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Catastrophe posted:Pfff you guys with your fancy E92 and E46 cars... Ugh, get rid of those bumpers! 
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Apr 11, 2011 17:01
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McMadCow posted:Ugh, get rid of those bumpers! Having grown up looking at Americanized older BMWs, they look totally alien to me without big bumpers.
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Apr 11, 2011 17:23
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televiper posted:Having grown up looking at Americanized older BMWs, they look totally alien to me without big bumpers. I can appreciate euro BMWs without the diving boards, but honestly after driving my e28 for 3 years now, I really do like the look. Then again, I like Bronzit beige so...
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Apr 11, 2011 19:10
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I think I'm starting to settle on what I want my upcoming new-used car to be, after much painful deliberating: an E46 330 with a manual (sedan or coupe, just depends on the best specimen I can find). I miss my old E34 535i, and it's time to get back into a BMW. I'm somewhat well acquainted with E46s, and BMWs in general, but now I'm trying to really narrow down what I'm looking for to specific years/trims, as well as any specific years to avoid. Fortunately the E46 seems like the best community-documented car out there. Regardless of what I pick up, I plan on getting it PPI'd by one of the best German shops in town (Fat City in Seattle, great guys in my experience) and expecting to put some coin into it right off the bat in getting things like bushings, mounts, and fluids up to snuff, unless I find the perfect meticulously maintained 1-owner car (lol yeah right). In a perfect world, I'd find a loaded ~2005 330i/Ci with less than 60k miles, but I'm willing to look at older models since the price seems to drop off significantly for an 01-02. One thing I've read about with the early 2001 330s is that BMW overboosted the power steering, owners complained about it, and they dialed it back down in mid year 2001. They previously offered to retrofit the steering with the less-boosted system, but of course no longer do that. If I bought a 2001 with the overboosted steering, what all would I be looking at to do the retrofit as far as parts/price? The other thing I've been bouncing around is consideration of the 330xi, since I will be using this car for going skiing and backpacking. But I've read the associated suspension changes for the 330xi really ruined the car's driving feel. The fully mechanical permanent system sounds kind of neat, but what do I know. Can anyone with experience on the E46 AWD system weigh in on the issue? Any other E46 buying tips and tricks? Any links to good comprehensive buyer's guides?
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Apr 11, 2011 19:34
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televiper posted:Having grown up looking at Americanized older BMWs, they look totally alien to me without big bumpers. I took my diving boards off the first moment I parked my 2002 at my house. I'm leaving mine bare up front- although I do have the lip splitter- and going with the Ireland Engineering molded rear bumper. Those big bumpers break up the original lines way too much. It's such a pretty car underneath!
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Apr 11, 2011 20:53
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CornHolio posted:Looks like the rear suspension on an E36 to me. Yeah, it's an E36. E30s still used that setup too. Do the e90s use seperate springs as well? On the topic of suspension, I called BMW to order a set of replacement springs today. They wanted 215 per spring. That is loving ridiculous so I've decided to go the H&R/bilstein route and redo the entire suspension. My question pertains to the H&R spring kits - The OE springs are meant to be paired with regular dampers (ie bilstein HDs) and the Sports with sport dampers (ie bilstein sports), right? The other question is the amount of drop. I have the E36 sport package, so the H&R Sports would only be a slight drop from this, right? Hard to find any information on what drop the OEM sport springs actually give. I know my car is low enough that my floorjack barely goes under the front. I don't mind more drop, but I don't really want to raise it up.
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Apr 11, 2011 21:42
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Ok, here is what I am looking at purchasing to fill the E30 shaped hole in my life.... http://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/2316348403.html The guy wants 1250... and he thinks the timing belt snapped. I told him that price is way out of line for a 21 year old car with a potentially trashed head and possibly holey pistons. I told him as is with a snapped belt I wouldn't pay much north of 650-700 bucks depending on how clean the car is. Do you think what I set for a price is out of line? Edit: vv Yep, I just thought of that as well... Might make a good candidate to do an engine swap. If I do get it and turns out to be a roller chassis, I will definitely be posting a thread for the possible swap... LS1, M62, or some where along those lines. BrokenKnucklez fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Apr 11, 2011 |
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Apr 11, 2011 21:58
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Considering its an automatic with that many miles on it with a snapped timing chain you're basically paying for a shell no?
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Apr 11, 2011 22:01
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Ok, here is what I am looking at purchasing to fill the E30 shaped hole in my life.... Don't do it. I'm in that area and there are FAR better cars to buy. There's a cleaner car in Iowa City that already has suspension done to it that will be for sale soon. However, those sport seats you could get good money for. If you want a project it wouldn't be the worst candidate, but definitely not the best. Lightbulb Out fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Apr 11, 2011 |
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Apr 11, 2011 22:31
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Puppy Milliner posted:Speaking of, I just barely bought this guy: I love this car. Catastrophe's too, but I'll join the chorus of smaller bumpers plus the round tail lights really "make" the 2002, for me. I've got a folder full of local CL searches that includes this model, and I've basically never seen anything reasonable pop up, around here. NICE
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Apr 11, 2011 22:42
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McMadCow posted:Ugh, get rid of those bumpers! If I settle on all the repairs and decide the car is "done" and reliable, I'm definitely investing in the racetep bumper shortening kit. I'm with you. Those things look god-awful.
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Apr 12, 2011 03:27
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Catastrophe posted:Ah nice. Glad you're having it looked at. That's a fantastic price for an old round-taillight model. I paid $2500 for mine and now dumped a few hundred more into it during the head gasket repairs. Mine has a brand new interior with E21 Recaro seats though so that helped. Like I said, I think a new paintjob and possibly some tasteful vintage-styled replacement wheels would make it look fantastic. Thanks! I want everything to look original and almost everything is except some parts from a 320i in the engine. However, some Recaro seats may be an option in the future as driving 300 miles in the stock seats wasn't fun. I've heard they are slightly offset from the steering wheel though, is that an issue? Luckily the seller included the original wheels, but missing one hubcap, and after I get a second opinion on the condition of the engine I may put most of my budget towards a quality paint job. I think I'll keep it Charmonix as it's the original color, and I think it looks great with the blue interior. Cobalt60 posted:I love this car. Catastrophe's too, but I'll join the chorus of smaller bumpers plus the round tail lights really "make" the 2002, for me. Yeah, I knew I really wanted a '73 or older for the roundie and bumpers. I had to really broaden my search to find a decent one though.
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Apr 12, 2011 04:52
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Crustashio posted:Yeah, it's an E36. E30s still used that setup too. Do the e90s use seperate springs as well? You are correct about the OE+HD's and Sports+Sports. I am not sure what the OEM drop for the sport springs would be.
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Apr 12, 2011 13:41
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So I'm browsing the local craigslist as part of my daily routine and come across a 1997 "740IR." Now, I consider myself pretty experienced with BMW taxonomy, but I have never come across the R suffix. He has it typed twice so I'm assuming it's not a typo, but still, Google is turning up nothing. http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/2319025680.html Any ideas, experts? (My personal hope is that it stands for rotary.  )
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Apr 12, 2011 14:13
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The dude can't type is my explanation. If you want a 7 series, have a large fat wallet thats killing your back, those type of cars will drain them. But they are a sweet ride.
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Apr 12, 2011 14:55
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Could be a simple typo if he's using a Devorak keyboard: the L is right next to the R, and the 740iL was a real model in '97.
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Apr 12, 2011 14:57
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Ha, I don't think I'd take an E38 if you gave it to me for free, don't worry. I was just curious. Disappointed it's probably just some dude who can't type on a Dvorak and not a secret chassis option, though. Oh well!
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Apr 12, 2011 15:37
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I wouldn't pass on a free E38. Seems like a great candidate for an engine swap if your a glutton for punishment. Or just a place to spend lots of money.
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Apr 12, 2011 16:04
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It's a 740iL, the V8's weren't actually that bad. It was the V12s that were a pain in the rear end right? I mean all the electronic gizmos and poo poo they put in there that weren't quite fully baked would be a pain in the rear end but the basic drivetrain of the V8 isn't that bad.
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Apr 12, 2011 16:25
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Puppy Milliner posted:However, some Recaro seats may be an option in the future as driving 300 miles in the stock seats wasn't fun. I've heard they are slightly offset from the steering wheel though, is that an issue? I put some Sparco seats in mine. They're a hair offset but I don't really notice. You actually have a lot of adjustability thanks to the wide base in the car. You can drill a bracket to place the seat over a pretty wide area.
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Apr 12, 2011 17:37
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Dyscrasia posted:You are correct about the OE+HD's and Sports+Sports. I did some research, according to the bentley the "sport package" ride height is about 1/2" lower than stock, I thought it was a full inch. I didn't feel like dropping the car any lower so I ordered myself a pair of H&R OE Sports + Bilstein HDs to keep approx the same ride height. Is there anything else I should be changing while I have all this stuff out? I don't want to break the bank buy I'd like to swap anything cheap. I'm thinking the rear shock mounts and some new bump stops would be the way to go, plus all the new mounting hardware.
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Apr 12, 2011 22:06
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Crustashio posted:I did some research, according to the bentley the "sport package" ride height is about 1/2" lower than stock, I thought it was a full inch. I didn't feel like dropping the car any lower so I ordered myself a pair of H&R OE Sports + Bilstein HDs to keep approx the same ride height. Swaybar mounts and endlinks front and rear are cheap and easy to swap if you're doing springs/shocks. Also the lollipop control arm bushings.
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Apr 12, 2011 22:37
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SlapActionJackson posted:
I'll try cleaning the MAF but I'm not going to touch O2 sensors yet (pricey and I've dealt with too many cars where it did nothing replacing them 'early'.) I've tried keeping out of it. It's hard.  Thanks for the answers.
VibrioCholera fucked around with this message at 00:53 on Apr 13, 2011 |
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Apr 13, 2011 00:51
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Hey guys, me and my e46 328i 5-speed are back with a problem... It feels like the clutch isn't disengaging completely. The revs drop when I put the clutch in, but shifting is a bit clunky and I generally have to rev match for 2nd and 3rd to feel anywhere near decent. There also is a light squeak whenever I move the clutch pedal in or out, coming from under the steering wheel. This makes me believe it's the master cylinder going. So I figured I'd replace that and the slave cyl, however I've now read through this thread and it's not exactly making me feel great about doing the job. I want to be fairly certain this will help before I install the parts, as they weren't cheap. If it's the synchros or something in the clutch mechanism going, that's kind of above my skill level right now, so I'd probably just make it work. Anyone have any experience with this aspect of the system? Sears Pointless kinda raided my bank account so I'd like to do this as cheap as possible.
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Apr 13, 2011 01:03
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Deceptor101 posted:Hey guys, me and my e46 328i 5-speed are back with a problem... I had similar problems (on an e36) and the solution turned out to be the guibo. Personally, it seemed to me that a 1-2 shift would sometimes "rubberband" back and forth, although pelicanparts says there's a knocking noise, which was also correct, looking back. Also, a squeaky clutch pedal is fairly standard on an e36, so maybe that carries over a generation.
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Apr 13, 2011 01:57
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What do you mean by rubberband? Also there's no real noise that I can hear from the clutch/transmission aside from the squeaking, which is new I should mention, only a couple months old.
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Apr 13, 2011 03:09
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Deceptor101 posted:What do you mean by rubberband? Also there's no real noise that I can hear from the clutch/transmission aside from the squeaking, which is new I should mention, only a couple months old. It felt like the car was shaking forwards and backwards. I'd imagine it was caused because the rev difference between the transmission and wheels was loading up the guibo and sorta impact-hammering on the clutch. Also, I just remembered this, could it be the clutch delay valve? I don't have any experience with one, but it seems like there's plenty of complaints about the setup and sorta match your complaints that the clutch isn't disengaging properly.
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Apr 13, 2011 03:24
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televiper posted:Could be a simple typo if he's using a Devorak keyboard: the L is right next to the R, and the 740iL was a real model in '97. I use Dvorak, and I'm extra careful about this when I'm writing paeans to Glorious Nippon.
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Apr 13, 2011 04:49
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korea posted:It felt like the car was shaking forwards and backwards. I'd imagine it was caused because the rev difference between the transmission and wheels was loading up the guibo and sorta impact-hammering on the clutch. I'll crawl under the car tomorrow and take a look at the guibo and see if I have a CDV. Apparently 328's didn't come with one, but I'll check anyways. The reason I'm going after the hydraulic system is due to the new noise, I figure it's wearing out and not generating enough pressure. God I hope its not my clutch springs or anything. Here's a question though: Since the clutch and brakes are on the same reservoir, if I open up the clutch line, do I need to bleed the brakes too?
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Apr 13, 2011 06:10
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Guinness posted:Any other E46 buying tips and tricks? Any links to good comprehensive buyer's guides? Watch out for window regulators (if the windows are slow, creak, groan stutter, AT ALL, you'll need new ones and they run like $80 a pop), suspension bushings (almost definitely the FCAB's), water pump / expansion tank (actually make that pretty much the entire cooling system depending on mileage), and if you go for an earlier E46, have the subframe checked out. Also: http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php?title=BMW_E46#What_should_I_look_out_for.3F
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Apr 13, 2011 16:34
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tesko.pk posted:If it was me, buying an E46 all over again, I'd be after a late 2003 330ci w/ 6spd, Nav, Sport, and cold weather package. Since, to be honest, the facelift coupe didn't improve the looks at all for me. Yeah, the e46 face lift, especially on the coupes, doesn't matter that much to me. That's kind of why I'm considering going as far back as 2001 and saving some cash. Seriously, 01-02s seem to have asking prices almost half that of 04-05s. Also, I actually don't really want the navigation system. It's something that I would never update the maps for ($$$), and also something I just mostly would never use. If it happens to be in the perfect car I find, then cool I guess, but otherwise I'd slightly prefer to not have it. It's just one more expensive thing to break. Though speaking of e46 nav, is it all integrated with the HVAC and stereo stuff? If it is, then I definitely don't want it. And thank you for the tips and link. I'm going to continuing reading and researching, and keeping an eye out for good cars to check out. Unfortunately, my requirements of manual trans, sport+cold packages, and preferably less than ~75k miles seems to eliminate about 95% of the market. I also want to buy pretty local so I can get the reputable German shop to run any prospect through a PPI, so no one-way flights for me. At least I'm in no rush to buy. Guinness fucked around with this message at 18:45 on Apr 13, 2011 |
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Apr 13, 2011 18:30
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Guinness posted:Yeah, the e46 face lift, especially on the coupes, doesn't matter that much to me. That's kind of why I'm considering going as far back as 2001 and saving some cash. Seriously, 01-02s seem to have asking prices almost half that of 04-05s. Also, I actually don't really want the navigation system. It's something that I would never update the maps for ($$$), and also something I just mostly would never use. If it happens to be in the perfect car I find, then cool I guess, but otherwise I'd slightly prefer to not have it. It's just one more expensive thing to break. Though speaking of e46 nav, is it all integrated with the HVAC and stereo stuff? If it is, then I definitely don't want it. I would definitely stick with 02-03 model years, the early cars with M52 engines are more problematic. Oh, and; http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/2321720171.html 140k but the price is right.
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Apr 13, 2011 20:08
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tesko.pk posted:I would definitely stick with 02-03 model years, the early cars with M52 engines are more problematic. Oh, and; Don't all the 330s use the M54? Did they change something in 2002 to make it more reliable? quote:http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/2321720171.html 325, gaudy chrome 18" wheels (and expensive replacing tires that size), and 140k miles. Nah. I've seen some fairly clean looking 01-02 330s in the 10-13k range, but so far none of them have met all my requirements. Appreciate the thought, though.
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Apr 13, 2011 20:53
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tesko.pk posted:fairly cheap ($650~  I'll stick with Google Maps/Navigation on my phone, holy poo poo.
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Apr 13, 2011 21:02
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As convenient as nav systems are, I've always found them ugly. Call me old-fashioned, but unless it's a fancy system that pops our of the dash or something, I'll just shove a map in the glove compartment and deal with a pit stop or two if I get lost.
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Apr 13, 2011 21:04
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heat posted:
Ayup. I'm not one of those people that has to have their GPS unit dictate their every turn. A quick glance at a map on my phone before heading out is usually enough if I'm going somewhere I don't know. On the odd occasion I get lost or turned around, a one minute pitstop with my phone sorts that out right quick. Paying hundreds of dollars for a third party nav system, let alone thousands for a proprietary, expensive-to-update factory nav is ridiculous to me.
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Apr 13, 2011 21:06
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Google Maps does dictate your every turn, if you want, and it does it better than most GPS units I've seen!
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Apr 13, 2011 21:13
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heat posted:Google Maps does dictate your every turn, if you want, and it does it better than most GPS units I've seen! I use this on an almost daily basis, which is why I wasn't all that concerned that my M3 didn't have nav. Too bad my wife's phone isn't very good with google maps.. probably time to upgrade!
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Apr 13, 2011 22:09
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Random fact of the day: S62 blocks are incredibly light. I finished the teardown of the blown one out of dad's car, and I can pick up the block at arms length without a problem (and I'm no bodybuilder). Guesstimating ~75lbs for the bare block. Not sure how much weight was dropped by the newly installed window into cyl #5 though :P
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Apr 14, 2011 04:34
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I paid $120 for a Garmin Nuvi unit with free lifetime map updates, it does the job more than well enough for me, I probably could've went cheaper even and it'd still be fine. There is no way I could justify to myself spending even $300 on built-in navigation, $650 seems absurd.
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Apr 14, 2011 04:40
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