BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

tenet1 · July 2001

Looking to order a 2001 325i with premium package, leather, Xenon, heated seats, 6CD, Mettalic paint, Automatic. Does anyone know what the fair price over invoice is for such a car in the Virginia/DC area?

If so is there any dealer you can recommend in this area that is good to deal with??

Any help will be really appreciated.

Thanks

shap1 · July 2001

I negotiated the deal, did the paperwork, paid 'em and drove off in my 325 the same day. The whole thing took about 2 hours tops. They shouldn't hold things up, especially with a cashiers check.

I would insist on taking the car that day.

aaron330i · July 2001

HMmm....that's how I'm going to pay for part of it.

jnscheong · July 2001

I went with my younger brother to pick up his A4 last week. He wrote 3 separate personal checks from 3 separate accounts and the dealer had no problem whatsoever.

I would definitely insist on taking possession of the car when the check changes hand.

jnscheong

gurumike · July 2001

This stunning information just crossed my desk, no, I saw it on a web site. Some where.

Apparently this was leaked from a top secret Toyota Japan business meeting:-

"...we feel that The Americans have just about all latched onto the realization that our cars, no matter how fine they are, can no longer be palmed off as "just like a BMW/MBZ" just because we put some chrome wheels on them, change the badging system to mimic the Germans and run ads with soft lighting, smooth jazz and only just in focus camera work."
" Gentlemen, it seems that every one we could kid into getting one of our cars (because the sticker price is the same, so it must be the same type of car, right?) has had one and gone back to a real premium car."

And here comes the most staggering news in the car world ----

"Gentleman, here is our future: We will merge with Kia and Daewoo and quickly swap the badges for some new ones and try to swing another 10 years worth of pulling the wool over their eyes"

In response to the question "will this be a world wide policy?" The President of Toyota said "no, we'll only pursue this project in America. It seems American are so focused on having the next guy in the street be impressed be a "luxury" car that it's the only country it will work in"

gurumike · July 2001

I just saw, on the news (it may have been a web site I can no longer remember to URL for):

The chiefs at both Toyota and Honda are competing for the acquisition of cash strapped Daewoo Motors. Both chairmen are quoted as saying:

"We've always been MASSIVE fans of the Kia Pride and the Daewoo Lanos is the type of engineered car we hope one day to build. It stunned ours top designers when it was launched a few years ago. We've always thought of it as a Korean Lexu.., sorry Toyota."
"We're very excited to acquire such an advanced auto maker to help us further our product. Next year, we're planning on a merger with Russia's jewel in the crown Lada car maker.

I really, truly saw this and it's definatley true. I can provide any proof of these claims.

dl7265 · July 2001

let me guess that was from Lexus in 1989 ?

So, i stopped by Classic today to look around and salesman told me i could order a MY 01 for another 45-60 days < i guess ive wore out my welcome at this dealership lol > .

Armrest, decided to get one even though i have sport seats, Gurumike do you know if the Grey Vinal armrest matches up ok or do i need to get the Grey leather ? Also who has the best pricing ? Sorry but Bimmer.Org is down now due to some crappy new browser, so i asked here.

Thanks in advance.
DL

tchoo · July 2001

PRESS RELEASE
July 2nd, 2001, Tokyo - Beginning in model year 2002, Acura will rebadge and market the Trabant to compete with the BMW Mini Cooper. It will be available with reinforced cardboard doors, turbocharged 2-stroke 300cc engine, and will do 50mpg on regular cooking oil. Prices start at $499 and options include solid rubber tyres on 9" cast iron wheels.

burrsr · July 2001

My dealer even let me pay them the NEXT day after we picked up our Z3. I had brought the wrong checkbook (wanted to use home equity line for down payment) so they let me out with a new car and a verbal IOU. Of course, true to my word, I dropped the check off the following day minutes after the dealership opened.

Can't think of a legit reason why they would have posed this to you...

fzhang875576 · July 2001

http://www.km77.com/marcas/bmw/serie3_02/0primera/galeria.asp

gurumike · July 2001

I have sport seats and armrest and I have absolutely no ergonomic clash with it. I seems perfectly located and at just the right height. My '97 M3 had no armrest (it became standard in 98) and after my '96 328iS which had the armrest, I decided to spend the $300 odd it cost to get it in there. I think the leather armrest only costs about $40 more than leatherette and would be the best option if you have a grey leather interior. I have anthracite interior with black armrest which looks clearly darker (it's black !) than the cloth. It looks great. I think it would work either way.

As for installation, I'd see if your local dealers parts dept can sell you the armrest at the same price as some of the internet specials some dealers offer. Buy it and then (or a week before to allow for booked up days) call the service dept and ask how much $$$ they want to install it. Unless you're 100% certain you can do it yourself and have experience in this job, it's worth spending "too much money" to have it done right. Just my opinion.

bmw323is · July 2001

I received the August Motor Trend today and they had a 3-car comparison they called "Speed Wars." The cars were the M3, Corvette Z06 and the Boxster S. Didn't read the whole article yet (very long), but I took a quick look at the stats. It's very interesting, but not surprising, that the Z06 won all of the numbers games - acceleration, braking, slalom (the M3 tied the 'vette here), skidpad and road course. At the end they asked all of the testers which car they would buy, and it was unanimous - the M3! Chief editor Van Tune says, "It's the best all around performance car on the market."

A while back one poster that was writing a school paper wanted to know why we buy BMW's over the other cars. It's just the whole wonderful package!

bmw323is · July 2001

allono, no problem with the advise on the air conditioning. It certainly could have made sense to turn the temp all the way down to 59. After all, in a normal climate system, I wouldn't set the temp dial in the middle if I wanted the coldest air. Although I'm sure gurumike is right when he says "set it and forged-abowd-it".

That said - if I'm in an elevator with the guru and the cable breaks and he says it won't do any good to jump just before it hits the bottom - I'm still jumpin'.

carpevino · July 2001

Looking for a rear seat cover. Any suggestions for websites offering bmw accessories.

fajoza45 · July 2001

i've gotten mixed opinions on the 318ti, can everyone that is on, tell me what they think about the vehicle, personal experiences with the car would be greatly appriciated..
please respond guys..

dl7265 · July 2001

I have not had many local Dallas dealers willing to match prices on anything.....cars or parts

Regards,
Dl

div2 · July 2001

Some folks believe the ti isn't a true BMW. They are fools. I special ordered a 1995 Club Sport and have put nearly 60,000 miles on it. Non scheduled maintenance has consisted of a SRS light reset and replacement of the fuel senders and alarm module under warranty. The car sees a fair amount of track time and is well maintained but not babied. IMHO, it is one of the most entertaining BMWs you can own short of an M3.

daswolf · July 2001

Ordered an Orient Blue 325i with Step, PP, Xenon, in-dash CD, and Cold Weather Package on 6/15. checked BMWUSA Owner's Circle and there is now a VIN for the car. Is there any way I can confirm that it is built in Germany not S. Africa? I live in Massachusetts. Are there any issues with S. Africa build cars?

I promised myself when I ordered the car that I wouldn't check on it at Owner's Circle for a month and that I wouldn't read this forum more than once a week. Of course I've done both everyday. At least I've only called the dealer once.

jnscheong · July 2001

VIN decoding info can be found here

http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/

Don't know of any issue with South Africa built cars other than the slightly longer wait.

Don't beat yourself up. You are not the only one going crazy during the wait. :-)

jnscheong

gurumike · July 2001

Is yours dealer in Peabody, MA? If so and yours is the one with sand leatherette, I can confirm that it is being built, as we speak, in Germany. Well, it's may be in production or about to be. It's in 150 status today so it should be a finished car this time next week. If that's not it, tell me interior color and who's your dealer (daddy?).

daswolf · July 2001

yes, BMW of Peabody and sand leatherette!

As a grown man, I'm a little embarassed to be this excited over finding out that a car is about to be in production.

gurumike · July 2001

... to finally respond to denrights request that you admit the entire story to be a lie. Good effort with the slur of a second paragraph as some effort to take the focus away from the first (which is no doubt a total fabrication).

I was actually about to go to Autoweek.com to look for this quote. But then I just pictured this wood boy with a 3 foot nose and decided it wasn't worth wasting the time. Sad really as it might be true.

gurumike · July 2001

frank69m · July 2001

Why don'tyou post us a URL to autoweek in regards to this article?

BTW...Autoweek magazine sucks big ones. I'm sure GM will help BMW built a better car.

M3 Frank

Ignore my message and you are a jerk :-)

gurumike · July 2001

There's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's more exciting than you even know right now! You should have it in about a month or so.

andyr4 · July 2001

Yesterday I read about someone installing chrome exhaust pipes on their new 3 series and I would like to do the same on mine. Where can I find the pipes? I feel fairly confident that I can do the installation myself. Thanks.

gurumike · July 2001

Just call your local parts dept. That item would usually be in stock. And yes, they are quite easy to install.

alpine325i · July 2001

I think you could cash in by writing sci-fi novels. (I forgot, the sign says: Please do not feed the trolls, especially after midnight, you know, kinda like those mogwai in the "Gremlins" movie).

add123 · July 2001

I have had my 330i for about a week and a half and I must say that it is an exceptional vehicle. This is my first BMW. It includes the SP, PP, Auto and Leather. When accelarating it seems to have a slight delay. I am not sure if it is the pedal or what? It is even more noticeable when in sport mode. Does anyone know if this is normal?

Reference the post on the passenger side mirror tilting down while in reverse, I believe it is a standard feature on 330 models. Also, the mirror adjuster must be pushed to the left for it to work.

Thx,
add123

alpine325i · July 2001

Sorry for such a late post. After reading your post about the 2004 vette, I'm keeping my car at this time. If I decide to sell the 325i later on I would like to get a 330i with SP, Step, Xenons, CD, and Leather. I was walking around my dealers lot earlier tonight and saw some nice 330's with the sport package and leather. Man, I was jonesin' bigtime. I can't afford to buy one, but I can lease one!

)

dantlo · July 2001

You have describe it perfectly.When I bought my car, it was Jan still cool weather. I live in Southern California, its been 90 degrees and up everyday. I will take the car in again sometime this week. Where are you in U.S? I plan to take it back to the dealer where I bought the car from.They could not fix it the first time,but I will describe it the way you had mentioned to them. I am really glad that you could help. I told my wife when I found out this problem, she thought I was imagining things!!
Dan

deepdarkblue · July 2001

First, let me say that I feel bad that you're going through such grief. At the very least, just know that you will really love your car (and no matter how crappy your salesperson has been/is, your car will make up for it--but that's still no excuse for such LAME customer service). I believe your dealer is what's known in layman's terms as "messed up." This guy seem to be hell bent on providing you with everything but a pleasurable and seamless buying experience. He won't give you dates for delivery, won't return your messages. Now he says you can't take delivery the same day? What is wrong with this guy? It's like he's asking you for a bad review (you should honor that request).

My dealer even said that if I couldn't bring payment in the same day, she would just have me sign a promissory note to pay up to a few days later. Most dealers are willing to do that. If you're bringing money (even a personal check) they SHOULD/MUST give you the car on the same day. That whole line about registering the car is a joke. I filled out registration papers on the spot--it's an application for registration that the dealer sends to the DMV. They provide you w/ a temporary registration until the DMV gives you the real one. Don't accept whatever he's saying. Talk to his manager if you need to, but that's ridiculous.

My salesperson (Nancy Gundry of BMW of Arlington, Virginia) called me every day the entire week before delivery, scheduled an appointment with me, had the car polished up and placed smack in the middle of the showroom, gave me the review of the car's operations, let me test drive it before I paid, got me in and out of finance in 20 minutes, threw in mats, wheel locks, and a $22 BMW keychain, took my photo (and mailed them to me), then gave me a hug and said she had fun working for me. I wish everyone had the same experience.

I hope your guy redeems himself and fast. If you're paying $30K+ for a car, you should get treated well. Your guy should change jobs to a gravedigger b/c it seems he's really good with a shovel.

dantlo · July 2001

Do you think your gas pedal is sticky like mine and carpevino's?

allano · July 2001

I also live in MA and believe you can register the car on the same day as delivery. I bought in Nashua, NH so I took care of the MA registration myself.
The process was pretty painless but I did take the day off to have enough time to correct possible 'gotchas'. Before delivery day, I called my insurance company and, at the dealer's recommendation, had them FAX an RMV-1 (proof of insurance) form to the dealer. On delivery day, I went to the bank for a cashier's check and then to the dealer to pay/sign papers for the car. The dealer gave me a port of entry "title", the RMV-1 form filled in and one other form for the RMV. Took about 1/2 hour. I had no wait at the RMV (Registry of Motor Vehicles) on a Thursday at ~1:30PM to pay the MA tax, get the registration and new plates (the old ones were 20 years old). Went back to the dealer at the scheduled 3:30PM appointment to take delivery of the car. He let me use my trade-in for running around after using its value as partial payment for the new car.
At that time, I also had the experience of entering the show room and looking at this gorgeous 325 wagon on the floor only to find out it was mine. Talk about a tingling feeling up your spine.

elroyxx · July 2001

So a 3 1/2 month wait is now down to about 6 hours. My Week 19 325i (Orient Blue, Black Leather, CWP, PP, CD, Step) finally arrived at my dealer in MN yesterday and it will become mine this afternoon.

Many thanks to you all for letting me just kind of hang out and learn from your experiences. I stumbled upon this board about 5 months ago when I was still deciding between the 325, Volvo S60, and A4. It was hearing how passionate everyone is about their BMW that kind of helped to make my descision. That, combined with actually test driving the car made the decision a no-brainer. I made the mistake of test driving the BMW first. After driving it, I didn't really feel that there was any need to drive the other two cars.

Anyway, here's hoping things go smoothly with delivery today. I'll let you all know how things turn out.

J

aaron330i · July 2001

I'll be joining you Thursday with my brand spaking new Titanium Silver 330i!

Darn those federal holidays!

chatter · July 2001

Rumors are floating around that the 2000 323Ci will become a collectible. The reason? It is the only year that the 323Ci was designated for this car (the first year of the coupe's redesign) which was changed to 325 Ci for the year 2001 - the proper designation for its engine size. It appears that BMW goofed when it badged the car a 323Ci Anyone out there hearing the same thing?

trejos28 · July 2001

div2 · July 2001

Linguists have discovered that "aculex" is a Lithuanian term for "rodent genitalia".

tenet1 · July 2001

Deepdarkblue - You have provided some great stories about your experiences with Nancy in BMW of Arl. I met her the other day and took a car for a test drive and am looking to order a 325i this week.

Nancy seems to be good to work with. What kind of prices is she providing on new 325's over invoice. Any help from you will be really great.

Thanks

gurumike · July 2001

I'll see you later! I'm off to brush up on my spelling and grammar as I'm clearly a sub-par person with major security/attention issues. My posts are peppered with errors (like the one in the title?) and I'm with out wit.

Can some one offer help for a friend of mine who suffers from "ADD in adults".

I think the forth is tomorrow.

aaron330i · July 2001

I've been studiously ignoring your rather immature responses. I'm sorry that your car sucks and you have to come here and insult us. Some of us have waited a long time for our cars and really do want them. It has nothing to do with not respecting the holiday. I don't need to give you my pedigree but I did my military service, fought in the Gulf War, put my life on the line. Go to hell. I'll wager I have more respect for this country and it's history than you could ever hope to.

I don't know what you are trying to accomplish by giving people grief. People who generally get along and like share their sense of community and love of their favorite auto.

norbert444 · July 2001

When the edmunds had their show here in LA last year, I took the all the luxury cars for a drive. It was back-to-back driving and I think that was a great way to compare.
Anyway, I found the 330 (or 328, I am not sure now) a second-best behing Audi A4. The other cars were GS 300, and some Acura, Cadillac, and others I forgot.
Then I went and looked at Audi engine. It was covered with a plastic cover that you could pry off easily. When trying to put it back the same way, it broke. So much for Audi.
Just my 2c.

unboringuy · July 2001

Almost 6 months after my original order, 330xi number two has arrived! (Jet Black, manual, PP, CWP, SP, xenons, CD, the obligatory free mats, and a thrown in alarm system courtesy of BMWNA). I was at the high end of the $1500-$2000 over range, but didn't want to drive to Timbucktoo. The local dealers in Cincinnati should be called sellers, because they do not deal. The Dayton dealers, where I purchased, are more willing to deal.

If it's ready, I'll pick it up this afternoon. Otherwise, Friday. FINALLY!

gurumike · July 2001

veekay1 · July 2001

Wow!! I have been away for a few days (driving the bimmer, what else?!! heh heh!)....and you guys have been posting like crazy!!

Congratulations to all those who are new owners....!!

I am trying to post some early pics of my 325xi/black sapphire metallic/gray/....this is a trial run...hope you guys can see it without any difficulty. Just click on the link below:

http://www.shutterfly.com/view/show_album.jsp?auto=0&idx=2

Cheers!!

veekay1

aaron330i · July 2001

denright · July 2001

So, seriously, what is motivating you to spend this time on this board? You aren't seeking information. You aren't providing anyone with information. You aren't even simply sharing in comaraderie with fellow car enthusiasts.

All you have done in this forum is earn the antipathy and disdain of the board's readers. While you may not care what these people think, even this begs the question: if you don't care what they think, why are you HERE?

You strike me as a lonely, unhappy, extraordinarily immature individual. I sincerely hope that you find some satisfaction with yourself and with your lot in life, and that you will then occupy yourself with productive endeavors that will obviate the need for you to waste your time and that of others in this fashion.

Denright

PS- Incidentally, your IS300 is rated by Edmunds at 7.5 seconds in the zero to sixty. My 330xi (which will be arriving in a few weeks) is rated at 6.2 seconds by MotorWeek -- plus its AWD will allow it to outperform your Toyota, err... Lexus in any road conditions. I wouldn't go around looking for races, if I were you.

burrsr · July 2001

Congrats on the SECOND car and the end of a long wait. I have to state for the record that yes, the two Cinti dealers are rigid on the 3-series, and I am proof of that. However, when I decided to scout out Z3 prices, I used an abridged Rizzo method, got a best offer from area dealers (happened to be in Dayton), and then went to my local delaer to see if they could meet or beat. They beat it by $800, which ended up being $300 under invoice. I had pre-determined that I would not buy if I didn't get any offers of invoice or better (since it was a true "want" purchase, not a daily driver). The rest is history, as I am currently trying to break in the Z3 as quickly as possible! I figure a below-average deal + a great deal average out to two pretty-decent deals. Two things worked to my advantage on the second deal, however:

1) BMW FS was pushing the Z3 with special lease rates and factory-to-dealer incentives (they still made some money).
2) Being a repeat customer may have helped.

j330i · July 2001

I know the 3 series comes with the anti-theft device, but can anybody recommend a good alarm to keep people away from it?

BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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