F30 330i loaner review.

[doublevanosrc]

Got the oner in at the dealer for a brake flush that got complicated, basically, they over tighten the bleed screw and one snapped. So they got to drill it out.

Anyways I got a 2018 330i as a loaner and boy the steering sucks but man that engine is no joke. Feels as fast as my 135i, and the shifts are smooth and lightning quick. As I get older I can see myself driving something a little smoother and more comfortable. There's a possibility that I might have to take a job that requires a serious morning commute and I'm not lying, that 8-speed auto is slowly winning me over. Of course, the 330i feels huge and a little boat like when parking but on the road is very compliant and soaks up bumps and imperfections with ease. I turn 40 in August so I'm not sure if it's an age thing but I can definitely see myself in something like this.

[captain slowly]

interesting. When I worked at a BMW store, I use to drive the 330 all the time, and hated its guts. The four banger sounds like a diesel, steering is horrible, inside materials are cheap and the car is a boat. On a positive note, the power is decent. I'm 41 by the way.

[Matticus91]

I had a similar impression of the 430 vert I was given as a loaner. Would make a pretty nice DD/cruiser

20170120_144141 by Matt Steele, on Flickr
20170120_144133 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

[NorthernDancer]

40, older? Ah come on. You're still a spring chicken compared to many of us!

[Olgeezer1]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

40, older? Ah come on. You're still a spring chicken compared to many of us!

Still puppies. Had a similar experience with a 530 loaner. Comfortable, quiet, decent power and all that but a big boat, no feel in the steering. Maybe when I'm 80. Couldn't wait to get my 1 back. Felt like getting in a gocart.

[Esteban]

Those are all too big for me. Even a 2 series is a little too big for my tastes, but I'd take an M2 if someone wanted to give me a surprise gift.

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

40, older? Ah come on. You're still a spring chicken compared to many of us!

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Those are all too big for me. Even a 2 series is a little too big for my tastes, but I'd take an M2 if someone wanted to give me a surprise gift.

Yeah, I asked for a 230 but they were all gone. I'm curious how this powertrain feels in the smaller 2 series body.

[champignon]

When I decide to buy a car that drives like a sofa on wheels, if ever, there are so many choices out there that I'd almost certainly not buy any BMW or other European car. Once you have given up the few last vestiges of the joy of motoring, just get something comfortable from a Japanese automaker. Your wallet will thank you, at the start, and definitely once the thing is out of warranty.

[asiflicious]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

Got the oner in at the dealer for a brake flush that got complicated, basically, they over tighten the bleed screw and one snapped. So they got to drill it out.

Anyways I got a 2018 330i as a loaner and boy the steering sucks but man that engine is no joke. Feels as fast as my 135i, and the shifts are smooth and lightning quick. As I get older I can see myself driving something a little smoother and more comfortable. There's a possibility that I might have to take a job that requires a serious morning commute and I'm not lying, that 8-speed auto is slowly winning me over. Of course, the 330i feels huge and a little boat like when parking but on the road is very compliant and soaks up bumps and imperfections with ease. I turn 40 in August so I'm not sure if it's an age thing but I can definitely see myself in something like this.

I had similar feelings about the 230i loaner I drove. Absolutely horrendous steering, it was fucking terrible. The engine and 8 speed ZF were very good though.

[omgshinoda]

Just got the 230i xdrive msport loaner today.

I agree with all of you guys, steering is horrendous. It helps to be sport mode, but still horrendous.

Engine sounds like its dying.. (thats my perception of 4banger)

Zf8 is lovely gearbox, and shifting quick and precise. But on sport/manual mode, it seems overly sporty for its 248hp lol.

and this one has the msport seats, and no matter how much i lower the seat, i still feel like seating very high compared to my 135i.

[doublevanosrc]

Yeah the steering on these new bimmers is just God awful. I drove a GTI recently and it was so much better in every way. Even at high speeds its still sloppy and has too much play. Of course I'm still blinded by that 4 banger/8 speed tranny combo, those two work together so well.

[Captain Blood]

Acceleration and power on the 328 and 330 are nice, but they DO NOT compare to my 135.

[tock172]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

Acceleration and power on the 328 and 330 are nice, but they DO NOT compare to my 135.

No replacement for displacement. Those two extra cylinders are

[WDE82]

I drove one for several days with my 1er in the shop. I enjoyed it. I won't get one but it was a good car. The ZF transmission was wonderful for a torque converter auto. The interior is quite a step above our 1 series (not sure WTF the guy who ripped on the interior was talking about). The 2.0L 4 cylinder was surprisingly stout with a nice powerband. The fuel efficiency was crazy. I hit mid or upper 30s on a 100 mile trip to Nashville. Also the engine sounds pretty good for a 4 cylinder. Nothing to hate on there. It's not a V8 or an I6 so to compare it to one is stupid. Sounds good for a 4 banger.

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

Yeah the steering on these new bimmers is just God awful. I drove a GTI recently and it was so much better in every way. Even at high speeds its still sloppy and has too much play. Of course I'm still blinded by that 4 banger/8 speed tranny combo, those two work together so well.

Probably mostly to do with tires. The servotronic steering isn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is. Half the time it's coming from people with their experience in smaller sporty cars that probably have better tires on them. The 3 series comes with grand touring tires (read soft sidewalls). So yeah a 330 compared to my 128 with 1M front arms and Bilstein B12 is going to seem very soft and sluggish to respond.

You guys should go drive a car that ACTUALLY does suck for driving pleasure before you hate on a 3 series. Try a Chevy Malibu for a month while your 1 series is in the body shop. The 3 series is like a race car comparatively.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by WDE82

I drove one for several days with my 1er in the shop. I enjoyed it. I won't get one but it was a good car. The ZF transmission was wonderful for a torque converter auto. The interior is quite a step above our 1 series (not sure WTF the guy who ripped on the interior was talking about). The 2.0L 4 cylinder was surprisingly stout with a nice powerband. The fuel efficiency was crazy. I hit mid or upper 30s on a 100 mile trip to Nashville. Also the engine sounds pretty good for a 4 cylinder. Nothing to hate on there. It's not a V8 or an I6 so to compare it to one is stupid. Sounds good for a 4 banger.



Probably mostly to do with tires. The servotronic steering isn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is. Half the time it's coming from people with their experience in smaller sporty cars that probably have better tires on them. The 3 series comes with grand touring tires (read soft sidewalls). So yeah a 330 compared to my 128 with 1M front arms and Bilstein B12 is going to seem very soft and sluggish to respond.

You guys should go drive a car that ACTUALLY does suck for driving pleasure before you hate on a 3 series. Try a Chevy Malibu for a month while your 1 series is in the body shop. The 3 series is like a race car comparatively.

The BMW 3 series is more luxurious, and it does have power. But fun to drive? You must be joking.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by WDE82

You guys should go drive a car that ACTUALLY does suck for driving pleasure before you hate on a 3 series. Try a Chevy Malibu for a month while your 1 series is in the body shop. The 3 series is like a race car comparatively.

Don't love the 3 series, but this makes a lot of sense.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by champignon

The BMW 3 series is more luxurious, and it does have power. But fun to drive? You must be joking.

I didn't actually say fun in my post but I would say that it's fun compared to at least 95% of cars on the road. Go drive an average car. That sucks. Drive a stick Fiesta in Mexico for a month and then come back and tell me a 3 series isn't amazing.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by WDE82

I didn't actually say fun in my post but I would say that it's fun compared to at least 95% of cars on the road. Go drive an average car. That sucks. Drive a stick Fiesta in Mexico for a month and then come back and tell me a 3 series isn't amazing.

I just came off of 3 weeks with a Peugeot 208 in France, which had way less than 100 HP. It had 5 gears forward and couldn't maintain the speed limit (130 kph) going uphill on the autoroute in 4th gear. This is one of many French shitwagons I have driven on my trips in France. So I do know the genre.

If the question is, how much more would I pay to rent a typical 3-Series than a Camry for a week, the answer is "something, but not much." A Camry is not the bottom of the Toyota line, so we aren't comparing a real car, like a 3-Series, to a lawnmower. Few people here are looking to buy a Yaris or a Prius for their next vehicle.

[mr.fabulous]

Originally Posted by champignon

I just came off of 3 weeks with a Peugeot 208 in France, which had way less than 100 HP. It had 5 gears forward and couldn't maintain the speed limit (130 kph) going uphill on the autoroute in 4th gear.

Sounds like my long since departed '82 Scirocco (my mid-80s commute included a long uphill slog on westbound I-94 just west of Milwaukee and that car could not maintain speed).

I drove a loaner '17 330 last year while my car was getting a fresh airbag (that post is somewhere here) and I hated that car more than just about anything I have ever driven. It was FAST, but everything else about was outright garbage. BMW as a brand has lost me, my E82 is my last (unless/until I find the right E36).

[10"]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

Got the oner in at the dealer for a brake flush that got complicated, basically, they over tighten the bleed screw and one snapped. So they got to drill it out.

Anyways I got a 2018 330i as a loaner and boy the steering sucks but man that engine is no joke. Feels as fast as my 135i, and the shifts are smooth and lightning quick. As I get older I can see myself driving something a little smoother and more comfortable. There's a possibility that I might have to take a job that requires a serious morning commute and I'm not lying, that 8-speed auto is slowly winning me over. Of course, the 330i feels huge and a little boat like when parking but on the road is very compliant and soaks up bumps and imperfections with ease. I turn 40 in August so I'm not sure if it's an age thing but I can definitely see myself in something like this.

word of advice to you: DO NOT TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS WHEN YOU ARE 40 OR CLOSE TO TURNING 40.

i am 42 right now and boy did i make some mistakes at the age of 40. DO NOT TRUST ANY 40 YEAR OLD! you will be fine by the time you are 42.

(and no there is not much to like about the F30 3-series. lol.)

[tock172]

To add my .02, I think the F30 330i is a solid car. As with most current production BMWs, I can't imagine spending sticker price on one, but I think they make excellent daily drivers with a sporty flare to them.

In addition to driving almost the entire full entry-level Audi lineup a few years ago, I've also driven much of the current BMW loaner fleet as well. I think the 330i is a huge improvement over the 328i, largely thanks to the engine. The B48 (B46 in California) still has a sewing machine induction sound while at idle, but overall NVH has been significantly reduced compared to the N20/N26, while power and torque are up, both with a smoother delivery as well. The F30 LCI supposedly retuned the suspension and steering components over the earlier 328i and 335i models, and I felt this yielded a noticeable improvement as well, in addition to the re-geared ZF8 speed. Updated iDrive and all that stuff is a nice as well.

No, it doesn't compare to my 135i, but it doesn't need to and was never intended to. The F30 330i has two fewer cylinders, an additional ratio in the transmission, seating for five and a much larger trunk. Like I said, I'd be happy to add one to my fleet as a daily driver, but it would never replace the 1. Steering feel, the DCT transmission and the N55 all make for a much more unique and aggressive experience. Like I said before, there is no substitute for the six cylinder, even if the new B48 is much less peaky than the N20.