-
Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
2008 320i Auto - @#$% CAR!!
- Thread starter BMW M
- Start date
- Status
ebrahim.achmat
New member
i own a 320i (and am feeling abit K@K right now on the bad reviews), but hey, i bought the car for the luxury, i dont speed.....or add effen turbos and nitros and and and and (if i wanted a fast car a would by max q's M3...CT dude who flys up kloof street that the mountain gives way...lol) i used to own a 318 is....it was falling apart so i decided to get a newer model.....AND IM OVER THE MOON....and i dont care what anyone else thinks cause it doesnt belong to no bank......its MINE
im with fordkoppie on this one if you buy any bottom of the range car it will be kak slow and annoying to live with... this is the job of an entry level car to make you want more, but it does have to give you enough to make you want to stick with the brand or it failed...
BMW M
///Member
lol @ AZZ... I'm waiting for Fordkoppie to come in here and 'klap' you with his Escorts wheelspanner... :mmm: In your defense thou, I would rather drive a P.O.S entry level BMW than a Ford of any kind... 
They suck and fall apart with all the 'Chinese Metal' (read plastic bits) that you have to pick up from the floor every time you close the doors.. Almost like the overpriced Toyotas... :mmm:
They suck and fall apart with all the 'Chinese Metal' (read plastic bits) that you have to pick up from the floor every time you close the doors.. Almost like the overpriced Toyotas... :mmm:moranor said:
You are generalising the feelings of a true petrol head slash street racer with the thousands of people whom are actually pretty happy with the 320i. I would guess that only 5% of drivers on the road would want to pay more to have more performance. Most people just want a nice relaxing drive, and what more would you need than a 320i? The auto is even beter then.
even if you not after performance it is still annoying to drive an underpowered car when you have to overtake, speed up to get onto a highway, ect... this is where it become annoying to own entry level cars and why there are mid range cars... mid range cars are perfect for people who are not after performance but can afford to pay a little more...
moranor said:
Your basis of comparison is totally screwed up. The bad thing is you got used to the performace (me too) but we care. Other people don't care. Most of the cars under R300k are slower than the beemer. If people are really so annoyed with slow cars, why on earth are they buying Yaris 1.0 litres? Why do 1.4 and 1.6 cars exist? Why does the 320i out sell every single other beemer. If people were really worried about performance, they would maybe rather buy something with more ooomph and less bling. I just need to look around at the office and at home to see testiment to this. There are guys here that drive civic 1.8i's, they are still happy after couple of years of ownership. You can still overtake in a car with less power than yours. Most poeple that I have driven with have never let their cars get near the red line, if someone is infront of them, they stay behind until its safe. They don't get annoyed as easily as me and you. I want MORE power. And I don't think I will ever be totally satisfied. I climb in my car for the journey. They don't give a shit, they just want to get there. Simple.
BMW M
///Member
moranor said:
+1 Moranor...
I can NOT see myself in a 320i (e90) no matter how well its speced. Being used to the D's torque and acceleration... I'd kill myself in a 320i, probably headon or something because I thought it would be able to pass in time SPECIALY with an Auto box strapped to it...
EDIT: But I'd still rather drive a 320i then a Ford...
killua said:
Well said Killua... I also always want MORE and dont think enough will ever be enough... Power, performance or otherwise... Like just yesterday I found a '08 335i with EVERY SINGLE EXTRA you can think of with 60k on the clock for R359k...and I'm actually concidering it... Just goes to show... :dunno:
i know plenty of people that are not speed freaks like me and they will not unless they have no choice buy any car with the smallest engine in the range... one guy i know has an audi 2.0T he drives like hes following a Hurst and i get really annoyed and bored whenever im in the car with him... the only reason he has a 2.0T and not a 2.0 is because of the reasons i mentioned before...
the simple fact is cars are designed around the middle of the range engine so if you want the perfect car for the average person thats where you buy... they then tweek it to make a cheap version and tweek it alot to make the performance versions...
90% of people buy entry level cars because they cannot afford better and they want to own a new car so they dont have to worry about it breaking... for me this does not make sense because i can buy 2 older cars to the price of a new one and get a better speced ones too... this way i will always have a car that works and i dont have to take out a huge loan to buy a cheap car that is actually quite expensive if you look at it...
most people dont think like this it seems so they stuck in the cycle of just getting what they can afford brand new and owing the bank too much money to get out of it...
the simple fact is cars are designed around the middle of the range engine so if you want the perfect car for the average person thats where you buy... they then tweek it to make a cheap version and tweek it alot to make the performance versions...
90% of people buy entry level cars because they cannot afford better and they want to own a new car so they dont have to worry about it breaking... for me this does not make sense because i can buy 2 older cars to the price of a new one and get a better speced ones too... this way i will always have a car that works and i dont have to take out a huge loan to buy a cheap car that is actually quite expensive if you look at it...
most people dont think like this it seems so they stuck in the cycle of just getting what they can afford brand new and owing the bank too much money to get out of it...
Fordkoppie
///Member
Ok so maybe I was crude. SORRY!!
I took that part out of my post, however, I don’t know how to get rid of it in the other’s replies where they quoted me.
aZZ_kIkN_vELO – STRIKE (-1) ….. Hmm? Hihihi:thumb:
Olorin – I have: (without bragging, but to illustrate my point)
• 1991 e34 M5 (Top of the model range)
• 2007 Mazda MX5 2.0 GT (Top of the model range)
• 1991 Ford Sapphire RS 5000 V8 (Top of the model range)
• 1965 Ford Cortina MK1 GT (Top of the model range)
Now consider this (maybe not among this forum’s people, because they are biased but):
My Sapphire is actually quite collectable, whereas if it were a 1.6L GL model it would be a piece of crap that no one would want and neither would I.
The same with my GT Cortina. – If it were the 1200cc Super model It would also be worth sh!t.
They are also enjoyable in their own individual way and for different reasons as well. For instance, I would not like to take a trip to Cape town in the 1965 Ford and expect to arrive feeling refreshed. I would be physically down and out of order for 3 days thereafter.
My attack wasn’t meant to be at BMW directly, but more to entry level cars in general of all the bigger name car manufacturers. I screwed up with that post where it came out to be directed to BMW and again – Sorry.
Still if an immaculate Toyota Corolla RXi stood next to an immaculate e46 318i of the same year and price and I had a budget of only R xxxxx , I personally would choose the Toyota. But if the M3 or even the 330i stood next to it there would be no contest. This is just my opinion and I would not try and force it down anyone’s throat. Each to their own.
I took that part out of my post, however, I don’t know how to get rid of it in the other’s replies where they quoted me.
aZZ_kIkN_vELO – STRIKE (-1) ….. Hmm? Hihihi:thumb:
Olorin – I have: (without bragging, but to illustrate my point)
• 1991 e34 M5 (Top of the model range)
• 2007 Mazda MX5 2.0 GT (Top of the model range)
• 1991 Ford Sapphire RS 5000 V8 (Top of the model range)
• 1965 Ford Cortina MK1 GT (Top of the model range)
Now consider this (maybe not among this forum’s people, because they are biased but):
My Sapphire is actually quite collectable, whereas if it were a 1.6L GL model it would be a piece of crap that no one would want and neither would I.
The same with my GT Cortina. – If it were the 1200cc Super model It would also be worth sh!t.
They are also enjoyable in their own individual way and for different reasons as well. For instance, I would not like to take a trip to Cape town in the 1965 Ford and expect to arrive feeling refreshed. I would be physically down and out of order for 3 days thereafter.
My attack wasn’t meant to be at BMW directly, but more to entry level cars in general of all the bigger name car manufacturers. I screwed up with that post where it came out to be directed to BMW and again – Sorry.
Still if an immaculate Toyota Corolla RXi stood next to an immaculate e46 318i of the same year and price and I had a budget of only R xxxxx , I personally would choose the Toyota. But if the M3 or even the 330i stood next to it there would be no contest. This is just my opinion and I would not try and force it down anyone’s throat. Each to their own.
moranor said:
All people I mention CAN afford faster cars. But they prefer to put the money elsewhere. I had the choice between the 135i with no extras, or the 320d with kit. The problem is that if I got the 135i, it would break me forever, and I will never be able to drive a slower car again. It all depends.
I do believe you when you say people get annoyed by the 320i, otherwise this thread would not exists. But we are all fanatics, to us it matters. You have to think outside the box. Fcuk that, throw the box away!!! There are people that have loads of money but keep on driving their slow cars. They buy other toys for hobbies that they love. You can't tell me that you cannot fathom that people have different views, and they will differ from you.
One guy at work went to the kruger park and he saw a motherless snake in the tree. There were a couple of okes watching the snake. This guy took out his SLR and started taking photos. The photos were alright, but the snake was a little far away to get a perfect shot. Thats when a guy in a trashed up mazda 323 got out with a 800mm lens and put it on the roof of the mazda. That lens is worth something like R100k, which is triple the price of his car. He obviously loves photography more than the ego he gets when overtaking slow moving traffic.
Fordkoppie said:
:thumbsup:
they guy i mention could afford to buy an RS4 cash if he wanted it, but he would have no use for it... even my girlfriend who just could not care less what she drive gets annoyed with the performance of her car, she would never buy a performance car but next time she gets a car it wont be entry level...
When I was driving my Corolla 140i 2003 model around I wasn't speeding in it. I mean it was pretty powerful for a 1.4 engine (74 kw's I think). I drive much faster on average with the 320i and overtaking isn't difficult at all (not sure why people have issues with overtaking). I often overtake in a single lane, I simply use the correct gearing.
For me, I don't earn a great salary and I (prior to the BMW) had never experienced the drive of a BMW. So for me, it's all about the drive and the E90 gives me the BMW experience. It's fast when I need to to be fast, obviously not as fast as a 320d, and sure, I really wish the AC did not hamper the performance of the car, but all in all, I'm happy I went with this car. Thing is, I was eying the Toyota Auris 1.6 model (I demoed it, the car simply wouldn't go, even with foot flat it was terrible). For the price I paid for my BMW, it was a no-brainer.
Another thing is that there are plenty of slower luxury cars around than the E90, even in a similar price. I also demoed the Lexus IS250 which the specs would suggest would be much faster but I never got that impression, probably because of the big weight disadvantage on the Lexus. What other car could I have bought for R165000 ? Probably a lot, but I didn't want another Toyota, Ford, Mazda -- I wanted a premium car. The 320i, FOR ME, was a major step up the ladder and I'm happy with it.
You go from a Ford Focus to an E90 and it's a revelation. You go from a Auris 1.6 (or 1.8) and it's like a religious experience in the 320i comparatively speaking. Just giving you guys my thoughts.
For me, I don't earn a great salary and I (prior to the BMW) had never experienced the drive of a BMW. So for me, it's all about the drive and the E90 gives me the BMW experience. It's fast when I need to to be fast, obviously not as fast as a 320d, and sure, I really wish the AC did not hamper the performance of the car, but all in all, I'm happy I went with this car. Thing is, I was eying the Toyota Auris 1.6 model (I demoed it, the car simply wouldn't go, even with foot flat it was terrible). For the price I paid for my BMW, it was a no-brainer.
Another thing is that there are plenty of slower luxury cars around than the E90, even in a similar price. I also demoed the Lexus IS250 which the specs would suggest would be much faster but I never got that impression, probably because of the big weight disadvantage on the Lexus. What other car could I have bought for R165000 ? Probably a lot, but I didn't want another Toyota, Ford, Mazda -- I wanted a premium car. The 320i, FOR ME, was a major step up the ladder and I'm happy with it.
You go from a Ford Focus to an E90 and it's a revelation. You go from a Auris 1.6 (or 1.8) and it's like a religious experience in the 320i comparatively speaking. Just giving you guys my thoughts.
Olorin said:
the 1.4 is the entry lvl engine for that car i think you would have a different take if you were moving from a 1.6 or 1.8...
i remember you posting when you 1st got the car that it felt slower than your 1.4...
ebrahim.achmat said:
:thumbsup: Unfortunately the bank still owns my car...for a some time to come.
moranor said:
Not sure why I said that to be honest. The 1.8 spec engine wouldn't have anything on my car either. It probably was an isolated issue I experienced while I had the car. Could have been a fuel issue or something, but the issue has since been resolved. The car might not be as fast as a 320d, but it's still a lot faster than a 1.6-1.8 spec Focus, Corolla, Auris, Honda etc.etc..
The weight on those cars are not that different. Corolla 1.8 is like 60 kg's lighter, the Honda 1.8 is also in a similar weight class (perhaps a little lighter) so the 320i should be faster. More power, more torque. Besides speed, the handling on the BMW is on a different planet altogether.
The thing with the 140i is that there is little sound insulation in the car so everything sounds noisier inside the cabin. I guess that added to my impressions. With the 320i, everything is MUCH quieter. But other than that, I mean, the 140i 0-60 is a bus. It achieves that time in like 13 seconds. Of course it's not going to compete. The 2l model (used to be 1.8) is around 10 seconds or so. Still a big difference and then you have the handling which is pretty much nonexistent
I don't think so. You do know that the Corolla is a heavy car ? My car has far more power and torque so I'm pretty sure I would notice a big difference.
Fordkoppie
///Member
The car might not be as fast as a 320d, but it's still a lot faster than a 1.6-1.8 spec Focus, Corolla, Auris, Honda etc.etc..
[/quote]
But that is the whole point i am trying to make!!!
For the same price as a new 320i with some nice add on's (like the individual) one can have the ST focus which in my mind is WAAAAAAY better than the 320i . The 1.6 focus is also crap because it is the entry level of that model range and way cheaper as well
[/quote]
But that is the whole point i am trying to make!!!
For the same price as a new 320i with some nice add on's (like the individual) one can have the ST focus which in my mind is WAAAAAAY better than the 320i . The 1.6 focus is also crap because it is the entry level of that model range and way cheaper as well
I agree with you. Brand new, the 320i is very poor value, in my opinion. If I had the money I would never buy a brand new 320i. Heck, I would probably spend a bit more and get the new Renault Megane RS Sport hot hatch.
But seriously, if you are buying second-hand, I think it's a fantastic proposition. Many people simply can't afford to pay off R300000+ cars and so getting into one of these cars (second hand) can become their reality (like for me) and they can experience a slice of the luxury pie. But I agree with you all the way, spending R320-350k (with all the extras) on a current 320i model would be a little insane.
I mean, you could probably find yourself an E90 2007 335i for around R350k or you could buy a current 320i for the same money. I know I would rather have the older model 335i.
But seriously, if you are buying second-hand, I think it's a fantastic proposition. Many people simply can't afford to pay off R300000+ cars and so getting into one of these cars (second hand) can become their reality (like for me) and they can experience a slice of the luxury pie. But I agree with you all the way, spending R320-350k (with all the extras) on a current 320i model would be a little insane.
I mean, you could probably find yourself an E90 2007 335i for around R350k or you could buy a current 320i for the same money. I know I would rather have the older model 335i.
Fordkoppie
///Member
Olorin said:
agreed!:thumb:
But the 2 hand car market VS new is a whole topic for another thread.
andrewbuch
///Member
The 320i has its place..
My dad could afford to go out & buy a 335i spec'd for my mom, but we chose the 320i cause why does my mother need a 335i to go to gym in the mornings??? The 320i for her is fine.. She does not need overtaking power, as there is little overtaking while driving in the suburbs.
It is annoying if you jump into a 320i & expect it to be a performance car, but its not that.. It has enough power for what it is.
My dad could afford to go out & buy a 335i spec'd for my mom, but we chose the 320i cause why does my mother need a 335i to go to gym in the mornings??? The 320i for her is fine.. She does not need overtaking power, as there is little overtaking while driving in the suburbs.
It is annoying if you jump into a 320i & expect it to be a performance car, but its not that.. It has enough power for what it is.
- Status
Similar threads
