BMW 3 Series Automatics?

Bandara

Just a quick question, are these 3 series ok to buy in automatic ? Is there anything I should be worried about, and are they hard to resell ?

i.e. Its not like buying a Manual Merc is it?



thanks

(Its a 325Ci Automatic)

ninty9er

Hammertime wrote: »

Just a quick question, are these 3 series ok to buy in automatic ? Is there anything I should be worried about, and are they hard to resell ?

i.e. Its not like buying a Manual Merc is it?



thanks

(Its a 325Ci Automatic)

I wouldn't buy a manual one anyway....though there's a good few knocking around. FFS if you're spending €80k on a car you might as well get something that's easy as well as a bit of fun to drive.

Balfa

ninty9er wrote: »

fun to drive.

Hard to do with an automatic. OP, see the last paragraph from my post here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57080268&postcount=28

I have a 325i auto, and I wish it was manual, or SMG

Bandara

Balfa wrote: »

Hard to do with an automatic. OP, see the last paragraph from my post here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57080268&postcount=28

I have a 325i auto, and I wish it was manual, or SMG

Thanks, appreciated.

Anan1

Hammertime wrote: »

Just a quick question, are these 3 series ok to buy in automatic ? Is there anything I should be worried about, and are they hard to resell ?

i.e. Its not like buying a Manual Merc is it?



thanks

(Its a 325Ci Automatic)

I would have thought that a 325Ci auto would be easier to sell, and worth more than, the same car in manual. The only good reason not to buy an auto is if you actually like using a gearstick & clutch.

Bandara

Anan1 wrote: »

I would have thought that a 325Ci auto would be easier to sell, and worth more than, the same car in manual. The only good reason not to buy an auto is if you actually like using a gearstick & clutch.

this might be a bit of a stupid question but why would an auto be easier to sell?

i'd have thought a manual was more popular with the 'sportier cars'

Anan1

Hammertime wrote: »

this might be a bit of a stupid question but why would an auto be easier to sell?

i'd have thought a manual was more popular with the 'sportier cars'

That was the case years ago, but autos are much better now, traffic is heavier, and people are wealthier & lazier. Plus, very few people buy a 325i to drive the ar@e out of it, it's not really a 'sports car' in that sense. All-in-all, most people would simply find the auto a nicer, easier drive.

futura123

dont know bout beemers but the s tronic gearbox in my audi TTS is a delight and faster than manual gearbox . 0-60 in 5 secs

jayok

I've a 325Ci auto box and TBH I wouldn't change it for a manual. For about 95% of the time the auto is ideal in traffic and general driving. The only time I would like a manual is for the "sportier" moments of which only 5% of the time it would appear ideal. The engine in the 325 is lively enough and winds well to help sharpen the dullness of the auto.

The 325 is a perplexing one alright. For example, I'd never buy a 330Ci in manual but equally I wouldn't buy a 318Ci with an auto (or anything for that matter ) But at the time of purchase of the 325Ci it was real stickler for me (manual or auto), but looking at the driving I was doing auto made sense.

Autos suit the bigger engine cars and if you want sporty by an M3.

RedorDead

futura123 wrote: »

dont know bout beemers but the s tronic gearbox in my audi TTS is a delight and faster than manual gearbox . 0-60 in 5 secs

Sweet! Any pics??:D

Bandara

jayok wrote: »

I've a 325Ci auto box and TBH I wouldn't change it for a manual. For about 95% of the time the auto is ideal in traffic and general driving. The only time I would like a manual is for the "sportier" moments of which only 5% of the time it would appear ideal. The engine in the 325 is lively enough and winds well to help sharpen the dullness of the auto.

The 325 is a perplexing one alright. For example, I'd never buy a 330Ci in manual but equally I wouldn't buy a 318Ci with an auto (or anything for that matter ) But at the time of purchase of the 325Ci it was real stickler for me (manual or auto), but looking at the driving I was doing auto made sense.

Autos suit the bigger engine cars and if you want sporty by an M3.

Why would you not buy a 330ci in manual?

-Chris-

Hammertime wrote: »

Why would you not buy a 330ci in manual?

You'd lose your shirt on the second hand values.

Big engine = automatic gearbox, unless you're driving a proper sports car (as suggested above, M3).

Bandara

AudiChris wrote: »

You'd lose your shirt on the second hand values.

Big engine = automatic gearbox, unless you're driving a proper sports car (as suggested above, M3).

I'm learning stuff here, thanks. I'd have always gone for a manual in a 330ci for example, more purist driving etc etc

I'm kind of getting my opinion from a 230 clk auto I bought new a few years back, I hated it so much I got rid of it after 5 months and lost my shirt to the tune of ten grand.

I thought it was a horribly unresponsive car, I had a 2001 M3 previous to it so I was a bit spoilt.

galwaytt

Hammertime wrote: »

I'm learning stuff here, thanks. I'd have always gone for a manual in a 330ci for example, more purist driving etc etc

I'm kind of getting my opinion from a 230 clk auto I bought new a few years back, I hated it so much I got rid of it after 5 months and lost my shirt to the tune of ten grand.

I thought it was a horribly unresponsive car, I had a 2001 M3 previous to it so I was a bit spoilt.

In fairness, the problem with the Merc is that it's a C-class, not that it's automatic..........MB auto's are amongst the best out there. Btw, you were lucky to only lose 10k.........! I know someone now wanting to change their 05 C180 Kompressor Avantgarde..........and only offered 11k for it by main dealer :eek: :eek:

As for sports = manual..........er, but no. My sis in law just changed her 318 Tiptronic for a 323 Tiptronic. It's much, much better in the 323 - but, like the Merc, it's not the auto part that's the culprit.......it's everything else. Curiously, the 323 uses LESS juice the 318 1.9 engine.......the 323 engine isn't doing any work of note in a car like the 3-series..........the 1.9 otoh, is being caned...........

There are those, of course, who don't consider a 3-series a sports car at all [ducks for cover..........] . You've just watched too many ads from the BeeEmm marketing dept...... !

ninty9er

galwaytt wrote: »

There are those, of course, who don't consider a 3-series a sports car at all [ducks for cover..........] . You've just watched too many ads from the BeeEmm marketing dept...... !

+1

**runs like the wind**

-Chris-

galwaytt wrote: »

As for sports = manual..........er, but no.

What I meant was that you can have an auto and a large engine in an executive/expensive car and it will be desirable. There are plenty of sport and non-sports cars out there that are perfectly suited to an auto.
If you want manual and a large engine in an executive car, you'd want to be able to justify the necessity for the manual - a 3-Series/5-Series or an A4/A6 with a manual gearbox and a big engine will be absolutely saleproof, but if you start talking about M3 or RS4 then the inherent sportiness of them will make a manual OK again.

jayok

Hammertime wrote: »

Why would you not buy a 330ci in manual?

I would think that it better suits the auto. You are not going to buy a 330Ci for the sports performance when you are just 200cc off the M3 - you'd that close - keep going. As such you will probably buy one for the overall ease of drive and with that you'll want an auto. The 3 litre engine in the car again provides enough power to provide a fast enough experience for those that want the odd blast.

gezas

It depends where you usual drive: in the city traffics is better automat off course. Outside the city is better manual, it have more power to pass slow cars. Otherwise you can buy BMW automat with bigger engine (2.5 Ltr.) and it will be no problem anywhere.