[retrospek]

Hi all,

I'm new here

My current lease is up in September (VW Tiguan) and I'm thinking of leasing a 3 Series 330E as a replacement - as really like the look of the car and the tech etc..

I'm interested to know would you buy a 3 Series again ? As who best to ask than current owners...

Any reasons why you wouldn't buy the G20 this time ?

I was holding off to see what the new Mercedes C Class would be like - but something about the interior I just don't like - seems to busy..

Thanks,
Mark

[Davey330i]

I have a 330i, have had it for about 18 months I love it to be fair. Would definitely buy it again, only question for me would be which model, spec and colour to choose

Can't comment on the electrical car side, but haven't had any issues or found bad points on mine. Does what it says on the tin and looks damn nice in the process

[Blackers]

Yes, to leasing a 330e again.

I have had my Portimao Blue with Mocha interior 330e on lease since September 2019 and just reached 15k miles of which 6k has been on electric.

Very pleased with the car including great interior, external looks, colour, performance running costs including low BIK rates. Great improvement on my previous C300h estate.

[wassap]

If it’s w company car then the 330e is a no brainier. But if you can wait then look at the c class PHEV. They will have a much bigger battery than the 330e and 7kw charging, which makes it much much more usable as a PHEV.

[Beemer5to3]

In all honesty no, as much as I have a soft spot for it. Too many issues that I've had have spoiled the ownership experience right from the start, coupled together with a poor ride (even with adaptive suspension), and the seats are way too firm and uncomfortable for me. I'm going to keep it for another 6 months to a year and probably switch back into a G30 (most likely M550i).

[Keith_C]

Without doubt, but will probably purchase the 4 series next which is virtually the same car with different body. Not had any problems with the car, the only niggle really is the Over The Air updates which has so much criteria for it to install. If the 12v battery isnt fully charged it can be weeks before it installs the update after the download. 1st World problems in the grand scheme of things.

[JM13RS]

Originally Posted by Beemer5to3

In all honesty no, as much as I have a soft spot for it. Too many issues that I've had have spoiled the ownership experience right from the start, coupled together with a poor ride (even with adaptive suspension), and the seats are way too firm and uncomfortable for me. I'm going to keep it for another 6 months to a year and probably switch back into a G30 (most likely M550i).

I second this. Lovely car but far too many software issues for it to be another purchase for me. Been in the garage a few times for all software related issues. I had a 2018 Audi S3 before & I miss it simply due to the fact it never once had to go back for updates & the like.

HK sound system is underwhelming to say the least & the fact I can never turn off that bloody steering intervention ( has to be done every journey) Just winds me up.

Very economical, I never have to fill it up really!

Nice car but too many problems imo.

( mine is the G21 touring in dravit grey with every option, looks the part!)

[retrospek]

Thanks for the feedback so far... Really appreciated..

[Joedeejay]

Absolutely not, spent more trips to the dealer for warranty issues than any other car I've owned.

[Isow]

Definitely, a great car, well built, good service from my local dealer.
It has given me absolutely no stress.

[woody320]

Originally Posted by Isow

Definitely, a great car, well built, good service from my local dealer.
It has given me absolutely no stress.

Me too, great car, looks great, performs well, love the Hybrid bit. Great economy. Other than minor software issues (which my dealer is superb at sorting pronto) it has not missed a beat. Oh and 8% BIK!

[b19rak]

I’m on my second. I had possibly the first 330d in 2019 from TRL and now a new M340i. Great cars, I’ve had every 3 series battle the last generation since the classic e30.

[Talisman77]

Absolutely, 100%. My M340i has been the ultimate experience and as a daily driver I can't fault it. Would purchase again in a heartbeat; it's going to be rough when tech/electric moves along as I don't know whether I'll see such an appealing package again.

[verysideways]

Love my G21. Superb "do it all" car.
Fast, fun, frugal, capacious, quiet.

[SilverGrey]

I wasn’t able to test drive a g20 but ordered one on the strength of owning previous BMW’s. I’ve been totally satisfied with my choice so far.

[willougs]

Im going to be controversial here and say "probably not".

This is my first, and probably last BMW. Coming from a very mainstream brand, I was hoping the BMW "prestige" image was going to be a satisfying little treat to myself in what has been a not-so-great year or so.
The ordering process was pretty straightforward compared to some. The car was delivered exactly as spec'd and before the estimated delivery date. I collected 1st March.
Although the G20 is a very nice car, there's just a few niggles with it that I wasnt expecting from a premium price vehicle.

• The quality/fit of the interior plastics is probably the most disappointing. They creak and rattle on even the slightly warm days.
  
• The near-side rear suspension knocks over bumps. The dealer is adament its a rear clip on the parcel shelf to hold the third seatbelt. Pretty sure thats not the problem as its quite obviously more of a thud from the suspension, but I need to let them do their thing on that first I guess to rule it out. A replacement part was ordered well over a month ago.
  
• The HK "high-end" audio is no more than average.
  
• The brochure and dealer quoted electric mile range is no-where near the real life values. I know you need to take all mpg values with a pinch of salt, but they are miles out. Literally.
  
• The iDrive software is random to say the least. Settings not being remembered, occaisionly reboots, blank screens, apps disappearing / reappearing, refusing to switch profiles when different keys being used. I've lost count the number of times I've reset it.
  
• No towing eye supplied with the vehicle and conflicting responses from various parts of BMW as to whether it should be or not. Three months in and I'm still not sure whether I should have one, or what to do if I break down.

I'll be keeping the car for a few years, mainly as I cant afford not to, so I have no problem with living with these relatively small issues... but I dont think any BMW will be top of the list next time around. Which is a shame.

[verysideways]

Originally Posted by willougs

• The quality/fit of the interior plastics is probably the most disappointing. They creak and rattle on even the slightly warm days.
  
• The near-side rear suspension knocks over bumps. The dealer is adament its a rear clip on the parcel shelf to hold the third seatbelt. Pretty sure thats not the problem as its quite obviously more of a thud from the suspension, but I need to let them do their thing on that first I guess to rule it out. A replacement part was ordered well over a month ago.
  
• The HK "high-end" audio is no more than average.
  
• The brochure and dealer quoted electric mile range is no-where near the real life values. I know you need to take all mpg values with a pinch of salt, but they are miles out. Literally.
  
• The iDrive software is random to say the least. Settings not being remembered, occaisionly reboots, blank screens, apps disappearing / reappearing, refusing to switch profiles when different keys being used. I've lost count the number of times I've reset it.
  
• No towing eye supplied with the vehicle and conflicting responses from various parts of BMW as to whether it should be or not. Three months in and I'm still not sure whether I should have one, or what to do if i break down.

My interior does not creak or rattle AT ALL and i suspect my car is more firmly sprung than yours. Do you know anyone with a similar car with which you could make a comparison?

Suspension - definitely get it looked at. Can you try a different dealer?

HK is better than the standard stereo but i agree is not "high end" by any stretch.

Electric only range on ALL plug in hybrids and full EV's is nowhere near the quoted figures, mainly due to the ludicrous testing process. You can't use the figures as absolutes, only as guides. If one car says it'll go 50% further on electric than another car that's probably true, but neither will do the 30 miles or 50 miles or whatever they quote.

4000 miles in my idrive has never blank screened or even stumbled. Get yours updated, something is not right.

No idea on the towing eye, sorry.

[DavidXJ]

Originally Posted by retrospek

Hi all,

I'm new here

My current lease is up in September (VW Tiguan) and I'm thinking of leasing a 3 Series 330E as a replacement - as really like the look of the car and the tech etc..

I'm interested to know would you buy a 3 Series again ? As who best to ask than current owners...

Any reasons why you wouldn't buy the G20 this time ?

I was holding off to see what the new Mercedes C Class would be like - but something about the interior I just don't like - seems to busy..

Thanks,
Mark

Welcome! I wouldn't hesitate to order up a new 3er again. Such an agile, classy, effortlessly engaging car. I moved from a 330i to the M340i and would endorse both (irrespective of the obvious upgrade in performance and creaminess that comes with the 40). I would say, though, that I've heard more niggles about the 330e than any other model: not with its build or handling (and I've test-driven one and can attest to its athleticism), so much as with various tech issues. To be sure, the 330e has been pretty uniformly celebrated in the auto-press; but unless you need a hybrid for company car reasons, I'd be steering without hesitation toward a 330i MSport (with the Pro pack that gives you the more or less indispensable adaptive suspension, shadowline trim, and attractive 19"
alloys). Hope this helps.

[paulockenden]

I would order another 3 series, but not at the moment given all the toy deletions on orders. I couldn’t live with that.

[willougs]

Originally Posted by DavidXJ

To be sure, the 330e has been pretty uniformly celebrated in the auto-press; but unless you need a hybrid for company car reasons, I'd be steering without hesitation toward a 330i MSport (with the Pro pack that gives you the more or less indispensable adaptive suspension, shadowline trim, and attractive 19"
alloys). Hope this helps.

Don't remember the exact spec, but pretty sure my 330e has all that.
I also don't need a hybrid for company car reasons, but for me it was a no-brainer. Commute within battery range, cheap electric tariff at home, free charging at work, no need for pops and bangs at my age, and only a few hundred quid more expensive than the 330d I was intending to buy.

Anyway, the powertrain is irrelevant and not the reason for my decision to unlikely buy again. It's maybe over expectation on my part, plus maybe a bit of fussiness, but the percieved BMW quality, and customer service as a whole, hasn't lived up to my expectation.

[paulockenden]

330e was a really sensible choice for me. Not a company car. But most of my trips are 'free'.

[Axeman15]

Probably not but I haven’t experienced many problems other than auto sport display not working in HUD and the current software hasn’t updated since being downloaded 3 weeks ago.

Perhaps I haven’t connected with it in the same way as previous cars due to COVID and lack of use. It is very competent but there’s something about it that is lacking in my eyes. HK sounds ok but nothing special and it devours rear tyres especially if you are unlucky enough to have Turanza RFT fitted.

This will be my first and last BMW but I may be keeping at the end of the finance agreement as where will I find another super low mileage car for the money.