Got a 328i loaner today

"E90M3" (e90m3) 11/22/2016 at 13:57 • Filed to: None

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Well, not me, my dad’s 135is is in the shop having the emergency call system updated, so he got a 328i as a loaner. They’re changing something and since it was free, my dad took the 1 over there to have it updated. I needed to go to the bank so I borrowed the 328i to test it out.

I didn’t drive the car enough to do a full review, but I can give my initial impressions. I’m not a big fan of electric power steering, but in sport mode it didn’t feel bad at all. Obviously, it lacks the feel of the M3, but it feels better than the steering in the 228i I had as a loaner. Power was ample, it’s not a high revving NA V8, but turbo 2.0L I4 propels the car along nicely. It had the sports pack, but the seats weren’t leather. The sensatec is alright, but if I was going to spend my money on the car, I’d preferred leather.

My complaints with the car fall with some of the controls.

My biggest complaint is with the climate control system. Why is there no sync button. You have to change the drivers and passangers sides independently. I find this really annoying, mainly because the previous generation BMWs had this feature. Even my 128i had a sync button. This seems to be fixed on higher BMWs, such as the 5 series, but still really annoying that it’s not present on the 2 or 3 series.

Additionally, I don’t like how they’ve moved the controls for cruise control to the steering wheel. I thought the stalk they used to use was more intuitive and a lot more user friendly.

If you’re curious, these are the options the car was equipped with:

E92M3 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:01

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What dealer did you decide to go to? Let me know how it was, and if they tried to tack on services.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:03

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What’s faster? A Rental car or a loaner car?

E90M3 > E92M3 11/22/2016 at 14:05

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United BMW of Roswell. They’re trying their best to get my dad to buy a new car. I guess they’ve got 2 M235i’s, both 6MTs. I told my dad if he was going to spend that kind of money and the few miles he drive now, he should just get the 1M. His 135is has the extended warranty, through like 2019, so I doubt they could convince him to get something.

I took my M3 over there because I didn’t know where else to take it when the throttle position actuator went out. They said it could use a coolant and power steering flush, I said why not, the services weren’t all that much.

E90M3 > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 11/22/2016 at 14:07

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Rental, I had a Mazda 3 as a rental, let’s just say I started the car then immediately turned the traction control off. It’ll light the tires up, if you stop then floor it in a puddle.

Saracen > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:07

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I put 1000 miles on a 328i rental earlier this year...My GSW got rearended and I needed a car for a road trip to Nor Cal when it was in the shop.

I liked most things about the car. It’s seriously good, and a fantastic long distance car. But it was not fun in any way. The steering really killed it, but overall just felt very isolated.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:09

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Agreed. The right pedal is your friend in a rental.

Textured Soy Protein > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:09

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That’s weird about the no sync button for the dual zone.

The stupid feature like that in my E92 is the navigation doesn’t auto-switch between day and night modes for the map display. Unlike every other car I can think of that ties night mode of navigation to the headlights being on, or phones and standalone GPS doing it on sunrise/sunset data, my car you have to dive 2 levels deep into the menu to switch it. The only improvement possible is to assign the night mode toggle to a preset button.

S65 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:09

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But what did you think of the 228i

E90M3 > Saracen 11/22/2016 at 14:11

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It’s kinda hard for me to see how good or bad the car is because it’s hard to compare a normal 3 series to an E90 M3, which is what I do whether or not I mean to. It’s my baseline as it was the first BMW I had more than a couple minutes behind the wheel. Also had significant time behind the wheel of a couple 1 series, and those are fantastic.

Party-vi > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:11

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They used to use a stalk? My E46 has steering cruise controls and I would not want them on a stalk, and going to the F30 there was no learning curve for me to understand the cruise controls.

Also, if the leather in the new 3 Series is like the leather in their older models I would stick with Sensatec, since it’s softer and more comfortable.

I haven’t liked the steering or brake pedal on the F30.

404 - User No Longer Available > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:13

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Did they improve the Start-Stop quality? That’s my pet peeve with mine, it shakes the entire car both stopping and restarting. Might get it coded to disable it.

It was so much better in the 528xi of the same year though, might be because of the 8AT.

E90M3 > Textured Soy Protein 11/22/2016 at 14:14

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The lack of sync button puzzles me, because the 2 528i’s I have both have them. I know the climate control is pretty much shared across the range, why not make it the same in all cars like the did with the previous generation.

I had forgotten that the nav doesn’t change between day and night modes automatically. It does dim, but it’s not the same. It’s never really bothered me, so I had kinda forgotten about it.

E90M3 > 404 - User No Longer Available 11/22/2016 at 14:16

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IDK, on US spec models there’s a button to disable it, so naturally that was pressed. I don’t really like the stop start feature, so I always have it disabled. Interestingly on BMWs, you press the button once and the system is disabled until you press the button again, my experience with Mercedes was that you had the press the button every single time you started the car.

E90M3 > Party-vi 11/22/2016 at 14:19

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On my E90 they used a stalk. It’s really easy to use. Pull or push to activate, to increase speed push away from to, to decrease speed pull toward you. To deactivate, it’s up or down, and to resume you push the button on the end. It is seriously my favorite cruise control.

The sensatec feels too rubbery. My friend used to have an F30 328xd wagon, liked the leather a lot more.

Steering was kinda numb, but then it’s getting compared to an M3 in my case. I thought the brake feel was alright.

E90M3 > S65 11/22/2016 at 14:21

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I didn’t really like it. The steering is what did it for me, it just lacked feel. I know I have an M3, but even comparing my 128i to the 228i, the 128i has so much better feel.

Textured Soy Protein > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:21

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It doesn’t bother me much because I rarely use the nav, but it’s kinda irritating to flip over to it at night and get a giant mostly-white (albeit somewhat dimmed) screen staring me in the face.

Google Maps is better anyway.

Party-vi > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:21

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Brakes felt too mushy to me in the 320i, 328d xDrive and 328i that I’ve driven. I dig the speedometer cruise indicator on these though - very cool feature.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:23

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My FoMoCo vehicles sync the sides when you turn them all the way up/down or “turn it off and back on again”. They stay in sync until someone fiddles with the right one, then you have to do one of the above to have them change in sync again.

S65 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:25

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Damn, and here I was hearing that the 2 series was the second coming of the BMW 2002

E90M3 > S65 11/22/2016 at 14:26

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I know people are raving about the M2, I haven’t driven one, let alone seen one to know if it’s as good as people say it is.

S65 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:27

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A barely even see the lower spec 2 series models

E90M3 > S65 11/22/2016 at 14:30

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There’s a decent amount 2 series running around Roswell.

S65 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:31

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I was in Atlanta earlier, didn’t see one, granted I was by the airport

E90M3 > S65 11/22/2016 at 14:32

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The airport parking deck is excellent for car spotting. Saw no fewer than 4 M cars last time I parked.

Matt Nichelson > Party-vi 11/22/2016 at 14:32

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I think all the e9x cars have them on a stalk. I actually like it. The only downside is I have accidently flashed my high beams when I meant to adjust the cruise a few times.

S65 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:33

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I saw a mint IROC-Z last time I was down here, I wanted to look around but I was in a bit of a hurry

Matt Nichelson > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:37

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It seems nobody is really a big fan of the electric power steering. What kind of material is the Sensatec? I haven’t sat in one that’s had it.

E90M3 > Matt Nichelson 11/22/2016 at 14:37

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It’s BMW’s synthetic leather. Felt kinda rubbery.

404 - User No Longer Available > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:44

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Yeah there’s a button, but it always reset to Off on next startup, at least on mine. Think that was implemented on later MY2012s.

E90M3 > 404 - User No Longer Available 11/22/2016 at 14:47

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Weird, all the loaner cars I’ve had have been MY2015 and newer, and none have reset after turing the car off. My MY2011 M3 stays off when you turn the car back on. It’s possible it has to do with different US/CAD laws or something.

Matt Nichelson > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:47

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Ah ok. I don’t think I would care for that too much then. Any noticeable difference in comfort compared to leather?

E90M3 > Matt Nichelson 11/22/2016 at 14:48

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No noticeable difference other than feel, just felt too rubbery for my taste.

Saracen > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 14:59

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Couple of people in my building have M235i’s. I’m curious about them.

Saracen > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 15:00

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I’ve driven a lot of bimmers, including the E90 M3, which is a car I covet more than any other. But I do remember how fantastic the 135i and E90 335i were. The F30 just felt numb by comparison. Even the F30 335i Sport I drove a few years ago just wasn’t excited. A shame, because I think the cockpit is lovely.

E90M3 > Saracen 11/22/2016 at 15:04

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It really is a shame they don’t drive as well as their predecessors, hopefully once electric steering improves.

E90M3 > Saracen 11/22/2016 at 15:04

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I would assume they’re like the 135is, but in a 2 series body.

Saracen > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 15:06

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Supposedly the steering is M-ified, and is better than the 228i.

E90M3 > Saracen 11/22/2016 at 15:07

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Best test would be to drive them back to back. I have driven an F10 M5, steering in that felt pretty good. Plus it lightning fast.

E92M3 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 15:47

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Ugh.. they are the ones who tried to sell everyone in the waiting area an alignment, cabin filter, or battery when I went for my last free brake fluid flush.

E90M3 > E92M3 11/22/2016 at 15:53

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They said it could use an alignment, I was like nah I’m good. Probably could replace my cabin air filter, it’s been in there over 2.5 years, but I’ll do that myself. I took it to BMW of San Antonio in February or an oil change and they recommended the brake fluid flush since it was due in March, so I was like yeah go ahead and do it.

TylerJ > Matt Nichelson 11/22/2016 at 16:08

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I’ve never driven, or sat in, an ///M car. I have driven a ‘90 Maxima, ‘01 Mustang GT, ‘03 F150, ‘10 tC, ‘12 Optima, and a ‘15 Tahoe.

I love the steering, in Sport mode.

TylerJ > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 16:09

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It is a software upgrade that lets it remember the last setting. My MY2012 also doesn’t have it.

TylerJ > 404 - User No Longer Available 11/22/2016 at 16:09

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It is a software upgrade that lets it remember the last setting. My MY2012 also doesn’t have it.

E90M3 > TylerJ 11/22/2016 at 16:20

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This software upgrade from BMW or aftermarket?

TylerJ > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 16:23

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BMW. Two dealerships quoted me something like $700 to have it done. I told them nevermind and that I can just push the button every time for that much money.

E90M3 > TylerJ 11/22/2016 at 16:24

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Hmm, my 2011 hasn’t had the upgrade, but will remember whether or not the button had been pushed.

TylerJ > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 16:25

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2011 would be an E9X, right? I think this just applies to F3X vehicles.

E90M3 > TylerJ 11/22/2016 at 16:26

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Yup E9X, haven’t had much experience in F30s.

TylerJ > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 16:29

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I looked into it pretty extensively when I got my F30 because the ASS is so rough sometimes.

I bought a cable and plan on coding it myself eventually. Also disable the seatbelt chime because who buckles up without cranking the vehicle first? I live in Louisiana and the first thing I do is crank the vehicle and turn the AC on max.

E92M3 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 17:49

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If you ever need an alignment (or new tires mounted) I would recommend Gran Turismo East.

E90M3 > E92M3 11/22/2016 at 17:51

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What about brakes? I need rear brakes soon, or should I just do them myself?

E92M3 > E90M3 11/22/2016 at 19:17

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Do it yourself. It’s one of the easiest things to DIY.