Bmw 325i 7803 said:
You misunderstood me, perhaps I wasn't clear enough. The 330i E90 is 45k, and the 530i is about 45-50k well equipped. My point is if you're going to get the 330i why not add a few thousand more or add nothing at all (maybe depending on options) and upgrade to the 5er...(thats if status is your aim, which for most BMW buyers it is)
Steve, first off, i should've given you the benefit of the doubt, but if you look back at your post, the way you typed it and explained, you said 325i was 45-50k. anyway, maybe you had two thoughts at once, and got names/ numbers mixed up.. it happens
if you really want to compare the 330i to 530i, even tho i don't think they are not comparable, (BMW isn't nissan having Altima canabolize the Maxima) let's start w/ options and pricing. e 90 330i loaded tops out at 50k, if you add the steptro, active cruise and all the goodies. if you do the same to the 530i, all of a sudden it goes up to 60k-ish. so you be the judge.
What I'm saying now is that the E90 325i offers E46 330i performance for the $$$... As for the 40 more hp you don't really need it when you already have 215, since if HIGH HP performance was your aim, then you would be at Acura or Infiniti. The E46 325i felt somewhat slow, especially with that 5 speed steptronic, but the E90 325i with it's 215hp and 6 speed isn't going to feel slow as it does 0-60 in 7 seconds. As for the bigger rims and tires you can buy them yourself, the brakes are probably the same since both cars are limited to 130mph, I don't think they need a contract with porsche for them just yet.
you don't really need the 40 horses?? ok, i'll give you that. let's just say that you buy those rims and tires yourself, maybe not the brakes, wouldn't that make the 40 horse power much much cheaper? i mean i dropped $1500 on my 17 inch rims and snows, so say you only dropped $1500 on 19s and ultra perf run flats. that means the 40 horses are only $1500 or less. i don't know about you, but that sounds like a really good deal to me. and remember you buy a bimmer, because it is a bimmer. BUT more horsepower the better imo. why do you think they no longer sell the four banger bmws in the states? and why do most of us clamor for that M that's out of reach? 333...