BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

robl1 · February 2006

My 2005 325Xi was purchased w/o alarm but the clown nose blinks whenever we lock the car! We did no programming of any sort

kyfdx · February 2006

Your 2005 is an E46....

All reports are that the E90 requires the alarm to get the blinking clown nose..

regards,
kyfdx

blueguydotcom · February 2006

Good times. Learned some fun stuff. Had a blast on the course - when it wasn't raining. My ZHP was gobs of fun in the twisties. On the straights I couldn't hang with the M3s but once things got twisty I got back on their bumpers pretty easily.

My sister wants to try one these events now too.

Edit: I'm more bummed than ever that I'm losing my ZHP now. I know my upcoming e90 330i isn't as fast or as visceral as my current car.

pat · February 2006

Yup, the car in question is an E90; the message was posted in both this and the appropriate thread and has been answered correctly in the other. We'll go back to the E90 discussion to continue.

Thanks everyone for playing. :-)

blueguydotcom · February 2006

Thursday, I dropped my 330i off for service at 7 am. When I left the car I removed my iPod but left behind my Griffin Airclick RF remote and receiver (the latter part plugs into the bottom of my 5th gen Video iPod).

When I picked my car up Thursayd night I plugged my iPod into my aux but couldn't find the Airclick receiver I had left on the passenger seat. I figured it had fallen when they test drove my car. Upon getting home I went through every part of my car. I emptied the glove box, moved the seats and went through the floor, lifted mats, checked door cubbies, cleaned out my entire trunk, etc. I keep my car relatively free of things in general.

It's not in my car. My trunk is empty. Glove box has a few documents. Center cubby is empty. Door cubbies are bare. Armrest is empty. My receiver is gone.

I don't think anyone stole it, otherwise, why didn't they take the remote affixed to my roof? Just the receiver is useless to most people. Argh. It must have been knocked out of the car.

My SA has been informed. He told me yesterday they're looking into it. So yesterday BMW NA called me for the service survey. I asked that they call back next week: I don't want to give my dealership low marks but what happened has essentially made my iPod utterly worthless in my car (and that's the only reason I have it).

So, I'm wrestling with three options:

1. I suck it up, buy a new remote ($40) and give the dealer 5s to maintain a good a relationship.
2. Tell the dealership that their survey will be impacted unless they fix the situation.
3. Wait it out, get the call, be honest in the survey and buy a replacement.

What's the difference to a dealer if they don't get 5s? Is it a substantial monetary loss or does it hurt bonuses?

sunilb · February 2006

Aren't the responses confidential? In that case, then being honest doesn't affect the relationship.

armand · February 2006

My '05 does the same.

kyfdx · February 2006

I wouldn't bet on it...

blueguydotcom · February 2006

Spoke to my CA this evening and he said that the head of the service department will call me tomorrow. Apparently, somebody in that guy's department has been lifting stuff and my CA expects they'll just pay for a new receiver.

Thank god...after only a week I'm sick having to go into my glove box to pause/turn on/change the song on my iPod.

shipo · February 2006

You're lucky, I had an electronic component lifted from an Audi of mine way back in 1982. Said component was nicked when the car was back to my selling dealership for its first oil service, needless to say, I complained loudly even before I left that evening. The service desk noted my complaint and told me to call the service manager in the morning. I decided to do them one better and showed up the next morning ready to do battle. Guess what? They'd gone out of business over night and literally emptied the dealership of every car, brochure, tool, sign and part. :mad:

Best Regards,
Shipo

blueguydotcom · February 2006

well they sure showed you!

alibajalajaula · February 2006

I can relate to you when someone decided to "borrow" my safety triangle for good...I made a big stink and finally got it reimbursed, though it cost me time researching thru internet...my dismay occured three months later when my wife had a cut, I went reaching for the first aid kit underneath the passenger seat and...it was gone... :mad: Some people just have a knack for oddities...
On a separate topic, what kind of aux you set up for your ipod? So, you keep your ipod in the glovebox and use this remote-receiver combo? Sound neat. Is this a DIY project or you had to take it to a car stereo shop?

blueguydotcom · February 2006

DIY. I bought the aux connector at BMW and then installed it in my car around Xmas (it takes about 30-40 minutes). Originally, I planned to use Sirius with my aux but discovered that I couldn't listen to Stern online, thus nixing Sirius. So, now I plug my iPod into the aux input and plug the Griffin Airclick into the base of the iPod. A simple Griffin RF remote controls power, song skipping, all while leaving the iPod locked in my glovebox all week (the battery is good for 15-20 hours).

nyccarguy · February 2006

Sirius truly rocks! Did you consider ordering it for your E90?

grantchstr · February 2006

I have a Landcruiser which has (I think) full time four wheel drive meaning that all four wheels are driven by the drivetrain (and it has high range and low range). How does the "xi" work on my BMW 325xi....AWD, full time four wheel drive or something else? Apparently there are many different 4x4 systems. :confuse:

blueguydotcom · February 2006

Not for a second. Without stern online, I have no use for sirius. I despise radio programming - someone else controlling the music on the radio is a version of hell. I only got Sirius for Stern. Had it 3 days and found that beyond the half hour drive to work with Stern I never had any other use for sirius' programming.

I love my iPod. 100% my music. No White Stripes, no Killers, no Gorillaz, no Goo Goo Dolls, no Jack Johnson, no Pearl Jam, not s single song I dislike or a group I can't stand. Heaven.

div2 · February 2006

All current AWD BMWs utilize what Munich calls xDrive. A microprocessor controlled transfer case allocates power to the front or rear wheels based on several factors. The default torque split is 40/60 front to rear, but the system can transfer 100% to the front or rear if necessary. The system uses individual wheel braking to manage the torque split at each end. I wish Torsen and/or locking diffs were available, but they'd be overkill for 99% of today's drivers-and most couldn't figure out how/when/if to activate them.

nyccarguy · February 2006

Half Hour, it is worth it for the King :P

tropes · February 2006

I own a 2003 325xi, auto, with about 46,000 miles. I had been getting 22-24 MPG in my normal around town driving. About 2,000 miles ago, I started getting 19-20 MPG. At first, I thought this was an anomaly, I was moving, hauling boxes, driving a little "annoyed" back and forth between old and new houses. It kept up and I took the car to a local dealer. They checked the "air flows" (not sure what that really means) and said everything was normal. They did say I had a dirty air filter and my tire pressure was low by about 8 psi/tire. They changed the filter, added air. I even did two successive fuel injector cleaners during fill-ups. I checked the tire pressure and it's still good. No Change, still getting around 19-20 MPG. Any ideas out there?

nyccarguy · February 2006

using premium gas?

tropes · February 2006

using premium gas?

Dang, long time browser, that was my first post, I thought I'd covered everything....

Yes, using 91 octane, as always, even from the same gas station

rhmass · February 2006

We have a '02 325xi wagon with about 28,000 miles now. We have always gotten around 19 mpg since new around mixed driving (some highway and local). The mileage has remained consistent since new. For straignt highway driving, we get about 25 mpg. I thought it was the awd reason as we have received around 22 mpg with our 2002 330i around town.
The low mileage of our awd has been a disappointment.

tropes · February 2006

Wow. I'm now disappointed. It's not that big of a car, and really not that powerful, and with 91 octane, I'm not sure I want to keep it. Last summer on two trips from Colorado to California I got 28-30 MPG at about 80 MPH. Sounds like I've been living on borrowed time for the first 45,000 miles. I think I could get 20 MPG minimum in a variety of turbo'ed Subarus, still with AWD, and have alot more "fun" (I had a WRX and it was a blast)

shipo · February 2006

You dude, don't cash in your chips just yet, there is absolutely no reason why your car shouldn't get the same mileage as it did when it was younger, that is unless it was very poorly maintained, and even then it's a long shot.

As for comparing winter mileage with summer mileage, keep in mind that most of the U.S. sells a different formulation in the winter time and said winter gas almost universally causes a drop in fuel economy. Is that your only problem? Don't know.

Last year I was corresponding with a 530i owner who was getting crap mileage while at the same time being told by her dealership and her mechanic that her mileage was normal. The rest of us on the 5-Series board kept telling her that she was way low, and that she should keep pushing the issue. Finally she asked for an upgrade of the OBC firmware and presto, her mileage went up to the level of the rest of us. Is that your problem? Still don't know.

Good luck and keep us posted with what you find out.

Best Regards,
Shipo

tropes · February 2006

shipo,
copy, I'll go back to the dealer and ask about OBC firmware. I agree the drop off shouldn't be this sudden or this big. I didn't have the car in between 5,000 miles and 29,000 miles (my ex did), but I know she had the required maintenance done. The 30k and 45k have been done.
I do like the car, alot easier on my 50yr+ body. I'll be back after my next mechanic interface.
thanks

fedlawman · February 2006

My friends drove it up from CA over the past weekend. Here we are...

rworrell · February 2006

Man, both of those cars look awesome--congratulations. Assuming that's you in the photo, you have every right to look so happy! The E30 M3 is a fantastic car.

gordonwd · March 2006

Sharp cars! You know, I have an interest in history in general, and one of the things that I like about owning a BMW is the sense of "continuity" of the model line. Hey, the 3 series goes back over 30 years (longer if you see the 2002 as an ancestor), and will be around for at least that far into the future. That's one thing I've hesitated to mention in the "330 vs. IS350" and similar threads -- where is the sense of history or tradition in these upstart brands and models?

I used to feel the same way when I rode motorcycles. Among others, I rode a BMW R1100RT: a fully modern motorcycle, but with an engine layout that went all the way back to BMW's first motorcycle in 1923!

This, like the M3 in your photo, is why BMW has an enthusiast following that will never be matched by the mass-market auto companies and other latecomers.

div2 · March 2006

That's one thing I've hesitated to mention in the "330 vs. IS350" and similar threads -- where is the sense of history or tradition in these upstart brands and models?
Precisely. BMW understands the importance of heritage. BMW Mobile Tradition even cranks out parts for Isettas and 507s from time to time. Have you seen the "new" 2002 they are building in Munich?
And then there is BMW CCA-only PCA comes close to CCA's level of enthusiasm and support.
As for bikes, the same is true, though in my case I wound up on a Triumph S3. Still, I'll probably add a GS to my stable eventually.

nyccarguy · March 2006

I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!

Beautiful car man. You now own the holy grail of M3s :P

ENJOY IT!

brave1heart · March 2006

... add to that a great community of BMW enthusiasts - biggest car club in the world, some of the best track and autocross events, on-line DIY help and resources, etc. I've met nearly all of my new friends in the past 5 years since I've owned my 325i at BMW driving events!

fedlawman · March 2006

No doubt the most well conceived (and best supported) car club on the planet. I would have joined for Roundel Magazine alone, yet with all the events, DE's, DIY tech support, and friends I've made, it's definitely been the most enjoyable and rewarding $60/yr. I've ever spent.

Thanks for the kind words everyone. My first DE with the new car is March 11th. I'm all set to break in these new shoes...

I'll take plenty of pictures and maybe shoot some in-car video too...

gordonwd · March 2006

The one thing that I did not like on my '04 325i are the 16" wheels (I'll save the long justification for going with these vs. the Sport Pkg with 17s). Anyway, I would like to upgrade to a set of 17" wheels, keeping the 16s around for winter with a future set of snow tires. The problem is in choosing which wheels to go with without (a) breaking the bank, and (b) looking like something a "kid" would put on a car (no offense to the younger posters here!).

TireRack is a popular site with good prices for wheel/tire combos, but has only one or two wheels that I would consider (I want a fairly simple 5-spoke design, not a snowflake-style or more radical design). The problem is that I really hate to get something that I can't see on a car like mine first. Their web site tries to show you this, but it's just a graphics overlay and does not show you what it really looks like. I think I like the looks of the ASA JH8, but can't find a picture of an E46 wearing them.

A safer bet would be BMW OEM wheels, and I would not be against this since they definitely pass the styling muster. I can get a new set of Style 119s from an online dealer for $277 each, which is around the top of my spending range. Can anyone tell me what model these were offered for? Were they stock 330i, or Sport Pkg 325i, or ???

Any other comments about OEM or aftermarket wheels for the E46 would be appreciated. Thanks.

kyfdx · March 2006

1) If going with an ASA wheel.. I like the AR-1.. It looks sort of like the Style 42 on the E39 5-series sport package.. and, it takes BMW center caps, so non-cognescenti can't tell you have aftermarket..

2) If going with BMW OEM, then go used... I think the style 119s came off of E46 325 sport package cars.. '04 and '05, I think... You can prob pick up a set for around $600 or less.. maybe a little more, if they have tires attached..

Your car won't look just like the sport package cars, though.. because it won't be lowered... the difference is subtle, but it is there... Even though the 17" tire is the same height, the shorter sidewall makes the gap between tire and wheel well appear larger..

regards,
kyfdx

fedlawman · March 2006

ASA AR-1's look great and are inexpensive too. That's what I'd go with.

gordonwd · March 2006

Hmmm... When I look at that wheel with all those spoke openings and those bolt-head details that give it a two-piece look, the thing that comes to mind is "hard to clean". After all, we all know about that German brake dust!

Anyway, I managed to find a place online that has some pretty good prices on BMW OEM wheels, which IMO have some advantages over aftermarket. I picked up the official wheels catalog from my local dealer and found that I really like the style 50 wheels and can get them online for $1300 delivered. So that's what I'll probably do.

I also found out that the local independent European auto service place does TireRack mounting so that I can have my tires shipped right to them. Plus they even have a "winter storage" service where you can have them swap your wheelsets twice a year and they store your alternate set right there. It's only $40 a swap, which might be worth saving the hassle of changing my own and trying to find a place to store them around my house or garage.

fedlawman · March 2006

Cool, I'm glad you found a wheel you like.

As for cleaning - I use a wide, short-handle bristle brush to clean my mesh wheels. All I do is spray the wheels with cleaner (P-21S) and let it soak for a minute or two. Then I push the bristles down between the spokes in a "piston-like" up and down motion. Rinse with water and the wheels are done. I'm done in minutes.

By the way, do you have a picture of the Style 50's? I'd like to see them...

gordonwd · March 2006

Here's an attempt at getting the image from another site:

mpower340 · March 2006

I perchased brand new 330i about 2 months ago but

there was ignition problem so it has already

been in service for 6 weeks and the service guy keeps

telling me they are finding out what's going on. I don't

dive the car but still paying its insurance and montly

payment. What if it takes several more weeks or months

or they are unable to fix my car? Any way to return

the car or exchange it? Anybody knows BMWUSA's policy

about this kind of hassle? If you have any similar

experiences or what to do PLEASE ADVISE!!!

Thank you all.

kyfdx · March 2006

Are those E46 3-series wheels? I don't recall ever seeing them on an E46...

If you are moving up to that price range, for another $300 you can get 17 X 8 Style 71s for about $1600 shipped...

The "Holy Grail" of 3-series wheels.. (you know..IMHO).

akv25 · March 2006

I was on an out-of-town work trip yesterday and all of a sudden my 03 330 starts misfiring. I called my dealer and got an appointment with a local dealer. They replaced the Bremi ignition coil with a Bosch. Apparently, there is a recall for the ignition.

While there, I asked the service rep to program my DRLs to come on. He says that will be a $100 charge. I say that this is ridiculous, I had the same thing done on another BMW. He asked me if it was the selling dealer (yes) and that this must have been charged to the sales department.

I think he is BSing me. Any thoughts.

bdr127 · March 2006

Yup, there was an ignition coil recall....

The thing about doing the computer programming is that someone actually has to do it. Think about if you were the service tech that had to sit with the car and reprogram it. Would you rather do that and not get paid, or would you rather work on a different car and get paid? Don't you think you'd do the latter? Just because it's not greasy hard labor with your hands, it's still "labor", and the person doing it needs to get paid. BMW labor rates are generally $90-$110 per hour.

Like the service advisor indicated, many folks can get their home dealer to do stuff like that for free because they have a relationship already. Of course, if they are charging it to the sales department, they are probably getting an internal, reduced rate.

armand · March 2006

In addition to my 325Xit I have a "04 Acura TL and one of the many nice things on it is that you can easily do that kind of programming yourself/

jaj · March 2006

I suggest you look into your state's "Lemon Law" if it has one. In CT, for instance, if there have been at least four unsuccessful attempts to repair the same defect OR if your car has been unavailable for use for at least 30 days during the first two years of ownership, the vehicle qualifies as a "lemon." Sounds like you already qualify. Given the brief period of ownership in this case you should be eligible for a full refund (tax and fees included- whatever the bottom line of your deal was) from the manufacturer. I expect the law reads similarly in other states. Good luck.

-jaj

bdr127 · March 2006

In addition to my 325Xit I have a "04 Acura TL and one of the many nice things on it is that you can easily do that kind of programming yourself/

If it's a new 325xiT, then you can do all that programming yourself, as well..... You've been able to do it all yourself on 7-series since 2002 MY, 5-series since 2004 MY, and 3-series starting this 2006 MY.

sunilb · March 2006

I've been reading about people having problems with their coolant systems, once their car goes out of warranty (> 50K miles).

Is there some type of preventive maintenance that can be done (e.g., replacing hoses)? Or, is flushing the system (per the owner's manual) sufficient?

Thanks.

div2 · March 2006

Is there some type of preventive maintenance that can be done (e.g., replacing hoses)? Or, is flushing the system (per the owner's manual) sufficient?

Coolant hoses are usually the last thing to fail on a BMW(my 101K 1995 Club Sport still runs the original hoses, as did my 135K 1997 5er). Six cylinder water pumps are prone to failure anytime after 60K, radiators after 100K. Neither part is terribly expensive and the replacement procedure is very simple. In any event, I would definitely change the coolant every three years- and I would use only BMW coolant.

sunilb · March 2006

Thanks, div2!

So, I will plan to replace water pump (and thermostat) in the next month (I'm at 63K miles; still have to do the tranny and diff fluid you mentioned a while back) and then radiator around 90K miles.

I wish BMW put this info in the owners manual, but luckily this board continues to be very helpful.

grantchstr · March 2006

I just saw a report that the 2006 BMW 3 Series was top of the heap in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: "New crash tests of midsize cars: BMW 3 series & Lexus IS earn 'Top Safety Pick'".

Thats great news, however the rear test results are not great....

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_bmw.html

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr030506.html

mschukar · March 2006

My '02 325i heat system has been acting strange lately. At times, the fan level shows nearly full blast, but not much air is coming out (this in full auto mode). Manually changing the fan level has no affect. Turning the ignition off and back on seems to fix the problem.

A more frequently occurring issue is hearing the vent fan pulse (blow harder, softer, harder, softer) while to the display shows one level. This seems to happen most times when I start the car and the temperature high enough to generate heat.

When the interior of the car is warm and the display shows a lower fan level, I don't notice anything.

Any thoughts?

-murray

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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