[Axe77]

It's awesome. Much better than the beige I must admit. Thanks for the pics.

[reachanoop]

Hello friends,

I'm planning to upgrade from my Laura L&K. I want a car with performance, driving pleasure, back seat comfort (we do long drives and my daughter and mother are in the backseat) and a bit of snob value.

Since I am so used to German engineering, I didn't even bother checking the similar segment from the Japanese and Korean car-makers.

It was east to rule out Audi since it's not a major upgrade from the Laura and found it plain boring. (Sorry to audi owners. No offence meant).

I first checked out the C220 CDI. Though the car is just wow when it comes to exterior and interior looks, the car failed to impress me when it came to driving pleasure. Since I drive myself and never intend to have a driver, the C class went out of contention.

I then test drove the 320D and the 320D GT.

320D -
I was floored by its driving dynamics. Ever since I saw the red sportline with black sports seats in the showroom, I have been seeing this car in my dreams every night. . I found the back seat to be very comfortable with excellent under-thigh support. There seem to be no or minimal body roll even at sharp turns and on humps at low speeds. I don't mind the low seating at all. The sunroof makes my 7 year old daughter happy and I have that as a soft requirement at the back of my mind.

GT -
I know the GT has polarizing looks. You like it or you don't. I loved the looks. It's high stance, the coupé like design, the space inside the cabin and the boot - just loved it. BUT,
After driving the 3 sedan, the drive in GT lacked the punch. There was a bit of body roll in the backseat. Everyone says the comfort and riding is better. I have my doubts here. Is it really true or is it just me? Hmm....maybe I can live with it? I thought. Then came the shocker which I haven't seen anyone mention here or on any review online. Don't you guys think that the under-thigh support in the backseat is really bad? I felt it's really bad and I was wondering if all the legroom with bad under-thigh support will make a long journey any pleasant at all? This has been a major setback for GT and has been playing on my mind during my decision making process.

Options I have
1. Go for the sedan- red sportline with black sport seats. Sunroof will make my daughter happy. Actually I don't see a negative with the car except that there are probably far too many on the road and hence no exclusivity. I'm also hoping to score some good discount with the LCI (life cycle impulse) facelift already in the market.
Negative - I don't get what the LCI offers (see below).

2. Go for the sportline sedan LCI - the LCI actually is more than just a face-lift. Apart from the new LED headlamps, you get a better tuned and refined B47(?) with slightly higher power(190 bhp) and torque(400 NM) . I'm also told the suspension is retuned and better than the current sedan.
Negative - I'll probably get no discounts.

3. Go for GT sportline -
Road presence is awesome and looks like a notch above the sedan (from the looks). Feel of exclusivity. Decent driving/handling.
Negatives - no sunroof (daughter will not be amused).
Under-thigh support in the backseat - I was thinking of getting some jugaad done from the after-market options. Some extensions or something? ( I don't know if it's possible and have to figure out)
Colour - I would love to have the red colour for the GT sportline but from the brochure, it seems bmw does not offer red. What a shame. I saw some pics of red GT sold abroad and it looks sexy.

Help me decide, please

Cheers
Anoop

[reachanoop]

Hi Axe77,
I'm deciding between the 3 sedan and GT. I wanted to ask you about the rear seat in GT. I felt the under-thigh support is not adequate. What has been your experience?

Also, on the GT sportline colours, do you know if they offer red as a choice? I don't see the red colour for GT on the bmw website.

Congratulations on your car!
Cheers
Anoop

[197Horses]

Originally Posted by reachanoop

Hi Axe77,

I'm deciding between the 3 sedan and GT. I wanted to ask you about the rear seat in GT. I felt the under-thigh support is not adequate. What has been your experience?



Also, on the GT sportline colours, do you know if they offer red as a choice? I don't see the red colour for GT on the bmw website.



Congratulations on your car!

Cheers

Anoop

Its been a month than our 3GT luxuryline came home , the back seats comfort is phenomenal and underthing support is adequate. If you are a tall person then it may not be adequate but as far as i know 3GT's rear bench is the best that money can buy in this price bracket. Red colour is not on offer. If you buy a GT then make sure you go for the new B47 engine.

[Axe77]

Agree with everything 197horses has said above (I don't know about the color but I've never ever seen red anywhere).

The back seat is most certainly more comfortable than the 3 or anything else in that segment.

[Axe77]

You could see if anything in my GT review helps.

<http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/170228-2015-bmw-3-gt-sport-line-initial-ownership-review.html>

Coming specifically from your post, I'm quite sure the back seat underthigh is not less than the 3 series. Maybe you can check both again at the same time in the showroom. In fact, the added height of the GT makes the rear seat much more comfortable.

From what I've read, if you're buying the 3 sedan, go for the LCI - much better deal.

If you pick the GT sportsline, (without the sunroof), please ensure you see the leather seats and whether you're ok with them. They're of very mediocre quality compared to the luxury line.


Personally, I do feel the GT is overall MUCH more practical than the 3 sedan in terms of its range of usability. If its your only vehicle then the GT will bring much more to the table in overall balance. If its one of two cars and your other needs are met by the other vehicle, you could consider the 3 sedan.

We have 3 cars in the house and I still chose the GT over the 3. Would still do so even if I had to take the decision all over again.

[reachanoop]

Thank you Axel77.
I'm negotiating with the dealer. The dealer is not ready to give any discount on the GT, which is a concern. Without the discount, I'll be stretching too much. I'll wait and see how the deal goes. If they don't offer discount on GT, then I'll have to go for the sedan.

Will keep you posted. Thanks for your inputs.

Cheers

[Naman_Ferrari]

Hello,

I've actually driven both the cars too and I personally think that the sedan is way better. The handling is much better and its a proper drivers car. The GT on the other hand has great legroom.

So it comes down to which one of these you value more.

And when you look from your daughters perspective, I think taking the car with the sunroof makes perfect sense. My dad bought a merc when I was 12. Inspite if being so fond of cars, the main thing i was excited about was the sunroof

So I'd say go for the pre-facelift sedan as you'll get a good discount on it and the new car doesn't have any significant update anyway(IMO).

Happy Shopping!!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by reachanoop

Thank you Axel77.

I'm negotiating with the dealer. The dealer is not ready to give any discount on the GT, which is a concern. Without the discount, I'll be stretching too much. I'll wait and see how the deal goes. If they don't offer discount on GT, then I'll have to go for the sedan.



Will keep you posted. Thanks for your inputs.



Cheers

In Bombay it (GT) still fetches a 4 lakh odd discount so please do double check this. I'd be surprised if the difference in discounts in different cities can be that much.

[reachanoop]

Originally Posted by Axe77

In Bombay it (GT) still fetches a 4 lakh odd discount so please do double check this. I'd be surprised if the difference in discounts in different cities can be that much.

I'll check with the dealer. I'll be meeting the sales head personally tomorrow

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

Hello,

I've actually driven both the cars too and I personally think that the sedan is way better. The handling is much better and its a proper drivers car. The GT on the other hand has great legroom.

So it comes down to which one of these you value more.

And when you look from your daughters perspective, I think taking the car with the sunroof makes perfect sense. My dad bought a merc when I was 12. Inspite if being so fond of cars, the main thing i was excited about was the sunroof

So I'd say go for the pre-facelift sedan as you'll get a good discount on it and the new car doesn't have any significant update anyway(IMO).

Happy Shopping!!

Agree Naman. The sedan is a much fun to drive and yes, I get to score some points with my daughter. Now, unfortunately, it's come down to pricing. I'll see how the deal goes. Thank you.

Note from Support: Back to back posts merged. Please use the multi-quote feature (QUOTE +) to quote and respond to multiple posts.

[IshaanIan]

Have you considered the Jaguar XE? Double Wishbones up front and what they call an integral link out back to offer better fore and aft control, means the car gets less unsettled during bumpy corners. Reviews also state that it feels a whole lot (note I did not say just a bit more) more planted, lighter therefore more nimble, and even though it uses the same transmission the reviews state that it feels better optimized to the drive-train meaning one is in the right gear more often Another thing to note about the Jag is that it is essentially an all-new car. All new chassis and everything so you will be buying it during the beginning of its product life-cycle. The BMW on the other hand is at the fag end of its product life-cycle and is due for replacement very soon. Facelifts are one thing but seeing a whole new generation of you car roaming your streets in no time at all, feels a bit bad so there's also that to consider

[reachanoop]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Have you considered the Jaguar XE? Double Wishbones up front and what they call an integral link out back to offer better fore and aft control, means the car gets less unsettled during bumpy corners. Reviews also state that it feels a whole lot (note I did not say just a bit more) more planted, lighter therefore more nimble, and even though it uses the same transmission the reviews state that it feels better optimized to the drive-train meaning one is in the right gear more often Another thing to note about the Jag is that it is essentially an all-new car. All new chassis and everything so you will be buying it during the beginning of its product life-cycle. The BMW on the other hand is at the fag end of its product life-cycle and is due for replacement very soon. Facelifts are one thing but seeing a whole new generation of you car roaming your streets in no time at all, feels a bit bad so there's also that to consider

Very valid points there. I'll also take a look at XE. I'll take a TD over this weekend. Thank you.