[Cvaggelis95]

Hello bimmers,

I'm reaching out to gather your valuable insights and opinions on the timeless classic, the BMW E90, in comparison to the newer models in the market.

The BMW E90 holds a special place my heart. Its sleek design, engaging driving experience, and solid performance have made it a popular choice among BMW fans for years. However, with the arrival of newer BMW models, it's time to delve into a comparative discussion.

Whether you own or have driven an E90 or have had experiences with the newer models, I invite you to share your thoughts, pros, and cons regarding these two categories. Here are some points to consider:

Design and Styling: How do you perceive the design language of the E90 in comparison to the newer BMW models? Which one stands out to you in terms of aesthetics and visual appeal?
Performance and Driving Experience: Share your experiences with the E90 and the new models in terms of power, handling, and overall driving experience. Did the newer models bring any significant improvements?
Technological Advancements: Consider the advancements in technology between the E90 and the newer models. How do the infotainment systems, driver-assistance features, and connectivity options compare?
Reliability and Maintenance: Discuss the reliability and maintenance aspects of the E90 and newer models. Have you encountered any notable issues or differences in terms of upkeep and costs?
Value for Money: From a cost perspective, how do you evaluate the value proposition of the E90 compared to the newer models? Which one offers a better balance between price, features, and performance?
Feel free to share any additional factors or comparisons you deem relevant. Your personal experiences and insights will contribute to a vibrant discussion among our community of enthusiasts.

Thank you in advance for sharing your valuable experiences and opinions.

End here

[whyzee125]

I think the classic non-M cars are headed in the right direction from a design language perspective. The new M cars don't appeal to me at all nor do the fwd 2 series, x7, etc. But car companies have to offer what their target market wants in order to fund their "fun" cars. Unfortunately I think the M cars are hideous but looks are subjective so can't really knock them just because I don't like them.

I dislike the F chassis cars a lot, F8x possibly excluded. The interior quality, fit/finish, and driving experience were at an all-time low. They seem to be back on track with the G series. I really like the B58 and S58 engines and they're better than the N54/N55/N63, etc. all day. The 4 bangers were a step in the wrong direction for reliability only. I'm not such a purist that I think a 4 cylinder is evil.

The tech is way better in the new stuff. I'm a bit of a luddite but can't argue with the fact that having all the added features makes the cabin a more enjoyable place to hang out.

A bit too early to know for some drivetrains but like most things, it's becoming more difficult to service/DIY, more complication, more electronics, more sensors, etc. I think BMW learned from the N54/55 engines and improved on them in every way in the newer engines but they also added a ton of complication. The N54 doesn't scare me one bit but not sure I'd want to own a new BMW out of warranty. We all have to adapt though. I was scared of buying a B5 S4 for my first car 10 years ago but the N54 isn't any better and I feel completely comfortable with it.

The e90 was a better value IMO. Plenty of non-enthusiasts (and enthusiasts alike) bought them new and had 200k miles of reliable transportation with a lot of enjoyment along the way. The new ones have too much planned obsolescence for this to be a common thing in my opinion.

[michaelalex17]

E90 FTW. Yeah I’m biased because I own one, but I own one for a reason. It looks better, is the right size, feels higher quality, and is a more connected driving experience than a modern BMW.

[StradaRedlands]

E90s are the last of the analog BMWs. Especially N52 with a manual transmission. I know obviously they have plenty digital and electronic controls, but I'm referring to the naturally aspirated engine, non-adaptive suspension, belt driven power steering pump, single hump/no screen. I'm not sure I can ever move away from that!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

E90s are the last of the analog BMWs. Especially N52 with a manual transmission. I know obviously they have plenty digital and electronic controls, but I'm referring to the naturally aspirated engine, non-adaptive suspension, belt driven power steering pump, single hump/no screen. I'm not sure I can ever move away from that!

And it sucks when you wear one out...

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by michaelalex17

E90 FTW. Yeah I’m biased because I own one, but I own one for a reason. It looks better, is the right size, feels higher quality, and is a more connected driving experience than a modern BMW.

This.

I can afford a new BMW, and have driven a few of them, but they honestly aren't very inspiring, like many other new cars. I fell in love with my E90 kind of by accident, because I drove a friend's car way back when (2006 325i) and loved the feel of it, the quality of the interior, how solid it felt, etc. My 2009 still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

I work in the tech field, so cars packed with technology do not impress me, and in some cases seem extremely gimmicky. I already have the most up to date nav on my iphone, and all I need is a bluetooth connection for my music/phone calls. After a long day staring at a computer screen, driving home in an analog vehicle is how I unwind. I've been casually looking for a replacement, since I know I'll need one eventually as my other vehicle is a mint condition but not ideal daily driver '98 Wrangler. It's sad to me that the cars that do still have a great driving experience without a ton of tech are really commanding a premium.

[FimbulWinter]

It’s the N52, N/A 6cyl for me, the car body exceeds the power from the engine making it agile and fun to drive. Don’t bother have a faster car when I can’t even floor it at 6th gear.

[ctuna]

I have driven plenty of the new ones on the multiple recalls I had.
Not impressed by any of them they are defiantly cheaper than after
the E90 series.
The Turbo's are more maintenance and subject to timing chain
problems in the first decade in the US in the 4 cylinders at least.
Still a nice driving car and I am keeping my wagon.
However I bought a Model Y and am not sorry at all .
Better steering feel than the new BMW's
M car fast and the Stereo is great .
Not going to the Costco Gas lines anymore.
Model Y seats are not bad but the old BMW sport seats are better.

[Cal122]

Originally Posted by michaelalex17

is the right size, feels higher quality, and is a more connected driving experience than a modern BMW.

^^^This. I've driven all the new models for long periods, I'm so happy I kept my E90. The size of the car is perfect and visibility is great, I'm not sure why they seem to have gotten progressively larger now, almost into earlier 5 series territory.

[E93Seattle (Racerbruce)]

if you look back to the iconic bmw kidney grille design, it created a niche' that has never been emulated.

the perfection of the kidney grille's shape, size while protecting and retaining this international design individuality is unique to the bavaria motor works success.

our first e9x was a 2011 328xi 4 door and was a great car.

after selling my 2007 z4mr recently, i purchased a low mileage west coast 2013 335is e93 n54 hardtop/convertible.

it's hard to emulate the precise handling of the z4mr which weighed 3,150 lbs to the 335is which weighs 4,000 lbs....two totally different species.

a fellow bmw-head on the bimmerpost website posted this photo some time ago which speaks to me....the grotesque evolution of the iconic bmw kidney grille, which has been brutalized and is now looking more like a Barnum & Bailey Circus side act than a compliment to the generational design elements of BMW:

[krhodes1]

No stickshift, no wagon, no Euro Delivery, no sale to me.

I find the exterior looks of the G-series to be quite good, but the interior is a screen-infested mess.

I'll just keep the two I have. AT 53K (e91) and 66K (e88), they will last a good long time. I put a whole 1800 miles on the e91 last year, just got her out for the summer the other day, as I am back in Maine for a week, then will be back for the summer in two.

[E93Seattle (Racerbruce)]

it can make one long for....
small
lightweight
cutting edge independent rear suspension
4 wheel disc brakes
a distributor
a carburetor or two
cutting edge 5 speed manual

this describes the early 2002 series and 3 series....

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by E93Seattle

it can make one long for....
small
lightweight
cutting edge independent rear suspension
4 wheel disc brakes
a distributor
a carburetor or two
cutting edge 5 speed manual

this describes the early 2002 series and 3 series....

There was nothing cutting edge about the semi-trailing arm rear suspensions in those cars. In fact, they were often refered to more as "defiant" than "independent".

Cutting edge was the 5-link setup introduced with the E36 and refined through to the present day.

Also, carbs can die in a fire (and often do). Ditto distributors, I will take coil-on-plug any day for hassle-free operation. Six gears are better than five too.

All that said, I would absolutely love to have a 2002 in my garage for drives on nice sunny days. Daily driving, not-so-much.

But I think the e9x/e8x was peak BMW, and it has been mostly downhill since.

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

And it sucks when you wear one out...

I fear this day as well.

But maybe we can find you another.

Or at least I hope that I can find another before they become unobtainium. The E91s are going for around $20K average over on BaT. I think that sedan 328i's are still too common to show up there at all.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

And it sucks when you wear one out...

I was just looking at my odometer on the way home today... creeping up on 230,000 and wondering what I'm going to need to do to keep it going!

Originally Posted by Cal122

^^^This. I've driven all the new models for long periods, I'm so happy I kept my E90. The size of the car is perfect and visibility is great, I'm not sure why they seem to have gotten progressively larger now, almost into earlier 5 series territory.

I think the E90 is the perfect size, but compare an E90 to an E30... the E30 is the size of a E82 1er. I'm sure an E90 is larger than the 1988 E28 5er, although the E28 may have had more interior room and was definitely a bit more upright. All cars bloat over time... the current Civic is larger than an early accord. It's the weight that gets me... even the E90 just feels a lot heavier and solid that older cars of any make.

Originally Posted by krhodes1

All that said, I would absolutely love to have a 2002 in my garage for drives on nice sunny days. Daily driving, not-so-much.

I had a '73 2002 and LOVED that car, but it definitely wasn't a good daily for me. Loud, terribly MPG, no A/C. Would have loved to have kept it, but couldn't afford to have multiple cars so sold it and bought a '91 325iX. Anyway, I have thought MANY times about getting a 2002 rolling chassis and converting to electric. Wouldn't be a good commuter, but a great round town car and wouldn't need a huge battery.

[Cloverdale]

There's nothing comparable to the thrill, excitement and value of a modded and tuned N54 or N55! Once experienced, there's no going back.

[Skoidat69]

I went and test drive future replacement vehicles for my E91. I liked the 2020 xc60 R Design.. loved it. Then I drove a 2023 V90.. lame.. then 2021 X5.. super lame.. my 9 year old daughter, " Dad, this car sucks.."

Update: I took the oldest and tallest to drive a 2018 V60 T5 and it was nice but a little gruff. But we both loved the 2020 V60 T6 Inscription (fkn heated and cooled seats).. so smooth

[AlpineBoost]

Originally Posted by Cloverdale

There's nothing comparable to the thrill, excitement and value of a modded and tuned N54 or N55! Once experienced, there's no going back.

Value for sure. I laugh every time I read articles online with titles such as, "Fastest cars under $15k", and the E9x 335i doesn't even make the list. Whoever comes up with that crap obviously doesn't have a clue. I plan on getting a G87 in the next model year or two, but still don't see myself getting rid of my E92. I'd rather just keep it than feel like I gave it away. Modded and tuned, when running right, they're absolutely beast.

[Cpet]

As others have said, the E90 is the objectively best 3 series as a whole. Styling, engines, driving experience, and quality.

Design and Styling: Facelift E90s have held up extremely well. The revised styling was introduced nearly 15 years ago and still looks sharp today. Sizing of the sedan is ideal (at least in my stage of life). Small compared to other cars on the road, but can seat four or fold the rear seats and haul more than you’d expect.

Performance and Driving Experience: Newer BMW models obviously don’t drive anything like the E90, and they never will. Main reason I have no plans to sell mine.

Technological Advancements: The E90 could be ordered with varying degrees of tech. Mine has no center screen, manual seats, no parking sensors, no garage door opener, and a basic 6 speaker stereo. It’s one of the last true analog cars from BMW, and has all the features you need, nothing you don’t.

Reliability and Maintenance: Others have spoken on this, but the turbo 4 has had bigger issues than the NA I6 it replaced. Sure, the N52 has its weak spots, but it’s an overall solid engine that has shown great longevity. I follow the Mike Miller old-school maintenance schedule, which is reasonable and logical.

Value for Money: A nice, used E90 that has had some big items done (valve cover, oil pan, water pump) will be a fantastic values. The best ones on the market are 15k (non-M of course). The F30s are dropping real close to E90 values, and offer lower quality, a worse engine, and a lame driving experience.

[Cloverdale]

Originally Posted by AlpineBoost

Value for sure. I laugh every time I read articles online with titles such as, "Fastest cars under $15k", and the E9x 335i doesn't even make the list. Whoever comes up with that crap obviously doesn't have a clue. I plan on getting a G87 in the next model year or two, but still don't see myself getting rid of my E92. I'd rather just keep it than feel like I gave it away. Modded and tuned, when running right, they're absolutely beast.

And the fuel efficiency compared to so many with less or similar power, especially those with 2 more cylinders including the same gen M3. Even better if you have a cheap source of E85 (which I do).

[jeevin]

Originally Posted by E93Seattle (Racerbruce)

if you look back to the iconic bmw kidney grille design, it created a niche' that has never been emulated.

the perfection of the kidney grille's shape, size while protecting and retaining this international design individuality is unique to the bavaria motor works success.

our first e9x was a 2011 328xi 4 door and was a great car.

after selling my 2007 z4mr recently, i purchased a low mileage west coast 2013 335is e93 n54 hardtop/convertible.

it's hard to emulate the precise handling of the z4mr which weighed 3,150 lbs to the 335is which weighs 4,000 lbs....two totally different species.

a fellow bmw-head on the bimmerpost website posted this photo some time ago which speaks to me....the grotesque evolution of the iconic bmw kidney grille, which has been brutalized and is now looking more like a Barnum & Bailey Circus side act than a compliment to the generational design elements of BMW:

Attachment 3189363

Attachment 3189364

Attachment 3189365

We have the same 335is Color Combo, Mine is a E92, only 1 of 3 in E92, wonder how many in E93!

Very Rare!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by jsunma

I fear this day as well.

But maybe we can find you another.

Or at least I hope that I can find another before they become unobtainium. The E91s are going for around $20K average over on BaT. I think that sedan 328i's are still too common to show up there at all.

Yesterday I wrote a "therapy" post in response to yours. I took it down right away though to spare everyone the mental drama in my head. I have 5 cars and a touring motorcycle, which with a 1.6L flat-6 is really a car anyway. With a Pickup, ORV, Roadster, Coupe, and a 4-door sedan there is no overlap in the fleet. The last 3 are BMWs. And the E90 now serves as my beater-drive-to-DC car.

After 17 years (last week), 420,000 miles and over 9,000 hours in the seat of the E90, getting rid of it now would be akin to taking one's dog... to the vet for the final time. I just can't do it. I guess I'm in for a mild refurb: replacement of the rusted rear subframe, and repair of the AC system are the hard issues to attend to. The rear brakes, tires and suspension are just 16,000 miles old, and the windshield is fresh from replacement last October. I had it out yesterday after working on the sunroof card and it still pulls as good as the day I picked it up in May 2006. Needs a liter of oil every 4,000 miles or so. It just drives so frickin' good for a regular street car (what BMW used to do so well) and I live in the ideal BMW ultimate driving environment. After driving every 3-series since the E21 (other than the G80) and owning a version of the E30, E36, E46 and E90, my opinion is the E90 is the best of the breed.

Hopefully the left rear wheel doesn't separate from the subframe before I can replace it - LOL.