Anyone running 320i G20/21?
Discussion
Hi All,
Long time E39 (530i Touring) owner here and I've been considering getting a nearly new G21 320i Sport to replace it. I'm attracted by the refinement combined with the 3 series agility / driving experience. Looking at keeping the car for a long time (5+ yrs).
My only concern is the 190bhp 2.0 engine. Is it powerful enough for long Euro trips? I do like to keep press on a bit when on the autobahns.
I also do a fair few mountain roads with occasional overtakes and would hope the car is safe in those scenarios. Ideally also be a bit of fun?
So, basically, any 320i owners regretting getting the 20i as opposed to a 30i or 40i?
Long time E39 (530i Touring) owner here and I've been considering getting a nearly new G21 320i Sport to replace it. I'm attracted by the refinement combined with the 3 series agility / driving experience. Looking at keeping the car for a long time (5+ yrs).
My only concern is the 190bhp 2.0 engine. Is it powerful enough for long Euro trips? I do like to keep press on a bit when on the autobahns.
I also do a fair few mountain roads with occasional overtakes and would hope the car is safe in those scenarios. Ideally also be a bit of fun?
So, basically, any 320i owners regretting getting the 20i as opposed to a 30i or 40i?
i know its not really of much use but i recently had the use of a 320i for two weeks whilst my F10 was with BMW for some warranty work. I put 1200 miles on it in that time, albeit all motorway, so got my moneys worth out of it so to speak.
The thing that surprised me the most was that (and i appreciate its a bit of an unfair comparison) is that i didn't feel all that disappointed to get back into my 5 series that was 8 years older and had 190 thousand miles more on the clock. I was a bit disappointed in the ride of the G20 to be honest, not uncomfortable but i just didn't really get on with it. it was on 19s. All the tech was nice though.
in terms of performance, it was reasonably brisk and i didnt ever feel like it was lacking if you like. but it was only ever me in it so i dont know how it would fare with a full car plus luggage. It was very economical though, easily averaging over 40mpg in my time with it.
The thing that surprised me the most was that (and i appreciate its a bit of an unfair comparison) is that i didn't feel all that disappointed to get back into my 5 series that was 8 years older and had 190 thousand miles more on the clock. I was a bit disappointed in the ride of the G20 to be honest, not uncomfortable but i just didn't really get on with it. it was on 19s. All the tech was nice though.
in terms of performance, it was reasonably brisk and i didnt ever feel like it was lacking if you like. but it was only ever me in it so i dont know how it would fare with a full car plus luggage. It was very economical though, easily averaging over 40mpg in my time with it.
Deano, thanks for your feedback. I know what you mean regarding not feeling dissapointed getting back into your old BMW. Its the same feeling I had when getting back into my E39 after every test drive. Clearly the tech has moved on, but at expense of other aspects, such as quality and solidity. All BMW 3 and 5 series are, however, in my view, brilliantly engineered cars with great attention to detail and functionality (always have been).
My issue is that I run 3x cars all quite old now (newest is 15yrs old, the BMW 20) and despite keeping up with the maintenance and cherishing them, older cars do require more time and attention than something new. I therefore wonder if at least one new car in the "fleet" makes sense, even if it costs more than running all the other 3 in depreciation alone...
Drove the 320i Sport yesterday and I liked it. Not exciting but involving yet refined and quicker than I thought.
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