[Dave_NW]

I'm new to these Forums, but not new to owning a BMW. I recently had to part with my 2003 X5 4.4i, a great ride I enjoyed for a number of years.

The replacement is a totally-stock 2009 328xi Touring, a low mileage, one-owner lease return. It's a great car that is shaping up to be a nice addition to the garage.

But it sure seems like these cars are very rare. In the past after buying a new car, I'd start seeing them everywhere. So far, after owning this E91 about six weeks, I still haven't seen any others. Nada. Zip.

I live a ways north of Seattle, and we get a lot of Canadians around here, shopping in our stores or passing through on the freeway, so I'd expect to see some E91's from B.C., at least. But again, I haven't seen even ONE other E91.

What do you think? Is it just coincidence, or are these cars hard to come by? Are they really that rare?

Dave

[Shermanator2411]

They are pretty rare, I've only seen a few in this area. Even rarer are modified ones. I've only seen a modded one on the forums. I love them though and if I could afford it, I'd get a E91 335i in a heart beat.

Congrats on the new ride!

[Rselby]

I just picked up a new 2012 E91 on EU delivery back on May 30th.

http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=46885

I looked for used ones for quite a while, but found next to nothing. As a result, I decided to go new while I still could. A manual transmission was a must for me, so that made the search even harder. I ended up getting the M-Sport package too which offers the blacked-out trim and really nice sport seats.

I see a few E91s around the Seattle/Eastside area, but not many. I had the windows tinted at Accutint and the guy there said he'd never even seen one.

I like the car a lot, although it's definitely a different vehicle than my E46s and E36 M3. The only things I would criticize so far is the horsepower (the car would benefit greatly from another 30-50 HP) and the brittle, crappy feel and noisy ride of the runflats. The horsepower is hard to fix (cheaply, anyway), but the runflats go away next week, to be replaced with Pilot Sport A/S tires for the upcoming winter season. Aftermarket 18" BBS RS-GT wheels with Pilot Super Sports go on next summer.



-Rick

[Tim M]

I see an SG E91 every day on my way home from work. Has his bikes on the roof and everything. I wave to him.

[Dave_NW]

Originally Posted by Rselby

I just picked up a new 2012 E91 on EU delivery back on May 30th.

http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=46885

I looked for used ones for quite a while, but found next to nothing. As a result, I decided to go new while I still could. A manual transmission was a must for me, so that made the search even harder. I ended up getting the M-Sport package too which offers the blacked-out trim and really nice sport seats.

I see a few E91s around the Seattle/Eastside area, but not many. I had the windows tinted at Accutint and the guy there said he'd never even seen one.

I like the car a lot, although it's definitely a different vehicle than my E46s and E36 M3. The only things I would criticize so far is the horsepower (the car would benefit greatly from another 30-50 HP) and the brittle, crappy feel and noisy ride of the runflats. The horsepower is hard to fix (cheaply, anyway), but the runflats go away next week, to be replaced with Pilot Sport A/S tires for the upcoming winter season. Aftermarket 18" BBS RS-GT wheels with Pilot Super Sports go on next summer.



-Rick

Nice car, Rick! I haven't seen any new ones in person, but the one I have is right after the LCI. Is the 2012 model much different than the 2009? I'll get some pictures of mine posted soon.

And thanks for the head's up for the tires and wheels. I'll check into those. I'm not a fan of the run flats, and feel they definitely need to go. I figured I'd have winter tires mounted on the OEM wheels, and get something great put on new wheels in the Spring. Are you doing anything about having no spare?

I had the windows in my E91 tinted a few weeks ago, and the shop said the same thing: They'd never seen one. Lots of coupes and sedans, and a few convertibles, but no wagons.

Part of me thinks it's great having a car fewer people drive, but the rest of me wonders what could be wrong with what I bought. If the other 3 Series models are so common, why is the wagon so rare? Someone said it's because BMWUSA pushes the X3 and X5 over the Touring. What do you think?

Dave

[Dave_NW]

Originally Posted by Gunners_Mate

I see an SG E91 every day on my way home from work. Has his bikes on the roof and everything. I wave to him.

GM3? Wondering about your sig line. Are you stationed on Nimitz? I did 20 years AD, four of them on Nimitz, back when she was homeported in Bremerton. Kind of nice knowing the old girl is right down the road.

Dave

[Rselby]

Originally Posted by Dave_NW

Nice car, Rick! I haven't seen any new ones in person, but the one I have is right after the LCI. Is the 2012 model much different than the 2009? I'll get some pictures of mine posted soon.

Thanks Dave. My 2012 is basically the same as your 2009, I think. I'm not aware of any significant changes in post-LCI cars, other than option packages and color choices. The M-Sport package, for example, wasn't offered until just a few years ago, IIRC.

It sure was fun doing European Delivery and breaking the car in on the Autobahn. That made the new car purchase worth it right there.

Originally Posted by Dave_NW

And thanks for the head's up for the tires and wheels. I'll check into those. I'm not a fan of the run flats, and feel they definitely need to go. I figured I'd have winter tires mounted on the OEM wheels, and get something great put on new wheels in the Spring. Are you doing anything about having no spare?

I don't like the idea of no spare, but then again, I can't remember the last time I had to swap a tire on a car due to a flat. I've had low tire pressure due to a nail or something, but have been able to inflate the tire and then drive to get it fixed. I do plan to get the M Mobility kit to put in the back - this is basically what they provide to M3 buyers (and other M cars), in lieu of a spare, as M cars continue to use "regular" tires because, simply, they perform better. The M Mobility Kit is nothing more than a can of fix-a-flat and a portable compressor, but it's better than nothing. Worst case, I'll call roadside assistance and let them sort it out.

And by the way, I wholeheartedly recommend the Pilot Sport All-Seasons. I've been able to get around in light snow in the Seattle hills in my 2004 RWD 325Ci. With the AWD on the wagon, I should be able to go about anywhere, as long as there is ground clearance. Second choice would be the Continental DWS. Check tirerack.com for details on both.

Originally Posted by Dave_NW

Part of me thinks it's great having a car fewer people drive, but the rest of me wonders what could be wrong with what I bought. If the other 3 Series models are so common, why is the wagon so rare? Someone said it's because BMWUSA pushes the X3 and X5 over the Touring. What do you think?

I agree with you, I sort of like the "different" factor of the wagon. I also think it's one of the better looking iterations of the E9x line. It feels like a regular 3-series sedan 'til I turn around and see all that extra space back there....

The Touring architecture is fundamentally the same as the 3-series sedan. In fact, they are built on the same assembly line in Munich. As such, there are no real "downsides" to a touring verses the other 3-series cars (maybe weight - they weigh something like 100 pounds more). Likewise, they suffer from the same common issues. The Tourings do have the panoramic sunroofs, which can be problematic given the experiences others have had in X5s, X3s, and 5-series Tourings. I'm hoping they worked out all the bugs by the time they built my 2012. I guess we'll see.

Why aren't Tourings more common? Several reasons, I believe. Most importantly, they are basically a special-order vehicle. No dealers stock new wagons on the lot, for the most part. Most of BMW's sales are to "impulse buyers" who come on the lot and want to drive a car home that day. That precludes a wagon purchase, by definition. Also, BMW USA does push the X series vehicles in response to the USA's demand for SUVs; this push comes at the expense of the wagons. Powertrain options are fewer on the wagons (no 335i Touring, no diesel), and the new generation F31 apparently won't even offer a manual transmission option (a key reason I bought an E91 before production ended). And finally, there is still a "wagon stigma" out there -- some people just won't be caught dead driving one. I personally don't get it, but to each their own.

-Rick

[Dave_NW]

Originally Posted by Rselby

It sure was fun doing European Delivery and breaking the car in on the Autobahn. That made the new car purchase worth it right there.

I can just imagine! Must have been awesome doing that!

Originally Posted by Rselby

I don't like the idea of no spare, but then again, I can't remember the last time I had to swap a tire on a car due to a flat.

If you happen to be a Costco Executive member who has their Ameriprise car insurance, one of the perks is free roadside assistance. I happen to fall into that category, so maybe I can live without a spare. But I'll check out the M Mobility Kit just the same.

Originally Posted by Rselby

Why aren't Tourings more common? Several reasons, I believe. Most importantly, they are basically a special-order vehicle. No dealers stock new wagons on the lot, for the most part.

-Rick

Funny you should mention that. My 2009 E91 is a lease return sold at auction that I bought from a dealer here in Washington state. It was originally sold new by BMW of San Francisco. I was in SF last month on other business, and dropped into that dealership to check them out. Their new vehicles were lined up outside, with only a half dozen or so indoors. And one of those inside vehicles was a 2008 E91! I thought that was kind of strange, since I'd expect a four year old used car to be kept outside, leaving showroom floorspace for something new and very expensive. I didn't see any other E91's on the lot - new or used.

Dave

[Rselby]

Originally Posted by Dave_NW

If you happen to be a Costco Executive member who has their Ameriprise car insurance, one of the perks is free roadside assistance. I happen to fall into that category, so maybe I can live without a spare. But I'll check out the M Mobility Kit just the same.

Awesome, I didn't know that. I'm an Ameriprise insurance customer, but not via Costco - Ameriprise does my financial planning too, and I switched to them after a horrible claims experience/lawsuit against State Farm. Maybe I need to change that, however - free roadside assistance would be nice.... :-)

Thanks for the tip!

-Rick

[Dave_NW]

Originally Posted by Rselby

Awesome, I didn't know that. I'm an Ameriprise insurance customer, but not via Costco - Ameriprise does my financial planning too, and I switched to them after a horrible claims experience/lawsuit against State Farm. Maybe I need to change that, however - free roadside assistance would be nice.... :-)

Thanks for the tip!

-Rick

I don't know if it is also available for those who have insurance not through Costco's Executive member plan, so you'd want to at least ask them about it. Can't hurt.

Dave