[TomRat]

Hi Guys,

Owned my '10 323i for a few months now and the car has always been very sluggish and poor to accelerate when cruising under approx 2500RPM. I'm aware the N52 is no power monster and especially being a 323 making 140kW it's not expected to have masses and masses of power but I just find it very lack-lustre under those RPM. For example I could be driving at 60kph in 3rd and feed on the gas until it's wide open, watch the km/L gauge shoot up, and the car will do nothing but as soon as it gets over approx. 2500RPM it takes off and performs as expected. Am I missing something? Is there something wrong with the car? Or am I just expecting too much?

Thanks in advance everyone!

[Torgus]

With my NA it was a dog and only would 'work' when you really got on it. Sounds about normal to me. With no CELs and a stock tune I would have to say it is normal. Especially if it works well above 3k it means no clogged inlet or outlet air tract.

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by TomRat

Hi Guys,

Owned my '10 323i for a few months now and the car has always been very sluggish and poor to accelerate when cruising under approx 2500RPM. I'm aware the N52 is no power monster and especially being a 323 making 140kW it's not expected to have masses and masses of power but I just find it very lack-lustre under those RPM. For example I could be driving at 60kph in 3rd and feed on the gas until it's wide open, watch the km/L gauge shoot up, and the car will do nothing but as soon as it gets over approx. 2500RPM it takes off and performs as expected. Am I missing something? Is there something wrong with the car? Or am I just expecting too much?

Thanks in advance everyone!

That sound about right, with the 2.5 liter single stage Manifold version of the N52 peek torque is developed between 3,600 and 5,000 rpm. Plus you car weighs in at 3,500+ pounds. If it's an automatic it's going to be even worse.

[PhaseP]

Drop a gear and disappear.

[max_330i]

It's normal. My 330i came with the highest-performing version of the N52 engine (the result of the 3-stage intake manifold, mostly), and I would say it's pretty docile below 2500 RPM. I like it for driving around town. I don't need to rocket away from every stoplight, and for the times that I do, I'll just downshift and take off.

[fravel]

Originally Posted by TomRat

Hi Guys,

Owned my '10 323i for a few months now and the car has always been very sluggish and poor to accelerate when cruising under approx 2500RPM. I'm aware the N52 is no power monster and especially being a 323 making 140kW it's not expected to have masses and masses of power but I just find it very lack-lustre under those RPM. For example I could be driving at 60kph in 3rd and feed on the gas until it's wide open, watch the km/L gauge shoot up, and the car will do nothing but as soon as it gets over approx. 2500RPM it takes off and performs as expected. Am I missing something? Is there something wrong with the car? Or am I just expecting too much?

Thanks in advance everyone!

It's normal... you ever look at a dyno graph? NA engines make all their power at the upper end of the RPM range. Gotta get those revs up.

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by TomRat

Hi Guys,

Owned my '10 323i for a few months now and the car has always been very sluggish and poor to accelerate when cruising under approx 2500RPM. I'm aware the N52 is no power monster and especially being a 323 making 140kW it's not expected to have masses and masses of power but I just find it very lack-lustre under those RPM. For example I could be driving at 60kph in 3rd and feed on the gas until it's wide open, watch the km/L gauge shoot up, and the car will do nothing but as soon as it gets over approx. 2500RPM it takes off and performs as expected. Am I missing something? Is there something wrong with the car? Or am I just expecting too much?

Thanks in advance everyone!

Perhaps wait a bit so it can "learn" your driving habits. This happened to me ... my car was basically a garage queen when I bought it. It was slow off the start, slowish acceleration, yada yada yada. The only way to find any performance was to goose it a bit more. It lacked so much I decided to purchase an 3IM and tune upgrade.

After I put about 3K miles on it (at this point it was still stock) ... plus a 12 hour round trip drive (average speed 85-90 during the trip). One day the car seemed to "wake up" ... its performance was basically night and day.