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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions BMW M340i vs Mercedes C43 AMG vs Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Sport - Review & Comparison

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      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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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!
I didn't find it to be a waste of time, I mainly went into it knowing that I wasn't going to buy it, but I was definitely curious about all the great things that have been said about the car, and I'm sure forum members would find a BMW enthusiasts' opinion on the Alfa to be very interesting. Despite it being a 4 cylinder, it still out-handles every car in its class. Quadrifoglio is a competitor to the M3/C63 thus I didn't compare it, and if you would have loved a comparison with the Quadrifoglio, you are free to go and drive these cars anytime you want yourself.

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.
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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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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.
Thanks for the kind words, also I don't blame you, one thing I've always loved about the 4GC is how beautiful it is! If only BMW made an M4 GC!
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      08-13-2019, 08:13 PM   #71
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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.
Thanks for the kind words, also I don't blame you, one thing I've always loved about the 4GC is how beautiful it is! If only BMW made an M4 GC!
My perhaps pointless wait for M4 GC has been redirected towards X4M Competition. I plan to test drive one as soon as my local dealer has one in stock.

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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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.
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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Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax View Post
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Originally Posted by Gdiddy23 View Post
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.
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.
Aren't you an Audi dealer though? My apologies if not, but it seemed like it from one of your earlier posts.
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      08-13-2019, 11:07 PM   #75
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We own a 2018 Giulia Ti Sport and after driving just a 330i BMW we’re immediately sold on it. Trying to get into a M340i as I type this. =)
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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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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.
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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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.
I had both an E46 ZHP and E90 335i. E90 had a much better ride and nicer interior. More room, and better grip. E46 was lighter and therefore more responsive, but harsher ride, less room and frankly less power and grip. That’s probably why people like E90 more.

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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Aren't you an Audi dealer though? My apologies if not, but it seemed like it from one of your earlier posts.
I was a previous BMW Genius. I'm now in IT.

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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.
Not only have I driven an RS3, I have friends that own them and have built the hell out of them. The 5 cylinder engine is a marvelous thing. The ride while firm(this is a sports sedan) it isn't as firm as an M2 Competition and you get AWD grip to boot. The RS3 can run 9's on stock internals. The M2 can only dream of that.
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      08-14-2019, 03:28 AM   #80
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I don't understand this:

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"Despite these great attributes, it still does suffer from many modern BMW issues like the increase in size and weight".
Nope. There is no such issue. 3 series is lighter than C class and A4, size-wise it's also pretty much the same. So actually, weight is an advantage for BMW, like in every single category they're in. Just because a few loud critics made up this "issue", that doesn't mean it's true.

Alfa is lighter, but steering and the weight are the only things going for it.
The fact that other guys are even heavier doesn't mean the 3 series isn't too heavy for the reviewers taste..
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      08-14-2019, 06:32 AM   #81
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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.
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.
Agreed. I compared the M340, C43 and RS3 before I picked the M340. I was intrigued by the speed of the RS3, and thought that might compensate for the smaller size, ie make me forget that it's a smaller car than I really need. However, once I tried it I found it very quick but numb. I also realized that I was swapping from an M235 to potentially an M340 for a reason...I needed extra space, and the RS3 actually felt smaller than the M235.

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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I felt the same way you did between the M340 and the C43. I had my heart set in the C43 but when I test drove both the C43 was a little too stiff for my (and my wife's) daily driver. I liked the interior a lot and the power adjustments lacking in the M340 as well as the fact that you can get carbon fiber trim from the factory. Both have pluses and minuses and there really was no wrong choice, I just picked the one that checked the boxes that were more important to me.
If Mercedes gives the new inline 6 to the C class- we will have a contender.

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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Quote:
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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.
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.
Agreed. I compared the M340, C43 and RS3 before I picked the M340. I was intrigued by the speed of the RS3, and thought that might compensate for the smaller size, ie make me forget that it's a smaller car than I really need. However, once I tried it I found it very quick but numb. I also realized that I was swapping from an M235 to potentially an M340 for a reason...I needed extra space, and the RS3 actually felt smaller than the M235.

Basically, if you don't need the size of an M340 (or C43), go for the M2C. Much better than the RS3.
If I decide I can live with only 2 doors, I've been highly considering the M240i. I'd love an M2 but this going to be my daily and idk about you but here in MN getting an AWD vehicle is a necessity in my opinion. The handling on the M240 seemed so much better than my F30.

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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Originally Posted by tkila View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax View Post
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.
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.
Agreed. I compared the M340, C43 and RS3 before I picked the M340. I was intrigued by the speed of the RS3, and thought that might compensate for the smaller size, ie make me forget that it's a smaller car than I really need. However, once I tried it I found it very quick but numb. I also realized that I was swapping from an M235 to potentially an M340 for a reason...I needed extra space, and the RS3 actually felt smaller than the M235.

Basically, if you don't need the size of an M340 (or C43), go for the M2C. Much better than the RS3.
If I decide I can live with only 2 doors, I've been highly considering the M240i. I'd love an M2 but this going to be my daily and idk about you but here in MN getting an AWD vehicle is a necessity in my opinion. The handling on the M240 seemed so much better than my F30.

I know somebody who left BMW for an RS3 and they say the love it. Lease rates on the RS3 are horrendous though.
True, the AWD vs RWD issue would be a factor in some states, although I've heard winter tires works wonders on RWD cars (but I've no personal experience of that as I didn't have space to store a second set of tires when I had the M235...which made for a few sketchy drives in January/Feb each year).

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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Good write-up. Keep in mind the M340 doesn't have the space to fit the revised electronic steering.
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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