[Im1]

Originally Posted by dicky.hillary

@Im1 I'll +1 the be very careful with that trim!! I had it in my E92.. make sure SWMBO doesn't come crashing into the car with her handbag!!

I had a feeling it might scratch easily - its going to get 'school runned' next week with 2 kids ! ! ! Anybody any ideas for covering the trim temporarily ! ?

[Im1]

Originally Posted by ZeroFx

Be VERY CAREFUL with that trim.

I have it and it scratches easy

Have been gently reminding the wife on car care etiquette 💅

[Im1]

Includes not slamming the doors , pot hole avoidance , supermarket parking counter measures .

I must be going mad !

[E60MKF]

Originally Posted by ZeroFx

Having owned both the 2.0 and 3.0 engines and driven both the 520d and 530d and 320d and 330d E92 i think i know a few things about both cars and engines. I put nearly 160,000 miles on them all in total.

The 2.0 is not refined at all. The 5 series is what is refined. Put that engine in the 320d and it goes back to the rattly noisy rough engine that it is. the 28i Petrol is the same, 4 Pots are just that way. The difference with the 5 is that the soundproofing and weight and chassis do a lot more to cover up the downsides of 4 pot diesels.

Personally i could never willingly go back to the 2.0d. Im spoilt now

I currently have both a 320d and a 520d and I agree! The 320D is lacking so much refinement its a joke- too noisy! Engines aside, the interior is very basic too, the same as the F20 we have! The F30 needs to improve in so many ways before it can come close to having the BMW badge on it. If it wasn't for the drive and the aggressive finance, the C-Class would shift many more units...

[ZeroFx]

Originally Posted by E60MKF

I currently have both a 320d and a 520d and I agree! The 320D is lacking so much refinement its a joke- too noisy! Engines aside, the interior is very basic too, the same as the F20 we have! The F30 needs to improve in so many ways before it can come close to having the BMW badge on it. If it wasn't for the drive and the aggressive finance, the C-Class would shift many more units...

Im astounded the difference between the 3 and 5. The amount of tech on my 5 is insane. The 3 looks barren against my 5.

[MMY]

Know the feeling, just one month into a B47 520d MSport after 15 months in a F30 330d MSport (and before that two F10s, two E60s and Some E39s).. The 330 was something I had to get out of my system but the five is so much more refined. I think the high speed handling of the three was better, the five has a less firm centred steering feeling , probably as the three had servotronic. Having had two of the 184hp previous F10 engines, the current is just being run in (2000 miles on the clock) but it does seem quieter and slightly more eager...yes, it lacks the effortless power of the 330 but 90% of the time it's irrelevant...oh, the msport five is noticeably tighter than my previous F10 SE,

[Im1]

Originally Posted by MMY

Know the feeling, just one month into a B47 520d MSport after 15 months in a F30 330d MSport (and before that two F10s, two E60s and Some E39s).. The 330 was something I had to get out of my system but the five is so much more refined. I think the high speed handling of the three was better, the five has a less firm centred steering feeling , probably as the three had servotronic. Having had two of the 184hp previous F10 engines, the current is just being run in (2000 miles on the clock) but it does seem quieter and slightly more eager...yes, it lacks the effortless power of the 330 but 90% of the time it's irrelevant...oh, the msport five is noticeably tighter than my previous F10 SE,

Yes definitely agree . I think once you have been driving a 5 it's hard then to reconcile the NVH of a 3 series . I too had to get the f30 330d out of my system before reverting to a 5 . I will never go the wrong way down the model range again if it means a similar financial layout even if it means accepting a lower powered engine

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Im1

Yes definitely agree . I think once you have been driving a 5 it's hard then to reconcile the NVH of a 3 series . I too had to get the f30 330d out of my system before reverting to a 5 . I will never go the wrong way down the model range again if it means a similar financial layout even if it means accepting a lower powered engine

I sandwiched an E91 330d between an E39 540i touring and my current F11 535i, and agree you just cannot compare a Three and Five for NVH. I am currently between two 500 mile a day runs, the 5-series is just so suited to crunching miles in the best possible way. The comfort, the refinement, the technology, makes it difficult to see any other model range satisfying me as much.

HighlandPete

[MMY]

4000 miles up on the B47 520d and the OBC shows an average Mpg just over 45; the 330d did closer to 49 (and I was not driving Miss Daisy)... Maybe it needs to loosen up some more or its down to the lower powered engine having to work that bit harder.... I have the standard MSport suspension unadorned with VDc or Adaptive but as I become accustomed to the bigger car again I am quite impressed by its ability through the corners...but my word, it's a big car, a nightmare in modern multi-storey car parks where I have to sometimes double take on a ramp. I do notice family and friends very happy to take a journey with me again, something the three series never encouraged ( based on very explicit feedback). In conclusion, apart from the engine, the three series is seriously lacking in appeal. Which brings me to my biggest gripe: there is a c €5000 premium in Ireland to go from 320 to 330 whereas its 15k for the five series...doesn't make any sense based on manufacturing costs...

[en1gma]

Don't get me going re too big for car parks! Esp multi-story ones...

Along with the electric steering assistance giving zero feedback at parking speeds it's almost as if they do it on purpose to make you buy Surround View!

There are a couple car parks i do not go in anymore because of this... :-(

[Im1]

5000 miles in engine is loosening nicely .

I feel no difference in the pick up torque from idling vs my f30 330d . It's really on overtaking that the difference makes itself known under normal road driving conditions

All in all do not miss the 3.0 . Have not resetted mileage computer and doing 44.9 mpg a lot of higher speed m way driving