325 vs. 330 -- for a driver...

[pattitlv]

hi all,

i am buying a bmw, for beauty, for safety, for luxury, for fun, etc. To be honest, i am new to bmws. i probably would have bought a lexus but the style of the 325i coupe works much better for me as it is a two door, and i hated the lexus 250/350. and i wanted to avoid the mercedes clk 350 due to repair problem reports. so, here i am, excited and not knowing much.

i have made up my mind to the bmw so that is a done deal. money is not an issue for me. i would do the 330 over the 325 if that would give me a quieter, smoother ride. i do like the power of the 330.

sooo, i am trying to figure out what to get. i am a little confused. can you get 215 hp from the 325? if so, does it in any way make the car louder? or stress the engine any? what would one do to get one this way?

also would the 18 inch tires make it a smoother ride?

my understanding is that the exhaust on the 330 makes it louder (the growl). so i guess there's nothing i could do to work to lower that.

finally, do people negotiate on the extended warrantee? find that they are a good buy?

thanks all for your patience and understanding in explaining, and help



all the best, patti

 

[William330]

Go for the 330, you'll regret getting the 325.

Both great cars, but the 330 has that amazing engine, as you've
already noticed.

 

[William330]

Extended warranty is a scam, as are "underbody coatings," etc.

 

[Jay Frem]

Go for the 330 I have the 325 and tested the 330 much smoother and slicker ride but I did have the budget at the time and the 325 was a good buy. I was looking into covnetible.

The 18" wheels however will make the car more stable on corners but not as soft on bumps plus 18" are pretty expensive but this is still minor compared to the engine performance which is what matters most.

Also on 18" wheels the bimmer looks much nicer.

Mine is on 17" and I had another on 16" much nicer looks with the 17" even better with the 18"

 

[Detrich]

actually, the best choice for you depends on (1) your budget and (2) your lifestyle.

if you are a modest/ conservative driver and plan to use the car primarily for commuting, then the performance gains of the 330 may not be necessary. the 325 has ample power to get you around without feeling limp. and, it's responsive and handles well for those accident-avoiding maneuvers and the occassional cut-loose. safety, is afterall, built into every bmw.

on the other hand, if you love to drive, love to rev & push the car, and don't mind the additional $5K+ price tag, then the 330 brings some very nice icing on the cake. it has noticeably more power during acceleration, noticeably less body-roll during sharp turning/ cornering, and overall it just feels like it grips the road better and feels more solid a vehicle. if you were to take the 325 and the 330 on a short autocross track and compare them, you would immediately notice this difference.

my advice is also to go and test drive both cars and see if you can notice a difference. try to drive both cars around the city a bit and also on the freeway, and then compare how they respond. if you notice a big difference from your driving style, then the 330 is probably a better match. if you don't notice a big difference, then save your money- the 325 is a better fit. either way, you'll be happy with either of these cars. hope this helps and have fun shopping!

=)

 

[partyman121266]

I got my 330i back in March. Im so glad I did not get the 325i. I live in Germany and love the power on the autobahn and the winding state roads. I would also recommend to get the sports package. The handling is awesome.

 

[tazza0712]

Well seeing as money is no object, why would you NOT get it?? Of course get the 330, you may as well get the 335i when the e92 coupe comes out. That thing is going to be bloody awesome. Kick a 325 from here to who knows where.

 

[nunya53]

Well seeing as money is no object, why would you NOT get it?? Of course get the 330, you may as well get the 335i when the e92 coupe comes out. That thing is going to be bloody awesome. Kick a 325 from here to who knows where.

For that matter, why get the 335i? Go for the E92 M3...