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Old 8th August 2016, 12:02   #31
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Thank you everyone who enjoyed the thread and congratulated me on my engagement. Means a lot and makes me feel like a part of this big petrolhead family.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Rating 5 stars. More importantly, congrats on the engagement. Do you let her drive your 328 ?
Oh indeed she has, but once incident of her left foot braking has really shaken my trust in letting her drive it around.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mpower View Post
Enjoyed reading your thread. Passionately written and quite informative

Since you enjoy trackdays, I would recomend that you invest in a 2nd set of grippy UHP summer tires (like Advan Neova) and keep the run-flats for everyday use
Thank you, I have been pondering over which tires to get. But unfortunately a extra set of (used) rims and new tires will cost over a lakh easy, and I don't think it warrants that extra expenditure. I'll either change the tires to ultra grippy ones when its due or a few friends have offered me their track tires to use when required. Either way the 2.41 on BIC will be demolished!

Quote:
Originally Posted by karan561 View Post
Hey Manav,

Good to see another 328i ownership thread on team bhp.

Nice to see the car hitting the track regularly and you having fun, also i am so sure with better (& wider) tyres you'd be shaving off atleast 3-4% of your time on that long BIC track.

^ Also good to see you beat the car the 328i replaces i.e. 6cyl 330i (that too modded) , proud moment for the N20

PS - You mentioning in the opening post the Dislikes, i.e. the car needs 97 octane may be misguiding IMO for other people who would want to purchase a 328, my car runs fine on normal petrol, be it however way you drive, redline or 1000 rpm in 8th gear.
Though in another thread you mentioned the engine knocks with regular fuel only on trackdays.

Do keep this thread regularly updated & also what mods planned ?
Thanks Karan, your thread and the review thread of the 328i was my biggest inspiration to be honest and really pushed me to getting this dream machine.

Honestly as I mentioned that I had the drivetrain error on the road once too, and its just a very scary experience and I've switched completely to 97 with no issues. But you are right that it doesn't need it. But personally, I'd highly recommend it. Tires I agree, something needs to be done. But i'll use these ones for a while before changing.

That was a fully modded 330i check this link it is apparently around 275bhp and as you can see the 328i completely demolished it. And I didn't have launch control either, so the car will only go faster.

My car is completely stock right now, I'm planning to add Paddle shifts and coding before I do any performance mods to it. Next in line would be tires honestly and I'm hoping that BMW starts the M power kit in India if they don't I plan to look at options for exhaust/intake and chipping next year or so. Visually I'll be treating it to goodies whenever I get the chance. I'm hoping to hear your car in person once since nobody has the M Performance Exhaust here in NCR.


Quote:
Originally Posted by SnS_12 View Post
Congratulations buddy on the purchase and your engagement.

You mentioned 3 lacs in warranty bills. Did you have to shell out any money or 100% claimed under warranty?
Any warrantly items are 100% FOC including labour and tax AFAIK. I'll be uploading all my bills to this thread soon for review.

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
A query from my side, how is the tire wear ? Do the rear wheels exhibit more wear than front ones ?
Rear wheels do have more wear than the front for sure even with the traction control on most of the time. I have seen traction light flash up under hard acceleration on concrete surfaces at speeds as high as 70km/h. Absolutely bonkers how it catches speed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolboy007 View Post
Excellent review buddy, this car indeed feels like a sports car in disguise.
I am shocked at the treatment meted out to you by Deutsche guys, though Bird Auto is not that great, it is miles better than this dealership.

The warranty claims sound huge, what all was replaced in ac components and headlights?
Indeed, I've tried reaching out to some senior people at BMW and hope someone else doesn't have to suffer the same fate as me. I will visit Bird on my next service visit for sure.

The AC blower was making some sounds at full blast, and the headlights had developed these mini cracks in them. Both were changed out. I'll upload my service and warranty bills for review to this thread soon.

Quote:
Originally Posted by niranjanrvce View Post
Manav, congrats on the 328 again and wish you many long miles on it.
The parts about BMW service being opaque and not keeping your trust is scary - I am considering getting a pre-worshiped 3 series soon but hearing these tales put me off. Whatever little patience I have to put up with bad customer service is entirely consumed by Triumph and I can't afford to deal with another set of prima donnas!
Great to see the track videos and I still envy that Blue on your ST!
Haha, looks like we are in the same boat. Triumph I've had to battle to fight for our rights and we have succeeded to a large extent. Also remember your brand experience will largely depend on the dealer. Like Triumph Bangalore and Pune have always been held in high regard. The Street will see lot more action now that the riding season is almost here. Both are amazing machines marred by the 'chalta hai' attitude of dealers.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashish22 View Post
Amazing writeup, detailed and emotional! I liked your honest to god overall review.

BMWs are something else isn't it!

I can imagine the kind of joy it must be giving you to rev this gem of an engine. If not for an insane torque of 530d i would have picked this car with my eyes closed!

Happy driving!
They absolutely are the Ultimate Driving Machine. I love the 530d and really hope that BMW gets more exciting engines to India.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kautilya View Post
Congrats for your Beamer. And Fantastic write up, gripping till the end.
Just curious with your encounters with BMW dealer, do you think used car dealers would have been better, if not less cumbersome? Or any others in the forum have buying experience with them?
I don't think so, I've caught the neck and made them replace and fix a lot of things in the car which the user car dealer would never do. Plus BMW Premium Selection is just like buying a new car from BMW India, even though I've had a bad experience they are 100% accountable and I'd still choose them over scummy used car dealers. Its just too scary to be buying something so expensive with no warranty.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gaurav.kokra View Post
But I am sure that the 6 cylinders would be covering up for this.

Anything could happen if we get this to the notice of ministry of consumer affairs?
The N20 is a 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engine. Fun fact: BMW advertises it as producing 240hp but independent tests on a dyno have revealed that stock cars on normal 91 octane petrol have been found producing anywhere from 265-272hp!

I've tried to reach out to some senior people at BMW India, hope that they intervine for sure. Right now I'd rather just pay out of pocket than go to war with BMW. Its a good thing there are multiple dealers in NCR.
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Old 8th August 2016, 14:09   #32
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Quote:
Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post

The N20 is a 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engine. Fun fact: BMW advertises it as producing 240hp but independent tests on a dyno have revealed that stock cars on normal 91 octane petrol have been found producing anywhere from 265-272hp!

I've tried to reach out to some senior people at BMW India, hope that they intervine for sure. Right now I'd rather just pay out of pocket than go to war with BMW. Its a good thing there are multiple dealers in NCR.
Sorry. Apologies on the engine specs info. Just read on bimmer forums as well that the actual power output is more than the advertised one.

And again, opting to buy from the BMW's Premium selection was the right way to go. They can be 100% accountable.

Hope your car gets as good as new.
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Old 8th August 2016, 15:20   #33
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Very nice read.
Do you have any plan to upgrade the brakes?
I have 320d (a much sedate machine than the bonkers of 328i) but whenever I do some pedal to metal drive I notice a lot of brake fading (might be due to very hot summer in kolkata). Any idea about how to come out of that. Will the brake pad upgrade do or only solution is rotor and pad and liner change?
The car is under BSI, so in case I upgrade from my pocket, I hope the warranty on other parts (suspension etc) will stay valid.
I asked the dealer but they haven't provided a direct answer.
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Old 8th August 2016, 15:57   #34
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Quote:
Originally Posted by sinhsha View Post
Very nice read.
Do you have any plan to upgrade the brakes?
I have 320d (a much sedate machine than the bonkers of 328i) but whenever I do some pedal to metal drive I notice a lot of brake fading (might be due to very hot summer in kolkata). Any idea about how to come out of that. Will the brake pad upgrade do or only solution is rotor and pad and liner change?
The car is under BSI, so in case I upgrade from my pocket, I hope the warranty on other parts (suspension etc) will stay valid.
I asked the dealer but they haven't provided a direct answer.
I'm unsure if the 328i and 320d have different brakes, the only place where I felt the brakes lacking was the track, and that too is because these are road brakes and start fading as the usage increases on the track and they overheat. I compensate this by braking as little as I can and its definitely affected my lap time. I think they are more than enough for the road. A bunch of track people use D2 brakes and have heard good things about them. But I believe they are overkill for road. Why don't you try experimenting with different brake pads at your next change to see how it affects braking performance.
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Old 8th August 2016, 19:50   #35
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Congratulations Quickdraw on both your cars BMW as well as Jetta and for your engagement as well. The 328i is one mad car that I have driven after the equally mad 530d. Both are monsters in their own rights. Floor the throttle and that insane amount the torque that sets in is addictive. I particularly love the way BMW's handle, they are leaches that change direction seamlessly & effortlessly at your command, with no need to drop speed. Point & Shoot to be precise. But with the newer generation of BMW's that driver oriented approach is missing, especially if you happen to drive the new X1, its just not there, its just not the BMW that you want it to be. Probably BMW is doing what Audi or MB is doing, make a mass market appeal luxury car, as in India, features sell more than anything else.

I am appalled by the third grade service standards that you received at the dealer, especially considering the fact that India HQ of BMW is in Delhi. Generally it is seen that dealerships in the vicinity of the HQ's usually treat the customers well, as they never know, someone from the HO can come for an audit as a customer and if the service or sales experience is not as per "Company Standards" then a red flag gets raised against the dealer. Probably, BMW is not following its audits protocol.

Keep updating the thread & happy revving
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Old 9th August 2016, 01:46   #36
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

First and foremost, heartiest congrats on your engagement, hope your track/biking days ain't curtailed post marriage

Well I could totally relate with your thread, simply because, I totally believe in lateral upgrades by going for pre worshipped machines, am a fellow Triumph owner and am crazy about keeping my cars/bikes in "showroom" condition! Have bought 3 cars over my last 9 years of career, all pre worshipped and in ultimate bang for the buck <touch wood>.

Now I am itching for my next purchase, almost finalised a pre-worshipped Pajero sport but then dropped it after driving an automatic Outlander 4WD during a recent road trip in Iceland. The Indian Pajero (manual) is simply no match! Heart is set on an automatic car that can offer good performance (acceleratio and top speed yet sturdy enough for Indian roads). Given that you would have explored all available options before zeroing on your 328i, would be helpful if you could advise what car to chose. Only other key consideration is comfortable seating (I am tall and heavy) and something that wouldn't look outdated over the next 3-5 years! Budget is 20-22 lacs. Wanted to buy a 4wd SUV but don't think there good options at my price point. Will only go for hassle free service rep brands (Skoda, tata is out).

Also, I saw your service costs in one of your earlier posts, would you be able to share an average annual spend on car maintenance for a typical bmw 3 series operating in its third or fourth year! Thanks.
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Old 10th August 2016, 13:40   #37
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Wow! Thats quite an ordeal you went through. Seems well worth it though.
What's the next set of wheels?
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Old 11th August 2016, 14:01   #38
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

After posting this thread a lot of people contacted me and advised me to reach out to the president's office of BMW and shared contact details. I emailed a link to this thread and was contacted by BMW India representatives. They have taken the car for a full 360' checkup. I'm unsure and confused on their intended outcome with this and have given them my car in good faith and look forward to what they have to say. I've specifically pointed out and requested them to answer the following. I will reserve judgment till this matter is resolved.

Thank you for your quick revert. As I've very vividly detailed out my experience earlier I want you to give me clarity on the following.
  • How did my wheels get damaged, and since they were repaired I want you to ensure they are fit to be on the vehicle. If not the onus is on the dealership as detailed out on earlier email threads my claim got rejected because of the dealership since they advised me to claim the wheels separate from the body damage that the car was in the workshop for.
  • How is it OK for Premium Selection to deliver the car with tires that blew up on my delivery day. And promise me BMW Mats and Body cover and providing me with fake merchandise. AFAIK the body cover and mats provided to me are not original BMW accessories. (I paid out of pocket and replaced the other tire which was also in horrid condition)
  • Why has the dealership not accepted any wrongdoing and always put the onus on me as a customer to fight this so much and so long that I had to approach the CEO of the BMW
  • Why was the M Performance drive promised to me as a resolution and myself left in the lurch when the time came for BMW to make good on their offer to me.


The advice that I've pointed out earlier still applies, make sure you deliver the car in person to the showroom always and do a full inspection including the underbody and alloys/tires. Ideally, you should get the car serviced in front of you. But if this is not possible always do a proper before and after inspection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sawnilrules View Post
But with the newer generation of BMW's that driver oriented approach is missing, especially if you happen to drive the new X1, its just not there.
Thank you! I've not driven the new X1 will definitely check it out. BMW has taken my car in for a checkup I'll be reporting what happened soon.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rohan.xj View Post
Budget is 20-22 lacs. Wanted to buy a 4wd SUV but don't think there good options at my price point. Will only go for hassle free service rep brands (Skoda, tata is out).

Also, I saw your service costs in one of your earlier posts, would you be able to share an average annual spend on car maintenance for a typical bmw 3 series operating in its third or fourth year! Thanks.
Thank you! She knows how much I love motorcycles and encourages me to ride. In fact, she keeps telling me on random evenings "Why don't you go for a ride?" So guess I've got a keeper there. I think it will be difficult to get her to do a ride along with me. She is happy watching from the pits =)

I'll be sharing detailed expenses and bills on the thread soon, so make sure you subscribe to get updates.

For 20-22 lakh price point, I'd recommend the following options.

Volvo V40 Cross Country

Great car, loaded with tech and safety features. It has amazing seats and you can comfortably take it to a lot of places thanks to the raised ride height. Personally, I think it's gorgeous and the panoramic roof doesn't make the back seat feel claustrophobic. I strongly advise you to check it out. Have not heard too many horror stories for Volvo they are dependable cars. I would have definitely loved to buy this car or the 1 series if I didn't get the 328i.

BMW X3 - Great car and driving dynamics.

Skoda Yeti - Friends who own it swear by it, a very versatile car capable of a lot more than it gets credit for.

Mini Cooper D - Lots of fun, but can't rough it out and ride quality is harsh.

Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow View Post
Wow! Thats quite an ordeal you went through. Seems well worth it though.
What's the next set of wheels?
I think I'm good for the next 3-4 years. My dream would be an M2 if it launches here. I recently had a chance to drive the M4 on the road and loved it as well. Unfortunately, my experience with the dealer has been bad and I'm hoping that Mercedes keeps launching more AMG models so I can make the ultimate lateral upgrade a few years down the line.
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Old 15th August 2016, 12:37   #39
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

First of all congratulations for your dream acquisition.

Its always a very warm experience reading someone who have purchased something using their heart and not their head.

The start of your ownership experience in terms of cost much have tested your patience but the driving experience have gotten you to forget everything she costed. Is their anyway to install steering with paddles incorporated ?

Happy motoring !
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Old 16th August 2016, 14:08   #40
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

Quick update:

I had given my car to the dealership and they kept the car for 3 days and sent me the report of a full 360' checkup.

There are a bunch of issues (noise from AC, squeaking sound) which still need to be resolved but BMW is very proactively working with me and the dealership to get them resolved. I have an appointment with the service centre head on Saturday and have full confidence that we can reach a resolution which makes both of us happy. The car is anyways covered under warranty

It's honestly a surprise change to see the brand take ownership and be concerned about their image, unlike Triumph who threatened to sue me.
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Old 27th September 2016, 19:25   #41
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

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Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
Quick update:

I had given my car to the dealership and they kept the car for 3 days and sent me the report of a full 360' checkup.

It's honestly a surprise change to see the brand take ownership and be concerned about their image, unlike Triumph who threatened to sue me.
Any progress with BMW's intervention?
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Old 20th March 2017, 07:57   #42
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Any progress with BMW's intervention?
Good question, thankfully all calls to BMW customer care are recorded and the people who were looking into my case must have heard the recordings and instantly realised that what happened to me was wrong. They decided to offer me a one time discount of 50% on parts and service so I can get all the things that were damaged or screwed up replaced. I took them up on the offer and the car is nice and new on the inside and outside now.

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-1.jpg
NASA Gang (E90 330i, F30 328i, F30 320d LCi)

I actually started writing this post about 6 months ago, and believe should apologise that have not found the time to update my thread. The car completed a year in October, and has done about 9500 km in a year. It has been a tough year for sure with some little niggles cropping up here and there along with the entire fiasco that I had detailed out earlier. Thankfully everything is good now but I thought I'll take a bit about the common issues with this car.

Some observations
  • Biggest problem has to be tires, I had 3 tires bubble out last year which were replaced under the 'SECURE' insurance that I had purchased. In each instance they reduced by default 25% of the cost of tire.
  • There were some squeaking noises coming from the back just like Karan mentioned in his thread here.
  • I had a feeling that there was some issue with front suspension. BMW diagnosed it to be the steering rack and it was changed under warranty.
  • The headlight glass had developed tiny cracks all around. They were replaced under warranty.
  • Horn had conked off once. Was replaced under warranty.
  • Post the replacement of steering rack, I keep getting a random error of Transmission Fluid temperature, this was communicated to me by the dealer earlier and is some sensor which needs replacement. - They have since diagnosed it and replacing the ECU which is on order and a special letter needed to be sent to BMW Hq and it will arrive in a month.
  • There is a strange pulsating rattle that the car makes when braking at high speeds 100+, so far I have not been able to fix it, the brakes and rotors have been changed and I've gotten the alignment and balancing done as well. BMW Service centre says its the ABS but I am certain its something else. I wonder if other F30 owners faced this issue?

Running & Spare costs

BMW recommends a replacement of Pads and Rotors and that will cost about 40,000 a set (front or back, not both). I'm not sure how much they last for others, people say that it depends on how aggressively you drive your car and all. But trackdays give most punishment to these.

A standard service will cost you about 30k with all taxes.

My car has 18" runflats, including the cost of tire and mounting etc it is around 23k a pop. (Also note, BMW will or the tire OEM will not offer you any warranty at all for sidewall or other problems, I highly recommend you source your tires from outside.)

I have extended my warranty by 2 years at a cost of around 1.56lakh (excluding taxes). I will highly reccomend you get this, even by a conservative estimate I've got over 5 lakh worth of parts replaced under warranty. And this is after me completely babying the car. It is only pushed on the track, but never abused.

Detailing by The Detailing Mafia

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-3_1.jpg

When Aganju's first birthday was coming up I was busy pouring over internet reviews about the different types of detailing options available. Finally settled on getting a OptiCoat Ultimate treatment done. The detailing cost about 35k plus taxes and includes 2 touch up treatments and warranty of 3 years for gloss finish.

I got the detailing done in Oct 2016 (I'm writing this in Mar 2017) and it's not held on OK, I think it's partly my fault because the car was subjected to rain a few times with just the soft cover on, I have sent the cover to be washed (it absorbs dust). I will take it for a touch up next month and will report longevity. They hydrophobic coating that Opticoat provides even helps with brake dust on that used to be a common occurrence. Plus the car is really easy to clean, all you need to do is rinse and wipe. Unfortunately, detailing cannot hide scratches that have made their way into the paint layer, the car had a lot of swirls and other dull scratches. But it has a much better glossy finish now. Overall I am happy that I got it detailed.

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-3_2.jpg

I had a fantastic chat with the owner Kunal, who also owns a 328i. He is actually related to one of my college buddies who ended up buying a 328i as well on my recommendation. We have a 328i gang going on around here. I will definitely try and click all three of them together when I get a chance. They have been taking care of both my Street Triple and other cars washing cleaning ever since I moved to Delhi. Even though the price is a bit on the higher side I'd definitely recommend it if you're on the bench wondering if you want to go for detailing on your car. This is the first car that I got detailed and realise that detailing means that you need to take a few basic precautions like using a soft cover with a hard weatherproof (dupont tyvek) on top. With basic 2 bucket cleaning method and a monthly visit to the car wash will keep the car looking as new. A lot of people are surprised when I tell them my car is 5 years old!

Here are some pictures of the car taken after it was detailed.

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-4_2.jpg

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-4_1.jpg

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-4_3.jpg

Last edited by Aditya : 20th March 2017 at 07:59.
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Old 3rd September 2017, 17:18   #43
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Goodbye Aganju

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-_k8a6204.jpg

This car was indeed very special to me, It got me my job. I got married in it! So I was really sad to see it go. So let me sum up the ownership of my pre-owned 328i which I bought from Deutsche Motoren, Premium Selection in Faridabad.

Reason for sale?

There are few reasons I decided to put the car on sale.
  • I was considering a move abroad.
  • High cost of ownership (EMI + Constant replacements of run-flat tires)
  • High EMI for an aggressive loan over a short repayment period (which was the only one I was eligible for).
  • Needed 97 octane fuel or was prone to knocking at higher revs.
  • 18' rims with run flat tires ruled out road-trips which I love. I had 5 run-flats bulges up during 2 years/10,000km of ownership. Each replacement was Rs 25,000 with BMW not providing any warranty on the tire. Even with BMW Secure which was an expensive add on (approx +50k over regular insurance) they always depreciated tires at 25% also refuse to pay for rims and asked me to repair!! My car had much thinner side profile run-flats (225/25/18) than the 530d (245/45/18) maybe that's the reason they were much more prone to bubbles.
  • Not practical, low ground clearance and use to scrape at speed humps even after being super careful if car loaded with 4 occupants.
  • Expensive warranty extension, which cannot be extended over 5 years from manufacturing date.
  • Overall bad experience with the dealer (Deutsche) well documented in this thread.

What I'll miss
  • The N20 engine coupled with ZF8 speed, it was fun to drive car.
  • The BMW ergonomics are spot on for the driver, which is very important.
  • Styling: I think the F30 looked great.

Takeaway from ownership
  • Euro car is expensive to maintain if you are super finicky like me about everything being perfect
  • Beige interior doesn't age well and is hard to maintain.
  • 18' rims with low profile is a recipe for disaster.
  • The car needs better suspension, especially at the back where I thought it was way too bouncy. Anti roll bars should help.
  • The Rs 35k + Ceramic Opti Coat detailing not worth it, in my opinion, needs to be redone every 7-8 months.
  • BMW is definitely the ultimate driving machine, it has ruined other cars for me forever.

Since then I have decided to stick around in Delhi so the hunt for a replacement had started (and concluded recently as-well). I was looking for a new (or used) car in the 30-35 lakh price range. It must be powerful (=petrol), should be practical and usable for long distance trips on bad roads, must be fun to drive, not too old (for warranty), luxury and gadgets should not be skimped on.

In the end, I shortlisted between the following cars (used/new).
  • Mercedes Benz GLA/CLA 45 AMG
  • Volvo S60 Polestar
  • Mini Cooper S
  • Audi TT
  • BMW 5 Series

I will explain my decision-making process in a dedicated thread for my new ride 'Shani' a Mini Cooper S (Hatch) who has joined Blue Lightning (Thread: making it an all British garage!)

My pre-worshipped BMW 328i-6s8dlpc-imgur.jpg

Last edited by Jaggu : 21st March 2019 at 20:49.
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Old 29th November 2020, 20:47   #44
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Re: My pre-worshipped BMW 328i

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Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
Please follow the NASA Facebook page for information on Trackdays. We welcome anyone to join us even if you don't plan on driving, always happy to take along passengers for hot laps
Great review, a much belated congratulations. I checked out the BIC vid and my god the N20 sounds good! By the way, was that Prithwi Ray and his 300hp Blue Tabhahi?
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