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thinking about BMW 330i

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Basse:
Not really any sites I know of, I just find clips here and there surfing around.

FYI, the new 2001 M3 is very hard to get right now. Plus MSRP is ~$46k, so it's a bit overbudget for you. That's not including the price gouging the dealer will most assuredly do. But they sure are worth it... Here's a pic I took of one at Texas Motor Speedway.

2001 BMW M3
 
Linh,

Why did your friends elect to get the 330 over the S4.
Was there anything in particular that was the deciding factor?
 
We all agreed, after testing drive both cars, that the 330 just plain "felt" better. Fortunately for us, the BMW as well as the Audi salesman let us rag out both cars. In fact, the Audi guy took us to an empty parking lot and told us to do whatever we wanted, including donuts and whatever the hell else we wanted with the S4. Another big factor was the fact that the A4 body is changing soon, and nobody wants and old body style. My friend bought a new 2000 Integra, it looks just like my 7 year old 94' Integra.
 
45 grand huh

I would get either

a Viper RT
Corvette
Or a S351 Saleen Mustang

wouldn't spent that kind of money on BMW
 
Sorry gunf1ghter, I misread you about the 4 door.

About the S4 vs 330, if it were me, I'd probably get the 330 over the S4 just because they are phasing out that version of A4 for a new model pretty soon.
 
The new A4 will be out at the end of this year... new S4 based on new body style won't be available till at least 2003.

As far as new A4 body style... if you've seen pictures I have a hard time believing that you think the A4 will look "old" when the new body comes out. The new one looks like a squished A6.

I know a lot of people who still prefer the BMW E36 body to the E46
 
Boogak:
I know, there are currently only 12 happy owners here in Sweden (out of 300 putting a downpayment on one). I may consider buying a used one in a few years, but a new one is just to rich for me right now, and probably for the next 10yrs also.

I've only seen 2 of them in the streets here in town, guess I will see alot more of them come spring when the weather gets better.

/B
 
Or a S351 Saleen Mustang

Don't bring that car up, I want one SOOO bad, 495HP 490TQ Argh!! With the tires and brakes already on it to send you to the track for a great road race.
 
I test drove a 325ci and it is a very nice car. I personally don't think the 330 is worth the extra money over the 325. The M3 would be a more of an upgrade.

Unless you really need the room, I think the coupes are much better looking than the 4 door.

I actually have a 318ti right now. I wish they would come out with a 325ti for the states. Now that would be great! I've seen them in Germany but for some reason BMW discontinued the ti for the states.

I think Audi does give much more for the money though. I would get an S4 rather than a 330. My neighbor has an A4 and I must say that it's very nice.

Good luck.

Jason
 
Was the ti that little hatchback version? Ick... I don't like those, sorry but they look kinda like CRX's to me and way to cheap for a car like a BMW.

In Europe there are many "economy" versions of BMW's that are sold with tiny powerplants and stripped interiors, but I think in the US that would only cheapen BMW's image as a luxury sports sedan.
 
Why so down on it because it's a hatchback?!

Just because most americans don't like hatchbacks for some really odd reason doesn't mean it's a bad car. Hatchbacks are great! You wouldn't believe what I can fit in the trunk. The other 3-series have terrible trunk space by comparison.

There is actually very little difference between the ti and the coupe/4door models of it's time. The car handles as well as the other 3 series models and is lighter/quicker than the other models (with the same engine). At the time when I bought, low end 3-series had the 1.8-L 4 cylinder engines. Mine has all options including leather (with 5 speed) and it's one nice car. It's not stripped!

If BMW upgraded the ti (like the rest of the 3 series) and it had the 2.5 6-cylinder (low end engine), it would kick a*s!

I would almost pay the same amount as the coupe if they came out with that one.

Get real. Not everyone can afford to buy an M3 or M5. That's why BMW has a range of cars/engines.

Jason
 
my friend put $5k to buy a spot for the M3, but he couldn't wait so his parents bought him a porche 911 ($150k after fix ups, tail, lights, etc) for him

Static911
 
Damn $5K? No wonder people are jumping over me. I put down $500 and they didn't know what to charge me because it was so early in the development stage.
 
JasonG,

They are coming out with a new 3 Series compact, but not here in the states. And they will have both the 318ti 4-cylinder model and a 325ti 6-cylinder model. Kinda neat but also weird looking. The back of the car kind of reminds me of an IS300.

Here you go.
 
Concerning the "old" A4, I just don't like owning a car where most people can't tell if I bought it yesterday or bought it 5 years ago. Case in point would be my 1994 black Integra vs my friend's black 2000 Integra. My car is in tip top condition, and no one can tell that it's 6 years OLDER than my friend's car. Another point is that whenever a "new" body comes out, the "old" body always deflates in value since it's now "old." I'd hate to spend all that my on an "old" 2001 A4, then have someone come around and ask me what year it is, or whether I bought it "pre-owned." Owning the "new" 2001 A4, no one can mistake that it's a brand spanking new car.
 
I bought my 2001 A4 specifically cuz I didn't like the 2002 model. Having an older model doesn't bother me too much. The older A4's lines are very sleek and classic. You don't see many Audi's here in Dallas so most people don't know what it is anyway. Case in point, my A4 and a friend's M3 were parked across from each other in front of Chili's restaurant. I had stepped into a bank to get some cash from the ATM and when I went back out, some middle aged guy who had parked nearby with a vanful of family was peering into the passenger side window of my A4. He'd take a few steps back and then check it out from afar, totally ignoring the M3 next to it. Brought a tear to my eye 🙂
 
Thanks Bastula. I'd heard something about that but I hadn't confirmed whether it would come to the states.

It's looks great!

I think they're idiots for not bringing it here.

I probably won't buy a new BMW because of that.

Does anyone know if you can import a europe only model to the states?

Jason
 


<< Does anyone know if you can import a europe only model to the states? >>



It would be very tough. First off, the US has far lower quality gasoline here than they do over in Europe. The engines will be none to happy to get the low quality crud we have here in the states.

The second problem is that Europe has a lot different emmissions standards than we do. It would probably cost you an arm and a leg to get it converted over to comply to our laws, especially if you live in California or the North East.
 
I am not sure about import laws but is that really true vi_edit?

I know one of my buddies went over to Germany and picked up a 3 series car spent 2 weeks there and drove it around, dropped it off at some port and had it shipped over.

He tells me alot of people do that with Porsches and MBs as well because it is cheaper and more fun.

I can understand if the car isn't crash tested but he said he had no problems sending over his car.
 
I think what your friend did is referred as to European delivery. Its basically the same as getting a car here in the US, but you get to drive your car in Germany/Europe for a few weeks before your car is delivered in the US. It would make a nice trip that would combine sightseeing and getting to drive your German car on the roads it was meant to be driven on. 🙂
 
Some European car manufacturers have this program where US buyers can order a car straight from the factory, fly over and play around with it in the homeland, then ship it back with them the the States. That may have been what your friends did.

Other than that, I agree with vi_edit. Emission issues could be a big problem. There's a shop that imports Nissan Skylines to the States, but they tack on a huge extra because they have to make it environment friendly.

edit Gah, bastula beat me to it!
 
Yes, I think you guys are right about the emissions being a problem.

I was in Germany a couple of years ago and I rented a 3 series (really cheap to rent there). I was very surprised because the car only had a 1.6-L engine but it was really powerful! I had it up over 100 mph no problem on the autobahn and very good pick-up.

I can't imagine a 2.5-L (or 3.0-L) over there. That would really fly.

Jason
 
JasonG

I know hatchbacks are usefull, I had three Integras, the last of which was a GS-R... they were all good cars. I'm just saying that a lot of people (myself included) wouldn't want to spend $25K+ on a hatchback that looks similar to a $16K Civic. Also, BMW's marketing strategy for the US is 6-cylinder and larger engines only... Again, they want to maintain their image as a luxury sports car.


Linh
As to the A4 body style... I don't know that the new one will &quot;catch on&quot; right away.. when the new Integra came out in 93 or 94 it took them a couple of years to catch on... people preferred the older body style.... the same thing could happen with the A4. German cars look good even when they are 5-10 years old, especially if they are taken care of.

Unless you are going to buy a new car every 4-5 years (and only buy the new body when it just comes out), you are eventually going to have to put up with that &quot;it's an older body style&quot; problem.
 
Gunf1ghter-

Civics also come in 4 door sedans. Does that mean you compare them to 4-door BMW's?

Please, let's compare apples to apples.

Did you even look the pictures of the new BMW compact? I believe it's only a few inches shorter than the coupe or 4-door. Does the 4-door 3-series look like a Honda Civic 4-door just because it has 4 doors?

Why does &quot;hatchback&quot; have a cheap image here in the US?

You have to look at the overall quality of a car. Why does having a trunk vs. a hatchback make a car so great? It's still a BMW and not a Honda.

That's my point!

Jason
 
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