[Utsav_199]

Note from Support: Please quote relevant sections of posts only. Thanks.

B58’s are rock solid reliable and can go on till 150K miles with no issues.

Great to know, no wonder it is such a popular choice among other makers and tuners.

I think only an M3 Competition, M4 Competition, GTS 4.0 can satisfy or thrill me more than the B58 but, they are double the price. I need to hock my kidneys as they are super expensive to buy and maintain.

Ah, that is going to be very hard. While Porsches have amazing finesse, or chimp minds do not allow us to spend more and go slower.

My Cayman S 330 hp is much slower, so I guess GTS (not driven) 4.0 400hp will be just as quick if not quicker. They both have similar engine NA characteristics. But hey, when that top end opens -- the gate to heaven opens up!

I drove the Macan GTS very briefly, it did not feel quicker. Drove 2.0 extensively, loved it. In fact I was giggling for the first 5-10 minutes for entirely different reasons - perfect controls-steering, brakes and even PDK paddles, fluid chassis, great peripheral visibility, qualities that are so hard to come by. (Thank god it was not a TD else the SA would have gone nuts looking at me jump like a cartoon character)

The GTS only fullfilled the power deficit of the 2.0, but was not quicker than the B58.

So yeah, the B58 has spoiled it for us.

Yup, I know one of the first GTS 4.0 owner in India was the famous Autocar Editor-Hormzad

.
Yes saw his IG, you know him? Do congratulate him on the Spinny deal.

It takes people time to get used to a complete redesign and radical one at that.

That is amazing, I guess manufacturers have themselves to blame for making new cars less desirable.

Btw, search the forum, I drove the new X3 M50 as well recently and was not too impressed. But, I would buy it if I want to continue on the B58 platform.

Do you have a drive report, would be great to have your insights.

I got attracted to your thread just because of the title…lol!

[Utsav_199]

My Cayman S 330 hp is much slower, so I guess GTS (not driven) 4.0 400hp will be just as quick if not quicker.

I meant compared to the M340.

That is amazing, I guess manufacturers have themselves to blame for making new cars less desirable.

I meant the 10K profit on such a properly run car after all these years is amazing. I guess we can use this and push ourselves with some nutty enthusiast math to justify that fast Porsche!

[ssjr0498]

I have heard that the moment they plug in the ISTA and reset even the service interval details, the ecu gets locked. Is that true? What does one have to tell them "NOT" to do when one has a femto unlocked ecu?

Thanks

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

If they update the software/ECU, I ll be locked out again. I have to make sure to tell them NOT to.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

[b]Great to know, no wonder it is such a popular choice among other makers and tuners.

Ah, that is going to be very hard. While Porsches have amazing finesse, or chimp minds do not allow us to spend more and go slower.

My Cayman S 330 hp is much slower, so I guess GTS (not driven) 4.0 400hp will be just as quick if not quicker. They both have similar engine NA characteristics. But hey, when that top end opens -- the gate to heaven opens up!

Yes. NA's are awesome for sure. But, in regular driving conditions, it's rare to get opportunities to redline or even go above 5K rpm. These are truly enjoyable on a track vs. normal road conditions.

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

[I drove the Macan GTS very briefly, it did not feel quicker. Drove 2.0 extensively, loved it. In fact I was giggling for the first 5-10 minutes for entirely different reasons - perfect controls-steering, brakes and even PDK paddles, fluid chassis, great peripheral visibility, qualities that are so hard to come by. (Thank god it was not a TD else the SA would have gone nuts looking at me jump like a cartoon character)

The GTS only fullfilled the power deficit of the 2.0, but was not quicker than the B58.

So yeah, the B58 has spoiled it for us.

Macan is a superior car than a BMW X3M40i from every possible aspect except the experience of power.

I did not drive the GTS which I think would be the perfect Macan to own. But, heck Macan GTS is at least 30% more expensive than an X3M40i and this is where the X3 shines at being true value for money.

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

[Do you have a drive report, would be great to have your insights.

X3 M50-Latest version of the B58

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5916946 (All-New 2025 BMW X3 M50 Review | Initial Driving Impressions)

Also drove the BMW IXM60 :

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ml#post5905274 (BMW IX M60 in Seattle, Washington - Brief Driving Impression)

X5 M50i (This is the upgraded version of the car my sister drives)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5920262 (2022 BMW X5 M50i | Brief Driving Impression in Seattle, WA)

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

I meant the 10K profit on such a properly run car after all these years is amazing. I guess we can use this and push ourselves with some nutty enthusiast math to justify that fast Porsche!

B58's are the only cars that is keeping its value and that too only in few form factors like the X3M40i or M340i. Other cars (Z4, X5 40i) don't retain the same value.

Porsches has consistently topped the list of cars that retains the most value. But, I noticed a peculiar trend. People buy Porsches but, don't drive it as they are scared to lose value. Hence, there are tons of examples in resale market with very low mileage but, their price is nearly the same as new.

What's the point of buying a car that you cannot enjoy. I buy cars to drive and not to decorate the garage.

[Utsav_199]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Macan is a superior car than a BMW X3M40i from every possible aspect except the experience of power.

I did not drive the GTS which I think would be the perfect Macan to own. But, heck Macan GTS is at least 30% more expensive than an X3M40i and this is where the X3 shines at being true value for money.

True. It is even more expensive here, approximately 1.7-1.9 cr (all in stock units have the famous options) vs I guess 1.05 cr for X3M40i when it was available. Changes the entire segment dynamic.

X3 M50-Latest version of the B58

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5916946 (All-New 2025 BMW X3 M50 Review | Initial Driving Impressions)

Also drove the BMW IXM60 :

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ml#post5905274 (BMW IX M60 in Seattle, Washington - Brief Driving Impression)

X5 M50i (This is the upgraded version of the car my sister drives)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5920262 (2022 BMW X5 M50i | Brief Driving Impression in Seattle, WA)

Thanks will go through them.

B58's are the only cars that is keeping its value and that too only in few form factors like the X3M40i or M340i. Other cars (Z4, X5 40i) don't retain the same value.

Right, I suppose the X5 with a B58 would be a given and does not hold that much of an extra appeal that a 3 series platform would. Maybe the z4 manual might retain value.

Porsches has consistently topped the list of cars that retains the most value. But, I noticed a peculiar trend. People buy Porsches but, don't drive it as they are scared to lose value. Hence, there are tons of examples in resale market with very low mileage but, their price is nearly the same as new.

What's the point of buying a car that you cannot enjoy. I buy cars to drive and not to decorate the garage.

Right, is it relegated to just the GT models or overall to the sports car range?

No point in getting cars to preserve mileage. I end up finding reasons to drive them.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

True. It is even more expensive here, approximately 1.7-1.9 cr (all in stock units have the famous options) vs I guess 1.05 cr for X3M40i when it was available. Changes the entire segment dynamic.

Absolutely. It's ridiculously priced in India.

But, then folks who buy such cars in India are super rich so they can afford it unlike common folks like me driving such lovely cars here. I love the affordability part of living in America with respect to cars.

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

Right, I suppose the X5 with a B58 would be a given and does not hold that much of an extra appeal that a 3 series platform would. Maybe the z4 manual might retain value.

Z4 never really took off. People who want to buy a Z4 stick to the 30i as it gives them the sports car platform without having to shell out a big difference for the B58.

Z4 B58 sells in very few numbers as it's dangerously close to Porsche Cayman (base model) so why would anyone buy a Z4. I see the trend here is that the maximum B58 sold is in X3 form factor other than the X5 40i.

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

Right, is it relegated to just the GT models or overall to the sports car range?

I always keep scouting the market and keeping track of prices for my next car which hopefully will be a Porsche or a full blown M car.

Simple thumb rule with Porsches- The more expensive the car (911 Turbo S/GT3 RS/GT4 RS)- they are driven ridiculously low. It's easy to find many examples of cars that are 3-4 year old under 10K miles driven. Such cars retain almost same pricing as its MSRP.

Originally Posted by Utsav_199

No point in getting cars to preserve mileage. I end up finding reasons to drive them.

Same here. I get very less opportunity to drive due to work travel and hybrid working fashion. But, I still like to clock a bare minimum of 1000 miles per month which is mostly pleasure based driving.

[Utsav_199]

Drove a friend's F30 328i recently, my notes on the F30 328i vs the G30 M340i:-

The F30 328i is a precision tool while the G20 M340i is a brute.

The F30 has a much more connected driving experience-

1. lighter, darty, sharper front end
2. better steering
3. 10x better brake feel via hydraulic brakes
4. analogue dials! and buttons

The F30- Lighter front end, so much more chuckable and always willing to turn into corners or gaps.

The M340’s heavy 6 cyl B58 along with the extra front driveshaft really add to the weight and take away from the quick willingness to turn in.

While in the 340i I wouldn’t think of darting in a tight gap, in the 328i I just intuitively dart into it. Will not comment on stability or high speed corners as my drive was brief for just half a day.

The brakes are so much better in terms of feel in the 328i — this alone makes the car gel with me instantly, it had uprated EBC pads which were extremely powerful too, the braking being better than my Cayman which is on older pads and tyres.

Hydraulic brakes are really the gold standard, drive by wire just can’t hold a candle to the hydraulics. Drive by wires brake application of the 340i is in bits (0 and 1) and never progressively smooth.

The steering felt direct and did not gave that slack the G30 had, plus the not that isolated nature of the F30 makes it more involving. Having said that, none of the racks are close to a hydraulic.

The 4 pot engine in the F30 328i is no match to the B58, it doesn’t have the punch, creamy smoothness, refinement or the aural delights of the inline-6 B58 - this was expected. Plus the 328i engine is not known for reliability either, so i’d suggest to stay clear of these in the used markets. Coming back to the drive, first few minutes I felt the 328i engine lacking but after a while I really gelled with the car overall and did not feel lacking afterwards. The workaround in the 328i is to carry more speed in gaps and corners rather than applying brute motive force, no stop go but more flow — exactly the way I like it!

Interiors-

The analogue dials in the F30 that are actually legible are such a welcome departure from the G30’s UI/UX nonsense.*The F30’s orange backlit dials are warm, make you feel at home and even invoke a bit of nostalgia — the new G30's cabin is the best example of tech just for the sake of it.

The older platform also has a physical handbrake (images below) and might I add the smell of real leather in the older platform is soooo much more inviting.

The buttons are also a welcome change though I don’t really mind the G30’s controls as even touch ones are well implemented and one gets used to it and can become intuitive. Though some short cuts buttons would be welcome.

I actually preferred the modern G30’s gear flappy thing than the traditionally shaped gear lever in the F30 — I guess one expects the large traditional unit to slot mechanically which it does not leaving one’s mind confused. The flap in the G30 is just that-a flap, and I even preferred the tactile feel of the flap.

Conclusion-

Nothing in life is perfect though somethings come close.

The G30 works much better as a luxury car, it’s better refinement and isolating chassis nature coupled with the creamy B58 translates well to relaxed touring. The F30 is much more exciting and involving — the chassis package I’d pick (I can totally sympathise with a current F30 owner if he finds nothing worth upgrading to, even with the humble 320d).

In around 2015-16, there used to be a F30 with the B58 in foreign markets. Raw gen-1 B58 with a manual RWD in the F30 — perfect but we never got that in India.

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[agambhandari]

I have driven both generations and I have to disagree with most of these merits of the F30.

I believe most of these differences are down to RWD vs AWD (plus the added weight). M340i sticks to the road like a leach but yes, its heavy and B58 power hides a lot of it. In comparison, the 330i is lighter and the steering feels natural and the car as a whole is more playful yet has more than enough power for public roads. F30 never felt as dynamically sorted as G20 whenever I've tried it.

I would be curious to know if you have had a chance to drive the regular G20 330i

[Utsav_199]

[Utsav_199]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

I have driven both generations and I have to disagree with most of these merits of the F30.

I believe most of these differences are down to RWD vs AWD (plus the added weight). M340i sticks to the road like a leach but yes, its heavy and B58 power hides a lot of it. In comparison, the 330i is lighter and the steering feels natural and the car as a whole is more playful yet has more than enough power for public roads. F30 never felt as dynamically sorted as G20 whenever I've tried it.

I would be curious to know if you have had a chance to drive the regular G20 330i

It could certainly be the case of weight and AWD and not just the platforms.
Nope, not driven the regular G30 330i, but the Li on my very short drive seemed lighter, again that was very brief so cannot recall much.

How about the brakes? I still feel the G30's by wire systems are very vague in terms of feedback and modulation.

[RS/GT]

Ok, can someone summarise please-
M340i vs 330i/Li
1. Fun to drive
2. Comfort on Indian roads

Can both be found in a single BMW ?
( An ideal car)

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by RS/GT

Ok, can someone summarise please-
M340i vs 330i/Li
1. Fun to drive
2. Comfort on Indian roads

Can both be found in a single BMW ?
( An ideal car)

330i is no patch to an M340i. Totally different cars and if you are after brute power, superb handling and an adrelin rush. Eyes closed it has to be an M340i.

For Indian roads, what I see is you change it to non-RFT's and stick to 19"s for comfort.

Living in US, I have been tempted so much to upgrade to a 20" or 21" from stock 19" as it will handle better and looks awesome but, I wanted a good balance of comfort and it's been a joy for the last 72,000kms.

19" on my car looks bad and does not fill the wheel well properly but, I'm willing to live with a cosmetically inferior looking car than compromise with a harsh ride.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by RS/GT

Ok, can someone summarise please-
M340i vs 330i/Li
1. Fun to drive
2. Comfort on Indian roads

Can both be found in a single BMW ?
( An ideal car)

The LCI2 M340i is very comfortable. I’d say too comfortable. You should take it for a spin to experience it.

The 330Li is also very comfy, but if you want anything resembling BMWs historical performance and fun to drive factor, you’ll have to look elsewhere. It rolls a bit in the corners, which is understandable. You can’t defy the laws of physics and extend the wheelbase while still maintaining the same dynamics.

I’d argue that the latest 340i is not as sporty as it used to be, but it might be exactly what you want. A fun to drive daily that’s honestly very comfortable.

Give it a test drive. You’ll be surprised.

[Utsav_199]

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

Got my M340i in October '24 and cant agree more with majority of your points. But honestly most of them are fixable.

1. The stock brakes suck. I changed my Brake Pads and they have make a world of a difference. Most of your complaints will be gone.


3. Not liking the interface? You can change to the M interface. Its possible with a mod and I might be doing it soon.

Which brake pads did you use? Was the pedal feel and modulation better?

Will the interface change mean asking the dealer to not update the OS?

Originally Posted by RS/GT

Ok, can someone summarise please-
M340i vs 330i/Li
1. Fun to drive
2. Comfort on Indian roads

Can both be found in a single BMW ?
( An ideal car)

I think the LCI2 as pointed out by iliketurtles shall do both well owing to it's adaptive suspension.

The update with respect to 328i was mostly linked to the nimbleness of the chassis compared to the current M340i which is heavy in the front - but do not mistake the 340i for not being fun, that B58 bomb will overtake the experience quickly and the chassis will play ball. The LCI2 will take care of the comfort level that you are looking for.

So yeah, the LCI2 shall be both, fun + comfortable.

As always, do take a long hard test drive of all models, and if confused, go for the the one with the larger number on it's name plaque