Three months on - bored

[crankedup]

Just a few months since buying my 325i coupe and I’m bored with it, That may sound glib but unfortunately I do miss the excitement that I thought I didn’t need in my driving life. The 325i is so linear there is no prod in the back that tells me my car has a bit of power. That’s not to say the 325i SE is gutless, far from it, it’s a brilliant car, a fabulous all rounder.but not enough grunt, In hindsight a PHer did advise that I go straight into a 330i for the extra bit of punch, couldn’t find the right car at the time though.
Perhaps a year 1999/2000 M5 is on the cards now, but having sampled the M3 E46, brilliant again but the ride was simply to harsh for me. How does the M5 stack up as a wonderful alrounder in your opinions.

[mike9009]

Hi

I am a year into owning an E92 330i. It is massively competent, but too competent. Silly speeds are needed (which I am not prepared to do) to get any buzz out of the car.

Unfortunately for me, I keep my cars for more years than one - so I will persevere with the underwhelming competence for a few more years ..... I do enjoy the comfort, waftability, looks, sound, toys, serenity at motorway speeds, etc. etc. though.

I think an M5 (or similar) would bring further frustration on UK roads - so I will probably go looking for something maybe turbo charged, narrow wheeled and hot 'hatchish' again - avoiding 4WD - I am just not sure what yet. RenaultSport something?? GT86?? If I knew, I would probably be hunting for one already....


Mike

[bmwmike]

Agree on the frustration point. I have a 530i with the same engine as you guys and it is too easy to get to silly speeds if enjoying the car. I had my mind made up for an m5 next but have since decided against for that reason. Also crap roads cameras everywhere etc.

[Sheepshanks]

crankedup said:

... so linear there is no prod in the back that tells me my car has a bit of power.

You need a 320d for that.

[crankedup]

Strangely I have to say that two cars stand out for me, a TVR Griff 4.3 which wanted to kill me and my dear little Renault 5 turbo.
Having said that more recently my e46 M3 was amazing. These are the three cars that stand out in my life from 1986 to present.
Lucky to have had the privilege to have owned them. What next?

[Mr Tidy]

OP, is your 325i an E46 or an E9*?

I was just wondering, because I have an E46 325ti with the M54 engine and a Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 and they are very different.

The 325ti is reasonably quick, but never really takes off like the Z4C does once you get past about 4,000 rpm - then it just wants to head for the limiter!

Hope you find something that gives you a bit of excitement.

[bludger]

I used to have an E36 323i which I think had a 2.5 litre engine but now drive an E46 330ci. They are night and day. The E36 had no poke at all whereas the E46 has both poke and smoothness; it feels like far more than 500cc difference; the performance is totally different.

[Smuler]

From my memory, OP, you got an step-auto and a SE which are two factors reducing the potential for fun as I think a N/a straight six better suits a manual and SE is too soft.

But if you were coming from an E46 M3, surely the only E9X platform car that could suffice for grunt is the oft compared to said M3, 335i.

I daily-drove one, eventually put 17s on it with Michelin Pilot Spot 4 tires and it was a great blend of performance, sportiness but still with a comfortable ride.

I sold it for an E46 M3 which I prefer, but I'm not bothered about the harsh ride

[Billy_Whizzzz]

Sold my manual 530i as it was slow and boring, albeit in a very linear way. Replaces it with a M140i which is better. And a Z4M for the weekends.

[crankedup]

Mr Tidy said:

OP, is your 325i an E46 or an E9*?

I was just wondering, because I have an E46 325ti with the M54 engine and a Z4 Coupe with a 3 litre N52 and they are very different.

The 325ti is reasonably quick, but never really takes off like the Z4C does once you get past about 4,000 rpm - then it just wants to head for the limiter!

Hope you find something that gives you a bit of excitement.

It’s the E9 coupe year 2010. My son tells me that I drive it like it’s an oil burner, stick her foot down dad, go on stick your foot down. Once it’s above 5000 the engine note is distinctly changed and the car is shifting along, but very linear. Maybe should have kept my M3 e46 so quick it’s frieghtened the pants off me! at the time I thought I was passed the stage of enjoying quick cars!

[crankedup]

Smuler said:

From my memory, OP, you got an step-auto and a SE which are two factors reducing the potential for fun as I think a N/a straight six better suits a manual and SE is too soft.

But if you were coming from an E46 M3, surely the only E9X platform car that could suffice for grunt is the oft compared to said M3, 335i.

I daily-drove one, eventually put 17s on it with Michelin Pilot Spot 4 tires and it was a great blend of performance, sportiness but still with a comfortable ride.

I sold it for an E46 M3 which I prefer, but I'm not bothered about the harsh ride

Yes I went for SE version because wife told me the M3 was way to hard riding and I understood that the sports versions are also quite hard riding as well. My 325i is a manual gearbox.
Yes the 335i would have been a better choice coming off an M3 as I did.
Just had a full service on the 325i new tyres all round and bought a space saver for it. Next step is to have the alloys refurbished and the few minor paint scratches dealt with.Maybe then put it up for sale and hope to recoup my money on it.

[mike9009]

crankedup said:

Strangely I have to say that two cars stand out for me, a TVR Griff 4.3 which wanted to kill me and my dear little Renault 5 turbo.
Having said that more recently my e46 M3 was amazing. These are the three cars that stand out in my life from 1986 to present.
Lucky to have had the privilege to have owned them. What next?

Yep, looking back at my ownership experiences and enjoyment, my mk1 MR2 T-Bar and an R53 Cooper S (supercharger whine!) were my most fun cars. My VX220 bordered on too competent for roads too, similar to my current 330i. Unfortunately, I need four seats and boot space (wife and two kids) to provide my 'inner' petrol head kicks.....

I keep thinking a two car solution might be worthwhile, but already owning the wife's car and a classic campervan it is not the most practical or economic solution. (we did have four vehicles at one stage - but I was 'told' after I only did 120 miles in one year in my MX5!!)


Mike

[bmwmike]

Not sure why people are mentioning linear as if it's a bad thing. A nasp i6 is supposed to be linear not like the shove and gone of a diesel or FI petrol.

Personally give me a high revving nasp any day of the week so long as it's not gutless. Finding decent roads to enjoy it on is the main problem.

[crankedup]

^^^^^
Tbh for me it’s likely the transition back to normally aspirated and my getting used to it is my problem. The. car is brilliant, able to take four of us and a boot load of luggage on a 150mile trip with speed and comfort whilst returning 33mpg. I’m told I am never satisfied

[cerb4.5lee]

bmwmike said:

Personally give me a high revving nasp any day of the week so long as it's not gutless. Finding decent roads to enjoy it on is the main problem.

I do agree regards the roads, but the other issues with the E9x 330i is that it's a heavy car...so it only really starts to feel interesting to drive at really high speeds. It also has masses of sound deadening so it insulates you from the speed and the engine sadly.

I was bored even on the test drive of my E90 330i, but I was only buying it as a boring family run about so I'd aligned my expectations of it. My E92 M3 was also boring to drive...unless you drove the arse off it or you were sliding around in it.

The E9x 3 series main remit is to be a comfortable cruiser...being boring is its forte for me.

[squareflops]

I had an e92 330i Msport 6MT for about .. 6 weeks, god it was boring. Very competent, beautiful car inside but it just did nothing for me. The N53 was lovely but totally uninspiring. PT/X'd it for a VX220; which was far too far the 'other' way

[cerb4.5lee]

crankedup said:

I’m told I am never satisfied

I get told that a lot by my Mrs!

I went on and on about getting a E92 M3...yet I ended up hating it and got rid of it after only 10k miles/10 months. She says I'm never happy!

I do think that if you've been used to lighter and more exciting to drive cars previously...then most Bmw's will leave you flat tbh.

As an all round car l loved my 330i, but never once did it raise a smile for me to drive.

[cerb4.5lee]

squareflops said:

I had an e92 330i Msport 6MT for about .. 6 weeks, god it was boring. Very competent, beautiful car inside but it just did nothing for me. The N53 was lovely but totally uninspiring. PT/X'd it for a VX220; which was far too far the 'other' way

I think that is the difficult part trying to find a car somewhere between the two. If finances allow I think having one car that's comfortable, and one that offers fun is the best way, and that has really worked for me in the past.

My E92 M3 taught me that one car can never do it all, and I'd wished I'd stuck with my daily/weekend two car combination instead.

[squareflops]

cerb4.5lee said:

I think that is the difficult part trying to find a car somewhere between the two. If finances allow I think having one car that's comfortable, and one that offers fun is the best way, and that has really worked for me in the past.

My E92 M3 taught me that one car can never do it all, and I'd wished I'd stuck with my daily/weekend two car combination instead.

Totally agree, I thought about finishing my previous thought with - I've got a boxster now and I'm pretty happy, which I am. They are 3 very different cars though!

My e46 M3 was great but felt large and heavy, even being the E46 chassis. Maybe I should have stuck with VX220/1.0 Nissan Micra, the perfect garage

[JackReacher]

cerb4.5lee said:

My E92 M3 taught me that one car can never do it all, and I'd wished I'd stuck with my daily/weekend two car combination instead.

My m240i is teaching me that now, good car and copes with the daily ok, but just doesn't cut it at the weekend. Part of me wants to swap it for a diesel Octavia and get another Cayman or Lotus.