[anandjoshi]

Hey 3-Series Experts,

I own a 50000 km run 2012 model E90 320d without any problems.

I have an option to buy equally run 2013 model F30 320d with some upgrade cost.

Apart from the upgrade cost, Which one will you pick & why.

I am looking for pure driving pleasure and maintenance perspective and not interested in fancy stuff / features.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Regards,

Anand

[spudulike]

I'd stick with the E90.

My experience is between my E90 330i and recently-traded F31 330i (owned both for 3 years).

The F31 had limp steering, poorer handling (increased understeer), poorer build quality (material quality and feel) and a noisier cabin. It sacrificed the bulletproof BMW-ness, that feeling of driving a solid tank of a car, for the increased gadgets and spangliness to compete with Audi and Mercedes.

Skip the F series and go straight to G. My G21 330i is night-and-day better than the F31. My E90 is night-and-day better than the F31.

[villieb]

Between the E90 and G21 - which one would you prefer?

[spudulike]

That's tough but I think the G21 edges it. The hydraulic steering is much more tactile in the E90 and gives better feedback, however the suspension is more primitive even with upgraded dampers and the performance from the N52 is more exciting but just not in the same league. Every trip in the E90 is an event and it feels like a faithful companion but it's an old design now and that shows.

I only picked up the G21 a week before the lockdown so I've hardly been able to drive it much (it's done 280 miles in 2 months!) however it's got a perfect chassis balance and performance that would make a hot hatch blush. Just like the E90 in its day.

Pound for pound, not much beats the E90. They're huge value for money now. It's 90% of the G21 for 10% of the price. But ignore the cost and the G21 shows where 14 years of development have gone.

[anandjoshi]

spudulike Thanks a lot for your advice.

I am interested in 320d option.

[spudulike]

Originally Posted by anandjoshi

spudulike Thanks a lot for your advice.

I am interested in 320d option.

I had an N47 E91 320D (181bhp). Lovely motor and it's the same as the F30 up to 2015. You can expect a very slightly noisier experience in the F30.

Manual or Auto? The Manual box is the same in both but the 8spd ZF in the F30 is a much, much better box than the old 6spd. It's smoother, quicker shifting and about as good as automatics get.

[rasa bmw]

none,,do not want to sound uppity,,bit the 6 pot is way better than the 4 pot tractor...you will not regret it in either form m57/n57 etc

[therealdb1]

Originally Posted by rasa bmw

none,,do not want to sound uppity,,bit the 6 pot is way better than the 4 pot tractor...you will not regret it in either form m57/n57 etc

Difficult to put into words but the 6 pot cars always seem much more pleasant to drive than the 4's.

Sure, purists will say the 4 pot is a lighter engine, better handling balance, etc, etc, but let's face real world life where we are not all hooning around with the tyres screeching and a majority of the time your car is a machine to get you from A to B in as much refined comfort as possible which is when the two extra cylinders really come into their own.

[anandjoshi]

Thanks folks. I will wait then and stick with E90 320d.

Anyone know where I can get the technical manuals and documentation around E90 320d ?

[spudulike]

Some folks swear by the Bentley manual. I prefer to just look stuff up on here, Pelicanparts.com or Autodoc.

They sold around 2 million of the E9x so they're a popular car for working on, loads of DIY information and videos are around.

realoem.com is your friend for part numbers

[anandjoshi]

Originally Posted by spudulike

Some folks swear by the Bentley manual. I prefer to just look stuff up on here, Pelicanparts.com or Autodoc.

They sold around 2 million of the E9x so they're a popular car for working on, loads of DIY information and videos are around.

realoem.com is your friend for part numbers

Thanks, will take a look.

Yeah, Bentley manual would be great. I could not find for 320d

[therealdb1]

Originally Posted by anandjoshi

Thanks, will take a look.

Yeah, Bentley manual would be great. I could not find for 320d

I agree, strange that the E9x Bentley manual completely ignores the diesel engines but they do appear in the F series book.
I wouldn't suggest paying $150 for a hard copy but you might find a used copy for a fraction of that or alternatively there are sites where a pdf can be downloaded for free (but I'm not going to recommend any to preserve the innocent!).

It is probably worthwhile grabbing an E9x version as it will cover most of the car just not the engine related bits.