[petrolhead777]

Originally Posted by sharathm

Apologies if this thread seems quite plain, but there are already amazing reviews of the 3-Series, and so I did not want to be repetitive about it. Also this is my first ever post on Team BHP and its fitting that I do it with a car that I had long dreamed of, but never imagined that I would own one day.

Will post more photos / thoughts in a few days once I get over all this excitement.

Many congratulations mate and welcome to the family.
It is an amazing feeling to drive this beauty, wishing you a million miles of sheer driving pleasure.

It seems like @itwasntme is generating a lot of business for BMW

[sharathm]

Thank you @petrolhead777 - much appreciated.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by petrolhead777

It seems like @itwasntme is generating a lot of business for BMW

Originally Posted by sharathm

Thank you @petrolhead777 - much appreciated.

You both can 'pay it forward' by continually posting your experiences & pictures. Doesn't need to be elaborate at all.

By the way, looking at these I'd say buying this pre-facelift version is better:

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...eTgDiLW7ymj7AU

[petrolhead777]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

You both can 'pay it forward' by continually posting your experiences & pictures. Doesn't need to be elaborate at all.

By the way, looking at these I'd say buying this pre-facelift version is better:

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...eTgDiLW7ymj7AU

Sure, will do.

LCI version looks a bit odd with these headlights.

Some initial observations:

• Have driven 500 Kms till now and boy it is an absolute rocket on the road, the way it picks up speed on the highways is ridiculous.
  
• 80/120 speed warnings are very annoying though.
  
• NVH is awesome.
  
• Also observed that the all the windows are tinted (70% VLT) which is a boon in these hot temperatures.

[BeMyWings]

Originally Posted by sharathm

The entire process from booking to delivery was pretty smooth thereafter and we were able to get delivery of the car in roughly 2 weeks time.

Congratulations Sharath! The Dark Knight Begins All the best!

[anandavinash]

Congratulations! The car looks stunning and I hope your wife and you have many happy miles and smiles in it.

[Tanmoy]

Originally Posted by sharathm

Some more pics..

Attachment 2307342

Attachment 2307343

Attachment 2307344

Hearty congratulations Sarath! Indeed your car looks smashing
I am waiting for mine with bated breath. Hope it graces my shores sometimes in June.

[RakishRam]

Originally Posted by sharathm

Some more pics..

Congrats Sharath. Great choice and welcome to the club. The car looks stunning in black.
Keep sharing pictures and happy driving.

[petrolhead777]

Hey guys,

I noticed on fuel filler flap that E25 fuel can be used!

Legitimate or not? If yes then might be good news considering the government is introducing E20 or E25 fuel in 2025.

[sharathm]

Some minor updates on the car..

• Got PPF coating done through AutoPad in Jayanagar, he was recommended by the folks at BMW. Looks like a good job done there, I'll post some more photos tomorrow (quite a dull cloudy day today)
  
• Got windshield protection coating done at the same place (Recently we hit a stone on the Honda City and the glass had cracked, that was still fresh in memory)
  
• Got ceramic coating done for the seats and steering wheel leather. The product has enough quantity for 2 more coats with each coat lasting a year.
  
• Picked up 3yr / 40k kms package from BMW. The rationale being that our monthly driving would be between 500-700km on this car as we would definitely use the Honda City as well. So that is around 9000km a year or 30k kms in 3 years, so the 3yr 40k kms package made sense to us. I was told I can pick up a new service package before this one expires, so ill take a decision later on as to what I want to do.

Some more thoughts after driving the car for a few days now..

• The Auto Start/Stop button is annoying. You can hear the engine start back up, which is what puts me off. Just checking with other owners here if I am expecting to hear that sound or not.
  
• The Auto Start/Stop can't be disabled via the control panel in the car. That they should allow I feel.
  
• When the car is stationary and I turn the steering, I can feel the wheels rotating, the sound of rubber is distinctly heard. Is that normal? Perhaps because of RFTs? Am not sure, and am a complete newbie here so asking.
  
• Ambient light is good, and I love the digital display. I like how a portion of the map is seen on the display and it kind of zooms in based on the road you are driving.
  
• Apple Car Play works very well, noticeable difference in audio quality compared to regular bluetooth connection present in the Honda City.
  
• The display resolution is also very good. Especially when using Google Maps.
  

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by petrolhead777

Legitimate or not? If yes then might be good news considering the government is introducing E20 or E25 fuel in 2025.

Very much legit. Clearly stated in the BMW Driver's Guide app + in the Owner's Manual. Suggest to install the former on your smartphone. Excellent offline guide tailored with your VIN .

Originally Posted by sharathm

[*]Got windshield protection coating done at the same place (Recently we hit a stone on the Honda City and the glass had cracked, that was still fresh in memory)

[list][*] The Auto Start/Stop button is annoying. You can hear the engine start back up, which is what puts me off. Just checking with other owners here if I am expecting to hear that sound or not.
[*] The Auto Start/Stop can't be disabled via the control panel in the car. That they should allow I feel.
[*] When the car is stationary and I turn the steering, I can feel the wheels rotating, the sound of rubber is distinctly heard. Is that normal? Perhaps because of RFTs? Am not sure, and am a complete newbie here so asking.

Good to hear you're enjoying! My comments:

Yes, Auto start stop cannot be disabled without coding. Major irritant as it is setup as default on fresh engine start. My unconscious reflex now is to start the car and immediately switch it off.

The rubber sound is very high on certain surfaces. Mine is the same on glossy garage tiles.

EDIT: @sharathm: forgot to ask about the windshield protection thing. What treatment or film was it and approximate cost if possible?

[BeMyWings]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Yes, Auto start stop cannot be disabled without coding. Major irritant as it is setup as default on fresh engine start. My unconscious reflex now is to start the car and immediately switch it off.
?

For all G20 owners. Is there a downside to leaving this enabled? Does it accelerate wear and tear on the components? Is this particular feature harmful to the engine, battery or any of the mechanicals?

I have read about this particular feature that annoys almost everyone. The "why" still confounds me (or I don't remember and if this is the case, please tell me again)

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by BeMyWings

For all G20 owners. Is there a downside to leaving this enabled? Does it accelerate wear and tear on the components? Is this particular feature harmful to the engine, battery or any of the mechanicals?

My gut feeling is that yes it is harmful to the turbocharger in the long run.

We read everywhere that turbos must be allowed to cool down (for a couple of minutes), and especially after spirited high-revving drives. But in my 330i at least, the silly system immediately shuts down the engine (except in Sport modes) regardless of turbo temperature.

These exclusions are from the Driver's Guide:

[rbp25]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with mods on the 330i. Was interested in an exhaust upgrade and maybe a tune.

[Abhi_Automobile]

Originally Posted by rbp25

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with mods on the 330i. Was interested in an exhaust upgrade and maybe a tune.

Not that I am aware of (anybody tuning G20 engine). But, go ahead and some of us are looking towards you