What is the best 3 series saloon?
Discussion
At the time, the newest one. The E36 was nice but the styling hasn't aged so well. The E46 330i was a step up and the E90 a step sideways. By Christ they're ugly inside and out although the LCI was a big improvement on the outside at least. That dash!
The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
Got to agree with the comments on the E90, I've had E36 in various flavours, E46 330 coupes and convertible and now have an E90 330i sport.
The newer car is so much better than the older stuff, better build quality, better engine, more robust suspension etc.
I would really struggle to replace it, cort me £3.5k 18 months ago and nothing since apart from a bit of oil and petrol.
Great car.
The newer car is so much better than the older stuff, better build quality, better engine, more robust suspension etc.
I would really struggle to replace it, cort me £3.5k 18 months ago and nothing since apart from a bit of oil and petrol.
Great car.
I haven’t seen many G20’s out. In Devon where I was mine was the only one. Since moving to Hook, I have seen one 330e that’s it. There seem to be many available at dealerships. Is it to do with BIK or something?! I am not interpreting it as the model has over promised and under delivered. Trying to understand it.
The F30 is not a bad proposition reading up once suspension is addressed. I was trawling through old threads on here and it made sense. Why my 330d x drive was so bad. It was on SE springs. Why would you do that?! Learned a lot.
The F30 is not a bad proposition reading up once suspension is addressed. I was trawling through old threads on here and it made sense. Why my 330d x drive was so bad. It was on SE springs. Why would you do that?! Learned a lot.
InitialDave said:
The E30.
But anything except the E36 is pretty decent. E36s are horrible.
Oy But anything except the E36 is pretty decent. E36s are horrible.
each to their own or life would be more boring than it is now. I bought my e36 back in 1999 and have only just sold it due only to the ULEZ in London.
Brilliant car that got better with age.
I have had a Porsche, Discovery, a Mercury and a Mustang but the BMW stayed with me for nearly a quarter of a century and still made me smile.
Saw a new 330e I think it was called, the other day. It was huge and severely needed a diet.
Super_G said:
I haven’t seen many G20’s out. In Devon where I was mine was the only one. Since moving to Hook, I have seen one 330e that’s it. There seem to be many available at dealerships. Is it to do with BIK or something?! I am not interpreting it as the model has over promised and under delivered. Trying to understand it.
The F30 is not a bad proposition reading up once suspension is addressed. I was trawling through old threads on here and it made sense. Why my 330d x drive was so bad. It was on SE springs. Why would you do that?! Learned a lot.
The 330e will be popular as a company car because of the BIK which now pretty savage on diesels especially if you’re a higher rate tax payer. Most the ones I see locally are 330e’s.The F30 is not a bad proposition reading up once suspension is addressed. I was trawling through old threads on here and it made sense. Why my 330d x drive was so bad. It was on SE springs. Why would you do that?! Learned a lot.
The F30 335d suspension was ludicrously bad. I test drove one and it totally killed the car; great engine and gearbox let down by sone very soft, wallowy suspension.
E21 look good but handling isn't anywhere near as good as the 02 it replaced.
E30 318is are great fun but pricey now really.
E36 touring look great, practical and still reasonably priced if you can find a solid one.
E46 325ti is a great car and personally I like the styling.
I have an F30 320d as my daily and it's pretty much perfect for that purpose. It also gives nigh on 50mpg, has AC and isn't too boring around the lanes.
E30 318is are great fun but pricey now really.
E36 touring look great, practical and still reasonably priced if you can find a solid one.
E46 325ti is a great car and personally I like the styling.
I have an F30 320d as my daily and it's pretty much perfect for that purpose. It also gives nigh on 50mpg, has AC and isn't too boring around the lanes.
Court_S said:
The F30 335d suspension was ludicrously bad. I test drove one and it totally killed the car; great engine and gearbox let down by sone very soft, wallowy suspension.
Yes you can say that again... I'd be happy with "very soft, wallowy suspension" that would have been better. It's the first time I've spent £20k on a car and then another £1300 on suspension! I changed the ARB's and it made a monumental difference. Highly recommend it.
For me, its my first BMW the F30 with a Msport and Aero kit.
There's probably a bit of rose tinted glasses involved, but I thought my E46 facelift 330i M Sport was a fantastic car. Sure my current F32 435i would leave it behind, but it's nowhere near as interesting to drive. Proper hydraulic steering was probably the biggest loss in the more recent cars, but at least we now have much better auto boxes!
MrBen1 said:
There's probably a bit of rose tinted glasses involved, but I thought my E46 facelift 330i M Sport was a fantastic car. Sure my current F32 435i would leave it behind, but it's nowhere near as interesting to drive. Proper hydraulic steering was probably the biggest loss in the more recent cars, but at least we now have much better auto boxes!
Maybe the autos are better, but can you even get an F32 with a manual box - probably not! And I wouldn't want one anyway, so it looks like I'll have to keep my manual 2005 E90 330i with HPAS.
Touring442 said:
At the time, the newest one. The E36 was nice but the styling hasn't aged so well. The E46 330i was a step up and the E90 a step sideways. By Christ they're ugly inside and out although the LCI was a big improvement on the outside at least. That dash!
The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
The E36 seems to be taking a bit of stick. I think it's actually aged pretty well for a car that came out 31 years ago......The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
If fact, I'd say the E36 was the first BMW of the "modern generation", all that have followed have been some kind of evolutions of the E36 in terms of styling.
Touring442 said:
At the time, the newest one. The E36 was nice but the styling hasn't aged so well. The E46 330i was a step up and the E90 a step sideways. By Christ they're ugly inside and out although the LCI was a big improvement on the outside at least. That dash!
The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
What was wrong with the E90 inside? The F30 was my favourite, the 328i Auto M Sport in particular. The new one is alright I guess but I can't get too excited by it.
Mine was great, very ergonomic, comfortable seats, great iDrive system with a perfectly placed screen and controller, no rattles or squeaks and it felt nice in all the important places. I was lucky in that I found a great spec LCI one with the more comfortable Sport seats. I do think a basic one might not have been so nice though, especially with the basic cloth seats and no iDrive etc
MikeM6 said:
What was wrong with the E90 inside?
Mine was great, very ergonomic, comfortable seats, great iDrive system with a perfectly placed screen and controller, no rattles or squeaks and it felt nice in all the important places. I was lucky in that I found a great spec LCI one with the more comfortable Sport seats. I do think a basic one might not have been so nice though, especially with the basic cloth seats and no iDrive etc
Personally I like the E90 inside. Mine was great, very ergonomic, comfortable seats, great iDrive system with a perfectly placed screen and controller, no rattles or squeaks and it felt nice in all the important places. I was lucky in that I found a great spec LCI one with the more comfortable Sport seats. I do think a basic one might not have been so nice though, especially with the basic cloth seats and no iDrive etc
Ours was a nice place to sit and no screen meant that it didn’t feel quite so dated (the early idrive hasn’t aged well). I’ve always got on with BMW sports seats.
Heathwood said:
An early E90 330i in my opinion. It’s in the sweet spot where rust prevention is such that you don’t really have to worry about the bodywork, it’s modern enough to feel err, relatively modern. It retains the traditional 3 series dynamic appeal and has hydraulic PAS. Lovely N52 engine. Inexpensive to buy and run.
I second this. Great sounding engine, reliable (waterpump aside) and nice and smooth to drive, costs relative buttons to run. Still miss mine.I really enjoyed my E46 330i M Sport coupe manual in Techno Violet. Bought it for £11500 in 2010 and sold for £5000 in 2014 after I got my head turned by a ‘deal’ on a new 520d when my car was in for a service. I’ve made lots of stupid decisions with cars...and that was high up on the list!
I really like the E36 - shame there don't seem to be more manual 6 cylinder saloons around that haven't been turned into drift slaaaags.
My grandad had an Oxford Green 325 td (for some reason badged as a tds - not by him) and despite its bog-basicness it was a lovely car. It really did get me in to BMWs, and when I bought my first one, an E34, as soon as I opened the door and was hit by that smell of warm crayon (which I love) it brought back many happy childhood memories.
It's my favourite 3 series saloon, but as for which is objectively the best I suppose it would have to be an E90 or F30...
My grandad had an Oxford Green 325 td (for some reason badged as a tds - not by him) and despite its bog-basicness it was a lovely car. It really did get me in to BMWs, and when I bought my first one, an E34, as soon as I opened the door and was hit by that smell of warm crayon (which I love) it brought back many happy childhood memories.
It's my favourite 3 series saloon, but as for which is objectively the best I suppose it would have to be an E90 or F30...
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