2002 BMW M3: Generating Map

Oh cool, I work at the El Capitan... What time did you see the movie? We might have 'seen' each other...

Shows you how far nav systems have come in 6 years.

Built-in nav sucks -- with the advances in speed and graphics, even systems used in recent cars like this one are bound to appear as wagon wheels to alloys, compared to the latest systems. Portable (and cheaper) GPS FTW!

Thanks once again for pointing out that six year old NAV systems are inferior to new ones. Wow, what helpful insight...

Thats a pretty good looking interior for a 6 year old vehicle.

Wait, you were using the nav system WHILE DRIVING!?! *gasp* How irresponsible!

I'm fairly certain you can use it while driving, you just can't enter input into it :)

The e46 interior continues to shine in this picture....fantastic.

I'm now on the bandwagon of picking up a 5-6 year old BMW within the next 24 months, and I absolutely refuse to deal with the navigation system. It's soooo terrible and makes everything needlessly complex. And having a cd changer in the trunk is for the birds.

Joe

I think it's that area that has problems. This weekend, I took my family up to Hancock Park (the La Brea tar pits). Right around where the 101 and 5 meet, my GPS lost signal - and right when I needed it most! (It's a portable, not built-in.) Boy, was I upset. I ended up getting there, but I took the scenic route.

It's funny how you can live your whole life without a GPS, then after you get one, you can't live without it. There are many things like that - answering machines, cell phones, the internet. /end muse

It looks like you can throw an aftermarket double din nav in there pretty easily at least. The un-replaceable integrated ones are the worst.

"I'm now on the bandwagon of picking up a 5-6 year old BMW within the next 24 months, and I absolutely refuse to deal with the navigation system. It's soooo terrible and makes everything needlessly complex. And having a cd changer in the trunk is for the birds."

Joe, if you dont get an M3 you have to get a 330i ZHP (Performance Package) as the car drives like a dream. There were coupes, sedans and convertibles available but the sedan was the most attractive.

"It looks like you can throw an aftermarket double din nav in there pretty easily at least. The un-replaceable integrated ones are the worst."

Or maybe just upgrade it with a Nav unit from an 06? The OEM stuff always matches better and looks cleaner than the aftermarket stuff (except when you get into the high end, i.e. Eclipse and Nakamichi).

In hindsight, I'm glad I got a non-Nav M3 though I was bummed for a while at the prospect of not having integrated Bluetooth and having to clutter my dash with a nav unit. My solution was a Garmin 760 with integrated Bluetooth (functional, but it can be hard to hear the tiny speaker at high freeway speeds) mounted on a modified, low-profile ProClip vent mount and powered via a glovebox power adapter (I may hardwire it down the road). Works great, looks pretty clean, and makes iPod integration a whole lot easier (you need a less common adapter in order to integrate an iPod with the OEM Nav system).

Hondacura -

I've always loved the e39 5-series and I'm currently hooked on the 2003 540i 6-speed. We'll see where this takes me.

Joe

I don't think the 2002 vintage is really the problem here. It's more of BMW installing a poor NAV system in their vehicles. I owned a 2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6MT with the factory NAV option, and it worked great. It was one of the first with the "birds eye" view of the map with landmark icons too. My only complaint about it was it wasn't a touch screen.

Stay away from the M62 4.4-liter V8, Joe! You have been warned (again)!

"Thanks once again for pointing out that six year old NAV systems are inferior to new ones. Wow, what helpful insight..."

That's the whole point.

A 6 year old BMW is still a great car.

6 year electronics are scrap.

The average 6 year old computer that's still around is propping open a door somewhere. Electronics change too fast to be permently mounted in your dashboard.

Don't waste your money.

Suby - Knock it off. I've driven the M62 and I'm hooked. I actually drove it the same day I drove two brand new BMWs with the twin turbo 3.0 liter....and guess what, I didn't care for the new BMWs in comparison to the 2001 BMW 540i 6-speed w/ 118k miles on it.

Now excuse me while I save up my resources for 2 years while looking for the perfect 2003 540i 6-speed M-Sport.....mmmm :)

Joe

It's the maintenance they require, Joe. I worked in the service department of a SoCal BMW dealership as a warranty administration. E39s, E38s, and E53s w/ the M62s were bad news when they had more miles on the clock. Get the E39 530i with the M53. Trust me.

Also, the E39 540i uses a recirculating ball steering system whereas the 530i uses a rack-and-pinion system.

I have ~550 posts on bimmerfest.com, alot of which are in the e39 forum. The M62 has been in the e39 since late 1996....so there's a good history of what those cars need even after 12 years/200,000 miles. I'm not scared of it Suby...I'm going into it expecting a higher level of maintenance AND cost than my 06 Civic SI. (lol)

And yeah, the recirculating ball steering system was heavier and inferior to the rack and pinion. I test drove it with the intent to decide if the steering would be so numb it'd kill it for me....and I'm delighted to say I found the 540 steering to be quite good. The 530i still had better steering, but the 540 was smooth, linear, steady feedback, natural, and well weighted (not heavy or light).

We'll see what happens man. I've got at least another year of driving the SI. In one year, it'll have 80,000 miles or more. I'll need to decide whether or not to keep it around for awhile as I hope the clutch lasts till 100k, the engine requires it's first tune-up and a number of other things around 90-100k as well.

The 03 540i 6-speeds are classic BMW in so many ways....the type of BMW that made people love BMW. And they were 50-60k cars in 2003....and in a year, they'll be selling for 15-16k with 80,000 miles on them.

I can't get the 530i because I know myself well enough to know I'd miss the power of the v8. I accept that I'll most likely have problems with some sensors, need a cooling system overhaul, and maybe even a VANOS refresh.....

Don't worry Suby. I'll still have my Suby for another 8-9 years :)

Joe

Man...just get an E39 M5. :o)

I hit 100K on my 'Rex two weeks ago. The factory clutch is still serving me well.

My CarSpace blog entry about it (and others) can be found here:
http://www.carspace.com/blogs/theoutsideline/

Loren - Congratulations on 2 years at Edmunds :)

The 06 civic SI has a questionable clutch....it might last well past 100k, or it might give up the ghost at 80k. I have no idea yet.

e39 m5 - See, the thing about that is...no.

:)

It multiplies the expected yearly expense by a factor of about 3. If I should expect $1500 a year with a 540i, I should expect about $4500 a year for the M5 (driving 20k a year).

I refuse to test drive it for this reason.

Joe

I actually make my 2 years on 11/27.

Ah. My cousin let me test drive his E39 M5. It wasn't OMG I'm gonna die fast. :o) I've felt other cars pull more. Still, if you were to give me one, I wouldn't turn it down. :)

Shame when a 0 to 100 in ~11-12 second car is described as "I've felt other cars pull more"...

My 08 LGT, at Stage II, will most likely pull harder (it'll put down more torque)....doesn't mean it'll be faster :)

Anyway....my obsession with the e39 is more about the total package than about it's performance. It's the ephemeral, and not the tangible.

I think it's gorgeous. It drives like how a 3-series should drive....absolutely solid but buttoned down and still enjoying being tossed around. The interior is classic and well-made. It sounds glorious. And it's got all the little things I want in a price point that's hard to argue with...

Joe

"The interior is classic and well-made." We went through E39 cupholders like water in our service department. :o)

Ok, well, I'll definitely agree that the cupholders are not in the "classic and well-made" category...more like the "This was designed by 3 year olds on pediatric ritalin" category.

But the TEC-Aluminum cupholder makes all that better :)

I never said it was a perfect car....