Difficulty finding a manual 330(x)i sport to test drive...

violinguy · 11-30-2005, 01:08 PM

BMW of Manhattan (NYC) is telling me that they don't typically have sport package or manual transmission cars available for test drives. This strikes me as odd, and probably not true. It also seems that the only way to get the car I want is going to be to special order it. Any others in the Northeast US have this problem? It would be convenient for me to buy and service the car there since it's near where I work. I've only ever owned and test-driven used cars before his, so I'm not so familiar with the way the process works. TIA.

vladinecko · 11-30-2005, 01:21 PM

i personally never found any manuals at dealerships around here. my dealer told me that 1 in 20 people gets standard tranny and so it wouldn't be efficient for them to have one on the lot. makes sense to me.

mattldm · 11-30-2005, 01:28 PM

No luck in So Cal either. I had the sales lady look up the inventory for california, was one Manual trans 330i in So Cal, and it was about 1.5 hour drive from me.

Broken1 · 11-30-2005, 01:32 PM

Drive an auto...and then just take the risk and order a manual...I doubt there is too much difference in the way the car feels.

SCA · 11-30-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinguy

BMW of Manhattan (NYC) is telling me that they don't typically have sport package or manual transmission cars available for test drives. This strikes me as odd, and probably not true. It also seems that the only way to get the car I want is going to be to special order it.

I want to state that this thread proves my point that a manual transmission E90 (325 or 330) are not as popular as some might think. Badge buyers want the steptronic, most BMW enthusiasts prefer the manual trans. There are obviously less of the enthusiasts.

BTW, BMW of Manhattan is owned by BMW NA.

It is the only BMW Center in the US that is corporate owned.

espo · 11-30-2005, 02:07 PM

When I went to test drive a 3 series a few months ago, the only manual the dealer had was a 325i (none SP). So I drove that and then the 330i auto. He made a coupe of comments:

1. I was not the only one to do this.
2. Seems if they actually get a 330i with a manual it's out the door in a couple of days.

rman · 11-30-2005, 02:14 PM

I did not have any trouble finding a manual to test at NJ dealers, though it wasn't with the sports package. I never actually tested a sports package (could probably have tested one with an automatic), but did finally order my car with manual and the sport. If BMW of Manhattan can't at least come up with a manual to test you may have to travel to the suburbs to do so.

FWIW I find the manual shifts great (which you would expect with BMW).

superlight · 11-30-2005, 02:24 PM

Having the same trouble on Long Island. There are no manuals. If you look around there are sport 325 and 330 to test.

violinguy · 11-30-2005, 02:53 PM

I just confirmed from a few other people as well that the manual tranny is hard to find. Does that mean that basically everyone on the Internet forums special-ordered their cars? Weird. The used market is completely the opposite, which is what made me think it would be easy to find.

SCA: Yes the dealer told me that last week. I asked him what the benefit was and he said it means we'd have a more direct path for complaints and we'd be more likely to have service performed to the spirit and the letter of the warranty rather than elsewhere where they'd try to shortchange you and keep the profit. Would you consider this generally an advantage?

Tater · 11-30-2005, 03:08 PM

My wife test drove a 330i manual sport in Boston, but they only let her drive a short distance and not on a highway (still, she took it up to 80 in a 40).

SCA · 11-30-2005, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinguy

Would you consider this generally an advantage?

I really do not know. It certainly does sound good though and I could see where he might have a valid point. I'd research what peoples overall experience has been with them and base it on that.

obLu · 11-30-2005, 03:30 PM

My dealer seems to usually grab a couple out of their unsold allotment as manuals. Up until recently I've never had a hard time finding a manual to test drive.

hodaddy · 11-30-2005, 03:40 PM

My dealer had no manuals & said they don't usually get any, because nobody wants them around here (except me). I didn't have the patience to wait on one, so I got the steptronic. I like it fine though, but the stick would have been much more enjoyable & engaging to drive. The auto is more practical for me anyway.

ward · 11-30-2005, 03:40 PM

why don't you test a manual car AND a Xi

then you'll know if you like the tranny, and you'll know if the balance of the Xi is acceptable to you

2006bmw · 11-30-2005, 04:24 PM

I couldn't find a manual at a couple of dealers I went to either, so I just ordered it without trying it first. I was pretty impressed with the steptronic and figured that if the steptronic was good, how bad was a BMW manual going to be?

BLK325 · 11-30-2005, 04:31 PM

That 1 in 20 number rings true with what my dealer told me. He mentioned 5% come in with a stick although they always seem to have one around. They seem to deal heavily in performance cars with a dozen or so M's in stock at any one time.

What is with the short test drives? My dealer gives me a car for at least an overnight test. Hell I even get to take M's out alone without a salesman. I am pretty good friends with my sales guy and his comment was that they treat M owners a little better overall. That and those who trade in ever six months to a year (and there are more of those than you think)!

violinguy · 11-30-2005, 05:53 PM

Ward: Not sure if you were talking to me, but they said they wouldn't even provide a manual 330i to test drive. They said basically that they don't have any manual cars in either trim, and that if they did, it would be highly irregular to let anyone test drive them. I thought that was bizarre.

Also, I'm not worried that the transmission won't be good (I previously owned an e36 328is 5sp and the transmission was lovely), but rather that it's hard to gauge the car as a whole versus others (a4, s4, m3) without testing it first with the right transmission. I kind of want to make sure that 255 is enough thrust for me, and I have a feeling that the 6mt will feel thrustier than the 6at.

SCA · 11-30-2005, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinguy

I kind of want to make sure that 255 is enough thrust for me, and I have a feeling that the 6mt will feel thrustier than the 6at.

I will say that the 330i steptronic I drove would get up and move. From a stand still it usually kicked on the DSC more so than the 6 speed I drove.

ryan2006 · 11-30-2005, 07:34 PM

My dealer in Albany had 325i in manual to test drive, both sport and non-sport. They let me drive both. I agree that to get the whole feel for the car you want to drive the transmission you're getting. Of coure I ordered an xi before they hit the US, but that is another thread...

Milehigh E90 · 11-30-2005, 08:17 PM

A few weeks ago I was able to test drive a 330xi sport with the 6 speed at my dealer in Boulder. It was close to the car that I ordered, but lacked some of the options I wanted. The drive was as I expected, GREAT! I just found out mine is built and waiting to get shipped out. Early Christmas gift? I can only hope!

CALIF65GM · 11-30-2005, 11:12 PM

Tough combination trying to find a manual and an Xi in the NE.

I didn't see many manuals at my dealer either; although, he did ask me if I wanted to test drive an auto or manual. I would imagine that the dealers try to avoid having sticks as demos because newbies would probably tear-up the clutch.

As for the Xi, there just aren't that many making it across the ocean that aren't already spoken for, especially in the NE.

KUweatherman · 11-30-2005, 11:33 PM

That's odd that you guys are having trouble finding manuals around you. Shoot, we have at least 3 330i ZSP with manuals as loaner cars at our dealership. We seem to have more manual E90s than we ever had with the E46. I never really liked the manual on the E46; seemed too long a throw between gears. The E90 shifts smooth as silk though.

11-30-2005, 01:08 PM	#1
violinguy New Member 1 Rep 9 Posts Drives: e92 335i / Lotus Elise Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	Difficulty finding a manual 330(x)i sport to test drive... BMW of Manhattan (NYC) is telling me that they don't typically have sport package or manual transmission cars available for test drives. This strikes me as odd, and probably not true. It also seems that the only way to get the car I want is going to be to special order it. Any others in the Northeast US have this problem? It would be convenient for me to buy and service the car there since it's near where I work. I've only ever owned and test-driven used cars before his, so I'm not so familiar with the way the process works. TIA.
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11-30-2005, 01:21 PM	#2
vladinecko Brigadier General 281 Rep 3,924 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2011 BMW M3 [9.00] 2008 BMW 335i [0.00] 2006 BMW 330i [0.00] 1994 BMW 325i [0.00]	i personally never found any manuals at dealerships around here. my dealer told me that 1 in 20 people gets standard tranny and so it wouldn't be efficient for them to have one on the lot. makes sense to me. __________________ 2011 E92 M3 - IB/Beige/Sycamore Wood/6MT/EDC/ZPP2/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/iPod-USB/Enh. Audio 2008 E92 335i - Montego Blue/Black/Gray Poplar/6MT/ZPP/ZSP/Nav/PDC/Heated Seats/HDRadio/iPod-USB - *Sold* 2006 E90 330i - Mystic Blue/Black/Aluminum/6MT/ZPP/iDrive/PDC/Heated Seats/Sat. Prep - *Sold* 1994 E36 325i - Boston Green/Beige/Automatic/ZPP/Heated Seats/Premium Sound - *Sold*
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11-30-2005, 01:28 PM	#3
mattldm M40i Soon! 27 Rep 175 Posts Drives: 2020 X3 M40i coming soon Join Date: May 2005 Location: So Cal - 909 iTrader: (0)	No luck in So Cal either. I had the sales lady look up the inventory for california, was one Manual trans 330i in So Cal, and it was about 1.5 hour drive from me.
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11-30-2005, 01:32 PM	#4
Broken1 Addict 203 Rep 2,074 Posts Drives: 2024 X5 40i M-Sport Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ontario iTrader: (0)	Drive an auto...and then just take the risk and order a manual...I doubt there is too much difference in the way the car feels.
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11-30-2005, 02:07 PM	#6
espo Captain 12 Rep 715 Posts Drives: 2014 M235i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sugar Land TX iTrader: (0)	When I went to test drive a 3 series a few months ago, the only manual the dealer had was a 325i (none SP). So I drove that and then the 330i auto. He made a coupe of comments: 1. I was not the only one to do this. 2. Seems if they actually get a 330i with a manual it's out the door in a couple of days. __________________ E46 325xi Oxford Green/Sand Leatherette/Myrtle Wood Auto ZCW - Retired E90 330xi Mystic Blue/Black Leather/Aluminum 6sp Manual ZSP/ZPP/ZCW/CA - Retired F22 M235i Mineral Gray/Red Leather/Aluminum 6sp Manual ZPP/ZTP
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11-30-2005, 02:14 PM	#7
rman New Member 2 Rep 21 Posts Drives: 325i (soon) Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NE iTrader: (0)	I did not have any trouble finding a manual to test at NJ dealers, though it wasn't with the sports package. I never actually tested a sports package (could probably have tested one with an automatic), but did finally order my car with manual and the sport. If BMW of Manhattan can't at least come up with a manual to test you may have to travel to the suburbs to do so. FWIW I find the manual shifts great (which you would expect with BMW).
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11-30-2005, 02:24 PM	#8
superlight Enlisted Member 7 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2003 4runner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Long Isalnd iTrader: (0)	Having the same trouble on Long Island. There are no manuals. If you look around there are sport 325 and 330 to test.
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11-30-2005, 02:53 PM	#9
violinguy New Member 1 Rep 9 Posts Drives: e92 335i / Lotus Elise Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	I just confirmed from a few other people as well that the manual tranny is hard to find. Does that mean that basically everyone on the Internet forums special-ordered their cars? Weird. The used market is completely the opposite, which is what made me think it would be easy to find. SCA: Yes the dealer told me that last week. I asked him what the benefit was and he said it means we'd have a more direct path for complaints and we'd be more likely to have service performed to the spirit and the letter of the warranty rather than elsewhere where they'd try to shortchange you and keep the profit. Would you consider this generally an advantage?
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11-30-2005, 03:08 PM	#10
Tater Hauptgefreiter 2 Rep 61 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 335i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arlington, VA iTrader: (0)	My wife test drove a 330i manual sport in Boston, but they only let her drive a short distance and not on a highway (still, she took it up to 80 in a 40).
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11-30-2005, 03:30 PM	#12
obLu Major 50 Rep 1,159 Posts Drives: 330i 6MT ZSP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kirkland, WA, USA iTrader: (1)	My dealer seems to usually grab a couple out of their unsold allotment as manuals. Up until recently I've never had a hard time finding a manual to test drive.
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11-30-2005, 03:40 PM	#13
hodaddy New Member 0 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ormond Beach, Florida iTrader: (0)	My dealer had no manuals & said they don't usually get any, because nobody wants them around here (except me). I didn't have the patience to wait on one, so I got the steptronic. I like it fine though, but the stick would have been much more enjoyable & engaging to drive. The auto is more practical for me anyway.
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11-30-2005, 03:40 PM	#14
ward Major General 155 Rep 6,158 Posts Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T iTrader: (0)	why don't you test a manual car AND a Xi then you'll know if you like the tranny, and you'll know if the balance of the Xi is acceptable to you
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11-30-2005, 04:24 PM	#15
2006bmw First Class Privates 10 Rep 181 Posts Drives: '06 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: L.A. iTrader: (0)	I couldn't find a manual at a couple of dealers I went to either, so I just ordered it without trying it first. I was pretty impressed with the steptronic and figured that if the steptronic was good, how bad was a BMW manual going to be? __________________ Conceived: 10/26/05 Born: 11/08/05 Delivered: 12/17/05 \| 330i \| 6 M/T \| AW \| Terra \| Walnut \| SPP \| ZSP \| CA
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11-30-2005, 04:31 PM	#16
BLK325 Private 4 Rep 75 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0)	That 1 in 20 number rings true with what my dealer told me. He mentioned 5% come in with a stick although they always seem to have one around. They seem to deal heavily in performance cars with a dozen or so M's in stock at any one time. What is with the short test drives? My dealer gives me a car for at least an overnight test. Hell I even get to take M's out alone without a salesman. I am pretty good friends with my sales guy and his comment was that they treat M owners a little better overall. That and those who trade in ever six months to a year (and there are more of those than you think)!
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11-30-2005, 05:53 PM	#17
violinguy New Member 1 Rep 9 Posts Drives: e92 335i / Lotus Elise Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	Ward: Not sure if you were talking to me, but they said they wouldn't even provide a manual 330i to test drive. They said basically that they don't have any manual cars in either trim, and that if they did, it would be highly irregular to let anyone test drive them. I thought that was bizarre. Also, I'm not worried that the transmission won't be good (I previously owned an e36 328is 5sp and the transmission was lovely), but rather that it's hard to gauge the car as a whole versus others (a4, s4, m3) without testing it first with the right transmission. I kind of want to make sure that 255 is enough thrust for me, and I have a feeling that the 6mt will feel thrustier than the 6at.
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11-30-2005, 07:34 PM	#19
ryan2006 New Member 1 Rep 17 Posts Drives: E90 325Xi Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Saratoga Springs, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325xi [0.00]	My dealer in Albany had 325i in manual to test drive, both sport and non-sport. They let me drive both. I agree that to get the whole feel for the car you want to drive the transmission you're getting. Of coure I ordered an xi before they hit the US, but that is another thread...
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11-30-2005, 08:17 PM	#20
Milehigh E90 Private First Class 8 Rep 111 Posts Drives: 2006 330xi Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver iTrader: (0)	A few weeks ago I was able to test drive a 330xi sport with the 6 speed at my dealer in Boulder. It was close to the car that I ordered, but lacked some of the options I wanted. The drive was as I expected, GREAT! I just found out mine is built and waiting to get shipped out. Early Christmas gift? I can only hope! __________________ 2006 330xi Sparkling Graphite, Aluminum and Black leather, 6 speed, iDrive, Preminum, Sport, Cold packages, 18" wheels, Satellite Radio, Comfort Access. Added: Strut Tower Brace, Grouppe M Intake, Dinan Exhaust, 19" ASA Rims, CF Mirrors Covers, CDV. And MORE to come!
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11-30-2005, 11:12 PM	#21
CALIF65GM Colonel 97 Rep 2,041 Posts Drives: e93-35 May08 ED Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SF, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 06 - Oct. 05 build ... [0.00]	Tough combination trying to find a manual and an Xi in the NE. I didn't see many manuals at my dealer either; although, he did ask me if I wanted to test drive an auto or manual. I would imagine that the dealers try to avoid having sticks as demos because newbies would probably tear-up the clutch. As for the Xi, there just aren't that many making it across the ocean that aren't already spoken for, especially in the NE. __________________ 5-2-08 e93-35 ED Montego w/Jade Grey, Step w/Paddles, PP, SP, CA, hot seats and iPod.Awaing re-delivery soon. Debadged 330xi ED 11/14/05 Auto/Mystic Blue/Gray leather with Alum/PP/SP/CA/Fold-down rear seats/Alarm. Sold to Carmax on 6/7/08 with 50,624 miles on clock
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11-30-2005, 11:33 PM	#22
KUweatherman Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 232 Posts Drives: Civic Si Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Birmingham iTrader: (0)	That's odd that you guys are having trouble finding manuals around you. Shoot, we have at least 3 330i ZSP with manuals as loaner cars at our dealership. We seem to have more manual E90s than we ever had with the E46. I never really liked the manual on the E46; seemed too long a throw between gears. The E90 shifts smooth as silk though.
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