Hockenheim M340d Touring
Discussion
Coming up for 6 years in my F32 430d, it was feeling like time for a change.
I never got on as well with the 430d as the 320Cd I ran for 11 years before it, the 4 series whilst far more modern just isn’t as good an all round car in my experience. There’s a multitude of reasons why I feel that way, but of late some have become increasingly pertinent and dictated it was time for a change. Most notably the really poor boot aperture and the long doors making egress in tight spaces awkward and tough on the old knees.
Went looking for a replacement and initially was looking towards 330e and 330d tourings as well as a smattering of EVs, like the Polestar 2.
Running the numbers, I could make the Polestar work on paper, but practicality and reality, EVs still don’t really work for my use so it was back to IC or PHEV.
Should have pulled the trigger when prices were deflated in Q4-23 but I dawdled and didn’t end up making the change until now. Scope creep landed me looking at the M340d, as well as brief flirtations with the X3 M40d, but realistically the 3 series was the sensible choice.
There was a big number of cars started coming to market in the last month and half but most with little to no additional spec over bone stock. I really wanted the better stereo so Tech pack was really required, towbar would be ideal if possible but exceedingly rare, anything else would be a nice bonus. Oh, and under no circumstances, oyster, cognac or red leather.
Then a friend who runs an independent dealership ended up landing an Alpina touring so his personal car became available:
- Hockenheim Silver with shadow line trim (1 of 4 G21s ever finished in this colour apparently)
- 21 plate with 22k miles
- Tech pack
- Retractable towbar
- M Performance kit
I never got on as well with the 430d as the 320Cd I ran for 11 years before it, the 4 series whilst far more modern just isn’t as good an all round car in my experience. There’s a multitude of reasons why I feel that way, but of late some have become increasingly pertinent and dictated it was time for a change. Most notably the really poor boot aperture and the long doors making egress in tight spaces awkward and tough on the old knees.
Went looking for a replacement and initially was looking towards 330e and 330d tourings as well as a smattering of EVs, like the Polestar 2.
Running the numbers, I could make the Polestar work on paper, but practicality and reality, EVs still don’t really work for my use so it was back to IC or PHEV.
Should have pulled the trigger when prices were deflated in Q4-23 but I dawdled and didn’t end up making the change until now. Scope creep landed me looking at the M340d, as well as brief flirtations with the X3 M40d, but realistically the 3 series was the sensible choice.
There was a big number of cars started coming to market in the last month and half but most with little to no additional spec over bone stock. I really wanted the better stereo so Tech pack was really required, towbar would be ideal if possible but exceedingly rare, anything else would be a nice bonus. Oh, and under no circumstances, oyster, cognac or red leather.
Then a friend who runs an independent dealership ended up landing an Alpina touring so his personal car became available:
- Hockenheim Silver with shadow line trim (1 of 4 G21s ever finished in this colour apparently)
- 21 plate with 22k miles
- Tech pack
- Retractable towbar
- M Performance kit
That's absolutely stunning! Every credit to you; it's hell of an upgrade from your 4'er...
I take it you've seen the Joe Achilles video's on the 340D?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKsIGbjl45s&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slLfmV4MpFs&t=...
I take it you've seen the Joe Achilles video's on the 340D?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKsIGbjl45s&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slLfmV4MpFs&t=...
That looks stunning! What a colour!!
I've just changed from a 320i F31 touring to a 340i saloon, the touring was just a bit too much of a push financially as they are a good few k more expensive. But absolutely loving the 3.0, so incredibly capable, and quite good on juice on a run...the estates do definitely have more road presence though it has to be said.
I've just changed from a 320i F31 touring to a 340i saloon, the touring was just a bit too much of a push financially as they are a good few k more expensive. But absolutely loving the 3.0, so incredibly capable, and quite good on juice on a run...the estates do definitely have more road presence though it has to be said.
Bit more seat time in it now and this excuse of a year even provided a dusting of snow although not quite enough to need xDrive to escape the driveway (yes, my 430d has actually struggled on that before!)
One update: gesture control can FRO. Something I do regularly with my left hand, don’t know what, matches the gesture to mute the stereo and it was doing my nut in, now disabled
One update: gesture control can FRO. Something I do regularly with my left hand, don’t know what, matches the gesture to mute the stereo and it was doing my nut in, now disabled
Pyrolysis said:
Lovely looking car! Is this the one from James Glen?
Yeah, that’s the one.d_a_n1979 said:
That's absolutely stunning! Every credit to you; it's hell of an upgrade from your 4'er...
I take it you've seen the Joe Achilles video's on the 340D?
I have yeah. For a while I was considering a man M340i as well, but I want to do some towing with it which just suits diesels better and I also want long range mileage without refuelling and his video showed there’s about 10-12mpg difference in the real world which is about 100 miles. I take it you've seen the Joe Achilles video's on the 340D?
emicen said:
I have yeah. For a while I was considering a man M340i as well, but I want to do some towing with it which just suits diesels better and I also want long range mileage without refuelling and his video showed there’s about 10-12mpg difference in the real world which is about 100 miles.
Agree; personally (even though I have an F31 diesel currently); a petrol will suit everyone just as well as the diesel unless you do very high miles, or tow! But watching those videos as above; it seems this time the 340D is the one to go for...
I don't do high miles; had my F31 since Jan 2023 and just done 4.5k miles in it... Not ideal for a derv; but it gets a hard run every so often and oil changed every 6 months etc...
My goal is a 340i or 540i touring mid to late 2025 once the mortgage is paid off, fingers crossed...
Dimebars said:
Pyrolysis said:
Lovely looking car! Is this the one from James Glen?
Saw it on their Facebook page last week, lovely looking machineAlthough the green Alpina he's replaced this with is stunning
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CfCS5c_NWvc
d_a_n1979 said:
Agree; personally (even though I have an F31 diesel currently); a petrol will suit everyone just as well as the diesel unless you do very high miles, or tow!
But watching those videos as above; it seems this time the 340D is the one to go for...
I don't do high miles; had my F31 since Jan 2023 and just done 4.5k miles in it... Not ideal for a derv; but it gets a hard run every so often and oil changed every 6 months etc...
My goal is a 340i or 540i touring mid to late 2025 once the mortgage is paid off, fingers crossed...
I've had my 330d for about a year and I think if you aren't particularly fussed about fast B road driving then it's all the car you could ever need. All the power's in the rev range where you spend 99% of your everyday driving and it only really falls apart when you want to thrash it. If you never go above 3500rpm or take a corner above 7/10ths it's just a great comfy cruiser with plenty power whenever you need it.But watching those videos as above; it seems this time the 340D is the one to go for...
I don't do high miles; had my F31 since Jan 2023 and just done 4.5k miles in it... Not ideal for a derv; but it gets a hard run every so often and oil changed every 6 months etc...
My goal is a 340i or 540i touring mid to late 2025 once the mortgage is paid off, fingers crossed...
Unfortunately I do care about that stuff and keep looking at going back into a little hot hatch! But for what it is the 330d is absolutely fantastic and I can only guess the M340d is even better
Not normally a fan of black wheels/kidney grilles but that looks absolutely fantastic against the Hockenheim silver.
I've been lucky enough to put a fair bit of mileage on a few M340i's and a few M340d's and they're both incredible cars. One of the few instances in which I wouldn't feel shortchanged having to go for the diesel I think, especially for your use case. The petrol is definitely quicker, but can't match the incredible feeling of torque you get from the diesel- the way it pulls from idle is quite addictive on the motorway if a bit dangerous for the licence.
I've been lucky enough to put a fair bit of mileage on a few M340i's and a few M340d's and they're both incredible cars. One of the few instances in which I wouldn't feel shortchanged having to go for the diesel I think, especially for your use case. The petrol is definitely quicker, but can't match the incredible feeling of torque you get from the diesel- the way it pulls from idle is quite addictive on the motorway if a bit dangerous for the licence.
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