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      05-12-2014, 02:07 PM   #1
lesterhein
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Smile First time BMW buyer, needs help! (calling 128i and 328i owners)

HI guys,

I've been a long time lurker and fan of BMWs, but this is my first post.

It's been 4 years since I last owned a car since I usually use taxis and I commute to work by train. My fiance has a Kia family transportation appliance that we use for going on trips and will also serve as a the baby mobile.

The last car I owned was an 06 350z and I loved it. My Gf at the time had a BMW 125 M Sport which I would occasionally drive and it was when I fell in love with BMW. The 350z had a nice gruff feel to it, but the BMW was butter. Those are the keys I would reach for whenever we had a roadtrip or a long drive.

Since I suffer from acute petrolitis, I've decided that for my birthday next June I will be getting myself something fun, and something from BMW. Yes, I know it's a long way off, but I like to prep and I'm going to pay cash.

My main obstacle is that I now live in Costa Rica where car prices are often 2-3x the USA, so I am looking to import a car from Miami and then register it here. If I find the right one, I could save myself thousands (as an example, a 2011 328i with 15k miles on it costs $50,000 here).

So, now that I know I want a BMW, and I have time to hunt, here are the criteria I'm using:

$20,000 - $25,000
Under 6 years old (for import reasons)
CPO if possible
Under 50k miles - I plan to keep this until 200k, which will be many years from now since I don't drive much
6 cylinder (none of this 4 pot fluff)
Baby seat friendly
Black, Sparkling Graphite or Space Gray or Montego Blue
RWD
Coupe if possible
Bluetooth - I make lots of calls on the go, so this is crucial. I also don't listen to the radio and stream everything from my phone via Bluetooth to the car

Things Don't Want:
X Drive - I live in warm country and won't be taking this offroad at all, so it would be waste and just add extra unwanted weight. Also RWD is more fun IMO

Automatic transmission- we have this in the family transportation appliance. This car is for me to drive on weekends, so I want to fun of a manual transmission. Also, more weight to lug around

Turbos - Costa Rica has a shortage of parts for anything other than a Hyundai Accent so this is a non starter. Also, the HPFP issues I've been reading about scare the crap out of me, since everything costs 3x here and this won't be under warranty. I don't want to be paying 3x price for turbos and 3x price for labour (this knocked out the 135i and 335i and 335d)

Convertible - Same issue as the Turbos above. Would cost me the price of a small house if something went wrong over here, not to mention having to potentially wait months for parts to get here (happened to a friend here at work).

M Package - Not wanting the M is mostly because I would feel like a tool with M splattered all over a non-M car with no actual performance gains. To me it's a bit like stickers on a Honda Civic...The only reasons I might consider it is because of the thicker steering wheel and the potential bump in resale value (not that too many people will want a 200k mile M Car...) Now - if you love your M, love it. Nothing against yours, it's just not for me.



Things I'm not Sure of

Extras

If I can find it then the Premium package, that would be super, especially the garage button thing. I hate clipping extra remotes on to the car. I want to drive, and I don't really care about things like the super fancy trim. The thrill of that will wear off in a month anyway.

Sport Package

The reason the Sport (or M) package might be a bad idea for me is that roads in Costa Rica are shite, so I could just be buying myself some heartache with a lower car and stiffer suspension. Unpainted speed-bumps abound, and I would hate to hit one with that 10mm drop. Also, we don't have pot holes, we have stove holes.

How much difference does the drop really make? I know 10mm is nothing, but does anyone have problems with speedbumps?


As far as I can tell, that's left me with only the 128i or 328i as viable options. Do you guys have any other suggestions or advice before I start the hunt?

Are there are problems/ inherent flaws/ timebombs on the 2009 or 2010 128i/ 328i cars?


Sorry if this is too long, and I appreciate any help offered in advance!

Thanks

Lester




P.S. Extras To Add later

BMW Performance Exhaust - since this is a toy, I want the nice phat growl to make me smile on weekends

I also don't like the way that the pipes are stuck together. I love the wheelbarrow pipes look. Now, this isn't me trying to 'fake' a 335, I just prefer it this way. Has anyone done this kind of mod?

More Aggressive Wheels. I don't like the stock ones and will probably replace these with Black BBS or the wheels from the Sport or M Sport pack. All they need to do is make me smile

Last edited by lesterhein; 05-12-2014 at 02:26 PM..
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      05-12-2014, 02:56 PM   #2
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I love my 328i yes, it does not have Turbos, but I don't race people, so I could care less. And my car with the minor mods I added, has 335i owners turning heads. Also, my car has the bluetooth and most features you'd like. I rtecommend searching for "Premium Package" it will have most of the features you requested.
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      05-12-2014, 05:49 PM   #3
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I have 08 328i Coupe with sports package. I have to slow down on all speed bumps or I'll scrape front bumper and side skirts. Also all my friends who sat in my car told me car is low and ride is too bumpy(damn sports suspension).
I don't have lip.
I'm shock people drop their car even lower.

Comfort Access is must have option!
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      05-12-2014, 06:02 PM   #4
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you will love it
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      05-12-2014, 08:40 PM   #5
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Give the Sport package consideration...the seats make it a requirement in my book. I know from experience that losing the run-flats improves ride quality tremendously. It is a touch lower, I think about an inch.

E90 + 6MT + RWD + Sport Package = Joy.

The Premium Package is a nice touch...creature comforts.

If you care about audio quality stay away from the "base" audio (no tweets in the front doors). Even the mid-level "HiFi" audio system is poor in my book, but a drop-in JL xd600/6 amplifier makes a world of difference.

Best of luck finding your perfect ride!
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      05-12-2014, 09:01 PM   #6
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      05-13-2014, 02:49 PM   #7
lesterhein
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Thanks for all of the input guys! @StayClassy7 that is one sweet looking ride. After looking at pics for the past couple of days, I'm leaning more and more to gloss black with black wheels and some carbon accents.

Are there any problem areas on the '09/ '10 328s's? Like the equivalent of a wastegate rattle or HPFP issue on the 335is?

Anything I should keep an eye or ear out for?
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      05-13-2014, 02:50 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by techie182 View Post
I have 08 328i Coupe with sports package. I have to slow down on all speed bumps or I'll scrape front bumper and side skirts. Also all my friends who sat in my car told me car is low and ride is too bumpy(damn sports suspension).
I don't have lip.
I'm shock people drop their car even lower.

Comfort Access is must have option!
Thanks for the feedback. I was hoping this would not be an issue I wonder if it's possible to get the sports seats and the steering wheel without the drop, or if I can just undo the drop to prevent the car from getting ruined...
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      05-20-2014, 12:50 PM   #9
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After doing some looking, there is another option open to me after all. It looks like the 320d is pretty popular here in Costa Rica, so I can pick up one of these for a decent price without having to deal with the import headache.

The parts (turbo) also seem to be in plentiful supply.

Also, the 128i is now out of the running. After thinking long and hard, I don't want to be breaking my back putting a baby in and out of the back seat. Practicality wins

Anyone here got any experience with the 320d?
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      05-20-2014, 01:29 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lesterhein View Post
After doing some looking, there is another option open to me after all. It looks like the 320d is pretty popular here in Costa Rica, so I can pick up one of these for a decent price without having to deal with the import headache.

The parts (turbo) also seem to be in plentiful supply.

Also, the 128i is now out of the running. After thinking long and hard, I don't want to be breaking my back putting a baby in and out of the back seat. Practicality wins

Anyone here got any experience with the 320d?
Is that not a 4 pot diesel?
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      05-20-2014, 01:35 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lesterhein View Post
After doing some looking, there is another option open to me after all. It looks like the 320d is pretty popular here in Costa Rica, so I can pick up one of these for a decent price without having to deal with the import headache.

The parts (turbo) also seem to be in plentiful supply.

Also, the 128i is now out of the running. After thinking long and hard, I don't want to be breaking my back putting a baby in and out of the back seat. Practicality wins

Anyone here got any experience with the 320d?
I saw a 328d but not sure if US has the 320d (US BMW site does now show it btw), this would mean you would have to import from Europe. Although the 320d might be available in Mexico and South America, not sure though.
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      05-20-2014, 04:50 PM   #12
lesterhein
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Originally Posted by thomas88162 View Post
Is that not a 4 pot diesel?
Yup It is indeed.

Right now I'm debating with myself about how much the 6 cylinders matter to me if I have access to the torque the diesel offers. It will all depend on the deal I get while importing (still waiting on an answer to see how much tax I pay).

If I do get a diesel, I'll likely pair it up with a PE, bigger intake, bigger intercooler and vents and then do a remap.

I checked the local listings here again this morning and a 2009 328i is still going for $33k on this side. Madness.
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      05-20-2014, 04:53 PM   #13
lesterhein
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Originally Posted by Delta0311 View Post
I saw a 328d but not sure if US has the 320d (US BMW site does now show it btw), this would mean you would have to import from Europe. Although the 320d might be available in Mexico and South America, not sure though.
I think that the 328d is only for the 2014 models, and then start at about $60,000 here. So not an option
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      05-20-2014, 07:01 PM   #14
lesterhein
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Ok, so I finally got some information about the shipping and taxes.

The declared value of 7yr old 328i Coupe is CRC12 million (haha!) or about $24,000

Import cost on 328i Coupe, 6MT = $11,383
Shipping is about $900 from Miami to here.
Registration is about $1,500

So, that's about $14,000 to get it here and on the road.

Assuming I can find a decent 328i coupe stateside for around $14k, that puts me at $28k, which is still $10k less than I would pay for a used one over here.

(oddly, it's about $800 less in import taxes for a 335i)
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      05-20-2014, 07:02 PM   #15
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absolutely get a car with the sport package and xenon headlights. you may also want to make sure it does not have the BASE stereo, as that sounds terrible.
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      05-20-2014, 10:38 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lesterhein View Post
Also, the 128i is now out of the running. After thinking long and hard, I don't want to be breaking my back putting a baby in and out of the back seat. Practicality wins
I take my two kids, an infant and toddler, in my 128i every day. It's really not that bad. But i can see if one it tall, it would be a pain.
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      05-20-2014, 11:53 PM   #17
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absolutely get a car with the sport package and xenon headlights. you may also want to make sure it does not have the BASE stereo, as that sounds terrible.
I've beem reading that a lot of people want the Xenons. What makes them so special? I'm clueless in this regard
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      05-20-2014, 11:57 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Hops128i View Post
I take my two kids, an infant and toddler, in my 128i every day. It's really not that bad. But i can see if one it tall, it would be a pain.
I'm not a tall guy, but I've been reading lots of others say that it's a pain in the back to get the kid in the seat
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      05-21-2014, 05:36 AM   #19
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erm... I have a 328.. xi due to weather.. if I were where you are, I would go for the 320d - solid engine, same looks, same comfort.. cheaper and you can do a LOT of modding for $14k!!
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      05-21-2014, 07:31 AM   #20
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erm... I have a 328.. xi due to weather.. if I were where you are, I would go for the 320d - solid engine, same looks, same comfort.. cheaper and you can do a LOT of modding for $14k!!
I'm strongly considering it, now that Im getting a taste of dealing with the import process. An '08 320d will cost me about $24k here, so the diff is only $4k, which is still enough for a mod or two
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      05-21-2014, 07:54 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by lesterhein View Post
I'm strongly considering it, now that Im getting a taste of dealing with the import process. An '08 320d will cost me about $24k here, so the diff is only $4k, which is still enough for a mod or two

Here is my 2 Colones into what you should get
The xenons look better and offer better visibility. I would recommend them for the sole reason that sunset in Costa Rica is about 6pm and rainy season is no joke; so the extra visibility is a plus. The stock sound system is fine in the 07 and 08 models, they went cheap from like 09 and up. Obviously you have no need for heated seats or any crap like that. You don't really need XI for obvious reasons but it can help having 4 wheels drive if you're going down some dirt road with a steep incline, especially in the Guanacaste region.
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      05-21-2014, 08:22 AM   #22
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Here is my 2 Colones into what you should get
The xenons look better and offer better visibility. I would recommend them for the sole reason that sunset in Costa Rica is about 6pm and rainy season is no joke; so the extra visibility is a plus.
Thanks for the feedback! Pura Vida Yeah, sunfall as I call it does come rather early and very quickly. I had the Xenon extra on my 350z (back in Cape Town, South Africa) and I did like the way they looked. I'll try and get a look at the BMW lights in person. Can these be retrofitted or are they purely a dealer option?



Quote:

The stock sound system is fine in the 07 and 08 models, they went cheap from like 09 and up. Obviously you have no need for heated seats or any crap like that. You don't really need XI for obvious reasons but it can help having 4 wheels drive if you're going down some dirt road with a steep incline, especially in the Guanacaste region.

This puppy won't be seeing anything slippery or dirt-related. We have two SUVs to take care of that, so I think I will forego XI altogether. This will be purely for weekend driving and the odd blast down to Playa Hermosa. Although that being said, the last two drives down to Guanacaste have been pretty easy with the new road. We stayed at Playa Conchal for a couple of days and also Hacienda Pinilla for a few. No dirt roads to be traversed on those trips.

Did you spend much time down here in CR?
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