Tizzy Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Well just spent the morning at Soper BMW in Lincoln test driving options for my new company car (I'm taking an opt out deal). For anyone in a similar position or just interested here are my brief impressions: First out was the 320d (a manual M sport saloon): Coming from an S4 I was expecting this to feel very slow and noisy. Instead I got a real surprise, it's probably the quietest diesel I've ever driven and with 163 bhp it's far from slow. However the acceleration is very linear, unlike the sudden turbo thrust you get from an A4 2.0TDi. It's very very smooth, with an excellent ride (much better than the S4) and a superb driving position. You can't be lazy with the gears like in the V8, but it rewards you with smooth acceleration totally unlike any 4 cylinder diesel I've ever driven. Handling seemed very good, with very little roll into corners or roundabouts. In fact about the only thing I didn't like were the indicators that didn't seem to self-cancel and the computer display which was not the model of clarity that the S4's DIS is. Half an hour of sometimes spirited driving saw mpg never drop below 38 and most of the time was at 44 with a top reading of 51! The 325d (again a manual M Sport) was as you'd expect the same in terms of the physical feel of the car, but had a deeper and louder engine note. Although there's "only" another 30 odd bhp there's a lot more urge in the midrange and from a standing start. However you pay the penalty with the mpg, over the same test route as the 320d, my best was 36mpg and worst was 26. I also took out a 520d M Sport (Auto this time as they didn't have any manual's). I'd driven the current 5 before, but a long time ago and it was a 530d manual. Compared to the 3's as you'd expect the 5 felt a lot larger, although still had the same excellent driving position and actually a smoother ride overall. The sports seats felt too wide & were nothing like as grippy as those in the 3's and lacked the inflatable side bolsters. Performance from the 2.0d engine was again very smooth, however really strangely it was much noisier, leaving you in no doubt it was a diesel, whereas (from inside) the 320d really could have been a 320i petrol, it's that quiet. The biggest difference and the thing that put me right off the 5 though was the steering. In the 3 it is a meaty feeling set up with loads of low-speed feel - better than the S4's variable assistance system. In the 5 going into roundabout was a strange and disconcerting experience with the steering going ultra-light and having no feel at all - not nice and in fact for me so bad that I curtailed the test-drive early and took the car straight back. So for me? It's looking like a loaded 320d M Sport, delivery to my spec. quoted first week in July. It was my first time in & driving a new 3 series. They are a massive improvement on the previous model, which I could never get comfortable in and the 2.0 diesel redefines the benchmark for 4 cyclinder diesel engines - it's that good. It makes the Audi 2.0TDi units sound very agricultural and shows up their peaky power delivery - and that's from an Audi fan! If the new A4 is as good as the 3 then it will need to be a very good car indeed - as I'm sure it will be!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair_A3 Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Good choice, you'll be very happy im sure The steering issues with the 5 sound odd, i never felt this on my day test drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 You can't tell the Audi-o-philes that the 2.0TDI is noisy and the 320d is better, what is the world comming to. I'm looking at a 325d or 330d, did it sound nicer than the 320d at all, a bit of a note to it. If they don't I might just as well get a 330i. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 [ QUOTE ] You can't tell the Audi-o-philes that the 2.0TDI is noisy and the 320d is better, what is the world comming to. [/ QUOTE ] Why not? You're quite right. The BMW 2.0 TDi is much better than the VAG unit in my opinion, it's just the car around it I struggle with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted May 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 [ QUOTE ] You can't tell the Audi-o-philes that the 2.0TDI is noisy and the 320d is better, what is the world comming to. I'm looking at a 325d or 330d, did it sound nicer than the 320d at all, a bit of a note to it. If they don't I might just as well get a 330i. [/ QUOTE ] For me economy was a big factor, so the 320 was going to be a hard act to beat due it's significantly better mpg, even than the 325. Sounds wise the 2.0 really is very quiet with only a muted (& not very diesel like) rasp under hard acceleration. The 325d has essentially the same 3.0 lump as the 330d, (I believe) just with a smaller / lower pressure turbo. It made a typical BMW straight six growl, although again very muted - I didn't drive the 330d so can't compare. If you can get by with the (still very good) economy of the sixes then I'd go for one of these as they do have serious urge under acceleration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] You can't tell the Audi-o-philes that the 2.0TDI is noisy and the 320d is better, what is the world comming to. [/ QUOTE ] Why not? You're quite right. The BMW 2.0 TDi is much better than the VAG unit in my opinion, it's just the car around it I struggle with! [/ QUOTE ] Agree with Ben. The BMW 320d plant - even in E46 prefacelift 136 and facefacelift 150 bhp guise - is wonderful. I've noticed the 320d sounds refined when inside, but sounds very loud when you are standing outside at idle. Sound deadening no doubt! As mentioned above, the delivery is incredibly linear. The 'elastic band' effect. Previous thoughts here. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinka Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 i agree,my a3 s line was very noisy compared to my 320d,a lot is to do with sound proofing,but even so,its still a lot smoother,the audi engine seems to be on or off when you put your foot down,a big urge then nothing,where as the bmw is i suppose petrol like in its delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 [ QUOTE ] ....as the bmw is i suppose petrol like in its delivery. [/ QUOTE ] So I have heard of the E90 320d, a car which I haven't been in as yet. Cannot say the same of the E46 320d. Even the 150 bhp runs out of puff at a very diesel like rpm. No real point stretching beyond 4000. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 Not in the rev range but in the way it delivers the power, it is a diesel so still runs out of puff at 4500rpm, but the power/torque curve is more like a petrol than a vag diesels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 How fast is BMW's Auto box in the 335d (bear in mind i'm coming from a DSG) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamD Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 [ QUOTE ] How fast is BMW's Auto box in the 335d (bear in mind i'm coming from a DSG) [/ QUOTE ] No where near as fast as DSG that's for sure, but I have no complains. In sport mode it is very rapid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yahoo Posted May 21, 2007 Report Share Posted May 21, 2007 I agree. The box is quick but certainly not a patch on DSG. There is more travel on the paddles also, which I wasn't keen on. I am going for manual on mine because I don't like the thought of paying extra for a lesser technology than I am running at the moment. Plus, I think that a manual will be fun with 300+ bhp through the rear wheels (especially with a LSD upgrade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitch3110 Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Having had 3 years of E46 320d ownership there is no doubt the engine is great. However a car is the sum total of all its parts and after a year of 2.0TDI A4 ownership overall IMO it is a nicer place to be by a mile. But the 320d engine is the pick of the bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Also i think from September the 320D saloon/touring gets the upgraded engine as found in the coupe/cab and new 120D. I have a new 120D fitted with that engine and it is fab, although as said elsewhere on here the fuel consumption isn't as great as I had hoped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinka Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 out of interest,does anyone have a direct comparison between the current 2.0d and the revised one?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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