Well since my car is disabled right now, I was drivin my mom's Camry today in town and I saw a car for sale in a parking lot. After further investigation it seems like a suitable replacement to the Maxima. Anyway, the replacer candidate is a 1997 BMW 328i sedan. Heres the rundown I saw. First off its rear wheel drive. Second BMWs have close to 50/50 weight so it should handle very nicely. Third, its got as much power as the maxima so it should be at least as fast. Fourth BMWs have excellent fit and finish, so hopefully no more rattles. Fifth although its trunk isnt as big as a Maxima, its got enough room to fit my stereo and the battery is in the rear. Six it has a FULL SIZE spare tire. Seven, the aftermarket is incredible for this car. The parts are even cheaper then most maxima parts, probably because of demand. And best of all Quaife makes a differential for its rear end :-). Eight my friends girlfriends dad works for BMW so he can probably set me up with parts. Nine according to iihs.org, the 2000 model 3 series offset crash tests were so controlled, the windshield didnt even break, hopefully the 97s were similar. 10) its got 4 wheel independent suspension! 11) the insurance would run me $300 more per year, until next year when I turn 21, then it drops drastically, assuming I dont get my license revoked for whatever reason...12) BMW dealers rank better then average in customer satisfaction

The only downfalls I see is the stock rims are only 15" with tires of 205 60 15 size (Camry size!). I also hear that this car will require some odd ball maintenence, like it drinking 2 quarts of oil between changes and sensors that have a tendency to go bad.

 

http://www.dtmpower.net/


i am sure they will be happy to hear you wacky stories you will be cooking up in the future

 

Just FYI: The Maxima does come with a FULL SIZE SPARE (that includes the alloy rims too)! At least mine does! Also no rattles or mechanical malfunctions...I think Canadian Maximas are better than the Americans =)

 

Canadian Maximas are better than American Maximas! They are afraid to give us a "Canadian Forum" on the .org even!

 

BMW makes good cars.......

get it!!

it will probably suck to drive in the rain, but whatever....to bad for you

 

1. How can Canadian Max's be better?
2. BMW's sucks. Could be because I live in Greenville,SC wher BMW of North America is and everyody drives a crappy beemer.
3. 328=190hp and is a uncomfortable overpriced poser car.
4. Canada is a puppet of the USA


Blame Canada

 

Bmw is a good car, go for it. I would love to get me a M3 but that wont day be here anytime soon so I will live here.

 

1. SE model comes with LSD,full size spare, and a COUPLE $K'S cheaper
2&3. whatever, why is there so many 3 series out there.. do u think everyone is stupid?
4. sure, so is every country on earth

 

When you drop the transmission, please remember to come back and ***** about BMW to us. We need the laughs.

 

BMWs are nice. But unless you have some type of hookup for maintainance/performance parts, prices are very high. Check to see how much a turbo or SC costs for the 328.

Abused 3-series had a tendency for rear end support problems. So if you are going to abuse this car like you did the maxima, you had better address this issue also.

 

Sounds like a nice car, get it. I don't know about the 328i, but my brother has a 93 325i and it doesn't drink any oil. They only have to have their oil changed every 5-8K miles (they have a light that comes on when it needs to be changed). However you need a special tool to reset the light, so even though the changes are less frequent, they have to be done by a BMW dealer or a mechanic with access to this tool, so it will probably cost about the same in the long run,

 

My thoughts on BMW

... unless it starts with M dont bother.

My thoughts on #9 in your list ... not even almost the E35 is a totally different car. 97 is in the middle of that gen of Bimmer most of the problem areas were fixed, but it is the first year of the 2.8HO which sucks compared to the 2.5HO

If you want an E35 get the 95 2.5 or M3(3.0HO) or the 98 M3(3.2HO)

If you want a good car with FAR fewer reliability issues keep your max.

If you do choose to abuse a bimmer the way you have abused your max be WELL prepared to shell out some serious bucks.

If you want a vehicle that will take the abuse you choose to shell out get a sherman tank. Top speed isn't quite that of the bimmer or the max, but it should do what you need.

 

I'm with you. If it doesn't start with M than it's a housewife's grocery-getter and not a viable comparison to the Max.

 

You're excited that it will "only" cost you $300 more a year in insurance????

Didn't you just say the other day that a Z28 would be only $200 more than your max a year?!?!

So you are buying a car that doesn't have HALF the performance of a Z28...and it SMALL as $hit inside, and paying $100 more a year in insurance than you would for the Z28???

 

Yeah cause no housewife would ever drive a max. The Max is too damn phat Biatch... Crap....... I tried to attach the icyhotstuntaz gif and it didn't work. Makes post whoring more difficult.

 

A Maxima owner calling a BMW a grocery-getter... this should be stickied. I really hope you're joking.

 

I'm sorry, but all this bimmer bashing is getting rediculous. Hey I am a proud owner of a '91 SE, but even I know that the BMW is really the Ulitmate Driving Machine. Yes, I admit that it most cases, it will cost much more to maintain it than the Max. But that fact alone does not diminish it's quality as a performance enthusiast's machine.

 

another thing...last time I checked, no one was modding their BMW's to hold Maxima headlights.

 

I'd buy a 97 328 over a Z28 in a second... oh and to the other guy, its E36 not E35.

 

bmw

 

BMW's are awsome cars. My other 1/2 drives an 2001 330I. That car is freaking fast as $hit. Blows the Maxima out of the water.

But beware, they suck in bad weather. And if there's snow on the roads, just don't drive it!

 

I hope you are talking only about 3-series.

 

That's what the 330xi is for - all wheel drive, no snow problems.

 

I thought he was gonna say a camry.

 

I wasn't saying that he should buy a Z28...I was just pointing out that in his earlier post...he claimed that the maximas insurance was WAY to high being that it was only 200 cheaper than a Z28...if the max's insurance is way too high...that what is the 328s????

 

It's not for looks. BMW use round (H4?) type lights that have better beam patterns and have a easier ability to run HIDs later.

 

I've been driving a 2001 BMW 323i while I'm on vacation and I must say that I am sick of it and want my maxima back. Don't really know why, I just do.

 

Its funny how you think a bmw is a grocery getter and the max is not. I almost fell outta my chair on that one.

 

Imagine that! Then he would have a car that can actually handle the abuse he dishes out

 

oh really? so the 7 series is a cheap POS? U guyz make my laugh.
That a big claim there buddy, all the bmw are ULTIMATE driving machine.
why? cause its a BMW

IF the non M BMW are for housewife, there she must be one rich housewife.

 

Exactly my point. I'd like to have a 6-speed 540 shopping cart.

 

 

The 318 is definatly not a "Ultimate driving machine", for that matter I relly don't care for 323's or 325's. 328's are decent, 330's are nice, M3's are real nice. I don't really care for the 95-99 M3's though, I like the new body style bimmers.

 

So 330,540 shouldnt be bothered with? Viable comparison to a maxima? We're talking about a solid rear beam FWD family car compared to a RWD car considered to have one of the best suspensions on the planet FOR a sedan. No comparison there!! Lets not forget every bmw is actually RWD even the lowly 318ti.

 

So an automatic 318i sedan is a ULTIMATE driving machine?? I don't think so dude....

 

The maxima has one of the best v6 engines in production car ever. That has been proven since 1995! 318-328, 525-535 are garbarge IMO. You do not get what you pay for with any of those cars!

 

318 is a poor man's BMW, or the person who buys a car just for the name.
I think the new 330's are very nice and I also like the five series, but the seven series is for older (rich) people.

I don't know many people who would pick a maxima over a BMW (except the 318).