325i or 330i?

cntlaw · 10-26-2005, 12:42 PM

BMW marketing people won't care if we buy a 325 or a 330 ; as long as we are buying a BMW and not a Mercedes or Audi.
The good reason of BMW having two engine versions for the E90 is to make sure we wont get a C350 because BMW only has a 325. And so as to make sure people who doesn't want a 3 litre engine will not end up with a C230/280.

And , all these various standard packages and stuff are simple post-production packagings to suit each country individual tax and regulations as well as to simplify/leverage the factory production processes for BMW own sake of productivity and costs management.
But it is always nice for us to enjoy some head scratchings to decide to get what and which and for how much

ap1994 · 10-26-2005, 12:46 PM

Ive been negotiating with my local dealer for a 330i (as talked about in this thread) and im about $1,753 over invoice. Do you think this is a good deal or can I do better? I was thinking of offering $1,000 over invoice due to the fact that in purchasing a RWD car in CT in the winter. I cant see the dealership selling to many i’s this time of year. I figure the xi’s are more in demand. Any thoughts?

chazmtb · 10-26-2005, 01:33 PM

You are buying snows and not buying rims? Why. You would have to pay 200 every season (to mount, dismount and balance) the snows. If you bought some used wheels (some good 17s available on Ebay) for 200, you wouldn't have to worry about mounting and dismounting. Trust me, it's a pain. You basically have to use two cars to carry the tires.

ap1994 · 10-26-2005, 02:09 PM

Maybe I have no idea what I am talking about, but if I buy the 330i with 17" rims then I would only need to buy snows in the winter and have them attached?

Pardon my ignorance

Andy

chazmtb · 10-26-2005, 02:24 PM

You will have 17" snow tires. You will have to swap them out with the current 17" runflats. However, every time you swap them out, mount and dismount tires on to the OEM rims, it cost money because they have to be dismounted, mounted and rebalanced. A good tire shop will charge you at least $25 a wheel X 4 that's $100. So spring comes along, you have to do that again with your old tires, another 100. This cycle repeats itself in the winter.

If you bought snow tires with dedicated wheels (used or otherwise to go with the potholes and grime of winter salt) for an extra 200 bucks, you are basically having a dedicated set of snow tires that you can swap on or off (much cheaper than dismounting, mounting and balancing). You would pay for the dedicated snow rims the first year you have it. Plus, if you mounted them yourself (very easy to do with a purchase of a 50 dollar jack that you might need anyway) you would save even more money.

You might be talking about just snow chains, which I would not recommend unless it is more than a couple of inch thick of snow. If there were no snow, ice, or light snow, the chains are useless and can be unsafe driving on the roads. If you take the chains off, you would not have the protection of additional traction in cases where there were ice or other things. Remember, you are driving a rear wheel drive car and no matter how much traction control you have, if you hit a slick spot, you might be done. Trust me I know. That's why all my cars are all wheel drive now. You would need dedicated snow tires which would be ideal for driving in all conditions in the winter in the area you are at.

ap1994 · 10-26-2005, 04:08 PM

Chazmtb,
Thanks for the advice. I still am leaning towards the non-sport tires though as the mileage for the sport tires has to be less than 20k, right?
Even if I do this it sounds like I should buy 17" snow tires with rims? Where do I go to find the cost of these?
Thanks,
Andy

Sho · 10-26-2005, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ap1994

Chazmtb,
Thanks for the advice. I still am leaning towards the non-sport tires though as the mileage for the sport tires has to be less than 20k, right?
Even if I do this it sounds like I should buy 17" snow tires with rims? Where do I go to find the cost of these?
Thanks,
Andy

Depends the way you drive, the sport tire could last longer than 20K.
For winter tire/wheel set..go to tirerack.com; they have wide selection and reasonable price.

BMRAMA · 10-26-2005, 05:09 PM

Offer him $1000 over invoice, and don't be afraid to call up some other dealers. I started at My BMW of Seaside, then went to Stevens Creek, until I found my dealer: BMW of Mountain View.

If he wants to charge you another $750 ask him to wash your car every week for the next couple years :-p

chazmtb · 10-26-2005, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ap1994

Chazmtb,
Thanks for the advice. I still am leaning towards the non-sport tires though as the mileage for the sport tires has to be less than 20k, right?
Even if I do this it sounds like I should buy 17" snow tires with rims? Where do I go to find the cost of these?
Thanks,
Andy

Tire rack will have winter tires mounted on 17" alloys for about 950. That includes mounting and balancing (saves you 100 bucks). They are good quality too.

Cheapest place I saw was discountitresdirect.com

1Package

ap1994 · 10-26-2005, 10:27 PM

I plan on offering 2 dealers $1,000 over invoice. Guess my last question is do I get the nav or the sports package? With winter tires, what do you do if you get a flat??
Andy

chazmtb · 10-27-2005, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ap1994

I plan on offering 2 dealers $1,000 over invoice. Guess my last question is do I get the nav or the sports package? With winter tires, what do you do if you get a flat??
Andy

With a flat, you just hope that BMW roadside assistance can bring you home or somewhere where you can repair the flat. Also, you might want to spring 50 bucks for a slime smart spare kit.

Slime

10-26-2005, 12:42 PM	#23
cntlaw Major General 235 Rep 6,874 Posts Drives: 330i E90 C55 AMG Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hong Kong iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i E90 [0.00] 2006 BMW 330i E90 [0.00] 2005 Mercedes Benz ... [0.00] 2002 Z3 2.2 USA Spo ... [0.00] 2002 Toyota MR-S Co ... [0.00]	BMW marketing people won't care if we buy a 325 or a 330 ; as long as we are buying a BMW and not a Mercedes or Audi. The good reason of BMW having two engine versions for the E90 is to make sure we wont get a C350 because BMW only has a 325. And so as to make sure people who doesn't want a 3 litre engine will not end up with a C230/280. And , all these various standard packages and stuff are simple post-production packagings to suit each country individual tax and regulations as well as to simplify/leverage the factory production processes for BMW own sake of productivity and costs management. But it is always nice for us to enjoy some head scratchings to decide to get what and which and for how much __________________ BMW 2006 330i E90 Jet Black/Black Leathers/Aluminium, Steptronic Active Steering; MTech Aero Kit Carbon Fibre Splitters/Diffuser. Bilstein PSS9 Coilover, Rays VOLK Racing RE30 Formula Limited Edition 18" Pirelli Rosso; Project Mu 355mm Forged 4pot Caliper. HID:Osram D1S 6000K, PIAA 6500K White Ring, Philips Diamond Vision HB4 5000K, PIAA H490/H491 Super Bright 6500K LED Interior Lights. Chrome S.Wheel Cover, Rear Windows Sunshades.
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10-26-2005, 12:46 PM	#24
ap1994 Private 7 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Middlebury, CT iTrader: (0)	Ive been negotiating with my local dealer for a 330i (as talked about in this thread) and im about $1,753 over invoice. Do you think this is a good deal or can I do better? I was thinking of offering $1,000 over invoice due to the fact that in purchasing a RWD car in CT in the winter. I cant see the dealership selling to many i’s this time of year. I figure the xi’s are more in demand. Any thoughts?
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10-26-2005, 01:33 PM	#25
chazmtb Private First Class 9 Rep 171 Posts Drives: 2011 X5D Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windermere, FL iTrader: (0)	You are buying snows and not buying rims? Why. You would have to pay 200 every season (to mount, dismount and balance) the snows. If you bought some used wheels (some good 17s available on Ebay) for 200, you wouldn't have to worry about mounting and dismounting. Trust me, it's a pain. You basically have to use two cars to carry the tires.
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10-26-2005, 02:09 PM	#26
ap1994 Private 7 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Middlebury, CT iTrader: (0)	Maybe I have no idea what I am talking about, but if I buy the 330i with 17" rims then I would only need to buy snows in the winter and have them attached? Pardon my ignorance Andy
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10-26-2005, 02:24 PM	#27
chazmtb Private First Class 9 Rep 171 Posts Drives: 2011 X5D Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windermere, FL iTrader: (0)	You will have 17" snow tires. You will have to swap them out with the current 17" runflats. However, every time you swap them out, mount and dismount tires on to the OEM rims, it cost money because they have to be dismounted, mounted and rebalanced. A good tire shop will charge you at least $25 a wheel X 4 that's $100. So spring comes along, you have to do that again with your old tires, another 100. This cycle repeats itself in the winter. If you bought snow tires with dedicated wheels (used or otherwise to go with the potholes and grime of winter salt) for an extra 200 bucks, you are basically having a dedicated set of snow tires that you can swap on or off (much cheaper than dismounting, mounting and balancing). You would pay for the dedicated snow rims the first year you have it. Plus, if you mounted them yourself (very easy to do with a purchase of a 50 dollar jack that you might need anyway) you would save even more money. You might be talking about just snow chains, which I would not recommend unless it is more than a couple of inch thick of snow. If there were no snow, ice, or light snow, the chains are useless and can be unsafe driving on the roads. If you take the chains off, you would not have the protection of additional traction in cases where there were ice or other things. Remember, you are driving a rear wheel drive car and no matter how much traction control you have, if you hit a slick spot, you might be done. Trust me I know. That's why all my cars are all wheel drive now. You would need dedicated snow tires which would be ideal for driving in all conditions in the winter in the area you are at.
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10-26-2005, 04:08 PM	#28
ap1994 Private 7 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Middlebury, CT iTrader: (0)	Chazmtb, Thanks for the advice. I still am leaning towards the non-sport tires though as the mileage for the sport tires has to be less than 20k, right? Even if I do this it sounds like I should buy 17" snow tires with rims? Where do I go to find the cost of these? Thanks, Andy
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10-26-2005, 05:09 PM	#30
BMRAMA Private 2 Rep 72 Posts Drives: 2006 e90 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 Debadged e90 [0.00]	Offer him $1000 over invoice, and don't be afraid to call up some other dealers. I started at My BMW of Seaside, then went to Stevens Creek, until I found my dealer: BMW of Mountain View. If he wants to charge you another $750 ask him to wash your car every week for the next couple years :-p
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10-26-2005, 10:27 PM	#32
ap1994 Private 7 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Middlebury, CT iTrader: (0)	I plan on offering 2 dealers $1,000 over invoice. Guess my last question is do I get the nav or the sports package? With winter tires, what do you do if you get a flat?? Andy
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