[sanj947]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

My dealership had told me that the BSI prices may be increased from 1st November, had decided to anyways buy it so did not want to take a chance. Went yesterday and paid the said amount in cash, have only got a receipt so far but they told me that once the plan gets activated, they will mail me the document for it. I went for :
1. BSI plus 3year/40,000 kms - 116052
2. 5 years extended warranty - 95190

Hi Coolboy007, thats a great deal you got!
I was quoted 1.36L for 3yr/40k km - were you given a discount? Do let me know so I can use this as a bargaining tool.
If possible please also share the 5 years extended warranty T&C once you get the documents.

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by sanj947

I was quoted 1.36L for 3yr/40k km - were you given a discount? Do let me know so I can use this as a bargaining tool.
If possible please also share the 5 years extended warranty T&C once you get the documents.

There are no deals on the BSI, these prices are fixed by BMW India so no dealer actually can give discount on it. What your dealer quoted for 3year/40,000 kms is correct - 116052 for BSI plus and add another 20k for extended warranty so 1.36 is correct.

I picked up a 3 year BSI plus pack + 5 years extended warranty (costs 95190). BMW have separated extended warranty from BSI packs which was not the case earlier, now you can choose packs or warranty.

5 years BSI plus pack + extended warranty was quoted at 353058, BMW's extended warranty coverage is comprehensive. They also cover suspension and even LED + Xenon bulbs are covered under warranty (the xenons cost a bomb). People have even got their seat base changed under extended warranty because leather wore out

[Axe77]

My 3 GT sportsline comes with leatherette seats, (which feel strictly average) and 6 airbags. I was just wondering whether it's easy to change to high quality full leather without it impacting airbags (I don't recall off hand where they're located). Can it be done aftermarket or must be done at BMW? May sound silly but any warranty consequence if done from outside?

[coolboy007]

Took the F30 out on its first highway stint as i wanted to stretch her legs on the expressway. I had some work to do in Chandigarh and had to finish up the registration formalities of the 320D, left early morning around 6 from Delhi and hit the highway. Highways are where this car belongs to, i just wanted to cruise at 120-130 this time and get used to the car before pushing it further. Did around 600 kms to n fro same day and i still was not tired when i entered home at 10:30 PM which speaks a lot about what a great mile muncher this car is.

Engine settles into a lowly 2000 RPM at 120 km/h and you know that you just need to push the throttle a bit to overtake any one, hit kickdown and the brilliant ZF8 gearbox drops 2-3 gears so that this bimmer propels forward like a rocket. In cabin insulation is awesome and a special mention to the air conditioner which can chill you to your bones, such an effective air conditioner is unheard of in german cars

Faced no issues with run flats, ride was good and very comfortable for the most part (owing to the tall sidewall of 225/55 R16 tyres) but the suspension can thud through if the potholes are deep. The expansion joints near Karnal are very poorly finished and the suspension did make loud thuds every time the car fell inside which was disheartening. I did engage the sports mode and put the transmission in tiptronic while coming back to Delhi, real power lies in the manual mode. The gear changes are lightning quick and it is so much more engaging with the steering becoming super heavy. These run flats do tramline very badly and i had heart in mouth situation the first time it happened. Missed the paddle shifts so an upgrade to M sport steering with paddles is on the cards soon, loved the powerful bi xenons at night which light up every thing ahead.

The soft rear does bob a bit over sharp undulations and is a bit irritating, you do expect a flatter ride when you are buying a BMW sedan, other than that am totally loving the experience. Have already done 2000 kms within a month, just finding reasons to take her out on a drive. Clicked some pics enroute.

Special thanks to Krishna Auto BMW, Chandigarh - I reached there without any appointment at 2:30 PM and told them that my car is still pulling towards left, they took my car in and did all the work on priority since i had to head back to Delhi the same day. They took my car in, told me it would take 1.5-2 hours and in the meanwhile i checked out all the cars on display. The alignment issue is totally solved now and car tracks dead straight, the whole staff were very welcoming - thanks guys.

Mean and aggressive front of the F30 sedan




The mileage being reported was a staggering 17.1 km/l with no use of eco pro, cruising at 120-130.


5 series type rear looks nice, these el cheapo plates are soon coming off




Updated the iDrive software as well to the latest version.


Dad driving the 3 series as it should be, taking turns, using kickdown and what not, was a special feeling to see him in the driving seat enjoying the car.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by The Saint

Finally a must do upgrade, M paddle shift steering, this car definitely needs a paddle shift steering, as per my driving experience:

with the paddles we also did coding which activated the sports transmission, trust me the shifting has become lighting fast and the feeling is great.

I would like to thank bhpians Himanshu_j and akshay 1234 for all the help, guidance and smooth installation. they helped me entirely with this upgrade.

cheers.

Hi,

Can you please indicate what the approx. cost would be to fit a M steering with paddle shifts on a 3 GT? Can this be done from BMW or any other source as well (without impacting BSI, warranty, Secure etc).

Alternately, I would also be open to considering only paddle shifts being added to my existing steering if that is possible at a lower cost. My real interest is really the paddles, which I am really used to having used the Citi and Civic A/Ts - the M Sport steering is not a must have for me.

Thanks

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

In cabin insulation is awesome and a special mention to the air conditioner which can chill you to your bones, such an effective air conditioner is unheard of in german cars

Sorry but I disagree on both the points above. The AC is actually not a chiller which you will soon discover in next Summers. Right now any car's AC will appear to be very effective.

Second, the cabin insulation is also not top notch or of the level that you expect from a luxury car maker. A lot of engine noise filters in the cabin according to me. Mercedes is far better in this regard. I haven't driver Audi much to comment on that.

[coolboy007]

Had a chance to drive the 320D on Buddh international circuit today as i was invited for the BMW experience tour. Realized today as to why so many reviewers abroad the world harp so much about the F30's chassis balance and the 50:50 weight distribution. The way this car took curves at 120-130 was ming boggling, hit the double ton on that long 1.3 kms straight. The car was a 320D prestige and had only done 3000 kms.
A taxi ride in the M3 with Wong would be a memory i will cherish for long, the way he drifted that car at 150+ was stunning , will share a detailed report tomorrow.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Sorry but I disagree on both the points above. The AC is actually not a chiller which you will soon discover in next Summers. Right now any car's AC will appear to be very effective

Really? I have sat in my uncle's F30 multiple times in April summer heat and always found the AC to be great. The weather is calm these days but a month back when i bought the car, ambient temperatures were around 38-39 and the AC worked effectively. Have you had a chance to sit in other 320D's to generalize that AC is weak? GTO has even a picture in his 530D's thead and also finds the AC to be a chiller, see no reason why 3 series would be given a weak unit.
If you think that any car's ac will appear to be effective right now, you need to sit in a Vento/Rapid
My comparison is with Ecosport/Fiesta and both cars have a chiller air conditioning unit, find the BMW at par with them.

Second, the cabin insulation is also not top notch or of the level that you expect from a luxury car maker. A lot of engine noise filters in the cabin according to me. Mercedes is far better in this regard. I haven't driver Audi much to comment on that.

Have already mentioned a few posts back that the engine is noisy, infact BMW's 4 cylinder diesels have always been known to be noisy. I was talking about outside traffic noise/tyre noise/suspension noise in this post. Audi's 2.0 TDi is silky smooth in comparison to BMW.

[deetjohn]

Glad to see that you are enjoying the 3er coolboy. And the cost of 5 years extended warranty package looks quite good for its segment. The Fiesta at 37k for 4 years is quite expensive.

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Had a chance to drive the 320D on Buddh international circuit today as i was invited for the BMW experience tour.

How is the EPS when compared to the unit in the Fiesta?

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Glad to see that you are enjoying the 3er coolboy. And the cost of 5 years extended warranty package looks quite good for its segment. The Fiesta at 37k for 4 years is quite expensive.

Thanks deetjohn, as luck would have it, am mostly free these days so making full use of this good time. BMW have also left no stone unturned to make it a completely premium ownership experience, just came back home from the event today and they have sent me another invitation for the new gen 7 series sneek peak for sunday. The extended warranty cost is great, if the car costs 2.5 lakhs in 5 years with extended warranty and service coverage, it is 50,000/year which is decent for a Bmw sedan and complete peace of mind. Ford prices their extended warranty insanely high.

How is the EPS when compared to the unit in the Fiesta?

You would mistake the BMW eps for a hydraulic unit when you drive it for the first time, it is not as feel some as Linea's unit but it is so damn heavy even in comfort mode, hit sports and it becomes rock hard. The weight on bimmer's unit is much more than Fiesta but it is the Ford that has a quicker ratio, i find the turn ins of Fiesta sharper than 320D, the rear suspension is also better in Fiesta as the bmw does tend to be a bit bouncy. After driving Fiesta and 320D back to back, i do not even feel like driving my Vento, the steering on that car is yuck !. You would have a hard time going for an upgrade when you sell your Fiesta, mark my words

It is either the electronics or the wide 225 tyres or the sheer beauty of this chassis but i had never imagined that i could carry so much speed around corners today at the track.

[itwasntme]

Silly question but what is the standard warranty period? 5 years extended means standard plus 3/4 etc or true extra 5 years? Agree the rate is very reasonable. VW is asking for 47k for piddly 2 years extra for the Jetta!

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

The weight on bimmer's unit is much more than Fiesta but it is the Ford that has a quicker ratio, i find the turn ins of Fiesta sharper than 320D, the rear suspension is also better in Fiesta as the bmw does tend to be a bit bouncy. After driving Fiesta and 320D back to back, i do not even feel like driving my Vento, the steering on that car is yuck !. You would have a hard time going for an upgrade when you sell your Fiesta, mark my words

I felt the same - I once drove an Audi A4 with so much anticipation (after owning Fiesta for 3.5 years) that I felt completely let down. I was not able to attack corners as agressively as I would have in Ford Fiesta.

The only car that came close was BMW 320d (haven't driven cars from a segment above) - As you pointed out, for anyone owning the new Fiesta, it will be very tough to upgrade.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Silly question but what is the standard warranty period? 5 years extended means standard plus 3/4 etc or true extra 5 years? Agree the rate is very reasonable. VW is asking for 47k for piddly 2 years extra for the Jetta!

Standard warranty is for 2 years. I am not sure about the kms covered under it. The 5 year extended warranty includes the standard warranty in it. So basically you are paying for extra three years.

[coolboy007]

I had plans of registering for BMW's experience tour a few months back since i wanted to drive their cars on the track. I had less hopes since i heard they only send invites to BMW owners but as fate would have it, we got our 320D a month back and registered for this event. Shot a mail to BMW that i was genuinely interested in attending this event, got multiple calls and received 2 invites as a special gesture - 1 for me and for my father so we both could drive there. I had chosen a slot for 12:30 PM on 6th november.

We reached the Buddh International Circuit at 12 PM and parked our car in the paddock parking, went to the lounge area and started our registration process. Lunch and drinks were there for every one and we had a light meal before starting our drives. We were given a small briefing on dos and donts, a walkie talkie was there in each car and we were told to not overtake. I had already decided that i would choose a 320D as it was the best weapon for track and as luck would have it, i got a black prestige to drive.

Wong lead the convoy of 4 cars and every one got a turn to drive behind him one by one. He was really pushing us and terms like "feel the rear wheel drive power, put that ZF transmission in sports" really charged us up. Every one clocked 190-200 on the long 1.3 kms back straight. I had thought that these bmw people would take it easy but we had full authority to have as much fun as we would like.

Driving this car on the track was a revelation, i would have never ever come to know what this chassis was capable of. Turns 5,6,7 and 8 have a series of quick turns and the way this car kept its composure with tyres squealing at 110-130 was mind boggling. Never expected so much grip from a normal road car, i was gunning the car out of corners and the car was changing directions like a fly, razor sharp responses. I have taken this car to India gate many times at night to enjoy the wide round abouts but exploiting the power, handling, chassis in a controlled environment is some thing else.

This car is indeed one of the best handling cars below 50 lakhs and if you do not take corners in this car or throw it around the twisties, you have wasted your money in buying this thing.

It may seem funny but i felt that my father drove faster than me , he made full use of DSC and traction control and was grinning after taking corners at 100+. Showed him that video i made back at home and we all had a hearty laugh the way he drove, hitting kerbs while exiting corners and then full throttle out.

We finally had a taxi ride in the M3 with Wong and i had already requested him to turn his beast mode on, boy oh boy, had a first hand experience of what M series cars are about. That guy was drifting the car like crazy and half of the track, we were going sideways, a memory to cherish for a long time.

Came back up in to the lounge, they clicked some photos, gave us a BMW goodies bag including a T shirt, a BMW cap and a M4 poster and then the Delhi traffic showed us what a waste driving cars like these in city is as it took me 2.5 hours to cover 51 kms .
My car in the paddock parking after enjoying Yamuna expressway



Food was being served along with drinks all day long

Witnessed i8 for the first time and spent quality time with it, loved the design

Some random photos of the track







Invitation for a sneak peek of the all new 7 series awaited me at home

Yours truly posing with the lovely i8


P.S : All these speeds, cornering were done in a controlled environment on the Buddh track so please restrain when you see that sharp left hander on public roads, attempt it at sensible speeds and keep the DSC switched on, it is a lifesaver.

[sinhsha]

My 320d is now 2 years and 20k kms.
It has opened up really well.
One non bmwish quality cropped up. With some of those sensible family trip and usage of speed limiter at 110 kmph i am constantly getting 22 kmpl. Range is extended to 1150 / 1200 km.
It is becoming more efficient than my dzire.

[sanj947]

Originally Posted by sinhsha

My 320d is now 2 years and 20k kms.
It has opened up really well.
One non bmwish quality cropped up. With some of those sensible family trip and usage of speed limiter at 110 kmph i am constantly getting 22 kmpl. Range is extended to 1150 / 1200 km.
It is becoming more efficient than my dzire.

22 Kmpl? That's simply phenomenal!
I have averaged around 11kmpl so far over 1200 km in the horrendous Bombay traffic.
Still beats my last ride - MB B180 petrol (7.5 kmpl) by a wide margin