Picks of my new 325ci/steel grey (archive)

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Here is a pic of my new car. Picked it up on 12.29.00 (a week ahead of schedule). The link contains more pics.

If you're wondering I'm from the Chicago area and this was like the 30th day in a row with snow....I got some blizzaks the day after. Of course that was the last day of snow we've had, go figure. Anyway if you live anywhere with snow I would highly recommend them, since I got stuck driving away from the dealer without them.

I picked up my 325ci on Friday the 29th of Dec. About a week early (it was a week 49 build originally).

Specs: steel gray/sport package/moon roof/cd/heated seats/xenons/aluminum trim (put in myself from circlebmw.com)

Having owned a 325is for several years and having grown up with BMWs from a 2002 to an M3 I feel like I�ve had a lot of experience with these cars.

The car is beautiful. Being a designer I�m very concerned with the design philosophy behind the car and design language throughout. A couple notes:

When I first saw the design I thought it might have lost a bit of soul in going with a rounded, seemingly more generic look �I was wrong, it�s gained some if anything.

There are many beautiful details where before there were none. I can�t help but feel this is partly due to the Audi A4.

The combination of steel gray with the type 44 wheels is amazing. The color of the car accentuates the size and design of the lighter colored wheels. The sharp creased lines of the wheels help contribute to the crisp look of the car. It�s a great combo.

The aluminum trim is the easiest upgrade I�ve ever made�.it�s a shame that it�s not standard on the 325ci. It adds a lot to the car�.but it certainly isn�t subtle.

Surprisingly I think my wife summed up the changes between the E36 coup� and the E46 coup� best when she said �it just feels softer and smoother�. The clutch, steering, window switches, and radio buttons, all contribute to this.

The two biggest changes in feel from my �93 325is are the clutch and the steering. The clutch doesn�t quite feel as precise as it used to due to this softness. And the steering, while losing no feel, is indeed softer. Does this make me hate the steering, no. Do I wish they would have left the steering alone, yes.

The steering issue was and is still not near enough to deter me from having bought this car. I could understand maybe putting off the purchase if one knew it was going to be changed on a specific build date. However, anybody who would go buy an Audi solely because of the light steering in the 3series is just insane.

The sport package is a must for anybody who appreciates sharper responses and less body roll. The ride, while slightly more harsh, is still a BMW suspension and coupled with an outstanding body rigidity makes for a great taunt feel. For those who are considering the SP would not get hung up on thinking it�s a harsh suspension.

The xenons are great. It sounds clich�d but once you drive with them, you won�t ever want to go back. And they look so damn cool.

The black leatherette is excellent�anybody on a budget or against sitting on animal skins shouldn�t have second thoughts about going with it (in the U.S. anyway).

The Steel Gray does show a little more dirt than I would want. However it�s such a distinctive color that for the first time in my life I didn�t go with silver (although it was hard to not go with that blue). I�ll post pics in a couple days.

The engine is as always smooth and refined. It doesn�t quite have the same edge as the old 2.5L from the E36 (92-95) but it�s hardly lacking on power.

For me the engine choice was simple. I didn�t want to spend 38k on a car while at this point in my life. The 330ci is a better car no doubt, I just believe the 325ci for the money might be a better value.

One area I have been disappointed in is the lack of interior storage space. Now I�m not one to complain about cup holders or no tissue dispenser, but I do have to spend a decent amount of time in this car and I hate to have cds or other various things relegated to the floor or rear seat. Just a thought.

I�ll have several pics posted in a couple days if anybody is interested in seeing this color/car combo (as it seems to be getting more popular on this board)

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