I am planning to get a e90 need advise

[Anson Lye]

I need help on deciding these. Should i go for the face lifted model and how is the reliability of the car and which engine should i consider and should i get one with idrive. Thanks in advance

 

[ck82]

U should go for idrive.

If I were you, I would consider 320d or a 325i, both comes with M Sport package. It's really hard to choose between a D and a NA 6 cylinder. U have to go test drive and follow your heart.

So far I did not see people complaining about their D or 325i.

 

[anxious]

It's a very good car. Get the newest car ur budget will allow u.

 

[gimli]

-get LCI if possible, quite a lot of changes made, engine, gearbox and electronics all improved over the pre-lci.

-320d or 325i would be my choice. if you drive a lot and fuel consumption is an issue, go for the 320d. if you don't like diesel noise, or fuel consumption is not an issue, go for the 325i

-get one with idrive.

-both the 325i & 320d are reliable

 

[kevin1982my]

Make sure you test the Msport suspension

Not everybody's cup of tea

 

[kevin1982my]

Hi end Pure Power + Awesome Handling + good engine sound = 325i MSport

Low end Torque + Awesome Handling + good fuel economy = 320d Msport

Good power + Very Good Handling + Good Comfort + Good engine sound + Won't scrap large bumps when going through them = 323i.

I-Drive and LCI on all.

 

[gimli]

i would rather get a 320d or 325i and change the suspension setup to something more comfortable than to get a 323i . the price difference is not much, but the added accessories will cost you a lot if you were to buy it independently.

 

[wingzee]

323i has the detuned N52B25 with lower power as compared to the 325i but you're still paying the same roadtax value for a 2.5.

Agree with gimli. Swap the ori M-Sport shocks to say a Bilstein B4 or the conventional Boge/Sachs and you're good for a non-lowered, more comfortable ride, at the expense of handling of course.

 

[kevin1982my]

Personally, would rather adopt a neutral stance respecting and understanding the reason behind each other's preferences.

Back to 323i. Pros: Like everything else in life, there are pros and cons. :laugh:

Its detuned, has lower fuel consumption ( strange, some say higher but mine never hit more than 10.5l/100km. When i had a 325i for 1 month, same roads same driver 12-13 l/100km, heavier foot? ), less stressed engine, less stressed driving, much better ride-handling balance, classly saddle brown & dark wood interior ( well some say can change ), Just nice steering wheel diameter ( Msport wheel too thick I reckon ), I dare say better handling over poor roads likely due to softer springs that allow the wheels to better conform to the roads damaged by MRT construction. Msport quite jumpy over bad roads. As i mentioned earlier, large bumps does not scrap your undercarriage. Had to pass some of the larger bumps at an angle slowly when i had the 325i.

Cons: Not the best handling car in BMW arsenal nor the most powerful. Doesn't rev to 7000rpm/Peak Torque comes slightly later. Same roadtax as 325i. Doesn't come with the sport seat with air pump.

Suspension is a major part of a car. Buying a 325i and downgrade suspension is akin to buying a Ferrari & changing to a Myvi engine due to reliability concern. Im sure it works for some people, but not for everybody.

Changing shocks is not enough. The Msport springs has higher spring rates. Using a shock designed for SE suspension on an Msport car will shorten its life and caused the car to be underdamped. For the full effect, change the springs too.

 

[wingzee]

Different strokes for different folks I guess. But how does a detuned engine equivalent to less stressed engine/driving? Saddle brown interior (not the dark brown trim though) is available for both the 325i and 320d as well btw.

Ferrari vs Myvi engine downgrade analogy is too extreme for a simple shocks comparison though. Lol

Anyway, the stock M-Sport shocks sucks tbh. Many have swapped to the Koni Yellow or Bilstein B8 which offers better composure & less harsh on our bad roads. Less scrapping on bumps too.

 

[docrayboy]

The E90 320d is the car you should get. Has a turbo which now every new BMW car has.I love its excellent steering - good 'ole fashion hydraulic steering with excellent road feedback filtering through from the wheels direct to your palms and fingers. The newer cars now all are fully electric drive-by-wire systems(like how the pilots drive an Airbus) and this feedback is sorely lacking. The arrival of clean Euro 5 diesel at BHP stations in KL is most welcomed by the diesel boys as we get better performance and our engines get cleaner fuel which would then result in a longer lasting engine. Steven Sutcliffe of Autocar UK said the 320d is all the car you could rver need! Everything else is icing on a cake. But the cake to get is the 320d!

 

[kevin1982my]

Ferrari with MyVi Engine. Can't believe I came up with that on a Saturday night but you get my point :rock: . Honestly i find changing suspension ( Spring, shocks, ARB, likely some bushings ) is kind of extreme in return for some accessories but to each his own.

Quite hard to find a 325i with saddle brown. Mostly are pure black.

323i produces 190hp while 325i produces 218hp with the same displacement. No evidence for an N52, but generally large engines producing lower power are less stressed and thus likely to last longer with less problem in the long run. Some of the old merican muscle ( 200 hp from a 4 liter ) will probably outlive some of us. Again, no direct evidence/statistics for an N52 but its a general expectation.

Personally i find the 325i engine too highly strung for my taste. Age catching up.

Depends on the OP. Do you buy a car to rempit and sapu corners, passangers be dammed or prefer a more relaxed ride but still able to occasionally drop 2-3 gears and tarriiik to 6500rpm putting a large grin on your face. I swear i have seen 7000rpm on a few occasion on my 23i.

320d, with Euro 5, now that is a different animal. Rempit king. A long thread on 320d vs 325i, which went quite nasty at some point. :thrasher:

 

[gimli]

Changing the suspension is not extreme bro. I was only providing another alternative to someone who might want a 325i m-sport, but don't like the harsh ride that comes with it.

If you don't mind the wood interior, detuned engine, standard bumper, chrome exterior trim, 17 inch sport rims, white/beige headliner, thinner steering wheel and non-msport seats than by all means go for the 323i.

Ferrari with MyVi Engine. Can't believe I came up with that on a Saturday night but you get my point :rock: . Honestly i find changing suspension ( Spring, shocks, ARB, likely some bushings ) is kind of extreme in return for some accessories but to each his own.

Quite hard to find a 325i with saddle brown. Mostly are pure black.

323i produces 190hp while 325i produces 218hp with the same displacement. No evidence for an N52, but generally large engines producing lower power are less stressed and thus likely to last longer with less problem in the long run. Some of the old merican muscle ( 200 hp from a 4 liter ) will probably outlive some of us. Again, no direct evidence/statistics for an N52 but its a general expectation.

Personally i find the 325i engine too highly strung for my taste. Age catching up.

Depends on the OP. Do you buy a car to rempit and sapu corners, passangers be dammed or prefer a more relaxed ride but still able to occasionally drop 2-3 gears and tarriiik to 6500rpm putting a large grin on your face. I swear i have seen 7000rpm on a few occasion on my 23i.

320d, with Euro 5, now that is a different animal. Rempit king. A long thread on 320d vs 325i, which went quite nasty at some point. :thrasher:

 

[F10 CREW]

I always believe everyone has their own preference in cars and that's the reason BMW come out with so many models of different trims and accessories.

For me... I agree with Docrayboy. Viva la Diesel Power!

 

[UnoS]

I like dark colour wood trim... classi feel... compare to carbon fiber or brushed anodize aluminum looks...

I think many high end luxury car come with ori wooden trim.....

 

[gimli]

The dark wood trim which came with my previous 530d looks good (i think it's called fineline anthracite). but I can't stand the burr walnut trim in the 323i. Even my 335i m-sport has it and I am planning to change it ASAP. It just doesn't suit the sporty interior and exterior.

I guess to summarize:-

1)320d. If you travel a lot or don't mind the diesel noise

2)325i. If you don't travel a lot or don't mind the higher fc and prefer the inline 6

3)323i. If you want something more comfortable.

 

[kevin1982my]

Agree with all comments.

All depends on the buyer. Test drive all 3, or even the 335i before considering.

They will all provide different driving and ownership experience. None of them are bad cars.

One thing for sure, you can''t go wrong with an E90 with its Hydraulic Power Steering.

And not to forget the 323i uses the beautiful sounding and smooth inlinr 6cyl engine too.

 

[fifty5]

Notice 320i not mentioned at all

 

[fifty5]

Personal preference here. Had E90 LCI 320d for three years. Love the torque and economy but found the ride very uncomfortable; literally pain in the (lower) back. M Sports E90 (I did not own a non M Sports E90) is wonderful when you're in the mood, but a pain when you're not. What kind of driver are you most of the time? For me most of the time drive to office and drive back home after a long tiring day; so most of the time the ride was a minus; not a plus. But now on F30 I miss the steering of the E90. Just superb!!!

 

[Anson Lye]

How is the reliability of the 320d, don't just say it's good i want to know what you had change over the years of owning it and so on