I'm currently living in Germany and will be moving back to the U.S. around Christmas.

I can buy a U.S. spec, 2005 BMW 330ci with just about every option for about $36K and no tax. I know that 330's are usually more expensive than G35's in the U.S., so my question is:

given the price I can get the bimmer for, would you buy it or you would you still buy the G35?

 

i dont kno, thats a very good deal to pass up! but the g35 is faster.

 

What kind of deal can you get on an M3? If it was just between the 330 and G35 I would get the 330 (depending on what "just about every option" meant).

 

you should do the germany pick up option... or is that what you are doing?

 

For that price. I would have to go BMW, no question. You give up some power, but the interior is much nicer in my opinion, and the seats are more comfortable. BTW, I don't own a G. I wanted to get one because the value is so great, but I took two test drives (the second one an extended drive), and I could tell I would never be comfortable in the G35C seat for longer than 1/2 hour because of the seat control positioning giving it uneven support from the bolsters on each side of the seat.

 

Buy an acura.

 

I would still get a g35c. My ex-gf had a 330ci and I had the g35c at the same time and I enjoyed the g35c WAY more than the 330. I unlike a couple of these people found the coupe to be way more comfortable than the 330, I felt more cramped in teh 330.

I dunno, total preference, you obviously cannot go wrong either way as both are great cars.

Another big thing to think about is tax options also...if you buy it in germany what kind of taxes will you run into or avoid and then import costs of bringing it back (assuming it is coming over here with you at xmas).

Now if you can get a discount like that on an M3....hehe...little different. M3 all the way.

 

I won't pay sales tax on it in Germany or in the U.S. as long as I have it for 6 months before registrering it in the U.S., just around $600 to transport it to the U.S. My employer will transport only one car for free, and we also have a 2003 Nissan pathfinder to bring back.

I can get the best deal on an M3, but from what I understand, the maintenance costs will kill me.

When I say nearly every option, I mean:

premium package (w/leather and moonroof)
sport package
cold weather package
GPS navigation
Harmon-Kardon audio
Xenon lights

I could also get the M3 aero kit not sold in the U.S. also, or the Performance package but that would make it around $42K.

btw, I've been driving a friend of mine's 2002 corvette lately over here. Lots of fun on the autobahn, but I would never buy one. A couple of weeks ago, I couldn't keep up with a new mercedes SL on the autobahn. That thing was fast.

 

same price I would probably go for the 330ci with SMG. I was looking at getting one with the performance package but that thing was pushing close to 45k not to mention the long wait time to get it. If you can get a M3 at a good deal then that's the ticket, isn't BMW maintanance free during the warranty period anyway.

 

if your best deal is M3 then go that route IMO....at least I would if I was you.

And even with all those options I still lean to a loaded g35c over it.

 

M3 all the way.

 

I really wanted the M3, but truth be told... I bet the G35 will have a MUCH BETTER reliability rating. BMW is known for telling their customers that "well designed European performance cars cost more to fix and maintain", I think that's BS. The parts are marked up drastically and the labor rates are higher than the American and Japanese rivals. The G35 is a much nicer car IMO than the 330ci. I test drove both cars back to back and the G just "felt" better. Acceleration, asthetics, brakes, tires, shorter throw shifter, better warranty, etc...

I recommend you do the back to back test drive and let us know what you decide to do.

 

i would get the bmw and toss it in the usa when the warranty is ending. Go to epinions.com and read all the reviews on BMW's. Everyone loves how they perform, but a lot of people get rid of them because they end up buying the car over again in maintenance fees.

There are even websites dedicated to this. The worst horror story I read was an owner of an 89' 7? series, he had paid ~80,000+ for the car and had paid $80,000+ for maintaince within like 10 years. My friend had a 97' 3 series and the electronic system needed to be replaced in 2001 ($5,000) and the transmission had some problem costing $2,000. The car was only ~$35,000 new.