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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
2008 320i Auto - @#$% CAR!!
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zaleonardz
Well-known member
Actually.. we are damm spoilt brats, there are many places in EU where the max you get is a 1.6 if you want more, you pay a CC tax on that.
The issue certian cars in obscure CC outputs....
The issue certian cars in obscure CC outputs....
msm
Well-known member
zaleonardz said:
I guess that explains BMW's current strategy of introducing 4 potters with turbos on them.
I'm sure one of these fine days we'll be seeing a BMW 999cc engine with multiple superchargers and turbochargers pumping out the same output as our straight 6s and still be badged a 330i or something similar.
And when that happens the 320i will be a little 250cc 2 cylinder with a small hairdryer, just to ensure it still performs the same as the current one .... sorry, just had to add that 320i bit to keep this thread on topic :mmm:
freakazoid
New member
Ok, I'll bite 
I drive a 2006 320i. In 2006 I had a Jeep Cherokee 3.7 V6, and my fuel bills were eye watering. Driving from Cape Town to George at 110km barely gets 400km on a full tank.
I have never owned a BM before and was actually on a 3 month long waiting list for an A3 Sportback - had Audi before and kinda liked them. Took a chance one Saturday afternoon and popped in at Forsdicks to get a valuation on Jeep. Salesman phones me Monday and offers me R25k more than what Audi offered if I take a 320i. Collected car the Thursday without having driven it before - I mean what can go wrong, it is a BM:dunno:
To cut a long story short, it is a piece of crap. Worst car I have ever owned performance and quality wise. My list of repairs: whole central locking replaced, clutch done twice, steering rack replaced, diff replaced, head gasket replaced, unit with indicator stalk replaced. Interior surfaces are all peeling. Numerous rattles were fixed, only to be replaced by new ones. Gearbox was totally stripped due to me having difficulties in engaging 1st and 2nd. I am now 4000km out of MP and the gear problem is back as well as a shudder on the clutch when pulling away - reason clutch was replaced twice. I have a feeling the flywheel was not replaced.
On the power, well if an Atos or Chev Spark pulls up next to me I nonchalantly make as if I don't notice them and make sure I don't pull away as if I want to do some spirited driving - they will pawn me. One guy here mentioned a hearse, well I have been outgunned by busses when trying to take the gap on roads with two lanes that converge into one :bawling:
What I have noticed though is that the car performs better if the tank is less than half full. The emptier the tank gets the better the performance. Oh, different types of fuel also affect performance. Shell turns the donkey into an ass. Engen and Caltex gives better performance (could be all in my head though). On very hot days the car just wants to die. I have had some close calls where I would pull away in 1st and the car hits a flat spot losing power. Foot flat on accelerator then takes forever for the signal to go to engine to say more power!!! My wife cracks herself when this happens because I am hanging on the steering wheel going "Come on, you're a BM, you can do it".
Fuel consumption is a bit of a hit and miss. I get 11.6l/100km in town and 9.3l/100km on the long road using cruise control set to an indicated 135km/hr. Performance on the long road is adequate once you have built up momentum.
That is a shed load of negativity but there are some plus points though. In November a Jeep Cherokee (go figure) jumped a stop street causing R62k worth of damages to the BM. I was stuck without the car for 6 weeks. In this time I drove my father's 2006 C180 Kompressor and over the six weeks I could get a nice comparison btw the two.
Firstly the Kompressor will make mince meat of the BM in acceleration in any gear (it is auto compared to my manual), and fuel consumption is better. Where the BM trumps the Merc is in road holding, by a country mile. As underpowered as the 320 is, it at least brings a smile to my face when I hit a twisty road. The Merc feels like a boat in rough seas on the same roads. The Merc's brakes also can't compete with the BM's. The 320 stops on a dime, the pedal modulation feels better - in the Merc it felt like I had to stand on the pedal. The doors, bonnet and boot of the BM has a "quality" thud when you close them and feels weighty. The Merc feels like a Toyota. The boot lid is flimsy. Hell when you open it, it feels like it will blow away. Next up is the steering wheel. In the BM it feels nice and solid in your hands. The Merc’s one is like a rudder. The thing is just there. I far prefer the feel and feedback you get via the BM's steering, you know you are turning the wheels. The Mercs climate control is also atrocious and I don't think they know the meaning of "auto".
For my first time with a BM, this car has left a slight bitter taste in my mouth. Would I buy a BM again? Well that depends on if I can afford something with at least 325i power when the new 3 series is launched, otherwise I doubt it. I test drove a 325i Coupe with an auto box and came away thinking "Now that is what a BM should feel and sound like". The 320 is paid up, so at the moment it is just an appliance.
Sorry for the epically long post - you guys wanted to hear from 320 owners and seeing that, I think, only 1 replied I thought I will post for all the others
I drive a 2006 320i. In 2006 I had a Jeep Cherokee 3.7 V6, and my fuel bills were eye watering. Driving from Cape Town to George at 110km barely gets 400km on a full tank.
I have never owned a BM before and was actually on a 3 month long waiting list for an A3 Sportback - had Audi before and kinda liked them. Took a chance one Saturday afternoon and popped in at Forsdicks to get a valuation on Jeep. Salesman phones me Monday and offers me R25k more than what Audi offered if I take a 320i. Collected car the Thursday without having driven it before - I mean what can go wrong, it is a BM:dunno:
To cut a long story short, it is a piece of crap. Worst car I have ever owned performance and quality wise. My list of repairs: whole central locking replaced, clutch done twice, steering rack replaced, diff replaced, head gasket replaced, unit with indicator stalk replaced. Interior surfaces are all peeling. Numerous rattles were fixed, only to be replaced by new ones. Gearbox was totally stripped due to me having difficulties in engaging 1st and 2nd. I am now 4000km out of MP and the gear problem is back as well as a shudder on the clutch when pulling away - reason clutch was replaced twice. I have a feeling the flywheel was not replaced.
On the power, well if an Atos or Chev Spark pulls up next to me I nonchalantly make as if I don't notice them and make sure I don't pull away as if I want to do some spirited driving - they will pawn me. One guy here mentioned a hearse, well I have been outgunned by busses when trying to take the gap on roads with two lanes that converge into one :bawling:
What I have noticed though is that the car performs better if the tank is less than half full. The emptier the tank gets the better the performance. Oh, different types of fuel also affect performance. Shell turns the donkey into an ass. Engen and Caltex gives better performance (could be all in my head though). On very hot days the car just wants to die. I have had some close calls where I would pull away in 1st and the car hits a flat spot losing power. Foot flat on accelerator then takes forever for the signal to go to engine to say more power!!! My wife cracks herself when this happens because I am hanging on the steering wheel going "Come on, you're a BM, you can do it".
Fuel consumption is a bit of a hit and miss. I get 11.6l/100km in town and 9.3l/100km on the long road using cruise control set to an indicated 135km/hr. Performance on the long road is adequate once you have built up momentum.
That is a shed load of negativity but there are some plus points though. In November a Jeep Cherokee (go figure) jumped a stop street causing R62k worth of damages to the BM. I was stuck without the car for 6 weeks. In this time I drove my father's 2006 C180 Kompressor and over the six weeks I could get a nice comparison btw the two.
Firstly the Kompressor will make mince meat of the BM in acceleration in any gear (it is auto compared to my manual), and fuel consumption is better. Where the BM trumps the Merc is in road holding, by a country mile. As underpowered as the 320 is, it at least brings a smile to my face when I hit a twisty road. The Merc feels like a boat in rough seas on the same roads. The Merc's brakes also can't compete with the BM's. The 320 stops on a dime, the pedal modulation feels better - in the Merc it felt like I had to stand on the pedal. The doors, bonnet and boot of the BM has a "quality" thud when you close them and feels weighty. The Merc feels like a Toyota. The boot lid is flimsy. Hell when you open it, it feels like it will blow away. Next up is the steering wheel. In the BM it feels nice and solid in your hands. The Merc’s one is like a rudder. The thing is just there. I far prefer the feel and feedback you get via the BM's steering, you know you are turning the wheels. The Mercs climate control is also atrocious and I don't think they know the meaning of "auto".
For my first time with a BM, this car has left a slight bitter taste in my mouth. Would I buy a BM again? Well that depends on if I can afford something with at least 325i power when the new 3 series is launched, otherwise I doubt it. I test drove a 325i Coupe with an auto box and came away thinking "Now that is what a BM should feel and sound like". The 320 is paid up, so at the moment it is just an appliance.
Sorry for the epically long post - you guys wanted to hear from 320 owners and seeing that, I think, only 1 replied I thought I will post for all the others
zaleonardz
Well-known member
freakazoid,
Nice write up, one that concerns me a lot.
I have been looking at 2007/2008 E90's for my wife, and I found a few perfect cars with the peeling interiors. One had a rather nasty center console on the side where the seatbelt holder is.
Now dont get me wrong, the audi interiors peel worse then a sunburn victem aswell. and the new C class's suffer the same fate, that does not make it right though.
Pity about your drive train issue, thats actually not cool, and not normal,
Good luck with it dude, what you can be happy about, your going to find that BMW is going to give you a much better trade in then should you have baught the AUdi.
By the way, the Audi is a fantastic car, you would have liked it, except when you tried to trade it in, out of the 3 (BMW,Audi,Merc) , the audi is the worst (I have had two, both baught from Audi, and never again)
Nice write up, one that concerns me a lot.
I have been looking at 2007/2008 E90's for my wife, and I found a few perfect cars with the peeling interiors. One had a rather nasty center console on the side where the seatbelt holder is.
Now dont get me wrong, the audi interiors peel worse then a sunburn victem aswell. and the new C class's suffer the same fate, that does not make it right though.
Pity about your drive train issue, thats actually not cool, and not normal,
Good luck with it dude, what you can be happy about, your going to find that BMW is going to give you a much better trade in then should you have baught the AUdi.
By the way, the Audi is a fantastic car, you would have liked it, except when you tried to trade it in, out of the 3 (BMW,Audi,Merc) , the audi is the worst (I have had two, both baught from Audi, and never again)
awesome i hope next time you can get a 6cyl...
i hope next time you can get a 6cyl...
BMW M
///Member
Freakaziod, your car sounds like it was/is a 'lemon'! :mmm:
When you concider buying a new BM, do yourself the favour and test drive the Diesels. They are the most amazing machines... You really get addicted to the torque these engines turn out, both the 320d and the 330d gives excellent fuel consumption. On the Dynamic I'm currently sitting on 18.1km/lt, and it was 20.7km/lt :thumbsup: at one stage. I will let you guys know on Monday what my consumtion was for the trip to Ballito and back over the weekend.
I have to agree with you on the Merc, I almost bought a new C-class in July last year (220 Cdi) and I was not impressed by the cars performance or overall feel. (I own a fully restored 1976 230.4 Merc which feels more solid) There is NO comparison between the 320d and 220Cdi, the BM is by far the better car, plus the BM has a better Motorplan. Audi, althouth IMO has the best looking interior of the three, has a resale value, and their performance doesnt even begin to compare with the BM diesels.
For a entry level BMW I guess the 320i is ok-ish spec wise, but for someone who buys this car and thinks he's going to get a 'performance' BM... :nono: And then I can understand San's gripe with some of these cars getting ///M badges... :mmm:
When you concider buying a new BM, do yourself the favour and test drive the Diesels. They are the most amazing machines... You really get addicted to the torque these engines turn out, both the 320d and the 330d gives excellent fuel consumption. On the Dynamic I'm currently sitting on 18.1km/lt, and it was 20.7km/lt :thumbsup: at one stage. I will let you guys know on Monday what my consumtion was for the trip to Ballito and back over the weekend.
I have to agree with you on the Merc, I almost bought a new C-class in July last year (220 Cdi) and I was not impressed by the cars performance or overall feel. (I own a fully restored 1976 230.4 Merc which feels more solid) There is NO comparison between the 320d and 220Cdi, the BM is by far the better car, plus the BM has a better Motorplan. Audi, althouth IMO has the best looking interior of the three, has a
resale value, and their performance doesnt even begin to compare with the BM diesels.For a entry level BMW I guess the 320i is ok-ish spec wise, but for someone who buys this car and thinks he's going to get a 'performance' BM... :nono: And then I can understand San's gripe with some of these cars getting ///M badges... :mmm:
Have not read the whole thread but I recently test drove a demo 320i auto. 4000 odd k's on the clock. The 320i is in my opinion a 'mom's taxi'. Nice looking, lots of bells and whistle's and that's it. Mom's will love it 'cos it's a bee-em. Hubby's like it 'cos their wives can't drive too fast and the car is safe.
M
Mike1
Guest
See... because of all your complaints I now do not have a MINI to drive tonight...
Must now drive a 320i from our service department. :mmm:
Must now drive a 320i from our service department. :mmm:
zaleonardz
Well-known member
Guys, keep in mind though...
We are all car guys (and gals), but for the non car guys, your average goldfish would find it perfectly acceptable.
Driven a 200i camery lately ?
We are all car guys (and gals), but for the non car guys, your average goldfish would find it perfectly acceptable.
Driven a 200i camery lately ?
M
Mike1
Guest
I got lucky!
They gave me a 320D. The torque is immense. Very very very nice car.
:clap:
They gave me a 320D. The torque is immense. Very very very nice car.
:clap:
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