120d vs 320d, any thoughts?
Discussion
My other half, after much deliberation, has just put a deposit on a 6000 miles 07 320d. We drove both and she preferred the shape of the 320d and the fact that there was more space. I had a day in the 1 series and only 30 minutes (with the Mrs and the female BMW sales bod in the back) so couldn't get to grips with the 3 series's dynamics over the 1 series. The 120d was a good little car and surprisingly swift but, the back end refused to party completely, no chance to try that in the 3.. Also, has anyone had one of these previous incarnation TD engines chipped? Cheers
Edited by hewlett on Tuesday 1st July 14:08
Just re-read your post and see you have the pre efficient dynamics 163bhp car.
You have a few options, the Spider adaptive tuning box gives very good results on this car and will increase the mpg a fair bit too.
The tuning companies will get pretty good results from that engine too, expect around 210bhp from most of them which makes a huge difference.
You have a few options, the Spider adaptive tuning box gives very good results on this car and will increase the mpg a fair bit too.
The tuning companies will get pretty good results from that engine too, expect around 210bhp from most of them which makes a huge difference.
If it's any consolation my 120D isn't nearly as well made as my old E46. So far I've needed a new glovenox, storage bin, door threshold trims, door seal, interior light, seat control handle, and now the light senson has failed and the aircon is just not up to a day like yesterday. All minor stuff but...... I also had to spend £500 getting rid of the rft's.
It's good for minor roads and parking, but feels small on motorways imho.
I'm sure you'll be happier with a 3 Series, and at some point so will I! good luck with it.
It's good for minor roads and parking, but feels small on motorways imho.
I'm sure you'll be happier with a 3 Series, and at some point so will I! good luck with it.
I seem to be in the minority, but I test drove a 120D back-to-back with a 320 the other day and I much prefered the 3-series. It seemed to shrink around you far more than the 120, which felt like a much bigger, heavier car than I epxected. This may be down to the suspension - the 120 had the m-sport kit which flet stiffly sprung, but rather under-damped and the 320 was standard. The steering on both felt a little numb compared to the earlier (petrol) BMWs I've driven, perhaps (at a guess) due to the extra weight of the diesel lump?
I've always been impressed with the BMW saloons I'd driven, so I expected a smaller, lighter hatchback to be a revelation. To be brutally honest, I wasn't sure how it justified its premium over something like a Focus.
I've always been impressed with the BMW saloons I'd driven, so I expected a smaller, lighter hatchback to be a revelation. To be brutally honest, I wasn't sure how it justified its premium over something like a Focus.
Hmm, we'll see then. I will hopefully be collecting it on Saturday. Although I enjoyed the 120d when it came to returning it at the end of the 24 hours I wasn't too bothered about handing it back, I'd got a wee bit bored with it by then. Hopefully the 3 series will be more entertaining, most of it's life though it'll be stuck in traffic, cruising on the motorway so the refinement and comfort will be probably of greater significance than the dynamics for the occasional 'long route home'. Thanks all for your replies btw.
chris7676 said:
What's the actual MPG with these engine? Have only been in other TDIs (VW, Fiat) and so far can't understand people buying them - rubbish performance and consumption, possibly BMWs are better?
RWD - it makes a big difference in the handling. I didnt believe the hype until I drove the 123d SE and that thing was on rails. The premium for a RWD car IMHO is worth it for the handling aspect.chris7676 said:
What's the actual MPG with these engine? Have only been in other TDIs (VW, Fiat) and so far can't understand people buying them - rubbish performance and consumption, possibly BMWs are better?
In a 320d, you should get about 30-35mpg in town and circa 45-50mpg on a runhewlett said:
It's the ES version (as opposed to the SE)..
The ES is still a good car - all that's missing from an SE is Parking sensors, climate instead of A/C a different stereo, different alloys and cruise iirc.We used to get the odd ES in that had a bit of spec on it so you may well have a better specced car than a standard SE anyhow.
We test drove a sport but the sales lady told the Mrs that the SE or ES was 'slightly more comfortable' so that's the one she went for.......well it will be her name on the log book. I'll be interested to see how the car fairs on Sunday morning blasts with other PHers with serious metal though.
Edited by hewlett on Friday 4th July 08:49
hewlett said:
We test drove a sport but the sales lady told the Mrs that the SE or ES was 'slightly more comfortable' so that's the one she went for.......well it will be her name on the log book. I'll be interested to see how the car fairs on Sunday morning blasts with other PHers with serious metal though.
Sorry, I am going to have to comment on that. bEdited by hewlett on Friday 4th July 08:49
ks! The sales person not you I mean.
The SE uses boge/sachs suspension which is very crashy and does not soak up the poor British roads at all well, where as the M-Sport uses really nice Bilstein suspension, it soaks up the road far better than the se.
Also, the 320d M-Sport editions, which comes with nav, bluetooth, leather, 18" si wheels and metallic for £1000 more is the cheapest 3 series to own at the moment as the residuals on it are so strong.
I would get back and swap the order over if it were me.
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