Anyone driven an F30 330?
BMW keeps upping the ante with various incentives which piqued my interest enough to check out my local dealer's inventory. Came across a 330 wagon w/ adaptive suspension that looked appealing.
In the end, I was not a big fan of the n20 + ZF8 combo in my 528-- too jerky at low speeds and sometimes rough feeling idle. The f30 328s I've driven (w/ base suspension) have left me pretty uninspired with their sloppy steering and somewhat sloppy suspension. Supposedly, BMW has made a bunch of tweaks to the suspension, steering and drivetrain as of the 17 330 but I remain skeptical. Every review I read of the wagon w/ adaptive suspension seems very positive- but that may because the reviewers are drinking too much wagon koolaid. At some point, I will test drive one but figured I'd ask you guys for feedback... |
Just one comment. I have had two 330 loaners and while they are very pleasent and actually pretty darn quick I could never bring myself to spend 50 large on a car that sounds and feels like it has a tractor motor under the hood. EPA be dammed.
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Fords, Jags, Audis, and VWs. The main issues I've had with the drivetrain atleast in the 28 models I've driven were the manic way they program the transmission (super aggressive about shifting down to 1st). Also didn't like how the idle is overly rough somtetimes. |
What about a 340 GT?
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:mad: |
I had one as a loaner when I brought my sons 340i in for service ... great car, great engine though the steering was a little weird, I’ve noticed it on the 328 as well when turning the wheel it wraps itself right back to center very quickly and feels strange.
I drove my sons 340 after and it doesn’t do this, also drove my friends 435 convertible and it doesn’t do it either. No idea if they say the steering is the same on all 3 series but it isn’t. |
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I found the 240i better, and the M2 best. Well, the Cayman was best. But the M2 was as good as it got for a modern BMW. :D |
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Btw I just realized the last loaner was a 430 not a 330 but still it had that weird tugging on the wheel thing. |
I left baffled how they could screw it up so badly. I know there are things that sell cars even though enthusiastic don't like them - light steering, high seating position, etc. But does anyone on the planet actually like what BMW is doing with the steering or is BMW just completely incompetent at this point? :?
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BMW wants to sell more cars. Lighter steering probably helps them do that. |
My theory is BMW sees Lexus selling a ton of cars and thinks, hey, let's make beige, boring, inoffensive vehicles like Lexus. We'll make a fortune not having to care about things like steering feel and throttle response and lateral grip.
The problem is people don't buy lexuses because they're hiring. They buy then because they're reliable. Bmws aren't. |
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No no no no no. It's not just lighter steering. It's light-but-jerky steering. It's seriously messed up. I'm sure that many people just don't notice it or don't give a shit. But I can't imagine anyone actually *likes* it. |
I think BMW wants it both ways--to still be perceived as the hardcore driver's car and to cash in on luxury car sales. So they make these schizophrenic cars--typically a base model of XYZ type that you can layer performance (and more luxury) onto. But because they are not really purpose-built for performance, there are always too many compromises. And the longevity/build quality falls short.
All of these recent adaptive technologies are meant to create cars that can adjust to multiple driver preferences and therefore please a wider audience. Jack of all trades, master of none indeed. But are there any cars out there that don't sacrifice something to achieve something else? My little 2 series could be tighter with less body roll, the steering could have more feedback, it could be a bit more luxurious, as well. Still, it pleases me every time I drive it, and try to forget all the ways it could be incrementally better. That's easier, of course, on warm, sunny days when I can put the top down. It remains to be seen what the quality will be like going forward. It's about 2 months shy of a year old with--knock on something--no problems. With my BMWs the start usually foretells the future. |
To the comments on the driver adjustable ride modes. I would skip that option wherever possible if i was not leasing or buying new not planning to keep out of warranty. On the used car market it’s just to much complexity leading to huge repair bills.
Looking at old used top dollar AMG’s. They sell for stupid low prices used as no one wants to get stuck with those out of warranty repair bills. |
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The thing that happened with the F30 is the subtle aspects of performance went away. The throttle response, brakes and steering got weird and soggy. The ride was Lexus-like in its sponginess. But they also don't have the jewel-like build quality and reliability that Lexus is known for. They're not silent going down the road like a Lexus. |
The weird steering behavior you guys mentioned sounds pretty bad. It gets confusing since there are now so many different permutations of suspensions, tires, drivetrains and steering systems that all could affect steering behavior. I've noticed that some reviews will say that they've finally fixed the f30s suspension and steering while others still complain.Oddly, it seems like cars equipped with adaptive suspension tend to get more favorable reviews.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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Good point - could be that |
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Agreed! And don't have it on my 2. |
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Easy enough to turn off though ...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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One step closer to driverless cars... |
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If they were serious about targeting multiple driver preferences, why not just make the M2 steering programming the "sport" mode across all models? The luxury cruiser buyers don't need to turn it on. It's truly a win-win. |
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If I test-drive a 17 or 18 330 and it still feels like the 328s i've driven in the past I think that would be a deal breaker. Some of the worst steering i've experienced in a modern car |
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So, the dealer loaned me a 330 wagon overnight.
The Good: -Love the way it looks especially in mineral gray -Seemed like our 3 year old had more space in the back even w/ his enormous car seat. He wasn't kicking the front seat as much. -The controls and layout is spot-in. Everything is logical and where you'd expect. Idrive is pretty much perfect at this point. Love the nav system-- much, much better than messing around w/ Siri or Google maps. -Engine was smoother and less laggy than my old n20. Still prefer the 6 in my old x3 though. -Ride was good- not harsh and not floaty -overall pretty good build quality. More solid "thunk" than i'd remembered from earlier F30s. -Power trunk w/ foot wave opening actually worked well. Love having keyless entry ("comfort access") with a small kid. The meh -The ZF 8 speed was a bit smoother than i'd remembered but i still notice it in stop and go traffic. -The higher seating position of my 08 x3 has grown on me and the seats seem more comfortable as well. -cargo area is definitely less practical than our x3 due to the lower roof and the way it angles down. Cargo Floor dimensions might be similar. The bad -This car had the HK stereo. With the surround sound feature off, it seemed like it played only through the front speakers but with it on it sounded kind of muddy. Even the base system in our x3 sounds better to my ears. -Steering wasn't terrible-- it's precise, reasonably quick and not overly light. But there's still a vaguenes on-center that could get annoying on long highway drives (makes you feel like you need to keep correcting it). Overall, when you really grab it by the scruff of its neck, it's fun. The tech and ergonomics are great. More passenger space is nice. I'd miss the on-center feel, seating position and comfort of the x3 on longer trips. It's probably the best overall balance we are going to find in terms of looks/tech/comfort/performance/practicality/price in a new/newish car at this point. If we decide to stick w/ an SUV, I'm not really sure what areas I'd be willing to compromise on. Could probably be talked into a HEMI powered Durango or Grand Cherokee but my wife has no interest. A better deal could be had on a leftover x3 28i but that's too much car for that engine. A new Cayenne would likely be perfect but way out of my price range. The mainstream crossovers are all noticeably worse in several areas. |
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I loved the Cayenne loaner I just had --but when I drove the E61 recently, that was a very level setting exercise because then I liked the new Cayenne significantly less. I like the new 3 series wagon. it's HUGE. does it have enough pep? |
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We loved the Cayenne S we drove (short drive), but, wow, they get stratospherically expensive in no time. Plus it had the old entertainment tech. Our 718s is much improved in that regard. At any rate, the X5 was a much better value loaded up. |
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