Kurant

My wife and I are looking to replace our Jetta. We love ours, and it's been a great car. No problems, but it's a 2000 and it has over 110,000 miles on it. She commutes about 120 miles a day. We looked at some other ones, but in the search, we found a 2001 BMW 330xi that some older couple owned. It was sitting in the park and sell lot next to the VW dealer. So we went and checked it out. We found it an older couple owned it, so we called the son to find out his mom was sick, and she haden't driven the car in almost a year. The car sat under a cover for about 8 months, and wasen't even started for the entire last summer. His dad decided to put it up for sale. We have to go back today to drive it, but it's like this..

330xi - 12,3xx miles. Immaculate condition, the seats have no wrinkles, the stereo was replaced, the original is still with the car. All 5 oil changes, and IM tests are all documented, as well as all the service performed by BMW in California. Shipping documents when the car was shipped here in the summer of 2002. Everything done with the car has been documented.

25,900 is all they want. I've seen 2001's go for 23,900 at the Mercedes dealer here. This car will have significantly less miles since she will be working in Anchorage next year, otherwise, we woulden't be considering it. It's also all wheel drive, which is big plus for Alaskan winters.

Thoughts?

fuzyfuzer

There are two problems that I see the fact that it was not started for 8 months, and the all wheel drive. Generally, it is not good to not run cars for long periods of time in which very strict procedures need to be followed, especially check the battery. Next, you have to think about the all wheel drive, BMW is a rear wheel drive maker they are not good at changing that. The design of the suspension is apparently so strange and inefficient that I bet there will be many maintenance problems with these lines of cars in the future. Do not get me wrong I love and live to drive my BMW but I think you might look into a nice 330i and a good set of snow wheels. It is a great car but I question BMWNA's decision to create this just to compete with other AWD's, they did not put a normal BMW effort into it. Maybe I just do not like it because it rides so much higher than a "sports" should.

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MSD

I've heard nothing but complaints about BMW's 4wd system. I'd avoid it.

Kurant

Unfortunatly, rear wheel drive is not an option where our house is located on the upper hillside in Anchorage. We just moved here this summer, and the previous owner told us that they had to park at the bottom of the driveway quite often with a FWD Acura. It hasen't begun to get cold here yet, so to speak, and we've already parked it at the bottom twice. It just can't get up the driveway very well.

The car isn't an option anymore, I drove it today, idle was very rough, almost shakey feeling.

I think we are going to try and find an A4 or look into some other SUV's.

DEI37

Yeah, I'd search for a 4Motion V6 Passat, or a A4 3.0. Great AWD systems.

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Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

poof

I imagine a fuel additive to clean up that stale gas will smooth the engine right out. Use Techron, recomended by BMW, or Sea Foam and some fresh gas will clean it up in a few miles.

MSD

If you're looking for a German car with good 4wd, try the Audi A4 Quattro or A6 Quattro. Having driven both, I can say that I was quite pleased with both, although the turbo lag on the A6 biturbo engine with the tiptronic transmission was a big surprise the first time I tried to make a high-rpm shift.

Kurant

We actully did find a car on Wed. afternoon.

We were looking around town at some other options, and we found a 2001 A6 4.2L silver, with black interior, with 32,000 miles on it for $27,400, and right now, after a little more looking today, that's what we've pretty much decided to buy. It's very clean, had a flat tire when we looked, it was at a park and sell lot. He said he would have the tire taken care of. It also looks like he may by our Jetta for his 17 year old son. He mentioned it, but didn't say anything about it when I talked to him today.

DEI37

Cool...an A6-Q 4.2. That should be fun...keep up the maintanance...it's pricey, but it should be fun to drive!

__________________
Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

bendsley

I have a 525i and love it. The traction is great, as it the steering and handling of the car. I wouldn't recommend anything but bmw, but thats just me.

I do however have the all-weather package and a sports package on it, that makes the cars transmission, drive train, etc. act like an M series.

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"You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

Ilow

Why not just get a Subaru and be done with it. No need for the fancy German engineering where no one will be impressed with it anyway. Last time I was in Anchorage it seemed like those Astro/Safari AWD vans were everywhere, I don't know why.

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