[Drisser]

put my car in today for a few squeaks to get sorted out, which happily seems they are.

got a 320d SE loaner which was better than the usual 216 d tourer.

Pretty disappointed to be honest. Engine of course I knew would be but it felt like a really low rent different car despite full leather.

It only did 50 mpg on my commute v 45 for the 330d
Seats awful, no side support
Didn't like the lower half of the dash coloured same as the leather
Steering wheel plasticky and cheap
No HUD - felt like my right arm had been cut off !
Ride quality was in no way better I thought, expected it to be lovely and relaxing

Would be ok as a company car for the motorway but I just thought it was totally incomparable to the 330d M sport - which I know it is but very disappointing.

In particular the 4 pot and 8 speed auto just didn't work well v the 6 cyl - always seemed to be in wrong gear, not nearly as smooth.

Given I drove back from Cornwall at weekend and averaged 51 mpg and got 623 miles, yes 623 miles from a tank I am still blown away by the performance v economy of the 330d

[dopper99]

I take it you didn't really like it then.

[charge_hopper]

SE spec is ok with the efficient dynamics wheels - although they're ugly the ride is nice. I agree the interior leaves something to be desired though. Sports seats are essential - the standards seats aren't much use.

I completely disagree regarding the auto box though. It's taken me quite s while to really master it but now it is never in the wrong gear for what I'm doing. Maybe it was so bad from you because your style would be a bit different being used to much more torque? It could also be it didn't have long enough to learn what you wanted out of it.

That said, if I could swap out of my 320d to a 330d m sport, I wouldnt turn it down!

[Drisser]

yea it could well be that the torque difference makes the drivability completely different. I have no doubt an M sport 320d drives a lot better.

What I was really surprised at was the small MPG difference. Over 95 miles it only did 4 mpg better than I average. I was expecting something like 55 or 60 v 45 I normally get. Could be because it was very new of course and mine has 25k on the clock..

[dubdemand]

I had a 320d M Sport X drive for nearly a week and for the first time ever I was genuinely looking forward to getting my own car back.

The ride was slightly better than my S drive and I enjoyed the extra traction coming out of the corners (which I did a lot) but the gear box didn't feel as connected as it does in the 330d. The 320d isn't slow but just feels 'standard' in terms of delivery and performance. The box does seem to work differently (maybe due to less torque as suggested) and I found myself having to manually drop down the cogs for corners that I wouldn't normally need to bother with in my car.

The 330d is my first 6 cylinder having come from a long list of 2.0d engined cars - oh boy, do I not miss that tractor sound track! Bloody awful! So unrefined and much louder in the cabin. I think the noise of that engine is the biggest let down! Even Aldi 2.0d lumps sound better (the only thing Aldi can do better mind).

So my loan car was a saloon with MS+ and pro nav. My other observations for what they're worth. The colour of the tint in the back window of the saloon is a different colour to that of the touring - the saloon has a bluer tint and it's not as nice as the warmer tone of my touring (maybe just because I'm used to it). Having no HUD but sat in familure surroundings was very odd! I now appreciate exactly how often I don't look at the clocks in my car! Black leather is very dull and looks much cheeper than red or brown - personal preference of course but I just don't like it. Same goes for the brushed alu - I much prefer the glossy finish of wood or piano black. It just makes the interior feel more modern.

So for the first time in my life I was genuinely excited about getting back in my own car at the end of my week with the loan car! I can honestly say I'll never own another rough, agricultural 2.0d lump!

[Drisser]

Must admit when I picked up my 330d, it felt like getting into a new car and brought a huge smile to my face, given they had properly washed it and even glossed the tyre edges this time..

Agree about the gearbox I cant put my finger on it but it just didn't seem to "click" with the 2.0d like it does the 3.0. Seemed hesitant and not sure what gear to be in..

My biggest miss was the HUD also, I kept going for the ipod and phone buttons expecting to see the display and nothing.. same with cruise control.. Honestly don't think I could go to a car without HUD now. Really hope BMW put all their resources into developing this and not copying Audis virtual cockpit.

[AdmiralGant]

Massive major difference going 6 pot engine to 4 pot, really don't think the difference is obvious until you do a back to back like you have. 6 pot worth every extra penny

[Y2AJ]

My car is having its seals replaced finally after getting permission from BMW Munich. So the loan car I've got in place of my 330d is this....a 218i tourer.
The power difference is eye watering as in it makes me wanna cry!!! I don't know why anyone would buy one of these. It's beyond me. IMO it's ugly as f$&k

[Wills2]

I drove a lower specced, less powerful car than mine today, I too was really surprised that it was lower specced and less powerful.....

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Y2AJ

My car is having its seals replaced finally after getting permission from BMW Munich. So the loan car I've got in place of my 330d is this....a 218i tourer.
The power difference is eye watering as in it makes me wanna cry!!! I don't know why anyone would buy one of these. It's beyond me. IMO it's ugly as f$&k

Thank you for blurring the photo so we don't have to spoil our appetite by looking at the Active Tourer

[charge_hopper]

Originally Posted by Drisser

yea it could well be that the torque difference makes the drivability completely different. I have no doubt an M sport 320d drives a lot better.

What I was really surprised at was the small MPG difference. Over 95 miles it only did 4 mpg better than I average. I was expecting something like 55 or 60 v 45 I normally get. Could be because it was very new of course and mine has 25k on the clock..

That MPG difference could be down to the same thing. MPG comes very easily to my car, but like I said before, it's taken me a long time to really get the hang of using the gearbox properly. For me, special effort is required to get below 50, or just very short journeys. Getting 45mpg out of the 330d sounds like quite a good result to me.

[teaston]

So the outcome of this thread is that a low spec 320d SE is worse than a high specced 330d M Sport no shit!

Also did you know a Fiat is worse than a Ferrari?

[Toast2]

Reading this forum the comments make me think my 320d must be the worst car BMW have ever made!

[CazuaLLUK]

Originally Posted by Toast2

Reading this forum the comments make me think my 320d must be the worst car BMW have ever made!

Problem is the guys who are active on here mostly seem to drive 6 pots and will always look down on the 320d as it has 'less power than theirs'. I have seen very few people willing to understand people situations and accept they drive a 320d even if a high spec'ed out model.

But at the time of getting my car a 320d suited my needs, maybe next time yes I will go for something with more power but I will never look down on others who may have a lesser model at the time, it's just not me at all.

Tbh it's just some peoples persona on here to make sly remarks and cause people to defend themselves. It's just the way they are and something in their life has made them be this way. As when we are all first born we are the same with not a care in the world, and our life shapes us. In some peoples cases in to right arrogant twats.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by Toast2

Reading this forum the comments make me think my 320d must be the worst car BMW have ever made!

Nothing wrong with a 320d my first foray into BMW ownership - a decent mix of power and economy.

Can't knock it.

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by teaston

So the outcome of this thread is that a low spec 320d SE is worse than a high specced 330d M Sport no shit!

Also did you know a Fiat is worse than a Ferrari?

Lol

[225]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I drove a lower specced, less powerful car than mine the day, I too was really surprised that it was lower specced and less powerful.....

[Y2AJ]

Originally Posted by Toast2

Reading this forum the comments make me think my 320d must be the worst car BMW have ever made!

It's really not. Great car for economy and a decent specced one is very comfortable to drive. I had a 320D ED before my 330d. the worst car BMW make is the 218 Active Tourer! Being both ugly and slow surely gets it in to first place.

[rich100]

5 series GT also a contender. it looks like it's been given a severe beating with with the ugly stick.

[stu14t]

^^^^^ 330/335/340 ^^^^^^^^^^^ 320/318 ^^^^^^^^^^^^ 218 Active Tourer

[Scottiedog]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I drove a lower specced, less powerful car than mine today, I too was really surprised that it was lower specced and less powerful.....

Haha brilliant. Oh what a surprise a 6 pot owner is shitting on us 4 pot peasents. Can we have some new material on here please.

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by Scottiedog

Haha brilliant. Oh what a surprise a 6 pot owner is shitting on us 4 pot peasents. Can we have some new material on here please.

I know, it's a feature of this otherwise great forum from some posters, they just can't help themselves.