323i with iDrive or 320d

[wz3k]

Hi all,I test drove a 323i yesterday. Compared to my civic 1.8, the handling is definitely much better even though my civic is fully autofoamed. Thinking about getting either 323i or maybe 320d.. Anyway, I got a few questions about the iDrive feature to see if this feature is really useful or not. From what I heard from SA, no movie playing capability, gps map not as updated (and feature not as good as my nuvi). Aside from being a music player and car diagnostic (tire pressure, oil levels), what are some other feature that you guys use often?Question on the 320d, I saw that the steering and HU got the phone button but my SA said no bluetooth capability.. is this true? Anybody fitted their 320d with bluetooth capability?thanks!

 

[stanleycck]

Hi there, please introduce yourself in the newbie section.........cheers.

 

[wz3k]

thanks for the reminder.. i've put up a thread in the newbie section..

any current 323i/320d owners can help me with the questions i have?

 

[docrayboy]

Hi all,

I test drove a 323i yesterday. Compared to my civic 1.8, the handling is definitely much better even though my civic is fully autofoamed. Thinking about getting either 323i or maybe 320d..

Anyway, I got a few questions about the iDrive feature to see if this feature is really useful or not. From what I heard from SA, no movie playing capability, gps map not as updated (and feature not as good as my nuvi). Aside from being a music player and car diagnostic (tire pressure, oil levels), what are some other feature that you guys use often?

Question on the 320d, I saw that the steering and HU got the phone button but my SA said no bluetooth capability.. is this true? Anybody fitted their 320d with bluetooth capability?

thanks!

Test drive any car you want to buy 3 times...before deciding. Don't look at numbers..like Obiwan said...Feel the force, Luke......it's in your heart after the 3 test drives....the right one will show itself..... emerges....the answer.

Read up the 320d threads
http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=556678
http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33806&highlight=320d+325i

 

[stanleycck]

Test drive both as per Docray...........both are quite different and have their own charms..........BOTH are still awesome on the road.........:top::top:

With regards to the iDrive, it's kinda of a sexy gadget to have on the car, useful or not, this will depend on yourself. I am an owner of a 323i LCI for more than a year and yes, I do fancy the iDrive.

 

[Schwepps]

wz3k, iDrive and bluetooth if present, work very well and are seamlessly integrated with the car. The satnav instructions come through the speakers, and all cities and towns including Singapore are available. Lat/long, altitude and the name of the street/area you're in are showing all the time in the side display. You can do searches for buildings, restaurants, petrol stations, etc within a selectable radius from your location. I never need maps anymore when going to unfamiliar places.

Bluetooth also works through the speakers (radio cuts-off automatically) and cabin mic. Commonly-called numbers can be preset into the 8 favourites buttons. Or you can use iDrive to select Top 8 numbers, last numbers dialed, last calls accepted, etc or download your entire HP contact list if you wish. Basically you can operate your HP without taking it out of your pocket. You won't die without iDrive and bluetooth, but they're touches of luxury that are very nice to have. :top:

 

[astroboy]

The iDrive is an amazing piece of technology itself, and the LCI is using hard disk compare to the earlier iDrive which is on DVD.

... but I would happily trade that in for a full MSport kit, extra torque, cheaper fuel and roadtax..

 

[mikeyC]

it's hard to choose one right, I had the same situation before I bought my ride. Both are great car to drive, totally agreed with Doc and AB; test drive as many time as possible and I was 'sold' by the M-sport kit and 'rocket' torque of 320d...

 

[paultantk]

The 323i doesn't have the M-Sport kit while the 320d does... I think you'll "feel" this difference in suspension much more than the iDrive. Best to try both and see which one you like driving more.

Beware the squeaky window trim on the M-Sport!

 

[wz3k]

looks like i've got to test drive 320d first before any decision can be made.. .. thanks a lot guys..

MikeyC, can the phone button on the steering and HU be used to make/take calls on 320d?

 

[chenht]

I bought the 320D about 4 months ago.

320D or 323I?? It deoends onwhat you need. I feel that 323I is a more refined car if you are not into pushing the car really hard. The iDrive is a fun gadget to have and the ride is more comfortable because of the softer suspension. The 320D could be a bit bumpy if you are not used to harder suspension.

The 320D is more economical as fas as fuel is concerned. At low rev, I prefer the quieter 323i and I find the diesel engine noise a bit annoying but I could live with it.

Both cars are good in their own way and it all depends on what you are looking for.

I would like to have the 320D with an iDrive

 

[docrayboy]

I bought the 320D about 4 months ago.

320D or 323I?? It deoends onwhat you need. I feel that 323I is a more refined car if you are not into pushing the car really hard. The iDrive is a fun gadget to have and the ride is more comfortable because of the softer suspension. The 320D could be a bit bumpy if you are not used to harder suspension.

The 320D is more economical as fas as fuel is concerned. At low rev, I prefer the quieter 323i and I find the diesel engine noise a bit annoying but I could live with it.

Both cars are good in their own way and it all depends on what you are looking for.

I would like to have the 320D with an iDrive

If you had to turn back time,chen....would you have bought the 323i?

 

[docrayboy]

looks like i've got to test drive 320d first before any decision can be made.. .. thanks a lot guys..

MikeyC, can the phone button on the steering and HU be used to make/take calls on 320d?

No it can't...still...maybe there are some calls you don't want to take over the speakers, rite?...ahem ahem

 

[mikeyC]

looks like i've got to test drive 320d first before any decision can be made.. .. thanks a lot guys..

MikeyC, can the phone button on the steering and HU be used to make/take calls on 320d?

nope, it's only for cosmetic purpose...lol :top:

 

[hakim_radzuan]

i choose 323i over 320d sport... idrive is a must have gadget nowadays..just remap or get sprint booster and you can feel the torque also..

 

[Schwepps]

IMO the 323i and 325i have more than enough torque for fun driving, and I wouldn't call iDrive and bluetooth gadgets. They're virtually de rigueur in all luxury cars these days. And BMW makes the best and most intuitive of them all. I miss them when I step into our older Merc, and will not buy future cars without them. :wink:

Future iterations of the 320ds and 6-cyl diesels will have them I'm sure.

 

[docrayboy]

320d vs 323i-my humblest opinion

IMO the 323i and 325i have more than enough torque for fun driving, and I wouldn't call iDrive and bluetooth gadgets. They're virtually de rigueur in all luxury cars these days. And BMW makes the best and most intuitive of them all. I miss them when I step into our older Merc, and will not buy future cars without them. :wink:

Future iterations of the 320ds and 6-cyl diesels will have them I'm sure.

In My Humblest of all Humblest Opinion, please don't throw away 380nm of torque in exchange for the iDrive and blue tooth thingys(not gadgets, might offend some others). It's at the end of the day a GPS thingy. Negotiate hard like Rachel Toh did, and also Makko...both of them got a free BMW Garmin GPS thrown in with the car including free installation. With this GPS (because it's specially tailored for the 3 series), the voice comes over the radio and lowers the music which is playing simultaneously. Bluetooth your phone and pair it with the BMW GPS Garmin and the calls come over the speakers too. Also the Idrive in the already small dash board of the 3 series, makes the dash look even smaller and looks even more crowded. I feel there's the unsightly hump in the middle of the dash: not unlike a pregnant camel's tummy(if you can picture that). It's really the drive, not the paraphernalia. Try the 380nm torque, the 323i will feel hopelessly underpowered then. Get the 323i for a cruising drive, get the 320d for a turbo drive. That's what they did in the BMW Innovation extended Drive Days...drive one way to Cyberjaya/Putrajaya in a turbo car then back in a non-turbo. The non turbo cars drives felt like our balls got cut off type of drives, if you get what I mean.... but maybe you are that type of a person, you prefer the slow leisurely coastal road drives from KL to Penang type of fellow. Ten hours relaxing drive avoiding the cops summons type of person. Up to you. keep us inform! Join the 320d gang or the 323i gang...oops!- there isn't one, so you can form it-be the pioneer 323i club member). If you buy the 320d I'll personally introduce you to the other 320d gang friends...all shiny happy people...like that REM song.

Thank you.

I rest my case, Your Honour.

 

[mizhan]

off the racetrack, i'd choose torque over horsepower (and idrive) anytime

 

[docrayboy]

off the racetrack, i'd choose torque over horsepower (and idrive) anytime

Thank you mizhan for being real! You got to get real in life...not everything is a bed of roses...the main reasons why young people go bankrupt is because of cars and credit cars...the newspapers reported just 2 days ago. The price of petrol..maintenance..toll charges etc. Come on, don't push these poor youngsters over the petrol cliff. Lead them safely via the diesel path. Jimat, Jimat, Jimat! Torque, Torque, Torque! sounds like Tora, Tora, Tora, doesn't it? Ha ha!

 

[astroboy]

Doc.. as much as u wish more 320d is joining, we should not encourage forming of sub-group. If that happens, our new member sbq79 will be very lonely with his N52B30.. the last thing we want is to see a pinkbimmer club or a bimmer07 club because that's really a splinter of a splinter group, and not helping in the unity of this club.

1BMWCLUBMALAYSIA! :rock: