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New 320d - Quick review and a Couple of Questions


Cleybrooke
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Got the wife a 320d M Sport Touring as a Christmas pressy (am I generous or what – I’ve even let her have a drive of it). Spent a lot of time looking at second hand 330d and 320d. Eventually decided on a brand new 320d 177 with auto. Almost as smooth as the six, almost as quick as the 6, but much cleaner, far better mpg and in the long works out significantly cheaper.

Spec is:

Autobox

Black Sapphire

Black Leather

Ugly Kid glass

Flapping wing mirrors

Warm feeling from the seats

Big wheels

Blue Tooth

So far very impressed. The 177 engine is very smooth (compared to the 150bhp touring we chopped in). Ride is firmer than before but I can live with that.

First 800 miles has only given an average mpg of 36.2 so I’m sure that will get better. Running it in a per the book – max of 3500 revs, no faster than 90 and no kick down.

Couple of questions. With no engine temperature gauge, how can you tell when to push the engine? I was all told to wait until the oil was warm before pushing the right peddle to far down.

Second relates to a fault – the Bluetooth has packed up – Dealer has confirmed error codes and wants to “reload the software” which will take 2 days. Any one else had experience of this?

Sytners in Brum where great (the discount was a terrific 14%) – Thanks Rory!. Not happy that BMW failed to deliver the car to Synters on Christmas eve as promised (not Sytners fault but they still obliged with a tank of fuel and brolly as compensation). Spoke to Gareth about finance (a top bloke and well worth a chat of your looking for finance) but for a variety of reasons (no least ran out time) ended up with BMW finance.

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I pick Fionas up tomorrow, really looking forward to it.

The ride is firmer as it has run flats, I have bought some proper wheels and tyres already but will do a couple of hundred miles on the run flats so will get to see if they have got any better over the last 12 months.

Ugly kid glass!! Love it. smile.gif

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There's a reason why they gave you 14% discount and it's not because this is the best compact estate for your money right now.

Truth is Bangle seriously screwed up BMW's design philosophy and design signature, built up from decades of European skilled manufacturing.

Bangle designed cars based on his US herritage of crappy poorly designed and even more poorly engineered US cars. Hence the reason why Japanese manufacturers consistently outsell US manufacturers in the US - how embarassing !

All of this would be forgivable were it not for the fact that BMW are so in love with the idea of a sports ride that they insist of fitting run-flat tyres producing a ride quality that by modern standards is frankly 'unacceptable'. And they do this because 'Americans' don't like changing flat tyres. (On average we get a flat every 90k miles)

I'm sure your car looks great and I'm a big BMW 3 series fan having had most 3 series models for most of my adult life. I currently have the 320d touring and been running it for over a year having bought it blind just before launch. I'll be glad to see the back of it and get a A6 estate. BMW are currently profiting from their brand equity, but this is running-out fast. They'll rebuild it with new models and great cars - but not for another 3-5 years.

I would really be interested to hear what you think about the car in a year, how you are enjoying that ride quality and the extra cost and low wear of the run flats. How the bodywork thickness is holding out to sligh nocks, fuel consumption (my 320d 37-38mpg). How you feel about being outperformed by a chipped diesel van.

Anyway rant over ! I'm off to enjoy a magical driving experience - I hired a new Mondeo estate while my 320 is in for service and more new run-flats.

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Firstly, the bangle designs are the most succsessful BMW designed range there has been. The creases etc. are now starting to be seen in other brands too, just look at the new A5 and A4 for a start.

I have had a new 3 series touring, and it is pretty much the perfect car, there is not one Audi I would swap it over for, I would take the 335i sport touring over the RS4 avant every day of the week.

Why if you don't like the run flats are you having more put on it?? Why not spend £300 and put proper tyres on it??

The reason 14% was available is because dealers got massive bonuses for shifting X amount of cars, so to sell and not make a penny on the car to get the quantity bonus was worth doing.

You can get 12-14% off an A6 avant with the brokers too, why is that??

Everyone looks for different things in a car, BMW sold 155,000 cars in the UK in 2006, and they are up for 2007 so far. The design wasn't that fecked up??

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I was tempted to launch into a long monologue on how Mr Bangle has done fine job – but that’s been done to death. Suffice to say I’m happy with the design, and it’s my opinion that matters the most and is of course correct, when I’m buying my car (or in this case the wife – when I of course have no opinion worth while).

As gizzie alluded to, discount was because it was the end of year and they wanted to get the numbers in.

Now back to the subject – any ideas on the engine temperature?

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[ QUOTE ]

I would really be interested to hear what you think about the car in a year, how you are enjoying that ride quality and the extra cost and low wear of the run flats. How the bodywork thickness is holding out to sligh nocks, fuel consumption (my 320d 37-38mpg). How you feel about being outperformed by a chipped diesel van.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll answer for him - bit like a time machine. Mine is 9 months old (ish) with c.20k miles on the clock. Remapped at about 5k miles, it shifts enough for day-to-day driving. For me, she returns a pretty much constant 55mpg - i drive runs a great deal. If its all around town with mixed runs (i live in the country, so unavoidable!) it might drop to 47-50mpg. These are calculated figures, not trip computer.

Run flats are crap, but no wear on them so to speak. I do not like them, but i can live with them now i am used to their 'interesting' handling in the damp!! (Wet / Dry is not too bad).

Not a single mark or dent on my bodywork.

Ride quality is what is expected from a sport suspension setup. I imagine even better with proper tyres.

Cant comment on the Bangle designs. I dont find them attractive or offputting. I am a fan of original 80's / 90's BMW's though.

169144-ok.gif

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Not sure what prompted Highflyin's rant and I don't want to start yet another audi vs bmw rant. But in october last year I swapped a Q7 for a 335d M Sport Touring. Couldn't wait to get out of the Audi dung.gif, neither the Q7 nor the string of loaned A6 Avants lived up to the supposed audi build quality. Worse still, the A6 loaners were inert and lifeless to drive, yet still had a ride as firm as the beemer despite not being able to go round corners. And Audi still can't match BMW in the engine department.

The 335d Touring is pretty near perfect for my needs. Practical, rock solid build, and great to drive. Love every minute behind the wheel. Bettered only by the silky smoothness of the engine in my other car, a 335i coupe.

As regards the engine temperature, I can't understand why BMW fit a proper temperature gauge to the 335i but not to the rest of the range.

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Cumon guys don't have a pop at me for giving an opinion, that's the stuff of good debate.

I'm simply saying the 3 series touring is a crock of S^%t compared to what it was only three years ago. It will get better and like the mug I am I'll probaby continue to buy em in the meantime. Next time a 330d or 335d ummm !

gIzzE what do you mean about £300 changes the tyres. The dealer said I would need new wheels and tyre as the run-flat rims couldn't take standard (non-run-flat) tyres. And then the handling would be screwed because the suspension is set to the harder side wall tyres - would be interested if you've got an altenative answer.

PS: promise to keep my future posts to all positive things and I'll do my best never to mention the X6 as a shining example of Mr Bangles design prowess !!! Just kidding. Where is he working now anyway ?

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[ QUOTE ]

gIzzE what do you mean about £300 changes the tyres. The dealer said I would need new wheels and tyre as the run-flat rims couldn't take standard (non-run-flat) tyres. And then the handling would be screwed because the suspension is set to the harder side wall tyres

[/ QUOTE ]

Which alloys do you have? I smell some heavy BS there. Lots of people have changed to non runflat tyres.

I agree they might be setup for them, and that that could be a reason not to chnage - but I am not convinced you would need new alloys to have non run-flat tyres...

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Run flat rims can take a run flat or a standard tyre, a standard rim can not tale a run flat tyre.

Have a look here...

http://www.falkentyres.co.uk

A set to fit your car will be around £300, you will have to pay a local fitter around £10-15 a corner to fit and balance them, plus you will need to spend £30 on a can of gunk and a compressor as there is obviously no room for a spare. But gunk will get you as far as a run flat anyway, plus you have more chance of the local tyre place having a tyre in stock.

I have just picked up the 320d M-Sport touring today and went to collect a set of BBS rims on the way home, however, I am now really undecided what to do, this is a facelift car on the standard 17" m-sport wheels with Bridgestone run flats, and have to say the ride was really good, so good I had to pull over and make sure it had run flats on the car!

So do I put the BBS rims on or do I sell them on and keep the standard wheels??

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You serious?

I am putting a new set of Falken FK452's on them this afternoon, keep looking at them in my hall and thinking 'yum!!' wink.gif

The rims were £850 (bought yesterday, £1300 new) and the tyres are the price on the Falken website above, tyre sizes are 265/30/19 and 235/35/19 + £60 to fit. So around £475 all in.

If you are seriously interested let me know.

post-4150-137914411056_thumb.jpg

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I will take some proper pics tomorrow, I have done 400 miles in the rain over the last couple of days and it needs a good clean. Having said that silver really is an easy colour to look after!

1278507-bbs1.jpg

The front looks a little jacked up because it is parked on a slope.

post-4150-137914411064_thumb.jpg

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[ QUOTE ]

I will take some proper pics tomorrow, I have done 400 miles in the rain over the last couple of days and it needs a good clean. Having said that silver really is an easy colour to look after!

1278507-bbs1.jpg

The front looks a little jacked up because it is parked on a slope.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really looks the part, that gIzzE; very nice ! 169144-ok.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

gIzzE;

I've seen your car in the flesh and have to say you made the right choice putting your BBS rims on, looks gorgeous.

Quite strange actually im currently choosing a new car, undecided on the A4/BMW3series, to replace my A4 saloon(going estate this time), anyway I walked into town yesterday evening and spotted your car parked up, i live just round the corner, searched for a bmw forum then this site searched bbs and the exact car i just saw came up smile.gif.

Anyway your car really does look amazing, i love the agressive look of the msport package, really shows up sline packages.

Nice to see someone has good taste around these parts.

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