The Ultimate Drive: E46 328iA, E36 323iC, (E39 540iA) [long]

[Harris Yong <hccyong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

id AAA09413
Sender: owner-bmw@domain.elided
Precedence: bulk

Hi everyone,
As previously "advertised" to some of you, I participated at BMW's The
Ultimate
Drive today at Grand Blanc, MI. This is the drive that donates $1/mile dr=
iven
for breast cancer research.
<http://<http://www.bmwusa.com/>www.bmwusa.com/experience/events/ude/ulti=
mat
edrive/komen.html>.
So here's my impressions of the E46 (new 3 series) 328i (automatic) and t=
he
E36
(current 3 series) 323i convertible manual. I was able to drive both cars=
; my
friend, Luis Garcia, drove the E39 540i automatic.
The drive was a predesigned course of about 20 miles. We knew that it mus=
t
have
been predesigned since we saw several BMWs in a row on our way to the
dealership. The course really wasn't the "ultimate" course: almost all
straight, suburban, one-lane-each-way roads. There were about 5 mild curv=
es in
total, so I tried to utilize the intersections as best as I could :-) The=
re
was
also a short stretch of freeway driving, although it was congested, and
70-80mph (120 km/h to 130 km/h) was about the flow of traffic, not much f=
aster
than the less congested 60 mph (100 km/h) suburban roads.
All the cars were white, with the appropriate identification for the Ulti=
mate
Drive and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation, except for the E46
328iA, which was in titanium silver. By the way, I heard the fleet of car=
s
coming from the West might have different colors.
After registering at the registration desk, I was almost ready to go. (By=
 the
way, I don't think the dealer really cared about online registrations. I =
could
have chosen a different car if I wanted to, probably because it was off
peak at
close to 4 P.M., or it was just a slow dealer.) The only snag was that bo=
th my
friend and I were just shy of 21, so sales reps had to accompany us (whic=
h I
had expected anyway).
I'll detail the impressions of the 328iA first, and then the 323iC,
followed by
some miscellaneous things.

E46 328iA:
Exterior
Finally, after having different angles of this car on as my wallpaper, st=
artup
and shutdown screens, I could see the car in person. I think that it is
perhaps
the one of the most handsome cars on the road, although it did have a bit=
 of
that bloated Audi A4 look. The headlights were refreshing and simple; I f=
ound
the simple design very elegant -- just bulbs and parabolic like reflector=
s for
both beams, enclosed under clear plastic lenses with some horizontal line=
s.
The
fog lights are higher up, below the rubbing strip, somewhere around the
mid-height of the license plate, which I think would make for a much more
usable range on the foglights. The front bumper still has a vent to the b=
rake
area. Oops. I forgot to look at the supposedly covered underside. The fro=
nt
grille did call out E39 though. The profile is the best angle, I think, w=
ith
the, wrapping nice side skirts. The rear was less thrilling. Sorry, I'm n=
ot
very artistic in my words here.

Interior
Definitely roomier than an E36, both in the rear and the front. The less
driver-oriented dash opened up well, although I didn't exactly find the
current
E36 cramped either. Quality is a few steps higher, though still not quite
up to
E39 standards, which means that this might still be an area of complaint =
when
placed with the competition. The glovebox is miles ahead, and so is the
ventilation system (compared to pre-96 models). The car I was in had the =
black
interior with the aluminum decor. Much nicer than wood, in my opinion, bu=
t the
brushed aluminum seemed to have already developed some dents and
irregularities, so I don't think it's of the greatest quality either. I d=
idn't
get too much chance to try the radio on-board computer, but I did notice =
the
OBC display in the middle of the instrument cluster.
The instrument cluster did seem a little small for the dash, but still ve=
ry
legible. The steering is both telescoping and tilting, operated by releas=
ing a
lever that locked the wheel in both axes. The travel in both directions i=
s
quite minimal though. Also, I was not able to adjust things so that I cou=
ld
get
my steering wheel at the right height and not block the upper inch or so =
of
the
cluster. (I have a tall upper body and comparatively short leg, so I've a=
lways
had to pull up closer, meaning that my head would be near or touching the
headliner, and the steering wheel would block my vision of the top part o=
f the
cluster.) By the way, the car had the sport package, so the steering whee=
l was
3 spoke and housed cruise control and radio buttons, among others which I
didn't pay too much attention to. Sports seat were also part of the deal,
although I didn't think they were that sporty, i.e., a little wide for me=
, I
think. The passenger seat does not have memory, but the driver's side has=
 3
memory positions, apparently also triggered by the key used. There is a t=
runk
release button for the interior, but it is a small button that resides ju=
st
above the hood release (like the E39, not sure about the E38), which isn'=
t
exactly the best place (more on that later). The trunk is opened by apply=
ing
pressure to the bar above the license plate area, and also features an
auto-close upon "touchdown" feature. There is a rear seat armrest; a simp=
le
design with a velcroed flap for the ski pass-through.

Driving
I'll try to run through my impressions as I remember them, so please bear=
 with
me if it's a little disjointed. Rear window has a funny shape due to the
headliner (3rd brake light off the end of the headliner) and the rear sea=
t
headrests. The car definitely revs quite well for an automatic! Low end i=
s not
as good as I had expected, although it is by no means insufficient. It do=
esn't
feel that torquey, probably because the engine is free-reving and the car
doesn't squat much. Having not driven the M52 engine before (B25 or B28),=
 I
have to say that this engine reminds me more of the 4.0L V8 in the earlie=
r
740i
and iLs (sorry I don't know the M number),=A0 more so than of the M50 or =
M42. I
guess what I'm saying is that the torque curve is really quite flat. I wa=
s
expecting a sense of urgency at engine speeds greater than 4500 rpm, but =
there
is none :-( It just feels more like a linear motor without the need for h=
igh
revs. The high revs also build slowly (much more slowly than the shorter
geared
M42 manual). The auto is willing to downshift though, and it'll allow the
engine to sing right through to 6200 rpm or so (in first gear, if I remem=
ber
correctly.) The steering feels a little quicker near center (not sure at =
the
extremes), and the brakes are super sensitive. However, I would still
appreciate a firmer initial feel. I think that the bite it gives should b=
e
coupled by more feedback. Still, it's not difficult to get used to it. (M=
aybe
it just felt firm because I've been driving a GMC Jimmy at work lately.)
The ride is nothing like what I would have expected with a running gear
consisting of a sports suspension and 225/45R17W Continentals on 17 x 8
wheels!! (By the way, does anyone know the offset range for the E46? I'm
asking
because I picked up a new wheels catalog, and some wheels are only specif=
ied
for the E46, suggesting different offsets.) This car rides more smoothly =
than
our 1995 318is with 225/50ZR16s! Truly amazing :-) Still, the car is quic=
k. It
doesn't feel any bulkier than an E36. Crisper but super accurate steering
(more
accurate than I could point, but perhaps a little light; definitely light=
er in
the parking lot). Minimal body roll and very nice reflexes. There was no =
way I
could trigger the ABS, DSC, ASC+T, CBC (cornering brake control), etc.! I=
 did
try, though, to no avail. On an almost wide open throttle right hand turn=
 from
a stop, there was no drama. I had to lift the throttle pretty abruptly (f=
or an
automatic) AFTER I had already steered straight, but that still got the d=
ealer
a little worried. He said that the car needs to be driven by others too. =
I
thought he was telling me not to rev that high (for a car with 2000+ mile=
s on
the odometer), but then he told me about the few wrecks that have already
happened. He even told me to drive it as if I was driving my own car. I f=
elt
like telling him that I drive mine harder than I was driving the 328iA, b=
ut I
decided it was best to keep quiet. The dealer continued to sing with radi=
o
as I
was driving!
Tired of the lack of response from the auto transmission, I decided to sh=
ift
into 4, which would give me the sport mode and seemingly different torque
converter lockup decisions. I liked the higher rpms better. There was no =
sense
of harshness, even near the redline, which makes me wonder whether BMW
would be
able to raise the redline and tune a more highly strung engine from the M=
52. I
guess that's where the Euro M3 fits in. Oh well. So the sport mode is nic=
e,
although light taps on the brakes do NOT prompt downshifts for engine bra=
king,
and there is no downshifting upon coasting down, unlike the adaptive AGS =
on
the
1995 740i which I drove. This 5 speed auto is definitely better than the =
4
speed GM box, but it's still not for me.
I wanted to keep testing the transmission on the freeway, but the sales r=
ep
told me to upshift to D. Oh well, I didn't want to argue with him. I know=
 he's
had a long day. By the way, none of the dealers seem to want to go out wi=
th
drivers. I think they just like to stand around and perhaps make some dea=
ls. I
can't blame them though; that's their way of living.
After a few miles on the highway, it was back to suburban roads, although=
 with
a few more curves. But none of them were tight enough to give any kind of
drama
or to trigger any of the fancy electronic controls. I noticed a weird whi=
r
(almost supercharger like) while using more than 3/4 throttle in the 2000=
- -3000
rpm range. I'm guessing that this might be peculiar to this particular
vehicle.
For reasons I'll mention later, I didn't think the sales rep was particul=
arly
informed about the specifics, so I decided not to ask him. I did check la=
ter
and notice that BMW has dropped the vacuum operated exhaust flap for the =
E46.

E46 328iA Summary
This car is an evolution. Some article I read mentioned that BMW seems to
cycle
between the evolution and revolution trend. I think that there is a much
greater difference in technology between the E36 and E30 than between the=
 E46
and E36. The E46 is more responsive, possibly a little faster and with mu=
ch
more safety features (both active and passive), like up to 8 airbags. Als=
o
more
accommodating. But I think the E36 can still hold its own for quite a whi=
le to
come. Of course, I would still prefer a new E46, but I think the wait for=
 an
even more nimble 2 series, a Compact hatchback derivative or a 2002/3 can=
 be
justified. On the other hand, if I could take the E46 to a track or test
course, I might want an E46 badly. I believe there is a lot of potential =
that
could not be tapped on the routes I drove today. With the aluminized
suspension
and the electronics, this car could be a real winner on a curvy course. O=
n the
other had, the E46 does have gizmos like driver profiles, programmable da=
ytime
running lights and rain-sensing wipers that might appeal to some. I was o=
nce
part of that group, but now I would rather get pay the same price, loose =
the
gadgets and get even higher performance. But since the E46 has to compete=
 in a
market that's going upscale, I'll wait for the 2 series or equivalent.

Break:
So we're back at the lot (after my friend passed me in the 540iA, prompti=
ng my
sales rep to say, "Whoever that driver is, he'll kill someone," ) and the=
 same
friend tells me that we can take out another car. Apparently, the sales r=
ep
with him was much more pleasant. But before we went out again, we looked
around
(which is how I got some of the interior/exterior comments written above)=
. We
hung around another E46 328iA (this one without the sport package but wit=
h
wood
trim), when another sales rep came along. This one was really quite
uninformed.
He looked for a window sticker giving the details, and my friend ended up
telling him that it was in the trunk. He tried to open the trunk but some=
how
couldn't. I'm sure he wasn't pressing in the right place, but instead of
embarrassing him by showing him how it's done, we suggested the interior
release. Of course, he couldn't find it, and when I started reaching for =
the
button near the hood release area, he thought I was opening the hood. Tha=
t's
why I think the trunk release button should be better positioned!

E36 323iC:
Both my friend and I wanted to drive a manual transmission car, but only =
the
323iC and Z3 1.9L was manual, so we didn't have much of a choice. The Z3
was on
its way out, so my friend sat with me in the 323iC. The interior and exte=
rior
are probably familiar to most of us, so I'll skip that and go right to th=
e
driving aspect. The clutch seemed lighter than the 1995 318is, and the co=
ntact
point higher. I has a little surprised at this and had to adjust my seat
(non-electric this time) to accommodate. Although the manual transmission=
 made
for much better throttle response, this car felt quite a bit slower under=
 most
conditions, no doubt due to the heavier weight of the convertible and the
extra
few pounds chipped in by the extra passenger. As the numbers show, this e=
ngine
feels like the M52 B28's younger sibling, with almost identical
characteristics
but a little less oomph everywhere. The engine revved better with the man=
ual,
but still lacked the high end urgency of a DOHC inline 4 :-(=20
Anyway, back to the 323iC. Convertible cowl shake? Yes, it definitely
exists!!!
I know that the E36 convertible is praised by many of the automotive pres=
s for
its stiffness, but after driving the E46, this car is definitely looser i=
n the
windshield and steering wheel area. There were significant vibrations tha=
t
were
quite unwelcome. Also, the top was down all the time, so wind noise was h=
igh,
especially on the highway. To the 323iC's defense, my friend did say that=
 this
was the quietest convertible he has ever ridden in. I guess maybe it isn'=
t
that
bad for a convertible, and it's probably more appropriate to say that a
convertible is just not for me.
Unlike the E46 which could not be upset, the E36 323iC could. Not enough =
to
trigger ASC+T or anything like that, but I did get some inside wheel spin
doing
a left turn. Now I know what the 318is would feel like without the lovely
limited slip differential. Too bad ASC+T has replaced rather than supplem=
ented
the LSD on most cars :-( On another on-throttle 2nd gear left hand corner=
, the
rear end did step out, but quite progressively and without requiring
significant countersteering. I think there was some sand on the ground,
because
I would never have expected it at that speed in a 318is. And this 323iC h=
ad
the
225/50ZR16 Michelin Pilot HXs on them too, not too far off from our 318is=
'
SP2000s. Perhaps the greater weight and higher torque made the difference
here.

Miscellaneous:
The sales rep (in the 323iC) mentioned that there were going to be no mor=
e
inline 4s coming. He said that BMWs are trying to be performance cars, an=
d no
one would go for an inline 4. Well, we all (especially those on the
318ti/Compact list) know how untrue that is. In fact, a great disappointm=
ent
after driving these two cars come from the thought that there will be no =
more
highly strung inline 4s. I find that the torque curve on these cars are j=
ust
too smooth for the excitement that I enjoy. Oh well.
I asked the sales rep in the 328iA about the M5. He said that the US woul=
d get
a 450hp version as opposed to the Euro 500hp version. Needless to say, bo=
th
figures are way too high, so I didn't trust in his other details very muc=
h. He
also kept saying that the car I was driving was a Euro car and there were
therefore differences. This made me understand the Celcius markings, but =
then
why was the speedometer in MPH?
After the drive, we were offered to sign a signature car. It was a 528iT.
So if
you get to sign a silverish 528iT with wheels of the 540i, my name will b=
e
there on the driver's door. I tried the tailgate on this touring wagon, a=
nd it
was very nicely weighted. I'm sure I've forgotten many things, but feel
free to
write back if you have any questions/comments.=20

P.S. Thanks to those who answered insurance/liability questions. I had no
problems :-) And sorry for the awkward formatting. (I'm having problems w=
ith
formatted styling with Eudora Pro after changing display fonts).

					Harris Yong
					sine(theta) [d,r]

'95 BE53 E36/2 M42/B18 DISA2 M1.7.2 w/ EWS II + Jim Conforti EPROM
(1.8L manual transmission 318is)
LSD	M Technic sport chassis
Clear Blinker Lenses
FOR SALE: Dunlop SP 2000 225/50ZR16
($350 for 5 tires, o.b.o.; ~70% remaining @ 11k miles; $207 EACH new!)

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