what kind of issues should i be looking for in e46 330ci's? high likelihood i buy one within 2 weeks (already have the loan for it preapproved)

8/17/2011 5:58:09 PM

my was in for scheduled plugs and oil change today and my loaner was a new 335d. impressively quiet and strong engine they go going there. my next one may be d.

8/17/2011 7:45:56 PM

The "d" is awesome. One of the Italian students I trained with in flight school had one. The only bad thing about the "d" is the existence of the "i".

8/17/2011 8:52:25 PM

only bad thing about the 'd' is the lack of a manual option in the US

8/17/2011 8:58:25 PM

oh that sucks. scratch that, then.

I think his was a euro-spec model. there was some sort of deal where he could buy it from an italian dealer without paying any taxes on it, have the Italian military ship it to the States and back when he went home, and then never have to pay import or any other taxes on it.

8/17/2011 9:10:14 PM

it appears the new M5 v8 runs exhaust in the middle intake on the outside.

Coool if cobb cracks that ECU that should be a bitchen ride.



[Edited on August 17, 2011 at 9:25 PM. Reason : .]

8/17/2011 9:23:07 PM

335d is amazing engine. rated at 425 ft.lb unchipped, but dynos are more like 440 ft.lb. it's almost 600 ft.lb monster with software.
what sucks is filling up 2 gallons of urea for every 100 gallons of diesel. that and no data on reliability yet on these new technologies are turning me off. lack of MT doesn't help either. MT + LSD and i wouldn't look at the gasser

8/18/2011 4:22:00 AM

I didn't know it wasn't available with a manual. That's really gay. Is this the BMW of the 21st century?

8/18/2011 8:37:02 AM

are 328xi (2008) any good? pros cons and experiences if anyone has one?

8/18/2011 10:07:04 AM

wife went and drove the 335d today and proclaimed when they put that in the 535 she will let me get her one. i am pumped she actually liked it.

speaking of 335 mine was being a bitch today. fucker is so damn unreliable! but after a reset ecu it was floggin as usual. this car may be the ultimate example of a love hate relationship.

8/18/2011 9:25:16 PM

yep, when it works I want to keep it forever; when it's acting up I contemplate leaving it on the side of the road.

8/19/2011 10:21:07 AM

no problems with the N55 so far

HOPING IT STAY THIS WAY

8/19/2011 10:45:51 AM

why doesn't she like the 335d? Exactly how large of a car does she require, lol.

8/19/2011 11:20:45 AM

in my car there is only 1-1/2" from my drivers seat to the back seat. it is just too small. she also thinks the 5 cars look better.

8/19/2011 7:26:00 PM

my roommate is looking to upgrade his '00 Civic
help me talk him into a BMW

8/19/2011 8:09:09 PM

The 335d is over $50k MSRP, I can't imagine what a 535d would run..$65k?

8/19/2011 8:31:16 PM

http://www.bmw-i-usa.com/en_us/bmw-i8/

8/20/2011 6:43:22 PM

I'm completely unfamiliar with BMW model numbers. What's the difference between a 325 and a 335, and what does the "i" sometimes on the end mean? Anything with an "M" means that it's super awesome, yes? Do the E#s correspond to the actual year something was produced?

8/21/2011 4:18:41 PM

there are 3 series, 5 series, and 7 series (there are others, but those are the ones mass produced) and the last two numbers relate to the relative engine size. Ex. a 328 is a 3 series with a 2.8 litre engine.

All the body codes start with an E. E30 (first gen), E36, E46, E90 (current gen) are the different models of 3 series BMWs, and the 5 series and 7 series have similar body codes.

8/21/2011 5:31:00 PM

2.8 L engine where are you getting this from??!?! both the 328i and the 335i have a 3.0 L engine.. one is naturally aspirated while the latter has a turbo..

8/21/2011 6:14:32 PM

Attention user benXJ. Please stop posting erroneous information. Thank you.

8/21/2011 6:42:45 PM

traditionally, he's correct. over the last years, BMW has strayed from their naming convention.

8/21/2011 8:52:34 PM

yeah... they started doing it just for marketing. Basically if the newer heavier 328 still had a 2.8 it would be much slower than the old 328s. At one point in time they thought the 325 and 328. were too close together so they called the 325 a 323 and never used an actual 2.3 liter.

but the 540 stepped out of line in the mid 90s with the 4.4 liter v8 because the engine didn't breath as well as the old 4.0 liter they gave it an extra .4 liters to boost torque and help overcome the emissions handicap (similar to what they did with the m3 between 95 & 96) but kept the name the same because there was no significant power jump in the 4.4 liter.

8/22/2011 7:45:19 AM

hmm i didn't click post twice. weird


[Edited on August 22, 2011 at 7:46 AM. Reason : .]

8/22/2011 7:45:19 AM

also, the first 3 series was e21

8/22/2011 8:08:43 AM

It was nice when the numbers actually meant something. Mercedes has also strayed from this as well.

8/22/2011 8:43:42 AM

that's why i said 'relative' engine size. i know that BMW has strayed from the numbers actually meaning engine size, but it gets the point across. and I forgot about the E21 during my quick reply. If the person was asking the question in order to compile an in depth reference for BMWs, then there is a wealth of info on other sites concerning body styles and corresponding engine size.

8/22/2011 4:15:56 PM

If you think 3 series is confusing, try E23 7-series, like 745i with 3.2L turbo.

8/22/2011 7:51:23 PM

335i going back to dealer for a faulty ABS pump, BMW yay!

8/24/2011 11:44:05 AM

the more i look at that M5 the more it appears to be 2 4 bangers joined at the crank.

2 ecus even.

8/24/2011 11:45:21 AM

the more i drive mine i would love to put the n54 in an e46 chassis. that would be my ultimate yay bmw.

8/24/2011 7:51:59 PM

Quote :

" what kind of issues should i be looking for in e46 330ci's? high likelihood i buy one within 2 weeks (already have the loan for it preapproved)"

VANOS rattle; rear subframe mounts tearing

8/24/2011 8:25:38 PM

window regulators, coils, evap canister codes

8/25/2011 1:21:50 AM

I would just like to say that the E9x M3 in Interlagos Blue gives me an erection lasting longer than 4 hours.

If they still offered the e46 cinnamon interior, a white one with CF roof would be awesome, too.

8/25/2011 11:34:18 PM

http://blog.caranddriver.com/bmws-m-garage-a-look-at-the-m-cars-that-weren%E2%80%99t/

8/26/2011 9:05:40 AM

that M8

8/26/2011 9:27:43 AM

Do you BMW folk just deal with having to buy run flat tires or do you chuck that shit and buy superior (and cheaper) rubber and just rely on road side assistance?

8/26/2011 10:31:11 AM

^ the latter. Those things cost $400 each and last for 10k miles (at least thats the story on my rears)


speaking of blue, I've always liked this one:

8/26/2011 10:40:10 AM

i rely on my cell phone to call aaa

8/26/2011 12:10:50 PM

Quote :

"Do you BMW folk just deal with having to buy run flat tires or do you chuck that shit and buy superior (and cheaper) rubber and just rely on road side assistance?"

What do you S2000 folk do? I haven't carried a spare with me in any of my cars in ages. My Corvette had regular tires (as does my 911) both w/out a spare...

8/26/2011 12:44:51 PM

my spare gets installed for traveling... that's it

8/26/2011 12:51:40 PM

^^Huh? If I get a flat I use the spare tire that comes with the car. Then I drive to Discount tire and get the flat fixed for free, or if it can't be fixed I order 2 new tires from Tirerack.com. Just like I would with any other car

8/26/2011 12:57:40 PM

Run flats are out of the question. In the Z06, so is a spare, as there's nowhere to put it.

In most other sports cars that do come with a spare, there isn't much point in carrying a donut, in my opinion. If you're near home, spend the $2/month for towing insurance and get it towed home if needed. If you're traveling, you're fucked with or without a donut, unless you want to continue a long-distance road trip on a donut, because it's not like there's much of a chance of actually finding a tire in stock anywhere (like there would be if you were driving an F150 or a Camry...I mean, you think I'm gonna find a 295/35R18 Nitto NT05 in stock anywhere locally if I break down? Fuck no.) You're gonna be stuck either leaving the car and renting a car, then going back and getting your car later, sending it home long-distance on a rollback for some exorbitant cost, or just using your towing insurance to the tire store, getting whatever shitty ass tire they have in stock that'll at least fit (hopefully...I doubt they'd have anything in stock that would fit my rears, for example), and then continue your trip...then take that tire off and replace it with the correct one once you get home.

Sports cars are by nature impractical and prone to incur expenses that you wouldn't incur in an appliance. Speeding tickets, replacing expensive tires twice per year, not having a spare (and having to buy a full-size tire just for a one-time use if necessary), pricey insurance, etc...these things are the cost of doing business.

8/26/2011 2:48:11 PM

Why are you talking about sports cars in a thread about BMWs? 95% of BMWs you see are sedans that can easily fit a fullsized spare if they wanted to.

(I understand your argument but we're not talking about spaced confined sports cars here)

[Edited on August 26, 2011 at 3:06 PM. Reason : k]

8/26/2011 3:04:46 PM

just how much more awesome can this company get?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=579012

bmw fanboi for life!

[Edited on August 30, 2011 at 12:05 AM. Reason : f]

8/30/2011 12:04:43 AM

^They've been talking about these types of systems since the mid 2000s so it's not technically "new" however it seems very interesting and I'm a fan of anything that harnesses energy that would otherwise be lost (as long as it's not overly complex and heavy).

8/30/2011 8:09:52 AM

does it replace the alternator or anything?

I mean its a brillant design and if done correctly could even reduce back pressur on the exhaust (PV=NRT VN&R are constant so if T goes down P goes down) unless they have to make the heat exchanger too restrictive to get any useful power out of it. I've thought about a water jacketed downpipe fed by post engine coolant (200* water feeds 1200-1800* pipe should be plenty to make some steam right? then feed it to a steam turbine powering the alternator or in my case i was thinking about a refrigerant compressor to further cool intake temps (post intercooler super cooler)

8/30/2011 8:35:06 AM

I live in raleigh and commute to the RTP.

Where would you guys recommend that I have my 2001 330 worked on?

I've been leaking oil for about 6 months and just have replaced it when it got low. The amount hasn't been increasing so I've put it off. It's at about a quart/3 weeks.

9/1/2011 10:03:04 AM

Shadetree garage or zxappeal

9/1/2011 10:51:29 AM

F60 M5 curb weight: 4350lbs

250lbs heavier than the last model.

9/1/2011 10:58:48 AM