BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

brave1heart · May 2001

This is more constructive. You have some balls to keep coming back and that may help you in life if you only learn to listen better and get along with people. Well, ironically, I am subscribed to three auto magazines (C&D, Automobile, and european car) but Motor trend and Road and Track never made the list with their boring writing and mass-market a**-kissing. I'm glad you realize that the 3-series is a better car. See, I can't go to the 911 board and start claiming that my 325i is a better car. As far as pricing, I've mentioned that my 325i cost me 31.5K and comes with the SP, xenons, moonroof, heated seats, trip computer, HK system - it's everything I wanted as far as options. Can you help us figure out why the IS300's TMV is below invoice?

denright · May 2001

V-tech:

Thanks for calling me eloquent and cavalier. Concerning your insistence that a loaded 330 will cost over $40K, please let me be the first to inform you differently. I have ordered a 2001 330xi, with premium package, cold weather package, and in-dash CD. It also comes with the premium HK sound system which (as I learned yesterday) became standard as of March. I am paying $38,475 for this car, including the $200 advertising fee and the destination charge. So, clearly one can purchase a loaded 330 for well under $40K.

Concerning my "Toyota with gold trim" remark, lighten up, Francis. It's called a joke.

denright · May 2001

Just got off the phone with my dealer. He informs me that charging me for the HK sound system as a $575 option was an error. As a consequence, my price will drop from $39,050 to $38,475. Sweet!

tchoo · May 2001

Reading the ongoing debate about the IS300 vs the 3-series I thought I'd include my impression since I just test drove both the IS300 and the 3-series coupe 2 weeks (both for the first time) ago, and I eventually bought the 325 coupe. While I must admit that the IS300 was a much more fun, 'tossable' car, there were a couple of factors that put me off:
1) Fuel consumption
2) Noticable wind noise
3) Engine based on an almost 10-year old Supra block, and squeezed into the IS300 losing 10hp because of the reduced intake and exhaust
4) No center arm rest, didn't like the escaine trim
5) Performance tires wear out real fast and I'd have to swap them for snow tires here in the NE (I know All-seasons can be swapped in, but that kinda defeats the purpose of getting this car)
6) Mushy brake feel, I had to ride it hard to bring it to an emergency stop (despite the magazine saying it had great brakes)

Things I did like were the distinct turbine like whine of the engine when its pushed, the cool looking interior cockpit, the manumatic, the raw pulling power, and the extreme stickiness when cornering.

I bought the 325 coupe in the end because it was more refined, felt more torquey, nicer interior, classic looks, amazing brakes, felt more 'in-control' at all times, and the price was right.

I don't intend to start a war here, and these are just my personal subjective impressions.

tim

brave1heart · May 2001

Law school is paying off. You forgot to mention that for that price, you are also getting AWD. BTW, 'eloquent and cavalier' is pretty impressive. He must have learned that in charm school. Either that, or he's reading the dictionary backwards, as 'e' typically comes after 'c'

)

gurumike · May 2001

When I said that the 330i (which, in my example, was a sport package/xenons/CD) stickers at $36 and change, that is a BMW MSRP, ANY dealer will sell you the car for that, realistically, it'd be under $35k with discount. Of course, this excludes moonroof, leather, automatic. But my point was that if you'll fore go those few options, you can get that car and still be very happy with it. More relevently, would you rather have the 330i like that or a 325i with all the toys. Everyone should have a different answer. It's called "choice". You are empowered to choose how you spend your money. Better yet - a new 330i base car stickers at around $34k. Now, we're talking more like $33-$34k cash price. They all now have H.K. sound, Sport suspension (yes, that too since march, even w/out spt pkg) power memory seats, auto climate, 6 airbags, 17" alloys. This is, in it's self, a very complete package. If you had to drive the base car everyday, what would you really be missing ?? And the 325i? For $28-$29k a prospect can get into an E46 BMW. Staggering when you look at what people routinely spend on some SUV / "premium cars" that, whilst having more "bells & whistles", do not even approach the satisfaction derived from the drivers seat. That intangible something that really makes our 3 series such a very special car to live with.

gurumike · May 2001

--- Good news, you car shows 154 status! It will be finished with-in the next couple of days! You'll have that one in just over a month, I'd guess.

bavarian · May 2001

Freedom of speech and Freedom of choice-things we hold dear. V tech has a right to his/her opinions.
V is excercising the right of free speech. V chose a Lexus IS300 and appears ecstatic about its' performance.My congratulations! I am just puzzled as to why V is constantly whining about the pricing on the BMW 330i-why do you care,V?
Go drive your car!
The more people who drive the IS300 the better.
Lexus cars have a great reputation for quality control and reliability and have raised the expectations of luxury car buyers.Competition is a great factor in Capitalism and long may it rule.
I would be the last person to dismiss Lexus as an automobile maker.
If I owned a Lexus I would be the last person to hurl abuse at BMW-enviable heritage, reputation and passionate owners, stretching back decades.
The 3 series has been named in the Ten Best in Car and Driver for TEN years and maybe in ten years the IS300 can claim that too. Who knows?
Personally, I don't care. Reliability is not number one on my list of priorities-driving pleasure is. I did not test drive an IS300 before buying a 325i. The appearance of the IS300 was enough to put me off. I spend most of my time, when driving, looking at the road ahead and occasionally need to glance down at the dash to read my speed,rpms,coolant temperature and fuel remaining. I need therefore to find this information clearly displayed. The IS300 display is a clutter, an absolute mess, designed to appeal to people who like to dress up Christmas trees to the point where the tree itself is obscured by shiny spangly ornaments which serve as nothing but decorations to amuse the eye.
People who excercise their right to choose a 330i over an IS300 can spend their money as they will.
I have yet to read of one owner who regrets spending the extra money for a 330i. You as a consumer buy the best that you can afford. I personally wouldn't give a rat's [non-permissible content removed] (at the current exchange rate) if I was the only person in America driving a 325i-it was the best car that I could afford. I am very happy with my car.
Would I even consider an IS300 when my lease is up? No. I would consider a 330 (style to be considered).
The more IS300s,Jags, Audis,Lincoln LS, Saabs, Merc 320s etc on the roads the better.Competiton breeds winners,competition keeps BMW striving to be more competetive in price and competition keeps BMW getting better in engineering, where they are already ahead of the pack-the benchmark for affordable performance cars.
Let V tech have his say-I demand my daily chuckle!

tomjava · May 2001

Hi folks,

I am looking for 330i automatic with sport package. I don't mind going to Southern California if I can find better deal than in bay area.

TIA

denright · May 2001

Well said!!!

brave1heart · May 2001

A Trabant SMOKEY??? LOL - The Trabi is a great poor man's Beetle but what's Smokey? Is it referring to tinted glass or something? Man, that would be some sight!!
What kind of sales are you in if you don't mind me asking? Just got curious because I liked your post

)

jakep1 · May 2001

I have been following this site for the past month. Very informative, I decided to pick up a new 2001 330i sport package/premium/manual tranny(9 miles on Odometer)to replace my beloved 1997 M3 sedan (sold privately). I am a bit dissapointed by the handling of 330i sport. I have adjusted tire pressures and still a lack of "feel" at speed, and more body roll than I expected. My M3 inspired confidence, this just doesn't seem right in a sport package car (I only drove non-sport 330i and a sport 530 before giving the dealer a deposit to trade for this vehicle). My build date reads as 04/01 on Vehicle Identification plate. Per previous posts I thought the "light steering issue" had been resolved. After what mfct. date did steering change for 330i? Provided that this vehicle production falls after that date, what else would you check/adj. besides tire pressure before bringing back to the dealer for service? Also anyone else notice that silver trim on rear HK sound speakers reflect the sun into the rear window? Besides those issues love the car-Thanks for your help.

brave1heart · May 2001

The E46 is much heavier than the E36 (I think by about 200+ lbs compared model for model) and you got more curb weight to deal with. Do I understand this correctly? You did NOT drive a 330 sport? I drove a 325 w/ and w/o the sport package and I can tell you there was a significant difference in handling in favor of the SP. Not sure how it would compare to the E36 M3 (probably not nearly as tight) but for me it's a revelation. I think the 5-series is too heavy and it doesn't feel nearly as playful and fun as the 3-series. My build date was 4/1 as well. It came out that BMW corrected the light steering issue on cars that went into production in April, not cars that were completed in April. The steering is my only complaint (albeit significant) with the car. My VR6 had heavier steering than that. On the plus side, the steering in the 325 is still very precise even with the lighter steering. I didn't notice a significant road feel difference between the old and new steering when I compared them back to back. It's just that the boosted steering lacks that on-center feel which is so important. First stop for service should be around 15K, as determined by your car's computer. I love that. I wouldn't adjust anything else. As far as silver trim on the rear HK speakers, I have not even noticed anything that bothers me and we've seen a lot of sunny days this past week. The only thing about the interior that I don't like is the oversize clown nose, which would look my appropriate on the roof of an ambulance. Other than that, it's an incredibly tight, snappy and fun-to-drive car and I totally love it. I was keeping my new car purchase secret from colleagues but someone saw me pull into the pkg lot this morning and word got out. We just went out for lunch with colleagues who couldn't wait for the ride and I think I'm gonna have to start a waiting list. There are quite a few gearheads around here.

errickson1 · May 2001

May want to contact "gurumike" offline. His dealership in Santa Barbara (Cutter Motors) is competitive and very helpful. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I almost ordered from them...and I live in Houston Texas!!!

chloe6 · May 2001

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for your advice on the red leather interior, etc. I'm going to visit a few dealerships tomorrow (the two that quoted the best prices on the phone) to see if I like anything they have in stock, and to test drive the 325 and 330 so I can make a final decision. If I have to order the car, I'm still considering the tanin red leather, mainly because it's a little different from the usual gray and sand interiors. I like the gray, sand, and black, but if I have to order a car anyway, I might as well go with the red.

Thanks again everyone for all of your help! If anyone knows of a great New Jersey dealership, or even a pretty good one with decent discounts, please let me know -- I'll check the board before I go car shopping tomorrow!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Regards,
Chloe

aaa330i · May 2001

Technically, there is no such thing as freedom of speach on a private forums. Speach can and does get squashed all the time. Nothing unconstitutional about it.

postoak · May 2001

In post #2649 you said if you go with Euro Delivery you can get a 330i for $32,985. With the options you list: SP, MR, CD, MP, Edmonds shows an MSRP of $37,560 (includes freight but no TTL or advertising fee). If DE gives you that kind of a discount, I would get really excited!! But it must be a typo....

denright · May 2001

You are correct that the First Amendment provides protection from government censorship, but not from private editing of unwanted content. As such, the moderators of this board (as private people) can prevent you (or V-Tech) from posting on this board if they see fit, but the government (except in certain exigent circumstances) could not.

That said, the policy considerations underpinning the framers' creation of the First Amendement freedom of speech apply with equal force in private fora as in public ones. Quite simply, when people with dissenting viewpoints are silenced, we all lose out on opportunities to think and explore new ideas. Thus, while any censorship of V-Tech by the board moderators would not be illegal or unconsitutional, it would not make good sense from the perspective of a person openly seeking knowledge and intellectual stimulation.

max63 · May 2001

The great thing about so cal dealerships, there is a good chance you will find the car you want on the lot. So close to getting a MB 320, but after reading the posts on this board, I took a trip to my local dealer. Found the car I wanted, that just came on the lot that day. Silver, Xeon, Sport, step, leather and prem. pack. (HK standard now). $39,068 net cap cost, $565 with tax, 15k miles, 36 months ($2,504 drive off - $600 refundable security deposit). After just one week with the car, my wife is tying to steal it! Thanks for all the advice. BTW, the MB dealer wanted $680 a month for the same priced car. Give Rey Eberra (Century West BMW), (818) 432-5816. Later all!

aaa330i · May 2001

agreed

brave1heart · May 2001

Please allow me to answer for platypus who may not be around immediately. The price of $32,985 is NOT a typo. You get over 2 grand of savings w/ the ED, platypus got about 2 grand off MSRP on top of that and also, some options are standard on the MY models - Edmunds' pricing is incorrect. Yep, he got himself one hell of a deal. Well-deserved too - he worked hard for it and he did his homework right.

sandecki · May 2001

Hi Gurumike!
I have asked this yesterday and I am not sure if you got it:

330i, Stick, Jet Black, Sand Interior, Premium, Sport, Xenon, CD. Purchased from Morristown BMW, NJ.

Can You possibly forecast production and delivery date?

Thank You so Much!

bavarian · May 2001

Braveheart1-"they make take our lives-but they'll never take our Bimmers!"
My apologies to Mel Gibson of course. Actually my dream car would be an E46M3 convertible. The Trabant Smokey is just a joke but one with a point. The point being that Captitalism breeds competition which makes the competetive strive for excellence. Were you born behind the "Iron Curtain" and had your name on the wait list for a Trabant you would have enjoyed its' ability to get you from A-B,albeit in a cloud of pungent exhaust smoke, seeping through the cracks in the floor. You would take advantage of the generous trunk to pack some extra underwear. Stepping on the "brakes" would necessitate a change of laundry.
In the Western World competition rules and excellence wins the day-how else does one explain the BMW success story? There is plenty of hype surrounding the name, yet everyone gets a chance to drive one before buying,knowing full well that there is a Lexus/MB/Audi etc dealership down the road.Freedom of choice and so much that is good to choose from-we are lucky people-not for us the Trabant.
I work in retail sales, selling mainly widgets, doo-dads, thingummebobs and artifacts. Before that I sold hi-fi and video equipment, so I know a good thing when I hear and see it.
A good thing to listen to is NOT the HK stereo-unless you like mushy ill-defined sound. I have the stock stereo but prefer to listen to the engine snarl. Even if I had a Mark Levinson system in the car I would turn it down to hear the engine. Kudos to Lexus for signing Mark up for the SC430-BMW should be thinking beyond HK-I wouldn't have HK in my home stereo by choice. BMW needs to offer a higher upgade in stereo-let them fit HK as the standard,not the upgrade.
Regarding looks-I am Chris Bangle's number one fan. He has made BMW into a thing of visceral beauty and refined , understated luxury. I like the family resemblance between all the cars/suvs.
I am not a person who wears a lot of jewellry-no bare chest and gold medallions-I don't like flashy looking cars as a result. Substance is what makes a car-how well it moves, how well it does what you tell it to do,how consistant it is the the execution of the basics-acceleration, braking and handling.
My car has lived up to and surpassed my expectations. I love to drive as much as it does.

raybear · May 2001

You've got some Bay Area dealers who price fairly aggressively.

platypus · May 2001

brave1heart is correct - no typos. I paid $1400 over Euro invoice (which is $28,450 on the 330i). All my options were at invoice plus you have to add D&H. TT&L is extra. No MACO advertising charges.

If you haven't purchased yet, I would highly recommend my salesperson. Very knowledgeable about the ED process (he's German in fact).

brave1heart - thanks for responding so quickly on my behalf. BTW, I saw that shallacking you took the other day on the bimmer.org message boards over the tire psi question. Tough crowd over there. I will admit though that I frequent that board because there is so much knowledge. When I first began posting over here, folks commented on the extent of my knowledege - all of that came from bimmer.org. I agree that there is a lot of BS you have to wade through, but the gems of information are well worth it. Furthermore, I find the topics of discussion are more diverse than here at Edmunds (which is strictly about the cars). As an example, in response to my Euro delivery write-up, I probably received 20 responses on the E46 board, and 7 or 8 on the E39 board, as compared to only a handful here.

Anyway, keep up the good work of educating folks.

BTW, have you decided to ask for the steering retrofit yet? I'm planning on sending an e-mail to the OC to see if I can get my name on the list.

descartes · May 2001

Hi,

I have a question about how the RWD in BMW performs on a icy/snowy road surface. I'm wondering whether I should buy a 325i or 325xi. The winter time in the place where I live usually lasts for six months.

Thanks in advance for any advice or comment.

Regards,
Des

midtowneast · May 2001

In NJ you can try Park Ave BMW in Maywood NJ. They claim to be the largest on the East Coast my salesperson was Keith Diyoung.

brave1heart · May 2001

I am planning on calling BMWNA before I start sending them requests in writing. I will try to get this done over the phone and if it doesn't work out, I will start a barrage of e-mails and letters, which are certain to make their PR life hell if they don't offer the retrofit for free.

I beg to strongly differ on your opinion RE. the bimmer.org board. I'm glad you saw that tire pressure discussion there - I can handle ridicules very well and I never lose my cool, as you could probably see from the posts. However, half an hour later and no-one had answered my question in a meaningful way yet. The best those clowns could come up with was 'Go look at the manual online'. Never mind that downloading it takes a while. I would have thought that an enthusiastic bunch of BMW owners would know their tire pressure cold. Two more things while we are on this topic. Unlike your ED posts, my 4 posts on picking up the car (incl. Steering Comparo) had close to ZERO response on bimmer.org but were very well received here. And last, I had posted an insurance-related question once and everyone that answered was between 21 and 23 years old. A lot of them are probably driving their parents' BMWs. A lot of the responses that I've seen on ANY questions are mostly rubbish - it's not worth the time sifting thru them and it's just not fun. As Ben & Jerry say, "If it's not fun, why do it?".

I do believe that if you build it, they'll come. And building we are, right here and right now. I have learned more from the likes of Shipo and had more fun talking to Alp and the rest of this board than anyone on the bimmer.org board. We are behind in volume obviously but I've always been a quality over quantity man. And the quantity is coming around - we have seen phenomenal growth here. I betcha you'll be spending more time here than on the bimmer.org board soon enough. We are just more fun and we have a lot of enthusiastic people joining us. Stay with us, you'll like what you see.

brave1heart · May 2001

Mel Gibson is pretty cool and I suspect he'd all right with it. My favorite part of the movie was when he went 'Freeeeedoooooom!!!' Every time I see this, I still get chills down my back spine.

aldubya · May 2001

denright- I agre with your "Toyota w/gold trim" remark.

bavarian - couldn't have said it better!

aaa3301 - re: speech (not speach)!

Have a great weekend all you 3 series bimmer fans out there!

gurumike · May 2001

Sorry, thought I did that one. Yours is in 111 status, it's on order. If it's a May production car, it should be changing any day.
Hope this helps!
-Michael.

drcr · May 2001

Bavarian. Well said. I agree. The more IS300s, LSs, TLs, the better for the consumer. I liked the Christmas tree analogy.

FWIW, I looked at the Lex. Looked only. As I sat in it, I felt the need to blow some bubble gum and snap it. The car was just not made for me. I view the IS300 the same as I view the VW Bug and Prowler. Neat ideas but just couldn't see myself in one.

I looked and drove the TL type S, A4 and 325. The 325 is the best all around fit for me (value, performance, drive, style).

drcr

platypus · May 2001

Don't get me wrong. I like this board and will continue to post here when I can offer useful and informative insight.

But I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree concerning bimmer.org. I first started following that board back in 1997 when I purchased my Z3. (It started out as solely a Z3 board, then gradually grew to accomodate forums for various other bimmer models. A guy named Alan started the Z3 forum and he today remains the webmaster of the entire board.) We organized runs where enthusiasts would meet and drive their cars together on the back roads of, in my case, the SF Bay Area. Runs were being held all over the country. One member even organized the "Running of the Zs" in Cambria, CA (on Highway 1 near the Hearst Castle). She had sponsors and planned events such as wine-tasting and Hearst castle tours. It was pretty cool to have 50+ Z3s all parked at this little roadside motel off the PCH. Anyway, bimmer.org offered me a lot back then, so I've stuck with it.

Again, I won't argue with you that there is a lot of BS that has to be waded through. But continuing to frequent the board is what convinced me to do a Euro Delivery on my 330i this time around. I was compelled by reading all the posts from people who had just come back with stories of how wonderful their trips were. Given that I have the luxury of hindsight now, not doing ED would have been regretful.

Anyway, that's my $0.02, and I'm sure we'll continue to exchange information, be it here or there. Cheers!

brave1heart · May 2001

You are a wise man. I have a lot of respect for loyalty and I see your point. Your 330i purchase has been a great success story. BTW, I think the BMW Owners club here was thinking of a little get-together down in Texas-land - you may want to check it out if you haven't done so yet. Have a great weekend!

bgritz · May 2001

What sort of shipping does the buyer have to pay to have the car shipped back to the states if any?

My wife & I are planning to dump an older Jetta and move to a 3-series in the next year or so. We have also been toying with the idea of going to Europe for our 10 yr aniversary in two years.

We could always go early for the ca... uh I mean...anniversary! :-)

The pictures you posted make me wish I had married about 18 mos. earlier. Ha

thanks to all for the GREAT postings!!!!
b.

platypus · May 2001

No shipping charges. They are covered by BMW as part of the ED program. BMW also covers insurance in Europe for 30 days, plus marine insurance while the car is crossing the Atlantic.

Do it - you won't regret it!

sandecki · May 2001

I just ordered it last week, so I don't think it is May production. I guess I will try to ask that question in few weeks. Patience would be nice, I wish I had it. I was tossing an idea of getting an A6 Quattro, but it's just not the same thing. I will wait. Thank You for your help.

Bartosz

brave1heart · May 2001

Some people may be wondering how BMW can give away their cars at a much lower price thru ED. Lower cost of doing biz that way is one important reason. The overriding reason, however, may even be good PR with Munich. See, every time people go to pick up the BMWs there, they support the local economy (accommodation, air fare, shopping, touring, whatever) and this is great PR for BMW. Manufacturers, banks, customers, and local governments are linked very closely in Germany and all this allows BMW not only to build brand loyalty but also to get concessions, special deals with local gov'ts, etc. Of course, being a consumer is a blast in this case - you just can't lose with ED!!! I really wanted to do it just like platypus but never got a good deal on ED and I had to settle for U.S. delivery. It seems like platypus' contact would be a lot of help if anyone is seriously considering it. I wish I'd known about it earlier.

killerk · May 2001

Hi, guys. I posted this question about a couple of months ago, but didn't get a response. So I'm trying again.

Is it true that BMW's rotors are softer than domestic models due to their higher performance? The mechanic said that unlike "hard" domestic rotors, which can be cut when the pads are replaced, BMWs need to be replaced when it's time for brake pad replacement.

I have a '99 323i and after replacing the front rotors about a couple of months ago, I just replaced the rear rotors today. Thanks in advance.

denright · May 2001

I have a few questions:

how is the 330xi suspension different from standard 3-series suspension and sport suspension?

I assume you've read all the references to the stiffer steering in 3 series cars built after April 1. Is this true of AWD as well as RWD cars?

My dealer initially told me that the car would be scheduled to be built during the last week of May or first week of June. I am now told that I am in week 25, which I believe to be the third week of June. When can I expect delivery at my dealership in Maryland in this case?

Finally, I placed my order on April 28, before the end of the 5.9% financing. Assuming my car is not delivered until July, will I still get that rate?

Thanks so much for all your help. You rock.

Gold101 · May 2001

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I own a 2002 Acura 3.2 TL Type S, and I love the car. Now, however, I'm in the market for a new car to replace my wife's GS 300(I hated the car..... Terrible handling)and I'm considering the 330, and giving her my Acura. I understand that the car now comes with the "old" steering and the sport suspension. So, my question is what does the Sport Package give you? Is it just the wheels and seats? Do the larger wheels really make the car handle better? Also, I've read that the clutch take up is a bit odd... Is it easy to get used to? Thanks in advance for any help!

Regards, Darryl

shipo · May 2001

Descartes,

I have a 1999 328i with PP and no SP, meaning that I have the all season tires. We had a fairly robust winter here in north New Jersey this year, and where I live is more than just a little hilly.

I drove my car on all but 2 days and had very little problem motivating from point A to point B. One word of advice, DO NOT turn off the traction control unless you have a wide margin of error. I tried it going up our street (up is no figment of speech either) and the car instantly snapped into a spin. I was ready for it, even so, I barely caught it in time. Needless to say, this car is a blast in a snow covered empty parking lot.

Brave1heart,

A tip of the hat to ya, thanks for the kind words. It is my opinion that what we have here is a synergy. I know I get more information out of this forum than I put in, and I suspect that all who constructively participate feel the same. Then there is the entertainment value. Thank you for all of your thoughtful and constructive comments on this board.

Killerk,

How many miles do you have on your car?

While I have no basis for knowing the relative "hardness" of rotors produced by the various manufacturers, I find the statement that BMW rotors are "soft" to be highly suspect for a couple of reasons.

It seems to me that soft rotors would be more susceptible to generating "hot spots" (where heat generated by continuous braking causes a portion of the rotor to re-temper). A rotor with a hot spot will be VERY noticeable when pressing the brake pedal, you will get some serious rhythmic pulsing felt throughout the car and through the brake pedal itself.

When I worked for Mercedes-Benz, I learned that MB (and I think BMW) used softer brake pads for U.S. spec cars. This is because a) we do not have the high autobahn speeds here to contend with, and b) Americans complain about squealing brakes, Europeans do not. Even if BMW used soft rotors, it seems to me that the softer brake pads would compensate for the soft rotors. (I may be WAAAAY out on a limb here)

One final question, are you ABSOLUTELY certain you needed new brakes? Unfortunately, I have seen some very shady practices from dealer service departments, including BMW. My guess is that there are at least 50% odds that you got scammed.

Best Regards,
Shipo

ds2k1 · May 2001

ED - I seriously wanted to go the ED route, but since I'm leasing it was less attractive. If your lease payment was tolled while they ship it to you, and if I had an extra car for the 5-6 weeks it takes (is that right?) to get it here, I would have done it. If you're purchasing the car, I don't see how you can lose; unless you have absolutely no interest in going to Europe for free.

v_tech - wow, sounds like you really know your drugs. Wonder why that is? I doubt anyone here will take you up on your offer to "get into drugs" with you. Sounds like you've already been dipping a bit too much in the cookie jar already. And while I may think your postings are the wild, unsubstantiated rantings of a [non-permissible content removed] (are there any drugs you're aware of which help that particular malady?), I certainly don't begrudge you your opinion, however ridiculous I may think it is. In fact, I find this all pretty amusing. I just can't figure out why you like to spend so much time on this board with people who clearly dislike your attitude and couldn't possibly disagree with you any more. Do you not spend one single second wondering what that says about you? I don't get off on telling people that they are a bunch of fools for loving their cars, and certainly wouldn't go so far out of my way to do so, however, I don't think you should be censored if that's your bag. Unless you tear into a heated string of profanities, I think you should be allowed to spout whatever idiocy you'd like and I think the moderator should let things be. I agree 100% with denright, the eloquent and cavalier litigator. If people wish to ignore you, they may. In fact, I even encouraged that approach. Now, however, I seem to find it somewhat entertaining to poke fun at you since your relentless presence on this board seems to indicate that you somehow enjoy it. Go figure. Maybe I'll spend a little time pondering what that says about me.

brave1heart · May 2001

I can only speak about the 325i SP but it is very similar to the 330 (drove both). The SP gives you great seats, bigger, wider rims and performance tires, a 3-spoke steering wheel, and a firmer (yet comfortable) ride, which is supposed to be VERY close to the M3's. You get .85 g of uncompromising road grip. Yes, if your car went into production after 4/1, it would have the great old steering. Isn't it incredible that older is better? I call it tradition... The larger wheels and tires give you a more precise WYSIWYG (where you steer is where you go) steering so you don't have to correct your line in turns. No-one has complained about the firmer ride so far and I absolutely love the sports car feel. Shifting gears in this car is the best I've ever seen, although it's supposed to have one of the best autos too. The clutch is a bit more sensitive in first - it requires a bit more gas and it wants you to shift gears faster - the clutch doesn't like to hang in halfway there. It's a driver's car and it "encourages" you to be a better driver. I found it easy to get used to it but then again, I've been driving manual all my life and every time I sit in an auto, I don't know what to do w/ my left foot and I keep looking for the gear shifter

) Great car, I hope you get it.

shipo · May 2001

When driving an Auto equipped vehicle, did you ever pull away from a stoplight, go to shift and hit that FAT brake pedal with your left foot? How embarrassing. >:-(

Best Regards,
Shipo

gurumike · May 2001

Quite honestly, at this time I don't feel I can state, as fact, that the xi has the same calibration (we're doing the suspension now) as the i. I'd guess it might not be quite the same. The xi sits 1.4 inches higher and I would attribute this to different springs. All RWD automatically get sport calibration now (as of March production).

Yes, it will be a "new steering" car, they all are as of April prod (I know, I mis-stated that it was Feb prod a few days ago).

You should expect delivery last week of July/ first week of August.

5.9% financing. Do you recall doing a credit application when you ordered it? To still get 5.9% the dealer must have sent your application to BMW Finacial Services before the end on April. If not, well, it's now 6.5%.

brave1heart · May 2001

and since I have no feeling as to how heavy my left foot is on the brakes, it's really bad, almost comic. Pathetic as it is, I drive manuals better than auto and I can also claim, smoother too.

brave1heart · May 2001

shipo · May 2001

v_tech · May 2001

all it comes down to is i took the wrong approach from the start i agree. then some guy who doesn't seem to be coming back for more, calls me a [non-permissible content removed] bag and that was it!!!!! i mean the gloves were off after that one but maybe i deserved it. afterall i brought all of you down to my level right? i am not going to play this silly game anymore my playstation fingers are sore.

tchoo- i agree with all that you said i think the IS300 has some issues. i am just here to stir it up but i am going to tone it down for sure.

denright- is that 38K before or after tax and licensing??? you left that part out. because if it is before it is 40K and maybe more in my book. right or wrong??

braveheart- 31.5K after or before tax and licensing? and my point is i have seen guys get fully loaded IS's for 32K and whether you like the car or not at least you can get the horses AND LOAD IT for the same price.

i honestly feel all you bmw owners should have the 225 horses in the 330i for a much more realistic price tag. if braveheart can get the 325i for 31.5K then why can't the 225 horses be available at just a measly 2K more because after all it is practically the same car. this is not the case though. we have evidence on this forum that some people are paying 35 to 38 for 325i's or xi's???? this to me is absurd nice ride or not.

again, one more time, if BMW had any morals they would stop playing this silly game with you all and offer just the 225 horses. afterall, if you want a 3 series being a sports enthusiast you should have the ultimate driving machine. if you want a scaled down version because you don't want the power i think you might as well buy a cheaper maxima. well then you will all say the handling is second to none. i say, for 33 to 38 you think that is worth it??? whether you can afford it or not is a whole new can of worms but i am talking common sense here. the IS300 with its new manual will be better for sure than any 325i in the same price range and i do know none of you will be persuaded. But the main point (i know i said it up there but i'll say it again) is at least the lexus sports enthusiast will be able to get EVERYTHING for basically the same price as that 325i.

but make no mistake i think the 330i is a terrific car in every way. it doesn't have as many issues as the lexus and it gets better gas mileage too. you will just be surprised that there a lot of people out there like me that refuse to pay upper 30's for this 176 inch car. i mean what is BMW putting in there that justifies this pricing approach??? laser guided weapons or james bond gadgets???

my good friend and i just drove a 2000 328i and it was nice but the both of us couldn't detect any real noticeable differences between it and the lexus. not 5-7K worth especially. and i will restate again that motor trend also felt the same way so i may be out in left field to you all but i am not alone.

anyway, i think this is it for me. it was a pleasure and i do apologize again for my aggressive approach. i have said what i have said and that is enough already. best wishes to you all and your fine cars. i have no desire to argue about the merits of the 330i especially because it is a fine machine. i would buy it pretty loaded for 34 to 35 AFTER tax.

vvti

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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