2007 BMW 3 Series VS Audi A4

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by MOMO3.2

Kaisen:

I am not sure why my decision to purchase instead of lease is perplexing.

Thanks for the d'bag response. I was only trying to help. Learning about the decisions you made in the past helps shapes your decisions today. Since you are here looking for advice.....

[Tim Hancock]

Momo, if you intend to keep this car "forever", I feel compelled to tell you that my E36 325i has over 300k miles on the clock with no major work ever done to the engine and my 2003 E46 330i has about 80k on the clock with no known issues. I have a friend who owns a very clean E46 325i auto with 250k on the clock that has had no issues with the engine or trans.

No doubt there are many Audi owners who could say the same, but I only know what I know.

[MOMO3.2]

Kaisen:

I have learned over the years that it is really easy to misjudge the intent or tone of someone while conversing on the internet. This may be due to the fact that we are limited to reading characters on a page. There are no facial expressions, tonal inflections, or body language cues to guide us.

I tried to interject some levity into my response to your post by adding those goofy faces. Please accept my apology for misreading the intent of your first post and responding ineffectively to it.

Now, I don't want to continue any further with my folly. So, before I respond to your second post, what exactly was your intent when you called me a "d'bag" (wink, wink, chuckle, chuckle)?

Sincerely,

Mike

[MOMO3.2]

Tim:

Dang, that is great to hear. And, that is honestly what I am shooting for with this next purchase. I am all over the BMW. Thanks Tim and all the others that have responded!

Mike

[imcarthur]

Well, just call me the anti-Tim. My 00 E46 323i 5spd was a money pit. The airbag light was on more than it was off during its tenure with us. Replaced sensor pad in pass seat - it would have been cheaper to buy a new seat. Replaced seat belt heads. Replaced some other sensors. I had red light 'tan'. Sunroof was permanently barely functional. Water collected in the rear seat wells & in the spare tire 'home'. I just drilled drain holes. The plasticized interior paint started to peel off & it was an eyesore. I was really, really, really glad to see it drive away. Fun to drive but . . .

My 02 A4 3.0 Quattro Auto is a car that I will be replacing with another Audi. Fit & finish in interior is better. Better hwy cruiser imho. It just 'feels' more substantial. No, not as tossable & certainly heavier but more solid. I know this board seems to prefer BMWs but not I.

I recently drove in a 06 335 xi & the interior seemed better but not up to Audi standards & smaller. And the owner told me he hates the run-flats. But he will be getting another in 2 years.

fwiw

Ian

[onewhippedpuppy]

Ian, did you buy your 323i new? If used, how old and how many miles? I ask because the non-airbag issues sound like neglect. The airbag stuff is obviously a major PITA. Gotta' love the systems that monitor the systems.

I've spent time in plenty of Audis and BMWs. Without fail I'd say that the Audis always had a nicer interior, but the BMW was always a bit more involving to drive. Great cars either way, though Audi maintenance stories can sometimes be scary. Tim H had an older A6, but who was it that had a nearly brand new one that was always disabled with electrical gremlins?

[imcarthur]

It was used. I bought it with 55K miles for a part-time car for me & a dd for Room Monkey #1. The water in the rear seat wells was plugged sunroof drains. I discovered it when I was cleaning it to sell, so yes, deferred maintenance. Ditto the water in the spare tire well. I never looked in there, so I didn't know it was a problem. From the BMW boards, both are common issues - I will admit. The interior plastic paint was wear & tear. I ended up removing it all from the center console (pita) since it was the same color underneath.

The constant airbag light was electronic crap wearing out. The nightmare of all new cars as they age.

The A4 has sucked some money but I watch it more closely since it is now our only 'day' car. One cat went - under warranty. Misc other odds & ends. Ignitors (or whatever) under the recall so n/c. Not the money pit that the BMW was. Not even close.

Ian

[MOMO3.2]

Well, I drove a lot of cars (an A4, 328i's, 335i's, IS250). And, the one we drove home was a Certified Pre-Owned 2006 BMW 330i. It is a beauty. Loaded to the gills with 33,000 miles.

To me, this 330i looked, drove, and sounded decisively better than the 07 & 08 328i's that I drove. It was an easy choice. I feel really good about the purchase. It is beautiful very affordable, and still has 3, 1/2 years of warranty remaining.

Thank you all very much for the advice.

Mike

[porsche4life]

Pictars? What color?

[MOMO3.2]

Here is a photo of the car at the dealer.

Mike

[onewhippedpuppy]

Very nice!

[David]

Congrats!!!

[Rot 911]

I just bought an '06 330i at the end of December. Traded in my '02 325i for it. Just took my first long trip and got 32mpg at a cruise controlled 76 mph for 400 miles.

The '06 is somewhat of a rare car in that it is the first year of the new body style, but they only used the 330i for that year. After that they went to the fuel pump/fuel injector plagued 335i.

The run flats suck. Are noisy and tend to have side punctures if you hit a pot hole hard. I will be trading them out for regular tires and compressor with some tire plugs.

[David]

Not only are the runflats hard, they're also very heavy as are the wheels that can handle the load without air.

Our '07 328i with sport package came with 225 and 255 17" tires. The OE front/rear wheel and tire weights were 57/60 pounds each. I replaced them with go-flat tires and OZ wheels that weigh 40 pounds each. It made a big difference.

I did add a space saver spare, jack, and tools in the trunk.

[MOMO3.2]

Thanks Matt, Kurt, 125shifter.

I am really excited about this car.

Mike