[Closed] 3 series touring or 4 series coupe

Hi! 😀

The 4 series is a stunning shape and deserves a big engine to enjoy IMO. Im saying this becuase there was a 430d msport in a hotel lobby i stayed at recently - it was stunning. A bit paper tiger otherwise.

I had one of the first 3 series coupe's back in the early 1990's - beautiful 2L straight six petrol. If you don't need the estate get the 4 series coupe, its a lovely looking car.

I do like the look of the 4 - there's a bit of midlife crisis about it though 😆

geoffj - Member
I do like the look of the 4 - there's a bit of midlife crisis about it though

Especially when there's a "20" after the 4 and an M badge 😉

Especially when there's a "20" after the 4 and an M badge

Debadged obvs! 😉

[img] [/img]

Mmm...

I'm planning on a 4 series gran coupe next. Tourer is a bit overkill for me, but I'd like a hatch and the 4 series is a hotty.

X6.

Obviously.

If you're going to go w***, you may as well go full w***.

😉

I test drove a 320d and liked it.

I test drove a 320i and didn't like.

petrol version just seemed sluggish.

I'd have a proper drive before decidin on petrol

Debadged obvs!

Debadging = this car has a small engine and the driver is ashamed of it - whatever anyone says to the contrary, that's what it means 🙂

Since when is a 2.0L a small engine? Especially a BMW one.
For a lot of brands, 2L's are one of the biggest they do.

I test drove a 320i and didn't like.

😐 I'm going to have to have test drive

Looked at both of these recently. 4 series Gran Coupe is lovely to look at and the hatch actual looks quite practical too. It is quite low and a mate had to walk away from getting one due to his dodgy back not coping. 3 series Touring also nice but doesn't feel as nice inside oddly.

As with everyone else it needs a bigger engine though. The hottest 4 pot is probably the best one as the 6 sounds lovely but has a poorer mpg by quite a way.

Second hand an option to get that 335/340i?

My mid life crisis means getting a hot hatch though instead!

Since when is a 2.0L a small engine? Especially a BMW one.
For a lot of brands, 2L's are one of the biggest they do.

Maybe if you are looking at Fiesta's, but not in this sector. Apples and oranges. If you look at the range as a whole, it's one of the smaller engines/outputs. If you vain enough to be buying the car as a ego-wagen it does spoil the image to those that care, regardless of how good the car is in relative terms.

slackboy - Member
I test drove a 320d and liked it.

I test drove a 320i and didn't like.

petrol version just seemed sluggish.

I'd have a proper drive before decidin on petrol

In my experience you tend to need to 'size up' by one engine when switching from diesel to petrol. Not because of the amount of power but to get a similar amount of torque. The 30i has a similar torque to the 20d. That's what stops the engine from feeling 'sluggish'. And you also need to remember to rev a petrol engine. Took me a while to get back into that habit after spending so many years driving oil.

Although I'd never choose a BMW, the 4 series would get my vote as the better looking car.

We have a 120d and a 320i. The 320i does feel a bit sluggish, after the torque of the 120d, but when I remember to change up later, the car feels sprightly enough. The engines are similar in overall power, they just deliver it differently.

(Neither car feels underpowered despite only having a 2L engine)

You'll find it hard to get any better a car than one of these. Lauded now for its lithe handling and grunty engine, build quality in old skool robust.

E46 330i sport touring.

[img] [/img]

Note that 320i defaults to 'Comfort" mode, if you click mode to "Sport" it is no longer that sluggish. Diesels seem to be less affected by these settings as you'll get plenty of torque in all 2 liter diesel engines.
There is setting for auto gear box too and even optional "Sport+" mode too 🙂
That said, my 3yo F31 is a bit noisy (tyre noise mostly) and there are couple of squeaks from the trim and sport seats are bit annoying to adjust without electrics (especially the height).

@BB,

The newer E91 is better built than the E46 by all accounts.
I've got the 325i (N53 3.0L) and it's been great. Pretty economical (28-33mpg right foot dependent) and is reasonably rapid. Will get it deresteicted via Mosselman later this year to 330i output if all things go well.

Bikes sit happily on a towbar mounted rack and boards either inside or on rack depending on the surf mission details!

My brother has a 440i.

Its lovely, its not earth shatteringly quick, but fast enough and just very nicely put together and that straight six sounds amazing! Its also surprisingly frugal regularly getting high 30's mpg and even over 40 when bimbling along on the motorway. He got a 520d courtesy car the other day and was surprised by how well in compared in terms of fuel economy

Debadging = this car has a small engine and the driver is ashamed of it - whatever anyone says to the contrary, that's what it means

His is debadged

 

[I]I do like the look of the 4 - there's a bit of midlife crisis about it though [/I]

Yep, this is ours:

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I'm 52, had loads of motorbikes, on my second wife and live nowhere near the sea (so speedboat out of the question) - a flash car was the only option 🙂

315 bhp, 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, xDrive, auto and currently at 36mpg (slowly getting better, still only 3k miles though).

Makes sense to debadge a larger engined model to stop other people being judgmental or driving like a-holes near your pride and joy.

Pretty economical (28-33mpg right foot dependent)

😯

That's woeful.

Not for a 4 litre 300bhp car its not.

[i]Not for a 4 litre 300bhp car its not. [/I]

It's a 3 litre engine.

The same that my 435d is also a 3 litre.

Kryton57 - Member

Not for a 4 litre 300bhp car its not.

Firstly, I was commenting on mikertroid's 325 touring.

Secondly, when you are talking about using up a finite resource in a terribly damaging way, 28mpg is woeful and convincing yourself it isn't is foolish and selfish. 🙂

You'll find it hard to get any better a car than one of these. Lauded now for its lithe handling and grunty engine, build quality in old skool robust.

E46 330i sport touring.

It's owning one of those for 12 months which started all this 😀

@BB,

The newer E91 is better built than the E46 by all accounts.

I'd agree with that having owned them both.

Personally, I'd stick with a 3 series of some sort because I'm not sold on how the 4 series looks.

My big issue is the lack of straight six engines in the new range - the engine in our 330 was brilliant.

The latest six pot diesels though are very good and seriously quick, if lacking in the noise department.

if lacking in the noise department.

Although they do pipe a nice noise through the stereo as a replacement.

Although they do pipe a nice noise through the stereo as a replacement.

I meant that they still sound like a Massey Ferguson on start up / low revs. The growl under acceleration isn't too bad though.

3 series in saloon format is better looking than 4 series imo. It's all to do with how the higher rear roof line makes it look more nose down and aggressive, and better highlights the rear arch/tyre interface!

[img] [/img]

Debadging, this is the first car which I have debadged and I don't think it fools anyone as it has single exhaust pipe and 16" wheels. 😀
Reason for debadging was that being OCD I couldn't cope with 320i and xdrive badge being so annoingly positioned on the trunk - they are not centered vertically or horisontally and letter styling is completely different. It is zero cost option from factory anyway so it is quite common not to have them.

Reason for debadging was that being OCD I couldn't cope with 320i and xdrive badge being so annoyingly positioned on the trunk - they are not centered vertically or horizontally and letter styling is completely different. It is zero cost option from factory anyway so it is quite common not to have them.

+1

The new 330 is a 2l 4 pot engine. If you are any the six pot you'll need to spring for the 340.

Either way the auto box is very smooth.

Anybody driven the 2 series coupe? In terms of driving pleasure does it compete with its older brother the 4 series?

Currently thinking about replacing my Ibiza with something a bit faster and better handling. The 2 and 4 series look like good options.

Don't really need bags of power, 8 sec 0-60 is more than enough (I think??) mostly after a fun and agile car that can squeeze a couple adults in the back for a short journey.

Which one is best for carrying a bike ? or isn't that a use case ?

Snob . so should we just scrapp all cars that won't do more than 40mph then ?

Don't need car to carry bikes have a van for that. Just want something that can be used everyday for short journeys and the occasional longer trip and is fun to drive and looks good.

Then this..

Don't worry about debating whether it's good or not, we've been there and done that..

[img] [/img]

littlelordfauntleroy - Member

Sbob . so should we just scrap all cars that won't do more than 40mpg then?

No, just yours. 🙂
Or we could convert them to run off straw men. 😀

jairaj - Member
Anybody driven the 2 series coupe? In terms of driving pleasure does it compete with its older brother the 4 series?

Currently thinking about replacing my Ibiza with something a bit faster and better handling. The 2 and 4 series look like good options.

When changing from the bag of sh1t Octavia to the current car I test drove the 2 series coupe as an M Sport 2.0 diesel. Handling and comfort were brilliant, a really enjoyable car to drive and noticeably better than the 3 or 4 series. In the end I went for the 3 series as more available used meant I could get a better equipped car for less. Not much between the 3 and 4 series expect 2 doors less and bigger prices.

Boot space isn't too bad but you will struggle to get a bike inside and I think the rear seats are fixed.

[s]@jairaj the 2 series is so ugly I won't even stand next to one in case some of it rubs off 😉 If you want such a car just by a Honda Jazz.[/s]

Sorry mixed up Coupe version with stock box car.

Sorry mixed up Coupe version with stock box car.

the 2 series tourer really is a horrible thing. Still if Porsche are making SUVs then I guess you can't really have a go at BMW for wanting sell MPVs to badge snobs.

Its still less gopping than an X1

I really wanted a 6 pot, so bought an older 325i. In retrospect I'm not too sure why I was so desperate for a 6 pot, it's not very fast most of the time, costs lots of VED, drinks petrol (15mpg around town!) and seems to cost lots to insure.

"There's no replacement for displacement" is rubbish, turbos clearly are a replacement these days.

That said, you should clearly get a new Mustang GT, 4 seats, holding their value ridiculously well, only slightly less boot than a 4 series, can almost get away with go faster stripes.