08-13-2019, 07:53 PM | #67 |
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Including the 4-cyl Alfa was just a stupid waste of time. Would have enjoyed a comparison with the Quad.
The driver's seat of the Mercedes feels like a sardine can while BMW fits like a fine supple leather glove. What I love about BMW is that if an individual driver perceives a shortcoming it is really possible to modify & customize it to exactly how you want it. I could drive my custom 335ix all day long! |
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08-13-2019, 08:01 PM | #68 | |
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Seat preference is of course dependent on the driver. I find the C43 seats to be plenty fine. Thats great that I can add customizable and aftermarket stuff to the car, but if I'm spending $70k on a car, I don't want to have to spend more on the car because it didn't come out of the factory that way. Maybe if I was buying a used 340i, but this is a brand new car, I shouldn't have to add more to the already high price to make it perfect. Not to mention the car would be a possible lease, so I'm not to sure if I'd want to mod a car, just to give it up in three years. Last edited by stein_325i; 08-13-2019 at 08:24 PM.. |
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08-13-2019, 08:08 PM | #69 |
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Excellent review!
If you plan to start your own car magazine, I will be the first subscriber. I drove a loaner G20 330i for a week and could not wait to get behind the wheel of my 440i GC. Although 330i is a different vehicle than M340i, many of your observations I (sadly) agree with you. |
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08-13-2019, 08:10 PM | #70 | |
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08-13-2019, 08:13 PM | #71 | ||
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I could not agree more: 440i GC has very few equals in visual appearance category. |
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08-13-2019, 09:46 PM | #72 |
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Curious if anybody has cross shopped these vehicles with an RS3? Know it's a 5 cyl but is AWD and a sedan. Have been considering looking at one of these, along with the M340i and C43 for when I purchase my next vehicle.
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08-13-2019, 10:23 PM | #73 |
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I'd take the RS3 in a heartbeat. It's crazy how tunable that car is and how much power it makes on stock internals and stock clutches.
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08-13-2019, 10:37 PM | #74 | |
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08-14-2019, 12:46 AM | #76 |
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M340Xi feels too "tight" in the corners and C43 AMG feels too "loose". I'm not satisfied with the steering in either one of these vehicles and doesn't encourage you to push any of these cars hard into a corner.
I actually would consider the upcoming A45/CLA45 AMG as my next daily. Around the same price and much more special to drive than a M or AMG wannabe. I don't get why people think E90 is that great with first generation turbos that require a lot of maintenance and steering that is tight but on the heavy, numb side. Ride is horrible too and the interior is all cheap plastic. E46 was way better in terms of driving engagement and quality. |
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08-14-2019, 12:56 AM | #77 |
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You clearly haven't driven an RS3. The only thing good about the RS3 is the sound of the exhaust. Everything else is not that great: rides hard but handling and steering are very numb. Not a fun or comfortable car to drive at all. I would take a M2 over an RS3 in a heartbeat.
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08-14-2019, 03:02 AM | #78 | |
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I personally like the 335 for the above reasons, and kept it for ten years. I did prefer the looks of the E46 though, particularly in ZHP trim. I don’t see myself coming back to a modern BMW. Maybe an E30 as an occasional driver. |
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08-14-2019, 03:24 AM | #79 | ||
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08-14-2019, 03:28 AM | #80 | ||
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08-14-2019, 06:32 AM | #81 | |
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Basically, if you don't need the size of an M340 (or C43), go for the M2C. Much better than the RS3. |
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08-14-2019, 06:43 AM | #82 |
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Good write up
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08-14-2019, 06:45 AM | #83 | |
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In terms of modern motoring- 340 hits the emotional button and is the best styled cat out there. That said- I owned an e46 and that car was beautiful. Can't say these are beautiful or Exemplify simple esthetic. |
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08-14-2019, 08:25 AM | #84 | ||
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I know somebody who left BMW for an RS3 and they say the love it. Lease rates on the RS3 are horrendous though.
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08-14-2019, 08:45 AM | #85 | |||
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The M235 was a lot of fun, but I have to say that I am having as much fun in my new M340xdrive. Doesn't quite feel as nimble (although not as big a difference as I had feared before making the switch), but the extra power makes up for that! |
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08-14-2019, 09:37 AM | #86 |
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Good write-up. Keep in mind the M340 doesn't have the space to fit the revised electronic steering.
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08-14-2019, 10:01 AM | #87 |
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I found the M340i to feel larger than the previous 5 series. It doesn't handle bumps very well and feels very floaty. The design is so absolutely terrible that between those two things I'll never own one. I think the B58 is the best motor out of the bunch though. Seems like Mercedes is leading the pack these days.
On xdrive vs RWD, if it is your only car and you're in northern US or Canada I think it makes sense--otherwise no sense in AWD. I'd throw the RS3 into the mix to see what something smaller does for you--I really enjoy that car even with its haldex system. The G70 is very interesting but I find it awkwardly styled in the front, although better looking than the new 3 series. Still, I am not a fan of NA V6's. Would rather have turbo 4 or an NA i6.
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08-14-2019, 10:26 AM | #88 |
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Thanks. Yep I remember reading that a while back in the Road & Track prototype drive. I mentioned in the review how it was a bit of a stupid decision on BMW's part, after all the constant criticism from journalists and enthusiasts alike, to waste time and money on the development of a new steering rack (which they built likely to fix all the criticism of the F30), all so, in the end, it wouldn't actually fit in their "performance variant" of the lineup. They should have designed the new rack, with the Inline 6/M340i in mind. :
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