Shopping.... looking for used 328xi wagon, thoughts?

So, I see lots of experts here, so I thought I'd put some of my thoughts as I'm working through this process. I drive in snow country, about 20 to 25K a year, like a smooth precise car, but don't need super sporty. I've had an acura RDX last, put 100k on it, and a couple turbo wagons before that. I want no turbo, smoother power, and precise handling, but don't drive it as a sports car.


1, it seems almost all the AWD 328 or 325 wagons are on the east coast, so I'm having to look from afar. i live in Lake Tahoe, and we get lots of snow, so AWD is key. I also like wagons to put my ski stuff, bike stuff, dog, kids pile of xc ski gear for races etc...

2. I'm trying to keep my expenses to 20K, with shipping from the E. coast.

So, I'm finding some 06 and 07 with 40 to 70K in this range.

I was originally more drawn to the 04 and 05, but getting them with less then 70K is much tougher.
that brings up the first question, is the 06 change worth it over the the 04/5? and, that said, is the second year, 07, of that model much more reliable due to being the second year?

some are 325xi and some are 328xi, any major difference here besides year?

I've found some slightly higher milage cars, 65 to 75k that were quite a bit less, 15K instead of 19k, my other thought is to get one of these and get a 3/36 extended warrantee.

Is there a sweet spot for these cars before they get really expensive to own? I was thinking of driving it between 50 and selling by 100K, but that is gut, not experience or knowlege.

Thanks for any advice and tips in this process!

Wade

325 = 215 horsepower
328 = 230 horsepower
I think the 325 has a better automatic trans I believe

You want to get the sport and premium packages.
The sport package is worth it for the sport seats alone.
The L7 stereo is favored if you don't want to modify the stereo
avoid 2010 and early 2011 for the really bad base stereo
There is a cold weather package heated seats and something else I forget

Pros a great driving comfortable car that gets OK gas mileage.

Cons
Two design flaws
Valve Ticking and Head Bolt Breakage there major threads on these.
And I don't know the rate of failure.
Irritations
Run Flat Tires Suck and you don't get a spare.
There are major threads on this subject
Battery is PITA to change and registering (telling the car it has a new battery
so it charges correctly is expensive and these are battery hogs)
No real dip stick its electronic.

I think a manual that's properly taken care of should last a long time.
That means following something like the Mike Miller old school maintenance schedule not(google Mike Miller BMW)
the CBS recall. Expect to replace the normal stuff that wears out at normal car intervals.
Also be carefull to check under the oil filler cap for sludge build up due to the long oil change intervals .

I appreciate it.

I am looking at automatics, so the 325 may be the one. I don't need the extra horses, as I mostly cruise it as the fun family wagon.

run flat's are interesting. i have htem on wifes minivan as well.

i guess you can just blow htem off, and use AAA if you get a flat.

cheers,
wade

I don't agree with Ctuna at all about ZSP. I gave it a pass and have no regrets.

I don't have AWD, live in CA afterall. I have a wagon because I am heavily into biking, camping, outdoors sports. I had seriously considered the RDX, btw, but didn't like the FI engine, ride quality, and was not crazy about the interior. But, I thought it offered a lot of pluses nonetheless.

The main negative with the E91 is that it does not have a huge amount of space. It is fine for hauling a bike, car camping stuff, etc. But, if you wanted to travel with more than two people, or bring extra gear (as I do on my weekends that combine hiking and cycling) you need to either get a tow hitch or plan on carrying some stuff on your roof.

The car has lots of strange ergonomic flaws, and upkeep costs are really high.

The upside is that the car is insanely comfortable on long trips, is a ton of fun to drive, and is a fairly unique vehicle. There are not many E91s on the road and I have people come up and ask me about it all the time. I can't think of my cars out there that are as well rounded, you drive a fun sporty looking vehicle, that is comfortable as hell, but still is able to haul or your gear.

I'll be keeping mine a long time.

"I don't agree with Ctuna at all about ZSP. I gave it a pass and have no regrets. "

thx for the vote of confidence in the choice. I'm not sure what ZSP is though?

yes, hte RDX was pretty good, but i didn't love the peaky motor(even though I think acura did a much better job of minimizing lag, and is way better then the audi or subarus i've driven). I also averaged 19 to 20mph in mixed driving. not great for a small cuv.

I live in CA too, but AWD is a must... .

cheers,
Wade3

That is just something I read here in some of the threads.
I always buy manuals both for fun and less expensive repairs.
The sport seats really hold you in , not to mention they are really adjustable but you have
to not be a extreme fat ass to fit in them . You will be sliding in the non sport seats.
Expect about 17 to 18 in town . 25 in mixed driving and 30 on a flat highway cruise.
Drove to Tahoe and back from Santa Cruz averaged about 25 to 26 in a manual 325xi .
Its comfortable with two people and gear and baggage but three people and gear and baggage stuffs it.
4 people can ride comfortably.
I think ZSP is the sport package.

Originally Posted by wadeholiday

"I don't agree with Ctuna at all about ZSP. I gave it a pass and have no regrets. "

thx for the vote of confidence in the choice. I'm not sure what ZSP is though?

yes, hte RDX was pretty good, but i didn't love the peaky motor(even though I think acura did a much better job of minimizing lag, and is way better then the audi or subarus i've driven). I also averaged 19 to 20mph in mixed driving. not great for a small cuv.

I live in CA too, but AWD is a must... .

cheers,
Wade3

ZSP is sports package. Most owners here have it, and love it. So, I think Ctuna's opinion is pretty representative of the board.

I've had BMWs with sports seats and the base seats, and think the diff is overrated. Generally, I think both seats are comfy as hell.

And, with a AWD vehicle, ZSP doesn't really add a whole lot. In a RWD vehicle, ZSP brings a different suspension. But, in AWD, there is no suspension change when you opt for ZSP.

The wagon has a stiffer suspension than the sedan anyway.

D.

got it. thx.

as I"m looking used, the sports package hasn't been a key i'm looking for.

Regading 04/05 vs the change in 06, any feedback?

I've seen a few 04/05's with around70K around 12 to 15k that may make sense. seems you sacrifice hte great moonroof, different look (which is personal preference),
anything else?

thx!
wade

Just to emphasize, my opinions about ZSP are just that - my opinions. I respect Ctuna's opinion and am not encouraging you to ignore it. Lots of people here share his view and it is a valid perspective.

The 04/05 was an earlier model. So, you might pop by the E46 board and ask them what they think. We had an E46 sedan, and it was a very nice car. Prone to water pump problems and power window failures, but still nice. It is even smaller than the E91 though.

http://www.topsfieldmotorco.com/2006...7/Details.aspx

I do appreciate any help.

I help out on forums about skis, bikes, tennis rackets, and houses, (thinks I have expertise in)
but,
i'm not a car guy, so I appreciate the help.

i like this 06 w/ 47K at 19,000 best so far, blk leather interior is my fav, and I like hte brush Al instead of wood. I also like 47K miles.

the other top contender is a 04 w/ 74K for 14K

thanks!
Wade

Some guys will trade the Al for Wood.
The sporty guys like Al a lot of the time.

Originally Posted by wadeholiday

I am looking at automatics, so the 325 may be the one. I don't need the extra horses, as I mostly cruise it as the fun family wagon.

run flat's are interesting. i have htem on wifes minivan as well.

i guess you can just blow htem off, and use AAA if you get a flat.

The RFT's on BMWs are far different than those on the Honda ? Toyota? minivan. The BMW RFT's are self-supporting and actually better riding and cheaper.

As far as auto vs. manual: Pretty much every M/T wagon was special ordered by a customer who waited. There are only around 3,000 wagons sold in the US every year, so a M/T wagon (in either RWD or AWD) is the rarest of the rare. Probably only a couple for sale in the US/CA at any one time.

Although the E46 Wagon is fine (not sure, but they might have been sold in '06, since the new E91 didn't go on sale until '07), lower miles is better. Having said that, the motors (and usually the transmission) in these will last 200K miles with no problems. The main disadvantage of the E91 is that there are more electronics. Pretty much any BMW needs attention at the 100K mark, but it's not totally onerous.

Thanks!

wifes van is toyota sienna. I guess running non RFT's can work. do people carry some fix a flat, and limp in, or just rely on AAA in that rare event of a flat (in my 30 year of driving, I've only had 1).

I also just learned that the 07 was the bigger change to the new engine. I though the 06, but it had the same engine, different body.

I also heard the improved the AWD system in the later generation quite a bit, and living in snow country, that can be a big positive.

Cheers,
Wade

Just a couple of quick notes - the engine change from '06 to '07 and forward was just a small software change bumping hp and tq. The motors are identical. As was mentioned previously, the auto transmission in the '06 is geared for better performance. It was produced by ZF, the 328 auto is a General Motors unit.

The E46 has significantly more little niggling maintenance issues than the E91. I had two E46s and love that model, but if I was in your shoes I'd choose the E91. As you can see I now own a 2006 E90 330i.

OK,
so that is great clarification. I'm good with the lower hp and torque, and more drawn to the better transmission, so 06 is the right one for me.

thx!
wade

The sport package with AWD gives you only the sport seats and some cosmetics, if I am not mistaken. No difference in suspension. Plus you'll get the staggered setup I believe, just an extra expense for a casual driver. Non-sport seats a great as well. I had 10-12 hours trips, no problem. The wagon is excellent for cruising. The motor is sweet, but not a power beast it this heavy configuration. Good luck with your search.

And the newest run-flats are pretty good.

nice looking car!
that's one of the colors I love.

thx!
wade

Originally Posted by wadeholiday

nice looking car!
that's one of the colors I love.

thx!
wade

Rare color... Although we were lucky to get one in that color. With 6MT. I assume you have checked www.bmwusa.com CPO list? If you find one on East Coast, fly out and drive back...

No staggered setup on xi sport wagon.
Don't know about the standard RWD.
Also I think the e46 is a more solid car it doesn't have
any Engine issues I am aware of and it has less exotic hardware and engine
design. See the two design flaws I mentioned before.

Originally Posted by ctuna

No staggered setup on xi sport.

Pretty sure that you're wrong on this. Certainly it is/was available for certain options for 'xi models. I know for sure you're wrong for 335xi sedans and coupes.

In any case, they can easily be fitted if wanted.

Well I got mine with stock tires and a sports package and it wasn't staggered , but it is and xi.
This is a discussion about wagons we know the other cars have a staggered setup .

I have a 2007 328xi e91 and love it. I have 2 sets of rims for it. The stock 16" that I keep snow tires on and the staggered sport 17".
And yes, just like all other 2007 328xi's, the option on rims were the standard 16" (156 rim), sport 17" (159 rim) or the sport staggered set (161 rims).
You can pull down the original sales brochure from BMW to show you exactly what was available.
I drive ~600 miles per week on various roads. On the interstate with regular tires (not snow) w/ 16" I get around 33mpg. With the 17" it's around 30. I have never figured that out other than maybe the tire compounds.
The only issue I have had was at 17k miles on a 20k oil cycle I had to add a quart of oil. Car only has 65k miles on it. The dealership said they will go over the engine with a fine tooth comb when I come in for the oil change.

No ZSP on my CPO MT '07 wagon and given the condition of most east coast roads, I'm happier without it. Even with the basic 16" wheels and Turanza RFTs, the ride is quite comfortable with tires set at around 32/35 psi, handling is very responsive at 34/38, and I can easily haul 1/2 ton of wood pellet fuel at 35/42. An incredibly flexible vehicle.

Also, re Floyd's comments - I recall reading that only about 1,500 E91s were imported into the US each year, with perhaps 5% having the manual gearbox.

Tom

thanks again for the info and opinions, bimmerfest.

I bought my new car last night. I was all over the board, and brough Audi into the debate as well, then a private party 06 325xi wagon came on craigslist and I drove 3.5 hrs to SF and bought it.
It was in great shape, totally loaded with every option, (not sport), but all others including adaptive cruise (which i used on the way home, and liked it). black interior, white out, 39K for 19,500.

I had a great drive home, and am loving it.

It was on all the all free maint program, and I have full records. bough it from a German couple who love their cars. in the driveway as a brand new porsche cayenne hybrid and a brand new 5 series sedan. great to deal w/ and nic people.

2 question:
I have to get my winter tires. I think i'll just go w/ blizzak RFT, but wanted to see if many recommended blowin off the RFT and what they do for backup?
and, has anyone used the yakima whisbar crossbars to get a bike rack mounted. i want to stay as low pro as I can, and I remove the seat i can get in garage w/o taking it off.

Thx!
Wade