RE: BMW 340i manual (F30) | Spotted
Discussion
Krikkit said:
Surely somewhere like PH we can acknowledge the fact that bigger diameter wheels are only about vanity and compromise the actual driving experience?
Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
I’m definitely in agreement. 17s on our 330i.Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
On my MX5, the 15” only weigh 5.2kg.
J4CKO said:
Yeah, we have got blase about power these day but 500 bhp is only a map, intake, downpipe away, more if you are prepared to upgrade the turbo, add meth injection etc, and it looks like a pretty nondescript three series.
Absolutely. Someone referred to my M140i as a "junior BMW" in a laughable attempt at a putdown recently (I'd dared to call electric cars dull)...this is a relatively small car with a 340hp turbocharged straight six, manual gearbox and RWD that shows a clean pair of heels to 99.9% of cars on the road, including expensive sports cars from not that long ago.
TREMAiNE said:
Matt_T said:
Stupid question time... how does cruise control work with a manual gearbox? In my auto Honda, when it's in cruise it changes through the gearbox for hills to maintain the same speed. What happens in a manual car when you get to a uphill?
It doesn't change gear. Simple as that. If you have to change down a gear, it stops cruise control and you have to 'resume' it - the same as if you brake in an auto.
Adaptive cruise control in a manual is the same as the above.
I also feel different cars suit different boxes - so I prefer the 135/40 with the manual, it can be a spiteful wee beast and the manual seems to make it more challenging which I quite liked. But the 3 is such a large car these days and with a comfort oriented spec I'd probably think manual is not quite right?
I changed my daily earlier this year from a low mileage 7.5 GTI to a very low miles 2017 440. The Golf DSG gearbox seems widely praised. The gearbox on the 440 is leagues better in daily use. You don’t feel the changes whereas in the Golf you often could.
The 440 runs on 20” OEM alloys with run flats. The car rides amazingly well- again better than the Golf which was on 18”s with conventional tyres.
I’ve spent years running a daily and a sports car. I wanted a post 17 S3 Elise but prices remain stratospheric and I struggle to reconcile £45k on what is ultimately a very old car- albeit a fun one.
Opportunities for enjoying a sports car seem increasingly limited and I find myself considering a 4 series cab as a daily / fun car. I appreciate they are big, heavy cars, but the ride/performance/economy mix are all acceptable and they don’t seem immune from depreciation.
The fill in M cars seem a bit much for me to run one as a daily and I don’t love the folding hardtop. I don’t think the current 4 series has a 440 cab option?
On this 340 I would venture the automatic is so good, it makes the manual almost redundant.
The 440 runs on 20” OEM alloys with run flats. The car rides amazingly well- again better than the Golf which was on 18”s with conventional tyres.
I’ve spent years running a daily and a sports car. I wanted a post 17 S3 Elise but prices remain stratospheric and I struggle to reconcile £45k on what is ultimately a very old car- albeit a fun one.
Opportunities for enjoying a sports car seem increasingly limited and I find myself considering a 4 series cab as a daily / fun car. I appreciate they are big, heavy cars, but the ride/performance/economy mix are all acceptable and they don’t seem immune from depreciation.
The fill in M cars seem a bit much for me to run one as a daily and I don’t love the folding hardtop. I don’t think the current 4 series has a 440 cab option?
On this 340 I would venture the automatic is so good, it makes the manual almost redundant.
Jon_S_Rally said:
Krikkit said:
Surely somewhere like PH we can acknowledge the fact that bigger diameter wheels are only about vanity and compromise the actual driving experience?
Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
Why? Car enthusiasm is a broad church. It isn't vanity to prioritise appearance over performance, or to prefer bigger wheels. Different people just like different things. Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
Jon_S_Rally said:
Also, the ride of a car depends on more than just the wheel and tyre size. Yes, a larger sidewall makes it easier to achieve good ride quality, but there are plenty of cars out there with low profile tyres that ride perfectly well.
There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to cars. They're just a series of compromises; either ones made by the designers/engineers, or ones chosen by the customer depending on their budget/preferences.
Correct, but the easiest route to getting the best out of a chassis is to reduce unsprung weight, the best way of doing that while browsing the options list is to go for the smallest wheel/tyre combo you're prepared to compromise with.There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to cars. They're just a series of compromises; either ones made by the designers/engineers, or ones chosen by the customer depending on their budget/preferences.
17" wheels (if they'd fit over the brakes) on this car would look a bit daft, but be lighter again, yet I'd stick with 18" as my compromise of vanity, knowing I'd sacrificed in other areas.
Used to know someone who had one, fitted some popping exhausts and that is the sort of car it is, attracts the wrong crowd.
Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
Deranged Rover said:
I'd be sad about the lack of heated seats.
Other than that, this is exaxctly what a premium car should look like and i wouldn't change a thing on it. Love it!
Porsche would call this a Club Sport and charge extra, in fact if it were a full M car BMW would, probably a cost option to remove heated seats off a car that has them as standard.Other than that, this is exaxctly what a premium car should look like and i wouldn't change a thing on it. Love it!
The lack of bottom warmers is not great when paired with the cold dead synthetic skin feel of BMW Dakota leather, on a minus 5 morning it is pretty unpleasant. We didnt really miss heated seats in the days of Velour but cloth used now tends to be a bit less welcoming and not far off as cold as leather.
Triumph Man said:
Limpet said:
Great car in a great (and relatively rare) colour. Shame it’s absolute poverty spec though. No HK (so the stereo will sound like a £49.99 micro system from Argos), no pro nav, no heated seats. I see no heroism in austerity, particularly when it has no measurable impact on the way the car drives. Give me the toys!
Give me the straight six and manual gearbox! Edited by Limpet on Tuesday 9th August 08:25
Having a crap stereo, crap nav/infotainment, and no bum warmers isn't though. As I said, poverty spec doesn't improve a car. The weight saving will be trivial/unnoticeable, and it makes the car less nice to live with.
With regard to the comment earlier about colour, this is Melbourne Red, which is a metallic. I specced one of my company 320ds in this colour. Most metallic reds are dark/burgundy, but this is a proper bright red with a metallic flake. It's a truly stunning colour when clean and polished.
My bet is this is an ex cheap lease deal car. I was looking at 335ds around 2016/17 years when all the silly deals were on, and all the hot deals were on poverty spec cars like this. Metallic is often thrown in on leases, as its a relatively low cost option that is largely recouped when the car is sold on in terms of better residual values.
Edited by Limpet on Tuesday 9th August 11:38
Shuthan_ATR said:
Used to know someone who had one, fitted some popping exhausts and that is the sort of car it is, attracts the wrong crowd.
Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
Yeah but noProblem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
The 340i is just a pokey everyday saloon, which its fairly good at.
The M3 is a saloon pretending to be a sportscar.....there are better sportscars
Two totally different things for different people.
What The Deuces said:
Shuthan_ATR said:
Used to know someone who had one, fitted some popping exhausts and that is the sort of car it is, attracts the wrong crowd.
Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
Yeah but noProblem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
The 340i is just a pokey everyday saloon, which its fairly good at.
The M3 is a saloon pretending to be a sportscar.....there are better sportscars
Two totally different things for different people.
Shuthan_ATR said:
Used to know someone who had one, fitted some popping exhausts and that is the sort of car it is, attracts the wrong crowd.
Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
No, the M3 is a pretty cack. For people who think they drive a "racing Motorsport BMW" but in reality it's a full old boat.Problem with the M340i is the M3, that a better one exists where BMW had to pin it back, and that it isn’t the best it could be. When you have a M3 turn up next to you at the lights, it will sink in.
Great car no doubt but spend more and get an M3.
A 340 with a suspension upgrade, LSD and a few tweaks would be a cracker. Far more appealing than an M3 IMO.
Rather than an M3, I would much rather this car and a Lotus/Caterham as well for the same cost. Far more bang for your buck.
Krikkit said:
Jon_S_Rally said:
Krikkit said:
Surely somewhere like PH we can acknowledge the fact that bigger diameter wheels are only about vanity and compromise the actual driving experience?
Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
Why? Car enthusiasm is a broad church. It isn't vanity to prioritise appearance over performance, or to prefer bigger wheels. Different people just like different things. Of course you can want the big wheels and rubber band tyres, but you must admit that to those that prioritise ride quality over looks a 19" wheel is absolutely the wrong answer.
Jon_S_Rally said:
Also, the ride of a car depends on more than just the wheel and tyre size. Yes, a larger sidewall makes it easier to achieve good ride quality, but there are plenty of cars out there with low profile tyres that ride perfectly well.
There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to cars. They're just a series of compromises; either ones made by the designers/engineers, or ones chosen by the customer depending on their budget/preferences.
Correct, but the easiest route to getting the best out of a chassis is to reduce unsprung weight, the best way of doing that while browsing the options list is to go for the smallest wheel/tyre combo you're prepared to compromise with.There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to cars. They're just a series of compromises; either ones made by the designers/engineers, or ones chosen by the customer depending on their budget/preferences.
17" wheels (if they'd fit over the brakes) on this car would look a bit daft, but be lighter again, yet I'd stick with 18" as my compromise of vanity, knowing I'd sacrificed in other areas.
Stereo can be sorted for next to nothing these days.
I've picked up Sony head units for £60 new with the bonus of Bluetooth connection for music and phone calls.
I, personally, have never found an in car Sat Nav as versatile, easy to use and accurate as Waze or Google.
So I'm fine with the wheels, lack of decent stereo and sat nav, just a shame I don't have £20k spare.
I've picked up Sony head units for £60 new with the bonus of Bluetooth connection for music and phone calls.
I, personally, have never found an in car Sat Nav as versatile, easy to use and accurate as Waze or Google.
So I'm fine with the wheels, lack of decent stereo and sat nav, just a shame I don't have £20k spare.
Heated seats is a weird omission on this car. I spent more time than I care to admit poring over spec sheets when I bought a used F31 330d M Sport and I dont recall ever seeing one without heated seats, I assumed it was standard fit on that trim level.
I could happily live with this one though, the only thing I'd miss is the Pro Nav and upgraded HiFi.
I could happily live with this one though, the only thing I'd miss is the Pro Nav and upgraded HiFi.
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