Follow-Up Test: 2003 BMW 330i Performance Package

[NFS4]

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/bmw/3series/100261369/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=100429&tid=edmunds.h..reviews..4.*

Interior looks friggin' cheap from the pics. Gimme an Audi A4 quattro 6-speed w/Sport Package and I'll be happy

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: NFS4
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/bmw/3series/100261369/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=100429&tid=edmunds.h..reviews..4.*

Interior looks friggin' cheap from the pics. Gimme an Audi A4 quattro 6-speed w/Sport Package and I'll be happy

Au contraire!

The Audis definitely win in terms of interior design, but the BMW is a nice place to be, and a far better place to drive IMO. The BMW still has very comfy, high-quality interior materials, and its handling, steering precision, and shifter make the Audi look pretty lame by comparison. To me the 330i PP might be the most appealing reasonably-affordable car on the market.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: NFS4
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/bmw/3series/100261369/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=100429&tid=edmunds.h..reviews..4.*

Interior looks friggin' cheap from the pics. Gimme an Audi A4 quattro 6-speed w/Sport Package and I'll be happy

Agreed. Although, I prefer the steering feel of the BMW over the Audi.

 

[NFS4]

Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

The G35 is a great car, but by the time you option it out, the price differential will be a lot less than $10K, and the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

 

[Mani]

I have been riding in my buddy's 330iPP for a while and while the materials look cheap, the fit-and-finish are still first rate. He hates typical leather and got the suede which is actually pretty nice in terms of quality feel and it really grips you in your seat.

Don't know what they were thinking with the cheesy "titanium cube" crap instead of the brushed aluminum or wood trim though.

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: NFS4
Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

The G35 is a great car, but by the time you option it out, the price differential will be a lot less than $10K, and the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

How do you know what G35 resale values will be? It just came out. I hope you are right, because I would definitely pick up a used G35 if resale was low.
Also, I would pick Infiniti long term reliablility and maintainance costs over BMW any day. The VQ in my Maxima is smooth as butter at 120K miles.

 

[Mani]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: NFS4
Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

The G35 is a great car, but by the time you option it out, the price differential will be a lot less than $10K, and the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

Not to mention that BMW gives you that free maintenance over the first 50k miles which will tighten the gap a bit more. Buying G over the BMW on price alone is not a good decision as the TCO is roughly the same.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

I don't think you can conclusively say that. Historically, yes, but Infiniti has never had a car that has shown as much sustained demand as the G35.

I checked Edmunds' "True Cost to Own" and they actually rated the 330 as having a high depreciation expense whereas the G35 sedan is only rated as moderate.
I'm not sure I accept that 100%, but I do think the depreciation curve of the G35 will not be as steep as any previous Infiniti.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: NFS4
Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

The G35 is a great car, but by the time you option it out, the price differential will be a lot less than $10K, and the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

Well, a '03 G35 Sport with 6-speed already has leather and power everything and is priced at $29,021. That's about all you need for a "sports car" IYAM. If you want the premium package:

Includes Bose premium 200-watt, 7-speaker audio system with RDS and Nd woofer, power tilt/slide glass sunroof with one-touch open/close and pinch protection, dual climate control with rear vents and interior air filter, driver's seat memory with entry/exit assist, 4-way power adjustable passenger seat, reclining rear seats with adjustable outboard head restraints, auto on/off headlights, Homelink Universal Transceiver, auto-dimming rearview mirror, all power windows one-touch up/down.

That brings it to $32,126. I'll take the G35 thank you

 

[SuperTool]

Why are used G35's listed on autotrader at higher prices than brand new ones are listed on carsdirect?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: SuperTool

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: NFS4
Better yet, if I want a cheapish interior, I'll take a G35 Sport with 6-speed stick and pocket $10,000

The G35 is a great car, but by the time you option it out, the price differential will be a lot less than $10K, and the BMW's resale is so much better that the buyer stands to get much of that back on the back end.

How do you know what G35 resale values will be? It just came out. I hope you are right, because I would definitely pick up a used G35 if resale was low.
Also, I would pick Infiniti long term reliablility and maintainance costs over BMW any day. The VQ in my Maxima is smooth as butter at 120K miles.

I obviously don't know for a fact, but historically Infiniti's resale has been dreadful, and resale on 3-series has been very strong. I too am a Maxima driver, and like the car, but I bought it with full recognition that its resale would be awful compared to the Accord EX V-6 I traded in.

I absolutely agree with you in regad to long-term reliability, but most folks looking at cars like these don't intend to keep them past 5 years or so anyway. It is still tough to top the Japanese in that arena.

 

[NFS4]

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carboard&loc_code=index&content_code=08640035