As for the price let’s just say I could have bought a brand new mid-spec Honda CR-V for the same price however driving a plain vanilla crossover.

BHPian Vikram Arya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I'm returning to the forum after a hiatus of almost two and a half years so my writing & editing/formatting skills may have slackened a bit therefore please bear with me.

I understand that there are multiple threads on ownership of this car on the forum however the intention here is to provide my perspective that might be a bit different plus I have combined it with the details of the buying experience and some addition/s that I have done to make it a winter worthy vehicle for the kind of conditions (read that as bone-chilling cold) that this vehicle will be exposed to. I hope you will find the account somewhat interesting. Read on…

The good bits:

• Sprightly, tractable motor
• Compliant suspension
• Reasonably good handling (I mean come on, it’s a 330i, not a 911)
• Impressive fuel economy
• Diminutive dimensions
• Timeless silhouette (that's my take, others may differ)

And not so great:

• Steering (worst execution of the dreaded electric power steering that I’ve seen so far)
• Gruff engine note
• Seats could be better
• Oil filter location (very close to the firewall; important for me as I do my own oil changes)
• Subpar sound reproduction from the audio system (I can learn to live with that)

This project started as a search for a daily driver. My last regular car was sold off as my travel became almost negligible with the onset of COVID.

So began the grind of going to a few dealerships and looking at a couple of cars up close and personal. During the course of my search, I looked at a new VW Tiguan (a crossover), a new Toyota 4 Runner (a hardcore body on frame 4X4, I know) & a Lexus RX 350 (pre-owned). Both Toyota 4 Runner & Tiguan were quickly crossed off the list as the respective dealers mentioned inordinately long wait times (almost a year for the 4 Runner & 5 months for the Tiguan).

I was shopping for the RX 350 from out of province as I have never bought pre-owned cars from Alberta. Exposure to a lethal combination of dirt, salt & gravel (used by the municipality for increasing traction on the roads) that the cars are exposed to for 6 months in the winter is a strict no-no in my playbook.

There were certain requirements that were important to me:

• Clean CARFAX report
• 4X4 or an AWD
• The model should have been in the market for at least 3 plus years so that all the applicable TSBs would have been issued
• Engaging drive (I have a bit of a lead foot) and good seats
• Reasonable infotainment (No I’m not talking of Apple car play & Android Auto but a good music system)

Waiting behind the shroud.

As I was searching for the Lexus RX 350 at a few Vancouver dealerships both on their websites & online auto trading websites (Auto Trader & Car Gurus etc.), I happen to come across a pristine example of a BMW 330i x-Drive M Sport at a North Vancouver BMW dealer.

Now some of you may know that I already have a 535i x-Drive M Sport in my garage & getting a second automobile from Bavaria was not on the cards however the more I looked at the details, the more interested I became. After spending a couple of days looking at the car on the dealer’s website, I picked up the phone and called them up. I was told that the car was a lease return by a retired gentleman who wanted to upgrade to the G20 variant of the 3 Series.

And there she was...

The car was loaded with a Premium package & an M-Sport package and that meant a whole host of extra goodies such as M Sport appearance package, M Sport suspension, Dakota leather seats, larger brakes, Comfort Access, Lane Departure, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, etc. It came with a B46 (Super Ultra Low Emissions spec (SULEV) version of B48) motor (4-cylinder turbocharged that puts out 248bhp & 350Nm of torque).

M Sport package also gets you a 19-inch staggered tire setup (225/40 R19 on the front and 255/35R19 RFTs at the back) on BMW 403M wheels and a fully digital multifunction instrument display with a custom display for each of the four modes. I already have this on the 5 Series and I was looking forward to a nice analog display but this was not going to be a deal breaker.

As for the price let’s just say I could have bought a brand new mid-spec Honda CR-V for the same price however driving a plain vanilla crossover. and that too with a CVT sounded a bit boring (no offense to the CR-V owners). The ongoing chip shortage and terrible scarcity of both new and pre-owned cars did not help my case either.

The dealer arranged to send me the complete service history of the car from the very beginning of the ownership as the car was serviced at their shop from day one. The car had 45,100 kms on the clock and had undergone the brake pads and disc overhaul/replacement while it was being readied for sale. I found that fact a bit surprising. To put things into perspective I was located 1,100 kms from the dealership and there was no way I was going to take a flight to have a look at the car. Another idea came to my mind to ascertain the driving behaviour of the first owner as in whether he was an aggressive or a sedate driver. I found out that the car is still shod with the original RFT’s (Bridgestone Potenza S 001). I told the salesperson to find out the tread depth of each of the tires.

The new Bridgestone Potenza in 255/35R19 size has a tread depth of 11/32” inch. As this is a rear wheel biased car, the maximum wear should logically be on the rear tires. It turned out that both of the rear tires still had 7/32” tread left which meant 63% of the tread was still on the tires after 46,000 kms. This to me meant that the previous owner was a fairly sedate driver. I also requested close-up pictures of each of the alloy wheels to determine any instance of curb rash and I was pleasantly surprised that there was not a scratch on any of the wheels.

What more could I ask for? As I was having this dialogue with the salesperson, he told me that there is an offer on the car but the concerned person is having some issues with the financing (this very well could be a pressure tactic but whatever) I told him that I will take the car and put down a deposit of $5,000 via a CC transfer.

The same day I booked the flight for myself and my wife & an overnight stay at one of the hotels on the way back (this was going to be a 1,100 km long drive).

Salient features:

• Manufacturing plant: Dingolfing Germany.
• Glacier Silver Metallic.
• B46A(B46B20M0) - Super Ultra Low Emissions spec (SULEV) version of B48, twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection, variable valve lift (Valvetronic), and variable valve timing (Double VANOS) with 250PS & 350Nm torque.
• ZF 8-speed torque converter (ZF8HP50).
• 4 drive modes and pedal shifters.
• Black Dakota Leather seats, 12-way electronically adjustable with adjustable thigh support.
• Heated seats, windshield & steering wheel (a boon, I use this almost 4 months a year).
• Electrically adjustable & retractable ORVMs.
• Regular sunroof (don’t care for it).
• Fully digital configurable multifunction instrument display (S6WB).
• 9” screen with 8 speaker BMW branded infotainment plus Navigation.
• Automatic climate control, wipers & headlights.
• LED headlights, parking lights, fog lights (front & rear).
• Comfort Access.
• Heads-up Display.
• Lane departure warning.
• Blind Spot Monitoring (I find this the most useful in city driving).
• Lane keeping assist (I always switch this one off).
• Front Collision Mitigation (automatic braking).
• Front and back parking sensor with a rear camera with dynamic guidelines.
• 6 airbags.
• 60 ltr fuel tank that takes 91 octane.
• M Sport suspension.
• Tires & wheels: 225/40R19 (F) & 255/35R19 (R) Bridgestone Potenza RFTs on BMW M 403 wheels.

We reached Vancouver at 10:00 on the day of the delivery and the store at 11:30. A few of you may know I had done a similar pilgrimage back in 2019 for the 535i.

I was taken to the delivery area where I did a close inspection of the car for cosmetic damage which may not have been apparent in the pictures. Barring a very small scratch which I could barely notice on the rear bumper the car was in a pristine condition.

Aah, the delicious F80 M4 Convertible.

I also noticed that there were some beauties parked in the store including a fully loaded X7 & a F80 M4 Convertible in black. After completing the formalities & handing over a banker's cheque for the balance which took me about 45 minutes and included a 2-day temporary transit permit as this was an out-of-province sale, we drove to a local German boutique bakery (recommended by the salesperson) for a quick bite.

The place turned out to be really good. We also picked up a few goodies for our daughter and drove out. I noticed that the car came with a full tank of gas so I would not need to waste my time filling her up.

Sharing a parking space with a Bentley Bentayga.

North Vancouver as is clear is located on the North side of the city overlooking the Pacific Ocean and this meant I would have to cross the entire city. Thankfully we were still some time away from the atrocious rush hour and we made good time to get out of town at a quick pace.

Now mind you that I had never driven the F30 3 Series although I had test driven the G20 3330i & M340i back in May 2019; I was pleasantly surprised to find that the engine was very tractable and was pulling effortlessly even in normal mode.

We made a quick stop at Hope, a very small town about 170 kms from North Vancouver for a sandwich and some gas. Incidentally, this is where the famous Rambo I/First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone was filmed back in the day, one of the first English language films that I watched while in school.

The sun had started to go down and after Hope, the speed limit increased to 120kmph (Coquihalla highway) so slowly I increased my pace to 130 (taking a small liberty though not recommended). We covered a distance of 365 km in roughly 5 hours (including breaks). I again stopped by the side of the highway to take some stunning pictures of the sky lit up in various unreal hues.

The colours in the sky were just unreal.

As I was approaching Kamloops, a small town where we had planned to stay for the night, I noticed a car wash by the side of the highway and drove in to wash off the dead bugs splattered all over the front. I like to keep my cars clean even during travel.

Looking pristine after a quick wash.

At the hotel, I was able to find a parking spot right by the entrance. After checking in at the local Holiday Inn, had a light meal, and a quick shower and then dozed off.

The next morning we started late in the morning at 10 after a quick breakfast. We had to cover a distance of 655kms and that should have taken us about 8 hours including breaks, however, that was not to be.

This is a very scenic route that passes through the Coast Mountain range and Roger Pass which is the highest point on the Trans Canada highway (also known as Highway 1). As soon as we hit a small town that goes by the name Sicamous, a small community of 2,500 people; my wife spotted a Farmers’ market with very inviting fruit and vegetable displays.

We stopped there and spent a good two hours shopping for fresh vegetables and fruit. There was also a Dutchman’s dairy nearby and we hopped in for some delicious freshly made ice cream. Although we were just carrying a duffel bag, the boot of the car was soon filled up with fruit and vegetables and that also meant that I would have to lessen my pace which did not make me happy.

We finally left Sicamous at approx. 3 pm.

From Sicamous onwards, the highway became more winding and elevation started to increase and the speed limit was reduced to 100kmph. The drive starts to become even more scenic and elevation continues to increase till you reach Roger Pass at an altitude of 4,364 feet above sea level.

Taking a breather at the "Three Valley Gap"

About 35-odd kms from Sicamous, we came across this beautiful lake that warranted a stop to gaze at the pristine view and we did.

We had barely gone another 100km and it was time for a nature break so I took the car to what seemed like a resting area....and what a view it was. We spent a good half an hour there gazing at the flowing Illecillewaet River and the surrounding beauty....

Skunk Cabbage Trailhead.

From here on it was a non-stop drive till we reached Golden, a small ski resort town with a population of approx. 4,000; we had covered about 360 kms from Kamloops and it was time for an early dinner. We realized that we had skipped lunch (well a large scoop of ice cream at the Dutchmans Dairy had put paid to that). My wife searched and found a nice Indian restaurant located on a small hill.

After a sumptuous lunch of chicken tikka masala & shahi paneer coupled with garlic naans, we headed out. Golden is the last town in British Columbia before you hit Alberta.

After covering another 50 off kms we stopped at Field, a small community of 170 odd folks. It has a Visitor Centre with massive parking and very clean washrooms. It was almost dark but I still clicked a couple of pictures against the magnificent Rockies in the background.

A quick stop at "Field" a small community of 200 people.

From here on, no breaks were taken and by 8:30 pm I pulled into our driveway after covering almost 1,050-odd kms.

The instrument panel was showing an overall fuel mileage of 7.7l/100kms which translates to 13.1km/ltr. Please note that 800 kms of this distance was covered at 110-120km/hr and 250 odd kms were covered at @130km/hr; considering all of that it found the overall fuel economy to be very impressive.

I would like to mention here that the car was christened “Silver Star” by my wife once we brought her home.

With her elder sibling.

Soaking in the Sun the next day after a long drive home

Continue reading on BHPian Vikram Arya's BMW 330i xDrive for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

This car has been used as a demo car and has clocked 10,000 kms. He says he is offering about 10 lakhs lower than a new car.

BHPian MZee recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all,

I am looking to return to India after 27 years in the Middle East by December this year. I had more or less settled on choosing a sedan - either a BMW 330 Li or Toyota Camry as they are in line with budget and also my requirement of rear seat leg space.

The BMW dealer in Kochi where I plan to settle down is offering a 2022 model BMW 330 Li M sport with an on road price of Rs 63 lakhs (the split up being:

• ex showroom: 48.83 lakhs, Insurance: 1.36 lakhs, road tax @ 21%: 12.13 lakhs, TC: 48k, accessories and essentials: 70k).

This car has been used as a demo car and has clocked 10,000 kms. He says he is offering about 10 lakhs lower than a new car.

While further negotiation may be possible (he sounded desperate) and a test drive has to be done, the question I wish to ask is whether it makes sense to buy a car used as demo for test drives. The dealer has offered the first 3 months free warranty followed thereafter by regular warranty terms.

Thank you.

Here's what BHPian V12 had to say on the matter:

I guess majority of the response here will be against buying a demo car. You never know how those 10000 kms were driven and how many people would have abused the car. A 2022 model demo car that has already covered 10000 kms would raise my eyebrows.

A brand new Camry seems to be a better option. Or better still increase your budget and get a fresh out of the oven BMW and save all the tension.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

As expected I wouldn't recommend buying a demo car and that too which has been driven for 10k kms. The desperation of the dealer is another red flag as 10k kms is nothing for a demo car or the less than 1 year duration.

If you're looking to buy a BMW then buy one brand new with every possible warranty item added and enjoy it peacefully for the coming years.

Here's what BHPian the_skyliner had to say on the matter:

You can buy an Audi A6 Technology in that money which is a segment higher than the 3er Li. Contact your local Audi dealer and find out what they can offer.

In any case 63L for a 3er Li TD car which has clocked 10k on the odo isn't a deal at all. If they offer you the car around 53-55L then only you should consider it. I would still not buy a TD car for that price.

Another option: I know the rear space isn't great in the new C but do check it out. The interiors of the new C220d are simply outstanding. And you will probably get one at around 63-64L.

Here's what BHPian DicKy had to say on the matter:

I am guessing this is a returning for good retirement.

If you are okay with the budget for a new 3er Li, then go for a new one. Let this be an occasion purchase. Demo cars are abused a lot. But if this is a car purchase for 4-5 years and you are looking forward to buying other luxury cars down the road, then negotiate hard for a better deal and take all the extra warranties possible.

Safe option would be the Camry for long term use, or if you are okay with a new 3er Li pricing, then take a look at the Lexus ES. Kochi has a reputed dealer and also it will help calm your NRI instincts feeling stupid to buy a Camry for half a crore.

Here's what BHPian ninjatalli had to say on the matter:

10,000 kms is a LOT! Short answer - I'd stay away.

Long answer: If the discount is luring you, I'd first do a full proper PDI and then also work on the following list:

• Evaluate the time I'd take to get to 10k kms (6 months? 1 year? 1.5 years?) and ask for extended warranty terms for the same period.
• Evaluate the condition of the wear & tear elements (tires, battery, brake pads, etc.) and ask for fresh parts/accessories & consumables.
• Get the first servicing done free off cost before taking the car.
• Push for the maximum possible (officially offered) extended warranty on top of what the dealer is offering you in addition.

Here's what BHPian rugsrags had to say on the matter:

I've found out and am being offered an option of BMW 3ld with 2000 kms on the odo and 330Li with 4000kms on the odo. Now with these odometer readings i'm getting inclined towards the demo cars since i know the discount price will be pretty much better than on new ones. I'm expecting the price to be around 58 onroad instead of 66 on road. This is the unofficial price as i'll get a final quote once I've decided on the model.

I was in the market and on the verge of booking the camry as a no non sense purchase but at around 52 on road vis 58 for a German i'm getting tempted to stretch. Of course my usage is as a secondary vehicle since my garage at the moment only has SUV's and a lower saloon's need is being felt.

Since I've asked there is also a 6gt available as a demo. Though that will be stretching a lot since the on road for a 6gt is 82. Personally I know people who have used demos from BMW and they've faced no issues whatsoever. Both were x1 with 2k and 10k run demos.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The one thing which I was desperate to do after getting the car was to change the chrome grille to black.

BHPian Rachet recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians,

Thank you all for your overwhelming response for my first post.

Been trying to come up with a video to give you all a better look at the car. Hoping that you all will enjoy it.

 Since all of you were so much interested in the car, I decided to share details about few other accessories which I got for the car. You can check out that video as well.

BMW Air Freshener:

Well there is nothing more to explain about a freshner. I had the itch to buy everything from the OEM so I went for this as well.

Pros:

• Tiny and perfect fit for the AC vents.
• Never becomes a distraction inside the car , because it is tiny and blends well with the interior.
• There are multiple flavour options . I personally liked the Sparkling Raindrops flavour . But flavours are purely subjective.

Cons:

It is costly. The refill pack with 3 cartridges costs 978 rupees and the holder costs approx 2k.

BMW Key Case:

Leather key case for the secondary key. Looks premium and feels good in hand. Cost of the case is around 4.5k . I have not bought a case for the display key yet. The cost of a leather pouch for the display key at BMW was around 20k. I felt like I could live without that for now.

MSport Mats:

There will be a set of mats already in the car. The MSport mats are purely optional. The quality is nice. Looks and feels premium. But it costs a whopping 32k . The mats given along with the car will serve our purpose. The MSport mats just add some premium feel.

BMW Advanced Car Eye 2.0:

Cannot expect it to be useful every day. Still thought it might come in handy someday. I know there are other cheap and may be better alternatives for this one outside, but decided to go with the OEM itself.

Pros:

• OEM installation is neat with no visible cables. It sits well integrated with other gadgets in the car.
• Records even when the engine is off with the help of radar based movement tracking system and even has a G shock sensor assistance.
• Cameras at front and back.
• ACE 2.0 mobile application to manage the recordings in your smartphone.
• The device will be switched off after consuming a defined power in parking mode to save enough battery to power up the car.

Cons:

• Costly. Costs Approx.45-50K.
• The device drains battery in parking mode.
• Comes with a 32GB memory card. Video overwriting happens faster because of small storage capacity.

Car cover:

Procured a customized cover for the car from TPH covers online. You have lots of customization options. There are multiple car cover options they provide for a specific car. You can go through their site , the features and characteristics of each cover are described there itself along with the price. I opted for ROMANITE which is suitable for both indoor and outdoor. Got it delivered in 10 days. I went for a complete black color with red piping. I wanted a MSport badging which they messed up by putting it on the wrong side of where I wanted it and also they did not tell me that they will print their logo in the front windshield occupying the complete space. That was a disaster when it comes to customization because of miscommunications. Otherwise the product is good.

Pros:

• Nice material with various characteristics to withstand harsh climate and other surrounding conditions. They have listed down the characteristics in their site.
• Perfect skin fit for the car. Looks neat.
• Very easy to clean.
• Various customization options.
• Nice packaging with two bags.
• On time delivery.

Cons:

• It is costly - cost of Romanite is approx.32K. There are covers starting from the range of 8K but the material and the characteristics of the cover changes.
• Chances for Customization blunders due to miscommunication.

Black kidney grille:

The one thing which I was desperate to do after getting the car was to change the chrome grille to black. The whole car has no chrome treatment in the body but for some reason the grille alone is given in chrome. It did not look pleasant to my eyes and felt it was never the right combination. Asked for black grille accessory in BMW but they came back and said they do not have the accessory with them. Maybe if I had waited they would have made it available but I was desperate. Got the grille painted in black and now it looks perfect and I am happy with the way it looks.

Paint Protection Film installation:

Was a bit skeptical about whether to do this or not. But in the end I decided to go for it. And then finding the right place to get the job done was even more challenging. There are lots of players now in the market who are even ready to give good discounts but there is no credibility. Came to know that there are duplicate products from china easily available which many of the local players are using and hence they are providing huge discounts. But I felt like this is not something you should compromise on. So I decided to go with a reputed and experienced team who I thought were the best fit. Got the ppf installed from Obsessive Compulsive Detailing a.k.a OCD. They did a great job and I am extremely happy with the work and the service they are providing. They provided proper instructions and 2-3 back to back inspections with a week's gap to check and rectify any issues. So far I am happy with the work and support. And also I got the grille painted from OCD.

Pros:

• The car looked shinier than new.
• Very easy to clean anything that's on the surface without having to worry about the paint.
• Protects the car from scratches caused by stone pelts and bushes.

Cons:

• It is costly . Since we are looking at rate/sq.foot , it will cost you a lump sum if your car is big.
• Will become a headache if not installed from the right place. Doing it from a place with experienced professionals and with genuine products is advised.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.