The BMW UUC Digest Volume 2 : Issue 642 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: e46 advice? Urethane Bushings. e46 advice e46 advice Re: e46 advice Re: e46 advice Re: No big motor tourings was E46 advice Re: No big motor tourings was E46 advice Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Re: e46 advice? Re: e46 advice? Wanted: e30 M3 Cat-Back Exhaust
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 10:43:42 -0400 From: "Della Barba, Joe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: e46 advice? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have a 2000 323iT (wagon). There is sadly no such thing as a 328/330 wagon. They are all 323/325 models. I think they are a bit bigger than a Mazda 3 or Jetta, but not by much. The cars are designed for 91 octane gas, but they can run on lower octanes because the engine computer will retard the timing a bit. I get about 27 MPG usually, but I could do as well as 30 if I only did easy highway driving. Issues with these cars: The rear subframes on E46s crack. I have never heard of a wagon doing this, but there is always a first time. The window regulators break. The sunroof shade gets f'ed up. There are cheap DIY fixes for the last two problems. Turner Motorsports will fix your subframe for $1,000 or so. I just got my wagon 3 months ago with 54K for $15,000. Note that the 2000 323 has some improvements over the 99 version. 2000 gets the Steptronic and DSC instead of ABS/Traction Control. Joe Della Barba -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mark Andy Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 10:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [UUC] e46 advice? Howdy, So we may be in the market for a newer bmw... Anything to watch out for on the e46 cars in terms of maintenance or just general "man, I wish I'd found one with the xyz option!"? How's the usable space in the 323/325 wagon compared to other small wagons like a Jetta or mazda 3 or whatever? Are there any significant handling differences between the 323, 325, 328, and 330 models in the e46 from say 2000 on? Presumably there are power differences.. :-) What sorta money would say a 2001 or 2002 -ish 325 wagon with 40k miles or so and in excellent condition demand? What sorta maintenance should I expect on such a car for the next 30k miles? Mileage is important to us, as is reliability... Does that mean we'd rather find a rwd car vs. awd or ?? Do the stock e46 cars run on 87 octane or premium? What's the real world highway mileage? Thanks! (my wife is all over the map on what she wants for a car... Two days ago we were looking at Jetta wagons, a month ago it was used c5 corvettes! :-) Mark Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 07:56:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Neil Deshpande <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Urethane Bushings. Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Russ: The E32 750 bushings are tuned, IIRC. What this means is that at the tuned frequency (55mph-generated, more than likely) they are quite good. Not so much elsewhere. The M5 bushings isn't tuned to the same extent, but harder (as per Gary Derian's report earlier) so they hold the wheels in place better during cornering loads (static-ish) as opposed to the dynamic/cyclical loading of a shimmy. Each is good at a different thing. For a well-reconditioned suspension, the M5 bushing is the way to go. For shimmy-suppression, the 750 bushings may be better. The M5 bushings is more durable. Neil Deshpande 92 M5 - M5, then 750, now M5 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 07:58:41 -0700 From: Tom Kosmalski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: e46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Mark asked: > > Anything to watch out for on the e46 cars in terms of maintenance or > just general "man, I wish I'd found one with the xyz option!"? I have a newish 325iT. No maintenance issues so far. Perfect (tailgate a little tough to close). As far as options, I recently replaced the touring-style all season tires with some Bridgestone RE750s. Much bigger difference than I expected, so if I could do it again, I probably would have opted for the sport package (headroom concerns with the sport seats and mandatory--ugh--sunroof scared me away). > > How's the usable space in the 323/325 wagon compared to other small > wagons like a Jetta or mazda 3 or whatever? It's not a big wagon, but big enough for me. A bonus is significantly more rear seat legroom than the sedan. Rear seat is "two seconds easy" to flip down, then the space is darn good. With the rear seat up, I would say luggage space is a little bigger than a Mazda 3, but a little smaller than a Jetta. > > Are there any significant handling differences between the 323, 325, > 328, and 330 models in the e46 from say 2000 on? Presumably there are > power differences.. :-) Don't know about that. What I do know is that Bilstein isn't making rear shocks for it! When electing to pass on the sport package, I assumed an upgrade to Bilsteins within the first year. Not that easy (please, someone, tell me I'm wrong here, and that a simple sport strut/shock option exists). > > What sorta money would say a 2001 or 2002 -ish 325 wagon with 40k > miles or so and in excellent condition demand? What sorta maintenance > should I expect on such a car for the next 30k miles? Don't know. > > Mileage is important to us, as is reliability... Does that mean we'd > rather find a rwd car vs. awd or ?? Coincidentally, a friend bought the awd version within 2 months of me buying the rwd. He gets only 1 or 2 mpg less than I do, which has been just 24 since purchase (per the on-board thinking machine). The same friend owned an older 325ix (yes, before it became the xi) for upwards of 150k miles. The only reliability issue he encountered with the awd was a slight leak on one of the seals where I believe the front prop shaft passes through the oil pan (stretching my mech knowledge of the car a bit here). Sounds simple, but the fix was not going to be cheap. He traded it in on a Passat wagon, and absolutely hated the Audi V6 powertrain with Tiptronic. Complained bitterly about hesitation/lag when trying to merge on the freeway, etc. unless always driving in Tip-mode. > > Do the stock e46 cars run on 87 octane or premium? What's the real > world highway mileage? Premium recommended. Salesman and service guy at the dealership both told me mid-grade is fine. At ten cents more per gallon I've stuck with prem. FYI, power is just enough. Would have killed to get BMW to take my extra money for the 3-liter, but no dice. Don't even consider the awd version with the auto tranny. I tested it. A true d-o-g! > > Thanks! > > (my wife is all over the map on what she wants for a car... Two days > ago we were looking at Jetta wagons, a month ago it was used c5 > corvettes! :-) Well, then you don't need any of the above advice. You need advice on how to subtly steer your wife back towards the C5! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 08:40:57 -0700 From: Tom Kosmalski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: e46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Jeff asked why no 330iT--maybe numbers don't justify it? Could be. If I'm not mistaken, the 325iT was by far BMW's lowest seller last year (OK, maybe it sold more than the Z8) at well under 2000 units. And yeah, the new 530xiT with 6-speed manual (praise whatever deity you choose!) sounds sweet, but $$$$$$$$ wow! Tom K. Hood River, OR ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 09:19:41 -0700 (PDT) From: wy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: e46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > FYI, power is just enough. Would have killed to get > BMW to take my > extra money for the 3-liter, but no dice. Don't > even consider the awd > version with the auto tranny. I tested it. A true > d-o-g! You have to option of dropping in the S54 engine. Someone brought one to Buttonwillow and it kept up with the Elise pretty well. Will Get Firefox! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 12:30:54 -0400 From: "Della Barba, Joe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: e46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> With the traction control I see no need for AWD, at least where I live. If I *did* live somewhere with that much snow I think I would get a Subaru. An MR2 has been my daily driver since 1995 and I miss maybe 1 or 2 days a year from work due to snow. Q - how fast can you go with AWD in the snow? A - As fast as the soccer mom in the minivan ahead of you can go :) Joe Della Barba - 2000 323iT, Maryland. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wy Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 12:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] e46 advice > FYI, power is just enough. Would have killed to get > BMW to take my > extra money for the 3-liter, but no dice. Don't > even consider the awd > version with the auto tranny. I tested it. A true > d-o-g! You have to option of dropping in the S54 engine. Someone brought one to Buttonwillow and it kept up with the Elise pretty well. Will Get Firefox! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 May 2005 15:48:18 +0000 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: No big motor tourings was E46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I remember BMW reps stating they sell less 540i sport with manual transmissions than they did Z8s. AFAIK it cost about $1M for the certification of each driveline/body style. That means they would most likely only offer a 330xiT with automatic. As the demand won't be met for the manual. The way I figure it is, wait a few years, get a wrecked 330 as a donor and drop the drivetrain into a touring if you're interested. For that matter, why don't we get a 330d touring? Now that would be sweet. Gilbert ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 12:22:08 -0400 From: Ben Keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: No big motor tourings was E46 advice Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> it doesn't cost $1mil for certification. more like $100k if you're putting an existing drivetrain into a particular bodyshell or making changes in gearing/tire size/etc. a completely new to the market drivetrain would potentially run into the high 6 figures, but it's not a fee or cost to be paid, just a rough estimate of development costs. the low, low volumes they sell of 540i/6 sedans is why they don't have a 540iT/6. I also thought they did away with 540iT completely at some point in the E39 lifecycle (if they offered it at all) likely to attempt to drive the market into X5 4.0/4.4's, even tho the Touring has more storage space with the rear seats in use. the X5 3.0 is the reason there's no 330xiT, there's nothing technical nor economic behind it. AFAIK Mercedes doesn't make the same restrictions on what they sell - they'll let you order an E55 wagon, no chance of an M5 touring. .tho one could make the argument that an M5 is a more developed car than the E55 and would require additional development to tune the unique (I believe) rear suspension. Ben Gilbert Hoffman wrote: > AFAIK it cost about $1M for the certification of each driveline/body style. > That means they would most likely only offer a 330xiT with automatic. As the > demand won't be met for the manual. The way I figure it is, wait a few > years, get a wrecked 330 as a donor and drop the drivetrain into a touring > if you're interested. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 10:36:54 -0500 From: "Batt, Jeff \(GE Healthcare\)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Not to hijack your thread...please keep that e46 info coming as I have the same interest/questions. But a related question -> why isn't there a 330xiT in the USA? It seems like most BMW drivers would appreciate the option...I know I would. And as there is all ready a 330xi sedan sold in the USA, it seems like the engineering/testing is (at least somewhat) done (drive train/trans would support it, etc)...besides, don't they sell this car in Europe? I'm also in the market for an AWD wagon to replace my aging gas hog, Jeep Grand Cherokee. If there was a 330xiT, the search would be over. I'm concerned that the 325xiT won't have enough power. Not that I'm a speed demon (okay, maybe a little), but come on...isn't it like 184hp in probably the heaviest 3 series? Not to mention that occasionally mine will be hauling something heavy home from Home Depot or whatever. I have a e36 M3 that I love so much I'm pondering getting a 325xiT regardless of the HP...but I'm worried that I'll end up hating the lack of power and I know from experience that these are not cheap or easy cars to mod. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that I'll likely end up in an A4/S4 Avant or V70R...great cars I'm sure, but I would REALLY prefer an e46. Nice to see the 530xiT is coming (and kind of interesting that the 525xiT isn't)...but either are way too rich for my blood! - And I would prefer the 3 series anyway. So is there any real reasoning behind the lack of 330xiT in this country, or is it simply that Americans don't buy enough sport wagons to make it worth BMW's time/money? Thanks for listening to me whine...Jeff -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Kosmalski Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 9:59 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [UUC] e46 advice Mark asked: > > Anything to watch out for on the e46 cars in terms of maintenance or > just general "man, I wish I'd found one with the xyz option!"? I have a newish 325iT. No maintenance issues so far. Perfect (tailgate a little tough to close). As far as options, I recently replaced the touring-style all season tires with some Bridgestone RE750s. Much bigger difference than I expected, so if I could do it again, I probably would have opted for the sport package (headroom concerns with the sport seats and mandatory--ugh--sunroof scared me away). > > How's the usable space in the 323/325 wagon compared to other small > wagons like a Jetta or mazda 3 or whatever? It's not a big wagon, but big enough for me. A bonus is significantly more rear seat legroom than the sedan. Rear seat is "two seconds easy" to flip down, then the space is darn good. With the rear seat up, I would say luggage space is a little bigger than a Mazda 3, but a little smaller than a Jetta. > > Are there any significant handling differences between the 323, 325, > 328, and 330 models in the e46 from say 2000 on? Presumably there are > power differences.. :-) Don't know about that. What I do know is that Bilstein isn't making rear shocks for it! When electing to pass on the sport package, I assumed an upgrade to Bilsteins within the first year. Not that easy (please, someone, tell me I'm wrong here, and that a simple sport strut/shock option exists). > > What sorta money would say a 2001 or 2002 -ish 325 wagon with 40k > miles or so and in excellent condition demand? What sorta maintenance > should I expect on such a car for the next 30k miles? Don't know. > > Mileage is important to us, as is reliability... Does that mean we'd > rather find a rwd car vs. awd or ?? Coincidentally, a friend bought the awd version within 2 months of me buying the rwd. He gets only 1 or 2 mpg less than I do, which has been just 24 since purchase (per the on-board thinking machine). The same friend owned an older 325ix (yes, before it became the xi) for upwards of 150k miles. The only reliability issue he encountered with the awd was a slight leak on one of the seals where I believe the front prop shaft passes through the oil pan (stretching my mech knowledge of the car a bit here). Sounds simple, but the fix was not going to be cheap. He traded it in on a Passat wagon, and absolutely hated the Audi V6 powertrain with Tiptronic. Complained bitterly about hesitation/lag when trying to merge on the freeway, etc. unless always driving in Tip-mode. > > Do the stock e46 cars run on 87 octane or premium? What's the real > world highway mileage? Premium recommended. Salesman and service guy at the dealership both told me mid-grade is fine. At ten cents more per gallon I've stuck with prem. FYI, power is just enough. Would have killed to get BMW to take my extra money for the 3-liter, but no dice. Don't even consider the awd version with the auto tranny. I tested it. A true d-o-g! > > Thanks! > > (my wife is all over the map on what she wants for a car... Two days > ago we were looking at Jetta wagons, a month ago it was used c5 > corvettes! :-) Well, then you don't need any of the above advice. You need advice on how to subtly steer your wife back towards the C5! Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ________________________________________________________________________ __ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 May 2005 11:44:53 -0400 From: Vic Maslanka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Nope, it's much lighter than the convertible. Vic Maslanka '95 E36/5 '04 E46/3 At 11:36 AM 5/4/2005, Jeff wrote: >... Not that I'm a speed demon (okay, maybe a little), but come >on...isn't it like 184hp in probably the heaviest 3 series? ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 11:52:12 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Batt, Jeff \(GE Healthcare\)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: e46 advice - and why isn't there a 330xiT? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Why do you need AWD? 4 snow tires with RWD are better than all season tires and AWD. There isn't much at Home Depot that weighs more than 2 rear seat passengers. Gary Derian > > I'm also in the market for an AWD wagon to replace my aging gas hog, > Jeep Grand Cherokee. If there was a 330xiT, the search would be over. > I'm concerned that the 325xiT won't have enough power. Not that I'm a > speed demon (okay, maybe a little), but come on...isn't it like 184hp in > probably the heaviest 3 series? Not to mention that occasionally mine > will be hauling something heavy home from Home Depot or whatever. > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 11:35:15 -0400 From: "Mark Distelhorst" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: e46 advice? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> My parents have a 2001 325xiTa that they purchased new. It currently has 62,xxx miles and has been a very reliable. These are the only repairs that it's needed to date. 1 bad control arm: may have been a large pot hole, replaced under warranty Climate control problems, common to E36 and E46, replaced in the last 1000 miles of warranty Check engine light, couple of bad spark plugs, also under warranty Front brakes made it to 40k mi, rear to 50k mi Tires made it to 60k mi, no rotating and no alignments rear 3rd brake light not fully lit, replaced under warranty When shopping for it they considered the 5 touring but my Dad (primary driver) preferred driving the 3 and the all wheel drive is amazing! The back seat is a squeeze for 3 and cargo is smaller than a 5 but decent. The wagon had a short run in 2000, I believe it was introduced late in the year and the 323 was quickly discontinued for the 325. No 328 or 330 tourings were offered. Although it won't win any races, it is by no means slow. Even being a automatic, AWD we still find it pleasant to drive even when carrying cargo and passengers. Reliability wise, RWD has less parts to break and its probably to early to tell if the AWD system is problematic. Ours is a keeper so we had Koala Motorsport replace all the driveline fluids. the plan is to overhaul the suspension and cooling system at 80k miles. I recently saw a 2000 manual listed at $14,900 with 80,000 miles, local BMW dealership. I know of several 01/02's with 30-50k for $20-22k. I would recommend purcahsing a certified one from the dealership unless you find a really good private party deal. Mark www.e30m50.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Andy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 10:19 AM Subject: [UUC] e46 advice? > Howdy, > > So we may be in the market for a newer bmw... > > Anything to watch out for on the e46 cars in terms of maintenance or just > general "man, I wish I'd found one with the xyz option!"? > > How's the usable space in the 323/325 wagon compared to other small wagons > like a Jetta or mazda 3 or whatever? > > Are there any significant handling differences between the 323, 325, 328, > and 330 models in the e46 from say 2000 on? Presumably there are power > differences.. :-) > > What sorta money would say a 2001 or 2002 -ish 325 wagon with 40k miles or > so and in excellent condition demand? What sorta maintenance should I > expect on such a car for the next 30k miles? > > Mileage is important to us, as is reliability... Does that mean we'd > rather find a rwd car vs. awd or ?? > > Do the stock e46 cars run on 87 octane or premium? What's the real world > highway mileage? > > Thanks! > > (my wife is all over the map on what she wants for a car... Two days ago > we were looking at Jetta wagons, a month ago it was used c5 corvettes! :-) > > Mark > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 May 2005 15:41:34 +0000 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: e46 advice? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Mark stated: >So we may be in the market for a newer bmw... I am personally a person who thinks the sport seats (sports package) is a must have. Other than that, there aren't 'must have' options. I'd like to repeat the more luggage space than Mazda 3 and much less than Jetta. (Although Jetta has less rear seat legroom.) Of course, it has RWD which neither Jetta nor Mazda can boast. Then again, VW offers a diesel and BMW doesn't in the US. >Are there any significant handling differences between the 323, 325, 328, >and 330 models in the e46 from say 2000 on? I'd say the tourings are a bit heavier in the rear and may handle differently. >Mileage is important to us, as is reliability... Does that mean we'd >rather find a rwd car vs. awd or ?? IMHO there is no need for an awd vehicle unless your prone to driving on unimporved dirt roads covered with snow. That being said, with 80K+ miles on my (E46) 328i I get about 22/23 mixed, 9/10 track, and about 30/31 straight highway. These are my calculations OBC usually reads about 1-2 mpg higher. I never put anything less than 91 octane in the car, and that's only when I cannot find 92+. HTH Gilbert ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 11:31:31 -0500 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Subject: Wanted: e30 M3 Cat-Back Exhaust Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Need to replace the worn out muffler on a 1989 M3, so I'm looking for a used (or new if reasonable) cat-back exhaust. So if you have a factory take-off from a race conversion that you want to get rid of, let me know. An aftermarket if it's not too loud will also work. Additionally will accept the muffler only where you have cut it off and replaced it with straight pipes as I have welding skills. This is needed to replace present exhaust (hole in muffler) on a car which I plan to sell. Therefore price is important. Have $ ready and would like to obtain ASAP. All replies will be answered. Thanks ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(14 messages) **********
