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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
F30 3 Series Launch at Auto Atlantic
- Thread starter TheMo
- Start date
freakazoid
New member
I went to the launch at Forsdicks Tygervalley.
The exterior did not impress me at all. In fact I was bored while waiting for my test drive. The changes are so subtle that I guess most people would not know the difference between it and the E90.
All of that changes once you get inside. BMW have really upped the look and feel of the interior. It is leaps and bounds ahead of the E90 in both design and quality.
There was a long line of people waiting to test the 328i (and an even longer line for the 335i), so I was asked if I wanted to drive the 320d while I was waiting for a spot on the 328i.
I have driven the E90 320d quite a bit so was not expecting much from the F30. Boy am I glad I took the 320d out. What a cracker of a car. It is no slouch and that 8 spd box is a beauty. I could not believe I was driving a diesel and grinning from ear to ear. It is a bloody good car.
Next up was the 328i. It also did not fail to impress. It is flippen fast and has a nice sound when taken to the limit in the gears. Again the 8 spd box changed effortlessly. I could not feel any turbo lag in both cars. I was hitting silly speeds down Durban Rd. Left an Evoque standing still in robot to robot sprint.
Both cars had the Sport Line package. The Sport seats are very comfortable and holds you nice and snugly in place. The 320d felt very refined and smooth, soaking up bumps and irregularities of the roads. The drive reminded me of a 5 Series. My 11yr old on was very impressed and told me that I must get one as it feels like it is gliding over the road. Non of the hard crashing drive of the E90. The 328i though did not feel as refined. Still miles better than my E90 but a far harder drive than the 320d.
One thing I did not like was the very light steering feel, especially on the 320d. Reminded me of the C-Class. The 328i was not as bad. I prefer the far heavier feel of the E90.
Something else which irritated me to no end was the Start/Stop function. It just does not feel right sitting at a traffic light with the car "switched off". When you take your foot off the brake there is a slight pause before it starts.
The consumption on the 320d was sitting at 9.2l/100km and on the 328i was at a whopping 16l/100km.
The looks of the F30 might not be revolutionary but once you get in and take it for a drive it is easy to see why people are rating it as the best in its class by far. I don't think that Audi and Merc are even close to sniffing its heels.
I personally would struggle to choose between the 320d and 328i. The 328i is a beast of a car which is far to easy to reach jail time speeds. I was driving like a hooligan with the 328i. I would find it hard to resist flooring it at every opportunity. The 320d offers more than enough performance for every day use and has a bit in reserve for this hooligan times.
I want one desperately. It is going to be hard to stick to my plan to drive the E90 for another years.
The exterior did not impress me at all. In fact I was bored while waiting for my test drive. The changes are so subtle that I guess most people would not know the difference between it and the E90.
All of that changes once you get inside. BMW have really upped the look and feel of the interior. It is leaps and bounds ahead of the E90 in both design and quality.
There was a long line of people waiting to test the 328i (and an even longer line for the 335i), so I was asked if I wanted to drive the 320d while I was waiting for a spot on the 328i.
I have driven the E90 320d quite a bit so was not expecting much from the F30. Boy am I glad I took the 320d out. What a cracker of a car. It is no slouch and that 8 spd box is a beauty. I could not believe I was driving a diesel and grinning from ear to ear. It is a bloody good car.
Next up was the 328i. It also did not fail to impress. It is flippen fast and has a nice sound when taken to the limit in the gears. Again the 8 spd box changed effortlessly. I could not feel any turbo lag in both cars. I was hitting silly speeds down Durban Rd. Left an Evoque standing still in robot to robot sprint.
Both cars had the Sport Line package. The Sport seats are very comfortable and holds you nice and snugly in place. The 320d felt very refined and smooth, soaking up bumps and irregularities of the roads. The drive reminded me of a 5 Series. My 11yr old on was very impressed and told me that I must get one as it feels like it is gliding over the road. Non of the hard crashing drive of the E90. The 328i though did not feel as refined. Still miles better than my E90 but a far harder drive than the 320d.
One thing I did not like was the very light steering feel, especially on the 320d. Reminded me of the C-Class. The 328i was not as bad. I prefer the far heavier feel of the E90.
Something else which irritated me to no end was the Start/Stop function. It just does not feel right sitting at a traffic light with the car "switched off". When you take your foot off the brake there is a slight pause before it starts.
The consumption on the 320d was sitting at 9.2l/100km and on the 328i was at a whopping 16l/100km.
The looks of the F30 might not be revolutionary but once you get in and take it for a drive it is easy to see why people are rating it as the best in its class by far. I don't think that Audi and Merc are even close to sniffing its heels.
I personally would struggle to choose between the 320d and 328i. The 328i is a beast of a car which is far to easy to reach jail time speeds. I was driving like a hooligan with the 328i. I would find it hard to resist flooring it at every opportunity. The 320d offers more than enough performance for every day use and has a bit in reserve for this hooligan times.
I want one desperately. It is going to be hard to stick to my plan to drive the E90 for another years.
hanopp
New member
i also took the 328i for a test drive today, go to my thread http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=29631
i posted a video on the acceleration of 328i. Very impressed with car all round, just the sound of a 4-cyl, its crap compared to the legendary 6 cyl.................................
i posted a video on the acceleration of 328i. Very impressed with car all round, just the sound of a 4-cyl, its crap compared to the legendary 6 cyl.................................
Test drove the 320d. Left very underwhelmed. Poor salesman was stressed that I went half sideways through some bends with sports + enabled. Steering is not so good - not much feedback, can feel its electric. Performance is absolutely crap but of course this is after coming out of a 135i. I hate that you cant see the start button from the driver's seat and the fact that you see so much of the underside of the bonnet while driving. Maybe that is just nitpicking but still, to me it looks cheap. Handling overall is fantastic and this car certainly has less understeer than the 135i. This probably the only area where this car is better.
Wanted to try the 328i but there was no time although we got one on the highway at speed and it was like a Gti vs Polo 1.6 match. Sorry but the 135i is going nowhere.
Wanted to try the 328i but there was no time although we got one on the highway at speed and it was like a Gti vs Polo 1.6 match. Sorry but the 135i is going nowhere.
Philip Foglar
///Member
Awesome pics! :thumbs:
Gregmeister
Member
Epic pics dude! :thumbs:
Gregmeister
Member
Scouse said:
Yes
P
petrivanzyl
Guest
Awesome photos 
raise:
Look almost better on these than IRL
raise:Look almost better on these than IRL
Philip Foglar
///Member
Gregmeister said:
+1
Disabled it on the 320d that my Wife drove, but not sure if it can be permanently disabled so that you don't have to disable it each time you start the car.
Philip Foglar
///Member
The only real issue I have with it is simply the lifespan of the starter motor from the frequent restarting. Unless they are using some sort of technology similar to what Mazda developed that stops the engine during a compression stroke which is enough to swing the engine and restart it without making use of the starter motor...
