# Silver Gray 325i



## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

I've had this car since Jan 3 but didn't feel like taking pictures until I completed a few minor appearance mods. One of these pics still shows an amber side marker on the driver's side. Bekkers sent me two rights, but we straightened it out.

This car is a semi-stripper. Only options are SP, Xenons and HK audio upgrade. No step, no leather, no moonroof, no Magic Fingers. Just the essentials.


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

And a couple more:


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## Llarry (May 17, 2002)

Looks great! :thumbup:

I see the clears and the exhuast trim. What about the piece above the rear plate? Did you have that painted or are they now coming in body color?


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

LMC said:


> Looks great! :thumbup:
> 
> I see the clears and the exhuast trim. What about the piece above the rear plate? Did you have that painted or are they now coming in body color?


Thanks.

Had to buy a whole new trunk handle assembly and take it to my dealer's outside paint shop. They did a nice job on it because it has less orange peel than the rest of the car. Then I spent about two hours figuring out how to install it. There's a trick to it.


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## postoak (Mar 5, 2002)

Nice! That was going to be my next car -- same color, almost same options-- but with talk of the 2005 being 181 inches long, (if it happens) then I'll probably wind up with an IS300. Glad you could get one of the last "non-bloated" 3s.


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

Nice color and choice of options. :thumbup:


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## mspeed76 (Nov 13, 2003)

you will want to look at new 1/2 series then



postoak said:


> Nice! That was going to be my next car -- same color, almost same options-- but with talk of the 2005 being 181 inches long, (if it happens) then I'll probably wind up with an IS300. Glad you could get one of the last "non-bloated" 3s.


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## postoak (Mar 5, 2002)

mspeed76 said:


> you will want to look at new 1/2 series then


I have, and from what I hear it is going to be 4 cylinder only. I want a 6 cylinder.


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## routesixtysixer (May 2, 2003)

Nice looking ride! The silver gray looks good with the black window trim. Curious to know all the mods you have made up to the second set of pics you posted. I have a jet black/black leatherette 325i, sport package (and nothing else!) on order and I'm curious about your mods. Does the 325i not come with chrome tailpipe trim? What did you pay Bekkers for the clears? Thanks.


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

routesixtysixer said:


> Nice looking ride! The silver gray looks good with the black window trim. Curious to know all the mods you have made up to the second set of pics you posted. I have a jet black/black leatherette 325i, sport package (and nothing else!) on order and I'm curious about your mods. Does the 325i not come with chrome tailpipe trim? What did you pay Bekkers for the clears? Thanks.


My car didn't come with chrome tips so I bought a pair from the dealer parts dept for $48. I wanted to replace the grille slats with chrome but found out that the entire grille is sold as a unit so I had to buy two of these for $43.45 ea. There was a group buy on the clear lenses a couple of months ago and Bekkers sold them for $350 plus shipping.

The trunk handle was $76.88 and the paint shop charged $85 to paint and clearcoat it. The old handle could have been masked and sprayed but I'm glad I went with a new one. The part that gets painted snaps onto the handle and it is not designed to be removed. As if that weren't enough, mine had been epoxied together at the factory. Painting a brand new cover and then snapping it onto the handle makes it look like a factory job.

Except for the clears you can get all of these parts cheaper at an internet store like Circle or Pacific. I was in too much of a hurry to order from them.


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## routesixtysixer (May 2, 2003)

Great deal on the clears. Bekkers currently wants $482.60 plus shipping for the full set (front, side, rears). I think I'll wait on the trunk handle, since my car is black (I assume the truck handle is black... just not painted). Definitely need the chrome tips, though. I already have a set of factory black floor mats, UGDO and wheel locks (taken off the 330Ci I traded in) and have ordered a set of Axxis brake pads for the 325. I had the Axxis pads on my 330Ci and really liked them... so much less dust! Of course, the 325 sport wheels look like they will be a breeze to keep clean compared to the M68's on the 330Ci. Have you thought about a short shifter (B&M or UUC)? Also, what brand of tires came on your car?


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

numbersguy said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Had to buy a whole new trunk handle assembly and take it to my dealer's outside paint shop. They did a nice job on it because it has less orange peel than the rest of the car. Then I spent about two hours figuring out how to install it. There's a trick to it.


what is the trick? I am finally going into the dealership to put in an order for a 325i, and wanted to paint the trunk handle, as well as the body trim. Just curious as to what kind of complications came with it.

that car looks great with clears :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

^^^^


nevermind. Just read through the thread and see it was answered


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

routesixtysixer said:


> Great deal on the clears. Bekkers currently wants $482.60 plus shipping for the full set (front, side, rears). I think I'll wait on the trunk handle, since my car is black (I assume the truck handle is black... just not painted). Definitely need the chrome tips, though. I already have a set of factory black floor mats, UGDO and wheel locks (taken off the 330Ci I traded in) and have ordered a set of Axxis brake pads for the 325. I had the Axxis pads on my 330Ci and really liked them... so much less dust! Of course, the 325 sport wheels look like they will be a breeze to keep clean compared to the M68's on the 330Ci. Have you thought about a short shifter (B&M or UUC)? Also, what brand of tires came on your car?


The tires are Bridgestone Turanzas.

The standard trunk handle is black and it blends right in on black 325is I've seen. No reason to mess with it.

The brakes made an unbelievable amount of dust for the first 200 miles or so. Since then they haven't been that dirty. I recommend this style of wheel to anybody who hates cleaning wheels. They have no crevices or hard to reach spots.

I thought about a short shifter before I got the car, but now that I have it I like how it shifts. Thought I'd need a clutch stop too but this clutch works for me the way it is.


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

ajt819 said:


> what is the trick? I am finally going into the dealership to put in an order for a 325i, and wanted to paint the trunk handle, as well as the body trim. Just curious as to what kind of complications came with it.


The tricky part is that when you remove the four screws that hold the handle on you are left with a handle dangling from an electrical cable. The connector is inside the trunk lid and the cable won't budge from the lid.

What you have to do if you need to disconnect the handle is remove the plastic clips that hold the trunk lid liner in place and lower the tool kit so you can get to the metal. There is a round hole behind the trunk handle that contains a black plastic bracket about the size of your palm. On one side of the bracket are four fingers that hold the bracket to the edge of the hole. Pry these fingers back with your fingertips and the bracket will fall out. When it does you will see a white plastic clip behind it that holds your cable and connectors to the sheet metal. The connector was so tight I had to grip the male end carefully with needlenose pliers to pull the thing apart.

What is also tricky if you are putting a new handle on is that it comes with an adhesive-backed foam gasket that sticks on to the handle. You get only one chance to put this on straight so make a few trial runs before you pull the paper off the adhesive. I slit the paper in the middle of the gasket so that I could work from the middle of the handle out to the ends. I only had to trim one tiny piece with a sharp knife. This gasket will show when you are done so don't put it on crooked. I was surprised that whoever put mine on at the factory made an ugly mess of it.


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## flashinthepan (Jul 25, 2003)

Very Nice !!

My BMW on order is Silver/Grey too !! the wait is so hard though !


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## 3Aims (Mar 25, 2004)

numbersguy said:


> I wanted to replace the grille slats with chrome but found out that the entire grille is sold as a unit so I had to buy two of these for $43.45 ea.


Did you replace the grille or just slip chrome covers over the black slats? OEM?


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

3Aims said:


> Did you replace the grille or just slip chrome covers over the black slats? OEM?


its a replacement


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## TLudwig (Mar 30, 2004)

flashinthepan said:


> Very Nice !!
> 
> My BMW on order is Silver/Grey too !! the wait is so hard though !


Same here, but mine's no M3...I fell in love with this color as soon as I saw it and I'm glad it's a new color so it makes our cars stand out a bit more.


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## flashinthepan (Jul 25, 2003)

TLudwig said:


> Same here, but mine's no M3...I fell in love with this color as soon as I saw it and I'm glad it's a new color so it makes our cars stand out a bit more.


T-

Them Ci zhp's rock man !!! I luv em :thumbup: congrats


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