[Gordy]

Hello everyone,

I just made my first BMW purchase a few weeks ago. I'm 18 years old and I saved up a lot of money while in high school and bought myself a 2006 325i e90. It is in mint condition, interior and exterior as well as mechanical. I work at fountain tire and I got one of the mechanics to inspect it before I bought it and he said there was nothing wrong at all.. I hope. The car was driven by a 55 year old lady so it some what re ensures me that the car wasn't abused.

Edit: the car was priced for 15,500$ (Can) but with all the dealership bills and plates it came to around 16,250$ total. it has 65,000 km roughly 40,500 miles.

What do you guys think?

(picture quality kinda sucks not sure why)

[4e6yPaLLIKa]

Good looking car!

P.S.: Get BLACK grilles ASAP

[e92m3jb]

thats pretty expensive for a 325

[4e6yPaLLIKa]

Originally Posted by e92335iaw

thats pretty expensive for a 325

Are the prices similar in US/Canada? If so, then it is pretty high.
You could get a 335i here for that money.)

[Gordy]

Originally Posted by 4e6yPaLLIKa

Good looking car!

P.S.: Get BLACK grilles ASAP

Yea I'm looking into it. Do i need to buy the parts or can I just wrap/paint them. Plus I'm getting some amber overlays.

[4e6yPaLLIKa]

Originally Posted by Gordy

Yea I'm looking into it. Do i need to buy the parts or can I just wrap/paint them. Plus I'm getting some amber overlays.

I sanded mine really good and painted them, than clear coated them. They look as good as the ones you buy of eBay.) ($20 for sand paper, paint and clear coat VS $60-100 of eBay)

[AlpineSwift]

325i in Canada and you're 18. You better have a damn good set of snow tires and sand bags in your trunk for when the weather gets nasty.

Welcome to the board. Visit the N/A section if you ever need engine/trans help.

[Alohaaaaa]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

325i in Canada and you're 18. You better have a damn good set of snow tires and sand bags in your trunk for when the weather gets nasty.

Welcome to the board. Visit the N/A section if you ever need engine/trans help.

Oh hell, don't listen to him...

Im 20, drive a 335i in Calgary winters with no sand, traction control off and all-seasons... Just gotta know how to drive. Traction control just burns through break pads.

[joesE90]

Im in edmonton and with my blizzaks ive never been stuck once. Looks like he has winter tires from the pictures. You overpaid a little but anyways congrats on the pick up

[DF]

congrats OP. Nice car. And congrats on saving the money to do it. Just buy the new grills. They are fairly cheap.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by 3SPKY5U

Oh hell, don't listen to him...

Im 20, drive a 335i in Calgary winters with no sand, traction control off and all-seasons... Just gotta know how to drive. Traction control just burns through break pads.

#1) I know how to drive and after having 3 RWD cars through 4 Colorado winters as my daily drivers (one of them being an E46), I'll never make that mistake again.
#2) Burning through BRAKE pads on E90/92's isn't cheap seeing as you need to replace the rotors and pads at the same time. That's not a fun maintenance bill to have for something you can easily avoid.
#3) 20? Your age doesn't convey a whole hell of a lot of experience. It suggests the "I know everything" attitude.

I'm giving him practical advice to keep him and his new investment out of trouble. Those of us that have been there know from experience. Considering the fact that I was a tire tech, I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about. When the temperatures drop low enough, all seasons become all but useless for traction.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by joesE90

Im in edmonton and with my blizzaks ive never been stuck once. Looks like he has winter tires from the pictures. You overpaid a little but anyways congrats on the pick up

Just noticed the tread, looks like blizzak pattern in the snow so he should be fine.

[Alohaaaaa]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

#1) I know how to drive and after having 3 RWD cars through 4 Colorado winters as my daily drivers (one of them being an E46), I'll never make that mistake again.
#2) Burning through BRAKE pads on E90/92's isn't cheap seeing as you need to replace the rotors and pads at the same time. That's not a fun maintenance bill to have for something you can easily avoid.
#3) 20? Your age doesn't convey a whole hell of a lot of experience. It suggests the "I know everything" attitude.

I'm giving him practical advice to keep him and his new investment out of trouble. Those of us that have been there know from experience. Considering the fact that I was a tire tech, I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about. When the temperatures drop low enough, all seasons become all but useless for traction.

Experience? I lay down a good 50,000km a year on the road (don't worry, wont be in my Bimmer!), since I was 16. Driving is my life...

Im not sure how Colorado winters are (unless southpark is right? ), but Alberta is hell, we are probably one of the worst winters in North America. I used to run studs on my G35 Coupe because it was so bad. The bimmer is quite impressive in comparison.

I run Nokian WRG3 allseasons if that makes you happy, better then most winter tires these days. I'll be getting some new studded tires next winter (Hakka 7's), but I couldn't afford them this go round.

Have to replace the rotors and pads together? Thats news to me... Was planning on going to some cross drilled rotors soon anyways.

[Gordy]

I guess I should edit the price.

The car itself was 15,500$ but all the dealership bills + plates and what not came to around 700. The total price was 16,250.

And as far as traction goes we've had a pretty good winter. It's been ranging from -15 to +5 Celsius with little to no snow on the roads so it hasn't been a problem at all! But thanks for all the advice so far guys

[e92m3jb]

You don't have to buy new rotors when you replace pads.....

[AlpineSwift]

31K miles a year since 16? What do you do for a living?

Depends on how pissed off mother nature is. Could be a dry fluffy winter with light powder all over the place constantly, or it could be like it is this year where when it does come down its like rain that freezes and then gets covered in anywhere from 3"-2' of heavy wet snow. A lot of the depth depends on altitude as well. My location is over 1000ft higher in elevation from where Denver sits at a mile high, so we tend to get it pretty heavy.

WRG3s piss me off because they call it an "All Weather" tire but in truth its a performance snow tire. I'll never understand what the hell Nokian was really trying to market it as. I've had my Blizzaks all 4 years I've had my current E92 and I think this is finally the last season they will be useful. The guys at my local shop still can't believe they've lasted this long. I hate bridgestone for everything but they're winter tires. You won't catch my cars on anything but Continental tires during spring summer and fall.

Yeah, have fun with that service visit since I'm assuming it'll be your first time with the 335 when it does come around. Pads and Rotors together for me on just the front or rear down here is around $800USD at the dealership. It isn't pretty.

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by e92335iaw

You don't have to buy new rotors when you replace pads.....

I've had to do it twice @ 2 different shops in 2 different states. Unless Canadian BMW's have some nifty rotor design that doesn't require it, the wear rates of the pads and rotors are matched. I thought they were pulling my leg when they told me what needed to be serviced the first time I did them but after going back and seeing new rotors and pads next to my old rotors and pads in the shop, I never questioned it again.

[SSW]

It's amazing to me that an 18 yr old can buy/own such a car. Except for the badging on the rear, it looks just like my 335i E90. In other words, it looks nice!

[paddy335]

Great effort to save for such a great car so early in your car life! Your biggest problem is going to be that getting a bimmer so young you've set the bar pretty high for yourself start saving for the M3 you'll be wanting next.

Good on ya mate

[hailpersia]

WOW there is a lot of bitching in here.


anywaysss...congrats, bro.

[silver07335i]

OP, congrats on the new car! Have fun with it! Not sure what the value of a 2006 325i is in Canada, but in the U.S. the price seems high.

[jacobsed]

Do you hate your tire shop money? That is a lot of car for a tire shop job. Nice car though.