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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

30250 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2013 at 11:51 AM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Sedan

Messages Page 1700 of 3025

#16991 of 30250 Seivwrig by shipo

May 08, 2002 (8:31 am)

I hear ya, when I got back from Europe, and got back into my 328i, I had BMW envy too. I actually find that kind of ironic, given that the last time I was in Europe (1996) I had a BMW 318i rental car, and at the time, I had VW envy, as I could not wait to get back home and drive my VR6 Passat GLX 5-Speed. My how times change.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#16993 of 30250 Jack by shipo

May 08, 2002 (8:44 am)

Well, in Germany, where fuel is north of $4.00 a gallon, a 318i made a whole lot of sense. That said, funny you should mention Dodge envy, because on the AutoBahn, coming north out of Austria toward Ulm, I was going full tilt boogie up a long grade in the 318i, and got flat toasted by a Dodge Grand Caravan! I sure am glad I did not have to pay that fuel bill.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo
 
P.S.
 
Now that my 328i has been officially dropped off at lease end, and my 530i is not yet here, I am GLAD that I have a Dodge Grand Caravan to get me around for a few weeks.

#16995 of 30250 Shipo - Dodge Grand Caravan by brave1heart

May 08, 2002 (9:20 am)

Speaking of vans, I got passed by a silver Toyota Sienna a couple of weeks ago. I rarely if ever get passed by anyone on ANY road but this guy was going really fast. I tried to keep up for a few miles but I hit traffic and I lost him. I would've had to drive triple digits to catch up after that so I just smiled and let go :o)

#16996 of 30250 Driving in Europe by seivwrig

May 08, 2002 (9:28 am)

I guess if I had to move back home to the U.K.(God forbid). It would be hard to put me in an Econobox. Unless I got paid a ridiculously low wage, I would try to get a Jetta (Bora). I have driven in Euro with a 4-cyl (VW Passat)and 6-cyl (Ford Mondeo and my beloved 3er). I would rather have a 6-cyl anyday. Fuel economy is fine, but when it comes to fast response on mountain road and hard curves, most 4-cyl don't cut it. I can't see the purpose in a 520i. It looks fine but it is probably not suitable for towing a caravan and other European stuff. Some cars should stay in Europe because they would not make much sense in the U.S. Some cars that i would like to see in the U.S. are Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Rover and maybe Citroens. I would not like to see any Fiats, Renaults, Trabants, Smarts, Skodas, Ladas or any other piece of rubbish.

#16997 of 30250 WOW - I have a VIN! by postoak

May 08, 2002 (9:41 am)

My salesman, Jef Sims, with Garlyn-Shelton BMW in Temple just called -- I've got a VIN! Now, can somebody direct to the info on how you decipher a VIN? What letters indicate the country of origin?
 
Jef sure is making it easy for me to buy out-of-town. I won't have to go to Temple until time to pick the car up and he has offered to deliver to me here! I don't think I'll take him up on that offer, though, as I've been looking forward to the highway ride back, getting reacquainted with the car.
 
He said that a number of you have contacted him and he appreciates it. Anybody tired of the attitude of these big-city dealers in Texas, give him a call at 254-771-0128.
 
Forgot to mention that earlier this week I got a nice little surprise package in the mail from BMW NA -- my gift was a nice pen with an internal light. It has the BMW logo and "European Delivery" written on it.

#16998 of 30250 Seivwrig by shipo

May 08, 2002 (9:44 am)

Funny you should mention Alfa Romeo, I just posted some wonderful pictures of an Alfa 156 that I shot in Paris. Assuming the mechanicals are up to snuff, this car would give the 3-Series and interesting challenge, if just on looks alone.
 
If you would like to see it, check out:
 
http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo and then click on the Parisian Cars album.
 
FWIW, I saw a black G35 sitting out in front of my BMW dealership today, ummm, ugh. To my eye, this car looks much worse in the "flesh" than it does in pictures.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#16999 of 30250 A salesman story... by shipo

May 08, 2002 (9:46 am)

Over the past several months I have written several posts that documented the process by which I came to lease my new ED 530i. One of the issues was that the dealership that I leased my 328i from (Prestige in Ramsey, NJ, which with the following (and already corrected) exception, I have only the highest praise for) had promoted my salesman from 1998/1999 to a management level position; as such I was assigned a new salesman. Right from the very start, I had this creepy feeling about said new salesman, which I found to be incongruous with all of my previous visits to a BMW dealership, it was sort of like talking to a Ford salesman or something. Anyway, being a loyal customer, I visited this guy four times, trying to nail down a deal, and in the end, he simply said that he could not accommodate me.
 
With the lease end looming on my 328i, I needed to make a decision, so, I made a single phone call to Mike Weber over at Park Avenue BMW (201-843-7900), offered him a $1,500 over ED invoice deal on a new 530i, and he agreed. On the day that I visited Park Avenue to complete the ED paperwork, I noticed that old strange feeling again, and looking around, saw the guy from Prestige standing across the showroom. The hair on the back of my neck immediately stood up, this is just too weird. At the time, I just assumed that the two dealerships (about 15 miles apart) were just doing a vehicle swap or something, and that said salesman was simply there to pick up a car.
 
This morning, I finally dropped off my ex-328i at Park Avenue so that my ex-Leasing company could pick the car up and take it off to auction. On my way out, after completing the paperwork, I was walking through the Used Car Department, and who do you suppose I saw sitting at a desk? You got it, the salesman from Prestige (or should I say ex-Salesman). I have no idea whether he simply left of his own accord, or if he was asked to leave, however, regardless of what happened, he now appears to be working at Park Avenue.
 
As a side note, today when Mike Weber first saw the ex-Shipomobile, he checked the interior, walked slowly around the car once, gave it a good look, and then said, “Hmmm, maybe I will have to call your leasing company and see how much they want for this car, I think that we might buy it.” Given its history, this car is an easy candidate for a CPO certification, so, if the price is right (for Park Avenue to buy it that is), I may actually see my car sitting on the Park Avenue lot waiting for some lucky new owner to snap it up.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#17000 of 30250 2001 cd player by luongh

May 08, 2002 (10:41 am)

With the old generation car audio cd player, I realize that you can hurt the cd player by playing CD-R over a long period of time. Does the 2001 325i's cd player support CD-R. Thanks

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