[lamborghini]

Voted YES & put my money where my mouth is

In fact, broke almost every rule I had for pre-owned cars : under warranty, less than 15Kkm run, etc. when we bought a 5 year old 328i home (done a ridiculous 20Kkm) in 2017 over a new vRS.

3 years & 10Kkm later, it's proved itself fairly reliable and well built! Compared to any new upper C / D-Segment sedan on the market today : City, Civic, Elantra, ex-Corolla, ex-Octavia - the F30 feels more premium, gets RWD, brilliant powertrains, etc.

In fact, a stage 2 328i + maintenance for 3 years + some cosmetic mods worked out cheaper than a new vRS!
It may be different if my daily running was more, but hoping to rack on more kms over the next few years along with a proper review.

That being said, there are some downsides:
1) 328i Engine Timing Chain is an issue which one has to keep a look out for. Similarly, one needs to do research on common issues that could plague other variants as well.
2) Sticky doorhandles are common place
3) SOFT stock suspension : there's a reason a bunch of 328is / 330is on this forum are running after-market
4) Damned ABS sensors!
5) No Space for a Space Saver which can make longer trips / airport trips a little tighter.

Mandatory pic:

[iliketurtles]

A big yes from me, and like Lamborghini, I too put my money where my mouth is and picked up a pre-owned 328i, on which I've racked up 20k KMS in about 2 years.

She's been a reliable, fun daily driver, and I think while this generation of the 3 lost out a bit on the fun factor vis-à-vis the E90, it made up for it in terms of better interior space, finish, and IMO design as well. There are very few flies in the proverbial ointment, but the soft suspension and watered down steering are two of them. You can always fix that with aftermarket springs and what not, but you'd be a fool to do so.

Like any German, if you treat her with love, and tackle issues pre-emptively, she'll treat you well. This one's a keeper.

[shobhit.shri]

This pre-worshipped car of the week is going well. Is there a place where all previous threads are listed?

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Negatives:

• Electric steering isn't to an enthusiast's tastes. Not a true BMW steering

A grudging yes.

The car itself is great, but how expensive are we talking about here? For example, a similarly aged C segment car - say Honda City - can have 25K in average annual maintenance, and 1L for major incidences, so what would be the equivalent for this car?

[d3mon]

Originally Posted by Torquedo

plonk in a few more and get the 530d or the E350, way more on the per sq ft

When did this forum become 'team-BHK.com'?

On a more serious note, the F30 3 series actually has more room in the back seat than the F10 5 series.

[dealer]

Voted a big big YES!!!!
My F30 320i LCI is absolutely the best daily driver that I could hope for. The car makes me wake up in the wee hours of the morning just so that I can go on a spirited drive on the highways! While there are no ownership reviews of the 320i LCI on team-bhp, I'd like to share my experience in the brief 1.5 years that I've owned the car :-

Likes
1. Supreme levels of engine refinement coupled with an excellent suspension balance suited for both sport and comfort make it an absolute hoot to drive no matter what the time or situation is.
2. A simple remap took my car to 270hp and 380nm torque :P
3. Can easily and comfortably seat 4 adults
4. The car looks absolutely beautiful IMO.
5. The 9 speaker ICE sounds crisp and brilliant.
6. Steering is extremely well balanced and inspires confidence at high speeds.
7. Overall build quality is excellent and being a CBU, it's just that little more special.
8. The VFM is mind boggling in the used market.
Dislikes
1. GROUND CLEARANCEE The ground clearance is a tad too low for the streets of Jaipur. For anyone looking to purchase this model, be prepared for a few scrapes and underbelly hits.
2. Uncertain reliability considering it's a luxury German sedan.
3. The car absolutely loves high octane fuel due to the high compression ratio which really affects the cost of ownership.
4. The Pirelli P7 RFTs break traction quite easily.


This may seem like short and biased review by a fanboy but I can not find anything else I dislike about the car. This may be due to the fact that the car makes you forget everything the moment you're behind the wheel but, I'm glad I chose the 320i. A high revving turbo petrol was exactly the partner we were looking for to join our other 6 cylinder diesel workhorse and the practicality of the 320i when being used with friends and family (4 in the car) is unmatched by cars like the Cooper S. For anyone considering a 320i, JUST DO IT.

I'm attaching a picture of my car, please excuse the photography skills

[F1-Addict]

Voted No.

I know this is against the votes of many of my fellow T-BHPians (sorry GTO )

Its not that I do not agree with the views of buying preworshipped. Especially the magical 3 series.

But somehow over the years I have just not been able to do it.

And trust me everytime i've bought a car I have spent hours and hours researching (as we petrol heads do) new vs pre-worshipped.

- new zen vs pre-worshipped esteem - I bought the zen
- new swift vs pre-worshipped city - I bought the swift
- new xcent vs pre-worshipped rapid - I bought the xcent (although this decision I regret)

etc etc...

Maybe i just love the "new car smell"

[Torquedo]

Originally Posted by d3mon

When did this forum become 'team-BHK.com'?

On a more serious note, the F30 3 series actually has more room in the back seat than the F10 5 series.

Mine was the first post, didn't you realise that, sloppy on my part having caught you on the wrong foot.

You've been long on the forum to decipher b/w BHP and BHK, let's not delve much into the matters, moving on, if your statement on the back seat be true, why would anyone look at the 5, aah, more boot space and longer hood, yes, how on earth did I miss that . You caught me napping there.

For not so substantial amount more, 530d and E350 would be a better bet.

[crackparag]

Voted Yes!

I was in the market early last year looking to replace my 9 year old City. I'd gone with a friend to check out a 530d for him at Navnit, when my eyes fell on this beauty. It was a 2014 320d.

Negotiated a damn good price then and there and advance was paid! After 19 months of ownership, do not regret the decision one bit. The car was recently serviced at trustworthy Sunil's garage and I was pleasantly surprised at the bill - was expecting far more.

Mandatory picture..

[Lowflyer23]

Voted an absolute yes! Very good availability and tonnes of mod potential. You can get one from as low as 9-10 Lacs and close to new examples for 25-30 lacs. The looks too are far more appealing than the G20.( No offense meant to any owners or admirers of G20)

[adi.mariner]

Voted No. I was in the market for a used 3 series (F30) or a C Class (W204 Facelift). However the non existent boot space with the spare wheel inside was a deal breaker for me. Also coming from a SX4, I wasn't very comfortable with the low seating position. So bought a used BMW X3 (F25).

[AJ18]

The F30 seems like an absolutely fantastic option in place of a C segment sedan or a Compact SUV, especially with the frugal and fun diesel engine.

I have a slightly off-topic question:

Would a E90 325i or 330i make sense as they have the inline 6 engines, rear seat comfort is not a priority, the stiffer suspension is preferred, are are available for even cheaper than the F30 320d.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by AJ18

Would a E90 325i or 330i make sense as they have the inline 6 engines

It depends on what 'makes sense means to you'. The inline six 330i is a great engine in its own right, but being naturally aspirated, you'll find the 320d to come 'alive' sooner. My suggestion; if it's a lot of city driving, the e90 330i would be a poor choice to make, the 320d would make more sense in that scenario, since the 330i only comes to life post 3000 RPM. Conversely, if it's a lot of outstation and highway drives, the e90 330i would make a lot more sense.

[neeravnaik]

I would say Yes!
I bought the Red F30 320d in 2016 and has done close to 40k so far and I can see it hopefully go one for quite some time.

Apart from the good stuff, The practicality is surprising as it can take most roads with its suspension and overall mileage is 14 with quite a lot of use in Bangalore traffic.

We have used it as a family car with kids and it is really great for covering really long distances easily. The 1000 km tank range is a great boon and ride is decent.

[indrangiri]

I also was bitten by the BMW bug and made the decision to buy a pre owned BMW 320D.
My old car was the Maruti SX4 that had served me for 12 long years without any major issues.

Was fortunate to see a dealer by the name "PreCar Mart" at Blore list a 2015 BMW 320D Luxury line with only 24500KM on the odometer. The dealer response was good and he brought the car home for a test drive.

The car was well maintained with no dents and scratches. Only the Bridgestone Potenza RFT were nearing end of life and needed a replacement.

After a bit of negotiation, the price was finalised at 23.5L and took delivery on the 14 Aug.
The low seating position take a bit of getting used to after driving the SX4 and need to watch out for those high speed breakers. Otherwise the car is a joy to drive with a responsive engine and 180 BHP under the hood.

Looking forward to join fellow BHPians on a drive sometime.

[BMvW.Rajat]

Voted yes.
We have a 320d at home and I feel that it's all the car you need. Perfect in size for the city and a total beast on the highways. Reliability wise, it's better than the C, in fact it's better than the C in most ways. The only thing that a car in the segment has anything on the 3 is the A4, which has the most refined Diesel engine.

It's a clear winner and you can't go wrong with it.