[rahul_jo]

Originally Posted by Moontan

.

Truth be told BMW wanted to change the entire steering rack that would have cost 2L. Once part was bought, swapped and fixed, I did have a very interesting conversation with the SA in BMW as to why a 3K fix needed a 2L steering rack swap.

BMW knows this problem and has made the part very cheap to buy and replace.

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...Steering+knock

Thank you so much. This is very helpful. It's good that I have warranty extended until the end of this year as well. I hope this solution fixes it for me. However, even if they change the rack, I guess I should be safe.

However, I am a little surprised as this issue wasn't there before I got the wheels changed. I wonder what changed after they installed 4 new sets.

[Moontan]

Originally Posted by rahul_jo

I am a little surprised as this issue wasn't there before I got the wheels changed. I wonder what changed after they installed 4 new sets.

No idea, my friend, as I don't know your car. But check your caster angle reading after alignment. It's not adjustable but will give you a good idea of the condition of your struts and their mounts.

[UD_328i]

This one is long over due. I have been meaning to write this for months now, and today happens to be my beautiful red beast's second anniversary!

A little bit about myself: I’m a (relatively) new Team BHP member, I have always enjoyed driving and have been passionate about road trips. Have driven (and loved) a few cars ever since I turned 18 (and even before that, but let's leave that be for now). From my humble Santro in college, to the trusty Getz and the sporty feeling Polo, they all served me well.

Before I go any further, I must thank iliketurtles for his article 'Crossing the thin redline into madness. Meet Red, my old new BMW 328i' (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...-bmw-328i.html (Crossing the thin redline into madness. Meet Red, my old new BMW 328i)). Loved reading your article! It was humourous, a bit emotional, and a whole lot of fun. It effectively summed up a lot of my own feelings towards my old-new BMW 328i and also inspired me to write this follow up.

This article is a bit of everything. It is a little bit heartfelt and personal. It is also a review of BMW's premium services in Mumbai and the buying experience. And, oh yes, the sheer JOY that is the 328i!



I had been living in Mumbai for about five years before I relocated to Delhi in May 2019. After spending a car-less first year in Mumbai, back in 2015, I was aching to get myself a set of wheels (a Delhi-boy after all ). A huge mismatch of budget, expectation and yearning later, I ended up buying a used Honda Civic. And boy, did that car feel good! The low stance, the sporty driving position and looks, that digital speedometer and the big, bold tachometer in the centre, the revv-happy petrol engine and even the factory fitted music systems—I couldn't have been more excited to be driving that gorgeous car. Albeit, Honda had stopped manufacturing and selling it by then, but who cared!

Fast forward to 2018 and the Civic had begun to show more than a few signs of ageing. It was, after all, 10 years old when I finally bid it farewell. I had felt the familiar itch to 'upgrade' but hadn't given too much thought to the matter until one day, I was just casually browsing the web when I stumbled upon the BMW premium selection website (https://www.bmwusedcars.in/buy-used-cars). There she was, my own beautiful 'Red' (unless you have dibs on that name, iliketurtles)!



Now I have to admit, I am no expert and don't know all that much about cars, so thinking of a used BMW, which was still an expensive proposition, was a bit daunting. I mean the Civic was one thing, but a BMW? Really? Could I afford one? Could I afford to maintain one? Do I need one? (Oh no I WANT one - that was the ONE thing I knew!) And that too red? Is this a mid-life (quarter-life) crisis? My brain began to scatter in all directions and kind of developed a mind of its own, if that makes sense?

So, with all this and more flooding my thoughts, I decided to visit the BMW Infiniti Cars showroom in Worli. The semi-basement of the main showroom is where all the premium selection cars are parked, ready for a test drive. At the time, they had a bunch of cars in stock (as is usually the case): 3s, 5s, and some X-SUVs too. The thing is, 80-90% of the used cars that BMW stocks are usually diesels. So you had a bunch of 320Ds in different level of trim and age, as well as diesel 5s and other cars. Having disliked my first (and only) diesel car, a Chevrolet UVA, I was predisposed against the idea of ever buying a diesel car (I know, I know, please don't laugh at me for comparing a UVA to a 320D and hey, I also care about the environment). So, the only real possibility I had in mind was the sole 328i, the gorgeous red machine that I had looked up online.

And there she was, parked quietly in one corner of that basement, gleaming even in the comparatively dimmer lighting, looking as angry as she always does <3. I asked for the keys, and checked it out. From the outside, then inside, then the outside again and then another quick peak inside. I was quite pleasantly surprised. It did not look like a 5-year old car that had done a little over 40,000 kms at all!

After a brief low-down from the salesperson, Farooq, I gathered that all cars a) have a full service history, b) are accident free, c) go through a thorough 300-point inspection, and d) are then refurbished by BMW before they are offered for sale as part of BMW premium selection cars. Unfortunately, the 328i wasn't offered with any warranty, unlike other cars, since it was just over five years old.

The rest sounded promising, but the lack of warranty had me on edge. Anyway, it was time for the real test: a nice, long drive. I took the car out and headed straight to Worli sea face. Took it on to the sea link and back. Of course. For those of you who are familiar with Mumbai, you know that there are barely any rough patches or bad stretches around Worli and the sea face. So it wasn't exactly ideal for a test drive. Nevertheless, the car felt great! There was no rattle whatsoever, the interiors were nice and (relatively) new looking, all the electric functions inside the cabin were working well, the car was packed with technology (being the top of the line 'Sports' variant, the only petrol variant that was launched when the 6th generation 3-series came to India), the sound system sounded like you were in a gig and yes, it drove like a dream! Did I mention the heads-up display?



The 328i is packed with the power of almost 250 horses and the torque to match that. All of that meant a rock solid performance. The car leapt forward, without hesitation, every time I stepped on the accelerator even a tad bit. Floor it and it seemed almost out of control. Either way, I felt shoved back into the sport seats every single time. It reached triple-digit speeds in a matter of a few seconds (not recommended on Mumbai roads) and the 8-speed automatic gearbox paired to that roaring engine didn't disappoint either. And yes, all this in just 'comfort' mode. I didn't even bother putting it in sport or sport+ mode. It felt needless, to be honest.

I remember ending that test drive with a BIG smile on my face and thinking to myself, this car is MINE. However, I was keen to negotiate to a more suitable price point.

Over the course of the next few days, I carefully examined the car's service history, had several calls with Farooq, and sought the refurbishment report that BMW prepares for all the premium selection cars. And of course, I haggled with him.

A senior colleague at work—and I am quite grateful to him—helped me immensely. He too loves to drive and, for lack of a better reference, is quite a BMW fanboy. His 5-series had long been the envy of the office parking lot and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't drooled over it as well. He helped me look through the service history and the refurbishment report and confirmed that he thought the car would be a good buy.

A couple more visits later, Farooq and I agreed on the final price (They typically don't come down a lot from the prices quoted on the website.) The car came with 5 free yearly services till 2023, so that sure sweetened the deal a bit. To top it all, the final agreed price was inclusive of transfer charges, including transfer of the insurance policy, and I wouldn’t have to engage with the earlier owner either.

Now that I had sealed the deal, it was time to let go of the Civic, with a fairly heavy heart. But then again, I was gleeful at the thought of its replacement. I went straight to cars24. They evaluated the car for about half an hour and, as advertised, came back with a price in another 15 minutes. And that was that. It was time for the Civic’s farewell drive, so I told them I'd drop off the car on the following day. One midnight long drive later, I handed over the keys to the cars24 folks and, briefly, became carless once again.

About a week later, the 328i was ready for me to take delivery. I could barely contain my excitement that Sunday morning as I called an Uber, got to the BMW showroom, and there she was - shining in the parking lot. Waiting for me.



BMW had done a good job of cleaning the car and presenting her in full gleaming glory! They sure had done some polishing and exterior work, as well as a good thorough dry cleaning on the inside. As part of 'readying the car for delivery', they had fitted it with four brand new run flat tyres and replaced brake pads on the rear wheels. Bonus bonanza!

And just like that, I drove out of that showroom in my new old car. I remember that day vividly. Aimlessly driving around Bombay for hours. From Worli to Nariman Point, back to Bandra and then up and down the Western Express highway and hitting the International Airport road. Thrice. It was unreal.



It's been two whole years today driving this absolute dream of a vehicle! Remember how I talked about being sceptical about buying a used BMW? Well, so far—and I don't mean to jinx it, so fingers crossed—I have spent zilch on maintaining it. I literally mean nothing! Since buying the car I have also moved to Delhi. I drove it down here (a much cherished road trip with my father, but more on that in a later post). I have had it serviced twice by BMW. Each time they handed me an invoice of about 35k but since I am covered for my car's servicing needs till 2023, I didn't have to pay a penny.

I remember back in 2015 or so, when I used to go for a weekly game of bowling with a friend to Smaash in Lower Parel, and there used to be a red 328i parked outside every Sunday that I was there. My friend and I would ogle at that car as a weekly ritual and I remember thinking to myself, “Someday.”

Well, that day turned out not too far (thankfully) and till this day, she excites me and puts a grin on my face, every single day!

P.S.: A HUGE shout out to my friend Gayatri, who gave me editorial feedback on this piece and also pushed me to finish it and finally put it up. Also to Arpan and Smriti who helped me with all the beautiful pictures you see in this post. I love them!

[VineetG]

Your ride looks awesome in red. I am sure it makes your heart flutter every time you see it. I am also sure that after parking your car, you turn around atleast 3 times to admire it.

It must be thrilling to floor the pedal to unleash the 250 horses. I feel pushed back into the seat by my measly 190 HP 320d, so 250 must be something else.

I don't know that price that you paid for the car but getting a 5 year service pack, 4 brand new tyres and brakes itself is worth quite a packet. 5 year 80K kms service pack for 320d costs 1.6L itself. 328i will be somewhat lesser.

Add to that RFTs @12.5K each (Bridgestone RFTs price in market) and brakes (INR 40-50K approx for front and rear), and I think you had a good deal.

Good to see that it has been without any problems and hope it continues to be like that. Otherwise, there is always a sword hanging over your head when you have these Germans, especially if you are out of warranty. Even otherwise, there is always a fear of a blown RFT or some issue that could leave you stranded.

Where do you take it for servicing? How are they?

I take my car to Bird Auto Gurgaon and they have been extremely good till now. Always get a booking slot for service as per my choosing, even if it is for the next day. Have also walked in for a couple of small issues, and they were attended to promptly. Always got my car back with a complimentary washing. I was also told that I can stand near the car and watch while it was serviced in the ground floor service bays.

Have always been asked multiple times if they could order lunch/snacks for me while i was waiting.

Hope their good services continue. Priority is given to services if the customer is waiting at the workshop. Less priority for cars that have been dropped at the workshop.

I am at 23K Kms and tyres and brakes look good. Except for a recent issue when the windshield washer spray stopped working due to some blockage, which was rectified promptly, car has been rock solid.

Also, to all my BMW owner friends in Delhi/NCR, please do not hesitate to contact me it you want to get some coding done. I have bimmercode app and the OBD bluetooth adapter.

My FNG guy here in Gurgaon has a Launch X431 scanner, which can be used for stuff like new battery registration for a nominal charge.

Wish you many years and many miles of happy motoring in your red beauty

Rgds

[yaseenar]

Hi all,

Here is my video for my long-term user review for BMW 320d 2014 (F30). The video is in Malayalam but English captions are available.

https://youtu.be/Qn0xcmbUssQ

[Moontan]

Originally Posted by yaseenar

Here is my video for my long-term user review for BMW 320d 2014 (F30).

Nice, honest review. Tastefully modded as well. Where did you get the steering wrap from? Could you also PM me the contact details for German Motors and the contact person? Thanks.

[coolboy007]

My 320D is back from the workshop after a good 7-8 days. I faced a couple of issues from past few months and Bird Auto, Gurgaon were not able to solve them. A lowlife had scratched my bonnet with a key and it looked horrible whenever i used to see it, a bonnet repaint was pending from a long time.

I had complained of high vibrations 2 times and the workshop said it is as per series standards and every thing was right, my 5 year warranty was going to lapse on 29th September and i sent my car for bmw end of warranty check but this time i sent the car to Infinity Bmw as my previous experience with them had been extremely good and they were the ones who called me in to get my car inspected before warranty ends and see if i had any issues.

The bonnet repaint is done to perfection, my car is 5 years old and black sapphire is not the easiest to match but it looks just fine to my eyes. They found a leaking front left strut in their inspection, i also told them about the high vibrations and that the car used to take a wee bit longer to crank these days.

Infinity BMW co ordinated every thing and the following parts were replaced under extended warranty - front left strut, engine mounts, vibration damper and to my surprise the battery was replaced as well. I do not know of any other brand which would cover the battery under warranty and replace it in its 5th year, infact i was surprised bmw do.

Bmw is generally pretty reliable but their warranty backing is generous and amazing, for a car that would go out of warranty within 4 days since it was sent to workshop, they raised no hue and cry about the expensive repair bill. One of the reason is that the extended warranty is backed by bmw itself and not other third party insurer like Reliance does it for Mercedes Benz.

I was already enjoying the car post remap but the change of engine mounts and vibration damper have made the car so smooth, all vibrations from the steering and seats which i was complaining of from past 1 year are gone. Huge shout out to my SA Mr. Arvinder who went of way to solve my issues and the service head Mr. Chauhan who ensured my issues are dealt with.

These gestures go a long way in securing a future customer. The exact opposite was VW who cry about all warranty replacements with their unreliable cars, i vowed never to touch their products and i did not. I already liked bmw but this incident takes them straight to my top contender list when i replace my 320D. A car which is so lovely to drive and the manufacturer backing like this, i really do not want to look elsewhere. Mine is 5 years old now with odo at 35k kms, every thing feels tight and good so far, many more miles to go. With Germans, take that extended warranty, it is worth every penny. Attaching warranty invoice.

[rahul_jo]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

My 320D is back from the workshop after a good 7-8 days. I faced a couple of issues from past few months and Bird Auto, Gurgaon were not able to solve them. A lowlife had scratched my bonnet with a key and it looked horrible whenever i used to see it, a bonnet repaint was pending from a long time.

Hey Coolboy. I have been encountering similar issues with bird lately. Don't know if their staff is over burdened or they just have lost the old customer centric touch.

I sent my car in for a regular service of brake fluid and engine oil. I also got my wheels replaced for a new set and similar to yours, my battery was changed under warranty.

The car came back and there was a thud thud sound when I would turn the wheel all the way to the right. I sent it back and surprisingly enough, they said it's the rubber for the shock absorbers, they replaced it and returned the car.

The sound was even louder than before when the car came back. I contacted my SA and he kept telling me that it's a normal sound and there is some sound when we turn the wheel.

I recorded a video and sent it to him. It took me several attempts to just get him to see the video. And he barely follows up unless I call him many times. I mean it is frustrating if I have to send the car in every single time and have them return it with no solutions.

I would like to give infinity a shot as well.

[yaseenar]

Originally Posted by Moontan

Nice, honest review. Tastefully modded as well. Where did you get the steering wrap from? Could you also PM me the contact details for German Motors and the contact person? Thanks.

Thank you for the feedback. I found this steering wrap from amazon but got it stitched from a shop in Thrissur. No one was ready to stitch it as the material seemed less but this person heated the material to make it fit properly.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07YQV1GV4?...p_mob_ap_share

I have already shared the contact of German Motors in the video description but if you want to contact directly here is the info:
Arun: +91-9446918035

[TheGearBox]

Originally Posted by UD_328i

The car came with 5 free yearly services till 2023, so that sure sweetened the deal a bit.

Wow, that is one sweet looking 3!
Five free services, really? Is that standard on used BMWs or did you have to push them to give that?

[Merc_Freak]

That is one handsome looking 3 Series ! With the free 5 services and brake pads, it looks like you got a good deal. I must say that 328i's are fairly rare, since I only see ordinary 320d's most of the time. Wish you many happy kms with the car !

[Stribog]

Hey Moontan, how much did it cost you. If I may ask.

[Moontan]

Originally Posted by Stribog

Hey Moontan, how much did it cost you. If I may ask.

I'll PM you the details.

[rahul_jo]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

With Germans, take that extended warranty, it is worth every penny. Attaching warranty invoice.

Would you be opting for the 6th year warranty? I inquired and they quoted me somewhere in the range of 1.7 lacs.

[Astitva]

Throughout the review, I could feel the love that you have for cars, especially the BMW. I also loved how you mentioned about your beloved Civic and gave it a farewell before sending it off.

All in all, an emotional read for enthusiasts like us. And just the way you used to look at that red 328i outside Smaash and think, "someday", I felt the same looking at your car. Someday.