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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > I need help! E90 or E46?



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      04-26-2005, 08:04 PM   #1
mike20022
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I need help! E90 or E46?

I am having a really tough time making a decision, and just need some help. If I go with the E46 I am going to get the 330ci coupe. I am going to be 30, and I want a 330. But then today I was reading some reviews and forums, and thought to myself, just save the extra money and buy the E90 325. I like the coupes, but the new E90 has really caught my attention. What do you all think? I want the performance from the 330, but it is something I don't absolutely need. But after watching some of these 330 video clips, it certainly makes it really tough not just to suck it up and get the new 330. E46 or E90, and if I get the E90, (325 or 330)?

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike
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      04-26-2005, 08:06 PM   #2
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e90 330i


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      04-26-2005, 08:13 PM   #3
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Double what ncoutinho said...do even better, go European Delivery. My friend just picked up an '05 330i Performance Package model (stateside) & he is paying more than I am for my E.D. E90 330i Sport. It's only costing me about a grand in airfare & hotels for a week, breakfast & parking included.

Go figure...
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      04-26-2005, 08:17 PM   #4
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In my opinion it does not make sense to get the old e-46 body style now. The e90 will look like new for the next 7 years. The e46 will look old and dated. Also the cabin room is much better in the e90. 330 vs 325. I would suggest, if dollars are tight: 330 sport package, 6 speed manual transmission, leatherette in black (very difficult to tell the difference from leather), jet black non-metallic paint. That is a great value.
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      04-26-2005, 10:14 PM   #5
aMetalhead
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Hi Mike. Take a look at the E90 demo pics that were just posted and tell me that car isn't telling you to buy it! Then look at an E46 and see which one speaks to you more. No offense to any E46 owners (including myself)
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      04-26-2005, 10:38 PM   #6
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I hear ya! I am sold! Just thought I might really want a coupe. But heck no! The E90 is too fricken sweet! And all of the hype, is just getting me more and more excited about getting the E90. I think I am going to go with Titanium Silver, still uncertain if it is going to be a 325 or a 330 though.
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      04-27-2005, 02:47 AM   #7
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Think of it this way... My friend bought a 330 last year. He ended up spening over $6500 more than me for basically the same car (E46 330 = E90 325). He is still kicking himself for not waiting like I did. Granted, he has been able to log in over a year of bahn-burnin time. I am still glad I held out.
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      04-27-2005, 02:49 AM   #8
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Yeah....E90....so you won't regret it in the longrun.
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      04-27-2005, 10:05 AM   #9
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Follow your heart

Mike: I have a similar dilemma. The people on this board are very smart and very cool, so take it all in. Good thinking. But...in my opinion, as cool as the e90 is in many ways, the e46 is still a classic, plain and simple. If you don't think it looks old, then it doesn't look old. I think the e46 coupe rocks. And do you think the Steve McQueen Mustang in Bullit looks old or classic? What is your heart whispering to you? e90's new, it's interesting, it's getting rave reviews, but so did the e46. It's not old, it's just not THE latest thing. If you dig the coupe, and because you have time on your side, (coupes are still in steady production) I would say drive the e90, smell it, sit in it and listen to your heart.

As far as 325 vs 330, take out a longer loan, get the 330. IMO, if you buyh the smaller engine, as good as it is, that's where you'll wish you had more. The 325 and 330 are different cars. If you keep cars for a long time, find any way you can to get the 330 if possible.

I might still be getting an e46 sedan instead of the new car. Not the popular answer, but it is still a classic and it still moves me. You can't go wrong with any of these cars.

Drive fast.

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      04-27-2005, 11:20 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ncoutinho
e90 330i


Nathan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ewrek
Yeah....E90....so you won't regret it in the longrun.
That is what I was gonna say!
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      04-27-2005, 02:06 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike20022
I am having a really tough time making a decision, and just need some help. If I go with the E46 I am going to get the 330ci coupe. I am going to be 30, and I want a 330. But then today I was reading some reviews and forums, and thought to myself, just save the extra money and buy the E90 325. I like the coupes, but the new E90 has really caught my attention. What do you all think? I want the performance from the 330, but it is something I don't absolutely need. But after watching some of these 330 video clips, it certainly makes it really tough not just to suck it up and get the new 330. E46 or E90, and if I get the E90, (325 or 330)?

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike
Mike, two words. Resale value. You buy an E46 now, the value will drop like a bad habit. Its the nature of the beast. I sell a lot of cars, so that is the first thing I think about. It really hurts to know you have a great car that no one will buy because there is something "newer"...Youll be happy with the E90...and you will still be happy with it 4 years from now...
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      04-27-2005, 02:54 PM   #12
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2006 330i SE  [0.00]
E90 330i All the way.

Deep within you know you want one.
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      04-27-2005, 08:24 PM   #13
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The new 325 has more HP than the E46 330. I can come up with the money, but it seems to make more sense to buy the 325. Plus less speeding tickets. 215HP vs. 255HP, not too much of a big deal to me. I am pretty sure I am going with the E90 325 now.
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      04-27-2005, 08:41 PM   #14
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cool

If horsepower is a big thing and you like the styling of the e90 then you're set. And you get 4 doors, which come in handy. The engine's getting rave reviews.

Personally I still love the e46 coupe. One of the best coupes ever.

Good luck Mike. You're going to love it!

sparky
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      04-27-2005, 09:34 PM   #15
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Another option: preowned E46 330 coupe, '02 or '03. Could consider private seller (better price) and still have warranty until '06-'07 (check in-service date) and get the coupe E90 when it comes out. If you like a little more speed/acceleration, get the 330. If you frequently have 3 other people in the car, go for the E90 330 sedan now. good luck!!
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      07-20-2005, 09:44 AM   #16
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go for the e90 like that you have the latest model on the market and the car would not seem to look dated.
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      07-20-2005, 09:58 AM   #17
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Mike...I had the same dilema 2 years ago. My wife and i wanted a new 3 immediately cause i was getting good money for our 318i which would be a nice deposit for a new 330. But then I started investigating about body changes and found out that the e90 was in production but not ready till 2006. We bit the bullet and waited cause we know we would hate life having and old style car in 2 years. Now we are estatic that we have a 2006 in 2005 and will be that way for 7 years.
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      07-20-2005, 10:16 AM   #18
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If I were you, I'd get the new E90. My friend and I were thinking about purchasing a 3-series last year(October 2004) and he got a E46 330xi with sport, prem, cold, navigation, auto, 17" rims fully loaded and paid $48,000 when the 2005 models first came out.

I waited it out and I got the new E90 330i with Sports, Heated Seats, Leatherette, Auto, 18" Rims and paid $38,000. Cash was a bit tight so i couldn't splurge on the navigation. Premium pkg I really didn't think I needed and Letherette doesn't crack and it's easier to maintain!

So my point is, my friend is kicking himself in the ass everyday and regretting he got the old 2005 330xi instead of waiting for the new E90 330i or even the NEW 530xi(Sept).

So i suggest it's either a fully loaded 325i you can get navi, prem, sport, auto for about 38k, 39k or do what I did get the 330i with sport, heated seats, auto which will probably be around the same price range.

btw... i totally regret not getting Navi + iDrive. :mad:
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Last edited by ssangjune; 07-20-2005 at 10:18 AM.. Reason: spelling
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      07-20-2005, 05:41 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike20022
The new 325 has more HP than the E46 330. I can come up with the money, but it seems to make more sense to buy the 325. Plus less speeding tickets. 215HP vs. 255HP, not too much of a big deal to me. I am pretty sure I am going with the E90 325 now.

I think it's actually got a few less HP than the 330 of yesteryear

but the extra for the 330 is hard to justify
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      07-20-2005, 06:14 PM   #20
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E90 everytime

I have just recently sold my 330ci - good car, went hard, handled reasonably well (di I mention it was also a beautiful looking car).

Due to property commitments, private school fees and the like, when it came time to replace the trusty 330ci, I traded down to a E90 320i - sparkiling graphite, grey leather, aluminium trim, sunroof, sports steering wheel and larger wheels (all up cost $69,000 Australian dollars).

Now this is where it gets interesting - due to the excellent handling the car is as much fun to drive down a winding piece of back road as the 330ci could ever hope to be (sure I miss the hpower-but not nearly as painful as I thought it would be).

So, I conclude that the 325i (E90) would only be better again - the E46 330ci and the E90 325i are very similar in hp, but the E90 looks like tomorrow rather then last week.

Good luck
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      07-20-2005, 06:27 PM   #21
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it depends is it an e46 m3?
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      07-25-2005, 09:53 AM   #22
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once you have decided on the e90 get the 330 and not the 325 just in case you want more power in the future.
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