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      12-20-2012, 02:54 PM   #48
gds52
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Drives: BMW Z4M Coupe, BMW 328i E93 Co
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BradF View Post
I've had BMW's going back to a used e46. First BMW product came in the form of an R53 Mini, then the e46, an R53 Mini Cooper S, 2008 e90 328i with an manual and ZSP, and now we have a 2006 e53 (since 7,000 miles) and a 2011 e90 328i xdrive.

My wife finds BMWs rather boring (if not ugly) in the styling department and (flame suit) often prefers the styling of Mercedes cars. Although I seem to like BMW's for many reasons, my wife often reminds me why we've become BMW fanatics: the way they drive. The e46, became a "must have" after my wife's first test drive, and after having our first child she insisted on the X5 after exhaustively checking out every other option. For an SUV, the X5 had "amazing handling" (her words), so we stretched into a CPO which is still going strong with 67,000 miles (knock, knock). The fun factor of BMW softened her to my trading around from the e46 to a MINI to two e90's now...it really has been quite fun and I settled in to the latest: a 2011 328 xDrive with everything on it -- we picked it up in March of this year at a steep, steep discount. It now has just 8,000 miles. I hope to have this car for a while.

Right or wrong, we consider ourselves part of a somewhat important demographic for BMW: not particularly wealthy, but we do okay. Early 40's with younger kids who both had Volkswagens when we met thirteen years ago (a Golf and a Jetta). As our incomes grew, we began to experiment with other brands because we were bored with VW and settled with BMW.

I'm not a f30 "hater" because I have an e90...I'm not a hater at all. I test drove a 2012 when they first came out, yet settled on the e90 because of the xDrive and all of the other features I was able to get for the discount...what a deal! I liked the idea of the f30 (slightly larger, much better mileage) - but was fine with my decision to get e90 number 2.

This week, I took my e90 in for service (voluntary interim oil change and a few other minor things) and was given an f30 loaner. My impressions:

BMW did a lot of good things here. After over 100 miles on the loaner, I was very, very impressed with the N20 engine and the 8-speed tranny: What a great combination. Mileage was impressive, as is the ability to easily toggle between EcoPro, Comfort, and Sport modes. Honestly, the feel of the engine wasn't all that different than the e90. Power was awesome, and while some consider a 3-series with a 4-banger the automotive equivalent of hell freezing over...I found this driveline pretty damn impressive. Wow. As I was cruising along in the f30, I found myself calculating how bad I would get spanked if I traded in my less-than-year-old e90. I was so focused on the driveline nirvana that I invited my (very wise) wife to see if she could tell the difference between this and the six cylindar engine in the e90. I tossed her the keys and off she went....

After a short drive she tossed me the keys and said, "I wonder how the new Mercedes models drive". Other comments rolled out: "Nice interior...but the steering is as loose as a fat kid's belly...even in Sport mode", and "Auntie Robin's Lexus handles better". She reminded me that for her, it's all about the steering and that she wanted the used e46 even over other new cars because of the steering (which she emphasized IS a large part of how a car handles...not just the suspension). Honestly, I thought she was being too harsh on the f30.

All I can say is that the e90 is my daily driver...and as I drove off after returning the f30, I honestly found myself thinking that the service technicians must have disconnected the power steering -- because the feel of the e90 and the f30 are truly that different. Where the e90 is firmly planted offering direct communication through the steering wheel, the f30 feels distanced and filtered...

In my opinion, this is a fatal flaw. BMW MUST correct this; it is the downside of "Efficient Dynamics"
well said...long but very nice review :-)
I agree engine response and everything else is great.
Somehow the F30 which I got with red line on dash and big red borders on the floor mats, turned me off.
I think BMW made a smart move and thts the reason the 2-door coupe was not launched.
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