[Loaner Review] - 320d Coupe!

[Taymaishu]

So today I was given a 320d M Sport Coupe from Trivett as my loaner while they ran diagnostics on Christine and replaced her tail lights. Didn't even know there was a 320d Coupe, but here i was. It's only been in Australia for a couple of months according to my SA.

So, the car, in all, was nothing short of impressive. The torque was fantastic, but lacked a lot of mid-to-high end responsiveness, even for a diesel guzzler.

The iDrive system was fantastic and I was again loving having everything in one hit.

Handling - The chassis is solid. I took the car into the city and out to Vaucluse (up heartbreak hill) for a test run. Going up the hill and around corners the car felt direct, the nose steers in very well. 255's on the rear ensure good stability, however the car felt like it was sliding/floating. I've never felt that before on my 1er, and can only liken it to chassis twist as the only other sensation i've felt is driving a 350GT Mustang - chassis twist central.

Engine sound - loud as a virgin in a whorehouse. The turbo is very quiet and the diesel clanging away was a bit of a pain. I'd rather inject faeces into my eyeball than hear that engine for more than an hour straight.

Speed - funny gear ratios. I'm used to 3rd @ 20km/h, 4th # 30km/h, 5th at 40km/h and 6th at 52km/h as minimums. For some reason the gear ratios were really odd in the diesel, with 5th being a very long gear. 6th wasn't accessible until somewhere upwards of 65km/h.

Highway - had a short (but spirited) blast up Homebush Bay drive where i gave it some. Really outshines even the 125i here - completely smooth, cabin has a LOT less road noise than the 125i, even with 19s on her.

Verdict - A great car. However, being a religious petrol man, i couldn't bring myself to buy it. However the experience of finally getting to drive a 3 Coupe was great and i loved the design and feel of the car.

[wmj73]

Love this line, 'loud as a virgin in a whorehouse'

[MickyD]

IMHO the build quality of the 3 series shits all over the 1 from a very great height. It's not that the 1 is THAT bad, but there's lots of little things in the 3 that make it feel better. The little rubber seal in the center console lid that stops it rattling, things like that.

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

Speed - funny gear ratios. I'm used to 3rd @ 20km/h, 4th # 30km/h, 5th at 40km/h and 6th at 52km/h as minimums. For some reason the gear ratios were really odd in the diesel, with 5th being a very long gear. 6th wasn't accessible until somewhere upwards of 65km/h.

Sounds to me like your shifting very early, i'm never in 2nd until i'm past 20km/h & then into third at around 40km/h at the absolute earliest.
But i'm not sure if your talking MT's or AT's...

[sbce90]

did the car have pirelli pzero rfts? when i got an e93 loan car with that 19" wheel/tyre set up i found it slippery and lacking grip. did the car just slide sideways if you turned hard into a corner?

[Dackelone]

IF you think this 320d felt slow... BMW makes a 318d!

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

Sounds to me like your shifting very early, i'm never in 2nd until i'm past 20km/h & then into third at around 40km/h at the absolute earliest.
But i'm not sure if your talking MT's or AT's...

She was an AT.

Usually in Christine i'm shifting at minimums unless i'm really pushing it..

Originally Posted by SBC

did the car have pirelli pzero rfts? when i got an e93 loan car with that 19" wheel/tyre set up i found it slippery and lacking grip. did the car just slide sideways if you turned hard into a corner?

Nope, this E92's 19s had Bridgies - but yes, just felt as though it was sliding on nearly every corner i pushed in to.

Originally Posted by MickyD

IMHO the build quality of the 3 series shits all over the 1 from a very great height. It's not that the 1 is THAT bad, but there's lots of little things in the 3 that make it feel better. The little rubber seal in the center console lid that stops it rattling, things like that.

100% with you. It's not as though the 1 felt cheap when i got back into it, but just not as refined as the 3. Having said that, even with the broken front cross member she felt better in corners!

[Jeef Beef]

Nice concise review! The midrange response tends to be quite good with BMW oil-burners but I've only ever driven the twin-turbo versions. However, from your pic it looks like the LCI E90, which has 135kw/400nm the same as the 135i.

Also, diesels have gearing for fuel efficiency purposes. What you experienced is normal for an oil-burner. I can't use 6th in my dad's xDrive35d until 70kph.

[100fires]

Yep, I agree with your review Taymaishu.
Thought I would share my experience .....

I took my car in for a service on Monday last week. I too was loaned a 320d coupe and loved the 3 series experience. The 320d totally surprised me. The torque is impressive and compared to my 125i little difference on take-offs, but the midrange torque leaves the 125 behind. Not the same as as the 135 for linear acceleration, but still gives you a good shove.

Anyhow, I took the car back and spoke to a sales guy to get some info on the 320d, for curiosity's sake. I told them that I was looking for a 4 door car and we ended up test driving a 320d M-Sports sedan. To cut a long story short, 2 days later I traded in my 2 year old 125i M-Sports (20,000 kms) for a 320d M-Sports sedan (Alpine White, Black Leather).

After one week of driving, I am extremely happy with my decision. Its is nowhere near as fun as the 125, nor does it have the sharp turn-in. Where it does excel is in torque and comfort, especially on rough, bumpy roads and corners where the 125 used to get unsettled and jittery. Sure the 320d does have 17's compared to the 18's on the 125, but the sports suspension on the 320d seems to be a tad-softer.

What I dont like..... the diesel sound. Sounds like delivery van. I just close the windows and turn the stereo up. Once you are cruising the noise is not noticeable.

Anyhow, my two cents worth. So if you are looking to upgrade to a 4 door car, have a look at the 320d. Very similar price and way more torque than the 323 petrol. If you have a couple of extra bucks, go to the 330d. You won't regret it.....

[AussieAlf]

Sounds like a nice drive Taymashu,

While it hasn't got the refinement of the 320d, my 123d, with its extra power and torque (150kQ 400Nm) and lower weight, certainly flies.

I'm surprised at your report of the noisy clattery diesel engine. My 123d engine is quiet within the cabin, even with the roof down, and I would have thought that the 320d was the same base engine. It's a little dieselly when standing beside it at idle, but beautifully quiet inside, both at idle and when moving. While I'm not sure I've ever heard the baby hair dryer, I probably hear the big turbo over the engine at speed.

The gearing on the 123d is a bit funny, too. On the manual (I'd feel lost without the 3 pedals god intended us to have), I find myself skipping 5th or 3rd quite often. With that linear torque from under 2k revs to over 4k, there's really an overabundance of gears in this car. My turbo MX-5 needed them for maximum enjoyment, but this car doesn't.

I'd probably like driving the 135i even more, but I certainly can't complain about the 23d engine, and I actually prefer it to the 125 (which I did test drive). The one thing I really miss, that you seem to get with both of the petrol burning sixes (and the MX-5 had), is a sharp takeoff for the first 50m or so. I'll live though, as drag racing was never my style.

Cheers,
Alf

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by 100fires

Anyhow, my two cents worth. So if you are looking to upgrade to a 4 door car, have a look at the 320d. Very similar price and way more torque than the 323 petrol. If you have a couple of extra bucks, go to the 330d. You won't regret it.....

I was also loaned a 330d as my first loan car for my 15,000km service. Was SO impressed.

However, I just can't get back into a 4-door now from a coupe. I feel cramped with the B-pillar at my head and what now feels like a tiny door!

But that 330d engine is just amazing. SO much torque!

[Brissie]

I was also given a 320d coupe as a loaner, and I was suitably impressed, even the engine was almost brand new with just 200km on the clock. Of course the 135 has a better engine, and the diesel sound is annoying, but the whole car is just simply better than the 1 series. I don't understand why anyone would take a 1 over a 3, if price is not a consideration.

[amk2912]

I'd like to get my hands on a 330d loaner....

Even better, I hope BMW AU bring the 335d here...if the twin turbo 3 litre diesel in the wife's new X5 xdrive40d is anything to go by, it should be a real cracker! I'm yet to test the X5's claimed 0-100 in 6.6 seconds but if that motor can push a 2.1 tonne truck in that time imagine what it would do in a 3er!

Burn me at the stake if you will but I'm definitely a diesel convert!

[xclandestine35i]

I would definitely consider a diesel when Im older and my hearing starts to fade...

While were on the topic of loaner reviews..I had an auto 120i vert loaner yesterday to replace the manual 135i coupe and was pleasantly surprised.

I did not miss the power in the slightest in city driving and it didnt feel sloppy or too heavy like I imagined the convertible would. It felt pretty light and nimble, apart from the steering which for some reason felt a little heavier than my 135.

The whole car however felt lighter and more willing to turn at the front end.

The power felt lacking when entering freeways etc but its unfair to compare it to a 135i. Compared to the average small car, it felt very good.

The rest of the package feels very similar to the 135i.

All in all I thought I could get used to it.