323i with iDrive or 320d

[NekoRacing]

Hi people,

Just to share with you my experience. I own a 323i. I was given a 320d as a complimentary when I sent my 323 for fix.

If I had to choose, I'd still go with a 323i. It is way more comfortable and has more gadgets to play with.

- My 323 clocked about 15k km while the 320d clocked at 10k km. Both new cars.

- The 320d definitely is more powerful in pickup due to the turbo and nicer to play while the 323i is more smoother.

- Seats + Steering + Interior, the 323i wins hand down = Comfort. It was pretty awkward to sit in 320d, Btw I was already used to sitting in a 323i.

- Big difference in terms of noise, sitting in a 320d definitely lets me feel as if I am driving a boxer engine when I am revving, but when I am smooth driving, the noises can still be annoying. The 323i is alot quieter since it is NA, 6 pot, more nicer to drive in city and outstation.

I'm not here to say which one is better. All I can say is, both cars are different.

If you are the kind of person who enjoys to have more gadgets, I'd say 323i is the way to go. However, if you are more seriously into performance power, 320d is quite fun to have to drive.

 

[zhul]

Easily hit 220km/hr in 320d just now!

Highest I went is around 238 km/h. Was surprised to reach that because usually there is some sort of speed cut before reaching 230 km/h.

Talking about ferraris...you all read this?..came out today...

Sad to see the exquisite 458 Italia self-combusting all over the world but at least Ferrari is doing the right thing by acknowledging the problem and recalling it. Local premium dealers and local makes have a lot to learn from them!

 

[ahmz]

323i more refined and I won't buy a bimmer without the new iDrive. Can't live without the hard drive and gigs of space to store my music and the BMW Navi Pro. Tried the 320d during the BMW Innovation Days and found the engine to be 'rougher' and interior seems bare due to no LCD screen on the dash. However, would go for the 320d if I were to choose between the 320i and 320d.

 

[BMWood]

.... It's more their hard work, blood, sweat and tears that's priceless.... and they don't even get a single sen for being committee members and doing all the organising and running around. Like I told the forum before, astroboy drives around an Innova (his own, not club's) van packed full of bmwclub tshirts, caps, number plate holders to club events and boxes of membership forms....he says his wife almost divorced him many times already because of his club commitments, and she has to follow him everywhere to drive the kids back etc./sometimes to help him drive the van back.........

Totally agree with Doc's statement. Astroboy signed me up when he sent his daughter to clinic at night. I picked up the Starter pack from his Innova. The car's back was loaded with many boxes. Not sure he purchased the car was meant for family or BCM. I really salute his commitment as Treasury. :top:
RM150 is small sum compare with the on-going knowledge I gain and the nice persons I get to know from this forum. Keep it up, Astroboy. Btw, you still owe me the cap.

 

[supersonic]

Hi bros, my opinion is 323 and 320d are two different cars for differnt types of drivers. both are good cars. if u want to go for comfort and gadgets go 4 323 coz it uses normal suspension. if you want to go 4 power n economy but less comfort go 4 320d. dont forget economy factor coz for me i save 6k in fuel annually and 20k on car price . say i use for 5 yrs that is abt 40 k on fuel saving after compounding for interest. that have not taken in to account for fuel price increase. the saving is quite alot considering price of the car.

 

[docrayboy]

323i vs 320d

Hi bros, my opinion is 323 and 320d are two different cars for differnt types of drivers. both are good cars. if u want to go for comfort and gadgets go 4 323 coz it uses normal suspension. if you want to go 4 power n economy but less comfort go 4 320d. dont forget economy factor coz for me i save 6k in fuel annually and 20k on car price . say i use for 5 yrs that is abt 40 k on fuel saving after compounding for interest. that have not taken in to account for fuel price increase. the saving is quite alot considering price of the car.

I absolutely agree with you, supersonic. If you are a family orientated cruising guy who hardly tekan the accelerator, get the 323i.
If you want a sports performance car, get the 320d.
If you want both, get the 535i. But my motoring journalist friend had the 535i over the weekend for the COTY 2010 review, and he paid lots of money for fuel, mind you...Beautiful car but pay like crazy for fuel..but of course, understood lah... 3L twin turbo.
Again follow what your heart says, and whatever you do, don't look back.
It's very hard to pit one car against another, because this a matter of the heart as much as it is a matter of numbers and facts.
Who can say one's girlfriend/wife is better than his friend's?
I managed to get the Garmin 765 for 1030MR with lifetime unlimited world maps and free maps updates. The same model installed into the 3 series BMW Garmin GPS. With 3D building and junctional view. He is my patient and will deliver to your door step. If you want, I can give him your number. The I Drive is (I hear from Stanley in BMW Segambut) is now all hard disk (no more CD maps), the maps cost a bomb to download and only from BMW original-no pirate stuff! They cost like like 2000MR a map...and for updates, pay, pay ,pay again, and no 3D view/junction view.
So, some facts to consider before thinking the IDrive is the best thing in the world..

 

[lude]

prior to getting the 323i, my last 3 rides were all turbo cars.. i tested the 320d but couldnt accept the diesel clatter especially when the whole point of changing car is to get smtg comfortable, quiet and nice to drive long distance. the sport suspension was just too harsh for my rear passengers which most of the time are my parents and inlaws.. so even the 325 was out of the question.

i ended up getting the 323i because of the non-sport suspension and the 6potter which was just :top: for long distance cruising.

when im driving alone, i just drive it like how i drive my previous sti,gti and evo. floor it and chase everything from supras to S4 when the road permits.

i dont deny the sport models handle better if u dont have rear passengers to think about but that doesnt mean the non-sport is a slouch.
having sport suspension and loads of torque is just one half of the equation.. how far ur willing to whack ur UDM is a totally different story.
some like bodykit, some like torque, some like idrive, some like FC, some like comfort
to each his own but u cant go wrong with either model.

 

[ahmz]

Totally agree with lude...

BTW,docrayboy, iDrive is not just for the NaviPro. Got loads of other functions as well... and to say that the 1 sec diff in 0 - 100 kmh is what defines a sports performance car with a car for a, quote "family orientated cruising guy", is ludicrous. What I know is I can rev to 6500 and enjoy the addictive, smooth sound of the 6-potter. Unlike the 320d where I can rev up to 4K+ only and be bombarded by the sound from that diesel 4 potter! But, for each his or her own!

 

[docrayboy]

Totally agree with lude...

BTW,docrayboy, iDrive is not just for the NaviPro. Got loads of other functions as well... and to say that the 1 sec diff in 0 - 100 kmh is what defines a sports performance car with a car for a, quote "family orientated cruising guy", is ludicrous. What I know is I can rev to 6500 and enjoy the addictive, smooth sound of the 6-potter. Unlike the 320d where I can rev up to 4K+ only and be bombarded by the sound from that diesel 4 potter! But, for each his or her own!

Its the not the century dash figures bro, its the torque that gives the 320d the push-you-back-into-your-seat rocket launch ride.....380nm of it...even more than most trucks! And really there's no sound at all from the engine...don't exaggerate-from inside it's as silent as a library-just look at all the threads from 320d drivers about cabin noise of the engine-zilch noise, amigo! Ha ha! It's a cool car!! the 320d rocks!!

 

[ahmz]

Well, that's my opinion based on testing of the 320d during BMW Innovation Days. Still prefer the smoothness of the 6-potter engine. Don't doubt some might prefer the diesels on the 320d, which is very good, but the package on the 323i suits me. But again, to each his or her own. Cheers.

 

[lude]

Its the not the century dash figures bro, its the torque that gives the 320d the push-you-back-into-your-seat rocket launch ride.....380nm of it...even more than most trucks! And really there's no sound at all from the engine...don't exaggerate-from inside it's as silent as a library-just look at all the threads from 320d drivers about cabin noise of the engine-zilch noise, amigo! Ha ha! It's a cool car!! the 320d rocks!!

i miss those days of having more than 300hp and 400NM on wheel.. guess im getting old.. nways im sending my car for 1st service tmrw.. probably have another go at the 320d if its available at quill.. i wonder if they have a 335 for test drive :evil:

 

[ahmz]

Tried the 135i and the new Z4 during Innovation Days. The twin scroll turbo is sweet!

 

[glock_8]

Its the not the century dash figures bro, its the torque that gives the 320d the push-you-back-into-your-seat rocket launch ride.....380nm of it...even more than most trucks! And really there's no sound at all from the engine...don't exaggerate-from inside it's as silent as a library-just look at all the threads from 320d drivers about cabin noise of the engine-zilch noise, amigo! Ha ha! It's a cool car!! the 320d rocks!!

i'd take hp over torque anytime...and the 320d does clatters like a lorry last time i drove it during bmw innovation days and during the driver training session....

the 380nm torque is merely an "on paper" figure since the power delivery is not like i wanted it to be...atleast the 280nm golf gti gives u better "push-you-back-into-you-seat" than the 320d...and i doubt with 5k rpm redline anybody would enjoy a spirited driving when all it does is shifting gear up n down at the wrong time while listening the horrible 4 pot diesel screaming....

 

[docrayboy]

i'd take hp over torque anytime...and the 320d does clatters like a lorry last time i drove it during bmw innovation days and during the driver training session....

the 380nm torque is merely an "on paper" figure since the power delivery is not like i wanted it to be...atleast the 280nm golf gti gives u better "push-you-back-into-you-seat" than the 320d...and i doubt with 5k rpm redline anybody would enjoy a spirited driving when all it does is shifting gear up n down at the wrong time while listening the horrible 4 pot diesel screaming....

This can't be right...the 320d is so quiet, maybe you were unlucky with the 320d they gave you. It's addictive the 320d drive and you get very soon hooked onto its turbo power and torquey pick up. The turbine whirl is also mesmerisingly exciting. From inside the cabin, no engine noise whatsoever.It's got enough hp to get you into very dangerous but best avoided high speeds. How can anybody give the same raving account about the 323i really bewilders me! Maybe you want to have a go, glock? Go on....

 

[Herbert]

The 320d test drive cars have gone through lots and lots of hard accelarations and whatnot by various type of drivers. Having gone through this type of bashing, it is logical that the engine may sound a bit noiser/clatter (from the lifters).

Perhaps Docrayboy can take glock_8 for a spin in his 320d and then let him tell Dorayboy whether engine quiet or not??

 

[ahmz]

I did BMW driver training using both the 320d and 323i. Main diff is way power is delivered. While the 320d delivers in short, continuous bursts due to the 5K redline, the delivery is far smoother and controlled on the 323i. Of course, the 320d beats the 323i in pure acceleration, but the manner in which the 6 potter engine delivers is music to the ears, especially above 5K rpm. As far as top speed is concerned, it's probably similar. I've visited 230kmh before with no problems but car does feel a bit floaty above 200 kmh due to no M-sport aerodynamic stuff fitted on the 323i.

 

[docrayboy]

I did BMW driver training using both the 320d and 323i. Main diff is way power is delivered. While the 320d delivers in short, continuous bursts due to the 5K redline, the delivery is far smoother and controlled on the 323i. Of course, the 320d beats the 323i in pure acceleration, but the manner in which the 6 potter engine delivers is music to the ears, especially above 5K rpm. As far as top speed is concerned, it's probably similar. I've visited 230kmh before with no problems but car does feel a bit floaty above 200 kmh due to no M-sport aerodynamic stuff fitted on the 323i.

At the end of the day, the buyer must test drive themselves to find out....

 

[docrayboy]

i miss those days of having more than 300hp and 400NM on wheel.. guess im getting old.. nways im sending my car for 1st service tmrw.. probably have another go at the 320d if its available at quill.. i wonder if they have a 335 for test drive :evil:

The 335i are mostly UK specs I hear and may not be well-suited for our tropical hot climate.....

 

[supergripen]

The 335i are mostly UK specs I hear and may not be well-suited for our tropical hot climate.....

My 335 is a UK spec car.. for road use,I have no problems with our hot climate affecting the car.

Drove back to Penang for raya and the oil temp stayed below 120C even when I was gunning it,maintaining speeds just below the two tonne mark at long periods.Still had half a tank left when I reached Penang,with average consumption hovering around the 9km/l mark.

 

[docrayboy]

My 335 is a UK spec car.. for road use,I have no problems with our hot climate affecting the car.

Drove back to Penang for raya and the oil temp stayed below 120C even when I was gunning it,maintaining speeds just below the two tonne mark at long periods.Still had half a tank left when I reached Penang,with average consumption hovering around the 9km/l mark.

Albundy also feels mostly they are ok for Malaysia weather but some other forummers say be careful...