buying M3, have questions
 

Hi all, well i think i am going to buy a new 2005 BMW M3 either Carbon Black or the Metallic Silver, still unsure. i am in the military stationed overseas and won't have access to test drive one for a while, and have no salesperson to ask questions so i decided to ask you guys. here is what i am planning to get.
2005 bmw m3 silver or black (leaning towards silver so it's easier to keep clean)
performance package
trying to decide on the competition package - i am considering buying aftermarket wheels so this might not be worth it.
xenon headlights
no nav

1.besides wheels i think i may upgrade the audio system and am wondering what it is like without the nav. i am assumming you only get that screen i see in the pics when you order nav, is this correct? also, is the system without nav 1 din or 2?

2. if i upgrade the deck, will the steering wheel controls still work with an aftermarket deck?

3. i am trying to decide if i want the factory spoiler...i may eventually put an aftermarket spoiler and am wondering if most aftermarket spoilers use existing holes from the oem spoiler? is it better to go with the spoiler deletion option so you dont have to worry about holes?

4. is the competition package worth it, i know you lose the steering wheel cruise control, so does that mean you lose cruise control all together? did the put the control somwhere else? this doesn't matter so much, just wondering.

well i guess that's about it for now, that's all the ?'s i can think of, thanks in advance to all who respond.

Spoiler isn't mounted with any holes.

Alex

1 and 2, no idea.

3, what Alex said. OE spoiler uses double-sided tape.

4, depends on why you want it. Some people think $4k for blue paint is expensive, some don't.

:rofl: :rofl: Jesus Bren, you can stop your relentless campaign against the Comp pkg any day now. :dunno:

To me the style of the wheels are worth it alone. The IB paint is an extra bonus. :thumbup:

That's pretty silly. Especially cause you can get 1K for the stock wheels on ebay, bringing the cost down to about $1000 for the fake CSL wheels.

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html...D=M3COMPWHEELS

Alex

Ah...real CSL wheels on the rear (same part #). 1/2" less wide but similar quality to CSL wheels on the front. THEN you would have to pop for 19" tires also.... so 2K for the wheels, + at least $500.00 difference between selling the originals and buying 19" tires.

EVERYONE likes the idea of having the Euro rotors on there car. Why not get the REAL CSL brakes for the car, and the REAL CSL steering rack also...

All in all it's quite a good deal, IF you like/want the wheels. :beerchug:

Again as Bren says to each there own. After opting for the extra $1800 for the standard 19's it only becomes a $2200 option, for the better brakes , the steering and the quote "special blue". Worth it for me. :thumbup:

Even if I did get 1K for the wheels, It's still an $1800 option. Losing $800 right there. :p

I was just commenting on the fact that I have seen Bren on MANY occasions bashing the Comp pkg. If people want to get it let them. You don't have to keep bagging on it relentlessly. Sounds like a ZHP relived story. :eek:

Cheers to that. :thumbup:

Looks like this became a M3zhp thread. :p

If you "opt" for the $1800 standard 19's, the comp package is still $4000. You then spend $5800 and don't get the comp wheels.

Alex

I never told the guy not to get it. :dunno:

To me, if the pkg. isn't compelling enough on it's own that you have to ask for input about the value says that it isn't worth it.

yeah the but the non-comp wheels are forged so they might actually be worth additional cost when compared to the comp. wheels

Also the IB costs an additional 475 bucks, so its not as if they just throw in metallic paint with comp package. Still the wheels are sweet and the brakes look cool atleast.

I meant as a stand alone option without the comp pkg, not including. :p

1. Yeap, Nav only. NO idea what spec the head unit is, if any.

2. Nope unless the hed unit talks the appropriate BMW bus. The steering wheel controls put a code on the bus that must be read and acted upon.

3. Factory spoiler is double sided tape. SO get it, adn if you don't like it, you can take it off. If you don't get it, you will have to pay to get one and then pay to have it painted to match the car.

4. Yeap, no cruise control. Choice is yours alone. But personally it makes no sense to put the premium package on the car (moon roof) and Competition package.

The way I see it, ZCP takes too much of the good away vs. the bad(heavy gadgets)..\

ZCP=
no steering wheel controls(BT, volume, Cruise)
NAV is a beautiful thing..
Cruise is a beautiful thing
IMO even uglier trim
smaller wheels

If you were to order a standard M
You can get everything except for the brakes, alcantra, and trim(at least from what I know of)
From the sounds of it all later 05's will have the same rack as ZCP
factory double spokes sell like hotcakes..I see countless e36 with them(EBAY)

To me, it's not worth it...I like to have all the goods..and from the looks of it and the way I foresee BMW going, especially with styling...E46 might be a highly sought after car in the future..meaning resell might be worthwhile...It might be a good idea to get it loaded..But then again ZCP might be a good selling point as well..as far as resell value goes...

it's your preference

I don't think the wheels are smaller than stock as they are 19." Also, the 05 M3s come with the ZCP suspension, not the steering rack as far as I know (which may not be very far at all).

\

I agree with the steering wheel controls. I have a left over M wheel from my old 330 that I am researching to see if I can retrofit to my Comp Pkg. I really hope this can be done as I will miss the wheel controls. :(

You can still order Nav, I did.

I also agree with the interior trim. I would rather have the real aluminum. I might try and trade later if it really bothers me.

The wheels are not smaller. They are 19's as well.

The steering rack is different while the suspension upgrades are an across the board 05 M thing.

Still worth it for me. Not to mention the IB color. :p

;)

And even though he gets mad at me every time I say it, just be aware that the extremely expensive brake rotors will not stand up nearly as well to heavy track use as the standard solids.

Get ff in here then! :eeps:


.

Good then, post pictures when you get it. :thumbup:

Nah, that's old history. :beerchug:

The other side of the coin is, they do perform somewhat better than the solids, thus why essentially all high performance rotors are drilled.

Hey Nick, that kick down switch is @#%#% annoying. Where do you suppost full throttle is, at then end of the push up to the kick down (thus the kick-down switch just signals auto mode it's OK to drop down a gear), or must you press past the kick-down switch to get full throttle. If it's the latter, then the pedal MUST be changed. Have you looked into the swap any further?

I suppose that these guys:

http://AlexTBaum.smugmug.com/photos/14560081-M.jpg



would disagree:

http://AlexTBaum.smugmug.com/photos/19129706-L.jpg





Alex

:p Nothing do disagree with. "Essentially" leaves room for the few exceptions.

Its so damn hard to pick :rofl:

But above all...

CONGRAT-U-FREAK-A-LATIONS !!!!!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

And these guys:

http://www.ptgracing.com/images/2005...t/21guyswk.gif