[whyzee125]

I saw this nice comparison between the two models from an owner of both on a YouTube video comment, by user Andrew Davidson. Here's his opinion:

"So I own both vehicles and I'm just going to make some points for any future buyer watching this video.

The f30 is definitely more modern, with a more aggressive exterior and sexier, more functional interior, all angles and lines considered.

the f30 has a plethora of available features that are super cool and add function and practicality to the car in ways the e90 lacks, so make sure to find one that was close to or fully loaded.

the f30 is generally more reliable (though both are reliable) but more importantly , easier to fix. I do all my own maintenance on both and some of the engineering tricks they used for the f30 maintenance is a godsend- seriously, were talking an hour less or more for some of the same jobs.

the f30 auto transmission is miles ahead of the e90. I had an e90 manual once upon a time but now both are autos, so idk about the manuals. Probably comparable.

The f30 has adaptive modes and suspension (optional). This is amazing. It's like hitting a "change personality button." Soft? Sure. Rough and sporty? Sure. Eco mode to get 23.5 mpgs? Why not.

Now the e90...

the e90 is definitely more solid in the interior. The f30 interior is cheaper in feel in virtually every way- chalk that up to the lighter plastics they needed to save weight over the e90 (~120lbs) and cost cutting. Between the two, you'll notice the difference straight away and the e90s will definitely last longer. The f30 has creaks and rattles at 60k that my e90 doesn't at 135k miles.

the e90 feels much more sporty. It's stiff sport suspension and tight, heavy steering wheel with it's amazing hydraulic rack are untouchable by the f30, which, even in sport+, feels soft. Seriously, a tad too much roll. With the e90, You are one with the road- with an f30, you're just some passenger on top of the road. It's a massive difference, and why I guarantee you that unless you're a pro driver, you'll be faster in the e90 than you would be in an f30 (around corners, track, autocross). The f30 is faster on paper but the confidence... Is non existent. The feedback is just too vague. (this probably makes the f30 a better daily/casual car).

And that's it! One last thing... GET ONE WITH THE OPTIONAL PREMIUM AUDIO! seriously, the Harmon kardon surround in these cars (13 speaker in e90, 16 in f30) is amazing. They have DSPs, and if you don't know what that means, it means it sounds amazing. Bass, trebble, all of it.

Good luck!"

[tlow98]

That seems about right from what I’ve experienced. Used an f30 3 or 4 times in variance environments. I did love the endless front end grip of the f82 M4, but that interior was rental grade cheap, imo.

Didn’t know the f30 was that much easier to work on - wonder what he’s referring too, specifically. They didn’t make the e90 easy, that’s for sure...

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by tlow98

That seems about right from what I’ve experienced. Used an f30 3 or 4 times in variance environments. I did love the endless front end grip of the f82 M4, but that interior was rental grade cheap, imo.

Didn’t know the f30 was that much easier to work on - wonder what he’s referring too, specifically. They didn’t make the e90 easy, that’s for sure...

I don't know where the reliability bit is from? The f30 has the n20 engine which has timing chain issues in models before 2015, the engine will destroy itself. The f30 had the n55, same with the e90.

I think the styling of the interior and exterior on the f30 are great. I didn't know they cheapened the interior, interesting.

[Gamb1t]

It easier to work on maybe due to housing a 4-cyl engine in a bay designed for for 6-cyl engine.
In terms of reliability I think it's comparing to the n54 E90. There's no way current gen BMW engines are more reliable than the n52.
There's a certain unquantifiable solidity to the E90 that somehow the f30 is unable to duplicate. The driving dynamics is unquestionably superior with the E90. But that's for those that appreciate such traits. Most owners can't tell. The pervasive X-drive f30 variants further dulls out the experience.

[GMe90]

The F30 makes all the sense in the world if you view it as a 5 series. It's about the same size as the E39, it offers MT, has more rear legroom, and is a great daily driver. But it's not a genuine BMW 3-Series like the e90, e46, e36, and e30 are.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

I don't know where the reliability bit is from? The f30 has the n20 engine which has timing chain issues in models before 2015, the engine will destroy itself. The f30 had the n55, same with the e90.

I think the styling of the interior and exterior on the f30 are great. I didn't know they cheapened the interior, interesting.

In my opinion, they did cheapen the interior. Have a look at the door panels in the rear up close. Take a look at the seat pleating and how the rear bench in constructed. That rear seat could come straight of a Dodge Neon.

[whyzee125]

Originally Posted by tlow98

In my opinion, they did cheapen the interior. Have a look at the door panels in the rear up close. Take a look at the seat pleating and how the rear bench in constructed. That rear seat could come straight of a Dodge Neon.

I agree, the seats do look really bad

[Efthreeoh]

My experience with both cars is, the E90 has Ultimate Driving Machine DNA and the F30 doesn't.

[vilord]

Originally Posted by GMe90

it's not a genuine BMW 3-Series like the e90, e46, e36, and e30 are.

When the e90 came out, people said it wasn't the ultimate driving machine that the e46, e36, and e30 were. Too big, too heavy, too many computers.

When the e46 came out, people said it wasn't the ultimate driving machine that only the e36 and e30 had mastered.

I wonder when F30 will be added to that list.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

My experience with both cars is, the E90 has Ultimate Driving Machine DNA and the F30 doesn't.

This was my thought as well. The E90 has a much more sporty feel to it. The F30 to me is like a 5 series in comparison. Much larger, and trades handling for a bit more comfort. But then again, that can be seen in pretty much every progressing generation of the 3 series. The reality is most modern buyers don't want to drive something as raw as an E30, as much as enthusiasts like us might want to. Increasing government safety standards and MPG requirements are also factors.

I have to disagree with the review on the maintenance and reliability points. I helped my friend install a charge pipe on his F30 335i with the N55 and it was still a major PITA with no room to work. The 4 cylinder has more room, but you still have all of the turbo components in the way. I guess it really depends on if you are comparing F30 N55/N20 to E90 N54. The N52 is easier than all of them to work on. Reliability is also something I disagree on. The F30 is a newer car, so naturally it shouldn't have as many parts wearing out yet. My thoughts are down the road the F30 will have the same reliability as any other turbo BMW.

With that said, I don't think the F30 is a bad car, just closer to a 5 series than the E90. I'd still take a RWD/X-Drive F30 over a FWD sedan like an Accord or Camry, and the Lexus offerings look pretty hideous IMO. Not much of an Audi fan either. Even the lowly 320i is not a terrible car to drive in the grand scheme of things, and IMO is much better looking than the new G20.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by vilord

When the e90 came out, people said it wasn't the ultimate driving machine that the e46, e36, and e30 were. Too big, too heavy, too many computers.

When the e46 came out, people said it wasn't the ultimate driving machine that only the e36 and e30 had mastered.

I wonder when F30 will be added to that list.

When the F30 came out, those people retracted their statements

[mecheng77]

Here is a good used vehicle summary of the F30, with details of the failed tensioner, reduced Gs and longer breaking distances.

https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/bu...-bmw-3-series/

[mxchris727]

No one is really comparing apples to apples with the F30s. I drove a 340i LCI sport; I would take it over my 335i any day - the interior felt much higher quality than the first-gen F30s. The chassis felt completely different too, much stiffer with close to zero roll. They really did improve on that car in the LCI versions.
I'm keeping my eye out for a CPO 2017+ 6MT right now, hard to find!

[vilord]

^^ I had a 440i LCI for a couple days while my e91 was in for recall work, and I'm with you on this. Didn't feel cheap. Not a neon. Swapped seats with the girlfriend and she said it felt anemic and floaty, so i said 'oh right, hang on' and switched it from eco to sport, and the grin only got wider from there.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

This was my thought as well. The E90 has a much more sporty feel to it. The F30 to me is like a 5 series in comparison. Much larger, and trades handling for a bit more comfort. But then again, that can be seen in pretty much every progressing generation of the 3 series. The reality is most modern buyers don't want to drive something as raw as an E30, as much as enthusiasts like us might want to. Increasing government safety standards and MPG requirements are also factors.

I have to disagree with the review on the maintenance and reliability points. I helped my friend install a charge pipe on his F30 335i with the N55 and it was still a major PITA with no room to work. The 4 cylinder has more room, but you still have all of the turbo components in the way. I guess it really depends on if you are comparing F30 N55/N20 to E90 N54. The N52 is easier than all of them to work on. Reliability is also something I disagree on. The F30 is a newer car, so naturally it shouldn't have as many parts wearing out yet. My thoughts are down the road the F30 will have the same reliability as any other turbo BMW.

With that said, I don't think the F30 is a bad car, just closer to a 5 series than the E90. I'd still take a RWD/X-Drive F30 over a FWD sedan like an Accord or Camry, and the Lexus offerings look pretty hideous IMO. Not much of an Audi fan either. Even the lowly 320i is not a terrible car to drive in the grand scheme of things, and IMO is much better looking than the new G20.

Being the old tot that I've had the pleasure to become, I've spent time behind the wheel of at least one version of all the 3-series BMWs since the E21 (when they were new). I owned a 1989 E30 325i for 18 years. I also drove other cars of the era(s) of the 3-series as well, so I know how BMWs stacked up to other manufactures models at the time they existed together. While time progresses, most automobiles progress and get better. Cars become more refined, become safer, require less maintenance, and last longer. The 3-series certainly has followed that path, but there was always a core attribute of the 3-series chassis that made it unique and what people refer to as the BMW DNA. The several attributes I can point to are the precision of the steering, the precision in modulation of the braking system, the driving position, the clarity of the gauges, the ergonomics of the driving controls, the vision of the greenhouse and mirror positions. The stability of the chassis was born from BMW's strict adherence to a 50/50 weight balance and suspension geometry designed to reduce and almost eliminate brake dive and requirements for better tires. All these attributes created a better driving car and allowed, forced I might say, the operator to actually become a better driver (I've seen it happen with people I know - including me). To put it simply, the analog version of the BMW 3-series was very difficult to get out of shape, and the chassis reacted to driver input in such a way, that while the driver had good instincts to avoid a collision, the 3-series chassis accomplished the intentions of the driver, where other manufacturer's models didn't and couldn't. In the mid-1980s, BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine commercials actually made statements such as (paraphrasing) BMW cars were made for people who cared about the quality of the driving experience "while putting up with people who don't". Quite brash to make such statements, and I can only assume they came from Bob Lutz himself.

Current car models are not analog. They are practically completely computer controlled, so all of the engineering design effort to create the excellent 3-series chassis can be now be artificially and easily produced via electronic control of the steering, brakes, throttle, differentials, and suspension damping (thank you to Ford and the Explorer/Firestone debacle). And that is where I see the F30 marks the death of the BMW DNA. While the E90 has a lot of the computer control just mentioned, it still retained the BMW DNA. The F30 just doesn't have it. Even BMW can admit to it, as the F30 LCI update changed the design of the front suspension in an effort to regain some the the BMW steering response. Want to drive the follow-on to the E90? Go drive the Cadillac ATS. Cadillac chased the BMW DNA very hard, and finally found it; too late though, as the sport sedan marketplace (defined by the 3-series) moved on to abandon chassis dynamics in favor of iDrive capabilities (people love new tech in the form a apps...). People now like SUVs, because they are programmed to maintain stability far better than an analog version of such a design could allow, while giving the packaging better suited to family life. But in the end Physics always wins, and you get to see SUVs on their roofs...

Maybe the G-series regains some of the DNA; lack of a manual trans for the US market doesn't make me too hopeful that I'll buy one (I'm well past due for a new sports sedan). BMW has moved on and has the sales numbers to prove it.

Old guy's opinion....

[dylane_92]

Originally Posted by whyzee125

I saw this nice comparison between the two models from an owner of both on a YouTube video comment, by user Andrew Davidson. Here's his opinion:

"So I own both vehicles and I'm just going to make some points for any future buyer watching this video.

The f30 is definitely more modern, with a more aggressive exterior and sexier, more functional interior, all angles and lines considered.

the f30 has a plethora of available features that are super cool and add function and practicality to the car in ways the e90 lacks, so make sure to find one that was close to or fully loaded.

the f30 is generally more reliable (though both are reliable) but more importantly , easier to fix. I do all my own maintenance on both and some of the engineering tricks they used for the f30 maintenance is a godsend- seriously, were talking an hour less or more for some of the same jobs.

the f30 auto transmission is miles ahead of the e90. I had an e90 manual once upon a time but now both are autos, so idk about the manuals. Probably comparable.

The f30 has adaptive modes and suspension (optional). This is amazing. It's like hitting a "change personality button." Soft? Sure. Rough and sporty? Sure. Eco mode to get 23.5 mpgs? Why not.

Now the e90...

the e90 is definitely more solid in the interior. The f30 interior is cheaper in feel in virtually every way- chalk that up to the lighter plastics they needed to save weight over the e90 (~120lbs) and cost cutting. Between the two, you'll notice the difference straight away and the e90s will definitely last longer. The f30 has creaks and rattles at 60k that my e90 doesn't at 135k miles.

the e90 feels much more sporty. It's stiff sport suspension and tight, heavy steering wheel with it's amazing hydraulic rack are untouchable by the f30, which, even in sport+, feels soft. Seriously, a tad too much roll. With the e90, You are one with the road- with an f30, you're just some passenger on top of the road. It's a massive difference, and why I guarantee you that unless you're a pro driver, you'll be faster in the e90 than you would be in an f30 (around corners, track, autocross). The f30 is faster on paper but the confidence... Is non existent. The feedback is just too vague. (this probably makes the f30 a better daily/casual car).

And that's it! One last thing... GET ONE WITH THE OPTIONAL PREMIUM AUDIO! seriously, the Harmon kardon surround in these cars (13 speaker in e90, 16 in f30) is amazing. They have DSPs, and if you don't know what that means, it means it sounds amazing. Bass, trebble, all of it.

Good luck!"

Can confirm (I own e92 328i xdrive and my dad owns an f30 328i) I also must add that i average 10.5 L/100km and i drove his (MUCH faster) car for a week and averaged 8.5L/100km. Huge difference. N52 still worth those downfalls IMO