maluskills

Hey guys
I've got a new WDP automatic TL and my friend just got a new 325xi automatic and we are always arguing about whose car is better, but both our cars are still in the break in period...so we haven't gotten a chance to race yet.

But who do you guys think would win??


say the TL, say the TL

Ron A

Moved to Rading & Competition

THE TURBONATOR

what yr is ur TL? i would say the TL has the edge for 2nd Gen TL ,not by much though, and no problem for the 3rd gen

Blazin_TL

iTrader: (1)

im guessing 3rd gen since he said he is still in break in peroid

03CoupeV6

A 2nd gen TL will walk a 325xi, too, I bet.

Ka0tik

325xi would kick a stock 3rd gen tl's ass after the first turn

straight away i think the tl would win by a lot since the xi weighs more than the regular i (my 3rd gen tl beat my friends 325i by like 3 car lengths)

CL Platano

Not even worth the gas to run a 325xi , a TL would smoke it. The TL smokes a 330Ci also.

Ka0tik

i believe you are giving the tl too much credit, a 330ci will beat a 3rd gen tl in a straight away, it would be close but the bmw would win

and a 330ci would smoke a tl on turns

03CoupeV6

No one is comparing racing through a slalom. The BMW would also stop quicker, I bet... and it's totally meaningless in this thread.

SouthernBoy

Not according to Car & Driver. The Road Test Digest in the June 2005 issue shows a dead heat for these two cars in the 0 to 60 run and the quarter mile at 5.6/14.3 seconds respectively.

In the corners, the BMW has the edge, however a stock manual tranny TL produces higher skid pad numbers than does the Bimmer.

The primary reason for the TL's matching quarter mile time is traction. Front wheel drive cars are notorious for having very poor traction under these conditions.. the advantage here is clearly in favor of a RWD platform. One of our members on this site has posted a quarter mile at 14.02 seconds with his TL.

CL Platano

Magazines don't mean nothing people, I've been in a 3G that put 3 cars easily on a 330ci from 70-130 on stock TL suspension. People think the BMW is the god of all vehicles but I'd take the TL over the BMW 330ci anyday, if you offer me an M3 that is the only Bimmer I'd buy.

maluskills

Mine is a new 2005 TL, and my friends is a 2006 325xi

No question the handle on the BMW is FARR better, but I agree-in a straitaway I think I could smoke him

SouthernBoy

They do mean something.. they serve as a guide. But I do agree with you that many times, what appears in a magazine is not necessarily what one can expect in the "real world". And I also agree that we should not take what they say as gospel.. just as some research.

One has to understand that we don't know how a road/drag test was done. In drag racing there is an old adage: to win, you have to drive like you are trying to break it.

As for a race between a manual TL and a manual 330i, the onus is on the TL driver because of the poor traction of a front drive car. The launch is all important between these two closely matched cars. Assuming a good launch, the TL should have the edge since its engine is producing more HP and more torque. The TL attains maximum HP a little sooner than the 330i, but has to wait for its maximum torque until 5000 RPM (330i is at 2750 as I recall). This is actually a plus for the TL because it is still building both HP and torque while the 330i is losing torque. Plus the vehicle weghts are very close.

Still a close race, but I suggest the TL should pull on the 330i.

SouthernBoy

As for the new M3's, that was one of my possibles when I bought my TL. But I started hearing of some problems.. serious engine problems. Personally, I'd take a Cadillac CTS-V any day over an M3 when talking sedans and coupes. Hard to beat 395 lb/ft of torque from that little small block Chevy. That plus the CTS-V should blow an M3 away in the twisties.

Good Lord, there are so many neat cars out there.

Ken1997TL

A stock 1st gen TL is slightly faster than a 325xi (been there done that)
A stock 2nd gen TL is faster
A stock 3rd gen TL would school it


Remember AWD in the xi reduces total output.

TCMS

The M3 and Cts-V pull similiar skidpad numbers but the M owns the slalom.

reynaldo

You wish,specially if the 330ci is a stick/manual.

Bread-A Spec

yeah

even TL-P can take it away

Bread-A Spec

exactly....i would only buy an M3 or M5 if i have money for a bimmer...

SouthernBoy

I owned a '96 328i BMW up until last March. It was my wife's car and it just loved to visit the fix-'em-up shops.. to the tune of over $8000 in 5 1/2 years! It finally got the best of her compassion when the water pump blew out and left her stranded while she was on her way to church. A week later, we bought her '05 TL. The day her water pump went out, I took her to look at and test drive a TSX. On the way there, she asked if she could drive my '04 manual a little bit (she drives a manual tranny better than most people). We hadn't gone maybe a 1/4 of a mile from the school parking lot where she took over and she was saying, "WOW, this is great! Really nice". She test drove the TSX, but kept talking about the TL. So the following Saturday, we got her TL.. Satin Silver/Quartz/5AT/Nav. She loves it.

I agree with the poster who said that Bimmers are not all they're cracked up to be. Actually, if my wife's '96 328i is a general example of BMW and German design, I'll take a Ford Mustang or a TL or a 'Vette anyday (no particular order here).

maluskills

BMWs are really overrated quality-wise. The drive/handle of the BMWs can only really be matched by a G35. TL is a good car for someone who likes the combo of luxury/power/sportiness (in that order). My

Pro Stock John

If it's auto you should beat him pretty decisively. I think the XI is heavy. The newest 330i with stick is quicker than the old one, I think they posted low 14's.

SatinSilverTypS

iTrader: (1)

100%. people seem to forget that the 325xi is slow (215hp). the 330xi is another story (255hp). with an unladen weight of 3560lbs the 325 is a slow boy. have fun dusting him.

SSTS

nikko

I'd put my money on TL. E90 325xi is a low 7 sec car so I see no problem there.
Why would you even bother racing a 325 when you know already the outcome?

nikko

My buddy got an E90 330i MT and he raced this guy with a 2005 TL MT three consecutive times last October at race track. He won all three races by 1/2 cl.
E90 330i and 2005 TL MT (both manual and stock) have almost the same numbers.

Actuary

I've beaten number of 325i
325xi is even easiar than that.

330 depends on auto/manual or xi/i/ci and then ZHP or not
But I say 70-80% of 330s TL should win other 20% TL may lose

Bread-A Spec

exactly...

Pro Stock John

Yeah the newest 330i 6MT as fast as our cars and might even be a little better from a dig.

TLdriver022

there is no way a 325xi would even keep up. The 325xi does 0-60 in like 8 seconds. I have personally raced one and killed it. You would win by a mile.

aznkikaz

iTrader: (2)

all i know is that from a dead stop 04tl with intake vs e90 330auto vs e46 330izhp w/ gruppem intake was that the e46 owned both of us pretty badly

Pro Stock John

... e48 = m3? with an air intake it could be a 12.9 car.

maluskills

BUT...the BMWs have inline V6, which supposedly increases output

brahtw8

Inline six, not inline V6. Inline refers to the configuration of the cylinders, as does the V.

brahtw8

e46 = chassis designation. A 2005 325, 330, and M3 are all e46s.

The e46 includes all 3 series built from 1999-2006 (with a few exceptions; 1999 M3s, coupes and convertibles were still the E36 platform.)

nikko

All 2006 3 series models are E90 platform.

type-s09

Ive got a 2nd gen type-s and ive beat 2 3rd gen autos. The 2nd gen has 2 more horses..not much but in a 0-70 run i beat 2 3rd gens by at least 1/2 c.l.

brahtw8

Actually, no. The sedans and wagons are e90s, but the M3, coupes and convertibles are still e46.

THE TURBONATOR

From his post I think he has a TL-P (225hp) not a TL-s which is what I was writing about...

nikko

I should've been more specific: I meant sedans and wagon, for the rest you're right they're still on e46 platform.
Speaking about germans, they will come up soon with two new engines: v8 425hp for new M3 and I6 375bhp for 3 series (latter will be turbo)

THE TURBONATOR

^^ we now know thats hes driving 3rd gen