BMW 3-Series 2006

kyfdx · June 2006

Hey.. mine is silver-gray!! And, it has a power top!!

fedlawman · June 2006

I thought red one's were the best...

dhanley · June 2006

The red ones are unreliable and get bad gas mileage.

shipo · June 2006

The red ones are unreliable and get bad gas mileage.

I thought that was the yellow ones. ;-)

rusti1 · June 2006

Anyone had their windows tinted? Saw a BMW the other day with tinted windows and it looked fantastic! Can someone give me a ballpark on how much it would cost to tint the windows?? Tips?
Thanks!

carnaught · June 2006

Can someone give me a ballpark on how much it would cost to tint the windows??

Dealer wanted $300+. I found an independent for $180 who I will use in the future for all my cars.

Check your phonebook. Many independents do the work for the dealer and charge you less if you use them directly. Sometimes if you call the dealer they will tell you who they use or would recommend.

(Whoops! Original post corrected)

macdad · June 2006

When I read the posts I have to remember not everyone lives in Florida where almost every car has tinted windows. The independent I use, and have for 11 years, is the most expensive in town and I paid $150 for my 2006 525 six months ago

macdad

blueguydotcom · June 2006

But my car's a lease and I see no point in spending any money on upgrades for the car that can't be used on my 08 BMW (or whatever I get next).

That said, OZ rims are calling to me. When my RF tires are bald I think I'll store those ugly sport package rims and get some super light OZ rims and normal tires.

wco81 · June 2006

Lot of the operations around here may not be around in several years so guarantees don't mean much.

drivethegreen · June 2006

Rusti,

I posted the following report on my experience with the TL vs my 330xi in the RFT forum. I made the trip to Pittsburgh last week and made the right car choice for that 8 hour drive.

"I have a 2006 330xi with 4K miles on it. The tires are Bridgestone 225/45 R17 91H Turanza EL42 run flats. The car has tremendous potential but as others have described, the potential is just that...potential. The car magnifies every seam and bump in the road with an uncomfortable jolt. It exhibits excessive road noise at 60MPH and above. The ride is so rough that after driving from Chicago to Davenport and back in a single day (330) miles my back ached and my neck was stiff. I have to drive from Chicago to Pittsburgh and back in the near future and I will not take the BMW.

I will drive my wife's 2005 Accura TL. Interesting to note that it sports Bridgestone 235/45 R17 93W Turanza EL42 non run flat tires. The tires are very similar to the ones on the BMW but have a higher speed rating and slightly different sidewall width. The car rides as smooth as silk, handles nicely and is whisper quiet on the highway.

As Clint Eastwood would say, "I know what your thinking..." They are two different cars with distinct design features but I submit they are similar enough to compare the tires and, in fact I have!!

Love the forum and I appreciate all the input from the experts."

blueguydotcom · June 2006

600 and 500 of that figure in one day driving jaunts. No problem at all with the tires or the ride quality (save of it being too soft and quiet). My only complaint about the ride of my 330i SP: it's boring even at 140 mph.

Not sure what people are looking for in their rides, but obviously you guys would have hated the e46 ZHP. You could feel every pebble in the road through the steering wheel...ah it was glorious.

corvette · June 2006

Most of the gripes I'm seeing are with the non-SP, all-season, Turanza EL42 tires.

That said, I don't think I'd want the ride in my 325i ZSP to be firmer, unless I lived and travelled frequently in a state that kept its roads in good condition.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2006

Some of you might find the Edmunds Long Term Road Test Blogs of interest:

http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/.ee92424

Here's another entry:

http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/139

And finally:

http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/.ee922b9

MrShiftright

rusti1 · June 2006

Ok, I was over checking on the discussions on the RFT and now I'm really really concerned about buying this car. Can someone please answer these questions:

1. How many miles do the RFT last? They're saying 12k? That's not cool for me...So bascially every year you have to change your tires?

2. There is NO comparment in the trunk for a spare tire?? If I wanted a spare tire, it would sit on top in the trunk of my car??

3. Can I get a replacement RFT at a place other than BMW? What if I'm 200 miles away from the dealership and the tire goes out? Am I screwed? Have to call a tow truck?

If you have a 2006 3 series - please tell me if you had any issues with this? I'm really leary of the car now after reading all this....

Thanks for your thoughts!

corvette · June 2006

1. Some have claimed the tires last less than 12,000 miles. That hasn't been my personal experience. I have 10,000 miles on my summer tires and 4,000 miles on my winter tires. Based on current wear, I expect each to last for approximately 20-25,000 miles of use--possibly longer. The all-season tires on the non-sport-package models should last longer than that.

2. There is a small storage compartment in the trunk where the spare tire would normally go. Not enough room for a spare.

3. Edmunds had no problem finding a replacement RFT in California. In less populated areas, you may have more difficulty finding a replacement tire. Ideally, you can find someone locally who is willing and able to repair a small puncture in the tread. I carry a can of Fix-a-Flat to prepare for this possibility--I hope, should I get a flat tire, I have a decent chance of keeping air in it long enough to get me to a tire repair shop.

No issues with the tires so far, knock on wood!

div2 · June 2006

Not sure what people are looking for in their rides, but obviously you guys would have hated the e46 ZHP. You could feel every pebble in the road through the steering wheel...ah it was glorious.

IIRC, BMW engineers used to brag that they designed the steering so that you could detect driving over a stack of four quarters. A Road & Track article once commented that the steering on the Club Sport was so communicative that it felt like you were holding a tie rod in each hand. I guess those days are gone forever...

macdad · June 2006

I have no personal experience, but according to the salesperson I purchased my 525 from he says the tires on the 330i w/SP the tires will last 10 - 12k miles.

macdad

nyccarguy · June 2006

div2 & blueguydotcom

The BMWs keep becoming more luxury catrs than sports cars with every iteration. The best we can hope for is some 1 series or 2 series cars. I'll take mine with the turbocharged engine, 6-speed stick, & M Sport Suspension.

carnaught · June 2006

How many miles do the RFT last? They're saying 12k? That's not cool for me...So bascially every year you have to change your tires?

Well. I jave just under 15000 mi, on my non-sport car and the tires are not even close to being worn.

bdkinnh · June 2006

Thanks for the links. How can I read all the blog entries? It seems to only allow going back three months at most.

davidd3 · June 2006

Here's my 2 cents worth. I've had my 2006 330i for 10 months and 17k miles. My car has the all-season tires, though I swap them out for snow tires in the winter. So I'm running on all-seasons for 2/3 of the year and I'm running on snows for 1/3 of the year. By the way, my snows are also runflats. See my detailed feedback below, but bottom line, I have no tire complaints (neither noise nor premature wear). However, I share with others a concern about where I will be and what will happen if and when I get the RFT equivalent of a "flat."

"1. How many miles do the RFT last? They're saying 12k? That's not cool for me...So bascially every year you have to change your tires?"

I figure that my all-seasons have about 10,000 miles on them. Showing very little wear. I expect to get some multiple of 12,000 miles out of these tires.

"2. There is NO comparment in the trunk for a spare tire?? If I wanted a spare tire, it would sit on top in the trunk of my car?? "

Yup, that's right. The thinking is that with RFTs there is no need for a spare tire. If you would feel more comfortable with a spare tire, you would have to put in the trunk and it would take up much of your storage capacity.

"3. Can I get a replacement RFT at a place other than BMW? What if I'm 200 miles away from the dealership and the tire goes out? Am I screwed? Have to call a tow truck?"

You can get it replaced anywhere, but I have heard that there is an issue of immediate availability regardless of whether you go to a BMW dealer or some tire shop.

rusti1 · June 2006

Thanks for all the detailed responses...what were to happen if you had a flat, drove to the nearest tire shop and put a Non Run Flat tire on the car to get you by until you were able to get to a dealership?? Will it screw up the car, etc if you have 3 RFT and 1 N-RFT??? I guess you are then stuck wasting money on the N-RFT when you do get it replaced....

Thanks...

nkeen · June 2006

I am very pleased with the RFT RE 050 Potenzas on my 325i SP. Smooth ride, predictable, great handling. Much, much better than the EL42 non-RFTs on my previous 2004 Acura TL. I so do not miss that car. I think that RFTs are here to stay at the upper end of the market, and with good reason. They're surely safer, less likely to deform and destabilize the car with a high speed loss of pressure -- I'd much rather have an RFT than a standard tire puncture at 120, although the RFT is no guarantee against catastrophic failure. I will be getting 205/55-16 Blizzak RFTs for winter.

I recently vacationed in Spain (or should I say Catalonia, given last weekend's referendum result?) and France -- a Renault Clio diesel courtesy of Hertz, no BMW, 45 mpg at 130-140 kph...the hell with hybrids! The drive up from Barcelona on the AP-7 and then across to the Var on the A9/A54/A7/A8 vividly pointed out the real issue with the low profile tire handling set up in the U.S. -- the atrocious maintenance standards of initially excellent but now frost buckled and decrepit interstates.

adolf2 · June 2006

I have 9060 miles on my tires and they are still in very good condition. All season Bridgestone.
Some of you young guys take the corners to fast that is hard on the tires.You can get RFT at Dunn tires.
If they have them in stock, I don't know ?

blueguydotcom · June 2006

Some of you young guys take the corners to fast that is hard on the tires

That's the point of a bmw

shipo · June 2006

Some of you young guys take the corners to fast that is hard on the tires.

Gee, thanks! I guess 49 isn't old afterall. :shades:

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · June 2006

Some of you young guys take the corners to fast that is hard on the tires.

You're joking, right?

circlew · June 2006

I have my 330xi/SP for 6 months with EL42 rft's. I had a flat 3 months ago and drove 100 miles on the tire because when I did not believe the warning light and looked at the tire, it did not appear flat. So off I went!

The tire shop I wen to when I discovered in horror that the ire had 0 pressure fixed it. They also got a new tire but it took 3 days and ruined the rim because they did not have the proper machine in their shop.

Anyway,I do not mind the ride at the advantage of the safety factor afforded by the RFT technology. Car naldes real good and gas mileage is 22.5 mpg at the pump.

The tires have 6500 miles and look new. I will definately change at 30K since all tires are garbage by then, although these tires are built extremely stron on the side wall!

carnaught · June 2006

Wow, the tire could be fixed after driving 100 mi. on it while flat? Maybe by doing so though you damaged the rim?

ivan_99 · June 2006

It's almost like you can Run on the Flat Tire (RFT) :shades:

circlew · June 2006

The Goodyear shop repaired the 1/4 inch gash in the tread with a plug and it held air for 3 days, no problem As for the damaged rim, rim was perfect after the drive but the dealer damaged it because they did not have the special machine for these rims. The rims aren't special, the tire shop is not tooled correctly for alloys. The rim began peeling when I picked the car up after the new EL 42 was installed. They bought me a new rim because I immediatly discovered this and brought the car back within 20 minutes.

By the way, the tire still looks new!

ajfinoak · July 2006

Anybody have any knowledge about if/when a 2WD 325 Wagon will be avaiable in the US?

djselzer · July 2006

Like many of you, I use dedicated winter tires mounted on a set of extra wheels. Sometimes I find myself procrastinating in changing over to the winter set until the night before an impending storm. Usually, that means that I do it myself. I recently traded in my '03 330Ci for an '06 330i. As you all have mentioned, there is no spare or jack in the new 330i. However, I can see the same receptacles for a jack under the frame both behind the front tires and in front of the back tires like the previous 3 series. Is there a jack available for the new 3 series? I wasn't able to find it on the BMW website or in the accessories catalogue. I was hoping to avoid the purchase of the bulkier type floor jacks. My dealer hinted at trying to sell me one of these bigger jacks.

div2 · July 2006

Is there a jack available for the new 3 series?

Yes there is: BMW Jack Set

ajfinoak · July 2006

I am looking at getting a new 325 with premium and sport. Any comments on the standard radio (i.e. sound quality?). Would rather not pop for the sound upgrade. Thanx.

bdkinnh · July 2006

On left lane news

Not on the BMWUS site yet.

rayainsw · July 2006

http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm/country/gcf/newsID/2060705.006/bmw/new-bmw-- 3-series-coupe-in-depth

blueguydotcom · July 2006

40k msrp on the e92. ED Invoice on the 335 is 34k. Ouch.

Guess the ole e90 is gonna see a price bump too. Hopefully not 3k like the darned coupes.

fedlawman · July 2006

Boy, the coupe sure looks a lot sleeker than the sedan. The lines are cleaner all around, and the tail lights are nice. Very handsome - I like it a lot.

If the twin turbo I-6 does indeed weigh 150 lbs less than the 4.0 V-8, I think the 335i may be more desireable than the upcoming M3.

I'm curious to see curb weights.

kdshapiro · July 2006

That's some review...did they actually drive the car?

nkeen · July 2006

What about the 335D? 286 HP @ 4400 RPM, 427 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm, 155 mph, 37.7 mpg (imperial) combined test cycle, 6.1 secs 0-62 mph. Will these high output diesels go on sale in the US when low sulphur fuels come to market later this year? And if so, with manual trans?

designman · July 2006

Precisely my thinking. I am very interested in this car and can't wait to drive it.

div2 · July 2006

It's not just the low sulphur fuel. It seems that the California/East Coast diesel emissions standards are so strict that additional work is needed to get the BMW diesels into compliance. A BMW NA exec told me that they will not offer diesels until they can be sold in all 50 states.

nkeen · July 2006

Thanks for the info. After driving a Renault Clio diesel in Europe, I'm impressed by the real-world low end torque and top gear performance you get with even more prosaic diesel cars. I'd like to compare the 50 to 70 top gear numbers for a 330d with those for a 330i for instance. But I'm sure the turbo 335i will offer plenty of low end grunt too. Much as I love the car, lack of low end torque is the weakness of my E90 325i.

dhanley · July 2006

"If the twin turbo I-6 does indeed weigh 150 lbs less than the 4.0 V-8, I think the 335i may be more desirable than the upcoming M3. "

True, particularly if the engine can be chipped dependably. Unless BMW really locked it down, 400hp and 400lb ought to be easily do-able.

I wonder how BMW marketing feels about this.

dave

cdnpinhead · July 2006

This is disturbing news, indeed. I'd hoped that clean diesel availability in the U.S. would open the spigot (would that it were a floodgate) for European diesels.

I'm just wrapping up a 9-day stay in England and am about to turn in my Ford Focus "estate" (that'd be station wagon/avant) diesel tomorrow morning at Gatwick. It's gotten as high as 46.3 mpg and never below 41 (U.S. gallons, converted carefully), calculated for over 1100 miles.

Plus which, the torque is absolutely wonderful, as always. Having rented a series of diesels on the continent & in England (Audi, VW, Peugeot & Citroen) over the past several years, I've decided that the first luxury brand that sells their diesel in the U.S. in a car with a manual transmission (VW doesn't qualify) will probably get my next purchase.

I'm sat in a guest house in Horley this evening, and the proprietor has a 320d "estate." I'd buy one in a heartbeat, if I could -- electric red. I've seen a number of 530d's as well, for those who think larger.

cdnpinhead · July 2006

I haven't seen a reply to this, which is a pity.

I've been looking closely at a 325 for my next car, as I want a manual transmission and RWD. I also need to haul my bicycle regularly & have become accustomed to the notion of an "avant" style, given their popularity in Europe.

I haven't taken the time to look yet, but your question seems to indicate that the only 325 wagon available in the U.S. is AWD. I certainly hope not.

Thank you, EPA (& lord knows what other government agencies) for making it so difficult for the wide variety of automobiles made available elsewhere in the world to be be sold in North America.

ajfinoak · July 2006

I have been to 3 BMW dealers in the San Francisco Bay Area and the best answer I have gotten is that perhaps a 2WD version of the 325 wagon will be available in the Fall. I am trying to wait it out but perhaps nobody posting here thus far has any other info. If someone does, please share the info. I have seen the 325 AWD at the dealer and it looks great- IMO the back looks better than the sedan.

nyccarguy · July 2006

The idea of a RWD 325i Wagon with a proper sports package is something that entices me. I wrote a letter to BMWNA asking if they would offer a RWD 325i Wagon and they said not at this time. Does anybody have any Xi vs. i sales numbers for the E46 3 series wagons here in the US?

0audilicious0 · July 2006

Our dream car would have been a 330i wagon with RWD and a proper sports package.

We gave up and got a 325xi with sports package (bigger wheels and sports seats) and have been really happy with it. Fast enough and it handles exceptionally well.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

BMW 3-Series 2006

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