[Blacktemplar]

Having just passed the 5,000-mile mark on my F31 330i, I thought I’d share some observations and minor grumbles on what is the first BMW I’ve ever owned. I’ve driven Audis – and in particular diesels – for the past decade, so this was my first foray into (a) petrol and (b) RWD in a very long time (the last petrol engined car I owned was a 2001-model Ford Galaxy 2.3 so a bit of a change… )

I’m not a fan of Mercedes or Jaguar, both from a styling and interior perspective - for me the choice was always between BMW and Audi, so forgive me for the comparisons that inevitably run through this post.

I’ve changed the grilles and exhaust trims to black, which I really think improves the look of the car, particularly with the EB and gloss black trim; I chose not to have the SPG which I’m really glad I avoided – it’s fine on white/grey/black cars, but on the EB I think it creates a bit of a visual imbalance without the front side windows being tinted, and IMHO looks just a touch naff….

Most of my driving is local, urban commuting around Glasgow and the odd longer run, so I’ve yet to experience a full-fat B-road blast, but the poise, balance and sheer driveability of the F31 is a world away from the nose heavy, inert steering of a diesel A4 or A6. I love the chuckability of the thing, and coming from FWD it’s night and day, if a ‘touch’ tail-happy if I get a bit enthusiastic in Sport/Sport+. Many on here bemoan the crashy ride of RFT’s but coming from non-RFT’s on 19” rims to Bridgestones on the same size wheel, I can’t honestly say they’re any worse than the last car, even on the shockingly poor roads of the Central Belt. Perhaps when these require replacement I’ll move to non-RFT’s and see if I notice the difference.

Economy has been OK at around 31mpg average which reflects the 90% urban driving I do, but with 250bhp on tap, that’s not too bad. To put it in perspective, that’s only 10-12mpg lower than my last VAG 2.0 diesel achieved. For a while I wished I’d gritted my teeth and gone for the 6-pot 340, but I just couldn’t justify the extra for what – in the real world at least – seems like minimal usable performance gains. That said, I’d have loved to hear a full-fat MPPK setup, but hey ho. The 4-pot is reasonably raspy when giving it full beans, and has an appealing burble on startup.

When I moved from my last car to the F31, I was initially impressed with the dash build quality and layout; however, having since been in a 2017 model A4 I think BMW need to up their game: the ergonomics and quality of materials in the Audi are – in my humble view – quite well ahead of BMW now. Perhaps the new model 3-series will address that. Really like the ambient lighting, particularly the orange, which is very restful on a longer night-drive.

The fact that I was able to spec a pale interior colour was great – Audi take note – it really lifts what could otherwise be a pretty gloomy place to sit. Interior space is decent for the size of car, and the 40:20:40 split rear seats are great for carrying all manner of crap around. Wind and road noise at speed are not too bad, better than my old A6. I really like the stance of the car on 19” rims, particularly from the rear three-quarters, though I still feel from certain angles the tailgate/rear bumper can look a touch boxy and awkward. Maybe I need to get a diffuser….

I was persuaded to spec the ProNav with Connected Drive and HUD, but I’m not convinced it’s value for money. That said, I really like the HUD, and don’t look at the dials much these days. The HDD jukebox facility and ability to use either an external USB drive or apps like Spotify are good, as is the HK system which I’m really glad I took, having heard the tinny crap issuing from a friends’ standard setup. However I feel a lot of the technology is pretty pointless, and RTTI and route guidance are not great, though to be fair I’ve not yet had to rely on them so the jury’s still out.

Not all in the garden is rosy though, and whilst I’ve had no actual problems in the 11 months I’ve owned the car apart from erratic aircon, there are a few niggles that take the shine off just a little. Some are frankly first world issues, others less so, but I believe are all simple things that BMW should be looking at in terms of customer expectation/experience;

• The manual gearbox is appalling. No other way to describe it. I thought it’d loosen up a bit with age, but it’s still balky, graunchy and feels like a c. 1975 Morris Marina sometimes. Having failed to spec the sliding armrest, unless you have the seats at their highest vertical setting, your elbow rests awkwardly on the rather hard surface, and the angle of your shoulder is uncomfortable. The console design clearly favours the 8AT box, and I guess the majority of buyers will go for this but it’s a pricey option and I actually like swapping cogs myself….

• Handbrake is utter, grade A shit. Feels like it wouldn’t hold the car on a steep incline, and has to be hauled up as far as it’ll go before it feels safe. I’ve heard others say this is typical of a BMW but it just doesn’t feel right.

• I’ve never come across a climate control system that’s as wilfully finicky to operate. I appreciate that a lot of the issues I’ve experienced are not helped by my ineptitude, but the whole system seems over-complicated and has adjustment solutions to problems no-one’s ever experienced. It regularly blows freezing air when the cabin temperature setting is higher than ambient, and despite a couple of trips to the dealer, they insist it’s working perfectly fine. Oh, and how hard would it be to have one-press zone synchronisation?

• The seats are comfortable enough, and the heating is outstanding, but come on BMW – charging extra for lumbar support? And the manual adjustment is a total faff. If someone else has been driving the car, it’s a pain in the ass to get the seat perfect again. By contrast, the manual adjustments available in my old A6 were far better and easier to use.

• Dakota leather feels a bit low-rent and plasticky when new, but I’d hoped it would soften a bit with age, at least in the driver’s seat. I believe some of the less obvious facings are actually fake leather. The stuff that Audi put in as standard feels far more premium. Not great on a car that costs well in excess of £30K with a few options added. Wasn’t prepared to fork out another £2K for merino, and I felt the Opal White was just a bit too bright for my taste, so maybe I just got what I paid for…

• Creaking door seals. Yes, they finally arrived last week. I’ve ordered some Sonax Gummi Pfledge so we’ll see if that cures it.

• Eco-Pro mode: why? Just why? Borderline dangerous when pulling out at junctions, and having compared it with Comfort & Sport modes for economy it doesn’t make much of a difference. Automatically just flip into Sport on startup now.

• PDC – when you select reverse in an Audi, the sound system mutes to a user-selectable level so you can hear the beeps. Not so in the F31, or at least not where I can find it.

• Some of the plastics are a bit low-rent, particularly the sun visors, and the load cover feels really flimsy.

So do I love my BMW?

I really, really like the way it drives, and the way it can wring 250 horses and a sub-six second sprint out a 2L lump. The soundtrack on full chat is appealing, notwithstanding the fact that it’s only a 4-pot. It’s a stonking colour inside & out, and from certain angles I can’t walk away without looking back at it. Some of the tech like HUD is astonishing.

But I don’t love it.

I’m not sure if that’s down to me having too high expectations in the first place, which might have been the same if I’d bought something else, or if it’s because the little niggles sufficiently detract from the whole. Again, I’ve no way of knowing whether or not I’d be in the same place if I’d bought something else. However, I still feel that the positives still outweigh the niggles.

What I would say is that having driven Audis recently (with a friend, looking for a new motor), I have to agree with his assessment: “if you want a better driving experience buy a BMW, but if you want a better place to sit in traffic, buy an Audi”

Will I buy another one? I genuinely don’t know. I’ll have this for another couple of years at least, so maybe my opinion will change. Or maybe I’ll go back to Audi. Only time will tell….

[Penguinius]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

Oh, and how hard would it be to have one-press zone synchronisation?

This, so much this...

great write up BTW

[NotGotABimmer23]

I don't know if the m140i has a different manual box or whether they vary between cars but mine is smooth as anything.

[Malone]

With regard to the climate control blowing cold - do you use the knurled blue-red wheel to make the slight adjustment needed, or is it permanently set to blue?

[MashinBenzin]

Brilliant write up Blacktemplar

Climate problems do seem strange. As well as Malone's suggestion, do you have the intensity turned down in auto mode?

BMW used to be known for great manual boxes, so it's a shame that they have changed. My E90 320d was fairly obtrusive too, maybe it's a six speed thing! Or the way they are to cope with high torque.

ETA - my music goes noticeably quieter when PDC kicks in, perhaps there is a setting for that?

[Racing Teatray]

Originally Posted by Malone

With regard to the climate control blowing cold - do you use the knurled blue-red wheel to make the slight adjustment needed, or is it permanently set to blue?

Why do BMW persist with this adjuster wheel? What is it for? Never had something similar in another car and it seems anachronistic in a car with digital climate control.

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by Racing Teatray

Why do BMW persist with this adjuster wheel? What is it for? Never had something similar in another car and it seems anachronistic in a car with digital climate control.

Allows warm feet, cool face? AFAIK that's the reason

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by Malone

With regard to the climate control blowing cold - do you use the knurled blue-red wheel to make the slight adjustment needed, or is it permanently set to blue?

Tried every conceivable combination of main and ancillary controls, knurled wheel is permanently pushed over to red and it still blows cold.

For example, this morning ambient was 8.5C and interior temp set to 19C - all was fine for about the first half hour, then it decides to start blowing freezing air. Fan speed range set to medium, f/r knurled wheels both set to warm.

There are quite a few threads on this, particularly in the US and I've read somewhere it's a "known problem" that BMW won't acknowledge, largely because it's hard to repeat in the workshop.

[Racing Teatray]

I've not noticed it do that. Just either cold air or hot air in the car.

[Flyboy777]

That cold air thing drives me nuts!
Cruising along all fine & dandy when all of a sudden freezing cold air out the central vents!
I know it is the 'air drying' function kicking in the AC even if no cooling demand is present but surely it should blend in warm air to compensate.
This with the knurled blue/red wheel set 2/3 towards cool.
Had a recent software update to all modules for an engine EGR fault but this is still the same as before.--Techs said a software update does the complete car up to the latest standard hence hoping it would fix this as well.

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Brilliant write up Blacktemplar

Climate problems do seem strange. As well as Malone's suggestion, do you have the intensity turned down in auto mode?

BMW used to be known for great manual boxes, so it's a shame that they have changed. My E90 320d was fairly obtrusive too, maybe it's a six speed thing! Or the way they are to cope with high torque.

ETA - my music goes noticeably quieter when PDC kicks in, perhaps there is a setting for that?

Cheers MB

Maybe I should have a dig around a bit more in iDrive, perhaps there's a sub-menu option I've missed?

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

Cheers MB

Maybe I should have a dig around a bit more in iDrive, perhaps there's a sub-menu option I've missed?

Could be. I will try to take a look next time I'm bored in traffic too!

On the climate thing, I might never experience it as my default is 23 both sides, only on a really warm day do I sometimes crank it down. By crank it down I mean 22 or perhaps 21

[SkyJawa]

Pretty sure th pdc and warning bong level you set through media in the "sounds" part. Same place you can adjust phone volume.

[Malone]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

On the climate thing, I might never experience it as my default is 23 both sides, only on a really warm day do I sometimes crank it down. By crank it down I mean 22 or perhaps 21

Jees - 23?! I think I'd fall into a warm, cosy sleep!! We have ours at 18 and use the knurled wheel to increase a bit of warm air - sometimes I push out the boat and take my side to 19, maybe 19.5!

[ronime]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

• Handbrake is utter, grade A shit. Feels like it wouldn’t hold the car on a steep incline, and has to be hauled up as far as it’ll go before it feels safe. I’ve heard others say this is typical of a BMW but it just doesn’t feel right.

Another reason for opting for the ZF 8AT.

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

• I’ve never come across a climate control system that’s as wilfully finicky to operate. I appreciate that a lot of the issues I’ve experienced are not helped by my ineptitude, but the whole system seems over-complicated and has adjustment solutions to problems no-one’s ever experienced. It regularly blows freezing air when the cabin temperature setting is higher than ambient, and despite a couple of trips to the dealer, they insist it’s working perfectly fine. Oh, and how hard would it be to have one-press zone synchronisation?

I was aware that this seems to be a common problem but never had this issue myself...
... until this weekend.

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

• The seats are comfortable enough, and the heating is outstanding, but come on BMW – charging extra for lumbar support?

Indeed, I would rather have had a simple manual adjuster for the lumbar support as standard instead of electrically adjusted side bolsters.

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

• Creaking door seals. Yes, they finally arrived last week. I’ve ordered some Sonax Gummi Pfledge so we’ll see if that cures it.

In my experience it is the stuff that gets onto the seals that makes them creak, so-called rubber care products included. Ironically, keeping the seals and the door apertures "squeaky clean" with APC seems the best way. I binned the Gummi Pflege ages ago.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

Tried every conceivable combination of main and ancillary controls, knurled wheel is permanently pushed over to red and it still blows cold.

For example, this morning ambient was 8.5C and interior temp set to 19C - all was fine for about the first half hour, then it decides to start blowing freezing air. Fan speed range set to medium, f/r knurled wheels both set to warm.

There are quite a few threads on this, particularly in the US and I've read somewhere it's a "known problem" that BMW won't acknowledge, largely because it's hard to repeat in the workshop.

Can't be working correctly to chill like that. Do face vents go cold, even when wheel set on red?

Our friends over the pond, as you say, have had the issue as well and I'm sure they have it sorted with an update.

Does appear you have some unexplained niggles, which are detracting from your love of the car. Some are clearly from limited specification, like the seat adjustment, lumbar and leather.

Don't understand the climate control, or the handbrake, or the door seals. Know it is common to read of these problems, but shouldn't be an issue at all.

[Watsey]

Great write-up; very balanced. I'd wager plenty on here would agree with your sentiments.

[moff]

On the air con it does change dramatically between Eco Pro and Comfort so that could be an issue ie Eco reduces the power making it warmer, I counter by adjusting the blue / red wheel. Then when I change to Comfort or Sport change the wheel back to make it comfortable.

With Eco pro and junctions why are you in Eco pro at junctions? Make a quick change to Comfort or Sport if you need a fast exit. I only use Eco on longer journeys i.e. Motorways so this doesn't seem to be an issue for me.

The PDC bong in my car reduces the stereo volume so you've got an issue there.

Dakota leather is crap, but it's much better than the stock fake leather in a C or E class Mercedes!!!!

Good review overall, but there are many things that can be fixed when 1) ordering the car from new and choosing the right options or 2) fixing.

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Pretty sure th pdc and warning bong level you set through media in the "sounds" part. Same place you can adjust phone volume.

You're right but It doesn't make much difference for me. I'm with the OP as I also came to my current car from an Audi - a PDC system which mutes (or all but) is a far better idea.

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

You're right but It doesn't make much difference for me. I'm with the OP as I also came to my current car from an Audi - a PDC system which mutes (or all but) is a far better idea.

That's really weird, the pdc in my 330 and 140 both work great.

[simon the pieman]

Get a merc.
Sync button for climate and reverse camera as standard. If you opt for premium plus pack you get a lot of toys. Electric front memory seats being one of them.

I must admit I thought manual boxs were like rocking horse shite this days.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

Allows warm feet, cool face? AFAIK that's the reason

Exactly so! Being honest it's something I could live without but personally I like to have the flexibility and on occasion do use the wheel to alter the temperature of the air coming out of the face vents. Unlike the OP's car, the function also seems to work as intended on my F31 which obviously helps!

On a more general point on quality, my car is three years old next month and will have covered roughly 44k miles come its birthday. Since purchase it's never seen the dealers apart from two routine services and nothing needed doing at either of those beyond the scheduled work; there's never been a hint of a squeak, creak or rattle, the interior and exterior have stood up well and overall it's been pretty much faultless. I can't say I'm in love with either the diesel engine or the X-Drive suspension but you can't blame the car for that (well actually I do blame BMW for the suspension but that's been done to death on other threads!).