[gurusan]

Originally Posted by srey

First kid? You don't need something bigger than an E90. Something with four doors is preferable, though. Car seats in a coupe suck. Kids destroy cars, so don't get something too nice.

I'm surprised you think a 5 series drives like a yacht. I think it's pretty sharp for its size. It sounds like a 3 series is the ticket. You could always look at A4's too. Audi tends to nail their interiors. A Model 3 could be pretty cool, but by the time you spec it out to how you'd want it would be more expensive than a much nicer (in my opinion) used German car.

I used to always hate on minivans, but with three kids I have to say it's a godsend. Kids treat cars like garbage cans, and I don't get as angry when I find a pile of petrified french fries in the back of the van as I would were they in my E90. It cleans up easy. The sliding doors are great too. Kids will want to open the doors by themselves, which leads to banging the doors on the cars parked next to you. A minivan is a great road trip car too. I'm not telling you to get a minivan, but once you have more than two kids it should be a serious consideration.

Overall, kids destroy cars, so don't get something too nice. And for those of you without kids who think mine must be the outlier spawn of hell kids, you're wrong. They're all like that. Is this a one car to rule them all scenario? If not, let your SO's car be the babymobile and you get something interesting to drive.

Yeah for 1 kid you don't really need anything bigger.

I have 3 kids and a 2007 Denali. Kids thrash the thing but the leather seats are easy to clean and the weathertech mats do a good job for the floors. They still leave trash everywhere no matter how many times we tell them to clean up, and the middle sibling ripped the door handle off yanking on it.

We have thought about a minivan for our next car but really need something with AWD since we go to the snow quite often, and there is really poor selection of AWD minivans.

A Model 3 is pretty spartan inside and I would imagine fairly easy to keep clean.

[vilord]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

If you can afford the Model 3 and it fits your needs, I'd get it..

I don't understand why you had to sell your E90 because of a kid though - I thought needing an 8,000lb gas guzzling SUV because a kid can't possibly fit in the back seat of a sedan was an American thing. It's totally nonsense. I used my E30, which is way smaller than the E90, as our family car for several years while we had *two* kids and it wasn't an issue. Even the double stroller fit in the trunk..

Maybe he sold the e90 because it was a diesel?

To the OP, if you're just looking for something different... I'd probably look at a lightly used Audi A5 sportback/4-door or A6 if I wanted a little more space and a "new" experience, or a 535i as you mentioned already.

[Unknown_Car]

Originally Posted by TemjinX2

i say just get another e90 until the baby gets older and then stretch and get a porsche macan.

Don't lisen to this lol, Porsche macan is one of the worst cars ever drove. Not comfortable, really really cheap interior. Every new P is actually down in interior quality.

[6ixSpd]

I'd look into a 2012-2015 A4/S4. They're what the E90 should've evolved into...

Originally Posted by Roma_335i

Don't lisen to this lol, Porsche macan is one of the worst cars ever drove. Not comfortable, really really cheap interior. Every new P is actually down in interior quality.

Lmao, well yeah if you drove a broke-ass base model - sure. That's like saying E90s suck, based on driving a 323i with vinyl manual seats.

Any decently equipped Porsche is class leading in build quality ever since the 996 era. I have no idea how you're making that completely incorrect statement. There's a reason every single model they put out defeats all it's rivals in basically every segment.

[jarsdad1]

Just get an X1 3.5. It's the same size as an e90, but it will fool the wife into thinking you are responsible.😁

[racermp]

audi?

[delmarco]

You think the F30 materials are too cheap from an E90 perspective??!!
Jeez had you been around for the E46 (higher quality stuff) or E36 (true German auto- no cupholders) you would be mind blown by the design quality and engineering on those older BMWs.

I love BMWs and the E90 that I have now (in terms of driving pleasure) but if I sold my E90 today I would not get another BMW for a next car. The Tesla 3 is a great option.

In recent years everything about BMW marketing, service, sales have been a huge turn off.

As a company that produces sporty cars on what used to be built on the "ultimate driving machine" motto is now making cars under the motto of "quantity over quality". There are too many BMW series and too many BMW cars made for everyone from your teenage kid to your Grandmother. BMWs are no longer exclusive.

With my E90 I've had some of my worse service experiences where a waterpump/thermostat fails at 50k just because and it cost $1800 to replace, run flat tires are $1200 to replace, Batteries that need to be coded cost $500, simple Oil Filter Gaskets are $1300...and most of this you couldn't DIY as easy as previous 3 series.

As for sales, most execs and young yuppies I know lease BMWs these days. No one really buy new BMWs. As a result the resale/cpo/used BMW market is flooded with luxury daily beaters with little diversity in options and colors (unless you love black/gray and white), smaller engines/non-sporty variants of certain models.

As for new car sales you will feel scammed when you build an 2019 X5 and realize the off road package cost an extra $3900. Off road package for an SUV sounds as silly as paying for a Sports Package for a 3 series (which is a car known since the 1970's for being inherently sporty! Now you want sport in your sports sedan then BMW makes you pay for it. You want Utility Vehicle in your SUV then you pay extra for that too.

These things all turn me off from buying-used, buying-new, or leasing another BMW in the foreseeable future.

Originally Posted by vladmury

Just sold my E90 LCI , this has been my second E90 and I just love the way how they drove.

F30 too cheap materials and poor handling
F36 same as F30
F10 drives like a yacht and the reliability seems to be a nightmare reading opinnions from owners

I am thinking too buy a new Tesla Model 3 and call it a day.

What you guys think?

[porsche959]

upgrade to a Mercedes

[vladmury]

Thanks to everybody for the good input to clarify why I have sold my E90:

It was a diesel and the annual tax gets higher every year, but this is not the main reason.
The car developed a nasty vibration after getting M3 subframe bushings and M3 control arms that I could never solve, I have spent a lot of money and time and I could just not enjoy my car anymore.

I thought it was a good idea to use the money for a deposit on the Model 3.
I dont like the design, I like BMW agressive look but besides F10 M sport which looks good nothing else gets my attention from BMW.

I hate estate models, I want only sedans.

So far I have considered:
Audi S4, 2010 333hp, never drove an audi.
Bmw 535i F10 M sport ( very rare)
Bmw 530d F10 M sport ( popular but a diesel again?)
Bmw 530i G30 used 20 000 miles at same price as a new Model 3.
Wait and order a new G20 330i?

[srey]

The S4 is a great car. You would love it. It's a different ride, but a lot of fun.

[e90reborn]

Originally Posted by vladmury

What you guys think?

I think you should buy another E90

[Ozzie335i]

Something with an L on the hood.

[vladberca]

Definitely wait for the new 330i. 👍

[ny325]

The new G20 3 Series will be out soon.

[BMWinAZ]

I would take the Audi S4 over the Tesla 3 any day! Heck, I would take a Lada over the Tesla 3 ...

[vladmury]

F10 is definitely off my list, drove a 535i today without sport suspension and it drove like a yacht. It has nothing to do with "ultimate driving machine" . If I wanted a car that handles like a yacht, I would have bought a Mercedes.

[wknddrivr]

I went from an E90 328i to a g30 530i m-sport so I can give you some insights on that.

At first the G30 felt huge compared to the e90 but I got used to it after a few days. The handling isn’t as sharp as the e90 but it’s not bad for it’s size. Electric power steering does make the steering feel numb and disconnected but it’s not as bad as an audi and and improvement over the F10.

The interior of the G30 is a huge improvement over the e90 in terms of comofort and style. Build quality is probably about the same maybe the G30 is slightly better with tighter panel gaps. The G30 is dead silent and you hear almost no road or wind noise compared to the E90 which I felt was a little loud on longer trips. With the G30 it’s a lot easier to have a comversation with people in the car than the E90 but like I said, e90 wasn’t bad G30 just is much better. The seats in the G30 are also much better than the e90 seats (I have the multi-contour comfort seats in the g30). The ergonomics on the G30 are also better. The nav system is great and traffic updates work where’s the e90 sucked compared to google maps. Entering destinations is also way better as the voice control lets you just say the name of the place you want to go vs E90 which made you say the full address. The voice recognition is better too.

The downsides though are the driving experience is bland compared to e90. The e90 had sharp turn in, great steering feel, the weight of the steering was perfect and the car felt nimble. G30 just feels numb in comparison to the E90. Its not as tossable, not as fun. I also miss the manual transmission. In the US the G30 is only offered with an auto which is an excellent gearbox, but I prefer manual. I also miss the inline 6 engine. The turbo 4 in the 530i is very smooth and quiet and provide plenty of power, but it’s just not on the same level of refinement as the inline 6. That said the fuel economy on the G30 is much better than the e90. In stop and go traffic in LA I was getting about 16MPG with the E90 and roughly 27mpg highway. (e90 didn’t have auto stop start in the US). In the g30 I’m getting about 24/25MPG in stop and go and 35MPG highway.

Like you I also considered the F10 5 series but the G30 drives much better because it weighs less and has a much better chassis. I also liked the interior of the G30 much more than the F10, so while I could have gotten a well equipped used 535 for around $35k, I ended up getting the g30 for $58k (after discounts). Was it worth the difference? I don’t know probably not, but it definitely is better than the G30 and I could afford it so I don’t lose sleep over it. Don’t think you could go wrong with an F10 535i though.

Finally, despite all that, I still prefer driving my e36 98 M3 over the g30 and the e90 but it’s not a great car for long trips so it’s relegated to weekend fun duty for me.

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by vladmury

F10 is definitely off my list, drove a 535i today without sport suspension and it drove like a yacht. It has nothing to do with "ultimate driving machine" . If I wanted a car that handles like a yacht, I would have bought a Mercedes.

The m-sport package makes a massive difference. The stiffer springs and thicker anti-roll bars really change it into a completely different car but the G30 is better than the F10 dynamically. Not e90 level but definitely better than F10

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by M.chowdhury1

So the 325i is quite costly? Is there any other e90 petrol model you could recommend to me I'm very unsure what to pick next 🤔 I don't even mind purchasing an e60 petrol either

If you stick to the N52, it shouldn't be bad. But your 325i's have the N52B25, which can have issues with valve stem seals, so you'd want to check that out before buying one to make sure it doesn't have the issue or that it's been repaired already.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by delmarco

You think the F30 materials are too cheap from an E90 perspective??!!
Jeez had you been around for the E46 (higher quality stuff) or E36 (true German auto- no cupholders) you would be mind blown by the design quality and engineering on those older BMWs.

I love BMWs and the E90 that I have now (in terms of driving pleasure) but if I sold my E90 today I would not get another BMW for a next car. The Tesla 3 is a great option.

In recent years everything about BMW marketing, service, sales have been a huge turn off.

As a company that produces sporty cars on what used to be built on the "ultimate driving machine" motto is now making cars under the motto of "quantity over quality". There are too many BMW series and too many BMW cars made for everyone from your teenage kid to your Grandmother. BMWs are no longer exclusive.

With my E90 I've had some of my worse service experiences where a waterpump/thermostat fails at 50k just because and it cost $1800 to replace, run flat tires are $1200 to replace, Batteries that need to be coded cost $500, simple Oil Filter Gaskets are $1300...and most of this you couldn't DIY as easy as previous 3 series.

As for sales, most execs and young yuppies I know lease BMWs these days. No one really buy new BMWs. As a result the resale/cpo/used BMW market is flooded with luxury daily beaters with little diversity in options and colors (unless you love black/gray and white), smaller engines/non-sporty variants of certain models.

As for new car sales you will feel scammed when you build an 2019 X5 and realize the off road package cost an extra $3900. Off road package for an SUV sounds as silly as paying for a Sports Package for a 3 series (which is a car known since the 1970's for being inherently sporty! Now you want sport in your sports sedan then BMW makes you pay for it. You want Utility Vehicle in your SUV then you pay extra for that too.

These things all turn me off from buying-used, buying-new, or leasing another BMW in the foreseeable future.

Literally every post you make just complains about BMW quality. Not sure what your goal is with all of these rants on a BMW enthusiast based forum?

If the car makes you that upset maybe you should sell it and buy a Lexus or Toyota. Life is too short to be unhappy with what you drive. Also, just an FYI many manufacturers charge extra for desirable features that are different than the mass produced models. Go price out a Jeep Wrangler, Ford F-150, or pretty much any car that has more features than the base version and they all add a lot more to the cost, sometimes even double it.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by delmarco

You think the F30 materials are too cheap from an E90 perspective??!!
Jeez had you been around for the E46 (higher quality stuff) or E36 (true German auto- no cupholders) you would be mind blown by the design quality and engineering on those older BMWs.

I love BMWs and the E90 that I have now (in terms of driving pleasure) but if I sold my E90 today I would not get another BMW for a next car. The Tesla 3 is a great option.

In recent years everything about BMW marketing, service, sales have been a huge turn off.

As a company that produces sporty cars on what used to be built on the "ultimate driving machine" motto is now making cars under the motto of "quantity over quality". There are too many BMW series and too many BMW cars made for everyone from your teenage kid to your Grandmother. BMWs are no longer exclusive.

With my E90 I've had some of my worse service experiences where a waterpump/thermostat fails at 50k just because and it cost $1800 to replace, run flat tires are $1200 to replace, Batteries that need to be coded cost $500, simple Oil Filter Gaskets are $1300...and most of this you couldn't DIY as easy as previous 3 series.

As for sales, most execs and young yuppies I know lease BMWs these days. No one really buy new BMWs. As a result the resale/cpo/used BMW market is flooded with luxury daily beaters with little diversity in options and colors (unless you love black/gray and white), smaller engines/non-sporty variants of certain models.

As for new car sales you will feel scammed when you build an 2019 X5 and realize the off road package cost an extra $3900. Off road package for an SUV sounds as silly as paying for a Sports Package for a 3 series (which is a car known since the 1970's for being inherently sporty! Now you want sport in your sports sedan then BMW makes you pay for it. You want Utility Vehicle in your SUV then you pay extra for that too.

These things all turn me off from buying-used, buying-new, or leasing another BMW in the foreseeable future.

Ok. Yes and no, as usual. You’re right about new BMWs being way off the brand marque, but you’re way off about e46 and e36. Those cars, especially the e36 were junk. The e36 interior was a rattle fest held together by fragile plastic garbage. The e46 was with better materials, but many of the same issues persisted plus the sub frames separated from the body... lest we forget the paper mache cooling systems.

The e90 is corrosion resistant, rarely breaks and if it does break it’s actually built to be put back together with the same original parts. Also, the interior cloth linings were applied with actual glue - nice touch. Who would have thought! If you buy 335i and you dealer maintain you better know what you’re getting into and don’t complain bc the same story has been around for a decade...

[M.chowdhury1]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

If you stick to the N52, it shouldn't be bad. But your 325i's have the N52B25, which can have issues with valve stem seals, so you'd want to check that out before buying one to make sure it doesn't have the issue or that it's been repaired already.

Thanks man! How do I know which one is N52 and which one isn't?