// Updated October 4, 2008 - with mods and pictures! //
My car just passed the 2 year and 18K miles mark, and wanted to take this opportunity to provide a long term test report based on my experience with this car.
Specs:
Model: 2006 330i
Color: Black Sapphire, Black leather, Light Poplar Natural Wood trim
Factory Options: Sports Package, Premium Package, iDrive / Navigation, Steptronic, Sat Prep
Mods / other options: Blacklines, tinted windows, rear deck spoiler, iPod adapter,
// Full M-Tech Aerodynamic Body Kit //
General Comments:
I love this car! And I love it more every day. It’s amazing; I actually look forward to my daily commute. The car drives very well, I enjoy its fluid motions, its sleek and powerful engine, and the luxury of the interior. I couldn’t live without the iDrive, and the iPod adapter. Definitively worth every penny I spent in it.
Picking the car and options: would I do something different?
I definitively picked the right car; at that time it was the top of the line E90, since the 335i was not available yet, nor did I know it was coming. The E46 was available in coupe, convertible and M3, but I really wanted the new E90.
The color was also a good selection in my opinion. A friend of mine had a Jet Black and was tougher to keep clean. I definitively love the look of black compared to other colors.
I knew I wanted the 330i, ZSP, ZPP & Navigation, and I wanted it in black (on black). Nothing like that was available on the floor, so I picked from the list of cars that were on their way. I passed on some cars that had cold weather package, satellite radio, park distance control, active cruise control, active steering, comfort access, etc. I don’t miss any of these.
I had to wait about 6 weeks. Good enough for me.
Something I would have probably considered had I known about it was European Delivery; the dealer didn’t mention it.
Quality issues
I had more issues with the service than the quality of the car.
When the car was fairly new, during the first months, I took it for a rattling noise that apparently was a defective rubber mounted on the exhaust system. Since I was taking the car in, I ordered the rear deck spoiler and the iPod adapter. The installed the spoiler incorrectly (slightly tilted) and forgot to update my software for the iPod adapter. I had to go several times to the service shop until they got it right.
During these first 2 years I had 3 flat tires. Luckily I have the EasyCare insurance, and therefore I saved tons of $$. This insurance was really a good investment. The run flat tires are very expensive, so the cost of the insurance is already paid for. As a result of several flats my tires are still in good shape after 18K miles!!
At only 8 months my car started to show warning lights for an electrical problem. There were no noticeable problems except the warning light which stood there for less than a second. I took the car the first time and they said it was probably nothing, as they couldn’t replicate the problem. The problem at the beginning showed up once or twice a week, but then it was several times a day. The second time I took it to the shop it was very evident there was a problem, and they took it in. You won’t believe the following - It took them 4 weeks to identify the problem! At the end, looks like it was a faulty key fob receptacle. When I finally got he car it had to big scratches, and many parts on the interior were not installed correctly, and the interior was very dirty. They fixed everything though.
Accidents
I have had two minor accidents with the car. One involved a motorcycle passing me and taking with it my rearview mirror. The other one involved a hit and run at a school parking lot. In both cases the problems were solved ASAP.
Trips
I went once to Key West and another time to Orlando. I love driving, and I long trips, however most of the time is my wife and kids and we prefer my wife’s Dodge Durango. I really enjoyed the trip to Key West, which I did with my dad.
Fuel economy
Remember I drive this car mostly as a commute car, so most of the miles are in the city. I get an average of 17 mpg. I seldom reset the mpg gauge to analyze fuel economy vs. driving style. The car fuel economy varies between 15 mpg (very aggressive) and 24 mpg (very conservative). By very aggressive I mean M mode (Steptronic), sudden starts, 5000 RPM gear changes, and harsh braking. Conservative means soft starts, smooth slowdowns, D mode with 1-2K RPM gear changes. Judging by the average of 17, you can guess what my style is. I drive mostly on DS to start with, but very often manual shift. Hey, I didn’t buy a Cadillac or a Lexus, but a Bimmer, and that’s how you’re supposed to drive it, right?
Future Plans
I plan to keep this car at least 5 years and probably up to 7 years. To keep it interesting, I plan to mod it gradually. The next mod will probably be the M-Tech Aerodynamic kit, including the front and rear aerodynamic bumper, and the side trims (
done!). In the future, when tire replacement is needed, I would probably upgrade the wheels to 19 inches and go for wider tires.
// New Picture //
