# '04 330Ci at LA Auto Show



## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

As requested, here are some pics I took of the facelifted 330Ci. I had some problems with my camera - it was on the edge of flash/no flash and my hands shake pretty bad, plus I had little time to set up each shot with people walking in front. The car in these pics was Titanium Silver. Anhow, enjoy (or not heh). All captions IMHO of course. 









To me, the front looks 'feminine' as opposed to the more 'masculine' look of the -02. To driver looking in their rear-view mirror, this one seems to be saying 'excuse me', whereas the -02 was saying 'move' (and the M3 is saying GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY! heh). The bumper is much cleaner, but I don't know if I like it with the new headlight design. The headlights make the car look cross-eyed to me. In a way I like it, but in another way something is just a *little* bit off. Not too many people seemed to notice the changes, or at least they didn't mention anything. People DID notice the 330i HP though (i.e. "Wait a minute here! Wow!" more than once).









Black headlight trim. My guess is that they will probably re-introduce the silver trim later just for a change (and to sell more parts heh). Still running the M68's. I was hoping it would have the same wheels as the 330i HP (?) package, or better yet a forged :angel: 18" version of the M68's (are you listening BMWNA?!). I love M68's but they are just too common.









Complete with eyelashes. Better than eyebrows for sure.









Now this is just wrong. Wrong I say! Can you say non-functional intake ducts?! Maybe on a $22K Mustang (even then - EWWW!), but on a $40K+ car? I'm sorry, this is just cheese-whiz. I am NOT impressed. :tsk:









Someone requested a pic of the HVAC controls. Here it is. I have Navi so I doin't know if it has changed. :dunno:

more...


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

The rear-end for Ripsnort. :angel: The black insert is pretty much flush with the bumper.









New LED tail-light assembly with circular pattern. I wanted to see them lit up but they weren't functioning.









A closer look. Lots of LED's packed in there, each with their own reflector.









Notice above the rear window... and inside it (third headrest).









Final pic. The new kink/triangle just doesn't flow to me, and makes that detail more important than it needs to be. No biggie though. I'm sure the car still drives the same. 

The show overall was pretty good. I can't even count the number of times that I got cut in front of when waiting to sit in a car though. Some people are SO self-centered at events like this... it gets irritating after a while.  I ended up getting frustrated and leaving early after getting cut in front of TWICE while trying to get into the drivers seat of the CLK500.

I was a bit surprised that the MayBach was probably the biggest hit of the show today (though I think it could have been explained better for those with no clue), and the most popular area today was Mercedes by a long-shot.

I may post more pics if anyone cares to see them and if I can figure out a place to host them. 

--SONET


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## Faheem Daddy (Oct 7, 2002)

I was at the LA Auto Show today (Wednesday) too...and I wasn't impressed with the show overall. All I really wanted to see was the facelifted E46, the Maybach, the new Mustang, and get a closer look at the 350Z and G35C. But I do like the facelift on the E46, and I'm definitely going to look into retrofitting those LED tailights into my car. :thumbup:


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## Dan (Dec 27, 2001)

I like the facelift. It looks cleaner, especially in the front. Most non-enthusiasts won't even notice the differences.


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## DN325CI (Oct 5, 2002)

Thanks for the great pics SONET. Good stuff and very telling.


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

I give up - what's the little "fin" above the rear window? Sat radio antenna?

SteveH
counting the minutes to Munich


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

hockeynut said:


> *I give up - what's the little "fin" above the rear window? Sat radio antenna?*


It's the "shark fin" antenna. I understand it's for the factory installed cell phone.


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

> ... and I'm definitely going to look into retrofitting those LED tailights into my car.


It seems to me that these adaptive brake LED taillights will not be capable of being retrofitted to past E46's due to the new software and hardware necessary to run the variable intensity lighting. Even if the current brake sensor can be used, still there is the problem of deciding _when_ to go for full intensity brighness (ABS actuation maybe?).


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Great pics Sonet! Thks!


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Just wanted to add that the front bumper IS an improvement over the 2002, saw a 3'er 2002 bumper the other day, its fugly! (No disrespect intended for the 2002 3'er owners, just my opinion)


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

If the M68s are still on the facelifted 330Ci, why were they also on the facelifted blue 325Cic showcar? 

Maybe since they knew the pictures of that showcar would be plastered everywhere due to the facelift, they wanted their best looking wheels on there regardless? :dunno:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Great pics SONET! :thumbup: 

I too wish the LED lights were working as I'm curious as to how they look as well... :eeps:


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## berford (Sep 10, 2002)

Ripsnort said:


> *Just wanted to add that the front bumper IS an improvement over the 2002, saw a 3'er 2002 bumper the other day, its fugly! (No disrespect intended for the 2002 3'er owners, just my opinion) *


The new front IS nice...disrespect taken, however.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

berford said:


> *The new front IS nice...disrespect taken, however. *


Hey hey!  I may be thinking of the 325i 2002 model, its like a solid front bumper with two "port holes" for the fog lights...thats the one I don't care for.(Although its gotta be a hell of a lot easier to clean, wax than mine!)


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

SONET said:


> *Someone requested a pic of the HVAC controls. Here it is. I have Navi so I doin't know if it has changed. :dunno:*


The warmer/colder buttons moved to the left side, and the fan speed buttons moved to the right side....

and the little vent looking temp sensor? things moved down below the screen where the buttons used to be...

Also the Auto button and the recirc control buttons moved towards the center....

Everything else appears to be in the same place.


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## berford (Sep 10, 2002)

Ripsnort said:


> *Hey hey!  I may be thinking of the 325i 2002 model, its like a solid front bumper with two "port holes" for the fog lights...thats the one I don't care for.(Although its gotta be a hell of a lot easier to clean, wax than mine!) *


Whew!!! I was worrier that I was driving around in a car that you thought was fugly. I'm sooooooooooo relieved now that you clarified the matter.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

berford said:


> *Whew!!! I was worrier that I was driving around in a car that you thought was fugly. I'm sooooooooooo relieved now that you clarified the matter. *


Hey, we're of the same political belief, I'd FIND a way to like it.


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## berford (Sep 10, 2002)

Ripsnort said:


> *Hey, we're of the same political belief, I'd FIND a way to like it.  *


Damn, you're easy, Rip.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, if I became "On the Left" would you dislike my ride?:dunno: :dunno:


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Extreme left? (Left is fine, extreme left is..well, another thread) No, I'd just avoid any effort trying to like it as much.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

THanks for the picutres Sonet :thumbup: 

It is so true that people just jump in front of you . . . I notice it is mostly kids that do it.

Plus isn't it annoying waiting to sit in a car.

One other beef with the Auto shows is when they have a car locked, I could understand a non-production car but sometimes you'll see a cheap econo locked . . .


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

Alan F said:


> *Sonet, what type of camera do you have ? It takes beautiful pictures . . . *


Thanks Alan. It's a Nikon Coolpix 995. It does a nice job when you take the time with it to set up each shot, but it is a little too picky about lighting IMHO. I guess it shows up more when you look at it at the pics at full resolution (2048x1536). I wasn't very pleased with what came out of it at the auto show, so I'm kind of surprised you said this to be honest. :dunno:

--SONET


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## Tanning machine (Feb 21, 2002)

*I hope this isn't last week's news . . .*



SONET said:


> * <snip>
> New LED tail-light assembly with circular pattern. I wanted to see them lit up but they weren't functioning.
> 
> --SONET *


http://www.bmw.com/bmwe/pulse/events/detroit/index.html

Don't know if this was posted here . . . if you choose the BMW car on the ground floor, and then choose coupe, click "Brake Force Display" -- shows the taillights lighting up. Not the best looking, IMHO.


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

Great link, thanks!


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

*Re: I hope this isn't last week's news . . .*



Tanning machine said:


> *http://www.bmw.com/bmwe/pulse/events/detroit/index.html
> *


Cool link. Is that convertible the new Mystic blue? I didn't like Topaz (too light) so I chose Orient but I wouldn't mind something in between the two and Mystic seems to fit the bill.

SteveH


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

New 3er LED Taillights....

I'm not thrilled with them... :dunno: 
Maybe over time.... or after I've seen'em in person... :eeps:


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

doeboy said:


> *New 3er LED Taillights....
> 
> I'm not thrilled with them... :dunno:
> Maybe over time.... or after I've seen'em in person... :eeps: *


Bleech!

Well, screw that retrofit idea. That's fugly!


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Yuk.

What happened to Celis? :dunno:


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## SDDennehy (Jan 7, 2003)

Let's see some posts about how everyone feels about the facelift.


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## SDDennehy (Jan 7, 2003)

I'm 6 weeks away from my ED pickup for a '03 330ci and I believe I'm going to wait for the '04's. Biggest reasons, I think the current look,which I like a lot, will start to look dated in 1-2 years compared to the new stuff, I really like the 6 speed, like the moving headlights, the tailights I'm not so sure about, resale of the newer models will be better for the first few years, and I bet there are a few other minor improvements that haven't been mentioned yet. It seems when the new designs come out I don't care that much for them but after a short period I really start to like them. Tough decision but my daughter will be out of school in May, so more time to spend in Europe, better sightseeing weather, more things opened to see, better driving in the Alps, etc. If this is the biggest thing we have to worry about then we need to count our blessings, most of us on this post get to drive an incredible car.


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

SDDennehy said:


> *It seems when the new designs come out I don't care that much for them but after a short period I really start to like them. *


So true. Happens almost all the time.


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

SDDennehy said:


> *If this is the biggest thing we have to worry about then we need to count our blessings, most of us on this post get to drive an incredible car. *


very true, thanks for giving me some perspective.. this morning, here in so cal, it was kinda cold (must have dipped into the 50's outside!  ) when i woke up and going 'damn, this house is so cold' (we just moved in a couple of weeks ago) then i remembered how cold it must be for someone who's sleeping on the streets...


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## Rufus330Ci (Apr 16, 2002)

Someone mentioned 2005 M3 is that when that puppy gets a new makeover (hopefully in the engine department)..... not to thread steal but any info on this that is concrete on changes???


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## Rufus330Ci (Apr 16, 2002)

Yeah wait


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## bufguy (Jan 13, 2003)

As an owner of a2001 325Ci I like the new design. 
I noticed a few people complaing about the triangular crease at the front fender that envelops the marker light.
I think its a nice subtle detail. It mimics the 3 series compact detail and to a much smaller scale the X5.


, I remember all the crys of disdain when BMW facelifted the 3 sedan last year. Funny how every one got used to it.


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## Matthew330Ci (Sep 9, 2002)

bufguy said:


> *I remember all the crys of disdain when BMW facelifted the 3 sedan last year. Funny how every one got used to it. *


majority of the people who say they got used to it (or like it) are the owners.. i still think it's  (as i'm sure a lot of people still do)


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## mullhaupt (Oct 31, 2002)

I like my '03 330ci better to much solid plastic up front on the '04


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

Looks like the 04's have a spoiler standard.... integrated into the trunk lid handle. :yikes: :thumbdwn:


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

*Re: Maybe they can make it deploy and retract!*



frog said:


> *Senor Pinto.  *


Ola! :bigpimp: :lmao:


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## 10chi (Jan 11, 2002)

thanks for the pics! I thought the 2004 were getting a major facial overhaul? At least thats what Herb Chambers BMW told me when I was trying to trade my car in.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

*Re: Dealers getting greedy again.*



frog said:


> *A colleague of mine had negotiated a very good $1500 dealy about 6 months ago at Crevier in Santa Ana. Unfortunately, she had made this with a sales manager who left for greener pastures. She then had to deal with this huge tool by the name of Klaus Kindor, newly promoted from sales to sales manager. She fired him pronto after it was obvious he was a compulsive bullshitter and is now working with another sales manager who wants to make the deal happen. As a backup she has been talking to another dealer if forced into plan"B". This is plan "B"......:flipoff:
> 
> Crevier used to have a low BS sales departmnet with great service. The owner must really need the extra gigi. With nincompoops like Klaus and the dealership giving everyone in sales a 10% salary reduction you wonder how they could have lost their way. :eeps: *


Hmm.... When did this happen? I'm wondering because when I was inquiring for car prices, Crevier wouldn't budge below $2000 over invoice....


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