M340i

[Colinv6]

I just can’t love the new 3er. It just doesn’t excite me. The rear end, especially the bumper looks too high, as only half of it is painted, and the front grille is terrible.

The tanzanite car above is way way too dark for black wheels too.
I’m a huuuuuuge BMW man, but I’m actually struggling to love any of the “G” series models, or the new F40 1 series.

[snake_oil]

Zarco said:

Anyone else think black kidney grilles look cack?

Ruins the front end for me.

They are appalling. If they only followed the line to where they kink they'd be great. But the extra height is just like the abortion on the pre-LCI E90.

[Court_S]

Zarco said:

Anyone else think black kidney grilles look cack?

Ruins the front end for me.

Especially on a light coloured car. I’ve see a few white G20’s and the black grilles look really really silly in them. They’re not quite so offensive on a dark car.

[bad company]

Yes I’d prefer a dark colour with that black grill. Trouble is I’d want the blue as I cannot do black and that’d mean whiteish leather which can be a pain.

[Colinv6]

snake_oil said:

They are appalling. If they only followed the line to where they kink they'd be great. But the extra height is just like the abortion on the pre-LCI E90.

That’s ecactly what I think, re: your e90 comment. Even worse is they are usually closed so just appear a solid black blob. Terrible design.

[Pica-Pica]

smashy said:

Sytner high wycombe on saturday had a new one in there....£48k ......sat in it yes it was ok ...but not 48ks worth of ok...

Indeed, it would need to be a very special 3 to be over 40k: it is not a 40k car, so why lost it at that?

[Zarco]

bad company said:

Zarco said:

Anyone else think black kidney grilles look cack?

Ruins the front end for me.

They may look better on a darker coloured car.

Hmmm... I'll give you that. I think this black example looks fantastic (the shiny shiny show room lights may count for some of that).

https://youtu.be/fe87GWfucMY

What I generally don't like about black trims is it seems to rob the detail of the design and just turns into a blob. That doesn't seem to be the case with this one, but the lighting is very good.

[panholio]

maniac886 said:

Joe Achilles review..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTFAX_HEUs8

Finally a UK review!! Look forward to watching that although Joe can go on a bit.

[JNW1]

smashy said:

Disgusting Bridgestone runflats.......Joe Achilles throwaway line " no problem you can just go out and spend £800 on michelins " ah ok ....wish they would put Goodyear F1 Eagle Assymetric 3s on instead they are a different world

Yes, don't understand why BMW have saddled a car like the M340i with run-flats but to specify Bridegestones - which in my experience are the worst ones BMW fit - is doubly disappointing.

That said, the Joe Achilles review is pretty positive overall and I'm still thinking a G21 would make an ideal replacement for my F31 335d; just need to wait for the new model euphoria to subside and some decent deals to emerge!

[numtumfutunch]

Pica-Pica said:

smashy said:

Sytner high wycombe on saturday had a new one in there....£48k ......sat in it yes it was ok ...but not 48ks worth of ok...

Indeed, it would need to be a very special 3 to be over 40k: it is not a 40k car, so why lost it at that?

The (diesel) S4 Avant is 50k OTR and the C43 Estate 51k so pricing seems level with its obvious rivals - and not too much more than the car it replaces but with better spec

Mind you I never got a finance quote for an S4 so have no idea if they were ever knocked out with the same amount of discount as the F31, although I flirted with an S4 lease once which came up at just the wrong time and was pretty bloody good

Cheers

[Court_S]

JNW1 said:

Yes, don't understand why BMW have saddled a car like the M340i with run-flats but to specify Bridegestones - which in my experience are the worst ones BMW fit - is doubly disappointing.

That said, the Joe Achilles review is pretty positive overall and I'm still thinking a G21 would make an ideal replacement for my F31 335d; just need to wait for the new model euphoria to subside and some decent deals to emerge!

It’s odd given that the M140’s were sold with Pilot Sports.w

Joe’s reviews are always endlessly positive. Personally I wouldn’t give the much weight, but that’s another debate.

[Zarco]

Court_S said:

Joe’s reviews are always endlessly positive. Personally I wouldn’t give the much weight, but that’s another debate.

I quite like him but he does seem to be in bed with his local BMW dealer.

[as7920]

Colinv6 said:

I just can’t love the new 3er. It just doesn’t excite me. The rear end, especially the bumper looks too high, as only half of it is painted, and the front grille is terrible.

The tanzanite car above is way way too dark for black wheels too.
I’m a huuuuuuge BMW man, but I’m actually struggling to love any of the “G” series models, or the new F40 1 series.

I am absolutely with you. Not gelling with the current design language, M8 being the exception.

[JNW1]

numtumfutunch said:

The (diesel) S4 Avant is 50k OTR and the C43 Estate 51k so pricing seems level with its obvious rivals - and not too much more than the car it replaces but with better spec

Yes, a well specced F31 340i listed at over £50k; however, even from launch they were pretty much always available with 20% plus discounts which brought the price you actually paid back to high £30k's or possibly very low £40k's if you'd ticked almost every option. In contrast, a decent spec G21 M340i is probably going to be high £40k's if the discounts available on the saloon are anything to go by and hence that's quite a difference from the car it replaces IMO.

As for the S4 and C43, I agree the price you'll have to pay for a M340i is likely to be similar to those given the current levels of discount; however, historically those rivals enjoyed better residuals than the F31 which helped on the monthly repayments for those using PCP. Therefore, if the G21 is going to have similar residuals to the F31 - but an actual purchase price closer to the S4 and C43 - that's going to make it quite expensive for anyone getting their car via a PCP.....

[p1stonhead]

This car in touring form is right at the top of my list for one day.

Touring in blue with tan leather please


Bmw approved actually have these down as low as £44k already. Will be into the 30’s without too much trouble soon surely.

Edited by p1stonhead on Tuesday 1st October 10:46

[JNW1]

Zarco said:

Court_S said:

Joe’s reviews are always endlessly positive. Personally I wouldn’t give the much weight, but that’s another debate.

I quite like him but he does seem to be in bed with his local BMW dealer.

I daresay there's an element of keeping sweet the people who lend him the cars but nevertheless I generally find his reviews a decent watch. He also puts his money where his mouth in terms of purchases; I'm sure TRL does him a good deal on the BMW's he buys but I doubt Joe gets them for nothing!

[smashy]

I like Joe Achilles he would be a good bloke to have a pint with......I find his latest M135i vid interesting he was trying to show the love and be enthusiastic but it was for show it felt false.Watching his M340i vid back to back showed that he REALLY loved that car.

[snake_oil]

smashy said:

I like Joe Achilles he would be a good bloke to have a pint with......I find his latest M135i vid interesting he was trying to show the love and be enthusiastic but it was for show it felt false.Watching his M340i vid back to back showed that he REALLY loved that car.

He's not going to criticise it given that he's having a go in it courtesy of TRL at Berry BMW is he, with TRL doing the filming! They won't give him anything else if he did!

[numtumfutunch]

JNW1 said:

numtumfutunch said:

The (diesel) S4 Avant is 50k OTR and the C43 Estate 51k so pricing seems level with its obvious rivals - and not too much more than the car it replaces but with better spec

Yes, a well specced F31 340i listed at over £50k; however, even from launch they were pretty much always available with 20% plus discounts which brought the price you actually paid back to high £30k's or possibly very low £40k's if you'd ticked almost every option. In contrast, a decent spec G21 M340i is probably going to be high £40k's if the discounts available on the saloon are anything to go by and hence that's quite a difference from the car it replaces IMO.

As for the S4 and C43, I agree the price you'll have to pay for a M340i is likely to be similar to those given the current levels of discount; however, historically those rivals enjoyed better residuals than the F31 which helped on the monthly repayments for those using PCP. Therefore, if the G21 is going to have similar residuals to the F31 - but an actual purchase price closer to the S4 and C43 - that's going to make it quite expensive for anyone getting their car via a PCP.....

Hot off the press:

M340i Touring is 5k down and just under 500/month for a 4y PCP
Discount in new price is approx 9k if you take finance

Quite a big discount for a brand new release
Hopefully will sag a bit more after Christmas, fingers crossed

[smashy]

snake_oil said:

smashy said:

I like Joe Achilles he would be a good bloke to have a pint with......I find his latest M135i vid interesting he was trying to show the love and be enthusiastic but it was for show it felt false.Watching his M340i vid back to back showed that he REALLY loved that car.

He's not going to criticise it given that he's having a go in it courtesy of TRL at Berry BMW is he, with TRL doing the filming! They won't give him anything else if he did!

missed my point of course not but it showed...his false enthusiasm showed