BMW F30 face-lift or not?
Discussion
Currently looking at a couple of M Sport 2015/16
One is pre face-lift but comes with Harman Kardon and 19" wheels.
Face-lift model has 18" wheels but just basic sound system.
Other than that they're virtually the same.
Question is, do I take the earlier model and better sound system, or are the albeit minor face-lift changes worth going for, but lesser sound system?
This will be my first BMW purchase so no experience in that area
One is pre face-lift but comes with Harman Kardon and 19" wheels.
Face-lift model has 18" wheels but just basic sound system.
Other than that they're virtually the same.
Question is, do I take the earlier model and better sound system, or are the albeit minor face-lift changes worth going for, but lesser sound system?
This will be my first BMW purchase so no experience in that area
Glesgared said:
Looking at 2.0d. I know it's not the best engine wise but cheaper to run
\In which case buy the facelift, it should have the later 2.0d (B47) which is marginally more powerful but much more importantly finally resolved the timing chain issues of the N series engines. The smaller alloys are a bonus for both ride quality and tire prices, and you can upgrade the speakers for at most £500 if the stereo really bothers you. It'll also in all likely hood have the smaller brake package on it (NOT blue callipers) which is, again, a bonus for cheaper pads and disks. The M Sport Plus brake package is simply a waste on a daily driven 320d.
drdino said:
Link for the ads?
I'd buy based on condition tbh. Interior differences are minor, the one with the 18" wheels one might be more comfortable. Does the preLCI have Xenons and the LCI LEDS?
Yes, pre face-lift has Xenons. Comfort was one of the things that bothered me about the 19s. My Mrs will be driving it alternate weeks. I'd buy based on condition tbh. Interior differences are minor, the one with the 18" wheels one might be more comfortable. Does the preLCI have Xenons and the LCI LEDS?
Appreciate your title is F30 but I am selling a pre-lci F31 M Sport Touring in Alpine White if that ticks your boxes; Harmon Kardon, ProNav, heated black leather, Adaptive LED lights, privacy, shadow line trim, M Performance gloss black grills, gloss black mirror caps, 73k, FSH, 19” 403M alloys, cruise, ambient lighting, sports wheel with paddles, no blue/red strip across dash mine was specced with gloss black which looks 100 times better I think!
It’s a great car, and looks nice in white with black details.
Anyway onto your question, the changes between pre-lci and lci are largely cosmetic and my advice would be buy the spec car you want and don’t worry too much about whether it’s lci or not.
The 8 speed auto is a sublime gearbox I have to say, coming from a Command Shift RRS the ZF is super smooth, some shifts are imperceptible.
Harmon Kardon is great, just take some time to set it up, I found a few posts on forums with suggested settings and just tried them out until I found one that worked for me.
Was initially looking at 330/335d but added cost on insurance, tax decided the 320 was a better all round package.
Good luck and shoot me a PM if the wagon is of interest.
Si
It’s a great car, and looks nice in white with black details.
Anyway onto your question, the changes between pre-lci and lci are largely cosmetic and my advice would be buy the spec car you want and don’t worry too much about whether it’s lci or not.
The 8 speed auto is a sublime gearbox I have to say, coming from a Command Shift RRS the ZF is super smooth, some shifts are imperceptible.
Harmon Kardon is great, just take some time to set it up, I found a few posts on forums with suggested settings and just tried them out until I found one that worked for me.
Was initially looking at 330/335d but added cost on insurance, tax decided the 320 was a better all round package.
Good luck and shoot me a PM if the wagon is of interest.
Si
I would go for the facelift, the 18’s will give greater comfort and the facelift car will have slightly better handling and look slightly less dated against the pre-LCI car. Having the 19’s on runflats, especially on M sport (non-X drive) suspension will feel too firm in my opinion.
The HK sound system is obviously better than the poor sound from the basic Hifi but the sound system is easily upgraded by guys like these:
https://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/b...
I changed the 19’s on my F32 4 series for 18’s with BMW rated non-runflats and they feel so much better. I have had the sound system upgraded from the Advanced Audio (it’s the sound system in between the basic and HK) to the above linked Audiofile in car System 3 Plus and it sounds far superior to the HK systems that I’ve listened to.
The HK sound system is obviously better than the poor sound from the basic Hifi but the sound system is easily upgraded by guys like these:
https://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/b...
I changed the 19’s on my F32 4 series for 18’s with BMW rated non-runflats and they feel so much better. I have had the sound system upgraded from the Advanced Audio (it’s the sound system in between the basic and HK) to the above linked Audiofile in car System 3 Plus and it sounds far superior to the HK systems that I’ve listened to.
Graunching_dave said:
I would go for the facelift, the 18’s will give greater comfort and the facelift car will have slightly better handling and look slightly less dated against the pre-LCI car. Having the 19’s on runflats, especially on M sport (non-X drive) suspension will feel too firm in my opinion.
The HK sound system is obviously better than the poor sound from the basic Hifi but the sound system is easily upgraded by guys like these:
https://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/b...
I changed the 19’s on my F32 4 series for 18’s with BMW rated non-runflats and they feel so much better. I have had the sound system upgraded from the Advanced Audio (it’s the sound system in between the basic and HK) to the above linked Audiofile in car System 3 Plus and it sounds far superior to the HK systems that I’ve listened to.
Cheers Dave. Its the X Drive model I'm after as the part of Glasgow I live in can be treacherous for RWD cars in the winter. The HK sound system is obviously better than the poor sound from the basic Hifi but the sound system is easily upgraded by guys like these:
https://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/b...
I changed the 19’s on my F32 4 series for 18’s with BMW rated non-runflats and they feel so much better. I have had the sound system upgraded from the Advanced Audio (it’s the sound system in between the basic and HK) to the above linked Audiofile in car System 3 Plus and it sounds far superior to the HK systems that I’ve listened to.
Thanks for the link, I'll look into that
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