Suresh

I'm not totally sure why I'm posting this other that maybe looking for confirmation that I'll be doing the right thing.

I reckon a blue 328i "high executive" sport saloon with 8speed autobox and leather is going to be a perfect replacement to my Passat 2.0t wagon when it goes back to the lease company after 5 yrs in August. The new 3 is a tad bigger than the outgoing model, but nowhere as spacious as the VW of course, but as there are no more prams or pushchairs or travel cots to be lugged around at holiday time, that's not so important this time around.

CO2 tax gas emissions play an important role in a new lease contract and the Beamer is the leader of the pack with only 147g/km.

An environmentally-friendly family car thats great to drive and hits 60 in under 6 seconds - I'd be mad not to, right?

Steve vRS

Are you sure you can live without the space?

I went from an Octavia vRS to a current 320 ED and kick myself every time I look in the boot.

Steve

Suresh

I reckon I can live with it Steve, but the Mrs will probably think differently about that.. according to the "Autoweek" app, my old Forester had boot space of 406 litres and my old classic just 363 and they were plenty enough with just one kid of 2yrs old - whereas the new beamer has 480. Not a patch on my current estate at around 600 litres, but for the 17,000kms I drive each year I reckon I'm alone in the car for at least 12,000 of them. The roof box goes on for the wintersport, but then again we even take our own sledge with us, so that can be done with less baggage I'd say. And for the summer break down to Italy we currently don't even need the roofbox now, so taking it along won't be a big deal I hope.

I must confess I looked in the boot of an Audi A5 sportback last week when my VW was in for a bulb change and I shut it again quickly as it looked far too small under that sloping hatch. The A5 has 480litres too according to Autoweek.

I reckon the only thing is not to open the boot when test driving it!

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I don't know what the hell BMW are playing at with the boots these days.

The cars are bigger than the out-going models, yet the boots seem to be no bigger. Added to teh fact many touring models had a big storage space over the spare wheel, and run-flat cars had basically a huge spare wheel well. Yet modern ones don't have a spare wheel area at all and no real extra provision for storage.

Now I know they've put bigger batteries in them for start/stop, but they are not that big!

And BTW start/stop is the most annoying thing on the planet. I borrowed a brand new (new shape) 116d manual last December and the only way to stop it cutting out when waiting to pull away from a junction was to ride the clutch......glad it wasn't mine

I think BMW are losing direction/focus on what makes a driver's car: The 8 speed autoboxes are lovely, but try and pull away if a door isn't closed fully and it'll move 2metres then pop back into neutral and apply the brakes...WTF? WHY did allow me to pull away THEN decide to stop the car afterwards? The hill-holder freaks me out too, one second you have a normal brake pedal, and the next time you touch it, it goes rock solid like the brake booster has failed (scared the crap out of me the first time, as I thought I'd lost the brake booster). Electric steering is now feather light - as light as a VAG and just as numb. This isn't a driver's car...its a motorised nanny that you can direct with your little finger. And the runflats, I didn't realise how bad they were until I lived with a run-flat equipped car for more than two weeks. BMW really need to bin them and put a spare tyre back in the boot ( if there were space for one, which there isn't now ).

On the plus side the built in mp3/media storage is a gem. About time cars came fitted with a hard drive as standard. All my music collection in the car without the need for usb sticks or MP3 players.

Steve vRS

And mine doesn't tell me which door is open, I have to go and try them all. My Skoda used to tell me which one was ajar....

Steve

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Good point, it just goes "bling" and flashes up on the dash something like: "Door open - brakes engaged for your safety"

About as useful as a chocolate fire guard

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

A 328i with only 147g/km? Wow! Sign me up!

Petem95

That's because there's not a 2.8 litre straight six under the bonnet.... it's a 2.0 4 cylinder.

It does have twin turbo's however, and makes a lot of sense really - especially if it's going to be a company car.

0-60 in 5.9 and 44mpg is hard to argue with to be honest, even if it won't sound as good as a six!

Dingdongler

As Ali B says BMW seem to be losing their focus, they are getting more and more sensible and fuel efficient (which is a good thing) but losing any sense of driver appeal.

Run flats + electric steering + softer suspension + less cylinders = just not much fun to drive.

It's funny that when BMW makes a M car they ditch most of that, the new M5 doesn't have electric steering, has conventional suspension set up and doesn't use run flats. In other words they admit that all those things make the car less fun to drive.

Personally I would never buy a non M BMW again, just the run flats and over assisted steering is enough to put me off.

bighead

iTrader: (1)

the new 3 series are getting rave reviews at the mom Ding, read somewhere that its makes the mercedes c class a distance second best !!

Suresh

Google helped me to find all the reviews out there @bimmerpost

http://www.bimmerpost.com/tag/2012-328i-reviews/

I have to say the car is very convincing, but without the tasteless red strip across the dash, please!

Suresh

The new 3 hit Dutch showrooms today, so I went to take a look. Have to say it looked great in the metal and it felt totally right from the driver's seat, with controls and meters all biased around the driver just as it should be. Leg room in the rear was good too and don't expect the kids to have a problem there. The boot was of course on the small side, but plenty enough if we stop taking the kitchen sunk with us on holiday!

I'm totally sold and will be test driving it soon once they have a 328i sport with the M suspension ready. Might wait for the MSport trim version coming in H2 2012....

Brun

Is 44mpg really achievable? It's like the Focus ST - Ford quote 30mpg combined but in reality 20mpg is all that's on offer.

Suresh

Brun, I beleive both mpg and co2/km tests are performed by the manufacturers themselves under totally ideal conditions. You wouldn't have a hope in hell of matching 44mpg on a real journey I expect. But if all manufacturers are showing best case scenarios, then at least the playing field is level even though the consumer is nine the wiser about expected consumption.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

That's actually quite an interesting car. It certainly gets some rave reviews, best 3 series yet from autocar!

2.0L twin turbo, 8 speed flappy paddle, tons of gadgets! Why it couldn't be a 320tt instead of a 328i I don't know.

Brun

The 328 wasn't a 2.8 so why not

swaynie

iTrader: (6)

I miss my old 328i it was truely a loverly car to drive but not so good in the snow

Suresh

Impressive review of the 328i 8AT here

http://m.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1202_2012_bmw_328i_sport_first_test/index.html


ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30 1.9 sec
0-40 2.9
0-50 4.1
0-60 5.6
0-70 7.4
0-80 9.5
0-90 12.0
0-100 14.9
1/4 MILE 14.2 sec @ 97.8 mph
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.90 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1750 rpm

What's not to like?

warrtster

iTrader: (5)

Price?