[Closed] Anyone drive a BMW 3 series saloon as a bike / family car.

wheels off to go in the boot or f wheel off on the back seats in my 318i, boot is deep but not bike deep !

Edit - just read the saloon bit, so what I posted doesn't apply!

Its not a tourer.

I've got an E46 (previous shape), seats fold and bike fits in OK with front wheel off. Bit of a drag though, so I'm looking to change...maybe a Focus estate, maybe a Berlingo...maybe something else. And an MX-5 for fun.

I can't comment on the family bit but can comment on the bike bit - I've had my 320d for almost a year now and love it - it would be even better if the seats folder like they did in my E46.

Its fine for bike duty - I use the BMW roof bars and two Thule 591s, I reckon with careful arrangement you could get four bikes on the roof. Other option is a detachable / hidden tow bar but I haven't gone this route as I didn't want to cut the rear bumper valance.

The boot is deep with plenty of storage space, mine has run flats so rather than a sparewheel there is an additional storage area underneath the boot floor.

Aside from transporting the bike & family they are fantastic to drive. Which one have you gone for?

You'll need a rack. I can fit a bike if I'm on my own. Wheels in boot, bike across back seat, kit on passenger seat.
320M 57 shape.

bit late now to be asking those kinda questions...

wurzelcube - I have thule 591s and thule roof bars already from the skoda, guess I just need new feet for for the bars? Went for a 330i.

Again, with the roof rack and Thule 591, works ok but it's your only option really - other than wheels in the boot and frame on the back seat

I had one for a while. The hardtail would go in the boot, just, with the wheels off but no chance with the full suss. I used to put it on the back seat on an old sheet or use a boot mounted rack if there was a few of us.

I have a 325D saloon but it's useless for my bike in the boot (seats dont fold) . My Santa Cruz Heckler doesn't fit in the boot with wheels off but will go on back seat at a squeeze with the wheels off, however mine is full leather so it would ruin the upholstry - the one time i tried i put seat covers down. Looking to get a bike rack (roof) or maybe a Saris Bones.

What is the model year of the car you are getting? Mine is a 2006 56 plate and has the flaps on the roof, below these are screw holes where the BM bars mount directly into. I think the facelift E90 has a different mounting arangement (2010 onwards).

I guess it could be a different footpack, the other option is to get a set of BM bars on eBAY (they are the same for the 1 and 3 series (E90). One point to note if getting the BM bars - the plastic surrounding the feet actually sits a few MM higher than the car and this is by design (i.e. the plastic trim does not sit flush on the car roof)

The 3 series are quite low so its not a struggle to get them on the roof.

330i - Nice! Is it an M-Sport?

Had an E46 320D Sport saloon back in 03/04. Started off using a rack from Halfrauds for a 5 day riding trip round Cornwall. Pads totally scuffed the bumper - resulting in Halfrauds paying BMW £500 for repairs. Having not opted for folding seats, I had to make do with putting the frame on the back seat with accoutrements in the boot. Worked fine, even when taking 2 bikes and a load of gear to Wales. Not ideal though. A roof rack would be much better

Oh and on another note don't loose your key like i did this week....£168 for a new one....really....deep joy!

I have a 330d E46 saloon and I would say it would be ok if you are happy to drive around with the roof rack on. Mine has the wee flaps on the roof where you bolt the rack onto. They are a solid fitment but no good for a quick fit.

And as a side comment if like me you have 18" run flats look forward to paying £250+ per rear tyre. 😯

But don't let that detract from getting your new car, like I've already said I absolutely love mine and have no desire to drive anything else.

Thanks Wurzelcube....i've not had that pleasure yet! But as you say, excellent cars, i do love mine, lost keys and run flats excluded!!! 😀

Even with screwing them on it takes no more than 5 minutes to fit the bars & cycle carriers once you've set them up the first time.

Oh and whilst I remember... if you get BMW bars the T groove is slightly wider that the Thule T groove so you need to get an additional bolt pack from Thule for the 591s (the bolts have a larger square plate) - it'll cost you £10 per rack.

I haven't had the pleasure yet but I'm getting very close just eeking out every last mile (wet roundabouts are interesting at the moment when hitting the accelerator 😆 )

My front pads are nearing replacement time too, I've been quoted £227 for pads & fitting at BMW and £125 at an Indy... no prizes for guessing where I will be going!

E46 3 series saloon here, roof bars are a must imo,...my kids are 6 and 8 and already moan about rear leg room. Nice motors but not particularly bike/child friendly Ime.:-)

Hth

wurzelcube cheers, will look at the BMW bars. I think it has the little flaps on the roof, its an '06. I also have a roofbox from when the kids were tiny and had to take everything including the kitchen sink on holiday, so could be back up but was really hoping not to use that ever again TBH

If its an 06 it will have the same fitment as mine - you may well be able to get a Thule foot pack for your existing bars, and hopefully it will use the BMW fix points.

There weren't many used bars around when I got my car so I bought them directly from BMW, the parts guy knocked 10 or 15% off and IIRC I paid around £110 or £120. They come with adhesive plastic stips that protect the metal work underneath the flap from being scratched (over kill really!)

If you buy used from someone who has used them on a 1 series you will need to adjust the width of the feet on the bar (couple of allen key bolts)

I don't have children so don't know how much stuff you have to transport but personally I think the boot is big, its very deep but obviously not as big as your are used to.

I have an E90 320d, I went for a westfalia removable tow bar in the end & tow bar mounted Thule bike rack, whole lot came in at £450-£500 though, so not cheap.

TIMC - is that on a M Sport or on a ES/SE?

M Sport, tow bar was £250-300 supplied & fitted by an Indie in Wigan, brilliant piece of kit.

i had roof bars on previous car but preferred this option in this time round.

would you mind posting a photo of how that looks from behind the car? (tow bar doesn't need to be attached)

How much of the rear bumper was cut away to make room for it?

I have a set of genuine BMW E46 roof bars to fit the saloon if you're interested?

I've just got rid of my 330ci and bought a 330i Touring so don't need the bars.

M.

Fit a towball and Thule/Pendle rack. It's a faff fitting roof racks on and off saloon cars. Should get three bikes on the back without any trouble, access to the boot and rear seats.

This from a Honda CRV owner with 4xThule 591's permanently attached.

Daffy - the E46 roof bars are different to the E90, they can be made to fit but IIRC it requires a dremel or equivalent to modify the feet so they fit in the slots on the roof.

Ahh, didn't see that it was an E90. Should've read further down. *facepalm*

I was considering a 320D coupe 07 onwards I guess this would be an E90? It would be used, can anyone tell me whether folding rear seats were standard or an option?

Guess they will be pretty hard to come by if optional.

Lovely looking car, but hard to beat the practicality of the Golf I'm running right now.

wurzelcube - Member
would you mind posting a photo of how that looks from behind the car? (tow bar doesn't need to be attached)

How much of the rear bumper was cut away to make room for it?

email in profile, i can take & send you some pics, but when detached it is fully concealed, you can't see anything, bumper trim was on the inside of bumper, not sure where but you can see it.

purser_mark - Member
I was considering a 320D coupe 07 onwards I guess this would be an E90? It would be used, can anyone tell me whether folding rear seats were standard or an option?

Guess they will be pretty hard to come by if optional.

Coupe is an E92, folding rear seats are an option, as is pretty much everything with a bmw.

Prob not as practical as a golf, but your comparing a coupe & a hatchback, golf more practical, 3series a far better drive.

timc - Yep totally agree, I have had hatches for years beacause of biking but it seriously limits the choice of transport. Golf is def the best I've had, but I'm scaraficing driving experience for carrying a couple of bikes around once a week at most.

So what is the outlay for a removable towhitch system inluding fitting etc. I guess you need a light board and electrics fitted too?

I imagine the roof isn't an option on a coupe?

The e92 coupe does have roof bar mounting points.

Just bought a 2008 E92 (coupe) M3 - seems to be fine for biking, the seats fold flat, so it will take a bike (maybe even two, but I havent tried) in the boot. I bought the thule roof bars, these bolt into the mounting points on the roof, they seem pretty decent.

Seems pretty good for biking, far more space than my old audi s3 (same platform as VW golf), but not quite as good in the snow/ice , and the fuel economy is pretty poor by anyones standards;-).

I’ve had (for a short while) an E46 330d M coupe. The seats folded an I could get my roadie in only if I took the wheels off, resorted to a roof rack from Thule and all was good, but never felt comfortable with an expensive bike on the roof when parked up.
Got rid of the 3 and entered the land of the 5 Sports Touring and all went well for a good old few years, roof bars fitted from the 3 to the 5 with different feet (5 has roof bars see) Had a tow bar fitted to both but never used it for bikes, used it to only to tow dingo’s and sportsboats around. Excellent cars Beemers. Also had an M3 Conv which was utterly useless as a carry bike car, well carry anything except shopping bags TBH, got some odd looks when carrying my windsurfing gear roof down along the M27, I felt a right tit, looked it too. Nice car otherwise mind.

purser_mark - Member

timc - Yep totally agree, I have had hatches for years beacause of biking but it seriously limits the choice of transport. Golf is def the best I've had, but I'm scaraficing driving experience for carrying a couple of bikes around once a week at most.

So what is the outlay for a removable towhitch system inluding fitting etc. I guess you need a light board and electrics fitted too?

I live in the city & walk to work, so sacrafice practicality for a car i barely drive 🙄 why im eyeing a 335i 😯

My westfalia towbar was approx £250-£300 fitted I think, Cant remember 100%. electronic build in, lightboard etc are part of Thule bike rack.

bb - Windsurf gear in M3 cab, like it 😀 I too used to play that game, kitesurfing convert now kit goes in the boot!

£300 not the end of the world, would still prefer the option of folding seats though if I had a choice.

335i, very nice very jealous. Unfortunately I will be going down the dirty diesel route. Tempted by a 330d over the 320d though, dont NEED the extra power, but tempted none the less!

Well as it's turned into a BMW thread... I'll show you mine 😆

[IMG] [/IMG]

I would have loved a 330d but couldn't justify the additional costs.

I'm only eyeing the 335i at the moment 🙂

Nice car wurzelcube, looks like an si, what is it?

mine looks the same but is graphite grey & has Mv3's

Le Mans Blue. My new one is that colour too

I needed the pulling power* so always went for the big dirty diesels in auto form (until the M3 that is) I could get 2 boards and 4 sails in the 3 coupe, in the 5 Sport Touring I could get 5 boards, 5 sails and MrsBouy in the back all without using the roof rack. Ruined the seats with salt stains** but who cares, did it's job of carting me around.. I'm a kitee too now, though I've a van for all my "sports equipment" which actually is much much better than trashing dashes and headrests and floor mats with a salty/seawater mixture.

Never ever had anything go wrong on any beemers I've owned, and I must have easily put 600k on them over the years.

The M3 was a disaster, I can't honestly think what the hell I was doing, must have been a mid life (c)risis or something.. Beautiful car mind, totally useless for my lifestyle, looked amazing and gathered far too much attention in "ghey" Blue, sorry "Laguna Seca Blue" and Blue roof.. went like stink mind but I drove it like a grandad in fur trimed slippers, cracking top down action with buffer in place, no folding seats ("tut") and minimal passenger seat forward movement and had to cram in my mother (like on Police Camera Action stylee)on more than one occasion to the tune "wheres your nice Black estate gone, I liked that, it was nice and quiet and I could sit without my knees wrapped around my earholes" (yuk) whining, MrsBouy almost choked on her masala chai when I turned up in it, blankly refused to get in it for two whole days until her A Class wouldn't start one spring morning.. typical, then all good until someone poored a tin of black paint all over the roof/bonnet/boot and ruined it, I'm sure someone also scrawled "cock" in the dust on the boot once, but that could have been my poor eyesight, it could have read "cor!" but I don't think so. Then a builder slammed his fork lift truck in the side of it and wrote it off.. Back to a 5 Sport Touring for me after that thank you.

*used to go all over that Europe towing boats.
** other stains were also found.
.

TIMC - its a 320d M sport, I'm guessing the previous owner had some spare cash and "invested" in the 216 wheels.

A van would be another voice but space on the drive is bit limiting and there's a motorcycle in the garage 😳

I drove a friend of mines' M3 conv. Awesome car, great noise, sh*t quick, but you only realised exactly how quick when you looked at the speedo, soo very smooth.

The only problem is we both live in Essex and you just cant drive an M3 conv around Essex now can you!

If one was to be purchasing a 320d or 330d, would the M-sport be the vehicle of choice or the SE spec (I think I already know the answer) having not yet driven either?

Wurz - nice pic!

I have an M Sport, My sister has an se, they are noticably different, test drive for sure