How good is a E90 330i 2006 Sports Pack

[Riyaad]

Looking to buy my first BMW.
Cannot find a clean E46 M3, so I am settling on a 330i as the 335i is out of my pocket range.
how good a car is the 330i, peformance wise

 

[freerider]

I test drove one the other day and honestly expected more.

 

[Riyaad]

So in your opinion what would u rate it out of 10.
What cars do u think it would give a go from robot to robot.

 

[freerider]

So in your opinion what would u rate it out of 10.
What cars do u think it would give a go from robot to robot.

If you want a robot to robot racer, then get a 335. The e46 330i feels more lively than the e90 330 that I drove.

 

[Whacko]

So in your opinion what would u rate it out of 10.
What cars do u think it would give a go from robot to robot.

If you want a robot to robot racer, then get a 335. The e46 330i feels more lively than the e90 330 that I drove.

I have a e46 330i sportpack and a mate of mine has the e90, must say he has a slight edge over the e46 with casual robot to robot.
The e46 330i is faster than the Golf GTI's and the famous Orange Fords as per the few street drags I had. Also took on a Lumina and he beat me about a car's lenght on a stretch of about 400 meter. Never raced against the Golf DSG.

 

[Riyaad]

If I had to go up against a GTI or the famous Orange Ford at a robot would the E90 330i stand a chance.

 

[Yulz9081]

Also maybe look into a 330d if you want decent robot to robot type performance, drove that and the 330i, both in e46 and e90 and in comparing the 2, both shapes' 330d's torque is unbelievable! Preferred the diesels even though you get more power out the petrol engines... and like don said you kinda do expect more from the 330i especially after driving a 335!

---

Ran a orange ford with a chipped e46 330d and smoked him! Not sure if the ford was standard or not.

 

[Whacko]

You will beat them if they are standard.

 

[msm]

The E90 330i is also quite refined, hence it feels much slower than it is. The exhaust note is also quite toned down compared to an E46 330i. Still an impressive car though ...

 

[Riyaad]

So there are both positives and negatives around the 330i.

Not sure what am i going to do???
Is there any specifics I should look for in a 330i should i decide on getting 1.

 

[Lunatik]

e90 330i is 200kw which is very impressive... minor mods on this car will increase the performance by a considerable amount.

but as yulesen said the 330d's are also something to consider... they are also very powerful cars

 

[shadow worrior]

and you have more fun in the 330d lol i have the e46
when the boyracer seez oh here come and ol oil burner .... hmm until you smoke them lol i love mine just waiting to win the lotto then mods r us here we com at the moment standard it is running 150kw with slight mods pushes upto 200kw and fuel consumption on these is awsome if driven properly

end of the day will be upto you no matter what you get there will always be someone quicker as i always say

 

[E46M3]

and you have more fun in the 330d lol i have the e46
when the boyracer seez oh here come and ol oil burner .... hmm until you smoke them lol i love mine just waiting to win the lotto then mods r us here we com at the moment standard it is running 150kw with slight mods pushes upto 200kw and fuel consumption on these is awsome if driven properly

end of the day will be upto you no matter what you get there will always be someone quicker as i always say

I've previously owned an E46 330i Manual, E87 130i Manual and an E90 330d Auto.
I'd pick the 330d Auto hands down. E46 or E90.
You can also get much more gains by chipping / modding a 330d...
On paper a 330i will probably be more reliable than the 330d though.

 

[Riyaad]

Thanks for the useful input BMW Fanatics.

One more thing, on the one i drove to change gears was not very smooth, is that normal for a BMW.

 

[STREETRACER]

Riyaad bud the 330i will disappoint you if you are looking for performance! Very nice cars for daily drivers with a little bit of oemf! but its to heavy and geared to long! on the free way they run like hell but not a robot to robot car! ive never seen a E90 330i go under a 16s 1/4mile up here in JHB!
Even the 130i go around a 15.3s 1/4mile!
No way a stock E90 330I will run with a ST, Golf GTI , scubbie,
For the moneys worth there are allot of E46 M3's in mint condition for less than the E90 330i..

 

[Matt Q]

BMW Sports kit = Red Bull + Lipstick

IE - no real change to the car, just a little visual aid and some small nips and tucks.. nothing that will really go fasterer or turn betterer...

If you want performance, go aftermarket

 

[Whacko]

Riyaad bud the 330i will disappoint you if you are looking for performance! Very nice cars for daily drivers with a little bit of oemf! but its to heavy and geared to long! on the free way they run like hell but not a robot to robot car! ive never seen a E90 330i go under a 16s 1/4mile up here in JHB!
Even the 130i go around a 15.3s 1/4mile!
No way a stock E90 330I will run with a ST, Golf GTI , scubbie,
For the moneys worth there are allot of E46 M3's in mint condition for less than the E90 330i..

E46 330i weighs less than Golf GTI, at the coast the 330I is reasonably quicker than the Golf GTI and FOCUS STI. The turbo cars have an advantage at the reef but I'm sure a shootout between a stock 330I and a GTI will result in the GTI seeing BMW rear.

 

[STREETRACER]

Hey wacko i agree At the coast the 330I will rape all sorts out of the golf 5 GTI but the golf 6 gti runs a 14.5 1/4mile up here! We smacked a 3.0 Z4 badly with my friends GTI.. The new GTI gives E46 M3's a good run for they're money at the reef!

 

[Whacko]

Hey wacko i agree At the coast the 330I will rape all sorts out of the golf 5 GTI but the golf 6 gti runs a 14.5 1/4mile up here! We smacked a 3.0 Z4 badly with my friends GTI.. The new GTI gives E46 M3's a good run for they're money at the reef!

The reef has a severe penalty on normally aspirated. But can you honestly say that the Golf that smacked the z4 3.0 was stock. Car magazine test is 0-100 7.06 sec for the Golf http://www.carmag.co.za/article/volkswagen-golf-6-gti-20-tsi-2009-09-01
The Z4 3.0 almost takes a second off that.
Almost every Golf that lands at the drags has had the boost fiddled with, that is not stock.

 

[Riyaad]

Street racer , the only fear I have with buying an M3E46 is that most of them are out of motorplan and should something break, it could cost me an arm or leg