[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by graaja

Thank you Santosh

Even last time, I did consider changing to tubeless. But two things stopped me.

1. Lack of proper spare wheel and the space saver taking up lot of space in the boot. For the long trips I take with family, I need maximum boot space.
2. For the size, profile and staggered setup, I could not find any options in tubeless tires. The only way I could go tubeless is by going for a square setup with 245 tires on all the wheels.

Can you give me your opinion on #1 and how you manage this? Do you carry the space saver with you during your long trips? How do you mitigate the risk of a flat or tire blow out?

I think the tires will come up for replacement in another 5000 kilometers. I will check out the options available in tubeless this time.

I didn't know you're not carrying a space saver. RFTs are prone to shredding and bulging on our roads. I have been carrying a space saver since day one on my X3. I was on stock RFTs for the 1st 25k kms or so. Although you can travel 80 kms or so on a damaged RFT, I need the security of atleast a space saver spare tyre when I am away from urban regions.

The space saver is a 125 section tyre and quite thin. Yes it does eat up boot space when strapped above the boot floor, but we've gotten used to it and manage to pack our luggage around it. The X3 has squarish tall boot. So it isn't that difficult to cram a lot of stuff in there even with the space saver in there.

Of course the space saver is just a back up in case you have a puncture. Yes we have to get down, jack the car up and change the wheel ourselves (which I feel guys like us are well capable of ). But once you've done that, all you need to do is drive up to the nearest puncturewala, get the puncture removed, slap the tyre back on and you're good. With RFTs, if you are stuck somewhere with a shredded tyre, you are dependent on a replacement tyre to arrive from a big city.

And these space savers are quite capable, don't be fooled by their looks. In my 55,000 kms with the X3, I've used the space saver all of once and that was on the highway, 450 kms away from home. I drove all the way home on that space saver that day (bad decision , I know!) And that too wasn't a puncture, it was a valve leak.

If the 3GT comes with a squared set up for other non M sport models, you can consider that option. But it is upto how important looks are to you. If you love the fat rear wheels of that staggered set up, you should stick with it. But I've seen you've been wearing out tyres every 20k odd kms. The fast wear out is another RFT special. My 1st set of stock RFTs lasted 25k kms. Second set of stock size, but tubeless rubber, looked very good at 25k kms and probably has another 15,000 kms life still left in them. They are sitting at home as I went with new 19" wheels. Yes I went after the hot wheels . What I am trying to say is that tubeless are cheaper and last longer too. And if you go for good sporty rubber, you don't lose out on performance either.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

I didn't know you're not carrying a space saver. RFTs are prone to shredding and bulging on our roads. I have been carrying a space saver since day one on my X3.

Thanks a lot Santosh, for the detailed response.

The non Msport verson of the GT comes with 17" wheels and 225 section tires. But this is for the 320d which puts out 190bhp. The 330i came only in MSport version with 18" wheels and 255 section tires in the rear and 225 section tires in the front. I think this may have been provided to handle the 250bhp output.

I usually have the space saver inside the car. Only when there is too much luggage, I leave the space saver behind. I will now make it a habit to carry the space saver always in the car.

If I were to go with a square setup, the only option I have is go for 245 section tires all round. This will reduce the sidewall of the rear tires by about 4.4%. I have been reading lots of threads in BMW forums if RFTs result in bent wheels. Most of the opinion is that the profile is the first reason for bent wheels than RFT vs. Non RFT. So, even if I go non RFT, the wheel bend issue may still be there.

On the other hand, you have a very good point about non RFTs being much more economical. A 245/45/R18 non RFT Michelin Pilot Sport 3 costs 19K vs. 28K for the 255/45/R18 CSC5 RFT. Also, I have many options (Michelin Pilot Sport 3, Michelin P4ST, Conti CSC5) in 245/45/R18 non-RFTs. Maybe I will try this setup once and see how it goes.

[graaja]

Update on the bent alloys:
Without going into the boring details, this did not work out and I ended up with a very expensive lesson worth 50K.

As of now, the ones in the car which are slightly bent are doing fine after balancing and I don't feel any vibrations at cruising speeds of 100 to 120kph. So, I am going to drive with these alloys while I look for aftermarket alternatives. I have been looking at BBS SR alloys. They look good on the GT. However, the dealer does not have anthracite or himalayan grey options that I prefer. He has the diamon cut volcano grey option in stock and said he will be able to get the anthracite or himalayan grey only when he has some other orders to club and import. Will wait till this happens. I am also trying to find out options to directly import these wheels.

Here is a render of the GT with the SR Himalayan Grey from BBS configurator.


Thanks a lot SanthoshBhat for all the inputs on the BBS alloys!

Spa Treatment at Home:
Ever since my favorite 3M outlet closed (about 8 months back), I have not been able to give a good detailing session for the GT. It has been almost a year since it was last detailed. Got it detailed by a friend, Sathish, in our local car enthusiasts group. He did an amazing job with the car.

The dirty alloys!


The dirty, dull and rough bonnet surface.


The dirty bumper.


Ready to start.


Sathish (guy in read t-shirt) and his assistant doing their magic.


After almost 5 hours of work, some pictures of the result.

It has been ages since I saw the original color of the alloys! I had in fact forgotten how the alloys look

[Moontan]

Seeing your alloys I wonder why BMW stopped the Style 397 in India. It's on my F30, it only comes in 18' and it came stock on my car. You might want to consider these as replacements when the time come, though if you're not having any vibration issues, you don't need to replace your rims.

[graaja]

BBS SR Alloys and Yokohama Advan Sport V105 installed:

In February, during the service visit for brake pad change, I found three of the four alloys were bent. As the OE BMW alloys were costing a bomb and even if I spend that money, there was a chance they will bend again, I wanted to try other options. Burnt my fingers trying to source used alloys.

Then decided to go with BBS SR alloys. I wanted the Himalayan Grey color. But the dealer PJ Speed shop had only volcano grey in stock at a price of 1.1 Lakhs for a set of four. He also said due to Euro appreciation and increase in freight charges a new import may cost very high (another dealer had quoted 1.6L for a set of four if imported).

Initially, I thought volcano grey may not suit my car and was thinking of waiting for Himalayan Grey and also of spending more. But then a chance discussion with Nikhilb2008 changed this. Nikhil has the same alloys in his VRS and he told Himalayan Grey would be too dull and Volcano grey will look much better. So, I placed the order. It took a couple of weeks to arrive due to transportation restrictions in Chennai.

I had also decided to go with Yokohama Advan Sport V105 tubeless. As I could not get the 225/50/18 and 255/45/18 staggered tires, decided to try the 245/45/18 square setup. Thanks a lot to SanthoshBhat for answering all my questions about BBS alloys and Advan sport tires (he has them on his X3) and to Nikhil for sharing his experience with these tires. A few pictures during the wheel install.

Wheels packed in the boot.


Removing the existing wheels.


BBS wheels unpacked.


Hub centering rings. These are needed to match the BBS wheels to the hub of the GT.


Tires being fit to the wheels.


Wheel balancing.


The maximum weight needed to balance was 15 grams. Excellent quality of the wheels?


New wheels fixed to the car.


Wheel alignment done.


4th Oil Service Done:

Started getting the oil service notification on MID a month back. Usually, I take it for service as soon as I see the notification with at least 1500km remaining. But this time due to various reasons, could not take the car for service for quite some time.



At last when the MID showed just below 400 kilometers to service, booked an appointment and took the car to the workshop. As the car is under BSI, I did not have to pay anything. Following parts were changed under BSI.

• Engine oil
• Air filter
• Spark plugs
• Wiper blades

Gave the car at 10AM and it was ready by 3:30PM. Experience at the workshop was fantastic as usual.

I had taken the 3 year / 40,000 kilometers BSI+ service package. The car has done 39,000 kilometers now. So, the BSI package comes to an end. I will be extending the BSI package to 6 years / 1,20,000 kilometers soon. Though I have to pay up front for the BSI+ and if my running reduces, I may be paying more for the package, I like the peace of mind the package gives. I don't have to worry about scrutinizing the service invoice to prevent them doing unnecessary services or charging more for the regular service. With BSI+, they only do what is required. I just have to sit in their lounge and enjoy some NetFlix movies

CarPlay Activation:
I also had asked about activating CarPlay. They connected the car to the server and checked if CarPlay activation is possible. They said it is possible and they will need to get the FSC codes from Germany. They have asked for 3 to 4 weeks time to get this code and said it may happen within a week as well. Also, when the FSC codes arrive, I will have to leave the car with them for 3 days. This again is the worst case scenario. Everything may be done within a day. Guess all this is due to lockdown scenario. Will update the thread once I get this done.

Some pictures of the GT with the new wheels:















Just for fun, a comparison of the render in BBS website and the actual car.


I am totally happy that I went with the Volcano Grey wheels.

Initial Impressions of Advan sport:
As I have driven only around 200km with the Advan Sport, it is too early to judge the tires. But they feel just as good as the Conti CSC5 RFTs that were in the car earlier. Tried a few tight corners and the cornering grip is excellent. The tires are very silent as well. But have read that they become noisy after 15k kilometers. The biggest surprise is I don't feel any big change in comfort levels going tubeless. As I have mentioned many times before, the CSC5 RFTs had a fantastic balance between comfort, sportiness and road noise. That is the reason I never thought about going tubeless. The biggest advantage of the Yokos is the cost. The rear tires of the CSC5 cost me 29k each last time I replaced them at 20K kilometers. The Yokos cost 15K per tire.

That's all folks, I have for now. Will update about CarPlay activation soon.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by graaja

BBS SR Alloys and Yokohama Advan Sport V105 installed:

Nice! The wheels look really nice and makes your car stand out even more. Same pinch on the combo - BBS wheels + Yoko Advans . I have crossed 6k kms on the Yokos and they are soft and supple and no issues with road noise as of now. Grip and steering feel are great as well. Hope it stays like this for the remainder of its service life.

With tubeless tyres you have less chance of bending rims as the sidewall is more absorbient. I am surprised you don't feel any difference in the ride!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Nice! The wheels look really nice and makes your car stand out even more. Same pinch on the combo - BBS wheels + Yoko Advans . I have crossed 6k kms on the Yokos and they are soft and supple and no issues with road noise as of now. Grip and steering feel are great as well. Hope it stays like this for the remainder of its service life.

With tubeless tyres you have less chance of bending rims as the sidewall is more absorbient. I am surprised you don't feel any difference in the ride!

Thank you Santosh

Even I was surprised that I did not feel significant difference in comfort levels with tubeless. My guess is that unlike the crappy Potenza RFTs that usually came with BMW, CSC5's are very good in comfort. Maybe the wrong impression on RFTs that many have had was mainly due to the Potenzas.

Dr_AD also has confirmed this with his experience. He has changed to Michelin ZP RFTs from Potenzas and is very happy with the comfort and performance.

Yesterday, I paid close attention to comfort levels. When going over those center line markers or flyover joints, I can feel a slight improvement in cushioning compared to the CSC5 RFTs. But the CSC5s were never too harsh in these situations as well.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by graaja

BBS SR Alloys and Yokohama Advan Sport V105 installed:

Wow! These new wheels look great and your car looks gorgeous!

As I said in our other discussion, your car is the best looking 3GT in the country!

I am a huge fan of your 3GT. The bike rack looks awesome and that adds a unique character to your car. You have got yourself a great lifestyle vehicle - a lifestyle vehicle that is fast, powerful, loaded with modern technology and of course, with all the good things of a BMW (RWD, 50:50 weight distribution, awesome handling etc). I am including handling too here because I assume after your suspension upgrade, your 3GT handles much better than the 3GT on OEM specs in India. That is one weakness in 3GT but you have taken care of that too.

In fact, now when I see a 3GT without the bike rack on the roof, it feels as though something is missing :-)

If you don't mind, I would like to post here one picture of your car that I took in Ooty last year - your car bathed in the morning dew!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Wow! These new wheels look great and your car looks gorgeous!

As I said in our other discussion, your car is the best looking 3GT in the country!

...That is one weakness in 3GT but you have taken care of that too.

Thank you for the kind words AD

True. The soft suspension is the weakest point of the GT. With the M Sport suspension, the ride height also goes down by 10mm and the handling is far better than the original suspension. I am glad that I went ahead and had this done.

[ecenandu]

Originally Posted by graaja

Interiors Continued...

The engine start/stop switch is located behind the steering wheel. It is a little difficult to reach (maybe because this is the first car I get to use this feature). The auto off is on by default.

You can code it to be off by default, check out the video below.

@5:20 mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCdiCggpXYM

[graaja]

40,000 Kilometers Up and 6 Year BSI+

On the day of Onam, the GT completed 40,000 kilometers.



On July 25th, I extended my BSI+ package to 6 years / 120K kilometers. Paid INR 2,54,120/- for this. Though I could save some money by not taking the BSI+ package and paying for service as required, considering the current Corona situation and the uncertain economic situations in the near future, I decided to take this as an insurance policy With this, I need to only worry about insurance, fuel and tires to keep this car running for another 4 years.

[aseemsood]

My 330i GT also completed 40k a couple of months back.

I chose the 5yrs/ 80k package and paid Rs. 1,35,110

I asked BMW for 80k options only. Options offered were:
1) 4yrs/ 80K - Rs. Rs. 1,31,334
2) 5yrs/ 80K - Rs. 1,35,110

Also, I have 4years warranty on the car (BRI). For BRI extension to 5 years, BMW asked for Rs. 1,09,858. I have decided to push this to next year as my car is yet to complete 3 years (I bought it in the same week as @Graaja)

Question: Should I extend the warranty next year @ 1L for a year? How important is the warranty?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by aseemsood

Question: Should I extend the warranty next year @ 1L for a year? How important is the warranty?

I would say warranty is very important for these luxury cars which have eye watering price for spare parts. It is just like an insurance policy. So, it is very difficult to judge the importance. It is quite possible that nothing fails when you have taken a 6 year warranty, or something expensive fails when you have run out of a 4 year warranty

I took the highest BRI of 6 years at the time of purchase though the 6th year warranty had a premium of close to 1.4L, same as what it cost for the first 5 years.

[asterix]

Originally Posted by graaja

I took the highest BRI of 6 years at the time of purchase though the 6th year warranty had a premium of close to 1.4L, same as what it cost for the first 5 years.

Thats when you may need it the most. I took a 6 year /120k BRI for my X5 and got a lot of mechanicals replaced in the 6th year. The dealership also went out of the way and did some good will replacements prior to expiry of the warranty.

Thanks for a great thread here. I am in the market for the 330i GT Shadow Edition and got a lot of questions answered

[aseemsood]

Originally Posted by aseemsood

Also, I have 4years warranty on the car (BRI). For BRI extension to 5 years, BMW asked for Rs. 1,09,858.

I was mistaken. I have a 3 year warranty and not a 4 year warranty.

BMW has offered following two options:

Extension to 4 year/200000km
Basic Price : Rs. 34000
Taxes : Rs. 6120
Total : Rs. 40120

Extension to 5 year/200000km
Basic Price : Rs. 93100
Taxes : Rs. 16758
Total : Rs. 109858

Also, I received a message today that BMW will revise the warranty charges on 1 Nov 2020. (see attached image)

I shall take the 5 year warranty.