What BMW to Get |Need Experts here|
- Thread starter Babyboii4Llife
- Start date
This is very good advice, and let me go a step further.
Join the BMW Car Club of America. www.bmwcca.org If you were already a member (for at least a year, so too late for this car) you could have saved $500-1500 on the purchase of a new or CPO BMW.
Learn to drive at auto-x events and go to driving schools at your local road course. Most people don't know how to drive, even those that have been driving for decades. I am no Senna, but the difference between me and most other people is that I have spent 7 days at driving schools and time at auto-x events, and I know how much I need to learn.
You must do your best to resist the temptation to be another punk kid with a nice car that crashes it because he didn't know how to drive it. I wish you luck.
I also STRONGLY suggest you get a manual transmission. That is for many people an integral part of the BMW experience. I have been driving for 12 years, and have owned/leased 6 different vehicles. Every single one was a manual.
Join the BMW Car Club of America. www.bmwcca.org If you were already a member (for at least a year, so too late for this car) you could have saved $500-1500 on the purchase of a new or CPO BMW.
Learn to drive at auto-x events and go to driving schools at your local road course. Most people don't know how to drive, even those that have been driving for decades. I am no Senna, but the difference between me and most other people is that I have spent 7 days at driving schools and time at auto-x events, and I know how much I need to learn.
You must do your best to resist the temptation to be another punk kid with a nice car that crashes it because he didn't know how to drive it. I wish you luck.
I also STRONGLY suggest you get a manual transmission. That is for many people an integral part of the BMW experience. I have been driving for 12 years, and have owned/leased 6 different vehicles. Every single one was a manual.
I assume your muffler is slowly eating itself from the inside out? They all do over time, and the result is a muffler that looks okay from the outside and sounds a lot like an after-market muffler.
Get a tri-flo exhaust for your 325 and you will find yourself driving with the radio off and adjusting your driving technique just to make it burble . . .
I love that exhaust. I miss mine. I want to put the comptech exhaust on my TL, but its over a Grand and the car is leased . . .
Get a tri-flo exhaust for your 325 and you will find yourself driving with the radio off and adjusting your driving technique just to make it burble . . .
I love that exhaust. I miss mine. I want to put the comptech exhaust on my TL, but its over a Grand and the car is leased . . .
Babyboii4Llife- all i can say is: get a honda, learn how to drive, and then waste daddys money.
I know that sounds harsh, but people would be alot safer if there werent so many kids driving powerful cars who didnt know what theyre doing. Yes, I had a 325 as my first car, but it was a perfect first car, with not too much power, but enough to have some fun. just take it easy for a while, youve got your whole life ahead of you to probably get whatever the hell car you want. by getting your dream car now, you are starting off at the top, and working your way down by crashing and getting tickets. why not start off closer to the bottom, work your way up to something better and still be alive when your 20.
just my opinion.
I know that sounds harsh, but people would be alot safer if there werent so many kids driving powerful cars who didnt know what theyre doing. Yes, I had a 325 as my first car, but it was a perfect first car, with not too much power, but enough to have some fun. just take it easy for a while, youve got your whole life ahead of you to probably get whatever the hell car you want. by getting your dream car now, you are starting off at the top, and working your way down by crashing and getting tickets. why not start off closer to the bottom, work your way up to something better and still be alive when your 20.
just my opinion.
Yeah you're right. The 530i and 330i have different exhaust systems which are suited to the type of car.
I'll tell you what really kicks arse: me and a mate both have E30 318is' and when we line 'em up next to eachother and hammer through the gears with the windows down it's like nothing you've ever heard before [headbang]. The sound of two identical engines running in unison is fantastic. You should try it sometime![[thumb]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_thumb.gif "Thumbs Up [thumb]")
I'll tell you what really kicks arse: me and a mate both have E30 318is' and when we line 'em up next to eachother and hammer through the gears with the windows down it's like nothing you've ever heard before [headbang]. The sound of two identical engines running in unison is fantastic. You should try it sometime
I really can't say what is happening to the exhaust since I can't look inside of it but I would think it is near the end too. I think I will just keep some money for the time I need a new exhaust and when this goes, buy one. On the other hand, if I am not spending that money, why not just get the exhaust, heh. I'll see how it goes for now.
![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]"){kind=icon}
The basic intake/exhaust/chip combo. Won't be a huge bump tho. Possibly a differential change. Otherwise, yeah, you shoulda gone for the 330. You have a little more options when you're dealing with used. It's a pretty hefty price increase when comparing new ones though... altho I did see a $39,000+ 325ci yesterday at the dealer. Holy moly is that expensive. Then again, my friend's comparable 330ci cost $43K+.
I vote you get what you want, and drive what you want. If you've done your homework,(it seems you have) you know exactly what whatever car you get is capable of. Lord knows i studied forever before my dad let his precious babygirl behind the wheel of either of the BMW's that sit in my front yard. Both of which are 325i, both black, one's a covertible thats the 92 and the other is 4 door and thats the 86. They both pack a pretty damn good punch. Off a stop light, with 4 people in the car and a trunk load of grocries, we blew away a VW turbo jetta thingy.... I want to say i'm glad i'm not the one buying it for you. But as long as you know what your getting yourself into, and you don't try anything too unreasonably stupid, ya should be fine. Especially the M3, and the M5 that ain't no regular car, that's a racecar built for everyday street driving but in some cases with a flick of a switch you can head to your local track and burn some rubber going around corners and practicing your donut skills. I just warn you, a young kid like yourself, in a car like that, is screaming at the local PD as a red light. Cause they know the power behind the candy shell exterior. Ok? Good luck with that. Oh and keep me posted. I want to know what you get and such.
Bmw 330i
Well, I've decided to go for the BMW 330I.
It seems like the most sensible option, even the much older M3's go for 20k+, which I find ridiculous. I could get some Infiniti with 100 more horsepower than the M3 for 25k (Forgot the name, I did research on it months ago when I was looking for another option for the M3).
It's stylish, fast, high quality, and much cheaper than the M3. I've been doing some research, an Insurance agent told me the insurance on a BMW M3 for a 16 year old male would be "extremely high". I have yet to get information on the insurance costs for a BMW 330I, but insurance now seems to be the main problem, along with some conflicts over manual and auto. A 2002...2003 BMW 330I supposedly (from research) can range from 15-25k, a very nice price range.
So I guess, my next post will probably be on getting the car itself. *Bits lip*
Thanks,
-Ari
Well, I've decided to go for the BMW 330I.
It seems like the most sensible option, even the much older M3's go for 20k+, which I find ridiculous. I could get some Infiniti with 100 more horsepower than the M3 for 25k (Forgot the name, I did research on it months ago when I was looking for another option for the M3).
It's stylish, fast, high quality, and much cheaper than the M3. I've been doing some research, an Insurance agent told me the insurance on a BMW M3 for a 16 year old male would be "extremely high". I have yet to get information on the insurance costs for a BMW 330I, but insurance now seems to be the main problem, along with some conflicts over manual and auto. A 2002...2003 BMW 330I supposedly (from research) can range from 15-25k, a very nice price range.
So I guess, my next post will probably be on getting the car itself. *Bits lip*
Thanks,
-Ari
That is my opinion as well and I would lean towards the high 20's and lower 30's for a decent one, however for 2003 model getting one in the lower 20k price range would be one without many options, high miles, or you just found a hell of a deal.
Insurance for a new model BMW, especially one valued between 24-30k will still be expensive for someone your age. If the car were to get in and accident it would cost the insurance company a lot to replace/fix the car back to its original state. Insurance companies look at younger drivers as high risk no matter how you try and spin it. That and you being male make it that much worst. Now, if you were to try and get on your parents policy it may help in the cost, but to get insurance alone at your age, you're looking at a high premiums.....
That said good luck with the purchase and be careful.
Insurance for a new model BMW, especially one valued between 24-30k will still be expensive for someone your age. If the car were to get in and accident it would cost the insurance company a lot to replace/fix the car back to its original state. Insurance companies look at younger drivers as high risk no matter how you try and spin it. That and you being male make it that much worst. Now, if you were to try and get on your parents policy it may help in the cost, but to get insurance alone at your age, you're looking at a high premiums.....
That said good luck with the purchase and be careful.
With the basic chip/intake/exhaust, along with a 3.46 diff change, a Manual 325 will run head to head with Manual 330's and ZHP's, god help them if they're auto. A few more minor things (lightweight flywheel, or pulley kit, or both), and you've got a 325 that's faster than a stock 330, for about 2k or so. The diff change being the key here (sometimes called the poor man's turbo).
I know I know, most people here don't want to hear that, stock is allmighty..![[pray]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_pray.gif "Pray [pray]")
That's a fair amount of 'minor' things to do, but you get the point.
[driving2]
I know I know, most people here don't want to hear that, stock is allmighty..
That's a fair amount of 'minor' things to do, but you get the point.[driving2]
Ari,
A manual would help teach proper driver control
A 330ci will be a car that will take years to reach close to it's maximum potential
Driver safety is a key issue.BMW clubs now offer a course geared toward teens.Take advantage.
Safety!Did I mention safety?We would all hate to lose a young person with so much potential,for using poor judgement(trying to impress peers etc...)
All this being said,I hope you enjoy & appreciate the wonderful car that is the 330ci.I hope you & your father can share in the experience.
-Super charger.Get real
CHris Heine
E34///M5
E39 540-6
A manual would help teach proper driver control
A 330ci will be a car that will take years to reach close to it's maximum potential
Driver safety is a key issue.BMW clubs now offer a course geared toward teens.Take advantage.
Safety!Did I mention safety?We would all hate to lose a young person with so much potential,for using poor judgement(trying to impress peers etc...)
All this being said,I hope you enjoy & appreciate the wonderful car that is the 330ci.I hope you & your father can share in the experience.
-Super charger.Get real
CHris Heine
E34///M5
E39 540-6
Ari,
After reading this exceedingly long string, here is my opinion on what may be the best course of action for you, in your motoring endeavors.
Ask Dad to lease the 330ci for you on a 3 yr term, this way you can have all the car that you can handle, drop the top, drive a few of your friends around, and pick up girls who will be happy to drop their top for you. Get an auto, there is going to be a whole lot of other things that you should be focusing on, rather then shifting. Besides, this also gives you a free hand, remember the comment about girls. Believe me they practically fall all over themselves when the see a Cab Bimmer.
I don't really know your geography, but from reading the string it looks to me that your town is a suburb, which means that you have access to allot of very good roads. This is the places where you really need to be on your toes. City driving is relatively easy when you are paying attention, and traffic is usually moving @ a slower rate. When on an open road, its just that, wide open, and the car which you're going to be piloting will be begging for you to give it hell. I can't stress to you how important it is for you to control your car, it's a beast, and it will be begging you for more every time you touch the gas.
Once the lease is up, and assuming that you have not caused major damage to both you and the car, then you can should look into getting an M. You will have several benefits to waiting this time out. First off, you will have 3 years of, hopefully, safe driving. Secondly, your insurance will be more reasonable. “Reasonable insurance” haha, for a 19 year old driving an M3, that's a phrase that i never thought i would use. Lastly, during those 3 seemingly long years of driving your “lowly” or “beginners” 330ci you will have that entire time to dream of the M that you will have one day. Getting an M right off the bat is like losing your virginity to a Porn star, everything else is never even close!!!! Come to think about it, if you were to get the M, and live to need a new car, the natural progression would be for you improve on what you already have. What's next? An M5, or why not just get an F360 Modena.
I'm sure that all of the gents which have read this string and contributed to it, all remember very well those long ago days of being 16, when we knew everything, and the world was ours for the taking, that is why we have tried to tell you that the M is WAY too much car for you, right now. Take it from the consensus, don't rush into a Supercar.
One last point. Putting a SC on an M3 is pretty much a waste of time / money unless you are serious about taking the car lapping. If you want to mod your car, do it slowly, upgrade the exhaust, chip, intake, plugs, wires, coil, etc....... don't dive into forced induction until you have done everything else to your engine, and you are still looking for more fun. By taking the slow and steady route, you will know your car, and yourself a whole lot better. Also, by doing all of these little things, either yourself or having a Mechanic do it, will only add to your knowledge of tuning a car.
Good Luck!
Papa G
After reading this exceedingly long string, here is my opinion on what may be the best course of action for you, in your motoring endeavors.
Ask Dad to lease the 330ci for you on a 3 yr term, this way you can have all the car that you can handle, drop the top, drive a few of your friends around, and pick up girls who will be happy to drop their top for you. Get an auto, there is going to be a whole lot of other things that you should be focusing on, rather then shifting. Besides, this also gives you a free hand, remember the comment about girls. Believe me they practically fall all over themselves when the see a Cab Bimmer.
I don't really know your geography, but from reading the string it looks to me that your town is a suburb, which means that you have access to allot of very good roads. This is the places where you really need to be on your toes. City driving is relatively easy when you are paying attention, and traffic is usually moving @ a slower rate. When on an open road, its just that, wide open, and the car which you're going to be piloting will be begging for you to give it hell. I can't stress to you how important it is for you to control your car, it's a beast, and it will be begging you for more every time you touch the gas.
Once the lease is up, and assuming that you have not caused major damage to both you and the car, then you can should look into getting an M. You will have several benefits to waiting this time out. First off, you will have 3 years of, hopefully, safe driving. Secondly, your insurance will be more reasonable. “Reasonable insurance” haha, for a 19 year old driving an M3, that's a phrase that i never thought i would use. Lastly, during those 3 seemingly long years of driving your “lowly” or “beginners” 330ci you will have that entire time to dream of the M that you will have one day. Getting an M right off the bat is like losing your virginity to a Porn star, everything else is never even close!!!! Come to think about it, if you were to get the M, and live to need a new car, the natural progression would be for you improve on what you already have. What's next? An M5, or why not just get an F360 Modena.
I'm sure that all of the gents which have read this string and contributed to it, all remember very well those long ago days of being 16, when we knew everything, and the world was ours for the taking, that is why we have tried to tell you that the M is WAY too much car for you, right now. Take it from the consensus, don't rush into a Supercar.
One last point. Putting a SC on an M3 is pretty much a waste of time / money unless you are serious about taking the car lapping. If you want to mod your car, do it slowly, upgrade the exhaust, chip, intake, plugs, wires, coil, etc....... don't dive into forced induction until you have done everything else to your engine, and you are still looking for more fun. By taking the slow and steady route, you will know your car, and yourself a whole lot better. Also, by doing all of these little things, either yourself or having a Mechanic do it, will only add to your knowledge of tuning a car.
Good Luck!
Papa G
Thanks for the compliments guys, dont forget to tip your waitress!! Chetsy, I do agree with you that the 330 is still too much car for Ari, but he has already indicated that he was going to go ahead with the 330, rather then the M. Personally, i think that a 323ci would be his best choice, but hey who am i to decide? This way he can actually save some $, and his life for a little while longer. And if he wants to mod the car, he has tons of room for improvement. Either way i find myself rather envious of a 16 yr old. Here i am hugging up to 30 and i still have yet to purchase a BM of my own. But my own M3 Cab is in the works.