500 Miles and Running

angryman11111 · 05-10-2011, 10:33 AM

2011 BMW 328i Sports Wagon

I ordered the E91 on December 30th of 2010. Picked up from BMW of Manhattan on March 22nd, 2011. Longest eighty-one days of my life. Final year of production and possibly the last time we'll ever get a 3 series wagon in the United States.

My previous car was a 97 Volkswagen GTI with the 2.0 engine.

The car is honestly better than I imagined... everything feels very well balanced with an attention to detail that is a bit insane.

The naturally aspirated N52 inline-six (apparently also in its final year of production) is smooth and unnoticable during normal driving though things change once you open it up...

Transmission is great. The clutch is nice, very easy to modulate, engagement point is not too high, not too low. Initially I thought the shifter was too light and notchy -- at 500 miles, things have smoothed out and the lightness makes more sense. Throws are relatively short.

Suspension and Brakes are spot-on. The sport suspension is firm and taut. It sucks when driving through specific bombed-out streets. The car barely nose-dives even under hard braking -- very nice. I read in the catalogue that the brakes dry automatically for better wet weather performance. Weight distribution is 49/51, feels very well balanced even during quick turns. It somehow makes dodging cabs a bit more bearable.

The interior is spartan but functional. M Steering wheel is nice and thick. Sport seats are very very comfortable, adjustable bolsters are awesome. Base audio system is good and will suffice for most people. iDrive is great. The important thing is that they support the driving in a non-intrusive manner.

The moonroof is massive and is a fantastic window when driving visitors through Manhattan.

I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time. I think it's got great styling, and the specific model itself is quite rare here. The M-Sport package and RWD combination I have never seen on another E91 in person.

Thanks for reading.

TheStigsTwin · 05-10-2011, 11:05 AM

Nice Car. I love the wagons.

Jordanpryce · 05-10-2011, 11:15 AM

Looks just like mine! Is Brooklyn big enough for two black E91's?

angryman11111 · 05-10-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordanpryce

Looks just like mine! Is Brooklyn big enough for two black E91's?

oh nice! which part of BK are you in? I'm in Prospect Heights!

optimaxed · 05-10-2011, 11:49 AM

Good looking wagon !

How do you guys avoid scraping the wheels, getting bumpers scratched, avoiding door dings in the City ?

I would be worried about my car !

CJ421 · 05-10-2011, 12:21 PM

Beautiful car, and a standard transmission too.

Excellent choice and welcome to E90post!!

Jordanpryce · 05-10-2011, 12:29 PM

I'm in Bushwick.

To avoid damage:
Ride around potholes
Park in a private garage
If parked on the street, find a munimeter where no one can park in front or back of you

Tom K. · 05-10-2011, 01:23 PM

With only about 5~10% of the approximately 1500 E91s imported into the US each year having the superb manual transmission, you've joined a small, select and discriminating group.

Beautiful car - enjoy it for many years to come, but watch out for those NYC potholes!

Tom

LuisBoston · 05-10-2011, 01:34 PM

Yeah, the potholes suck. They eat BMW runflats for lunch. Well, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Nice car. If I were to do it again, I'd get an E91 with the msport, just not black and black. It's too plain.

angryman11111 · 05-10-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lem144

Yeah, the potholes suck. They eat BMW runflats for lunch. Well, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Nice car. If I were to do it again, I'd get an E91 with the msport, just not black and black. It's too plain.

I like it plain. Not trying to draw attention. Most people ignore it because they see a soccer mom car

PhillyTim · 09-15-2011, 07:54 PM

Resurrecting an old thread--but I love your car. I've been looking for an E91 with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission, and they're nearly impossible to find (in the US of A, that is). There seem to be only 2 such cars for sale in the entire country right now--but of course supply is naturally following demand (sadly). Msport will be that much more rare.

fefo25 · 09-15-2011, 08:25 PM

Nice!

Sgt Beavis · 09-15-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyTim

Resurrecting an old thread--but I love your car. I've been looking for an E91 with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission, and they're nearly impossible to find (in the US of A, that is). There seem to be only 2 such cars for sale in the entire country right now--but of course supply is naturally following demand (sadly). Msport will be that much more rare.

Yea, I was kinda shocked to find mine last month. It was a demo sitting on the dealers showroom floor in DFW.

It's nice having a unique car. There probably isn't another one with my color combo in all of Texas.

jopa489 · 09-15-2011, 08:49 PM

AWESOME car! ZMP on the E91 looks amazing, and that panoramic roof is killer! Very, very nice.

mmm def · 09-15-2011, 09:15 PM

Love that car. I saw your post over on vortex. I'd be so paranoid parking it on those streets though.

be1ieve1111 · 09-15-2011, 09:32 PM

Beautiful! Need more pics! Very unique!

plokij · 09-15-2011, 10:18 PM

excellent choice, sir.

welcome to the club

but... why so little miles since march? i picked mine up in late june and already have 3200 miles - at which point it is just now starting to settle in.

PhillyTim · 09-16-2011, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sgt Beavis

Yea, I was kinda shocked to find mine last month. It was a demo sitting on the dealers showroom floor in DFW.

It's nice having a unique car. There probably isn't another one with my color combo in all of Texas.

Nice! I checked out your thread with pics (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=582922); sweet car. I assume it's also a manual, with MSport?

The only RWD manual I've found so far is in Beverly Hills, and it's a sport, not an MSport (I thought I'd found another one, but it turned out to be an x-drive). The Beverly Hills car also lacks heated seats, which I wouldn't want to give up here in the Northeast...

E46 Tourings with a manual and RWD are also very, very hard to find--and even E39 Tourings (which of course didn't have x-drive as an option) are hard to find with manuals, and those few that are out there seem to command a premium--which of course speaks well for those of you with E91's similarly equipped.

I really want to order one before it's too late to do so, but financially it's just not a great decision for me to make, nor am I likely to get spousal approval...

greg2step · 09-16-2011, 08:58 AM

I loved my E91 - just traded it in on an F25 X3 - but the 2008 E91 was a nice ride. are the 17" wheels now standard? mine had 16"s and still took a beating from potholes

roundle · 09-16-2011, 12:23 PM

Nice ride! This is a lot like my first "post delivery" post.

14 months, and 24K miles later, I'm beyond-pleased with my E91 (ZSP, 6MT).

We're heading to Berlin (from Amsterdam) next month--I'm looking forward to posting pics of my wagon's speedo at 140MPH+!

jwestpro · 09-22-2011, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundle

Nice ride! This is a lot like my first "post delivery" post.

14 months, and 24K miles later, I'm beyond-pleased with my E91 (ZSP, 6MT).

We're heading to Berlin (from Amsterdam) next month--I'm looking forward to posting pics of my wagon's speedo at 140MPH+!

Only 140mph ?

ken530i · 09-22-2011, 08:24 PM

grat car! great pics! congrats!

05-10-2011, 10:33 AM	#1
angryman11111 New Member 16 Rep 11 Posts Drives: 2011 E91 M-Sport Join Date: May 2011 Location: Queens iTrader: (0)	500 Miles and Running - 2011 BMW 328i Sports Wagon (E91) 2011 BMW 328i Sports Wagon I ordered the E91 on December 30th of 2010. Picked up from BMW of Manhattan on March 22nd, 2011. Longest eighty-one days of my life. Final year of production and possibly the last time we'll ever get a 3 series wagon in the United States. My previous car was a 97 Volkswagen GTI with the 2.0 engine. The car is honestly better than I imagined... everything feels very well balanced with an attention to detail that is a bit insane. The naturally aspirated N52 inline-six (apparently also in its final year of production) is smooth and unnoticable during normal driving though things change once you open it up... Transmission is great. The clutch is nice, very easy to modulate, engagement point is not too high, not too low. Initially I thought the shifter was too light and notchy -- at 500 miles, things have smoothed out and the lightness makes more sense. Throws are relatively short. Suspension and Brakes are spot-on. The sport suspension is firm and taut. It sucks when driving through specific bombed-out streets. The car barely nose-dives even under hard braking -- very nice. I read in the catalogue that the brakes dry automatically for better wet weather performance. Weight distribution is 49/51, feels very well balanced even during quick turns. It somehow makes dodging cabs a bit more bearable. The interior is spartan but functional. M Steering wheel is nice and thick. Sport seats are very very comfortable, adjustable bolsters are awesome. Base audio system is good and will suffice for most people. iDrive is great. The important thing is that they support the driving in a non-intrusive manner. The moonroof is massive and is a fantastic window when driving visitors through Manhattan. I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long time. I think it's got great styling, and the specific model itself is quite rare here. The M-Sport package and RWD combination I have never seen on another E91 in person. Thanks for reading.
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05-10-2011, 11:05 AM	#2
TheStigsTwin Captain 11 Rep 964 Posts Drives: 2011 335xi Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Arizona iTrader: (0)	Nice Car. I love the wagons.
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05-10-2011, 11:15 AM	#3
Jordanpryce Private 8 Rep 98 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 30i Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Brooklyn iTrader: (0)	Looks just like mine! Is Brooklyn big enough for two black E91's? __________________ 2013 Boxster - 2000 BMW Clownshoe M Coupe - 1998 BMW M3 E36 2015 Macan S Black/Black Gone: 93 RS America, 75 Carrera, 71 914-6, 65 356C among others
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05-10-2011, 11:49 AM	#5
optimaxed Second Lieutenant 39 Rep 235 Posts Drives: M340i Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Home iTrader: (0)	Good looking wagon ! How do you guys avoid scraping the wheels, getting bumpers scratched, avoiding door dings in the City ? I would be worried about my car !
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05-10-2011, 12:21 PM	#6
CJ421 Brigadier General 1559 Rep 4,109 Posts Drives: BMW M3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Blue Bell, PA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2024 BMW M3 Sedan [9.50]	Beautiful car, and a standard transmission too. Excellent choice and welcome to E90post!! __________________ 2024 BMW M3 Sedan Frozen Pure Grey II/Fjord Blue, 6MT Past: 2021 Z4 M40i Frozen Grey II/Black Alcantara \| 2017 F30 340i Mineral Gray/Coral Red, 6MT \| 2011 E92 335i Le Mans Blue/Black, 6MT
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05-10-2011, 12:29 PM	#7
Jordanpryce Private 8 Rep 98 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 30i Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Brooklyn iTrader: (0)	I'm in Bushwick. To avoid damage: Ride around potholes Park in a private garage If parked on the street, find a munimeter where no one can park in front or back of you __________________ 2013 Boxster - 2000 BMW Clownshoe M Coupe - 1998 BMW M3 E36 2015 Macan S Black/Black Gone: 93 RS America, 75 Carrera, 71 914-6, 65 356C among others
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05-10-2011, 01:23 PM	#8
Tom K. Major General 124 Rep 5,627 Posts Drives: '07 328iT, '13 Boxster Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	With only about 5~10% of the approximately 1500 E91s imported into the US each year having the superb manual transmission, you've joined a small, select and discriminating group. Beautiful car - enjoy it for many years to come, but watch out for those NYC potholes! Tom
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05-10-2011, 01:34 PM	#9
LuisBoston Lieutenant Colonel 509 Rep 1,948 Posts Drives: '13 128i, '23 iX M60 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Boston iTrader: (3) Garage List 2013 BMW 128i [8.83] 2023 BMW iX M60 [9.50] 2007 328xi [8.75]	Yeah, the potholes suck. They eat BMW runflats for lunch. Well, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nice car. If I were to do it again, I'd get an E91 with the msport, just not black and black. It's too plain. __________________ 2023 BMW iX M60 BSM 2013 BMW 128i 6MT MGM/CR. M-sport/Premium/Cold, HK, Xenons, BMW SSK and PE. ED 7-12-2013 SOLD: '07 E90 6MT BSM/Terra, '18 F31 Sunset/Oyster, '21 Polestar 2 http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=897862
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09-15-2011, 07:54 PM	#11
PhillyTim New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: E46 323ci Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Resurrecting an old thread--but I love your car. I've been looking for an E91 with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission, and they're nearly impossible to find (in the US of A, that is). There seem to be only 2 such cars for sale in the entire country right now--but of course supply is naturally following demand (sadly). Msport will be that much more rare. Last edited by PhillyTim; 09-15-2011 at 08:04 PM..
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09-15-2011, 08:25 PM	#12
fefo25 Second Lieutenant 16 Rep 261 Posts Drives: 2006 325xi wagon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Nice!
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09-15-2011, 08:49 PM	#14
jopa489 Major General 122 Rep 6,594 Posts Drives: Anything with Wheels Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (9)	AWESOME car! ZMP on the E91 looks amazing, and that panoramic roof is killer! Very, very nice. __________________ X7 LCI // Incoming C7 ZR1 ZTK // Sebring + TRX // Hydro + Raptor Gen1 Roush // Tuxedo
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09-15-2011, 09:15 PM	#15
mmm def Colonel 144 Rep 2,610 Posts Drives: 21 330, 19 ND2 RF, 11 RX350 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Love that car. I saw your post over on vortex. I'd be so paranoid parking it on those streets though.
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09-15-2011, 09:32 PM	#16
be1ieve1111 Thread Killer 20 Rep 930 Posts Drives: 2014 EB M235i Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana iTrader: (9)	Beautiful! Need more pics! Very unique!
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09-15-2011, 10:18 PM	#17
plokij Lieutenant 39 Rep 505 Posts Drives: Nothing Join Date: May 2011 Location: SoCal iTrader: (1)	excellent choice, sir. welcome to the club but... why so little miles since march? i picked mine up in late june and already have 3200 miles - at which point it is just now starting to settle in.
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09-16-2011, 08:58 AM	#19
greg2step X3 Owner/Driver 212 Rep 785 Posts Drives: 2018 X3 M40i Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW X3 M40i (G01) [0.00]	I loved my E91 - just traded it in on an F25 X3 - but the 2008 E91 was a nice ride. are the 17" wheels now standard? mine had 16"s and still took a beating from potholes __________________ 2018 X3 M40i G01 \| Phytonic Blue \| Mocha \| Premium+Exec \| Driver Assist \| Adaptive M Suspension 2011 X3 XDrive35i F25 l Deep Sea Blue l Mojave Leather l Sport, DHP, Premium, Nav/Technology, Cold Weather, Convenience [traded in] 2008 328XI E91 Sportwagon l Sparkling Graphite [traded in]
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09-16-2011, 12:23 PM	#20
roundle EXPAT 65 Rep 889 Posts Drives: 18 VW GTI;18 CX9;11 E91 N52 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Nice ride! This is a lot like my first "post delivery" post. 14 months, and 24K miles later, I'm beyond-pleased with my E91 (ZSP, 6MT). We're heading to Berlin (from Amsterdam) next month--I'm looking forward to posting pics of my wagon's speedo at 140MPH+!
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09-22-2011, 08:24 PM	#22
ken530i Private First Class 8 Rep 105 Posts Drives: 2023 X5 (on order) Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Somerville TN iTrader: (1)	grat car! great pics! congrats!
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