E46 325ti (how about 325ti.org??)

[alistair]

Hi, all

I reported late last year on the early demise of our E30 318ti due to engine corrosion. Reg N548FSW - if offered to you: avoid!

Anyway, we were going to replace it with a 2003/4 318ti, but got sidetracked. We have now a 325ti Steptronic on an 02 plate. It had 60k miles when we bought it but looked and drove like new.

This is one hell of a good car! I was never more than mildly warm about the old 318ti, and hated its handling with a vengance, but I really like the new car. It is my partner's daily transport; I drive a Porsche 911, but I think that the BMW is a match for mine in many circumstaces. The 325ti does not match the 911 in outright accelaration or grip, but its handling is better and it is certainly faster on windy roads (especially those that are unknown to the driver). I have driven an M3, and consider the 325ti to be a rarer, lighter, equally-good-handling, albeit not as accelerative, much cheaper alternative. (In the UK, M3s you can see in my area every week; I have never seen another 325ti before or since we bought ours ... an exclusive car, if you are into that sort of thing.)

What is especially good is that it does not understeer like so many modern cars, and that there is real feedback through the steering wheel (Audi really needs to learn about this). The engine is so far back to the rear it is silly; I think only the first 1 or 2 out if 6 cylinders are before the front wheels so making it very much unlike its FWD competitors.

Also, unlike so many modern cars, it has enough glass to allow a good view of the road. A new BMW 130i has the right numbers, but if you sit in one it is like sitting in a pillar box; unpleasant and very confined.

I am very sorry for those in North America that BMW did not sell this car there. I cannot think why.

I think that the 325ti is a real classic, but could fail to be noticed because it lacks the "M" badge. That would be a shame! Now, a call for interest. Would anyone like to set up 325ti.org ? If so, how do we do it?????

ATB
Alistair