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-   -   My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/237393-my-bmw-m340i-xdrive-initial-ownership-review-6.html)

Sunday Morning done right with fellow M340i owners at yet another M340i Owners India meet in Mumbai. Seen here are all the colours that BMW India launched the M340i in & a new entry Mineral White Metallic too. Enjoyed the morning breeze at this location and the drive too was a breeze as the roads were relatively empty thanks to today being The Maharashtra Day, but anyone and everyone passing by us was surely convinced that it was rather “The M340i Day”. Here are some pictures;

Greetings Karan!

I’ve been following your posts and videos for a while now and had some queries related to the M340i. Would really appreciate it, if you can help!

1. How is the ground clearance of the car? I’m a little skeptical about buying one, for this sole reason. I live in Bangalore and the roads are generally a 50-50 trade off. A better option was the X3 M40i but it’s out of my budget. So how has your experience been and is it advisable to get the M340i if ground clearance can end up being an issue?

2. I’d be driving the car alone most of the time and may tag in my friends once or twice. Can the car handle it ground clearance wise? Because the unladen GC is already quite low.

3. I am not planning to keep the car for longer than 3-4 years, so should I lease it, instead of buying it? I’d be driving less than 4K kms per year. Fuel efficiency and other factors aren’t a big deal. I only have an issue with the GC.

Thanks in advance!

Hello, sorry for the late response.
4 + Passengers with luggage may be a challenge on odd speed breakers / bad roads but overall for daily drives the Ground Clearance is manageable in Mumbai and for Bangalore too I know many M340i owners in your region who are enjoying their cars without complaining about the Clearance.
How can you say its out of budget for a car which is not (may never) launched ?
Already answered this above.
Its your call, I dont have any experience of car leasing options in India.
All the best :thumbs up

Azen, adding my 2 cents as I am one of those enjoying this in Bengaluru as Karan mentioned.

In general it's okay (I live in Haralur/Sarjapur side where we have some of the worst roads) except for some oversized humps where you have to be really careful. Since you mentioned, your regular drive is alone - go for it.

PS: there is a black shadow edition coming soon if you like it. Then flip side of waiting is BMW increases price of this car every time someone sneeze in their HQ.:Frustrati

Awesome review Karan! The car is surely bonkers.

What are your thoughts on comparison with Mercedes A45s ?

Thanks Divyadeep :thumbs up
The A45S is a well priced product for a CBU.
Its very fast (faster than the M340i) as its a full blown AMG product and not a 35 AMG.
Its a very attractive car as well, with the perfect hot-hatch looks hence really desirable.
However I would still buy the M340i over the A45S because the M340i is more practical, spacious, has 2 more cylinders & has a rear biased AWD system.

Had ordered the ///M Performance Exhaust (Part No: 18302464492) for my BMW M340i & recently got it fit at Navnit Motors Andheri workshop. Here's a video of the Install & the first Sounds;

https://youtu.be/7A0qz3x2hV0

Some Pictures;



The Quality was good, but nothing space age;



///M Plaque on the side;



The OE exhaust needs to be Cut;



So the M Performance can slide over its piping and then clamped;



The End Can has the ///M Performance Logo Embossed;



Here's how the underbody looks Post Install;



A Close up of the Flap which modulates the Exhaust Sounds via the Modes (ECO, Comfort, Sport, Sport+);



Ready within 90 Minutes;



There's an immediate increase in the Pops/Bangs & Burbles which is good as it sounds all natural & powerful and not fake stuff which is coded in or achieved via software trickery. This is why I really liked this upgrade as it was a BOLT ON fitment without any engine/check lights to remove and required no Software/OBD connection & No Coding. Its a known fact in the M340i Owners Group India that the 1st lot M340i's were the loudest hence after this MPE upgrade the car is only about 20-25% louder than stock in Sport Plus Mode. Eco Pro Mode was still the quietest however this mode is now marginally louder and burbly than stock. To be honest the M340i with the M Performance Exhaust now burbles in all modes especially in lower rev range. Upshifts Farts have gotten louder where as During downshifts even in comfort mode you get some drama which gets amplified further in sport/+ mode. Another point to report is that the Cold start is significantly louder now. Overall the perfect upgrade which keeps my warranty intact :thumbs up

Man, that sounds insane! A wicked car became even more evil and the :D on your face says it all. One of the best parts about driving a fast petrol (vs diesel or EV) is the exhaust note. After my City & Civic freeflow exhausts, I'd told myself that I would never drive a petrol car without an after-market exhaust. But you've taken it to the next level. What a car and what an exhaust note!

This is the best. On long road-trips with family, you can tone it down.

How much was the total? And what are you doing with the old exhaust? Am guessing absolutely no effect on warranty right since everything is official?

Congratulations! and thanks for the Video - sounds great!:thumbs up

I've a question though - how does the exhaust flap modulate sounds based on the drive modes? In the video or description I didn't see any wire running between the exhaust and car - as you say it was a direct bolt on swap.

That sounds so good, probably not too much different than the M3. Perfect upgrade!

I haven't had the opportunity to buy a BMW yet but the M340i would be my top pick for when that day does come. It's perfect for Indian conditions and that exhaust is the cherry on top haha.

:D

Glad you enjoyed the video, also thanks for the homepage positioning.

This upgrade cost me Aprox 2L (Including Fitting). Yes, warranty stays intact as this is an official BMW upgrade (has a BMW Part no. as well) & was fit at an Authorised BMW workshop.

Thanks !

This is that wire;



Plug and play.

Thanks Naman.

It surely sounds as good if not better :D

Hey Karan, great video! Your original post and review on the M340 convinced to buy one last year, and I absolutely love it. I wanted to know if you ordered the exhaust through Navnit motors itself, or did you order it online and have it imported on your own?

Thanks Sartaj, Glad to know my videos & review helped in your buy decision.

Yes, the exhaust was ordered through the Navnit Motors dealership & the transit time was about 5 weeks.

Sorry for the delayed response as I have been travelling.

Thanks for the reply Karan. Just had the MPerformance exhaust fitted to my car today. Absolutely love it. It sounds better than I expected, especially in Sports Plus. Earlier I needed to turn down the music and the AC fan speed to be able to hear the burbles, but now the car truly growls and turns heads. I have ordered some new wheels, hoping to have them installed in a couple of weeks. I am tempted by the carbon fiber front grille and g80 like carbon fiber mirrors by Autotecknic. Debating wether to pull the trigger on them. One quick question, What did you end up doing with the old exhaust?

Great to know, Congratulations :D

Still at the dealership, need to get it collected.

No resale value is being offered, unfortunate but understandable.