I've an E93 320d M-Sport auto for a week
Discussion
On Monday my E46 goes into the Sytner bodyshop in Nottinghamto have a new drivers door that someone reversed into a couple of weeks back. The chap that did it has admitted liability and 'Sytnerdrive' are taking car of everything for me.
The car I'm being loaned is a 320d M-Sport Auto convertible and whilst I'm thinking having some open-top driving will be nice I'm really not sure about the rest of it. So, any thoughts on what I can expect with a diesel which is rootless and, erm, possibly underpowered?!
The car I'm being loaned is a 320d M-Sport Auto convertible and whilst I'm thinking having some open-top driving will be nice I'm really not sure about the rest of it. So, any thoughts on what I can expect with a diesel which is rootless and, erm, possibly underpowered?!
I drove an E46 320d until recently and I found myself sorrier than expected to see the back of it. Generally a good car, I thought. Pleasing to drive, performance was alright, and it was nice enough to look at without being overly flash.
The M Sport bit should fix the looks, one way or another. And I'm sure the performance on the newer ones should be pretty decent. But still, I can't see them being the greatest car to base a convertible on. It's basically a car for inexpensively conveying one to one's chosen destination in reasonable comfort, mostly along a motorway, with a badge that in theory will stop people looking at you like the dog shat you out on their kitchen floor once you arrive.
The sort of open road love-of-driving stuff that I imagine convertibles are supposed to satisfy? Weeelll... that would not be my first thought. However I'm sure the BMW marketing department would disagree.
On top of all that, it's got a diesel engine.
Don't know about anybody else but I'd be interested what you think
The M Sport bit should fix the looks, one way or another. And I'm sure the performance on the newer ones should be pretty decent. But still, I can't see them being the greatest car to base a convertible on. It's basically a car for inexpensively conveying one to one's chosen destination in reasonable comfort, mostly along a motorway, with a badge that in theory will stop people looking at you like the dog shat you out on their kitchen floor once you arrive.
The sort of open road love-of-driving stuff that I imagine convertibles are supposed to satisfy? Weeelll... that would not be my first thought. However I'm sure the BMW marketing department would disagree.
On top of all that, it's got a diesel engine.
Don't know about anybody else but I'd be interested what you think
Well, I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a '10 plate, (pre-facelift of course) in black with black leather and silver aluminium grid type trim. Loads of toys like pro-nav and Bluetooth with voice control. Now, in standard mode it takes a while for the car to 'get-going' as it were but in Sport mode it's responsive and maintains a good turn of speed without being too noisy except when at idle. It sits on the standard 18's (which I think are better suited to the saloon and touring as looks go) and it rides I think harder than my E46 does on 18's. I think it feels very sure footed but when pushed gets a bit skittish.
For a few days it'll do me fine.
For a few days it'll do me fine.
It goes back in the morning. I've liked having it but am looking forward to getting my car back as its my P&J and not some anonymous loan car if that makes sense?
I don't think the 2.0 diesel and auto box go well with the car and in normal mode it's a sluggish gearbox which, sometimes you find yourself urging to change up a gear. At £45k new I would rather have a slightly used 6-cylinder example. I'd never used iDrive before and while I like it sometimes finding the right sub-menu of a sub-menu was a pain in the bum. Clever though.
I don't think the 2.0 diesel and auto box go well with the car and in normal mode it's a sluggish gearbox which, sometimes you find yourself urging to change up a gear. At £45k new I would rather have a slightly used 6-cylinder example. I'd never used iDrive before and while I like it sometimes finding the right sub-menu of a sub-menu was a pain in the bum. Clever though.
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