[SDemetris]

Hey guys. Just got done with my classes for the semester so i figured I'd write a bit of a review for everyone.

So the dealership I got my E90 at doesnt have airbag parts in and cant get them so they gave me an F30 328xi rental for the time being. It has been about a month driving it. I guess I'll give a bit of a review for everyone thinking about upgrading (am I gonna get crap for calling it that?).

Cons:
-My rental car is an auto
-Faux leather steering wheel sucks
-LED turn signal indicators on side-view mirrors are way too bright
-Car is soft, especially in squat/dive. Even compared to my parents' stock E90s, it definitely has a softer suspension.
-Passenger seat occupancy sensor is way too sensitive. It goes off if my keys and phone are in the right place on the seat.
-Bluetooth takes a while to find my phone when I get in.
-No center console open storage space because I-drive (my e90 doesnt have I-drive so this might not be a difference for you guys)
-I miss driving through tunnels with a loud exhaust, but I guess thats what my E30 is for
-The steering wheel blocks all of the info at the bottom of the gauge cluster
-There is no "Park" lockout. I've accidentally put it in park while going ~5mph before which is kind of rough
-Sport mode throttle response is great, but it makes the steering a bit too heavy

Pros:
-"Lots" more torque. Car feels significantly faster at lower RPM
-Seating position is fantastic. My E90 with sports seats is pretty good, but you can get even lower in the F30 which is great for a tall guy like myself.
-Going over bumps doesnt make me think my car is going to explode. A lot fewer noises from the AWD system in the front especially - even relative to stock cars
-More rear leg room
-I drive "the fastest car in the world", as Jeremy Clarkson would say.


Kind of an apples-to-oranges comparison since my E90 isnt exactly what you'd get as a rental, but I still like it more...

And now that you all know why not to buy an F30, I finished both my capstone projects, and I'm getting my BS in 2 weeks, Im going to go ahead and drink until..... well, something

[Taskmaster]

I'm more excited for you graduating, congrats dude!!

[Alen E90]

Thanks for the writeup and congrats on the BS! I'm also studying for my MBA degree too but to be honest tho, I'm not looking forward to taking capstone at all lol. Heard it's a really hard class.

[cdgatti]

very surprised the dealer is offering rental cars thought that they are scheduling the airbag replacement as parts arrive. is your dealer in a rural area where they don't have much demand?

[Dan Bilzerian]

Is t=it expensive to rent a car given the circumstances?

[chris82]

Originally Posted by SDemetris

Pros:
-"Lots" more torque. Car feels significantly faster at lower RPM
-Seating position is fantastic. My E90 with sports seats is pretty good, but you can get even lower in the F30 which is great for a tall guy like myself.
-Going over bumps doesnt make me think my car is going to explode. A lot fewer noises from the AWD system in the front especially - even relative to stock cars
-More rear leg room
-I drive "the fastest car in the world", as Jeremy Clarkson would say.

When I go over bumps in my 1 series I feel like I'm going to blow my tires, crack my wheels, crack the subframe and it petty much feels like the cars going to explode. Fucking BMW and their junk shocks, I'm glad they were improved in the F30. I actually drove an F30 328i a while back and although it's pretty lifeless I was very impressed with that N20 engine. I've also driven the F30 335i and that is a huge upgrade from the 328i in every way. Definitely wouldn't mind having one as a DD or commuter.

[Mike.]

I graduated last year and I got drunk in the mountains. MY friend stabbed himself with a machete in his drunken stupor.

Dont be like me.

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by Mike.

I graduated last year and I got drunk in the mountains. MY friend stabbed himself with a machete in his drunken stupor.

Dont be like me.

Wtf? What kind of horror movie where you guys escaping from...

[Mike.]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Wtf? What kind of horror movie where you guys escaping from...

We rented a cabin in the mountains, and we went to the gun shop...and my friend bought a machete. Dude I kid you not I got really drunk and fell asleep and woke up to my other friend going "He was climbing a tree and tried to cut a branch and missed, and stabbed himself".

Needless to say we bandaged him up but it was a tad bit tense hahahah

[justpete]

Originally Posted by Mike.

MY friend stabbed himself with a machete in his drunken stupor.

Say what?

[justpete]

Originally Posted by Mike.

We rented a cabin in the mountains, and we went to the gun shop...and my friend bought a machete. Dude I kid you not I got really drunk and fell asleep and woke up to my other friend going "He was climbing a tree and tried to cut a branch and missed, and stabbed himself".

Needless to say we bandaged him up but it was a tad bit tense hahahah

Oh. Damn. Yep, that's a drunken stupor alright...yow.

[SDemetris]

Wow. Yeah. I didn't stab myself.. I'll save that for my master's in December. Thanks everyone.

[thakid22]

Originally Posted by chris82

When I go over bumps in my 1 series I feel like I'm going to blow my tires, crack my wheels, crack the subframe and it petty much feels like the cars going to explode. Fucking BMW and their junk shocks, I'm glad they were improved in the F30. I actually drove an F30 328i a while back and although it's pretty lifeless I was very impressed with that N20 engine. I've also driven the F30 335i and that is a huge upgrade from the 328i in every way. Definitely wouldn't mind having one as a DD or commuter.

A set of Koni FSD shocks cured my E90 Sport Package of similar behaviors.
I later got Bilstein HD, and they were firm but not abusive.
You don't have to live with it.

[hassmaschine]

Personally i can't stand the n20. Its sounds horrible. It's even louder than the m20, and I'm not talking about the exhaust..

[chris82]

Originally Posted by thakid22

A set of Koni FSD shocks cured my E90 Sport Package of similar behaviors.
I later got Bilstein HD, and they were firm but not abusive.
You don't have to live with it.

I know, I have a set of crossovers being rebuilt otherwise I'd go the Koni FSD route

[SDemetris]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Personally i can't stand the n20. Its sounds horrible. It's even louder than the m20, and I'm not talking about the exhaust..

Letting off throttle makes cool turbo noises tho... I'm not sure if the engine noise at high rpm is real or if it's from the speakers. Havent looked into really.

[justpete]

Originally Posted by SDemetris

Letting off throttle makes cool turbo noises tho... I'm not sure if the engine noise at high rpm is real or if it's from the speakers. Havent looked into really.

Been driving one version or another with N20 engines now for nearly a year and every time I drive one I'm really glad I decided to buy one of the last e90s in January 2012 instead of an F30. Sounds like a friggin diesel. Great car if you need a daily runner I guess but soulless is being generous imho.

[Trelos]

Originally Posted by justpete

Been driving one version or another with N20 engines now for nearly a year and every time I drive one I'm really glad I decided to buy one of the last e90s in January 2012 instead of an F30. Sounds like a friggin diesel. Great car if you need a daily runner I guess but soulless is being generous imho.

Completely soulless.

Every time I've had one for a loaner it makes me angry and sad at the same time. BMW could have done so much more with the car. Even the 335 F30 is sad, great engine but totally boring and flat to drive. The F30 is the reason there is 174K on my E90 I just cant part with it for a substandard car...

[justpete]

Originally Posted by Trelos

Completely soulless.

Every time I've had one for a loaner it makes me angry and sad at the same time. BMW could have done so much more with the car. Even the 335 F30 is sad, great engine but totally boring and flat to drive. The F30 is the reason there is 174K on my E90 I just cant part with it for a substandard car...

Gotta say this also applies to the 428i and every 328i sport running in sport+ I've had continuously since last June. Decent performance but too clinical to me.

[tlow98]

Do the interior materials feel cheap after some time in the cabin? The back seats on the F series chassis strike me as 'rental grade' - not meant as a compliment.

F30 needs more suspension?...join the e90 crowd in that department. They haven't done a good stock set up since the 330i e46.

I need more butt time to assess the N20

[justpete]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Do the interior materials feel cheap after some time in the cabin? The back seats on the F series chassis strike me as 'rental grade' - not meant as a compliment.

F30 needs more suspension?...join the e90 crowd in that department. They haven't done a good stock set up since the 330i e46.

I need more butt time to assess the N20

Ya know, I can't say they feel cheap but they look it to me. Couldn't tell you why though, just a subjective reaction. The seats just don't look as well made or as solid as the sport seats in an e9x.

In comfort mode the sport model kinda feels a bit less bouncy than my e90 sport felt when it was new and in sport+ is kinda reminiscent of what the PS felt like, mostly. I prefer the sport+ mode all the time but I'd rather have the full spherical race suspension in my car back. So that kinda puts me out of mainstream who seem to like a softer suspension.

[tlow98]

Great, thanks!