As you all know my seemingly never-ending saga of wanting to buy a car has been going on since early this year and Sugana and myself are nearing the point we're ready to go ahead and pick up a car in the coming weeks.

I've been absolutely BITTEN with what the 3-Series can do and I've bottled my choices down to the following 2 vehicles (ironically their monthly payments are the same except the new one is 8 months longer).

I'm down to the following 2 cars and am having tough time deciding.

[B]04 BMW 330I:[/B]

[B]Loaded to the nipples with options (minus Nav)[/B] [B]Cold weather package,[/B] [B]Premium Package[/B] [B]Sports Package[/B] [B]Backup Sensors[/B] [B]Harmon Kardon Stereo[/B] [B]"M" racing wheels[/B] [B]Camel Leather Power front seats [/B] [B]Xenon Headlights[/B] [B]Under 20,000 miles[/B] [B]Balance warranty left[/B]

[B][IMG]http://www.mercuryserver.com/shares/04.jpg[/IMG][/B]

[B]Brand Spanking new 06 325i[/B] [B]Basic Basic Vehicle[/B] [B]Artic Grey on Black Leatherette[/B] [B]No Power seats[/B] [B]No Xenons [/B] [B]Full Warranty[/B] [B]Heated Front Seats[/B] [B]Backup Sensors[/B]

[IMG]http://www.mercuryserver.com/shares/06.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Am confused as hell, which one do you guys think I should go for. The pre-owned loaded one or the brand new base model one?[/B]

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tough decision. :NotMe:

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Id go with the used package deal. That car is loaded with goodies that Im sure you would enjoy! Its still got some warrnty left although thats something that you would never need to take advantage of.

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both diesels?

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Can you get an extended warranty on the used one? If so, I'd go with that one. 8 months of payments is 8 months of payments.

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buy more bandwidth for ms and give us more downloads

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[quote=speciale;373330]tough decision. :NotMe:[/quote]

at this stage.... EXTREMELY tough :(

[quote=KinKyJ;373334]both diesels?[/quote]

Nope, unleaded Gas

[quote=Lorn;373335]Can you get an extended warranty on the used one? If so, I'd go with that one. 8 months of payments is 8 months of payments.[/quote]

Yes, I checked with a BMW dealership and he said that since the vehicle is still under 20,000 miles, they can sell me an extended warranty (that also covers the full maintainence) upto 7 years / 100,000 miles.

Personally I like the black one too but the grey one will be brand new, will come standard with the iPod connector (which will be a purchase on the black one for about $160 + labor to install) and the Grey one will have full factory warranty, is better on fuel consumption but the older model "feels" better in terms of handling.

The only negative on the black one is that I assume it's in severe need of a tune up because the car doesn't SHOOT OFF from the get go unlike another 330 I test drove this weekend. The guy at the dealership said bring it in and we'll take care of it since its still under full maintenance warranty.

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My wife and I just purchased (about a month ago) the '06 IS 250 loaded to the gills and it's absolutely amazing! Have you shopped the Lexus Kamal?

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I have ..... but honestly I've test driven so many cars, nothing till date changed my mind so instantly as a bimmer behaving itself way above the speed limit, I'm sold like I have OCD

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take the loaded one. the car is only 2 yrs old and beemers hold their value

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Do you want a Bmw that much.. Im not a fan of either Kamal. Im still not set about the new shape 3series. If i had to choose id go for the 330i as the extras sell it.

Would you think of maybe an Audi A4 S-line 2.0L FSI..

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A complete options list would help...surely the new 6 comes w. more than that???

I like the 6 myself.

(wierd this is my 600th post)

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[quote=Mr.Big;373380]Do you want a Bmw that much.. Im not a fan of either Kamal. Im still not set about the new shape 3series. If i had to choose id go for the 330i as the extras sell it.

Would you think of maybe an Audi A4 S-line 2.0L FSI..[/quote]

I was never a fan of them until I drove my brother in laws bimmer. Holy smackers what that vehicle did in the pouring rain with 4 adults in the car, even my Acura couldn't come remotely close. And he has a 325. That 330i was just MEAN. (The S4 is a little out of my budget).

[quote=floridaorange;373381]A complete options list would help...surely the new 6 comes w. more than that??? [/quote]

Yes the new 6 comes with a shit load of options you can add on but none are in my budget. The picture I posted is of a vehicle thats very basic and fits in my budget i.e. the only options added to this particular vehicle are

• Automatic Transmission
• Heated Seats
• Park Assist

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important question!!

what about the insurance??

all well and good looking at them on face value.

but long term that extra half a litre and the goodies could bump up your premium.ù

i'd choose the older car, depending on the long term damage of the insurance. anyway i prefer the older shape 3 series and black is just a cooler colour on a beemer

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Insurance diff isnt a whole lot differemt

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Im getting one off these as a lease. im a little worried about depleting my bank account as i am about to transition jobs, but i wanted one of these for a while now. the one thing that is killing me is the down (6k) the monthly is not too bad (376) and i get a full warranty, oil changes, brake pads, etc for the life of the lease.

Kamal go with your heart. get what you always wanted. what are you going to do wait utill you are old and can barely drive? [IMG]http://www.bmwusa.com/NR/rdonlyres/9887A436-E5D2-47FD-9E83-AD56C2E69F26/0/e90_launch.jpg[/IMG]

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so no new TL for you Kamal? :(

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naa man, I already have one and I hate the revamp for th 07's... too disappointing... Plus a wicked recent test drive has changed my opinion about Bimmer's altogether

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ya i wasnt impressed with the revamp either...

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Hey Kamal, how important are aesthetic questions for you?

I mean this because I personally love the 2005 revamp, but I don´t care much about the one before (my dad has one).

You know, I actually meant to try and ask someone at one of the BMW dealerships we work with which one he would prefer,maybe I could get some kind of "inside scoop", but I had a really busy day, so I´ll try to do that tomorrow.

Very important : what is your major criteria, what are you looking for? Confort? Performance? Equipment? Reliability?

Yeah I know, if possible you wnat all that, but we have to make compromises somewhere...

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I personally feel that the lighter Pre 2005 models are "nimbler" than the 2006 and later models.

[QUOTE]Very important : what is your major criteria, what are you looking for? Confort? Performance? Equipment? Reliability?[/QUOTE] Considering the 04, 330i, can you let me know a brief for all those ?

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that car is nice as hell

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[quote=anonin;373535]that car is nice as hell[/quote]

Good choice :Bingo:

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um what happened to that Acura?

Did you get a raise? :lol:

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[quote=Hos;373538]um what happened to that Acura?

Did you get a raise? :lol:[/quote]

na mate, the used bimmer is about $5000 cheaper than the Acura

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[quote=Kamal;373517]I personally feel that the lighter Pre 2005 models are "nimbler" than the 2006 and later models.

Considering the 04, 330i, can you let me know a brief for all those ?[/quote]

Sure, I don?t think that should be a problem.

But really, as long as you like both, aesthetically, and you know the 330 well and trust it?s general state and this particular car?s history, go with the 330.

1st of all, all that equipment is surely something to be considered (unlike, e.g. with Mercedes, with BMW any wortwhile equipment is an extra) , second of all, you get a lot more engine (you really do), and technologically, the differences aren?t that huge.

Also 2 years isn?t that much time for a car, and 20.000 miles is a perfectly average mileage, considering they?re done in american roads (believe me, I?d be a bit more weary of 20.000 miles done in portuguese roads ;) ).

So probably, the thing to consider would be fuel consumption, which obviously should be a bigger with the 3 liter engine and maybe a bit more space and general confort in the new model.

Me, I love the new design to death, but just like it happened with the 5 series, I understand it isn?t too much to the "purists?" liking, but I?d take the 325 based purely on that.

But, unless someone tells me "oh, but the 330i is known to explode under certain circumstances" :lol: I?d tell you to get the 330.

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fresh updates,

the 330i has been in a fuckin wreck when she was being used as a service loaner at a dealership in maryland. Turns out they got it fixed in house and hence the report didn't show up on CarFax. Moreover, since BMW N.A. wont Certify a car that's been in a wreck, the dealer dumped it in an auction where the present owner bought it.

The second car is also a service loaner with 5000 miles on it, hence they dropped the price low enough for it to squeeze in my budget.

As luck would have it, both cars are out :(

So I'm back to hunting

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^^^Yowzers, that sucks.

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[QUOTE=Kamal;373540]na mate, the used bimmer is about $5000 cheaper than the Acura[/QUOTE]

and to be honest before you were telling me about the Acura, I'd never heard of it :lol:

can't go wrong with German, as you know 8)

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you might be better off at an auction at this rate :lol:

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wow...good thing I wrote all that...

Well, auctions and used sales of cars previously belonging to fleet management companies could be an option...

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[quote=Kamal;373642]fresh updates,

the 330i has been in a fuckin wreck when she was being used as a service loaner at a dealership in maryland. Turns out they got it fixed in house and hence the report didn't show up on CarFax. Moreover, since BMW N.A. wont Certify a car that's been in a wreck, the dealer dumped it in an auction where the present owner bought it.

The second car is also a service loaner with 5000 miles on it, hence they dropped the price low enough for it to squeeze in my budget.

As luck would have it, both cars are out :(

So I'm back to hunting[/quote]

dude...that sucks.

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After hunting, negotiating, hunting, negotiating and even more hunting and negotiating, I narrowed it down and concluded on a black BMW but the dealership has not written back to me confirming the sale (I had specifically asked the salesguy to do that this past Saturday).

Do I call back ? I though now that the sale is concluded, the salesguy would be even more enthusiastic to conclude..... but wtf

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Car salesman are amphibious retards...

I would call. You want something done do it yourself.

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If you need to take a dump, do you ask if you should go to the toilet or take a flower pot? Please call the guy and free us from your perpetual doubts ;) ;) ;)

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Pics?

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^^^ Its not that simple kinkster...... what if the guy turns around (sensing my eagerness for the deal) and requotes the price ?

I'm back to scratch dude

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[quote=Lorn;376834]Pics?[/quote]

dont have any yet, the car's not at the dealership (apparently just gotten off the ship).

It's Jet black on black (leatherette)

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[quote=Kamal;376835]^^^ Its not that simple kinkster...... what if the guy turns around (sensing my eagerness for the deal) and requotes the price ?[/quote]Just use a sales trick on him: the functional silence. Give him a call and say: "Hello, this is Kamal Datta, I was expecting a letter from you concerning our meeting last week." and then STFU... You'll force him to an apology :)

[quote]I'm back to scratch dude[/quote]You's better go back to scratch the dude ;)

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[quote=Kamal;376835]^^^ Its not that simple kinkster...... what if the guy turns around (sensing my eagerness for the deal) and requotes the price ?

I'm back to scratch dude[/quote]

Hasn?t he quoted you (in written) yet?

Dude, call him, but act like you?re in charge, politely but assertively. Ask him to confirm the sale and send you a written quote mentioning that specific vehicle (he can put the chassis nr. on it).

If you sense any hesitation on his part, subtly let him know that you?re shopping around (but not for another BMW, mention an Audi or some other car of the same segment).