Should I move from an M240i to a 320d GT?

[Jamescrs]

I'm struggling with this conundrum in my head, I own a M240i which i've had for about 18 months, it's a manual gearbox car on about 43k miles and it's a 66 plate. It's my daily car, and for reference I also own a Porsche 986 Boxster which is my toy so I have the fun car largely covered.

The 240 is my daily drive and I commute about 15 miles daily so fuel economy isn't really a concern, it's mainly just me in the car but I do have a Mrs and two young kids and the wife owns a Mini Countryman which is our family trip car, I can get both kids in mine but we wouldn't fit as a family because I need the seat all the way back to drive.

I do enjoy the 240 and it's almost the perfect daily in many ways, I feel the way cars are progressing there will never be another car made now which is quite the same as the 240, maybe i'm kidding myself there but I do wonder if in the future it may have some rarity value given it's also a manual.

The other issue with the 240 is that given i'm 6ft4 I find myself having to bend awkwardly to get in which causes me knee pain, and it's starting to annoy me, the Porsche also does but that's not a daily drive so I accept it.


Now I keep getting tempted to buy a more family orientated car, the wife's Mini is ok but I don't really enjoy driving it, the 320GT I have looked at is very similar to my 240 inside, same i-drive same dashboard etc which is a good thing as I like my car but obviously it's a far more practical car, it's an auto which does appeal to me as a daily driver and will probably ultimately save me some fuel for what that's worth.

The BMW 320GT is on a 14 plate with 47k miles so slightly older but the mileage difference is not significant.

It feels a little ridiculous to have both the M240i and the Porsche available to me without having anything particularly practical but I feel like if I sell or trade in the 240i I may well regret it.

This post is a little bit rambling but it's always helpful to get some views from the internet, has anyone made a similar move to this or gone from a more powerful BMW to a fairly standard BMW engine and regretted it?

[cerb4.5lee]

Not the same move, but I did swap a E53 X5 4.8iS for a E61 520d Touring and I absolutely hated the 4 cylinder diesel engine in the 520d.

So I'd imagine if I was in your position I'd be disappointed with a 320d GT after a M240i. That is just me though.

[Jamescrs]

cerb4.5lee said:

Not the same move, but I did swap a E53 X5 4.8iS for a E61 520d Touring and I absolutely hated the 4 cylinder diesel engine in the 520d.

So I'd imagine if I was in your position I'd be disappointed with a 320d GT after a M240i. That is just me though.

Thanks for the reply, I suspect you may be right

[loskie]

yes probably

[survivalist]

I recon you'd be much happier with a 340i, or if you had to go diesel, a 330d. In touring format they are pretty useful. Also, having had a 5 series GT, the sloping boot is a pain on the GT cars.

[cerb4.5lee]

survivalist said:

I recon you'd be much happier with a 340i, or if you had to go diesel, a 330d. In touring format they are pretty useful. Also, having had a 5 series GT, the sloping boot is a pain on the GT cars.

I was thinking about this thread earlier again and I echo what you say here. I'd be looking at the 330d/335d/340i GT or possibly even the 330i GT if that is what the OP really wants.

Anything but the 320d!

[kurokawa]

Jamescrs said:

This post is a little bit rambling but it's always helpful to get some views from the internet, has anyone made a similar move to this or gone from a more powerful BMW to a fairly standard BMW engine and regretted it?

Not sure if it help
I have gone the opposite, I P/X my 14 plate 320d GT Sport to a 16 plate F23 235i M Sport, and own a 987 cayman for a short while

The 235i feel so much lighter especially cornering, and can feel the tail happy when I push it. Still, it doesnt feel that joyful in normal daily commute, it need to push to extract the fun out.

The l6 also sound much better, but the 320d is very quiet for a diesel l4. the 320d still feel quick but could not push it and rev happy like the 235i.
The interior feel "cheaper" in my F23, I miss the electric adjust seat in the GT, the big boot and limousine level of leg room, it is a pain to put my kid out of the car seat from the back of F23.

My though, I enjoy the F34 GT more than the F23. F23 is fast and could be quite fun in wet with some silly speed in corner, but it does not give me the same thrill like the Cayman or even older BMW like E93/E36. The GT is comfortable, feel more luxurious than the 2 series, you might want to go for 335d instead, a friend run a 435d it is very quick, full of punch and surprisingly quiet

[Jamescrs]

Thanks for the replies, I've got back into the 240i today having been driving the Boxster for a few days and have now started thinking "why would I get rid of this car" again the 240 is such a good all round car for my daily needs.

I have gone off the 320 GT completely now, the one I was looking at I found out has not been serviced since 2017! but I don't really want one anyway now, the only other car whcih really grabs me is the X6 with the 30d engine, I know X6 are marmite looks but I really like them, always have done, that being said I think i'll be keeping the 240i another while yet. .

[squareflops]

I'm probably in the minority here but I've recently had a E91 320d, F11 530d and F11 520d. Having had 2 E46 M3's and a 986.2 Boxster I really rate the N47 20d in the 3 and 5. It's of course not as quick / refined as the 30d but the car still moves forward at an acceptable pace and I find the 50+ mpg of the 2l engine appealing.

Each to their own and sounds like you may have decided to go in a different direction already but that's my input.

I do massively miss my Boxster, that was a fantastic car and I regret selling it often, you have a great fleet there!

[mike9009]

My wife has a 5 door MINI and I have a 330i Coupe (E92, so a bit older).

I was surprised you do not enjoy driving the MINI. I enjoy my wife's car even though it is only a Cooper D. The BMW is nowhere near as fun to drive on the road. More competent? yes, driving enjoyment? no.

So, I am making an assumption that you enjoy the BMW because of the grunt and the noise. Therefore moving to a 320D will be a let down despite it being the same 'format'. You need anything but a four pot diesel.

[DJMC]

I drive a six cylinder 981 Cayman. Previously had several six cylinder BMWs - last, for nine years, a 2003 E46 330ci Sport Convertible.

I like driving my wife's 2016 X1 XDrive 2.0d, for what it is.
0-60 under 7 seconds. Comfortable (Sport seats). 45mpg. Great for holidays with the dogs. Fantastic in snow, even though it's part time 4WD.

Sure, no BMW has been an ultimate driving machine for 15 years but if you have your fun car, as I do, and you don't like the Countryman (an X1 clone) how about something other than BMW?

[Jamescrs]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Sorry haven't come back to the thread for a while as i'm pretty much decided on keeping the 240 for another 18 months,

In response to why not sell the Boxster, if push came to shove and I had to get rid of one of the cars i'd keep the Boxster over the BMW and buy a cheap daily run about.

The Boxster feels special every time I get in it, maybe because it's driven much less but it just feels light and agile and fun.

The BMW is massively competent and more than fast enough, and comfortable and well made but it doesn't particuarly excite me in the way the Porsche does.

I think while i'll keep the BMW another 18 months maybe 2 years when I do come to replace it, assuming I still have the Porsche then i'll be moving to something like a five series or an E-Class, but that being said it's a long time away in car ownership terms given my past history of changing usually every 18 months.

[Court_S]

Jamescrs said:

The BMW is massively competent and more than fast enough, and comfortable and well made but it doesn't particularly excite me in the way the Porsche does.

This sums up my view of the 40i cars albeit I wasn't comparing mine to a Porsche! I still found myself loosing interest in it and its not a car that I've missed despite replacing it with older / slower cars.

[anonymous-user]

The B58 has untold tuning potential. It’s the modern day 2JZ. Unless you’re deeply uncomfortable driving position wise or need to save money on fuel… and your commute has changed to mileage++ then it would be a huge downgrade in my humble view.