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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 1790 of 3025

#17890 of 30250 brave and allano by 1pierce

Jun 05, 2002 (1:16 pm)

I agree. Film will still be around, like manual trans., but will be for enthusiasts. For now, though, digital still can't match top quality film photography for resolution. It gets VERY close, if you use a $5,000 digital camera. I like interchangeable lenses, and I now have a pretty extensive (and expensive) collection of Nikon lenses. I'd have to get a D1 body to shoot digital with my lenses, and that is cost prohibitive. Pity Nikon doesn't make an amateur digital camera that uses their lenses. I'll probably get one used, in a few years, when the next generation D camera comes out. The D1 is what all of the photo journalists are using these days.
 
In the short term, I'll probably pop for a sub-$1,000 digital camera with a zoom lens, for use in web photography. That said, I also need to upgrade my home computer, because the hard drive and processor are too slow and small to manipulate digital photos (so I'm told, I have a 1997 vintage Pentium II 200, with 5.6 MB HD).
 
Come to think of it, I love photography almost as much as cars. Almost. I think of BMW as the Nikon of cars (occasionally missing a feature, but nobody beats the performance). Audi is the Canon of cars (always the latest and greatest technology, but doesn't have the Nikon feel). And MB, well I guess they're Minolta (superb system, built like a tank, but over priced and inconvenient to use). You other photo enthusiasts know what I mean.

#17891 of 30250 impressive by claywaterfill

Jun 05, 2002 (1:31 pm)

I was reading the July Car & Driver article about the 330Ci vs Acura 3.2CL Type-S. The BMW won, however it's a coupe, so off topic here. Anyway, what I think is impressive is the performance BMW gets out of their cars against more powerful competitors. The 330Ci was .1 sec quicker to 60 mph and .2 sec quicker to the quarter mile--though it was a little slower to 100 mph. But, the 330Ci has 225 HP to the Acura's 260. Plus, the Acura has 18 more ft-lbs of torque as well. The G35 owners were all happy because their car was behind the 330i by just tenths as well--but their car also has a big power advantage. If that weren't enough, the BMW also gets better fuel mileage. I imagine that if BMW wanted to boost HP to appease the American market, the other offerings would not even come close to keeping up.

#17892 of 30250 Fuji FinePix S602 and Other Digital Cameras by wrjohnsonpghpa

Jun 05, 2002 (1:34 pm)

A very sweeeet looking digitcam. I understand that it will be available this month--June '02. Looks like the FinePix 4900 is discontinued as Amazon lists it as "limited availability." I did like the price of it better, though--$500 vs $800 for the S602. A close comperable would seem to be the Minolta Dimage 5, which is cheaper. I'll take a good look at it and report back. Anybody else want to weight in?

#17893 of 30250 Shipo's pics by erickpl

Jun 05, 2002 (1:35 pm)

Gee Shipo,
 
Those interior shots are so close up (a/c and radio) that you can see the dust on the dash. Is the resolution and clarity THAT good? Woah!
 
-Paul

#17894 of 30250 ErickPl by shipo

Jun 05, 2002 (1:45 pm)

Yup, it's that good.
 
I really wanted a 3 MP camera or better, however, now that I have this thing, I am finding that I am hard pressed to figure out what else I would do with the nicer camera that I cannot do with this one.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#17895 of 30250 1pierce by allano

Jun 05, 2002 (2:20 pm)

I would not sell the current 3.3Meg and 4+Meg pixel resolution digital cameras short. Look at the results, not their specifications. I don't think you need to spend more than $800 to get results that would satisfy you.
   Your computer seems just fine if it has a USB interface. I have about the same capability, a 17inch monitor, HP 970C printer and I don't wait very long for anything but prints.
   I don't like large prints (8x10s) and find 5x7s and smaller pictures on glossy photo paper to be very acceptable compared to commercial prints - especially since I tend to print only selected shots after slight adjusts in brightness and contrast.
   I do have a CD-R/RW burner for archiving digital pictures. I typically group them in folders by subject or occassion, create a (couple of) thumbnail sheets with filenames (one per folder) and then archive this organization (off the HD) to CD-R when I have enough pictures to fill a CD. Beats the box of prints that have never found their way into a photo album.
 
Alan

#17896 of 30250 mr323 by dave330i

Jun 05, 2002 (3:21 pm)

On my 330i, I shift from 1st to 2nd as low rpm (2000) or high rpm (over 3500). It doesn't like the mid range for some reason. For other gears, it doesn't seem to care too much. I perfer shifting at higher rpm, since I love the sound of I6 reving up.

#17897 of 30250 VIN by riez

Jun 05, 2002 (3:30 pm)

billiam70... VIN explanation I got regarding BMW is a bit different:
 
Digits 1-3 are manufacturer's code (e.g., WBA=BMW AG; 4US=Spartanburg, SC, USA; WBS=Motorsports; and NCO=BMW SA, with 4US and NCO not used after MY 1999.)
 
Digits 4-7 are the model code.
 
Digit 8 is the restraint system identifier.
 
Digit 9 is a check digit
 
Digit 10 is the model year identifier.
 
Digit 11 is the plant code (e.g., L=Spartansburg, A=Munich, B=Dingolfing, D=Dingolfing, E=Regensburg, and N=South Africa).
 
Digits 12-17 are the sequential production number.

#17898 of 30250 Another Way to Tell Where Made: Window Sticker by riez

Jun 05, 2002 (3:34 pm)

Pulled the window sticker for my wife's '00 323iA. In the upper right hand corner is mandatory the "Parts Content Information". Her's has 5% US & Canadian parts content and 80% parts content from Germany. But the "Final Assembly Point" is clearly shown as "Pretoria, S. Africa." The "Engine Parts" are from Germany and the "Transmission Parts" from France (thinking this means she has the General Motors 5-speed, one Cadillac is now using in CTS). Truly an international car!

#17899 of 30250 South African Build Quality, Cost, & Time by riez

Jun 05, 2002 (3:51 pm)

The 11/24/01 issue of NY Times, Business Section, had a cover story titled "A Quest to Promote the Quality of Cars Made in South Africa." By Henri E. Cauvin. Toyota, VW, Ford, GM, Nissan, BMW, and DC all build vehicles in SA. The list is in descending order of production, 2000 year data.
 
Gives some history of BMW in SA. How they have fully owned or controlled their subsidiary since the apartheid days. BMW used to assemble full line of BMWs in SA but now only make 3 Series. Were slated to build 49,000 3 Series in 2001, a record. BMW has spent a lot of money upgrading the plant.
 
Article discusses that SA build quality is up to world standards, though the cars cost a bit more to produce and take longer to build (when measured in man-hours per car).
 
In 1995 SA government initiated a subsidy program for manufacturers, to encourage exports (the Motor Industry Development Program). Program will run thru at least 2007 and possible 2012. Each manufacturer trying to get their costs and build times down to world level before the program expires.
 
NOTE: According to Jonathan Cohen's book, BMW M-Series and Performance Specials book, 1996, a most unique and famous BMW SA cars was their 1980s E23 platform 745i. Instead of using the 3.2L and 3.5L turbocharged I-6 engines as the made-in-Germany 745i, BMW SA's 745i used the Motorsport 24-valve 3.5L I-6 from the M635CSi and M6. Too bad BMW doesn't make an M7 today!

Messages Page 1790 of 3025

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