330ci Vs 325ci

[blazed54]

hi, i've been considering a couple cars recently such as a g35 coupe 6spd and a bmw. however i'm having trouble deciding which bmw i want. i personally love the new exterior design of the 04' not the 05'. my question is that i can only afford a 325 ci manual but would love to have the power of a 330ci of which i would have to purchase a 02' model.
so how does the 2.5 liter compare to the 3.0 liter in terms of driving satisfaction? but how different is the 04 exterior to the 02 exterior and if there are any other benefits or cons to either model. thanks for the feedback and hopefully i'll be driving my own bmw soon

[LongHairedHippy]

they are both E46 models, so they should look similar. however, in my opinion, I think the 330 looks better, though I can't point out specific differences. To me, it seems that as you go up in engine size in a 3 series, the more your car looks like an M3.

[h_curtis]

If I was in your shoes, I would probably go for the newer car. I chose the 330, but it was more money.

Curt

[Howie]

I chose the 330 over the 325 as the insurance didn't seem any more, the servicing was the same cost, the combined mpg on paper was about the same, but there was more power and it was faster. It just seemed to make sense to me.

[Z Bimmer]

I recently bought an '02 325Ci coupe and I love it. I'm a past SCCA National road racer and I enjoy the incredible balance, and precise steering, the most. Yes, another 50 HP would be cool, but I think the overall driving experience is fantastic. My car has the "Sport Package", and it's brakes are consistent and powerful. Thumbs up for the 325...
Z

[zzzzzer]

I feel the same way Z Bimmer does.

I also have the Sport Package, STEPtronic trans. and love the 325ci. I loved the price even more. The extra horses under the hood would be great but I was parked beside a 330ci (also in white) at a golf course recently and both cars looked great...of course the M3 at the end of the parking lot blew us both out of the water...lol Ah well...

Personally, I say go with the better overall deal. Good luck.

[kid667]

I've been debating this for a while, here's what I've found as far as LOOKs go (i've also included the i and ci models):

(#1) 04 325ci & 04 330ci <= These have the face-lifted look and are the best looking 3-series coupes (except the M3 of course)

(#2) 02 - 05 325i & 02 - 05 330i <= These have the face-lifted look and are the best looking 3-series sedans (except the M3 of course)

(#3) 01 - 03 325ci & 01 - 03 330ci <= Very cool looking, looks a lot like the M3

(#4) 01 325i & 01 330i <= These have the original e46 ugly sedan look, you'll notice the headlight corners are faced downwards, the front looks shorter, I don't know i just don't really like the way the cars as a whole look.

The way I've been handling this is that the more money I have the better model I'll get as long as I have the following:

> Must have a 100,000 mile warranty
> Must have 30,000 miles or less
> Black on Black
> Manual

Hope that helps good luck man.

[DePrinsBMW]

The 330 ci is nice as far as extra power but the 325ci is just as nice in every other way. I got mine in november 2004. Its a 2002 black 5spd 352ci with beige interior. I got it for $25,000 and it only had 10k miles on it. You cant go wrong with any BMW but if you have enough money then go for more power.

Prins

[cmdace18]

Originally posted by blazed54@Apr 13 2005, 12:27 AM
hi, i've been considering a couple cars recently such as a g35 coupe 6spd and a bmw. however i'm having trouble deciding which bmw i want. i personally love the new exterior design of the 04' not the 05'. my question is that i can only afford a 325 ci manual but would love to have the power of a 330ci of which i would have to purchase a 02' model.
so how does the 2.5 liter compare to the 3.0 liter in terms of driving satisfaction? but how different is the 04 exterior to the 02 exterior and if there are any other benefits or cons to either model. thanks for the feedback and hopefully i'll be driving my own bmw soon

[snapback]331331[/snapback]

I'm in the EXACT same boat as you....

2001/02 330ci stick

OR


2005 325ci stick


my question is that of the HP and speed. How do they compare? Anyone?

[dpinto1]

The 330 is a better car but i`m guessing that it is the 02/alot more miles.
Is the 325 certified? Warranty is something that you should be worried about, these cars are not cheap to fix.

Test drive the 325 to see if the performance satisfies you. If it does go for the newer car and warranty.

[sonicsguru]

I'm in totally the same boat as you. i want to get a 3 series coupe by years end and i don't think i'll like the new body styles in 06, so that's why i'm into the 05s. both 2005 325ci and 330ci look awesome and i can't really see the differences. the hp increase and option of getting 18"s with double spokes M style rims is nice, but the 325ci is probably the best option for me. i don't wanna spend more than 38k and all i really care about is the looks.