Initial comparison (E46 to E90)

[msm]

Yep, I'm sure lots of guys have made this move, but just thought I'd share my own impressions.

Just to recap, I had a 330i Individual Auto before I moved to the E90 330d Auto M sport. Here is a brief comparison between the 2.

The good:
The E90 with the M sport drives like a real sports car - it seems to handle very well. Ride is firm, not uncomfortable on normal roads (FWIW, I have almost new 18" Michelin Pilot Sport runflats). On poor surfaces, the ride does feel harsh, as expected, but I can live with it.

On the few twisties that I have tried, the car feels very well "planted". The brakes are substantially better than the E46. The gearbox is much slicker and smoother shifting than the E46 auto box.


The bad:
If this was my only car and I did not have my Landy as a "family vehicle" I think my wife would be complaining alot about the ride quality. I would have ditched the runflats from day 1 and got a spare. However, since this is my daily drive I can live with the poor ride quality as the handling seems to make up for it.

As a balanced car, I think the E46 is superior - it has a Jackyl and Hyde personality: When you go easy, it is relaxing drive and when you push it, it rewards you. The E46 sport suspension is the ideal blend of comfort and good handling. The E90 with the M kit and 18s feels "hardcore" all the time.


The ugly:
Interior and exterior looks, I still feel the E46 is much nicer. The E90 seems to be better put together than the E46, but is a let down in a few small areas - I've picked up some little things on the E90 that makes it look like they skimped on: like a single boot light, the crappy +ve lead cover in the engine compartment, the location of the window switches (not that it's on the door, but more the position on the door). But I'm nitpicking - the biggest gripe is the shape of the E90 interior. It looks rather "anonymous" whereas the E46 always looked brilliant.


Engines
I've ignored those in the above as it won't be a fair comparison of the models. I like automatics (yes I'm a lazy bugger) and for me the 3.0d motor is preferred for this application. This is my 3rd 3.0d BMW and I think it is the best in the range. However, I still believe that the E46 330i engine tune is a symphony of note!


Conclusion
This is really an unfair comparison on many fronts, but for me, I believe I made the right move to the E90 330d. If I did not prefer autos and had a manual (and you left the 335i out of the equation), it would be very, very difficult to make a decision between the E46 and E90 - I believe the E46 is that good that it's able to put up such a good fight with it's replacement.


And yes, these are all my subjective opinions.

 

[Funky Toyz]

Yep, I'm sure lots of guys have made this move, but just thought I'd share my own impressions.

Just to recap, I had a 330i Individual Auto before I moved to the E90 330d Auto M sport. Here is a brief comparison between the 2.

The good:
The E90 with the M sport drives like a real sports car - it seems to handle very well. Ride is firm, not uncomfortable on normal roads (FWIW, I have almost new 18" Michelin Pilot Sport runflats). On poor surfaces, the ride does feel harsh, as expected, but I can live with it.

On the few twisties that I have tried, the car feels very well "planted". The brakes are substantially better than the E46. The gearbox is much slicker and smoother shifting than the E46 auto box.


The bad:
If this was my only car and I did not have my Landy as a "family vehicle" I think my wife would be complaining alot about the ride quality. I would have ditched the runflats from day 1 and got a spare. However, since this is my daily drive I can live with the poor ride quality as the handling seems to make up for it.

As a balanced car, I think the E46 is superior - it has a Jackyl and Hyde personality: When you go easy, it is relaxing drive and when you push it, it rewards you. The E46 sport suspension is the ideal blend of comfort and good handling. The E90 with the M kit and 18s feels "hardcore" all the time.


The ugly:
Interior and exterior looks, I still feel the E46 is much nicer. The E90 seems to be better put together than the E46, but is a let down in a few small areas - I've picked up some little things on the E90 that makes it look like they skimped on: like a single boot light, the crappy +ve lead cover in the engine compartment, the location of the window switches (not that it's on the door, but more the position on the door). But I'm nitpicking - the biggest gripe is the shape of the E90 interior. It looks rather "anonymous" whereas the E46 always looked brilliant.


Engines
I've ignored those in the above as it won't be a fair comparison of the models. I like automatics (yes I'm a lazy bugger) and for me the 3.0d motor is preferred for this application. This is my 3rd 3.0d BMW and I think it is the best in the range. However, I still believe that the E46 330i engine tune is a symphony of note!


Conclusion
This is really an unfair comparison on many fronts, but for me, I believe I made the right move to the E90 330d. If I did not prefer autos and had a manual (and you left the 335i out of the equation), it would be very, very difficult to make a decision between the E46 and E90 - I believe the E46 is that good that it's able to put up such a good fight with it's replacement.


And yes, these are all my subjective opinions.

:thumbs: - Some key aspects pointed out here.

I also agree on the location of the window switches, especially on the passenger door (the driver's door is not that bad as it doesn't have the door handle infront of the switch). It took me a long while to get used to them, and after 3 years of owning an E90, I still find using the passenger door window switch very uncomfortable.

I also found myself looking for the switches using my left hand close to the gear shift after moving away from the E46 - this is just normal instinct though after being comfortable with something.

 

[kabal]

nice, good to read this stuff, as I am sure a lot of us will be making a similar transition :thumbs:

 

[Bmw.wp]

well i like the looks of the E90 but as my wife put it. The E46 is beuatifullllll.!!!!!! :inlove:

 

[Henry330i]

Nice write up there.

I'll maybe move to a e90 in a couple of years only had my e46 for 8 months now.

 

[Karthik]

E90 is a hands down winner . Compared to my E46 , drove my moms E90 323i to KZN and back and all I can say is its miles away in terms of comfort and pretty much every aspect . Handles so much better , and its firm and positive .

 

[Sankekur]

Thanks for posting this up, though I have to say for me personally the e90 still has a bit to go to win me over, still very much in love with the e46 :inlove:

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

I must say I love both but I find the e46 interior to be somewhat dated but more driver oriented with regards to the driver sloped centre facia/console. I still want the e90 though, unless I find an impeccable e46 2 door or vert, especially M. Only concession I'll make...

 

[Pr0PheT]

good comparisons ...

my comparison

E46+/e90-
I had a e46 330i for the day today and I must say I really prefer the e46 steering, its much heaver and doesn't feel so assisted and light as in the e90.

Another thing I liked about the e46 it feels more solid and mechanical, somehow the e90 seems light and plasticy.

Then the sound 330i vs my 320d no comparison ... bmw i6 is just addictive but the fuel needle drops in the process

Road noise in the e90 is louder coz of RFT's

E90+/e46-

I find you can push the e90 much harder before the DSC even intervenes, I find the e46 DSC is a real party pooper it tends to kick in right away and takes all power away

As for handling the rear end feels a lot more solid in the e90, I find it feels more secure

The brakes just have more bite in the E90 and also the abs/ebd is much more balanced especially if you need to do emergency braking in the wet or uneven surfaces

 

[Philip Foglar]

My E90 is my first "taste" of BMW ownership, but with the E46 that I bought my Wife earlier this year I can maybe comment on some of the differences that I have noticed between the two cars.

The overall build quality is very similar, but the E90 has some areas where you can't help but feel like they have skimped a bit. On the E46 for instance, it shows exactly which door is open, on the E90 it just shows a single default indicator to indicate that a door is open. Same with a failed bulb, E90 just shows a general message where the E46 indicates which bulb. Soft touch plastics on the E46 are the same colour as the interior colour, so if some of the soft touch finish is coming off it's not that noticeable, whereas on the E90 they went cheap and used one colour plastic for all and just painted with the soft touch finish - so like in the case of my car, some of the grey soft touch finish near the seat belt and centre console has been worn off revealing the white plastic underneath, so not a pretty sight, and something that I need to have repaired at some point.

Driving both cars bearing in mind that they are both manual, the E90 is the 330i and the E46 is the 320i. Also, both cars are non sportpack, so normal suspension set up - E90 is firm but comfortable, and with exception to the horrible Conti RFT's, the car holds the road very well! The biggest problem with E90 I would say are the RFT's in most cases - certainly wouldn't want RFT's on a sportpack! The E46 has set a very high standard for handling and stability, but so has the E90. My Wife's car is two years older and has 100k km more on the clock than mine, so can maybe be forgiven for feeling a little softer and not as tight as the E90.

Engines are both wonderful NA I6 and a pleasure to drive - sound great. I love the subdued exhaust note of the 330i when just calmly driving around - then push down more firmly on the throttle and things change! Economy is pretty good in reality, but that was not really a priority when being bought. Both cars have great flexibility and cruising ability. Dynamics and brakes are great!!

Styling on the exterior the E90 is more "manly" looking that the E46 - my Wife always refers to her car as being pretty and mine as being the more butch of the two. I think the E46 is probably one of the nicest shapes that BMW came out with, but the E90 has grown on me and does have its good angles. There are a few small odd and almost ugly areas or details on the E90, but the smile on my face behind the wheel makes up for this. Interior is another area of debate. Apart from the skimping on the E90, I like the interiors but there are a few things that bother me. Cup holders are pretty useless for most things - unless you want spillages. Soft touch plastics are horrible when damaged which is easily the case. Plastic covers on front seat backs are very easily marked or scratched by rear passenger's shoes. Window controls are not very sensibly placed - easy to accidentally open the rear window rather than the driver's window. Rattles, E90 is known for this, but the E46 is not immune to this.

To put it simply, both cars are superb and enjoyable! :thumbs:

 

[frikkieh]

I lost count how many times the rear window(s) opened unintentionally.
Comparing my 323 e46 to the 325 e90, I can say that I would prefer the "angled" dasbord of the e46.
Engine noises are more prominent on the e90 and takes some time getting used to (for my models listed).

The e90 ride feels smoother although firmer.
Electronic delays and settings are programmable on the e90. I also like the aux input and use it with my media player.
The e90 is definitely more spacous inside and comfortable for taller people like me. RFT's can be good, but then BMW still have to provide a means to carry a spare wheel, which is not the case.
I hate the fact that the e90 does not have a water temp guage.

All and all the e90 "bad" is a reflection of what I was used to (like sparewheel, water temp, manual dipstick), and is no more.

I can live with the "bad" and this makes the e90 is a true successor to the e46 for me.

 

[moranor@axis]

sometimes i wish i had an e36 so i could give an unbiased opinion, but i see no reason to get an e90 other than its newer... if they still made the e90 and the e46 and i could buy one new i would go for the e46 :fencelook:

to me the e46 is a more complete car where the e90 is more of a stepping stone for bmw to try out new things that will be perfected in the future

 

[Karthik]

I don't see your guys point of views . You need to drive a brand new E46 and compare it to a brand new E90 . Those of you that have driven them in that manner I think will agree that the E90 is a better car . I think that most of you had E46's that were in good nick and comparing them to terrible E90's . I just can't put them together and see an E46 coming out on top . Unless its for engine noise , feel , dashboard and thats pretty much it .

 

[msm]

I don't see your guys point of views . You need to drive a brand new E46 and compare it to a brand new E90 . Those of you that have driven them in that manner I think will agree that the E90 is a better car . I think that most of you had E46's that were in good nick and comparing them to terrible E90's . I just can't put them together and see an E46 coming out on top . Unless its for engine noise , feel , dashboard and thats pretty much it .

+1

No matter what these comparisons entail, one has to acknowledge that the average E46 will always be older than the average E90. Even if both cars are in good nick, there's 5-7 years of difference in technology and engineering (which is a long time).

 

[moranor@axis]

the e90 is bigger and safer so thats better, but as far as driving dynamics go i feel the e46 is better because it is better balanced and has a center of gravity is lower...

That said the e36 is even better in that respect :rollsmile:

I dont really want to start an argument they all great cars built for the time there were released in think i was born in the wrong time

 

[Sankekur]

 

[Gizmo]

It will be a cold day in hell if I had to move over to the e90!!!:yuck:

 

[msm]

It will be a cold day in hell if I had to move over to the e90!!!:yuck:

I felt exactly the same not too long ago :fencelook:

 

[frikkieh]

e90 is nothing to be nervous about. F30 is coming soon to a dealership near you !
Wonder how bad the F30 would be? :nonono:
Come on guys...
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is about what do / don't you like about the e46 vs e90 as opposed to belaud one above the other.

I currently own both. Every car, no matter how good they are, are subjected to some form of critisism.

Who is the worm's Prime Minister?
Maggot Thatcher! :roflol:

 

[Philip Foglar]

I agree! At the end of the day both the E46 and the E90 are fantastic cars, period! I think in terms of performance and overall dynamics they are still very closely matched with subtle differences each. RFT's brings a different characteristic by itself with the E90. Styling and looks the E46 is still an extremely pretty car, but it is starting to show its age. The new F30 looks very similar to the E90, so I reckon the E90's and LCI in particular should age well. Of course the overall effect is going to be based on personal preference, and like Frikkie, I own both, so am not really biased one way or the other - they are both fantastic cars, the E90 is just newer. Granted, there are certain things that I feel the E46 does better, but then there are certain things that the E90 does better - for me this all cancels out, if that makes sense.