BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

kyfdx · July 2006

Nope... won't fit over the brakes.. Tirerack.com had one model of 16" wheel that would fit, but I believe they sold out of them last fall, and won't be getting any more..

brave1heart · July 2006

The E46 is EVIL and will attack you in your sleep. Buy at your own risk ;o)

Seriously, the only two COMMON issues with the E46 have been lower control arms and window regulators. I am just about to hit 100K in my '01 325i SP: I've had the LCAs replaced once at 60K and the two front window regulators (one at 70K and one at 95K). I've seen a ton of E46 cars at track days and autocross events and have never heard of other issues that are common to the E46 platform. Do a search for yourself on bimmerfest and E46fanatics.

kominsky · July 2006

"That's what you get for not wearing your Speedo"

There's an unpleasant image! My key would be dry, but my family and neighbors would be seeking therapy for years to come.

motorcity3 · July 2006

On the subject of replacing lower control arms, my dealer mentioned that mine are also failing and need to be replaced. What I didn't like what the price: $1200! If I may ask, what did you pay to have them reaplaced and did you have them done at the dealership? I have a 01 325i, but not nearly as mine miles as you on it (only 56k). Also, I am getting a faint steering wheel vibration at around 40mph and I was suspecting that it was a result of the LCAs failing. Could that be it?

Thank you.

erickpl · July 2006

I have owned the 2002 325xi. No issues with the AWD system (which for 2002 and 2003 is NOT xDrive). Worked well enough on snow/ice, but if the weather got nasty, we took one of our Jeeps.

No issues with brake pads for us. We got about 80k+ on our original pads. We had a cluster controller unit fail not long after we got it (less than a month) but it didn't prohibit us from driving - the dealer fixed it on that Monday AM, after the failure Saturday night.

The xi's sport package is mainly cosmetic - no suspension upgrades, though the xi's sport wheels were nicer than the regular ones.

-Paul

kominsky · July 2006

When mine went bad, the earliest symptom was a slight front-end shake at highway speeds when going around a gradual bend in the road. That shake got worse and was felt more often as things got worse. I paid nearly $800 for one side at a dealership. If I remember correctly, brave spent about that much for both sides. I don't remember if it was a dealership or an indie.

msandalis · July 2006

what is a e46, I am guessing it is a different name than 330i?
thx.

msandalis · July 2006

ok nevermind
figured it out......

brave1heart · July 2006

I paid $850 for the front pair at a dealer ~ 3 years ago. I don't think they would cause any major vibrations - just creaking when you are turning (in my case at least). The vibration may be caused by a misalignment, tires, brakes (do you have vibrations under braking?), other suspension parts... too many things but mostly likely tires.

motorcity3 · July 2006

Actually, I just had new tires installed about 3 months ago. I had balancing done at the same time, but no alignment. I wonder if it is alignment. It's just that I remember how misalignment feels from previous cars and in previous cases I remember getting vibrations at 70mph not 40mph. In my case now, I am getting them around 40mph and then they go away as I go faster. I wonder if $1200 is a normal price at today's rates or if I would be paying too much.

midtowneast · July 2006

The dealer is definitely giving you the markup. At an indy shop in NYC I had both control arms, ball joints, rotors, pagid pads, brake sensors and brake fluid flush for 1375.00. I had to do all of that for my driving school at watkins glenn in June. All parts except for the pads and super blue fluid was from BMW.

msandalis · July 2006

After much research I am real close to doing a deal on a 2003 330i with 101kms. The price is reasonable and the car has been obviously looked after.

My understanding is that BMW does allot of warranty work during the warranty period. What exactly does this go to as far as Service I, II and, III? I am getting the records on Monday but am wondering what I can expect to have been done under those warranty visits?

Thanks alot,

Michael

nyccarguy · July 2006

I just returned from my 2 week California road trip/ Vacation. We flew into San Francisco drove to Pacific Grove, The Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, and ended up in San Diego. Our rented Baby Blue Mustang Convertible was nice, but the trip (mostly along PCH) would have been nicer in a BMW 3 series - 2005 & earlier. I actually saw a lot of E46 ZHP sedans, coupes, & convertibles. Almost every E46 BMW I saw had the Sports Package. I didn't see too many E90s along the way. Lots of nice E30 & E36s.

I saw so many M cars, AMG MBs, & 997 911s. In 3 days I must have seen 7 or 8 Bently Continental GTs in San Diego. I saw a Ferrari Enzo & a Lamborghini Murcielago within a 2 minute span. The cars out there are unreal!

A few questions for all you Califonians:

Do they give away C230 Mercedes' if you send in a certain amount of cereal box tops? The entire state of Cali has more MBs than I've ever seen, but the place is littered with C Class cars!

Why are there NO DOORS in the mens' public restrooms on the beaches?

dave330i · July 2006

I saw so many M cars, AMG MBs, & 997 911s. In 3 days I must have seen 7 or 8 Bently Continental GTs in San Diego. I saw a Ferrari Enzo & a Lamborghini Murcielago within a 2 minute span. The cars out there are unreal!

Bet you didn't see my ride.

Do they give away C230 Mercedes' if you send in a certain amount of cereal box tops?

Yes. First you turn in 10 cereal box top for a decoder ring, then the rest of the steps are a secret.

nyccarguy · July 2006

No, I didn't see your M Coupe but there were one or 2. Definitely a rare sight.

Oh, one more thing...what's with the Jacked up Pickup trucks? Are those cool?

dave330i · July 2006

Oh, one more thing...what's with the Jacked up Pickup trucks? Are those cool?

I wouldn't know. I'm busy trying to convince my wife lowering my car is a good thing.

ek01 · August 2006

I have a 2002 330i with about 105,000kms on it. Occasionally, the left turn indicator light will blink and click twice as fast as it should and then after a day or so the problem will go away. When the problem presents itself, the on dash burnout lamp indicator will come on and go away when the problem goes away. The right turn indicator has no problems. Appreciate any help.

shipo · August 2006

Sounds like a bulb that is in the process of failing. Over the years I have occasionally seen a bulb with a detached filament, and if the bulb is oriented "just so", said filament can bounce around enough to cause periodic failures. The next time your car indicates a bulb failure, get out and find out which bulb is the culprit, and then change it.

Best Regards,
Shipo

ek01 · August 2006

Thanks Shipo. I will check.

div2 · August 2006

In addition to Shipo's good advice, I'd also advise using only German bulbs with a silver base, such as Sylvania Osram bulbs(which can even be found at Autozone). Make sure the bulb socket contacts are clean as well. A thin coating of dielectric/bulb grease wouldn't hurt either. Following these steps completely eliminated the phantom bulb failure messages that were afflicting my wife's E39.

blueguydotcom · August 2006

NYC, my parking garage in San Diego looks like a BMW used car lot.

The cars of so cal are the reason I raise an eyebrow when people much exclusivity of generic brands like MB, BMW and Audi.

edrn · August 2006

I currently lease a 330XI, so far 26K and no problems. It's my 2nd Bimmer and I LOVE IT!!!!!! Lease up in 02/07. Can't wait for the 2007 3 series coupe. Hopefully, that'll be my next one.
GO FOR IT AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shades:

edrn · August 2006

This does seem like a high buyout. Have you considered a new Bimmer. My lease on my 330XI is up 02/07. Can't wait to see the new coupe. Have you thought about another lease? You sure can't beat BMW's maintenance. I've been researching other cars. Interested in the TL, G35. But no one has the maintenance that BMW offers.
Let me know what you decide. GOOD LUCK!!

nyccarguy · August 2006

So last night heading home from work (after working for the second straight day in 100 degree temps) and I feel my car start to tug to the right. As I'm processing the thought in my head, the guy next to me beeps and tells me I have a flat tire. So I pull over and call AAA. They tell me it is going to be 30-45 minutes until the come. So I decide to kill the time by changing the tire myself. I am not handy at all (the only car maintenance I perform myself is pumping gas & filling the tires with air). So I jack the car up, remove the wheel with the flat tire, place the wheel next to the jack (safety first), put the spare on (doughnut), tightened up the lugnuts, put the car in gear, tightened the lugnuts again, lower the jack, put the flat in the trunk, and head home. I was really proud of myself, but...OK, so I drove for abput 10 minutes with the doughnut on and then the car started to shake above 40mph. I made it to a place to put air in the tires and pumped some air into the car. Today I got the flat tire plugged (found out it went flat because the plug that was put there popped out) temporary so I could drive my car to and from work tomorrow. Took off the spare. Put the standard wheel back on. Now somoething sounds like it is rubbing when I drive. What did I do? My 2 new tires are coming tomorrow, but still I'd like to know.

I was passed by a number of BMW 3 series 2005 & earlier while I was changing the said tire :P

brave1heart · August 2006

Did you tighten up the lug nuts in a star pattern? Tighten them up until you feel resistance, then lower the car and finish tightening them up. Did you use a torque wrench and did you torque the lug nuts up to spec? Also, did you make sure that the hub surface and the rim surface where it makes contact with the hub were clean?

nyccarguy · August 2006

I did tighten the bolts in a star pattern, then dropped the jack and finished tightening the bolts up. I didn't use a torque wrench, just the wrench provided by Honda. Didn't check to see if the hub contact was clean. Turns out the tire was so out of round and balance from me driving on it semi-flat. Thanks for your help though.

tropes · August 2006

ek01,
I had this on my 2003 325xi. Eventually the blinker went out right at the time of my 45k check up. The bulb was burnt and fused with the connector. Replaced under warrantee. My other front is starting (warning light comes on, blink at double-time, then stops and works after a few minutes of driving). Should have to get fixed at my 60k. This time I get to pay.

bmw98 · August 2006

Hi All,

I had a problem in the past with climiate control system and saved $450 by fixing it myself with help from here. Now my Harmon Kardon Stereo has died and I am wondering if it can be fixed somehow without spending too much money. I have googled but not much help.

A while ago some of the control on my stereo were working on and off. Like volume control, changing the channel on radio etc would sometime work and sometime not. Now it has blacked out completely and nothing works.

I have Harmon Karden Stereo (No CD Player). 328i, 1998. Did anyone else faced this problem? Is there any workaround for it?

Thanks.

quattroporte12 · August 2006

Hey. I am looking at a sporty, good looking and driving sedan that is not TOO expensive to maintain. So far i have come up with a BMW 325i, an Audi A4 with ultra sport package, a lexus is300, or an infiniti g35 aero coupe. Can anyone think of any other cars to consider? Or does anyone have an opinion on which car is better?? Thanks

msandalis · August 2006

I noticed that on a 2006 3 series there were 4 flaps (small) on the roof that once you opened them revealed that there was a threaded-bolt type thing for maybe a roof rack. Is this true and is it also on the 2003 versions? Also, does anyone have any experience putting a aftermarket roof rack on your bmw to carry a roof cargo bin that fits in there as well as a BMW OEM?

Thanks

gordonwd · August 2006

Yep, the E46 has those same rack mounts and there are some excellent offerings from the well-known rack makers such as Thule and Yakima. I have the Thule rack on my '04 325i and really think it's a nice piece of engineering -- goes on and off in minutes. Thule has a wide variety of mounts that go on the base rack. I have bike carriers on mine, but they make a bunch of compatible luggage carriers, ski racks, kayak carriers, etc.

I believe that the OEM rack that you can buy from a BMW dealer is actually made by one of the above (probably Thule), but costs a lot more than buying it from a web store.

daddyd · August 2006

edrn,
I am interested in a "pre-owned" 330xi.
the lease on my saab is also running out in 02/07.
I was wondering what the buyout on your car is after the lease period is over? Do you have an option to buy it out?

that would help me determine how much a used 330 would cost that is coming off lease.

Thanks,
D.

bdkinnh · August 2006

I'm in the market for a 2001 330i or 330ci, and I'm trying to figure out how to tell when a 01 330 has the sport and premium packages.

From what I've been able to determine on my own, the 01 330i sport package has round fog lights, thigh support on the front seats, and the sport (round center) steering wheel. Is that correct? Could an 01 330i be missing any or all of these and still have the sport package? What about the 330ci? Same rules?

I've seen some 2002 330's that have the round fog lights, but don't have the thigh support on the seats. Are there different "tells" for the 02?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

shipo · August 2006

I cannot say regarding the fog lights, however, I believe the following "tells" do hold true:
1) All "ci" models are by default SP.
2) All SP cars have a round horn/air bag enclosure as opposed to a rectangular(ish) horn/air bag enclosure.
3) All SP cars with the 3.0 liter engine have asymmetrical tire sizes (i.e. wider in the rear than in the front)
4) All SP cars do in fact have the deeper bolsters on the front seats (and I think a separate thigh support as well)

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx · August 2006

I'm pretty sure that all the 330 Sports from those years have the 68M wheels...

Double five-spokers (thats ten altogether. :surprise: ) with the M insignia on them..

Those wheels are the easiest thing to spot from a distance... The crease/gap across the front of the seats for the adjustable thigh bolster is the giveaway on the sport seats.. Those could be a stand-alone option, but that would be unusual..

rworrell · August 2006

Actually, I think that all "ci" models have the Sport package suspension, but not all "ci" models have the Sport package seats. IIRC, the Sport package is significantly cheaper on coupes than on sedans for E46 because it's only an upgrade to seats, etc.

kominsky · August 2006

True... All coupes have sport suspension but not necessarily the sport package.

From the brochures (2001):

330Ci sport pack: M Double spoke wheels and sport seats

330Ci premium pack: moon roof, auto-dimming mirror, myrtle wood trim, 4-way power lumbar support, rain sensing wipers, and leather upholstery

330i sport pack: 3-spoke steering-wheel, sport suspension, M double spoke wheels, sport seats, M aerodynamic package

330i premium: moonroof, leather upholstery, myrtle wood trim, power drivers seat w/ power lumbar, seat/mirror memory, rain sensing wipers, and auto dimming mirror.

shipo · August 2006

Hmmm, did that change during the 2001 model year or for the 2002 run? I seem to remember that for the Sedan, all 3.0 liter offerings had the sport suspension (which started sometime after the 330i was launched) and that all 3.0 liter "ci" models had the full sport package.

Then again I suppose I could just be having a "Senior Moment". ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

jimbres · August 2006

As the owner of an '01 330i w/sport & premium pkgs, I can confirm that BMW made the sport suspension standard for all 3.0L models in late Feb. / early Mar. of 2001. (I had not yet pulled the trigger on my order at that time.)

Dunno about the coupes, but SP-equipped sedans came with round fog lamps.

bdkinnh · August 2006

Good info - thanks for all the replies everyone!

I have a lead on a 2002 330i sport/premium. Now I just need to find out if it's a manual or not, and decide if it's worth a little less than $2K more than the max I had planned on.

kominsky · August 2006

Shipo... I believe you are correct about the change in suspension on the 'i'. As for the 'Ci' sport-pack, it is still listed as an option in the 2004 coupe brochure. I gotta clean out these desk drawers one of these days... :-)

shipo · August 2006

Cool, thanks for the clarification, my memory is a little foggy these days.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dave330i · August 2006

Odometer rolled over to 30k miles today. Not bad for a '99.

abfisch · August 2006

Do anyone has any experience, with replacing the bushings on the control arms and sway bars, on the E-46 chassis. It seems that the BMW bushing tire at about 80K. I was wondering if any of you, instead of putting on BMW rubber bushing has upgraded to Powerflex PU bushings in the control arms, and what you experience has been both positive and negative.

abfisch

brave1heart · August 2006

My 2001 325i turned 100,000 miles a couple of weeks ago ;o) It's as good as ever!

brave1heart · August 2006

A good friend of mine put the Powerflex PU bushings in his 2001 330ci last year and he is claiming that they improved handling slightly. If I were to replace my control arms, I'd definitely get them. He got them from bimmerworld.

abfisch · August 2006

Thanks man. Did he replace just the CAB(Control Arm Bushings) front and rear and/or the sway bar bushings. I have had dramatic results with replacement PU bushings on a 02 Toyota Avalon and was wondering if the level was as dramatic and if any vibration got transmitted to the cabin. The believe it or not, sway bar bushings made a big difference as well but each adds a little less vibration dampening while holding the system geometry around neutral. Just wondering as BMW parts sometimes are excessive in costs.

abfisch

brave1heart · August 2006

He replaced the Control Arm Bushings in the front. You don't steer the rear wheels, so there are no control arms in the rear.

I think he still has the bushings that the UUC sway came with. No vibrations and the effect is not as dramatic.

BMW parts expensive? No way

) They need to pay for all that German engineering R&D, remember ;o)

dave330i · August 2006

My 2001 325i turned 100,000 miles a couple of weeks ago ;o) It's as good as ever!

That's good to hear. I sometimes miss my 330i. Mostly, when I end up driving my wife's toaster on longer trips. She can't deal with the harsher ride on the Coupe.

msandalis · August 2006

O.K., only 2 1/2 hours from my 2003 330i (SP pkg., 6 spd., sports seats, HK, all bells and whistles) being delivered and I can hardly sit down. My first BMW. I will let you guys know on the weekend how it goes and thanks for ansewering all my questions.

Michael

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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