[TMP]

Bit worried about the size reduction, although looking at the boot space the F31 is 495l and my e61 is 500 (so not much in it)

Also thinking there will be a drop in refinement. Have had a F30 330d loaner for 4 days though, I was v.happy with that !

[Steve_M_Sport]

Originally Posted by TMP

Bit worried about the size reduction, although looking at the boot space the F31 is 495l and my e61 is 500 (so not much in it)

Also thinking there will be a drop in refinement. Have had a F30 330d loaner for 4 days though, I was v.happy with that !

I went from a 08 plate E61 525D M Sport to a 60 plate F11 520D M Sport to an F31 320D M Sport. The reason for the change was that I was looking for a smaller car and I am very happy with it.

The F31 boot seems much smaller than only 5l less than the 5 Series. It is narrower, shallower and lower so be careful if you are planning on carrying large items.

The cabin space is fine with plenty of legroom for front and rear passengers.

The main thing I notice is the reduced refinement. The F31 is not such a nice place to be as the F11 but is probably on par with the E61 which of course is now nearly 10 years old.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport

..The main thing I notice is the reduced refinement. The F31 is not such a nice place to be as the F11 but is probably on par with the E61 which of course is now nearly 10 years old.

Without back to back testing E61 against F31, I'd still say refinement in the E61 will be a bit better, a decent F31 specification may tip the scales.

HighlandPete

[ZigmundUK]

I have both!

520d 08 plate and a 13 plate 330d. The seats in the 330d are nicer without doubt, but the general refinement of the 5 is greater. Also the size is still larger in the 5. Depends on your needs. Personally we found on a long trip to my parents' we had to compromise on taking some stuff down in the 3, but in the 5 we would have fit everything in...

For most other things the 3 is fine in terms of size. I'd say the 3 is a tad noisier though wrt wind noise, so if you're not one for earphones or loud music, then do consider again...

tbh having had a 330d for 6 months now (having lusted after it for years) I think it's out of my system. Wifey wants a smaller car next time so might have a 1 for her and stick with a 5 (or maybe 6 heehee) for me...

edit: also the storage is better with the 5. The automatic boot cover rising etc - don't get that in the 3!

[TMP]

Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport

I went from a 08 plate E61 525D M Sport to a 60 plate F11 520D M Sport to an F31 320D M Sport. The reason for the change was that I was looking for a smaller car and I am very happy with it.

The F31 boot seems much smaller than only 5l less than the 5 Series. It is narrower, shallower and lower so be careful if you are planning on carrying large items.

The cabin space is fine with plenty of legroom for front and rear passengers.

The main thing I notice is the reduced refinement. The F31 is not such a nice place to be as the F11 but is probably on par with the E61 which of course is now nearly 10 years old.

The e61 I would say is almost as refined as the F11. The F31 seems to be in-between my F20 M135i (which i suppose makes sense). But is now worrying me !

Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport

I went from a 08 plate E61 525D M Sport to a 60 plate F11 520D M Sport to an F31 320D M Sport. The reason for the change was that I was looking for a smaller car and I am very happy with it.

The F31 boot seems much smaller than only 5l less than the 5 Series. It is narrower, shallower and lower so be careful if you are planning on carrying large items.

The cabin space is fine with plenty of legroom for front and rear passengers.

The main thing I notice is the reduced refinement. The F31 is not such a nice place to be as the F11 but is probably on par with the E61 which of course is now nearly 10 years old.

Hmmm, that does not bode well either! We have 2 young children, (6 and 4) so often fill most of the car up with stuff, like you down to the parents or hols! However saying that, now all the baby stuff has gone, we do often have a bit of boot space spare in the 5er.

Also ZigmundUK, does the boot cover really not rise automatically e.g. when you open the boot glass? That could even be a showstopper for me

[Im1]

Refinement in my f30 330d is certainly well down on my previous e60 530d - most notable on sustained high speed cruise on poor surfaces

[TMP]

Originally Posted by Im1

Refinement in my f30 330d is certainly well down on my previous e60 530d - most notable on sustained high speed cruise on poor surfaces

What wheels do you have mate?

[Im1]

225/50 17 inch on both models so directly comparable . My f30 has m adaptive suspension . I think the difference is simply one of sound deadening between wheel arches and cabin .

This has been my only slight disappointment with my 330 d as I commuted weekly between Sheffield and Ayr in Scotland . Sometimes the cabin noise @ 90 would make me think of taking ear plugs along as the Quality of the Harmon kardon became redundant due to ambient noise

[Im1]

Advise you run the f30 over the older surfaced motorways for 20 mins at higher speeds and it should make clearer whether you can put up with drop in refinement . I even resorted to fitting Dunlop sport 01 a with a lower noise rating to try and counter when the time came for replacement. On a positive note this issue is no longer a problem for me as I don't do those monster commutes any more . The handling improvement on the shorter drives is compensation enough now.

[TMP]

Thanks for the advice, and the fact you only have 17s is even more worrying.

The e60 5 is a pretty hushed placed to be, we both love it. However, we dont do that many long trips, more like short runs, then 30 mins around the M60 etc to Trafford or Mcr centre.

Agree, I do need a test drive me thinks!

[rich1068]

These comparisons are interesting. Without getting misty eyed about previous generation of BMW, is it a 5 vs. 3 thing? Or an older vs. newer BMW thing? Could the same discussion be taking place about the F11 and F31?

As far as the 3 series is concerned I do believe my F30 to be a superior car in virtually every way to my previous E91. But it does feel a little cheaper. The plastics don't feel quite as good, everything seems a little more brittle. The F30 seems just as well screwed together but what they've screwed together isn't quite as good. Could the same be said about the E61 and F11?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by rich1068

These comparisons are interesting. Without getting misty eyed about previous generation of BMW, is it a 5 vs. 3 thing? Or an older vs. newer BMW thing? Could the same discussion be taking place about the F11 and F31?

As far as the 3 series is concerned I do believe my F30 to be a superior car in virtually every way to my previous E91. But it does feel a little cheaper. The plastics don't feel quite as good, everything seems a little more brittle. The F30 seems just as well screwed together but what they've screwed together isn't quite as good. Could the same be said about the E61 and F11?

Years back (1970 - 80s) BMW produced 3, 5 and 7 series which were very similar except for size. "Same sausage, different skins" as one BMW Area Technical Manager described it. Now we are into segment cars, appealing to different users.

5-series is in a different league for refinement than the 3-series, then it should be. Particularly the F10/11, as it is 7-series platform based, not an 'upwards' 1/3 series design. 5-series has moved more into the luxury segment.

My own observation, the F10/11 is more along the lines of the E39 model, which many rightly say was the pinnacle of BMW motors, rather than a development of the E60/1 cars. That has been a good thing, IMO.

I know when I was driving the E91, getting into and driving an E61 was definitely a step up in the quality-refinement feel, a much more mature car as well. F10/11 moves the game on again, something the F30/1 does after the E90/1, but not to the same level as the 5-series.

I had a period in an F30 320d ED, I had difficulty in seeing it from the same stable as my F11, poles apart. But after 3-days in it and seeing it for what it was, it is BMW through and through, but not so obvious as it would have been generations back. Now I know it wasn't a 335i... there is the rub, besides the design approach to the different series, we are also back to specification, as we've always had to consider, as far back as I can remember with BMW, and I go back to the 1970s. Pre first 3 and 5 series cars. My father introduced me to BMW with his 'New Class' 2000 saloon.

HighlandPete

[TMP]

Pete, some good observations.

I guess this is a 3 vs 5 debate . The 3 will be more alive to drive, with faster responses and more feedback. The 5 is a better cruiser, more refined and larger.

I was going along the lines of the F31 is a similar size to the e61, so wonder if the above differences have blurred between those to series and generations..

[Steve_M_Sport]

Originally Posted by TMP

Pete, some good observations.

I guess this is a 3 vs 5 debate . The 3 will be more alive to drive, with faster responses and more feedback. The 5 is a better cruiser, more refined and larger.

I was going along the lines of the F31 is a similar size to the e61, so wonder if the above differences have blurred between those to series and generations..

The F31 320D is definitely more alive to drive than the F11 520D as it is about 200kg lighter with the same engine.

The F11 feels more luxurious on the inside. I agree with the comments about the quality of the plastics in the F31 - the top of the dashboard in particular looks and feels cheaper than the F11. Also the Sat Nav integration in the F11 is better than the F31.

All this said I don't regret swapping to an F31 as the main reason for the change was for a smaller car.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport

All this said I don't regret swapping to an F31 as the main reason for the change was for a smaller car.

I agree as long as we see our 'reasons for change' being the main influence. I downsized from an E39 540i touring into the E91 330d touring, the key reason a smaller car, but never really came to terms with the fact it wasn't just a smaller 5-series BMW. Each time I was in a 5-series it baited me, to the finer details and refinement the 5-series gives, compared to a 3-series.

I don't need the bigger 5-series, the F31 would be big enough, and I was going for a 3-series again, but the 5-series won this time around.

HighlandPete

[Tengocity]

This is a really interesting thread for me, as I was really torn between a 5 or a 3. I really would like the refinement and proper premium feel of a 5, but the F10 is such a large car that the other half just didn't feel comfortable driving it.

So for us the F31 just feels a better choice, and I guess that the greater performance and agility will make up for the lesser refinement for me!

Coming from an E90 I think that I will just be pleased not to try and have to play "avoid the cats eyes" game constantly

[jimboss]

I agree about the quality of materials in the F30/F31, in particular the m sport steering wheel. The silver trip in the centre wouldn't be out of place on a budget segment car and road noise is quite apparent…just have to turn up the HK….i think I'm going to go for a 5 er next time round…quite fancy a luxo barge

[335dxd]

Currently drive F11 520d msport 2011 69000 miles.....will be changing car in March 2014. Looked and driven quite a few in the process of working out next car..... Merc E300 hybrid/A6 avant/New X5/5Gt/3Gt/F30

Was convinced that I was going to go F31 335d xdrive as it seemed the perfect package of speed/space/efficiency/4WD.....but after test driving a 330d xdrive this week over a 3 day period I have decided to go with another F11.

The 330d is a great car but it is noisy (wind and road)/ a bit rough (plastics/fit/finish/switchgear) and in this regard not in the same league as F11. The performance of the 330d was awesome and certainly blew the 520d into the weeds and although that is tempting in a boy racer kind of way the F11 is just a "better" car for me....it's quick enough/very efficient/quiet/big and above all just a great place to be for the majority of the time when you are just "cruising".

For me the extra performance of the 335d whilst intoxicating in the short term was not enough of a pull to get me out of an F11 as the majority of my driving is motorway cruising rather than back road blasting....so just ordered 530d Lux which will be arriving in January.

[Steve_M_Sport]

I am not sure I would pay £50k+ for a 3 series ��

[TMP]

Just to conclude my question, After a drive in an F31, i did prefer the size, interior and refinement of the F11. So collected this land yacht a couple of weeks ago

[Zagga]

Coming from an E91 20d I was always going to go for a F11 30d for the extra room and better refinement. In the end my wife put her foot down (as they do) and said no way to the 5er as it's such a barge.

However, after testing and finally getting the F31 30d last week I'm really impressed with the difference between E91 and F31. Still not as refined as a 5er but still a luxury, extremely quick cruiser all the same.

[Pablo68]

One of my choices to make was 535i or 335i. Having tested both I came to the conclusion the 5er was without a doubt far more luxury and more about comfort. The 3er was very much more a drivers car.

I chose the 3 because I didnt yet feel I was old enough (and sensible enough?) to take the luxo-barge over the toy

I think to be honest if I did ever end up in a 5er it would have to be powered by Devils Oil not petrol as the big diesel torque suits it well.