BMW 3 Series E90 - 325i vs 320i - Auto or Manual

[RobM77]

MikeTFSI said:

I haven't driven an SE so can't really comment on handling.

Most of my experience with Sport/M-Sport is with the E36 and the latest range, so I can't make a direct comparison. However, I own an E90 SE and have done 96k miles in it. I can report that the handling on the SE is nice and neutral and flexible, i.e. I can choose what degree of understeer, neutral steer or oversteer that I want in most corners. It feels very much like M Sport on the latest cars actually. What it does lack that I suspect the E90 M-Sport suspension improves on is composure over mid corner bumps and damping at higher speeds. I'm sure I heard someone say on PH that the M Sport dampers aren't just a more restrictive valving, but actually a much higher quality component with better characteristics.

Another thing that I would say is that the damping on E90s is tuned to work with the stiff RFT sidewalls of the standard tyres. Switching to non-RFT winter tyres on my car is a pretty horrible experience, not just on turn-in with the tread block movement (which is so pronounced that my non-petrolhead wife feels it instantly each year, even if I don't tell her I've switched the tyres), but the damping when driving in a straight line. Lots of people swear by switching to non-RFTs, so either my winter tyres are very, very different to a standard non-RFT sidewall, or those people just have very different tastes in R&H! I suspect it's a bit of both.

[edo]

RobM77 said:

MikeTFSI said:

I haven't driven an SE so can't really comment on handling.

Most of my experience with Sport/M-Sport is with the E36 and the latest range, so I can't make a direct comparison. However, I own an E90 SE and have done 96k miles in it. I can report that the handling on the SE is nice and neutral and flexible, i.e. I can choose what degree of understeer, neutral steer or oversteer that I want in most corners. It feels very much like M Sport on the latest cars actually. What it does lack that I suspect the E90 M-Sport suspension improves on is composure over mid corner bumps and damping at higher speeds. I'm sure I heard someone say on PH that the M Sport dampers aren't just a more restrictive valving, but actually a much higher quality component with better characteristics.

Another thing that I would say is that the damping on E90s is tuned to work with the stiff RFT sidewalls of the standard tyres. Switching to non-RFT winter tyres on my car is a pretty horrible experience, not just on turn-in with the tread block movement (which is so pronounced that my non-petrolhead wife feels it instantly each year, even if I don't tell her I've switched the tyres), but the damping when driving in a straight line. Lots of people swear by switching to non-RFTs, so either my winter tyres are very, very different to a standard non-RFT sidewall, or those people just have very different tastes in R&H! I suspect it's a bit of both.

M Sport dampers are Bilstein I believe.

[2 GKC]

SuperVM said:

Not quite the same, admittedly, but I recently purchased an e46 330i Touring as a cheap estate for the family and dog and regret the engine choice to an extent. It isn't remotely fast, nor is it remotely economical. I find myself wishing I'd gone for a 320d, as at least that would have done something well.

An E46 330i isn't remotely fast? By comparison to what exactly?

[RobM77]

2 GKC said:

SuperVM said:

Not quite the same, admittedly, but I recently purchased an e46 330i Touring as a cheap estate for the family and dog and regret the engine choice to an extent. It isn't remotely fast, nor is it remotely economical. I find myself wishing I'd gone for a 320d, as at least that would have done something well.

An E46 330i isn't remotely fast? By comparison to what exactly?

I'd agree that it's not 'fast', but I'm surprised to hear about the poor economy. My E46 330ci returned low to mid 30s with spirited driving on B roads, which I think is pretty good for 230bhp. My Z4 Coupé was even more impressive - I once got over 40mpg out of it and averaged 30mpg, again on back roads, and I think that was 265bhp? It also had a low ratio final drive. In my opinion this straight six is one of the best mass produced engines out there.

[2 GKC]

The economy on mine is pretty awful but it is a convertible and an automatic so I expected it. I think diesels have changed perception of fast now though. Rev that 330 out and it flies. It needs revs though and I'm very happy to give it them!

[sorin1987]

Thanks for your replies guys.
Regarding economy I am not very concerned since I live in London and I will use this car mostly for road trips and supermarket runs and only drive in London in the evenings or weekends.
Anything around 25-27 combined would still be fine with me

[p1stonhead]

Al U said:

sorin1987 said:

some sort of pedals on the steering wheel to be able to change gears if you want to...but they don't look like the regular flappy pedal type).

Paddles. Anyway, the reason they do not like normal paddles is because they don't work like normal paddles either on the pre-facelift cars. The pre-facelift paddles are push to down shift and pull to shift up (i think that is the right way round) and it doesn't matter which paddle of the 2 that you do that with they both have the same function. A conventional setup usually has one paddle for downshifting and one for changing up. BMW realised this which is why the facelift cars (2010 onwards I believe) have normal paddles.

It has put me off buying pre-facelift cars personally.

£100 for some paddles from an M3 and mine were swapped in 15 minutes - its plug and play they have the same fixings and connectors.

Now its left - down, right - up as it should be.

Much better.

[csmith319]

sorin1987 said:

Thanks for your replies guys.
Regarding economy I am not very concerned since I live in London and I will use this car mostly for road trips and supermarket runs and only drive in London in the evenings or weekends.
Anything around 25-27 combined would still be fine with me

Without wanting to be the idiot who says - have you thought about a different car... But the 130i may fall within budget (I haven't checked prices recently) - sounds like as practical as you need on the above comment, the right engine and most of them are manuals (not sure if they actually offered an auto).

Awesome little car - and mostly as practical as the 3 series but I found mine much more chuckable than a 3 series... Find a 130LE and it's pretty much fully loaded also...