Is the F30 really worth the money?
Discussion
Well after 6 years of a 120d auto ,which I never looked back at once after I locked it and walked away,I am in the car I have allways fancied.
a 330d auto.
A retail price of around £38. I have after 2 weeks got rid of the SE suspension and paid for AC Schnitzers
The handling is great now but bump bump bump bump of the 18inch runflats ,so they will have to go,the seat well a £30 halfords seat cover makes it acceptable.
My question is are the next so called level down cars ie Mondeo ,Insignia,Passat,Mazda etc really truly inferior ???? I dont know never driven them,are we really paying a 10k premium for the badge as a lot of people say??
The thing is none of them have a 3ltr Diesel like my BMW and I guess that is the moneyshot.
Am I dissapointed ,yes but I think the runflats going will cure that ,along with the ACS suspension,
But if Ford put that engine in the Mondeo that would have done me.
Really intersted in your thoughts,
a 330d auto.
A retail price of around £38. I have after 2 weeks got rid of the SE suspension and paid for AC Schnitzers
The handling is great now but bump bump bump bump of the 18inch runflats ,so they will have to go,the seat well a £30 halfords seat cover makes it acceptable.
My question is are the next so called level down cars ie Mondeo ,Insignia,Passat,Mazda etc really truly inferior ???? I dont know never driven them,are we really paying a 10k premium for the badge as a lot of people say??
The thing is none of them have a 3ltr Diesel like my BMW and I guess that is the moneyshot.
Am I dissapointed ,yes but I think the runflats going will cure that ,along with the ACS suspension,
But if Ford put that engine in the Mondeo that would have done me.
Really intersted in your thoughts,
drmark said:
I hope it is the runflats! I run 19 inch RFTs on my F11 and the ride is great. On my 18 RFTs (which I use for winters) the ride is even better. Are you sure it's not your new suspension?
mmm...my pal has an F10 on 19s comparing notes its the same feelings,deffo not the suspension.Which brings me to another thread start ,,,that I believe some manufacturers Run Flats are far better than others,need to maybe find out which one is the winner...do a lot of miles and non runflats with a kit maybe a step too far
The same question you asked is already being answered here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Whilst I agree in part with Smashy, in questioning what are we getting for the money, certainly not a nice interior that's for sure.
What other 5 seat estate can you get for 35k-40k (after discount) that does a sub 5 sec to 62 and will return mid 40's on a run? (I refer to the 335d xdrive)
I like the Passat CC but they don't put the VAG bi-turbo 3.0 engine in it, you have to pay for the Audi badge to get that.
Ford etc.. don't seem to be interested in making powerful diesel cars.
My biggest gripe with the F30/31 cars is the quality of the interior and the lack of any theatre or flare, it feels cheap and plain Jane.
What other 5 seat estate can you get for 35k-40k (after discount) that does a sub 5 sec to 62 and will return mid 40's on a run? (I refer to the 335d xdrive)
I like the Passat CC but they don't put the VAG bi-turbo 3.0 engine in it, you have to pay for the Audi badge to get that.
Ford etc.. don't seem to be interested in making powerful diesel cars.
My biggest gripe with the F30/31 cars is the quality of the interior and the lack of any theatre or flare, it feels cheap and plain Jane.
Edited by Wills2 on Tuesday 18th November 13:49
I have been lucky enough to run an Audi A3 Black Edition 2.0TDI, BMW E91 320d Touring M Sport and now a F30 330d SE (w/ Prof Media) for the past three cars and just ordered a 335d GT M Sport as I am moving jobs and losing the company car. I recently had an Automatic Mondeo, brand new, as a hire car as my 330 was in for some repairs and I can wholeheartedly tell you that I hated it and didn't appreciate anything over the 330 except it had a massive boot...
I suppose it depends what you are looking for but Ford's do nothing for me whatsoever. Yes I will be paying a massive amount more the car I have ordered but it is very much worth it for me personally. Refinement of the engine/ gearbox combination, sharper handling, better looks, better seats (M Sport for sure, my SE seats are a bit s
te), massively better Sat Nav/ media system... the list goes on
I suppose it depends what you are looking for but Ford's do nothing for me whatsoever. Yes I will be paying a massive amount more the car I have ordered but it is very much worth it for me personally. Refinement of the engine/ gearbox combination, sharper handling, better looks, better seats (M Sport for sure, my SE seats are a bit s
te), massively better Sat Nav/ media system... the list goes onRokut hi ,do me a favour your cars show you will qualified to give an honest review.Give your SE a real workout down hill up dale round and round ,motorway thrashes and give us an honest assesment of that suspension,if you dont think its not fit for purpose the first drinks are on me,
smashy said:
Rokut hi ,do me a favour your cars show you will qualified to give an honest review.Give your SE a real workout down hill up dale round and round ,motorway thrashes and give us an honest assesment of that suspension,if you dont think its not fit for purpose the first drinks are on me,
Haha I'm on 7K miles now in the 330, had it since July. When you kick on then the SE suspension does no favours at all. It's not a great setup, but it is SE... I find you can drive around it in most instances but also know this isn't a sports car or really even anything more than a mid-sized, well branded, powerful saloon. The SE tyres with 17" wheels also means it lacks bite on turn in. I felt the difference after moving from the E91 M Sport but enjoy the power too much to worry about how quick I am through the twisties The more worrying thing for me is that at motorway speeds, if you find a bumpy patch of tarmac, the control is atrocious. I have been bounced out of my seat once or twice on some (admittedly wicked) bumps in the road. For me - it's not great, it's not good, but it is manageable. Does it really serve BMW's slogan 'Ultimate Driving Machine' well? No, not really.
I think the passive M Sport is the best of the bunch currently - softer than the E91, still enough bite and damping to control over twisty/ bumpy roads.
My new GT is 335 so SE springs due to xDrive, but I have opted for Adaptive Suspension. From a test drive I think this will suit me just fine, but the GT is 1.8 tonnes of car and I won't be doing any Loeb-esque driving in it.
I also had a 350Z and Clio 182 Cup as cars previous to those listed above, just for info.
ACS might be something I look into in the future but with the type of driving I do now (usually have a wife next to me and a 2 year old in the back, with another baby due in April) I think the Adaptive should be fine.
The 350Z had awesome suspension if my memory serves me well. Well damped but tight and very controlled where needed. The Clio was a shaky rattly thing but it was fit for purpose and is known for having excellent handling and did not disappoint. An SE 1.6 tonne saloon was always going to give what I got from my point of view. Plus, it was on a company car list, only in my grade due to having the BluePerformance upgrade as part of the car and was my only way into the 30d engine - so I think I may just 'put up with it' rather than actively think about it.
Enjoy your ACS sus!
The 350Z had awesome suspension if my memory serves me well. Well damped but tight and very controlled where needed. The Clio was a shaky rattly thing but it was fit for purpose and is known for having excellent handling and did not disappoint. An SE 1.6 tonne saloon was always going to give what I got from my point of view. Plus, it was on a company car list, only in my grade due to having the BluePerformance upgrade as part of the car and was my only way into the 30d engine - so I think I may just 'put up with it' rather than actively think about it.
Enjoy your ACS sus!
As I mentioned in a previous thread.
I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
pauldavies85 said:
As I mentioned in a previous thread.
I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
They probably removed the transit blocks from the struts/dampers! On a different F30/1 note has anyone noticed that the current 3 series has large panel gaps, particularly around the bonnet? Park one next to an E46 for an interesting comparison.I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
helix402 said:
pauldavies85 said:
As I mentioned in a previous thread.
I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
They probably removed the transit blocks from the struts/dampers! On a different F30/1 note has anyone noticed that the current 3 series has large panel gaps, particularly around the bonnet? Park one next to an E46 for an interesting comparison.I found my new f31 to have really bouncy and poor ride to my f30 saloon I had for two years previously.
I took it back and they re-attached or realigned something, and it's been transformed. I guess it was drop link on the anti roll bar?
I'm running 19's with the Pirelli RFT and the ride is really good. I do have adaptive sus though.
Maybe worth speaking to bmw again. My friend has the same issue with his 420d, however his garage just said nothing wrong. Luck of the draw I guess!
I have a 2014 330d m sport - (but it has SE suspension as the dealer messed up and didnt add adaptive to the order but deleted M sport suspension)
I have done about 16k miles in it since May 2014, its a very comfortable cruiser, effortless amount of speed when you want it, good overall economy, i generally really liked it... until recently.
I picked up a brand new Fiesta sport van 1.6 diesel (another story) I wanted to half the miles i was quickly adding to my 330d for business, after about 500 miles in the fiesta i am actually choosing to drive the van over my 330d, it just feels good, it steers well, corners well, has a bit of feedback, the 330d in comparison is dull and numb and the waftiness is omg terrible, and i seem to be only choosing it if i have a motorway cruise to do.
I will wait until the new year, but at the moment i feel i will be handing back the 330d.
I test drove an M4 a couple of weeks back and found that a bit dissapointing also, came away just not feeling like i thought i would feel about it.
I have done about 16k miles in it since May 2014, its a very comfortable cruiser, effortless amount of speed when you want it, good overall economy, i generally really liked it... until recently.
I picked up a brand new Fiesta sport van 1.6 diesel (another story) I wanted to half the miles i was quickly adding to my 330d for business, after about 500 miles in the fiesta i am actually choosing to drive the van over my 330d, it just feels good, it steers well, corners well, has a bit of feedback, the 330d in comparison is dull and numb and the waftiness is omg terrible, and i seem to be only choosing it if i have a motorway cruise to do.
I will wait until the new year, but at the moment i feel i will be handing back the 330d.
I test drove an M4 a couple of weeks back and found that a bit dissapointing also, came away just not feeling like i thought i would feel about it.
Edited by Jim909 on Friday 21st November 09:05
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