2002 330Ci Top Speed ?

Cabra · Jul 30, 2003

I just picked up a 2002 BMW 330Ci.
I managed to hit 140 mph (I was at redline)

Isnt the top speed electronically limited ?

I remember reading somewhere that it was limited to only 128 mph.

Terry
Chicago

VANCE · Jul 30, 2003

HERE'S WHAT I CAME UP WITH

USpecifications

3 Series Sedan 330i

Engine 6 cylinders in line
Cubic capacity 2973
Power (hp/rpm) 193/5500
Torque (nm/rpm) 280/3500
Tyres front/rear 205/55 wr 16
Weight (kg) 1335
Top speed (km/h) 240
0 to 100 km/h 7.0
P WITH...
WHICH EQUALS...240 kilometer/hour second = 149.1290861 mile/hour second [driving]

MrElussive · Jul 30, 2003

Maybe you were going downhill??

Black330 · Jul 30, 2003

VANCE said:

I actually have a middle east specification 330i and it hits 250km [paranoid]

bman · Jul 30, 2003

Is there a difference in the top speeds for the 2003 models?

The Canadian BMW site has a top speed of 206km/hr not 240. A top speed of 206km/hr is to say the least not remarkable. [confused]

Cabra · Aug 5, 2003

Still Confused

BMW claims the top speed on a 2002 330Ci is 128 mph. I reached 140 with little effort (at redline) and I was not going downhill.

Whats going on here ?

bman · Aug 6, 2003

What may be happening Cabra is that the speedo is out. I recall reading a Car and Driver article about BMW's where they said that the speedo was off (as I recall aprox 10km). Of course that does not explain all of your difference. In any event if you are driving at 145mph you will have lots of time to ponder the issue while you are walking after the court has revoked your license. [driving]

Cabra · Aug 7, 2003

I was definately going at least 140mph.
I dont think there would be that big of an error in the speedometer.

RedShift · Aug 10, 2003

Re: Still Confused

Cabra said:

Hmmm, what gear were you in? I just went 135 in my 330Ci before the speed limiter kicked in and I was nowhere near redline. Are you sure you really did this?

BIMMERMAN28 · Sep 3, 2007

Top Speed

I Was On My Home From Work The Other Day And Started Racing A Maxima When I Looked To See How Fast I Was Going The Speedo Said 140mph. I Was Thinking It Was Impossible But Tonight I Tryed It Again And Lord Be Hold It Went All The Way To 140mph And Then Some Before I Had To Slow Down. I Cant See That Being A Error Because Thats To Big Of A Difference. MY CAR IS A AUTO WITH THE STEPTRONIC.

Big Daddy · Sep 5, 2007

Speedometer error is linear and it can be a great as 10mph plus or minus at higher speeds. The only sure method is to have the car clocked on lidar, the most accurate speed measurment available to the general public, unfortunately you have to know someone with a lidar or the police!

TSilver330CI · Sep 10, 2007

I did 125 once....

BigDaddy, what do you mean by speedometer error being linear?

Big Daddy · Sep 10, 2007

The error is magnified as the speed increases, in otherwords at 40 it may be off 5 mph and at 100 it may be off 10 mph. Gets worse as the speed increases.

plyubich · Oct 10, 2007

I love the gearing on the bmw...it nice that you can trow the car in 4th and go 110

)))) and not be at the redline! I think 6th is just an overdrive, you can easily achieve top speed in 5th if you have a manual.

Section_8 · Oct 10, 2007

Big Daddy said:

BD's post is WIN.

You are limited to 128 mph in the 323/328/325/330 (not zhp) unless you've chipped your car and the software update removed the limiter (I don't know of any software update that 'doesn't' remove the speed limiter - but, have you done that or aware of that happening in the car's existance?)

Other than that BD hit it - your spedo can be off and the faster you're going, the bigger the gap of incorrectness.

plyubich · Oct 10, 2007

Its a bit hard to believe that a BMW would make a mistake in the speed calibration, yet this might be a true statement. Recently I've noticed that when driving about 75 (BMW speedometer) and following the gps module, the gps module was giving about 67-70, but this adds another error, haha, the gps and how fast it updates, i know i know. Nevertheless, this was testing on a long distance about 2 hour drive and for most of the road my car was in cruise control, yet i never saw the gps module giving me 75, it was always at least 5 mph below.

rextheracer · Mar 19, 2008

4th

Cabra said:

If you have the 5 speed automatic, you were only at 4th gear when you red lined. i just hit 135-140 mph at 4th gear red line, then shifted to 5th and the limiter kicked in...and i think the limiter is at 145...i had the same dilemma of "wheres the limiter?"when i was messing around

Big Daddy · Mar 19, 2008

It is not that BMW made a "mistake" it is just simple math, errors in sensors, placement, calculations however slight multiply as the equation gets larger.

hades · Mar 24, 2008

Put it on a Dyno and see what it shows the top speed at, safer and no chance of a ticket! Plus you can see what the HP to the wheels is, not just the cracnk like BMW says it is rated at.

I know when my Mustang was getting dyno tuned, the speedo was off compared to what the dyno showed, and I bet the dyno is more accurate.

BBARON · Mar 25, 2008

Attn Race car drivers. You don't have to drive your car as fast as it will go to figure out what the top speed is. If you put your car in 5th gear and drive it halfway to redline, your cars maximum speed (with the limiter removed) will be twice the speed that you're traveling at. Please also be aware that the stock tires on your car were probably H rated and if you remove the limiter, you need to upgrade the tires to ones with a higher speed rating.

2002 330Ci Top Speed ?

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