You seem to be describing the exhaust header pipes, leading from the exhaust manifold to the first cat. If this is the case, this is [I think] plain old iron-based, and just like your brake rotors, will develop surface rust the first time it gets both wet and hot. The difference is that the pads scrub off the stuff on the brakes, but the pipes just sit there and stare at you. It is perfectly harmless, if a bit unsightly. There are various products out there to clean this up and make it look spiffy [spray paints that won't go away even at the superheated temps that are characteristic of the exhaust pipes].
Most of the back end of the system should be stainless steel, so even this surface veneer of rust doesn't happen.
I repeat: this may not look great, but it is harmless...
Although I have been reading this board for many months, this is my first post. Three weeks ago, I purchased a new 325i that was sitting on the dealer's lot. It had just been unloaded from the truck the night before. I jumped on the chance to buy it. The next day, while I was enjoying a little drive, a gentleman in a big truck didn't see his red light while I was making a left turn on a green arrow. He hit me broadside (passenger side) in excess of 50 mph. It pushed my car across 3 lanes of traffic into another car sitting at the light. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the car held up incredibly well. All the safety systems worked as advertised. Of course, the car was totaled. Naturally, once the insurance stuff was settled, I had my dealership looking for another one just like the first. I was fortunate that they had one almost like the first, but with the addition of the Premium Package. I would just like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences, which caused me to want the car in the first place. And now after the accident, I know that not only is it the "Ultimate Driving Machine", but also the Ultimate Safety Machine as well. It's a wonderful feeling to be driving such a car that handles so well, with the additional knowledge that if ever in an accident, the people inside will be protected like few other cars on the road. Thanks again for all your insight. I look forward to posting in the future.
I'm so glad you're ok! Accidents would be quite terrifying if they didn't just happen intantly. Nothing like having God and your BMW on your side keeping you safe!
I'm also happy you decided to get another BMW! I've been telling my wife how incredibly safe these cars in an accident. I now have one more story to show her.
Well, my saga continues. Some of you may remember that my one week old 330 xi got over heated for the second time. I was told by the service manager at my dealer to call the BMW Roadside Assistance for a tow truck. This happened on Tuesday. I kept on trying the 1-800 number from 7:00 PM till 10:30 PM with no luck. Finally, I went to sleep, and tried at 6:00 AM the next morning. I still got the same message " Due to heavy volume ...". Finally I was able to get through around 11:00 AM. I was able to get it to the dealer around 4:00 PM on Wednesday. I got the car fitted with a new electric fan on Friday and got the car back. This is where the second part of the saga begins.
Now my car idles rough; I hear a high pitch whine. Meanwhile, I have also noticed regular "boom" sound when I press the clutch to change the gear, and similar sound when I release it. It is not always there; but more often than not you can hear it clearly. It sounds like your audio system coming on after warming.
My quandary is that is it my driving style that is causing the problem? Or is there something wrong with the car? I live in Baltimore; I would appreciate it very much if anyone in the DC/Baltimore area has a xi with manual transmission and would let me ride with them to see whether other cars have similar problem.
And I am thinking of asking BMW for a new car if the problem persists. Again, I can understand these problems in a Hundai, but not in a BMW. I love the car very much. But there is only so much I can tolerate. I would appreciate your comments/thoughts very much.
As promised, I have taken a fairly good look at my exhaust system now that I am home. From what I can see (without putting my car up on a lift) the system is broken into the following sections:
1) Exhaust header (cannot see without being on lift) probably made out of cast iron. 2) Header pipes (2) Jrct9454 is correct, these appear to be steel (high iron content) pipes. 3) Catalytic converter (appears to have a stainless case). 4) Muffler pipe (cannot see, behind plate). 5) Muffler (appears to be stainless). 6) Resonator pipe (appears to be stainless). 7) Resonator (appears to be stainless). 8) Tail pipe "Y" (appears to be stainless).
There is an ever so light covering of rust on the header pipes, said covering is so insignificant that all of the weld marks and normal surface discoloration of that type of metal can still be seen after three winters and two summers. I would say that this system is likely to last at least 100,000 miles (if not twice that).
As far as the Cosmolene, here is a link that shows the "Patina" that Cosmolene causes. I think that this should put your mind to rest.
Since the wait for my 325i is killing me, I went over to the dealership today for another test drive. This time without my wife!!
No 325i manual on the lot , so the steptronic had to do. What a ride!!!!!!! This car just begs to be driven and driven hard and this 325i did not have sport package (mine on order doesn't as well) I can only imagine the drive with sport!
It's very true that until you drive a BMW inline 6, you don't know what you are missing. The engine feels alot more powerful than 184hp.
Will I notice an even more powerful drive with the manual????
You never cease to amaze with your wealth of knowledge! I feel a little more at ease now. But my discoloration seems a lot more pronounced than yours. I will definitely have the dealer check it out. If this is a common "problem" or occurence, I'm surprised I haven't heard of it before. It will be interesting to hear what other people are noticing. Too bad Braveheart is on vacation. Then again I wouldn't want him to worry about this on his trip.
My car should be shipping now. Can you take a look at the status and see the name of the ship/arrival date etc..... 325ci, titanium/black leather, manual, PP, SP, and CD for Crevier BMW in Santa Ana, CA. Thanks again.
I have not found any such device that covers the folded rear seats from seat to back hatch. If you find anything, will you please post the info? That could be very useful!
Well our "buddies" over at the "MB C-class vs BMW 3 series vs Lexus IS300 vs Audi A4" discussion could not make nice (what a surprise), they just got their discussion turned off.
In my opinion, we have the most civil and supportive group of folks here in the "BMW 3-Series" discussion that I have ever been fortunate enough to interact with, let us keep it that way. ;-)
Is this standard on the 330i? According to the 3-series brochure & BMW's web site, it is. But my car, which is now at my dealer & which will be delivered to me on Thursday, came through without it. My sales rep says that only the 330xi now gets this treatment? Is he right? My thanks to anyone who can refute/corroborate this.
Since the wait for my 325i is killing me, I went over to the dealership today for another test drive. This time without my wife!!
No 325i manual on the lot , so the steptronic had to do. What a ride!!!!!!! This car just begs to be driven and driven hard and this 325i did not have sport package (mine on order doesn't as well) I can only imagine the drive with sport!
It's very true that until you drive a BMW inline 6, you don't know what you are missing. The engine feels alot more powerful than 184hp.
Will I notice an even more powerful drive with the manual????
Has anyone (tcn2k) installed the chrome exhaust tips? I'd like to buy and install them on my 2000 323i. I'm not the handiest guy in the world, but I don't want to pay the dealer $30 for 5 minutes work, and go through the hassle of setting a service appointment.
silver/black 'ette fold down seats in dash CD player
I am having difficulty determining the steering rack version. I think that I will ask my neighbor for assistance. She has a '00 323i, prior to Nov. I expect that if I were to turn her wheel with the engine on and the car stationary, I could reasonably compare the two steering racks.
From the posts, the boosting is most pronounced when the car is either stationary or at a low speed.
I think that BMW may have increased the boost to facilitate one handed steering.
I had wanted to swap out the auxillary fan prior to accepting delivery of the car. I was able to determine that the fan is a Siemens but was unable to visualize the part number. However, several service managers in our area convinced me that the likelihood of a defective fan is low. Nevertheless, I do raise the hood every several days to manually turn the blades of the fan with the ignition off to confirm easy rotation, and I also inspect the housing for signs of corrosion.
Well, I have sold two Z3 cars off the 299 ad, one at 313 with metallic paint and CD, one at closer to 378 with steptronic, HK, premium pkg, met paint. We only made 800 on the special promo. Quite frankly if we were "working a deal" with a Z3 client, if the 299 ad was what they'd seen, we'd do the same deal (mark up) on a car with options. Seems odd that they'd essentially refuse to do the same deal on your spec car. I'm pretty sure if you phone around (quickly as that deal goes away on Saturday evening) and find some one with the spec of car you'd like, tell them you want to do the special lease, but on that car and I'm certain you'll get your deal. It should be around 500 - 1000 below. Good luck!
jimbres, My daughter's 330xi, delivered in May 2001, does _not_ have the titanium headlight trim, even with HIDs. I know it is a matter of personal taste, but I like the way the headlight covers blend into the body rather than being visually separated with metal trim.
uge123 & wagonmaster Thanks for feedback on the wagon mat. My daughter & I are sharing the BMW luggage mat (I particularly like the 1 inch lip on all sides) but was looking for something to cover the whole area. I'll look into the Honda Odyssey mat route. Keep the (wagon) tips coming, they are greater appreciated. BTW, I purchased the BMW "base" supports for the roof rack. They are a really nice, precision piece of equipment. I enjoy the ease with which they install and remove (which I suspect is very similar to your base units). I use them for an occasional 12 ft piece of wood or mattress.
shipo, Thanks also for the tip on steering wheel scan feature. So may 'hidden' features. I've read the manual thoroughly but will now take alpine's lead and start looking at the video tapes. Been too busy driving %-)
Thanks, allano. I also posted this question to bimmer.org; 1 responder said that his 330i came through without the trim but that he learned from BMWNA that the omission of the trim was a mistake. As a result, his dealer will order & install the trim at no charge.
I don't understand why anyone would want to waste their time arguing over who's car is flat out better. I guess some people would rather debate over Car-and-Driver stats and Consumer Report figures than share their opinions on strictly why they made the choice they made. I didn't test drive the C-class, because I thought the 320 had too high a premium for what I really wanted and the 240 was just plain underpowered. They are certainly no slouches in style and interior decor, however...one of my neighbors has a new C320. The IS300 was no slouch in the 'fun to drive' factor with its nimble handling, 'stop on a dime' braking, and more than sufficient acceleration for an automatic. I'm sure Lexus will pull in more sales in August when they unveil the sportier mamual version. However, unlike the MB, I couldn't get used to the style. The 325i FOR ME had the best of both worlds at an affordable price....hope I receive it soon and be able to share my experiences with everyone here.....and yes, steel gray w/ black interior seems to be a popular combination....I liked darker colors and wanted something a little more masculine, I guess...I wouldn't mind test driving the 2002 Audi A4, however....looks to be a winner for Audi...
Are you out there? I would still like to hear your description of the cloth seats you got -- texture, color (any pattern), anything else you can think to add. Also, will the dealer be able to provide all the ordering information or do you have to go to another source for this information?
I appreciate your help, as do most of the members of this board. I'm glad I passed on the "$500 over" offer. Still seems odd that many dealers choose NOT to honor the promotion that BMW NA is promoting. Maybe they're hesitant due to the fact that they have to trade allocations with other dealers to get the right combination of options? I'll probably call around to dealers within a 300-mile radius today to see if they have a "stipper" (CD, Metallic) on inventory and are willing to honor the promo. Thx again!
I am not an engineer or car expert, and I don't have my car yet, so I feel very underequipped to contribute to this board lately. That said, I am looking forward to getting my car in 3 or 4 weeks.
According to BMWNA, I am in status "182" which means that my car has been loaded on a train and is on its way to the port. Hopefully will be loaded on a ship and en route to the US by the end of the week.
Can't wait to give the forum my thoughts on driving this wonderful machine. Less than a month to go!
Headlight trim - BMW do not build cars incorrectly. They have some bizarre, uncanny ability to not make mistakes. This intrigues me as it is "normal" to see the odd mistake every once in a while, with BMW it's yet to happen (I've been with BMW for almost seven years). I reckon it was around March production that the new thinking on the head light trim came about. Sport package 330 SEDANS do not now come with the trim inserts. This model skips the trim as it does not have the painted bumpers that match. I should point out that I figured this out myself, but of all the cars we've had in the last few weeks (including yours truly) have been this way. Now someone tell me they have a non-sport package w/out the trim to make me look silly !!
eug - it's left Germany, with an arrival into Oxnard of 7/21 so you'll be picking it up around the 28th.
cloth seats - I WILL post some good pics !! I've really been slammed these last few days, sales are rocking! I am thrilled with my cloth seats. It's really a wonderful quality woven cloth. Totally different than the material you'd see in a Camry or domestic car. A really nice material to sit in. It's in a kind of pattern, rather tough to describe so please bear with me while I get some pics done.
Man, I feel your anticipation as well....mine has been sitting at the port for a good two weeks it seems. It almost feels like something could go wrong at any second and I'll never receive it...my salesguy reassures me that it will be here at the end of July as previously stated...which model and options did you request for and why?
In fact, if anyone could have only 2 options for their 3er, what would they be and why?
The exhaust tip is fairly easy to install, but at first, it is really hard to get the tip around the tail pipe. Try twisting it until it gets partially in, if it stops going in, take a bath towel and wrap it around a cut off 2 x 4 wood. Put it at then end of the tip and use a hammer to lightly hammer it in. Of course lightly, you don't have to do it like your driving in a nail! It will slowly move in, then tighten the bolt on the chrome tip and that is it..... The chrome tip should sit flush with the tail pipe (meaning it should sit all the way in). If you keep pulling the tip in and out like i did, because circle gave me a bolt without the nut. I had to go to one of the hardware store to look for the nut, the tip becomes very easy in and out, thus bolting it down is needed. It took me about 5 minute to put it in, but actual time of going to look for the nut was like an hour long. That bonus was free from circle bmw, who i will never go back to.... Pacific bmw, try them!
Thanks for your explanation. Reducing the amount of brightwork on an SP-equipped car makes sense. IMHO, the headlight surrounds neither hurt nor help the car's appearance.
Xenons - because they really are so darn cool. Tough to spend $500 to improve on headlights that were already superior to anything you'd ever have seen before, but they rock!
CD in dash - with HK standard on 330, all you need is a CD.
Third? - I did get a sport package. But unless you really have to have the body kit, wheels or seats, remember all 330s have 17s as standard and sport suspension is also now standard so it's not quite as necessary as it may previously have been. I really think the car, for the average punter, may almost ride too firm now. I believe the car would likely have been better overall to live with with the "normal" suspension; not like a 330i with 17s and non-sport suspension would be a bad handler! Of course, if someone picked the premium package as one of those two options, then for the same price you could have had all of my options (Incidently, I did order my car that way - cloth, no leather, and no moonroof!).
Actually, my wife just got a 2.5 Z3 last month - we missed out on the extra $1000 rebate and got a 300 money factor instead of 230. DOH!!! Oh well, such is life. The only way to really get that deal is to find a dealer with it in stock. There's not enough profit to trade around.
"Stripper" - That's what you'll find at the airport, we call it a "Strippy".
I just called BMWNA, and they said that my car will be finished with inspection by today and should be delivered to my dealership by 6/28!! I may be able to take delivery by as early as this Friday! Holy cow!
Tchoo--you might wanna check yours as well. Where are you located?
Thanks for the info again. You've done a great service in keeping the board informed. Now I've got to go make room in the garage for the new toy. I can't wait.
...I could get my car as early as late next week! I can't wait. I feel as if minutes have turned into hours and hours into days and days into weeks. Aargh!
Cloth seats are a no-cost option over leatherette in Canada. Mine are Anthracite Sport cloth. While I would have preferred the look of leatherette, the cloth is more comfortable temperature wise. They are sturdy (not velour), and the central panel has a pattern. This is a 98 with 50k on it and the seats are in very good condition. The fabric hasn't faded/frayed/stretched. Haven't paid much attention to them as I've only had the car a couple of days. The leatherette was the only thing off my wish list missing on this car.
But it drives like a dream...I actually WANT to drive. I walked up to it in the parking lot yesterday and broke into the widest grin upon seeing it...This baby is beautiful and its all MINE!!!
Wow, didn't know that! I guess if the sport seats and 3-spoke steering wheel are not high on anyone's list, the 330i is closing the gap between paying a high premium for the 3.0 liter engine. I mean, since leather is included in the PP and HK is standard, depending on what's important to the buyer, you may come away with a better deal than I had imagined.
Anyways, my 2 choices for a 325i are:
1) SP: I wouldn't had said this in the beginning, but now that I think about it, you really can't beat this deal for some 17 inchers and heftier rims, a tighter suspension, sportier seats and steering wheel....of course, it is a better deal for the 325s...
2) Xenons: As much as like leather in cars, I think the Xenons are an outright better deal for some tremendous visibility on some of the worst unlit roads in Dallas...that, and yes, they do grab your attention! As much as I'd like the CD player, I listen to the stations probably 75-80% of the time anyways....-
What a pleasant surprise! I went to the dealership yesterday for the Susan G. Kormen Ultimate Drive. Drove a Z3 3.0 with M steering wheel. It was sweet, but I felt it was not as refined as a 3-series. Something raw and visceral about the roadster. But boy does it stick to the tarmac like glue, it took tight turnpike entry/exit ramps at 60+ without a hitch. I felt a little self conscious in a convertible with the Ultimate Drive checkered logo on it though. Anyway, my dealer said I might see it at the end of the week, guess he was right. This is great news! The anticipation is killing me. I'm located in MA, dealer is in Natick.
I'm sorry to post about this again, but I just cant decide on the interior color. I'm getting black exterior, and I can decide on grey or black leather. Which one would be harder to maintain? Which one looks better?
Well, I'd go with the sand if I could, but since this doesn't seem to be an option, I'd go with gray to offset the exterior...it would also probably be a tad less to maintain since it's lighter...
My 330ci shipped around the 13th of this month. I live on the east coast. I am wondering if I should get it by this week. "Deepdarkblu" when did your car leave Germany?
Just was told another 1-2 months before mine (325i, step, black ext and int, premium) arrives. It's already been 1 month...I know it's worth the wait, but tell me again....it's worth the wait..right?!?!?
Yes the ship that docked today in NJ left Germany on the 13th. BMWNA rep said that work orders have been issued today and the cars are due to be trucked to the dealers on 6/28. I'm in MA so I expect to receive it by Friday or Saturday.
As for interior colors, I have a Jet Black exterior and chose to go with the Black leatherette. I'd actually prefer sand for the contrast, but my wife hates it.
Genie1 & gurumike - thanks for the input on the cloth. I really think cloth is a better way to go if you live in extreme heat. Since my car is parked in a garage at both home/work, I may be able to live with leatherette -- I need to do some testing. Leather over leatherette would be an option for me ONLY to get the color interior I want, which leads to ....
COLORS - it seems to me that dark exteriors are best complemented by light interiors and vice versa. So, for a black exterior, I would probably vote for sand first, then grey. That's NOT to say black wouldn't also work. Here's my complete list of exteriors/favorite interiors:
Black / sand White / red or black or sand about equal Red / sand
Silver / red Green / sand Black Sapphire / sand Grey / red (but BMW doesn't offer) so grey then black Sienna / sand
Orient Blue / sand Topaz Blue / black or sand Steel Blue / red (I notice BMW doesn't even allow this combo so I must be wrong!)
I'm sure everyone feels the same way I do! LOL
Xenons - ever since USA Today did an article on these, I've been wavering. One thing that struck me was that auto stylists love Xenons (HIDs to be more correct) because they can reduce the size of the headlights and still get adequate light for driving. This tells me that the Xenons deliver more light THAN IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. I also am not seeing the mass migration to these headlights by all the automakers that everyone has been predicting.
The Z3 2.5 would also be for my wife -- she certainly deserves it! You're right -- the options (or lack of) that I want are in very short supply here in the midwest -- they must all go to "sunnier" dealer allocations! As such, the best deal I have gotten is about $200 over invoice. The dealer would have to trade cars and have the car shipped or driven in to make the sale. I was hoping for invoice or under, but looks like all dealers are in this situation (unless I can locate a dealer within 300 miles with one in stock!). Thx again for all the input!
IMO black is the easiest to maintain because it doesn't show stains as readily as the lighter colors. I've had two bimmers with black interiors, and even with age, they still look nice on the inside. I have another vehicle with a grey interior, which although makes the car feel larger, shows stains very quickly.
Black/black is a love/hate combination though. I personally don't like the way the lighter interior colors contrast with the black dash and wheel. Grey will offer a "warmer" feel, while black is more sporty.
gbmw - you'll be picking it up at your dealer in the second week of July.
aaron330i - I've been musing over my next stereo system. With getting a new car each year, it's always fun to see how extreme I can go with each cars stereo. I've decided I'd like MP3 playback ability but I'm now thinking I'd like to stick with the OEM head unit rather than using an adapter and getting that new JVC CD radio that's CD-R/CD-RW compatible (the cool silver one!). I'd like to retain volume on steering wheel features. The only way I can see that I'll be able to do this would be to find an MP3 "changer" or in any event, it's going to necessitate going through the RF plug (the radio antennae). It's not possible to use the factory prewire CD changer set-up as they (Alpine) use a unique (non-industry standard) shape optical conector in the trunk (to stop you from buying the same CD changer at Circuit City instead of the BMW dealer). I think Rockford Fosgate makes an MP3 flash card player that works like the changer would. I should have done my research before making this post! I'll get back to you with info as I find it (in the next 24hours).
Comments
Most of the back end of the system should be stainless steel, so even this surface veneer of rust doesn't happen.
I repeat: this may not look great, but it is harmless...
The next day, while I was enjoying a little drive, a gentleman in a big truck didn't see his red light while I was making a left turn on a green arrow. He hit me broadside (passenger side) in excess of 50 mph. It pushed my car across 3 lanes of traffic into another car sitting at the light. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the car held up incredibly well. All the safety systems worked as advertised. Of course, the car was totaled.
Naturally, once the insurance stuff was settled, I had my dealership looking for another one just like the first. I was fortunate that they had one almost like the first, but with the addition of the Premium Package.
I would just like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences, which caused me to want the car in the first place. And now after the accident, I know that not only is it the "Ultimate Driving Machine", but also the Ultimate Safety Machine as well. It's a wonderful feeling to be driving such a car that handles so well, with the additional knowledge that if ever in an accident, the people inside will be protected like few other cars on the road.
Thanks again for all your insight. I look forward to posting in the future.
Thanks,
Greg
your comments are somewhat reassuring. I'm still not sure tho why the dealer is blaming the cosmolene. maybe it is both.
greg
glad to hear you're ok.
I'm also happy you decided to get another BMW! I've been telling my wife how incredibly safe these cars in an accident. I now have one more story to show her.
Now my car idles rough; I hear a high pitch whine. Meanwhile, I have also noticed regular "boom" sound when I press the clutch to change the gear, and similar sound when I release it. It is not always there; but more often than not you can hear it clearly. It sounds like your audio system coming on after warming.
My quandary is that is it my driving style that is causing the problem? Or is there something wrong with the car? I live in Baltimore; I would appreciate it very much if anyone in the DC/Baltimore area has a xi with manual transmission and would let me ride with them to see whether other cars have similar problem.
And I am thinking of asking BMW for a new car if the problem persists. Again, I can understand these problems in a Hundai, but not in a BMW. I love the car very much. But there is only so much I can tolerate. I would appreciate your comments/thoughts very much.
1) Exhaust header (cannot see without being on lift) probably made out of cast iron.
2) Header pipes (2) Jrct9454 is correct, these appear to be steel (high iron content) pipes.
3) Catalytic converter (appears to have a stainless case).
4) Muffler pipe (cannot see, behind plate).
5) Muffler (appears to be stainless).
6) Resonator pipe (appears to be stainless).
7) Resonator (appears to be stainless).
8) Tail pipe "Y" (appears to be stainless).
There is an ever so light covering of rust on the header pipes, said covering is so insignificant that all of the weld marks and normal surface discoloration of that type of metal can still be seen after three winters and two summers. I would say that this system is likely to last at least 100,000 miles (if not twice that).
As far as the Cosmolene, here is a link that shows the "Patina" that Cosmolene causes. I think that this should put your mind to rest.
http://www.arizonaresponsesystems.com/finish/m3cp.htm
Best Regards,
Shipo
No 325i manual on the lot , so the steptronic had to do. What a ride!!!!!!! This car just begs to be driven and driven hard and this 325i did not have sport package (mine on order doesn't as well) I can only imagine the drive with sport!
It's very true that until you drive a BMW inline 6, you don't know what you are missing. The engine feels alot more powerful than 184hp.
Will I notice an even more powerful drive with the manual????
Thanks in advance
-eug
I have not found any such device that covers the folded rear seats from seat to back hatch. If you find anything, will you please post the info? That could be very useful!
http://www.zymol.com/strik2.htm
urge-- There's an old saying:"One person is a fanatic, two people are a conspiracy, but three people are a Movement". Power to the Wagonpeople!
In my opinion, we have the most civil and supportive group of folks here in the "BMW 3-Series" discussion that I have ever been fortunate enough to interact with, let us keep it that way. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
No 325i manual on the lot , so the steptronic had to do. What a ride!!!!!!! This car just begs to be driven and driven hard and this 325i did not have sport package (mine on order doesn't as well) I can only imagine the drive with sport!
It's very true that until you drive a BMW inline 6, you don't know what you are missing. The engine feels alot more powerful than 184hp.
Will I notice an even more powerful drive with the manual????
Thanks in advance
Especially, that silverlex guy...man what a piece of work. I guess he just loves his IS300...
Thanks Pat for closing it!
M3 Frank
Thanks,
Dave 323
silver/black 'ette
fold down seats
in dash CD player
I am having difficulty determining the steering rack version. I think that I will ask my neighbor for assistance. She has a '00 323i, prior to Nov. I expect that if I were to turn her wheel with the engine on and the car stationary, I could reasonably compare the two steering racks.
From the posts, the boosting is most pronounced when the car is either stationary or at a low speed.
I think that BMW may have increased the boost to facilitate one handed steering.
I had wanted to swap out the auxillary fan prior to accepting delivery of the car. I was able to determine that the fan is a Siemens but was unable to visualize the part number. However, several service managers in our area convinced me that the likelihood of a defective fan is low. Nevertheless, I do raise the hood every several days to manually turn the blades of the fan with the ignition off to confirm easy rotation, and I also inspect the housing for signs of corrosion.
The car far exceeds my expectations.
My daughter's 330xi, delivered in May 2001, does _not_ have the titanium headlight trim, even with HIDs. I know it is a matter of personal taste, but I like the way the headlight covers blend into the body rather than being visually separated with metal trim.
uge123 & wagonmaster
Thanks for feedback on the wagon mat. My daughter & I are sharing the BMW luggage mat (I particularly like the 1 inch lip on all sides) but was looking for something to cover the whole area. I'll look into the Honda Odyssey mat route. Keep the (wagon) tips coming, they are greater appreciated.
BTW, I purchased the BMW "base" supports for the roof rack. They are a really nice, precision piece of equipment. I enjoy the ease with which they install and remove (which I suspect is very similar to your base units). I use them for an occasional 12 ft piece of wood or mattress.
shipo,
Thanks also for the tip on steering wheel scan feature. So may 'hidden' features. I've read the manual thoroughly but will now take alpine's lead and start looking at the video tapes. Been too busy driving %-)
Alan
According to BMWNA, I am in status "182" which means that my car has been loaded on a train and is on its way to the port. Hopefully will be loaded on a ship and en route to the US by the end of the week.
Can't wait to give the forum my thoughts on driving this wonderful machine. Less than a month to go!
eug - it's left Germany, with an arrival into Oxnard of 7/21 so you'll be picking it up around the 28th.
cloth seats - I WILL post some good pics !! I've really been slammed these last few days, sales are rocking! I am thrilled with my cloth seats. It's really a wonderful quality woven cloth. Totally different than the material you'd see in a Camry or domestic car. A really nice material to sit in. It's in a kind of pattern, rather tough to describe so please bear with me while I get some pics done.
In fact, if anyone could have only 2 options for their 3er, what would they be and why?
CD in dash - with HK standard on 330, all you need is a CD.
Third? - I did get a sport package. But unless you really have to have the body kit, wheels or seats, remember all 330s have 17s as standard and sport suspension is also now standard so it's not quite as necessary as it may previously have been. I really think the car, for the average punter, may almost ride too firm now. I believe the car would likely have been better overall to live with with the "normal" suspension; not like a 330i with 17s and non-sport suspension would be a bad handler!
Of course, if someone picked the premium package as one of those two options, then for the same price you could have had all of my options (Incidently, I did order my car that way - cloth, no leather, and no moonroof!).
"Stripper" - That's what you'll find at the airport, we call it a "Strippy".
Tchoo--you might wanna check yours as well. Where are you located?
But it shall end soon and all will be well.
I've got a portable CD/MP3 player that I'd love to have tapped into the car's audio system. Has anyone done this, and what do I need to do?
I've got the in-dash CD, so I can't use the cheesy cassette adapter.
But it drives like a dream...I actually WANT to drive. I walked up to it in the parking lot yesterday and broke into the widest grin upon seeing it...This baby is beautiful and its all MINE!!!
Anyways, my 2 choices for a 325i are:
1) SP: I wouldn't had said this in the beginning, but now that I think about it, you really can't beat this deal for some 17 inchers and heftier rims, a tighter suspension, sportier seats and steering wheel....of course, it is a better deal for the 325s...
2) Xenons: As much as like leather in cars, I think the Xenons are an outright better deal for some tremendous visibility on some of the worst unlit roads in Dallas...that, and yes, they do grab your attention! As much as I'd like the CD player, I listen to the stations probably 75-80% of the time anyways....-
Anyway, my dealer said I might see it at the end of the week, guess he was right. This is great news! The anticipation is killing me. I'm located in MA, dealer is in Natick.
I'm getting black exterior, and I can decide on grey or black leather.
Which one would be harder to maintain?
Which one looks better?
Please help. I need opinions.
Thank you
Josh
Thanks
As for interior colors, I have a Jet Black exterior and chose to go with the Black leatherette. I'd actually prefer sand for the contrast, but my wife hates it.
COLORS - it seems to me that dark exteriors are best complemented by light interiors and vice versa. So, for a black exterior, I would probably vote for sand first, then grey. That's NOT to say black wouldn't also work. Here's my complete list of exteriors/favorite interiors:
Black / sand
White / red or black or sand about equal
Red / sand
Silver / red
Green / sand
Black Sapphire / sand
Grey / red (but BMW doesn't offer) so grey then black
Sienna / sand
Orient Blue / sand
Topaz Blue / black or sand
Steel Blue / red (I notice BMW doesn't even allow this combo so I must be wrong!)
I'm sure everyone feels the same way I do! LOL
Xenons - ever since USA Today did an article on these, I've been wavering. One thing that struck me was that auto stylists love Xenons (HIDs to be more correct) because they can reduce the size of the headlights and still get adequate light for driving. This tells me that the Xenons deliver more light THAN IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. I also am not seeing the mass migration to these headlights by all the automakers that everyone has been predicting.
Black/black is a love/hate combination though. I personally don't like the way the lighter interior colors contrast with the black dash and wheel. Grey will offer a "warmer" feel, while black is more sporty.
gbmw - you'll be picking it up at your dealer in the second week of July.
aaron330i - I've been musing over my next stereo system. With getting a new car each year, it's always fun to see how extreme I can go with each cars stereo. I've decided I'd like MP3 playback ability but I'm now thinking I'd like to stick with the OEM head unit rather than using an adapter and getting that new JVC CD radio that's CD-R/CD-RW compatible (the cool silver one!). I'd like to retain volume on steering wheel features. The only way I can see that I'll be able to do this would be to find an MP3 "changer" or in any event, it's going to necessitate going through the RF plug (the radio antennae). It's not possible to use the factory prewire CD changer set-up as they (Alpine) use a unique (non-industry standard) shape optical conector in the trunk (to stop you from buying the same CD changer at Circuit City instead of the BMW dealer). I think Rockford Fosgate makes an MP3 flash card player that works like the changer would. I should have done my research before making this post! I'll get back to you with info as I find it (in the next 24hours).
1) SP - for the tighter suspension more than anything else, but the added lower back support is also nice
2) Metallic Paint - I'm not satisfied with the basic colors, but could live with them if that's all there was.