330 ci vs i vs xi

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Bryan330i

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#41
Not true. The ci is the slower selling of all BMW's.

The sedan sells at a rate of 400.56% more than the coupe. This style is most popular in the US, Europe, and Asia, the biggest markets. The sedan also has a higher resale/residual value due to demand (check with your bank).

See BMW.com and read about the company. There are financials, analyst’s reports, marketing information, and a lot of other good information.

Here is the link, knowledge is power. [thumb]


http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/nav/index.html?http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/2_investor_relations/2_2_publikationen/2_2_1_geschaeftsbericht_02/2_2_1_geschaeftsbericht_02.shtml?3_2
 
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jes330

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#44
Boys, boys boys......look behind the new car sales figures...as intelligent BMW owners you will appreciate supply and demand.....Your argument is like saying that 4 dr sedans outsell 2 dr coupes therefore they are superior. In fact I quite agree that your more typical BMW 'New' car purchaser will buy more 4 dr vehicles than 2 drs. It makes absolute sense. A large % will have children, most will be 40+ and most will have a more, some might say, 'mature' outlook.

New car market share does NOT translate into powerful re-sale.

My point is, that in a resale sense, 2 dr BMW's are less COMMON, and certainly in the market I am familiar with carry a definate price premium because of this. Low km used ci's are snapped up quite quickly, while many 4 drs languish on sales floors.

Black 330 recognises this, and Bryan, I am sure you do to.....Bryan, your argument and mine come from dufferent angles, but I am sure you see my point.....

How's the headache??
 
B

Bryan330i

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#46
Bottom line is BMW builds according to market demand. Production numbers are not arbitrary figures, they are derived from consumer demand.

Residual values are also a reflection of anticipated future consumer demand. These values are traditionally higher for the i as a result of future value forecasting based on anticipated consumer demand. Obviously, current and historical valuations are important in this determination.

The reasons for this have nothing to do with the performance of the car, but rather, the size of the potential market for the car.

I think it is just the nature of the European car market. It is why BMW, BM, and Audi make very few coupes. It has nothing to do with quality or performance; it is simply market demand, what the majority of consumers in this market want.

And yes, the demographics of these (BMW etc.) buyers are different. Consider Saturn where almost 30% are coupe sales, or the Chevrolet Cavalier where almost 50% are coupe sales. But remover the sedan from BMW, MB, and Audi and you have destroyed 80+ percent of their sales.

And yes jes330 I understand what you are saying about the resale, but I see facts that tell a bit of a different story. Still, the differences are minimal. When I leased my car the lease payments were only $1,800.00 more in total for a ci after price difference considerations. That is not a lot of resale difference on $43,000.00.
 
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Bryan330i

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Here is what I would take, in this order.

1. M5
2. M3 cab
3. M3
4. i
5. ci
M roadster in there somewhere if available

What I am saying is that I like the i but I also like the ci. I am not trying to slam the ci, just giving the facts.

But if someone thinks they can beat a i with a ci, and that is the goal, just get the M3 and then there is no question about it. Then you are talking true performance coupe and not just a 2 door i. [fake] [rofl]
 
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jes330

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Not sure why you keep insisting the i is faster, I assume in your countries i's only come in auto (steptronic)? If that is so, I can assure you that a manual ci will beat it. Don't worry about the weight aspect, assuming you are tralking 35 kilo's, that will not overcome the power drain of a steptronic transmission. (not to mension the variable of reactions, ability and state of tune).

In this country all performance testing for the 330 is done on manual ci's. Steptronic i's are simply not bothered with. Also in this market the ci is a more expensive vehicle from new, perhaps another reason some people opt for the i.

For what it is worth my ranking would be .....

1. M3
2. M5
3. 330ci
4. WRX STi (my last car, would kick all your butt's) probably most fun car i have owned.
5. X5..actually 5 is getting kinda hard .....
 
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Bryan330i

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#53
I have been saying they are the same. Others seem to imply the ci is faster and handle better because it is a coupe. I say again they are the same, even the same weight, and I have even giving where to find exact weights, performance and sales information.

I am not saying that the i is faster, the ci is nothing more than a 2 door i. So my final thought was that ci beating the i (essentially beating yourself if you have a ci) just get an M3 and own a true performance coupe and there will be no question about it.

Please don't think in performance terms that because the ci is a 2 door it bears relation to the M3, It is still a 2 door i.
 
sarahj12

sarahj12

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Jes330:

RE: The WRX STi - have you driven an E46 M3? If so how do you think they compare? and did you consider a pre-owned M3 over your 330Ci?

The WRX has always been impressive in terms of handling because of the AWD, but the M3 seems to grip the road pretty well too at high speed, even though it's only RWD. Is this just great BMW engineering? Or maybe I wasn't driving the M3 hard enough to lose the back end/engage traction control.
 
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jes330

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sarah J, at last some non defensive banter. Good point you raise.

Fistly, unfortunatly no, I did not drive an e46M3. In some way's I guess i was a little frightened I would be so spoilt that the 330ci would seem unacceptable by comparison. At this stage at least, the M3 will be my next vehicle , once the prices slip to around the $80k mark. At this stage I havn't seen one below $117k and that was I think in Qld.(carsales.com).

As far as road handling goes, there is no question that the BMW roadholding is quite extra ordinary given that it is RWD. However, (in the case of the ci at least), when pushed hard without traction control the rear end comes around quite nicely, unlike the Subaru where it is darn near impossible to get the tail out. In fact i was continually dialling out understeer with the Sti. Once you do that they stick to they road like nothing else. The Sti is really a homologation rally car...and that turbo rush is simply heaps of fun.

The BMW is just such a different beast. It feels positively smooth by comparison, and no doubt capable of much higher and safer speeds. The Rex is really a point and shoot sprinter.

Ill be honest and say that my budget would just not stretch to an M3, so I went for what I thought was the next best thing, as wheels magazine put it, 330ci - not quite M3 performance, but not quite M3 price.....

PS; pleased you have a coupe [;)] Gettin a bit tired of these sedan lovers ..
 
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DrWho

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Actually, I considered getting an M3, but was put off by its overly firm suspension. Away from the track, that sort of thing can become tiresome. I think the 330Ci with the M sports II package is just about perfect - firm, not too hard and the ride doesn't suffer despite the 18 inch wheels.

The M3 may be faster and it looks more agressive, but as a day to day proposition, I think the 330Ci is the better choice (also keeps its value much better).
 
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