found new v1s for sale at lower prices...im starting to wonder myself if they might be selling fakes, anyone know anything about this?

blueguydotcom · May 2004

You can buy a refurb Valentine for $350.

Pacing? Heck, in CA all they gotta do is see your car and give you a ticket based on visual assessment of speed.

erickpl · May 2004

Fortunately, I drive up in the Mojave desert area - Lancaster, Palmdale, Edwards AFB area and out to Barstow and Vegas. Wide open areas. I can be zipping around 80-85 and they don't even bother with the cars they see on a regular basis. I drive past a CHP and 2 Sheriff's depts each day.

-Paul

blueguydotcom · May 2004

85? Man, I can barely do that in urban areas. Out there, nothing under 95 - unless the popo is around.

nyccarguy · May 2004

my Dad ended up with the Passport 8500 X50. I'll let you know how it does next week. He's taking it (in his X5) to Pittsburgh, PA for Memorial Day weekend.

Check out radarbusters.com

That's where we bought the Passport from. Free Shipping.

m4d_cow · May 2004

what about radar jammers?

sounds pretty illegal to me, but i never used one though, is it any good?

blueguydotcom · May 2004

I'm not gonna touch those or the infrared traffic light changers.

pat · May 2004

performing hostly duties ...

Your Membership Agreement is very clear on this point: "Edmunds.com does not allow the promotion of illegal conduct or activities or fraudulent schemes in Town Hall."

That means that we aren't going to further pursue radar jammers, or other illegal methods of avoiding getting caught speeding.

How about we just get back on topic...

Thanks for your understanding.

m4d_cow · May 2004

i got it, sorry 'bout that

and thx for reminding me, totally forgot about the rules before

butmywife1 · May 2004

FLY: My dealer (Hahn, Yakima, WA) offers "tires for life" which means when the tread gets to or below a threshold (3 cm?) they'll replace it through a local tire dealer. I'm on my first replacement set of tires now. The catch is that they will only replace each tire as it reaches the threshold. So, I had one replaced, another tire two months later, and the remaining two a month after that. I didn't mind as it saved me $500 or so. "For life" means as long as I own the car.

ButMyWife

m4d_cow · May 2004

i heard of this one case where the engine shuts off everytime the driver use cellphone inside his car...anybody have any idea what the problem is?

bavarian · May 2004

Blueguydotcom said.....

"then again some view going to europe as a vacation. to each his own. when i go on vacation i want to go to fun places."

Such as? Disneyworld or Cancun? Where are these fun places?

When was the last time you were in Europe and what "fun" was lacking there?

Some of the best "fun" to be had in Europe is picking up a new BMW in Munich and driving it on the autobahn where you can go as fast as the car will go which in the case of your car would be 155mph rather than the piddly 95mph you do on the highways of CA (with all due respect to the CHP). The roads are also smoother there and twisties abound. The people driving on the same road also have a rough idea of how to drive, unlike their American counterparts.

ED is a great way to go, to save money and to savor the car , even if it is a "lowly"(sic) 325.

Norris, European by birth and future M3 owner

blueguydotcom · May 2004

Such as? Disneyworld or Cancun? Where are these fun places?

Asia, Africa, So. America, Australia.

When was the last time you were in Europe and what "fun" was lacking there?

Never been and don't plan on it until I've exhausted the rest of the interesting continents.

Some of the best "fun" to be had in Europe is picking up a new BMW in Munich and driving it on the autobahn where you can go as fast as the car will go which in the case of your car would be 155mph rather than the piddly 95mph you do on the highways of CA (with all due respect to the CHP).

I've done 130 on the freeway. 155 was attainable but not desirable given it was the middle of the night. I needn't visit the autobahn to have fun on the road.

ED is a great way to go, to save money
That's true in select cases. Purchasing a normal 330i or 325i you can get as good, if not better deals locally. And without the expense or hassle of going to europe. High end makes like the 5 and 7 and M should save you cash. But again, there's the hassle factor.

Norris, European by birth and future M3 owner

Me, American by birth, German by blood and not at all interested in Europe. Give me Thailand or Tokyo anyday...

westmorland · May 2004

I purchased a european spec first aid kit box and kit that was supposed to mount under the seat of my 2004 330cic. I was told it would work with the power sport seats (SP) but it does not fit. When you run the seat all the way back and down (tall driver) the box interferes with the rearmost seat travel.

Too bad -- I was planning to install a box under each seat and was looking forward to the extra storage space under the seats. Has anyone had a different experience with this item and seat configuration ?

westmorland

creakid1 · June 2004

I also noticed, when the front seats are raised to make clearance for the big shoes from the rear-seat passengers, the power motor interferes & forces their feet slightly crooked, even worse when there are 3 pairs of shoes to be distributed.

Those of you getting the $995 power feature on the non-sport seats just to gain the thigh-tilt adjustment might as well save the $ & special order the $550 manual sport seats w/ even more adjustments including the cushion length(Wow, something the S-class got). I also find the sport seats' headrests a little more comfortable possibly due to being able to lower further. & w/ the $445 left over, get the $450 4-way power lumbar on these manual sport seats, as the memory feature from the power seats does not memorize your lumbar position anyway.

Combining w/ the absence of moonroof to keep the front occupants sitting high AND more forward, a 325i can be a decently roomy sedan so everyone gets to enjoy the ride. What a bargain!

I also noticed BMW purposely ruined the rear center armrest lately by changing the nice thick high one into something uncomfortably low just like the one w/ the optional $500 folding rear seat, so those who spent that $500 won't get jealous? This doesn't apply to our leatherette 325i, which doesn't have one to begin with.

creakid1 · June 2004

"Give me Thailand or Tokyo anyday..."

Tonight I was just persuading the teenager student driver of the family, that's bound to take over our "unwanted" TSX auto, using the left hand to hold the steering wheel so he can eventually adapt to drive stick easier, but he prefers using the right hand since he's right handed. 'cause I'm sick of his nerdy dad that can't drive stick & is against stick.

Thailand & Tokyo drive on the left just like the Brits. Is "right-hand steering/left-hand shift" a reason? I visited Thailand in '98, & I think the E46 sedan's rear-glass width sucks for lane changes in crowded cities. The C-class sedan & IS300 are better. No wonder I like to drive my '84 Jetta & '90 Protege.

blueguydotcom · June 2004

You drove in in Thailand? Brave soul. I wouldn't take a BMW into Bangkok under any circumstances. I never saw a wreck but every cab seemed to be banged up.

creakid1 · June 2004

I still can't get used to driving on the wrong side, although it can happen there anyway. Beemers there are frequently driven by gangsters & more likely to be searched by cops. Their freeway cop cars are also 5-series, but have red stripes.

shipo · June 2004

Funny, the only place that I've driven in Asia is in Taipei. Ain't those highway patrol cars cool? I've seen C-Class Mercedes-Benzs in the Orange Stripe paint as well.

Each time I've been there I think to myself, "Self, if you ever have to live here for a while, drive a Toyota or a Dodge (yes, they have a lot of Dodges over there as well), and never, make that NEVER even consider bringing your BMW along for the duration." ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

butmywife1 · June 2004

Creakid1: I've been following your posts with great interest as I am considering ordering an '04 325xi to replace my '02. Did you order the manual sport seats with the power lumbar? That combination hadn't occurred to me as I assumed that since the lumbar was powered the seats would have to be as well. I'm thinking of staying away from the "packages" and getting exactly what I want (sports seats, lumbar, moonroof, PDC, autodim mirror, rear window shade) without the things I don't want(BMW Assist, wood paneling, sport steering wheel, differently tuned suspension). Also, I have the first aid kit in my ED '02 and thought about putting it into the '04. Do you think that is possible with manual sport seats?

Thanks,
ButMyWife

creakid1 · June 2004

No one has an answer to the above question?

My salesman was so stupid & lazy that I had to do 100% of research & all he did was taking the commission!

First of all, he didn't know that, lately, special-ordered 325i can be equipped w/ optional sport seats or pwr lumbar. Then he told me it's too late to add these features even right before the production starts. So when he was off duty I had to speak to the manager directly just to find out that changes can be made prior to the production date. When calling the salesman over the phone, he was also too lazy to check for me to see if the pwr lumbar is linked to the memory system(there was one car equipped so in front of his face in the show room!) & told me that it should, which is false! & he even told me that he's 90% sure that pwr/memory seats are required for the pwr lumbar, otherwise he would call me later in the day, which he didn't -- another misleading info. But we decided to get the $1k pwr/memory function anyway due to having different drivers taking turn using it. ;-)

FYI, during the 7th-year ownership w/ hardly any miles, our '94 stripped C220 costed $2k just for repairing the malfunction pwr VINYL driver seat, which didn't even have the useful memory function to begin with. & the non-factory extended warranty refused to cover it! So we traded it in for an RX300 instead of repairing it. Isn't it nice that the 3-series has the 6-cyl instead of the pwr seat std? ;-)

Anyway, it was when I tried to equipped the pwr lumbar on manual seats at www.BMW.ca, it went thru adding to the price of the car. & it's only $400 Canadian dollars!

3-series coupes always come w/ the lowered sport suspension, while AWD 3-series cannot be equipped w/ it. So it's no wonder that the coupes don't come in AWD. The sport package in the 325xi still adds the narrow 17"s. While the 330xi adds the less-comfy-riding run flats as if BMW trys to keep the comfort difference less dramatic from the 2WD 330i, which already has the narrow 17"s AND the lowered sport suspension std.

my 330xi · June 2004

Hello everyone,

Thanks for making this a great site!

I would like your feedback.

I plan to get an Orient Blue as the exterior color.

But I am thinking between the Natural Brown leather or the Black leather. I am leaning towards the brown leather.

What do you guys think?

Thank you.

kyfdx · June 2004

Natural Brown is my favorite.. I like that it still has black carpets...

erickpl · June 2004

-Paul

keith3 · June 2004

Purchased a new 325CI in March. It came with the sharkfin antenna above the rear window. I hate the look of it. I understand it is for the BMW Assist feature. That feature is of no interest to me. I would like to remove the antenna or have it removed but do not know what is involved. I wonder if there is a hole under there. I have been unable to get the dealer or BMW to give me any info on this. The dealer says its a liability issue and BMW customer service says they will not provide any info because removing it would be an unauthorized alteration to the vehicle. Has anyone out there removed this antenna or can someone offer additional information about it? Thanks in advance. I really appreciated info on this board when buying the car.

diestelmeier · June 2004

After many months of color shopping, I bought the Orient Blue over Natural Brown -- and really like the look a lot. The ones I saw with black leather seemed to me just too dark, too heavy, too something.

I will say, though, that you might want to get the premium package if you go with the Nat.Brown, in order to get the wood trim. It really ties the whole interior together nicely. Without it, you get the titanium or silver trim (at least in the 330, which is all I shopped), and IMHO there are too many different tones and contrasts going on that way. There may be a way to retrofit an interior with a wood trim kit, but it's probably on the expensive side.

I had a chance to buy an Orient Blue/Nat. Brown without the premium package off a dealer lot, and chose to order one instead to get what I wanted -- Mark

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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