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Old 18th August 2012, 03:22   #1
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The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module

Its simple ,its obvious, its a no brainer , & yes it is the 328i

Yes i was waiting for the confirmation about weather the N20 engine will be launched in India & as soon as it got confirmed i did make up my mind for the 328i sportline in " White"

Any other considerations ?

Yes the 530d i had a soft corner for & i would have gone ahead & bought the 530d if 328i wouldnt have been launched (Also would not have mind spending the extra if BMW had planned a 335 variant)


Biggest Rival / Enemy - 520d


Yes, i know this may sound as an obvious choice (not in case of BHPians) that any one would want an 5 series as after hearing that a discount of additional 1.75 lakhs was available on the 520d variant so my father was keen on the 520d , but yes it did take time convincing him where in finally he gave a go ahead ( thanks to the BMW for marketing the increased dimensions which helped me convince him & also a point where i told him that any way the 5'er is not supremely spacious anyway so this is not going to be a big loss in space )

PS - Did not want to highlight the performance aspects otherwise he would have panicked & put me under the scanner that why i want such a fast car & where are the roads etc etc , LOL


The HUNT


Two days after the launch i.e. on 29/7/12 i went to Infinity, Worli for the test drive, was completely floored by the performance.

I was ready to book the car in " WHITE" Mumbai & ready to make the down payment (booking amount)

I was flexible for the interior colors i.e. either Coral Red or Black

Somehow i always wanted & desired a white Bimmer & so was adamant on getting a "White" only

I was not been given the clear picture regarding the status / inventory of "White" by either of the dealers in Mumbai.

They had the following reasons or may be spreading a rumor of the following ;

1) Infinity Mumbai say that the 328i Sportline production had stopped and BMW Chennai would not be making any further 328i's

2) Navnit Mumbai said that 328i sportline is available only in MELBOURNE RED & IMPERIAL BLUE no other color is offered by BMW on this variant ( But the brochure did not specify any thing of that sort nor anything was said of this regard when i had gone for the launch party held on 27/7/12 )

- Out of which point no. 1 was partly true as BMW had only approximately 50 units of 328i's allotted for 2012 and the next units would come in only by early 2013.

- 75% of the 50 Cars (328's) which were allotted in the 1st lot for India were in Melbourne Red & Imperial Blue , the rest being other colors including White ( so chance of location a white got even difficult)

^ The above i was confirmed by Infinity GM where in he was very helpful & honest in sharing the information, infact he had a white which he had sold so that being the only white which was not available now so he had advised me to go ahead and book a RED before that runs out of stock too.

I was heartbroken and was left helpless ( almost got myself convinced in going in for MELBOURNE RED)

The only positive i had was that my car/s i register myself at " Silvassa " i.e. DN Passing, so like i did with sourcing my White Fortuner ( from Surat ) i started the hunt by calling up BMW dealers all across India.

In a day i had called Delhi, Jaipur , Raipur, Pune , Surat , A'bad & none of them had the 328 in white.

In my Question to them i was very specific in asking " their inventory " & not what they could order ( because i did not want to block my funds & have a no show or wait 4-5 months)

In the meanwhile my brother ( 15 years old ) called me up & said " Hey theres one White with Coral Red available at Platino Classic, Kochi & he had called for pictures for proof etc.

Within 30 minutes we got their e-mail with pictures attached & i did not think much and just sent them an e-mail confirmation regarding my booking & got their confirmation as well & the next morning i did an RTGS of the booking amount of 5 lakhs to their A/C & Reserved the car & what a sigh of relief it was

Discount Offered ;

50 % Discount on Insurance of Car i.e. 50% off on 1.50 Lakhs so a direct saving of Rs 75,000

Handling Chargers (HC) of Rs 28,000/- - waived off , so more saving.



Transit mode ;



Biggest Question was how to transport the car safely to Silvassa (Gujarat) for registration.

Option 1 ;

Drive down - As the car was un-registered was not sure if i would be able to pass through all the check nakas / octroi posts without any hassles as i did not want to end up paying a hefty penalty and also second reason being road condition from Kochi towards B'lore.

Option 2 ;

Flat Bed truck : Infinity GM again helped me with this as he advised not to drive down and to let it come on a flat bed.

The Deal : Rs 45,000 /-

Transit Insurance : Rs 500 / Lakh = Rs 19,140 /-

Did not mind paying the above as i already saved some money as Discount on Insurance & HC


Dealer Experience ;



9.5 / 10

It took around 2 working days to get the loan approved.

The entire agreement etc was signed and sent via courier and they received the payment on Monday i.e. 13/8/12

PDI was done that day itself.

Insurance & TP was ready on Tuesday & i was confirmed the delivery on Thrusday i.e. 16/8/12

I reached Kochi airport on Thursday afternoon , Platino Classic had arranged a car ( Honda CRV ) pick up for me from airport to Show room , that was a good gesture.

Pause : Let the pictures do the talking for a while ;


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-1.jpg


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-photo.jpg


Oh boy the RIMS , Thank You BMW India for not offering these on the 320d variant & letting these be exclusive to the 328


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-3.jpg


The Coral Red Interior takes time getting used to & truly grows on you.


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-4.jpg


Note : 5 Km on the Odometer


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-15.jpg


The modest 2.0 L N20 , still need a straight 6 ? May be yes ( for the engine/ exhaust note) rest all is fulfilled by the beauty of this 2 L twin scroll turbo.


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-5.jpg


Coming back to the story ;

I had a flight back on Thursday night for Mumbai in the meanwhile there was a problem in the Temporary Registration

A wrong name was mentioned i.e. instead of my company's name " Managing Director " was mentioned & that was not accepatable so i had to wait till next day afternoon to get it amended.

This delay made me cancel my flight & Re-Schedule it for the next day. ( Cancellation charges @ Rs 1400 )

For the above episode i ranked the Dealership experience of Platino Classic 0.5 less i.e. 9.5/10

Otherwise all in all the experience was fantastic , the GM to the sales staff were extremely helpful & friendly.


Freebies ;



At the time of delivery i got a gift pack which included a Keychain, a Box chocolates , BMW car care products free Other than that i got the following BMW Lifestyle items also free ;


- 2 BMW T-Shirts with BMW Emblem on the arms ( Polo , 1 in Black other in White )

- 2 caps with BMW Emblem ( 1 white & other in Black )

- Laptop Bag ( Worth aprox 6500 INR)

- & i was able to squeeze out a BMW M Watch Worth INR 16,700 , Check out;


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-w.jpg


I had taken the delivery on Thursday evening only and i set off ;


The Drive


It was a short one i started from the showroom went to the fuel station and got 1000 Rs Fuel filled ( 89 octane ) from there i went to my hotel.

Apparently the accommodation provided by BMW did not have a good parking facility so i did not want to risk it & thankfully The showroom was just a minute drive away , so i put it back into the showroom in safety.

I had informed the show room guards that i will be back late at night and will be taking the car out for a late night spin.

I somehow held my temptation to do so again because the TP still was in - correct and so did not want to risk it.

Key Observations in the short drive ;

- Drove in COMFORT mode , the ride quality was decent enough to absorb the rough patches, throttle response was phenomenal ( Note : Have not red lined till now )

- Also the Steering i.e. the " Variable Sport Steering " turns from lock to lock in almost just above 2 turns , this was noticed while manoeuvering at the petrol pump & while parking. This came in handy, im sure it will weigh up nicely at higher speeds in the sport & sport + modes.

The Loading ;



The Temporary Registration with the amendments had arrived and now it was time for the car to load in the container.

Trust me this was the most difficult part as i was so inclined towards driving it to Silvassa but here are some pictures of the loading ;


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-7.jpg


The TRANSPORTER with the Flatbed container truck


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-8.jpg


I let the expert from the showroom take on the wheel for a while for loading


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-9.jpg


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-10.jpg


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-11.jpg


Tyres Strapped


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-12.jpg


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-13.jpg


Sealed & Good to go


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-14.jpg


Yesterday the Truck started from Cochin at 4 pm it is expected to arrive at Silvassa (Gujarat) for registration by Monday & i am so looking forward to driving it back to Mumbai on the NH 8.

I will be able to give a more comprehensive review on the same by mid next week.

Thank You for reading .


D-Day (21.08.12)

Also 21.08.12 happens to be my 25th B’day

So on the D-day the truck had reached Gujarat (out skirts)

I had jumped out of my bed @ 6 am and set out @ 6:45 from Mumbai (Mulund) towards Gujarat.

I wanted to do the unloading before the Talasari check point.
I co-ordinated with the transporter he confirmed he was standing 10-12 kms before the check post at an Indian Oil Fuel station , at a hotel called “AARAM” , LOL

8:15 : I reached the destination it was the most pleasant sight to see transporter
standing beside the truck.

So the first set of pictures are as follows;

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4169.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4173.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4180.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4183.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4186.jpg


Now i was on the way to Silvassa for registration.

What better place to take the delivery from than the NH8, can it get better i ask?

The word ULTIMAT3 is the best to define the feeling.

In the mean while i had stopped for an photo shoot at the old RTO check post ;

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-2-1-1.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-3-1-1.jpg

Love the " ANGRY " front look

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4216.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4197.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4188.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4192.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-3-1-14.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-3-1-15.jpg

One for the doubts regarding the Ground Clearance

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4219.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4220.jpg

Last edited by karan561 : 22nd August 2012 at 16:35.
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Old 18th August 2012, 04:31   #2
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The Car arrives.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4241.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4237.jpg

Again we set off after the quick photoshoot for registration there we got a bad patch of road ( aprox 3-4 kms )

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4251.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4253.jpg

The car performed badly here, even after dropping to < 5 km/h i could feel every peddle ( May be the tyre pressure was too high )

I Got the car registered and the number i got alotted was " 747 " , more than happy with that.

We set of after the registration getting done to Mumbai at about 3 pm.

So before wasting any more time here is my take on the 328i

Performance;

The 328i has the new N20 Engine. Many people (including BMW Sales staff) are misinterpreting the “Twin Power turbo“ as “Twin Turbo“. The fact is that the N20 is having a Single “Twin Scroll “Turbo.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-5.jpg

This engine is generating 245 hp & 350 NM of Torque @ 1250 rpm.

What BMW has tried to achieve here with this 4 cylinder turbocharged motor is to deliver the performance & smoothness of 6 pot with FE of 4 cylinders, which on paper is tough to argue.

You really have to drive it to believe it & im not too sure of the FE & i think it is too early to measure FE but the performance Oh Boy , Oh Boy this more than puts a smile on your face.
I had driven the 530i no doubt it was impressive , also the sound / engine note was very sporty but had a very weak low to mid range. But with this the 328 the low end starts strongly & just gets stronger all the way to the redline.

The Engine note is silent most of the times but gets throaty (in a good way ) past 3000 rpm & past 4500 rpm gets angrier.
In most instances you don’t even come to know the way the speeds climb up in fact i was @ 185 km/h in Sport mode where in i never gave more than 50% throttle.

Acceleration;

Absolutely Savage Throttle Response. As the Peak Torque is so low down the rev range the performance is very linear for a Turbo Engine.

As the company claimed 0-100 km/h of 6.1 secs (which i haven’t tried yet) but i am sure it will feel faster than the numbers suggest.

Did not do much of spirited driving but did have a few short bursts and was truly blown away.

Note : Though being a Turbo Very Linear., almost no lag.

Overall i feel this 4 banger is mammoth fun.

In fact after returning back to Mumbai i took her for a late night spin to BW Sea Link.

Love On the NH8 ;

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4316.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4317.jpg

Rear proportions like the 5 Series

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4321.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4348.jpg

Note : The wipers were confusing to operate.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4353.jpg

Very Muscular Stance , Love this one

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4366.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4408.jpg


Gearbox / Transmission;

The Indian Spec 328i comes standard with the “ Sport Automatic Gearbox “

To be very frank i have never owned a Automatic Transmission Car (But have driven few of my friends) & have always been disappointed by most of them to be honest, but this one shifts & how.

The gear changes are lightning quick, so quick that in the first 3 gearshifts it is very difficult to say when it changes the gear especially if you don’t look at the tacho.

In Comfort mode it is always perfect, no uneven downshifts, always in the right gear.

In Eco Pro it up shifts quite up which may not be useful on hilly areas (ghats)
Also In Eco Pro there is a indicator (in Blue) which shows you how much kms you have gained by driving in ECO PRO mode , which i my case i drove aproxx 30 odd kms in ECO Pro mode and gained 5.9 kms on range, so thats a good feeling & will make you drive in ECO PRO for longer.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-eco-pro.jpg

Driving Experience Control (Modes);

ECO PRO – As i explained earlier, does come in handy & more importantly it works
Negatives - Eco Pro mode up shifts quite early (low rpm) which may not be useful on hilly areas (ghats)

COMFORT – Was driving in this mode almost 50 % of the time, & i believe that this very well does justice to the “COMFORT mode“ , the power delivery was very sublime, thanks to the sorted mapping. The other good thing was that i never felt the lack of power / grunt & the need to switch to the SPORT mode, so this is the ideal mode for city & internal highways.

SPORT – This did sharpen the throttle response & quicker gear changes, also weighed up the steering nicely for more precise handling , really loved this setting on the run.
Also as soon as you shift from Comfort to Sport There is a downshift and the car selects the gear for the best acceleration from that speed, Killer tech !

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-sport-displays.jpg

^ Sport Display : When you are driving hard your eyes should be on the road & not on how much Torque Or Power your making so this TOY is good to show off & nothing more

Also would have loved if we could have changed the Units to Bhp

SPORT + :

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-sport-plus.jpg

The only noticeable difference was that this switched off the DTC. Did not feel any more difference that the SPORT mode otherwise. I think it needed more pushing harder (which i didn’t).


RIDE & HANDLING;


Ride Quality;

I have not spent much time in the E90’s but once i was being driven around Surat in my Uncles car & other time i was test driving a test drive vehicle (M kitted with mixed tyres) overall it was not an uncomfortable ride but yes Harsh.

In the F30 its better but not the most comfortable ride ( Thanks to the 18”ers) But my opinion changed as the speed/s climbed into 1xx territory. It feels very comfortable as well as planted.

I am sure in the 16,17" setups for the diesel the ride quality will be more comfortable for sure.

Checked the Tyre Pressure today ( after returning to Mumbai ) it was @ 23 psi , so i think the rims were taking all the pain , now @ 30 psi it feels lot better and the suspension is now getting to absorb the bumps better.

Run Flats;

Globally this car in 18” setup is offered in the following tyre brands;

Pirelli CintuRatu P7 RSC
Bridgestone Potenza s001 RFT
GoodYear Efficient Grip ROF
Continental Sport Contact 5 ssr

The above is depending on what tyre brand was delivered to the factory when the F30 was being made.

My car is fitted with GoodYear Efficient Grip ROF , 225/45 R18

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4193.jpg

Grip Levels :As these Good Years are “touring” spec (surprised) but were pretty grippy acceptable but i would have loved having the Continentals.

Note : Again i hadn’t got the opportunity to check the Tyre pressure as the pumps around were “ Out of Order”

Tyre Noise : Very Silent

Handling;

The 3 series already has been legendary when it comes to handling so the F30 had a big task to better it & how , absoloute stellar handling thanks again to the Steering which acts sharp in the Sport & the Sport+ Modes , Very Precise.

You wont believe the amount of speed i was carrying into the corners on the NH8 and this was my first drive , really gives you the confidence to push hard and when you have you push “ Harder “

Though the Indian spec version does not get sport suspension (which lowers the car by 10 mm) the handling is unbelievable.

RWD & 50:50 Weight Distribution : These Attributes have always defined the BMW brand, but in my 1st sprint i could very well feel the difference of why these cars are so special. No tail out fun yet (except while taking a U-Turn i experienced it on full throttle & was in Comfort mode then too) , was taking it easy & not much of Sport+ usage till now which de-activates the traction & skid controls)

Steering ;

EPS, Variable Sport Steering (Exclusive to 328i)

The steering precision is magical with the way it weighs up when you change from say Comfort to Sport.

Also as i mentioned in traffic and parking the variable sport steering is very handy as the difference is that the no. Of turns required to reach lock & lock position (just about 2) is less that on a normal one ( just under 3) , this really aids maneuverability.

Steering Feel & Haptics - Perfect size & thickness , Very Meaty ,& perfect button layout.

Interiors;


Coral Red Interiors have got a mixed review, to be honest as i had mentioned i wanted the White with black combo but due to non availability of the same had to settle for the Coral Red option.

But i was wrong these interiors are a blessing in disguise, in fact one of the best highlights of the car.

They truly grow on you and match the character of the car.

Also thanks to BMW to give a "proper" handbrake & not a button or a foot lever like they did in the 5 & 7

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-handbrake.jpg

Front Sport Seats: These are bloody excellent. These do give the feeling you enveloped in proper bucket seats + being comfortable at the same time.
Very supportive & kept me in proper place especially when the side bolstering is tightened.

Rear Seats - The Rear Seats are comfortable , especially good on thigh support.

4 people can seat comfortably , for 5 not recommended for long journeys (as middle passenger will always be complaining thanks to also the rear A/C vents)

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4244.jpg

Legroom - Yes, there is an improvement , & now the rear feels a lot more spacious.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4247.jpg

^ My brother almost 6 foot tall

Note – If you observe closely the coral red seats & the red streak in the dashboard is not a perfect match may be because that is more satin finish red.

Heads Up Display (HUD) ;


Another feature exclusive to the 328

This feature takes the driving involvement to the next level. A big thank you to BMW guys for in-corporating this feature in the Indian – spec version.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-hud.jpg

^ Notice Dual Colors Observed.

Note : The HUD Displays information such as ;

- Speed
- GPS Directions
- Speed Warning Signal (As seen)
- Radi / Audio selection details
- Phone calls ( To Receive / Ignore )
- Door Open
- Mostly all Notifications are shown

HUD Color – The speed in Daytime it is in White & Night its amber (orange/red)

Lights;

Adaptive Bi-Xenons are really impressive. Brilliantly bright & look amazing. They never have that aftermarket “purple/blue” tinge.

Day Time Running Lights – Again Brilliant & Very Bright
Also tried taking the picture of the DRLs running at night after my drive on the Bandra Worli Sea Link
I was just not able to capture the angel eyes with my eye phone camera.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-drls.jpg

^ Note these are not my Xenons , just the DRLs on , in real you can see well defined rings but not able to capture on camera

Ambient Lighting ;


Interior - 2 setting one is " Classic" & 2nd is " Sport "

Classic Setting is having fantastic RED LED lit door panels, floor & Gear console area.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-al1.jpg

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-al2.jpg

Sport light setting switches off the other ambient lights and only has the dashboard lit up.

Exterior - Puddle LED Lamps

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-ext.jpg

Music System;

The 328 is equipped with the HiFi Loudspeaker system. It has a total of 9 speakers.

One Speaker in the dashboard centre, 2 mids 2 tweeters on front doors, 2 subs under front seats & 2 mids on the rear doors.

I haven’t heard the music system in the Diesel variants (which apparently is a different one i.e non HiFi) But Trust me this one’s real loud & classy, the clarity is impeccable and the bass is just apt, though i am not much into ICE but this system strikes all the right chords.

Also i was able to pair my i-phone with the car very quickly & play music from my phone via bluetooth.

I am sure the clarity will get better in CD's & once the songs are on the Hard Disk

Other features;
- 12 GB Hard Drive for maps & music
- DVD Drive
- USB & Aux In Support
- Bluetooth ( Can play music from my i-phone via Bluetooth)

I-Drive & Tech ;


The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-i-drive.jpg

The Big Screen (22.3 cm) is nice & clear & the whole i-drive system is really easy to use.

Park Assist ;
The Park Assist is having a reverse camera and the usual audio function.

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-pa.jpg

Note : the Green lines ( which is the projected trajectory ) Move when you turn the steering , AWESOME !!

Navigation: Maps look great & the resolution is good on the screen so its a joy to get directions,I am still getting used to it.

BMW Apps : Will need a Snap in Adapter for that , will get it next month & report on it.

Conclusion;


So the new 3 with the sharp & fresh new look is faster, lighter, more economical, with better ride quality / comfort keeping the handling dynamics which truly defined the car alive.

ULTIMAT3 is the best way you sum it up as.

A special thanks to;

The support car for the pictures & more;

The ULTIMAT3- F30 BMW 328i. EDIT: Upgraded with ///M Exhaust, Injen Intake & Steinbauer Power Module-img_4171.jpg

^ Notice the Punto was grinning & happy to see the 328i

& thanks to my brother for the pictures & spotting the availability of the model in Kochi, without which this buy would not have been possible.

Thanks for Reading Guys.

Last edited by GTO : 19th July 2016 at 14:48. Reason: Sorting out the order of posts :)
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Old 18th August 2012, 06:24   #3
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Oh boy, Oh boy! Let me be the first to congratulate you. What a car! And it looks awesome in white! Please post more pics of those interiors once the car is in Gujarat.

What are the procedures to get a temporary registration in one state, and permanent in another? Pretty bold move to get the car all the way down from Kochi!
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Old 18th August 2012, 08:25   #4
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Congratulations Karan!
All the pains you have taken would be forgotten once you drive the car in S mode. Do start an ownership thread and put lots of pictures. The red interiors would surely need some getting used to. How did you convince your dad to go with such sporty interiors ?

Drive safe and keep us posted.
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Old 18th August 2012, 08:42   #5
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congratulations on the Ultimate3. Hope you have an ultimate ownership experience with lots of joy.
The rims look really cool, are they a standard fitment?
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Old 18th August 2012, 08:52   #6
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congrats dude!

Please post more pictures of the interiors when you have the ULTIMAT3 home

The red interiors looks a bit too loud for me in the pictures!
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Old 18th August 2012, 08:54   #7
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Incredible buy, envious is the word that comes to mind. Congrats on the purchase, and y'know,those red interiors are are actually quite nice and the rims are just ooh la la la! They're so droolworthy. So yeah, congrats again and may you have many miles of smiles, for Joy is BMW
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Old 18th August 2012, 09:10   #8
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congratulations Karan The interiors in black would have been classier, but then these thoughts would evaporate everytime the revs cross 4K.

Those alloy wheels look nice to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post

What are the procedures to get a temporary registration in one state, and permanent in another? Pretty bold move to get the car all the way down from Kochi!
You can get a TP no. from the showroom itself once you buy the Car. Doesn't matter if you register it with them or outside. TP no. is a must.

To get it registered in another state, one has to pay an entry tax of 8% of the Car's value (subtract the VAT amount) and the registration charges prevalent in your state.

For example, my cousin buying the Yeti in W.B and registering in Bihar will have to shell out 7% (prevalent tax @ Bihar) +8% entry tax. If the Yeti was made available here, we would have to pay the registration charges & prevalent road tax of Bihar, instead if this exorbitant amount.
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Old 18th August 2012, 10:26   #9
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congrats Karan!!! That surely is super-desirable car! The F30 does look really good. Did not like the plain-jane predecessor. This one looks really sporty!

I do think an inline 6 would just complete the package as far as the "FEEL" and torque is concerned, but it most probably is more of psychological need than a real need

Anyways congrats on your white knight!! Cheers!
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Old 18th August 2012, 10:37   #10
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congrats,the new 3 series is one fabulous looking car,probably the best looking 3 series so far.The white is classic with those alloys looks superb,gives a more sportier feel like an M package.Enjoy your ride
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Old 18th August 2012, 10:50   #11
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Quote:
Originally Posted by karan561 View Post

I was flexible for the interior colors i.e. either Coral Red or Black

Somehow i always wanted & desired a white Bimmer & so was adamant on getting a "White" only
Nice write up and honestly admire your no comporimise attitude towards your driving machine. Congrats once again and welcome to God's own country.
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Old 18th August 2012, 11:05   #12
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congrats! In this era of dieselization, you have truly broken the mould and how!
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Old 18th August 2012, 11:17   #13
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Many Congratulations for your ULTIMAT3 driving machine.
Please post more pictures of this beauty when you get it at home.

Happy miles !!
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Old 18th August 2012, 11:20   #14
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Re: THE ULTIMAT3 - F30 328i Sportline (Alpine White/Coral Red)

Congratulations Karan! That’s a nice combination – white BMW with Red interiors. I am not a huge fan of red leather, except for this shade which comes in BMW. Somehow they have chosen a shade of Red which looks extremely classy and lifts up the whole ambience inside.
And those alloys looks awesome.

Do post a detailed ownership review once you are done with a few more kms.

Edit: Is the first ownership review of the new 3 in our forum?

Last edited by vb-saan : 18th August 2012 at 11:22.
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Old 18th August 2012, 11:47   #15
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Congrats on the new beemer. An excellent choice, the 328i. The car definitely looks like it has a mean streak to it. This is probably the meanest looking 3 series ever and it looks Fab in that white and red color combination.

The 3 looks great in the red,white and blue outer colors. And you'll probably have more fun in the new 3 than the 520d.

Will be Waiting for a full ownership review from you once you get the car. Hope you have a lot of fun in the twisties and lease: please please put up more photos of the car and one night photo with the Headlamps on.

Congrats once again on the newest acquisition.
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