[Jamesons Viggen]

I finally got an F30 that I can't stand. If this is the car that people are driving and ranting about, I get it.

I dropped off my car for a one year check up, and to check on if it's eligible for the recall.

I left with a '13 328 Xdrive BASE car(heated seats and sunroof)-new with 25 miles on it.

-This suspension sucks. Sorry to be so blunt. But it's very soft and forgiving, great in that it soaks up bumps and imperfections so well, but at the same time seems underdamped and prone to bounce and have extra motions that seem to be there for no reason.

-Steering, this sucks too. It's weight is not bad, but it feels overboosted and so lacking in feel that it seems to wander or take specific input to stay where intended on the highway. The base steering wheel sucks as well in terms of feel of materials and thickness/overall appearance.

-Brakes, yep they suck too. The all season square tires combined with the less aggressive pads meant a bit squishy and lacking in initial bite and confidence I grew used to with the MSport pads.

-N20 +8spd, hated that too! The Sport Auto with the N55, I liked, this with no sport auto had the N20 hang at RPMs sometimes highlighting the grating sound of the 4 cylinder. It made the engine feel laggy'ier and more economy car than the same engine with a 6spd manual.

-Base seats. Yuck. Sorry.

-Xdrive-has it's merit only for brainless take offs with no wheelspin and for bad weather which I have yet to experience the need for.

-Tan interior, already dirty-not a fan.

To sum it up, this car does not feel very BMW-like and feels like a lot of money for what it is. I have driven a $23k '14 Accord Sport and a $28k Kia Optima Turbo that felt as good or better in many ways than the 328 parked in my garage right now.

Many will flame me for saying all of that. Some will claim that a RWD 328 MSport should not be very different, but it just is, it imparts a different feel and feedback from every control and touchpoint that this car just fails to do.

[OC40]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

I finally got an F30 that I can't stand. If this is the car that people are driving and ranting about, I get it.

I dropped off my car for a one year check up, and to check on if it's eligible for the recall.

I left with a '13 328 Xdrive BASE car(heated seats and sunroof)-new with 25 miles on it.

-This suspension sucks. Sorry to be so blunt. But it's very soft and forgiving, great in that it soaks up bumps and imperfections so well, but at the same time seems underdamped and prone to bounce and have extra motions that seem to be there for no reason.

-Steering, this sucks too. It's weight is not bad, but it feels overboosted and so lacking in feel that it seems to wander or take specific input to stay where intended on the highway. The base steering wheel sucks as well in terms of feel of materials and thickness/overall appearance.

-Brakes, yep they suck too. The all season square tires combined with the less aggressive pads meant a bit squishy and lacking in initial bite and confidence I grew used to with the MSport pads.

-N20 +8spd, hated that too! The Sport Auto with the N55, I liked, this with no sport auto had the N20 hang at RPMs sometimes highlighting the grating sound of the 4 cylinder. It made the engine feel laggy'ier and more economy car than the same engine with a 6spd manual.

-Base seats. Yuck. Sorry.

-Xdrive-has it's merit only for brainless take offs with no wheelspin and for bad weather which I have yet to experience the need for.

-Tan interior, already dirty-not a fan.

To sum it up, this car does not feel very BMW-like and feels like a lot of money for what it is. I have driven a $23k '14 Accord Sport and a $28k Kia Optima Turbo that felt as good or better in many ways than the 328 parked in my garage right now.

Many will flame me for saying all of that. Some will claim that a RWD 328 MSport should not be very different, but it just is, it imparts a different feel and feedback from every control and touchpoint that this car just fails to do.

The bases are HORRIBLE!

[Sedan_Clan]

Well said James. Like many have stated before, small things make a huge difference.

[stevehecht]

You're a brave man, JV. Hope you have a flamesuit close at hand.

I drove a 328 x-Drive last week and it definitely felt less responsive and less planted than my '07 V6 Accord with Neuspeed Sport Springs, Koni Yellows and an Acura TL RSB, which cost a total of $22.5K altogether. But the steering rack in the Accord is way light, much worse than the 328.

[AMJAM]

Yep when the F30 first came I got a base one as a loaner thought it was the biggest pile I had ever driven as I was driving an F10. Fast forward to 2013 and the release of the M Sport and one of the best cars I had ever driven

[AMJAM]

My car is an 8 speed auto but is the sports auto obviously I think it is perfectly suited to the n20/26 though. In Sport or Sport+ the shifts are sharp quick and the car hauls arse

[rallybull]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

I finally got an F30 that I can't stand. If this is the car that people are driving and ranting about, I get it.

I dropped off my car for a one year check up, and to check on if it's eligible for the recall.

I left with a '13 328 Xdrive BASE car(heated seats and sunroof)-new with 25 miles on it.

-This suspension sucks. Sorry to be so blunt. But it's very soft and forgiving, great in that it soaks up bumps and imperfections so well, but at the same time seems underdamped and prone to bounce and have extra motions that seem to be there for no reason.

-Steering, this sucks too. It's weight is not bad, but it feels overboosted and so lacking in feel that it seems to wander or take specific input to stay where intended on the highway. The base steering wheel sucks as well in terms of feel of materials and thickness/overall appearance.

-Brakes, yep they suck too. The all season square tires combined with the less aggressive pads meant a bit squishy and lacking in initial bite and confidence I grew used to with the MSport pads.

-N20 +8spd, hated that too! The Sport Auto with the N55, I liked, this with no sport auto had the N20 hang at RPMs sometimes highlighting the grating sound of the 4 cylinder. It made the engine feel laggy'ier and more economy car than the same engine with a 6spd manual.

-Base seats. Yuck. Sorry.

-Xdrive-has it's merit only for brainless take offs with no wheelspin and for bad weather which I have yet to experience the need for.

-Tan interior, already dirty-not a fan.

To sum it up, this car does not feel very BMW-like and feels like a lot of money for what it is. I have driven a $23k '14 Accord Sport and a $28k Kia Optima Turbo that felt as good or better in many ways than the 328 parked in my garage right now.

Many will flame me for saying all of that. Some will claim that a RWD 328 MSport should not be very different, but it just is, it imparts a different feel and feedback from every control and touchpoint that this car just fails to do.

Funny... I was driving a 328i loaner (base line) yesterday and I was really wondering why that car should cost $40K on road. It definitely felt like a $20-$25K car (except the engine which was very nice).
Since everyone is entitled to their own opinion, here is mine:

1) Suspension -- I'm not too sure why people crib so very much about the base suspension. I had to live with my 335i base suspension for some time (before upgrading to MPS) and although the suspension is much softer, has more body roll, pitch, etc, I still found the base suspension a very good suspension for a daily driver. it absorbs bumps very well but you "can" still feel the road. It is not a huge lexus car suspension. If you track the car then it is a different story.

2) Agree with the base steering wheel. it sucks. BMW should be ashamed to be putting this steering wheel on a 328i, let alone a 335i, base model or not.

3) I found the brakes pretty fine. In fact, after receiving my 335i back from service I found that my 335i had lesser initial bite than the 328i. I was initially a bit surprised, but then after doing some hard braking tests realized that the 335i stopped with extreme confidence. I guess it is just a matter or modulation. The 335i brakes are much more linear.

4) I was blown away by the N20 motor. Cannot believe it is just a 2 liter engine. Yes, the sound sucks. Yes, my 335i is faster and the MPPK makes it even faster, but the way the N20 continued pulling near triple digit speeds was very impressive. I never found any issue with the transmission. My non-sport 335i AT transmission shifts very fast (especially in DS mode/sports moe) and never hunts. Not sure why your car behaved that way...

5) Base seats - This is the "primary" reason I did not go with sports line. I could not stand the tight sports seats. I find the base seats so comfy and awesome!!

6) Tan interior - The "other" reason I did not go with the sports line was because it did not have the tan interior. Black interiors look so depressing to me. And my tan interiors still look brand new even after more than a year

7) I really felt that without the technology package, the car looks so cheap. The instrument cluster looks like it is from a honda civic. The extended instrument cluster hi-res color display adds a lots to the overall "look and feel".

I 100% concur with you that the car felt a $25K car not a $40 car.

[rconti]

The beige is the easiest way to make it look like a bargain basement car, IMO. I agree black can be depressing, but I cannot see how anyone can tolerate that hideous beige.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by rallybull

7) I really felt that without the technology package, the car looks so cheap. The instrument cluster looks like it is from a honda civic. The extended instrument cluster hi-res color display adds a lots to the overall "look and feel".

Sadly, it has taken me a little while to "like" the new instrument cluster. It didn't initially strike me as BMW-esque. It had me yearning for my E9X M3's instrument cluster. So much more purposeful!

[Eric SS]

I have to agree with this. The base loaner I got earlier this year was rubbish. The engine felt like it was getting raped by the starter during ASS, the instrument cluster was boring, the small non-navi screen was laughable, and the worst was the vinyl beige seats. I liked them in the mid 80's BMWs but not in a 2013.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

I finally got an F30 that I can't stand. If this is the car that people are driving and ranting about, I get it.

...

Many will flame me for saying all of that. Some will claim that a RWD 328 MSport should not be very different, but it just is, it imparts a different feel and feedback from every control and touchpoint that this car just fails to do.

I've seen it this way from years back, that not all BMW models from a series are equal. Very specification sensitive, so not particularly an F30 issue at all.

I remember back in the 1980s when we had several E30 sedans in our company, top model at the time was the 323i, (pre 325i) we ran a well optioned 323i, two different specification 320i models and a humble base specification 318i. The 323i was in a totally different league.

All the cars were so different to look at, to sit in, ride in and drive. Taught me at the time that not all BMW models are equal, even allowing for engine size and output, can be poles apart, even of the same age and series.

I had a UK F30 320d ED a few weeks back and in some ways it was hard to see it coming from the BMW stable, after getting out of my 535i. Even trying to see it objectively, it still didn't feel worth the money it commands. But underneath it is still BMW, does offer more than most of the competition and in the UK it is rated as the best small executive saloon (sedan) out there.

HighlandPete

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I've seen it this way from years back, that not all BMW models from a series are equal. Very specification sensitive, so not particularly an F30 issue at all.

I remember back in the 1980s when we had several E30 sedans in our company, top model at the time was the 323i, (pre 325i) we ran a well optioned 323i, two different specification 320i models and a humble base specification 318i. The 323i was in a totally different league.

All the cars were so different to look at, to sit in, ride in and drive. Taught me at the time that not all BMW models are equal, even allowing for engine size and output, can be poles apart, even of the same age and series.

I had a UK F30 320d ED a few weeks back and in some ways it was hard to see it coming from the BMW stable, after getting out of my 535i. Even trying to see it objectively, it still didn't feel worth the money it commands. But underneath it is still BMW, does offer more than most of the competition and in the UK it is rated as the best small executive saloon (sedan) out there.

HighlandPete

Well said!

[328AL]

My theory about loaners; most of them are either lemons , buyback or both. You can't rely on these cars to make a sound judgement. Having said that, base cars do suck, compared to well equipped. The same is true for the most manufactures. Try to compare base Accord or Camry to base BMW. The major difference, however, is how much BMW charges for upgrades.

[martyl]

And yet these are the cars that are selling like crazy. The vast majority of the F30s I have seen all over the country are the base model. 70% of my dealer's sales are base model 328i's and most of them are X-Drives. I had similar experiences with these cars as others have which is why I got a 335 sport. But it seems that most buyers are perfectly happy with a base 328i and now a 320i. BMW seems to know what it's doing from a sales perspective.

[sr5959]

I think Sports/Technology/Nav packages are a very important upgrade to have on all German cars, and F30 is no exception.

[Eric SS]

Originally Posted by martyl

And yet these are the cars that are selling like crazy.

That's because you can lease them for peanuts and "look, I drive a BMW!"

[PrinceBarin]

The difference in 'feel' between the base model and the more premium trims is, I am sure, like night & day for most manufacturer's ranges.

I remember having a base line A3 once while my s-line was being serviced and it felt like a fraudulent replica. The skinny plastic steering wheel and cloth-wrapped seats suppressed any aspirations the car had to be a 'premium' product.

The base line F30 isn't much better, although as Highland Pete points out, it's still better than the competition.

Leather seats, thicker sports steering wheel, dark headliner, Nav, sports auto, lowered suspension... Tick a few boxes and it changes the character of the car completely. I ticked as many as I could afford. And then one or two more after that...

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by martyl

And yet these are the cars that are selling like crazy. The vast majority of the F30s I have seen all over the country are the base model. 70% of my dealer's sales are base model 328i's and most of them are X-Drives. I had similar experiences with these cars as others have which is why I got a 335 sport. But it seems that most buyers are perfectly happy with a base 328i and now a 320i. BMW seems to know what it's doing from a sales perspective.

Company cars I suspect. Either they have no choice and they are forced to take the base model (quite common in my experience) or, in some cases, there's just no imagination.

[btbossman]

LOL...cant even imagine this car base.

[OC40]

Originally Posted by PrinceBarin

Company cars I suspect. Either they have no choice and they are forced to take the base model (quite common in my experience) or, in some cases, there's just no imagination.

They are not company cars in SoCal. I bet only 1 in every 100+, maybe.

[X2 Monstah]

I drove a base model while I shopped for my 2014 328i Sport Line. C-R-A-P. I came back, handed the keys to the salesman and said "I'm not paying $40k for a car that drives like a Corolla." What a difference. I absolutely my car.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by 328AL

My theory about loaners; most of them are either lemons , buyback or both. You can't rely on these cars to make a sound judgement. Having said that, base cars do suck, compared to well equipped. The same is true for the most manufactures. Try to compare base Accord or Camry to base BMW. The major difference, however, is how much BMW charges for upgrades.

Good observations, valid comments.

But the base, compared to a well specified model can also apply to new (faultless) cars. When I tried the F11 wagon at launch day, I was the first to drive the new example I tested, but a pretty basic 520d SE with MT. This was my conclusion to a review I posted on the UK BMWLand forum.

So from my perspective, if it was the first 5-series I’d driven, I’d not be too sure this was the car I wanted to drive, or own. But from my experience in better 5’s, it just isn’t a spec’ for me, I’d have to give it a miss and look ‘upwards’ or elsewhere.

Does that first impression in the 520d SE wagon compare in any way with my fully loaded 535i M-sport wagon? No not at all, the similarity is the body shell, BMW badges and a few other touches. I'd have passed on the F11 5-series judged on the base model, but I drive an F11 which is the best BMW I've ever owned. The 535i rewards me every mile I drive.

Now there is one major difference, my car (as specified) is almost twice the cost to buy new as the base 520d, of which over 25% the cost of my car is from the option list.

I'd certainly hope to be getting a much more satisfying car to drive for the money, and pleased to say I am.

HighlandPete