BMW and M Power Owners

Havana_UK said:
A (hopefully) healthy discount + a frankly superb engine. It's not exactly a bad choice!
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If he was picking between say a 520d then sure, I’m assuming he was considering a bigger engined model though which would make it a much harder choice for most, the 5 walks all over the 3 in every respect.
[TW]Fox said:
You picked the old gen 3 series over the current 5 series? Interesting decision.
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Well, he is called Mr Magoo :D
 
There was quite a big difference in price for a similar one, and when I saw the ad for this whilst searching it made me change my mind about getting the 5, possibly an odd choice for most but I don't regret it yet!
 
MrMagoo said:
There was quite a big difference in price for a similar one, and when I saw the ad for this whilst searching it made me change my mind about getting the 5, possibly an odd choice for most but I don't regret it yet!
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What colour is it and what options did the car come with? Looking on the positive, great engine as others have stated and you also now have 3 years to get the dealer to fix squeaks and rattles as they develop and redevelop :)
 
I was going to say I think the F30/31 gets a hard press on this forum as all the controls you use to drive the car are identical to the F10/F11 but I currently have a 68 plate loan car and they have changed the indicator and wiper stocks to very cheap feeling ones compared to the early LCI cars. They are now one click up for auto wipers and when permanently idicating they lock up or down.

On rattles my F11 is the only car I have ever had in for rattles, F31 LCI was rattle free.
 
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Dangerous Dave said:
I was going to say I think the F30/31 gets a hard press on this forum as all the control you use to drive the car are identical to the F10/F11 but I currently have a 68 plate loan car and they have changed the indicator and wiper stocks to very cheap feeling ones compared to the early LCI cars. They are now one click up for auto wipers and when permanently idicating they lock up or down.

On rattles my F11 is the only car I have ever had in for rattles, F31 LCI was rattle free.
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I think the logic behind it is due to the F30 being very similar to the F20, rather than the other way around.

Not that there's anything wrong with an F20 in the first place, mind you, but the F10 is signicantly further along the quality spectrum than both of them.
 
arfoll said:
The stalks? afaik they're the same on all the Gxx series bmws... Guess no 7er G11 for you!

However the new idrive controller feels horrible imho. As for the glass gear shifter - urgh.
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I couldn't get in the showroom G30 to double check but I didn't think they felt cheap on the loan one I had last year, if they are exactly the same I would be looking at how to retro fit the ones from a F10/11 !!!
 
I've never noticed the stalk feeling different on an F30 to on my F10, my beef with the F30 is that the interior just looks and feels low rent in terms of its design - it's a larger version of the 1 Series interior whereas the E46 was a smaller version of the 5 Series and IMHO a better car for it.

I've not sat in a G20 yet, but from the pictures the interior looks far nicer than the F30 and closer to a 5 Series once again.

I don't actually need a 5 Series sized car - I just can't ever get on with how the 3 Series feels inside so always end up in one instead. A 3 Series would actually suit me better - every time a new one comes out I want to like it!!
 
[TW]Fox said:
I've never noticed the stalk feeling different on an F30 to on my F10
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Stalks have changed towards the end of the F30/F31 run they feel cheap and nasty I noticed them straight away, they are exactly the same on the new 3 Series and Z4. It's been a while since I have driven a G30 but don't recall them feeling that bad so hopefully they are a more solid version.
 
Main reason my partner decided not to swap her 1 Series for an f30 (bar the imminent replacement which would hit f30 values) was after a lot of deliberation she decided fundamentally it wasn’t that different inside from what she already had and therefore couldn’t justify it.
 
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On the G20 front after having a look around in one I would say it looks good, idrive/digital dash are great but the build quality isn't the best when you start pushing some of the buttons or the lower dash panels/door panels. The leather looked just as bad as the Dakota leather in the F3x/F1x was hoping that would be improved maybe asking too much as it's not great in the G3x either.

I will be sticking to a 540i G31 shame as I bet the M340i will be a better drive.
 
The problem with all of these cars is that they are very hard to buy second hand as everyone specs them appallingly - virtually every G30 for example has very little in the way of options except for the awful M Sport Plus pack which adds stupid 20 inch wheels.

Sums up our car market really. Upgraded lights? Nope. Adaptive cruise? Nope. Massive 20 inch rimz? YES PLEASE
 
I did the longest journey in the 140i so far (to Motech to have some bits fitted). Amazed it managed that MPG to be honest! Albeit quite sensible driving as the weather was horrendous in places, but still, the fact it could even get the high I really surprised. On the way back it still managed 37 with more 'spirited' driving!

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Dangerous Dave said:
More worryingly after sitting in the new 3 Series and Z4 those cheap feeling stalks are in both. I think that would be a deal breaker for me as it would annoy me every time I indicate !
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Nooo! I noticed this when my F36 was in for the EGR recall and got an F30 as a loaner. The stalks are awful in comparison and I could not for the life of me think why they would take a backward step. The soft touch stalks are so much better :(
 
[TW]Fox said:
The problem with all of these cars is that they are very hard to buy second hand as everyone specs them appallingly - virtually every G30 for example has very little in the way of options except for the awful M Sport Plus pack which adds stupid 20 inch wheels.

Sums up our car market really. Upgraded lights? Nope. Adaptive cruise? Nope. Massive 20 inch rimz? YES PLEASE
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I Noticed that also. Everything is poverty spec but they are not terrible as standard.
 
Had a look at the new 3 Series yesterday. 330i M Sport in black, with black grille, oyster leather, dark wood trim.

As someone who has always found the F30 to be an F20 with a boot (mostly), the new 3 Series feels like a smaller, slightly more compact G30 5 Series. Materials are good and everything felt nice to use.

Standard spec now seems a lot better too.

Very impressed, definitely beats the A4 and C Class for me. I’m sure it’ll drive well too.

New Z4 was similar inside and quite pleasant, but they aren’t my favourite. Much better than pictures suggest though.
 
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