hey my name is danny and ive been a vw guy for a while now... i just bought my first bmw ... a 1999 323i . its awsome its a 5 speed and im loving everypart of it. what are some things i should watch for it has 39000 miles and is mint! and what are some things i should do first . can someone tell me the specs on the car also?
i just moved up to a 323i
- Thread starter drinktillurblind
- Start date
congrats on the car. mines been my daily commuter for about 8+ years now. 80K miles later, it's still fun to drive & running great. in fact, the cost of owning this car hasn't been significantly more than the honda i upgraded from... 
here's my list:
1. dealer. find a reputable & reliable local service place after ur free warranty period expires. u don't get a free car wash, don't get free donuts, and don't get a free ass-kissing. but, u'll save a LOT of $. i have & my car runs great.
2. brakes. for my 30 mile daily city commute, my 1st front brake pad change was at 40k, 2nd at around 60k, and 3rd at 70k, which in addition included new rotors. still paid way less than 50% than what the dealer charges, and got all bmw parts too. (hehe)
3. windows. bmw REALLY cheaped out on the rubber lining they used for the door windows for this model year. in due time, drive around with all the window up and the radio off, and u'll hear what i mean. but, this is pretty easy to fix. just buy some rubber lubricant from the dealer for about $20. gently massage some thoroughly into the rubber lining periodically and the rattling goes away. also, try to keep the car out of the sun as much as possible.
4. electrical. ok, this is where german cars are supposed to suck right? well, ok- yah sorta. stock up on the following light bulbs from ur local auto supply shop: headlight bulbs, rear tail light bulbs, front turn signal bulbs. i've gone thru a TON of them. so much so, i just keep a bagfull of bulbs in my trunk. they eat 'em for lunch.
5. key. the remote entry key uses a battery that need to be replaced after about 6 years. u'll know it's time, cuz it'll stop working. no big deal tho- the dealer will change it for you for $20- ie $10/ key. the key has a rom chip that holds memory for only 10 seconds. so, if u change it urself, u have to get the battery in there within 10 seconds or any special programming the dealer did to the key will have to be re-programmed.
6. battery. i have to take my hat off to bmw on this one. i've had my car since 1998 and just changed my battery last summer. 7 years. i decided that made it worth it to buy another original bmw battery and installed it myself. (the dealer takes the old one back for free.)
7. tires. costco and u have a full-size spare in the trunk. did i mention costco?
8. 6-disc cd changer. the lenses on these really aren't designed to last more than 5, 6 years. the dealer does an exchange program for about $350-400, but u get a freaking refurb. i found a local radio shop that will repair the unit for about $150.
9. maintenance. my shop tells me do a 30k inspection every 30k and incremental oil changes depending on whether u go synthetic or regular. (the dealer always uses synthetic.) i've learned that this is actually really important. at around 60k, u'll need the serpentine belts changed, ignition coils checked, filters changed, among a bunch of other things. u won't need to worry about timing belt tho, 'cuz the car uses a timing chain.
10. engine. i've noticed over the years that german car engines sometimes sound a bit weird. it's totally normal, and there's nothing wrong. i also notice that my car drives a lot better after warming it up slightly- even tho the manual says this is unnecessary. i usually shift at 4000 rpm and i get about 21 mpg.
11. moonroof. there is a rubber lining strip that repels water when the moonroof is tilted. it's only fastened via a clip on and falls off ALL the time. periodically check to make sure it's still fastened. (i've been tempted to super glue it to the mount point, but haven't gotten around to it.)
Specs:
Engine: 2.5 Liter, In-line 6, 24 Valve
Fuel Tank: 16.6, Unleaded Premium
Output: 170HP @ 5500RPM
Top Speed: 128 MPH
0-60 MPH: 7.1 Manual/ 8.2 Automatic
Tires: 205/55R-16 H All Season
Wheels: Alloy
well, that's all i can think of atm. hope this helps and enjoy the car...
here's my list:
1. dealer. find a reputable & reliable local service place after ur free warranty period expires. u don't get a free car wash, don't get free donuts, and don't get a free ass-kissing. but, u'll save a LOT of $. i have & my car runs great.
2. brakes. for my 30 mile daily city commute, my 1st front brake pad change was at 40k, 2nd at around 60k, and 3rd at 70k, which in addition included new rotors. still paid way less than 50% than what the dealer charges, and got all bmw parts too. (hehe)
3. windows. bmw REALLY cheaped out on the rubber lining they used for the door windows for this model year. in due time, drive around with all the window up and the radio off, and u'll hear what i mean. but, this is pretty easy to fix. just buy some rubber lubricant from the dealer for about $20. gently massage some thoroughly into the rubber lining periodically and the rattling goes away. also, try to keep the car out of the sun as much as possible.
4. electrical. ok, this is where german cars are supposed to suck right? well, ok- yah sorta. stock up on the following light bulbs from ur local auto supply shop: headlight bulbs, rear tail light bulbs, front turn signal bulbs. i've gone thru a TON of them. so much so, i just keep a bagfull of bulbs in my trunk. they eat 'em for lunch.
5. key. the remote entry key uses a battery that need to be replaced after about 6 years. u'll know it's time, cuz it'll stop working. no big deal tho- the dealer will change it for you for $20- ie $10/ key. the key has a rom chip that holds memory for only 10 seconds. so, if u change it urself, u have to get the battery in there within 10 seconds or any special programming the dealer did to the key will have to be re-programmed.
6. battery. i have to take my hat off to bmw on this one. i've had my car since 1998 and just changed my battery last summer. 7 years. i decided that made it worth it to buy another original bmw battery and installed it myself. (the dealer takes the old one back for free.)
7. tires. costco and u have a full-size spare in the trunk. did i mention costco?
8. 6-disc cd changer. the lenses on these really aren't designed to last more than 5, 6 years. the dealer does an exchange program for about $350-400, but u get a freaking refurb. i found a local radio shop that will repair the unit for about $150.
9. maintenance. my shop tells me do a 30k inspection every 30k and incremental oil changes depending on whether u go synthetic or regular. (the dealer always uses synthetic.) i've learned that this is actually really important. at around 60k, u'll need the serpentine belts changed, ignition coils checked, filters changed, among a bunch of other things. u won't need to worry about timing belt tho, 'cuz the car uses a timing chain.
10. engine. i've noticed over the years that german car engines sometimes sound a bit weird. it's totally normal, and there's nothing wrong. i also notice that my car drives a lot better after warming it up slightly- even tho the manual says this is unnecessary. i usually shift at 4000 rpm and i get about 21 mpg.
11. moonroof. there is a rubber lining strip that repels water when the moonroof is tilted. it's only fastened via a clip on and falls off ALL the time. periodically check to make sure it's still fastened. (i've been tempted to super glue it to the mount point, but haven't gotten around to it.)
Specs:
Engine: 2.5 Liter, In-line 6, 24 Valve
Fuel Tank: 16.6, Unleaded Premium
Output: 170HP @ 5500RPM
Top Speed: 128 MPH
0-60 MPH: 7.1 Manual/ 8.2 Automatic
Tires: 205/55R-16 H All Season
Wheels: Alloy
well, that's all i can think of atm. hope this helps and enjoy the car...
thanks a lot man... so far the car is perfect i might have to change front brake pads in the next month which shouldnt be a big deal .... if u can do it in a V-dub u can probably do it in a bimmer i couple more questions...90 octane is good right ? ...is there a way i can hook up my ipod directly to the stock deck? and where would be the best place to get rims and tires ...i was thinking about m3 rims?? or something with a huge dish. i think im gonna stay away from too many engine mods with this car only because its a 4 door. so this is gonna be new to me and all your help would be greatly appreciated..
brakes> the bmw also has a brake sensor cable that's designed to break when the pads get too low and the brake alert light comes on. u'll need to buy a replacement cable ($50 i think) if u do what i do and wait for the sensor to come on to let u know when it's "time." the brake alert light is GREAT tho & very accurate. once it comes on, u know u still have a day or so left wear.
gas> yah, u have to use premium octane gas. <SOBBING> cost me freaking $50 to fill her up yesterday... (thanks a lot mr. george w!)
iPod> for 1999 3-series there is no bmw factory iPod hook up cable. so, u'll have to go ice-link or some other aftermarket connector. i'm cheap and i'm lazy... (hahahaha) so, i just use a Sony cassette tape connector, but I recently ordered a $30 ExtremeMac AirPlay (FM transmitter), which i'm still waiting for. (macaddict says its better than the other ones, but we'll see.)
mods> i haven't done any mods to my car, unfortunately. but, i have friends who do, and this is where they do a lot of their shopping: http://www.bavauto.com/ depending on your car, u might want to do clear corners- something i always wanted but have been too lazy to do. <LOL>
anyhow. hope this helps. congrats on the new car man, and welcome to the club! =)
gas> yah, u have to use premium octane gas. <SOBBING> cost me freaking $50 to fill her up yesterday... (thanks a lot mr. george w!)
iPod> for 1999 3-series there is no bmw factory iPod hook up cable. so, u'll have to go ice-link or some other aftermarket connector. i'm cheap and i'm lazy... (hahahaha) so, i just use a Sony cassette tape connector, but I recently ordered a $30 ExtremeMac AirPlay (FM transmitter), which i'm still waiting for. (macaddict says its better than the other ones, but we'll see.)
mods> i haven't done any mods to my car, unfortunately. but, i have friends who do, and this is where they do a lot of their shopping: http://www.bavauto.com/ depending on your car, u might want to do clear corners- something i always wanted but have been too lazy to do. <LOL>
anyhow. hope this helps. congrats on the new car man, and welcome to the club! =)
ahhhhh helppp... my check engine light came on after a long day of driving ? it was idleing a little low and rough when i pulled into my drivway right after the light came on then i turned it off and started it again and read a little in the manual and the light stayed off. i turned it off one more time and tightened the gas cap since i just got gas and thought that might be the problem. havnt drove yet waiting to let it cool down lol and hopefully it wont come back on is that normal it has only 39000 MILES !!!????
did u buy ur car from a private party or a dealer? i think for check engine light warnings, which are a bit elusive sometimes, it's probably a good idea to take it to a service place or the dealer and have it looked at. they probably hook it up to a computer to get the diagnosis. depending what the problem is, it might not be too expensive. better safe then sorry.