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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions On the horns of a dilemma - M340i vs C43

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      07-02-2019, 09:06 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joshuastein55 View Post
Finally going to a get a review/comparison of the M340i tomorrow. While its not a magazine like C/D or Motortrend, who somehow still haven't reviewed the vehicle, they are very good youtubers, and one of the hosts is a BMW fanboy and E46 owner so he should be very informative.

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Can’t wait to see how they rank these three cars. I test drove these three back to back twice, once with my wife and once without. Both of us thought the best all around car was the M340 and it was the one that going in to it the one we were least likely to pick.
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      07-03-2019, 02:43 AM   #24
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A Throttlehouse review should be interesting. We know Car and Driver, MT, etc will just bash the m340i anyway. They'll say, it's gotten too big, it's disconnected, no manual, too expensive, cheap materials, blah blah (enter yawn here). We don't even need to read the article. They're opinions continue to lose relevance anyway.
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      07-03-2019, 09:17 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by Fuller View Post
A Throttlehouse review should be interesting. We know Car and Driver, MT, etc will just bash the m340i anyway. They'll say, it's gotten too big, it's disconnected, no manual, too expensive, cheap materials, blah blah (enter yawn here). We don't even need to read the article. They're opinions continue to lose relevance anyway.
Then don’t bother watching the review...throttlehouse basically said the same and were bored with the m340
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      07-03-2019, 09:29 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patgilm View Post
Can’t wait to see how they rank these three cars. I test drove these three back to back twice, once with my wife and once without. Both of us thought the best all around car was the M340 and it was the one that going in to it the one we were least likely to pick.
I have to say that it is all a matter of preference and what you are will to pay for. In my case, The M340i looked the best. I liked that the dash wasn't too busy. The power and sound is great for this type of car.

I have to says that the M340 is a head turner with the color I got.
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      07-03-2019, 10:09 AM   #27
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Their assessment was close to mine but their pick was different. Audi had the best interior but boring to look at from the outside. MB was the most sporty/exciting and loudest inside (and IMO looked the best). BMW was in between (but IMO the best overall). Their thoughts on the new BMW virtual dash is exactly how I feel especially compared to Audi.
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      07-03-2019, 10:10 AM   #28
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According to Throttle House review, C43 is exciting while M340i is just a faster 330i. They acknowledge that C43 is more hard edged including suspension but they like that. Personally that's not what I'm looking for in my next car. I don't know how 330i can compare substantially to M340i though.
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      07-03-2019, 10:53 AM   #29
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According to Throttle House review, C43 is exciting while M340i is just a faster 330i. They acknowledge that C43 is more hard edged including suspension but they like that. Personally that's not what I'm looking for in my next car. I don't know how 330i can compare substantially to M340i though.
Yeah, and motor trend critiqued the g20 330i for having too stiff a suspension. It looks to me like bmw is simply the brand everyone loves to hate.
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      07-03-2019, 11:01 AM   #30
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Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuller View Post
A Throttlehouse review should be interesting. We know Car and Driver, MT, etc will just bash the m340i anyway. They'll say, it's gotten too big, it's disconnected, no manual, too expensive, cheap materials, blah blah (enter yawn here). We don't even need to read the article. They're opinions continue to lose relevance anyway.
Then don’t bother watching the review...throttlehouse basically said the same and were bored with the m340
Yeah, and somehow you see bmw being trashed for all of those things (lack of 6mt, big heavy car etc, and it gets ignored or glossed over for every other brand that has followed the exact same trends. The fact is that bmw, especially 3 and 4 series, are held to a higher standard - perhaps unfairly so.
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      07-03-2019, 11:10 AM   #31
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I don't know how 330i can compare substantially to M340i though.
Probably because the 330 and 340 are the same car?

If you get a 330 with m-sport package it’s essentially the same as the m340 other than the engine. Suspension is the same, tuning of the electronic systems and transmissions is the same (other than to account for the difference in power of the 340). The 330 actually has a better weight balance than the 340 and the steering rack is updated and has slightly more feel than the 340.

The only difference between the 330 with msport and the m340 is the m340 has 130hp more, 2 extra cylinders, an inferior steering rack, and a tacky looking grill.
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      07-03-2019, 11:16 AM   #32
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Yeah, and somehow you see bmw being trashed for all of those things (lack of 6mt, big heavy car etc, and it gets ignored or glossed over for every other brand that has followed the exact same trends. The fact is that bmw, especially 3 and 4 series, are held to a higher standard - perhaps unfairly so.
That’s right totally agree. I think bmw is held to a higher standard because their older cars were so engaging to drive. While I do feel that the current BMW lineup is mostly better than all their direct competitors, and technically much more capable than any BMW of the past, for me they lack any sort of emotion.

My G30 is the first car I’ve had that I don’t love and that I don’t have a desire to take out for a drive just to have a nice drive. Sure, it’s better than an e class or an a6, but I’m just numb to it. I was hoping the m340 would fix that. While the m340 is more engaging than the G30, it’s not a car I would ever want to drive just to take a drive. It’s there. It looks good. It drives well. It’s confortable. It’s relatively efficient. It’s a car. It doesn’t exactly inspire passion. I’m very much hoping that the m3 kicks things up a few notches otherwise the m2c is the only bmw I feel any sort of connection with.
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      07-03-2019, 11:17 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuller View Post
A Throttlehouse review should be interesting. We know Car and Driver, MT, etc will just bash the m340i anyway. They'll say, it's gotten too big, it's disconnected, no manual, too expensive, cheap materials, blah blah (enter yawn here). We don't even need to read the article. They're opinions continue to lose relevance anyway.
Then don’t bother watching the review...throttlehouse basically said the same and were bored with the m340
That's not what I took away from their review. They actually said the m340i is a great car (they said all 3 are great cars and you can't go wrong whichever one you choose). However, they personally like the more aggressive edge of the C43 more. That is not the same as saying they were bored with the M340. In fact, one comment suggested that they felt the M340i would be the more fun car on a track because of its rear-biased AWD...but not on the road (because they like the loud exhaust and stiff suspension of the C43 which makes it feel a bit more immediate on the road).
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      07-03-2019, 11:52 AM   #34
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I've gotten so many head turners in my m340i... idk the car just feels so good to drive and has such a mean aggressive presence on the road... the Mercedes just looks like... any other car to be honest.... I love my white M340i, just shines so much + I do have to agree with throttlehouse I do wish the exhaust was a bit louder, but come time when aftermarket companies start producing exhaust systems I'll definitely upgrade that.. or maybe even that rumoured Performance exhaust BMW is making for the M340i... a tune for me will be out of the question because I don't wanna butcher my warranty
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      07-03-2019, 12:42 PM   #35
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As much as I don't like Benz's (for the most part), I love the way that C43 sounded when it shifted!
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      07-03-2019, 12:47 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
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Originally Posted by Transfer View Post
I don't know how 330i can compare substantially to M340i though.
Probably because the 330 and 340 are the same car?

If you get a 330 with m-sport package it's essentially the same as the m340 other than the engine. Suspension is the same, tuning of the electronic systems and transmissions is the same (other than to account for the difference in power of the 340). The 330 actually has a better weight balance than the 340 and the steering rack is updated and has slightly more feel than the 340.

The only difference between the 330 with msport and the m340 is the m340 has 130hp more, 2 extra cylinders, an inferior steering rack, and a tacky looking grill.
I want to comment on the weight distribution of the 330i vs m340i. This was also a point made in regard to the f3* cars, and haven driven f3* cars with the I6 and turbo 4, ill say that the turbo 4 cars felt heavier and more ponderous than the same model with the I6. I realize that the turbo 4 car is lighter and has less weight toward the front, but the increased power afforded by the I6 makes the car feel lighter and more nimble to me.

That's not to disparage the turbo 4. As I've driven more models with the 4, I've become more impressed with it. I like the f30 lci version (b48) or whatever. It feels like it gives up a bit of low end torque but makes up for it with more top end power, and a more linear, and predictable power development. I think, on paper, it's similarly tuned in the g20, but with a few extra hp. I haven't driven it in g20 guise yet though, so I don't know from experience.
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      07-03-2019, 01:32 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuller View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ssquared View Post
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Originally Posted by Transfer View Post
I don't know how 330i can compare substantially to M340i though.
Probably because the 330 and 340 are the same car?

If you get a 330 with m-sport package it's essentially the same as the m340 other than the engine. Suspension is the same, tuning of the electronic systems and transmissions is the same (other than to account for the difference in power of the 340). The 330 actually has a better weight balance than the 340 and the steering rack is updated and has slightly more feel than the 340.

The only difference between the 330 with msport and the m340 is the m340 has 130hp more, 2 extra cylinders, an inferior steering rack, and a tacky looking grill.
I want to comment on the weight distribution of the 330i vs m340i. This was also a point made in regard to the f3* cars, and haven driven f3* cars with the I6 and turbo 4, ill say that the turbo 4 cars felt heavier and more ponderous than the same model with the I6. I realize that the turbo 4 car is lighter and has less weight toward the front, but the increased power afforded by the I6 makes the car feel lighter and more nimble to me.

That's not to disparage the turbo 4. As I've driven more models with the 4, I've become more impressed with it. I like the f30 lci version (b48) or whatever. It feels like it gives up a bit of low end torque but makes up for it with more top end power, and a more linear, and predictable power development. I think, on paper, it's similarly tuned in the g20, but with a few extra hp. I haven't driven it in g20 guise yet though, so I don't know from experience.
I will say the turbo 4's power is definitely impressive and powerful enough for most people ~5.2 to 60 is fast enough in my opinion and seeing how the engine can get 40+ mpg I would buy one for myself if I wasn't a cylinder snob (my boxster is my only exception as it can't be optioned with anything other than a 4 pot unless paying $100+ for a Gt4)
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      07-03-2019, 02:47 PM   #38
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Great Review.
A lot of people these days say the "Ipad looking screen on the dash is a deal breaker" and most of the time I don't mind it but in that Mercedes is literally does look like a low end tablet with a huge bezel taped on there (an ipad would be nicer). That screen would literally be a deal breaker. Otherwise i agree that the materials feel better in the Benz but the design is a little silly..
I found the G20 interior a big step up from the fail that is the F30 but it doesnt feel as high end as the g30 5 series (or previous gen 6 series which i loved)
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      07-03-2019, 08:29 PM   #39
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Great Review.
A lot of people these days say the "Ipad looking screen on the dash is a deal breaker" and most of the time I don't mind it but in that Mercedes is literally does look like a low end tablet with a huge bezel taped on there (an ipad would be nicer). That screen would literally be a deal breaker. Otherwise i agree that the materials feel better in the Benz but the design is a little silly..
I found the G20 interior a big step up from the fail that is the F30 but it doesnt feel as high end as the g30 5 series (or previous gen 6 series which i loved)
The g20 is not as high end as the 5 or 6 series though. If the g20 was as nice as those cars, their owners would have every right to feel cheated.
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      07-07-2019, 06:45 PM   #40
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I found the throttle house reviews (they did an analogous one for the base models) interesting yet frustrating.
For the base models they thought ultimately the BMW was the best. Then in the upper models they dogged the BMW because the C63 and the S4 were more better than the C300 and A4 respective than the M340 was from the 330. So they are rewarding the merc because the C300 is inferior and punishing BMW for having two consistently good cars one of which is just more powerful?

In the end both decided that if choosing between the M340, C63, and the S4, they would choose..........the 330i.
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      07-07-2019, 10:16 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3ismagic# View Post
I found the throttle house reviews (they did an analogous one for the base models) interesting yet frustrating.
For the base models they thought ultimately the BMW was the best. Then in the upper models they dogged the BMW because the C63 and the S4 were more better than the C300 and A4 respective than the M340 was from the 330. So they are rewarding the merc because the C300 is inferior and punishing BMW for having two consistently good cars one of which is just more powerful?

In the end both decided that if choosing between the M340, C63, and the S4, they would choose..........the 330i.
At 23:52 they both said they'd rather have the C43.. cuz it's closest to the C63 than the other two. But given their own money Thomas rather have the 330i and save the money. James would still rather have C43.

Anyways it goes back to the F30 intro reviews where most reviewers said they'd personally pick the 328i over the 330i due to the weight and not much differentiation between the two expect motor
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      07-08-2019, 12:21 AM   #42
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Originally Posted by 3ismagic# View Post
I found the throttle house reviews (they did an analogous one for the base models) interesting yet frustrating.
For the base models they thought ultimately the BMW was the best. Then in the upper models they dogged the BMW because the C63 and the S4 were more better than the C300 and A4 respective than the M340 was from the 330. So they are rewarding the merc because the C300 is inferior and punishing BMW for having two consistently good cars one of which is just more powerful?

In the end both decided that if choosing between the M340, C63, and the S4, they would choose..........the 330i.
I think they generally liked the m340i, but they feel that if it wears an "M" badge, it should have more M characteristics, like the c43 amg is more like a ttv6 powered c63 than a c300.
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      07-09-2019, 04:52 AM   #43
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I think they generally liked the m340i, but they feel that if it wears an "M" badge, it should have more M characteristics, like the c43 amg is more like a ttv6 powered c63 than a c300.
I guess. But the one "sporty" thing they really noticed on the C43 with the stupid exhaust belch with each gear change. Sporty exhaust growl is great under acceleration but I couldn't live with the exhaust belch every single time it changes gear. That would get really tiring. Like the first time your kid does something cute it's fun. Then they proceed to do the same damn thing over and over for the next 12 hours and in no time it's driving you up a wall?

I also don't find the current merc stying (inside or out) very attractive but YMMV.
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      07-09-2019, 06:48 AM   #44
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Quote:
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I think they generally liked the m340i, but they feel that if it wears an "M" badge, it should have more M characteristics, like the c43 amg is more like a ttv6 powered c63 than a c300.
I guess. But the one "sporty" thing they really noticed on the C43 with the stupid exhaust belch with each gear change. Sporty exhaust growl is great under acceleration but I couldn't live with the exhaust belch every single time it changes gear. That would get really tiring. Like the first time your kid does something cute it's fun. Then they proceed to do the same damn thing over and over for the next 12 hours and in no time it's driving you up a wall?

I also don't find the current merc stying (inside or out) very attractive but YMMV.
Agreed. Their review is good but confuses me. When you boil it down, they just liked the exhaust note and stiffness of the suspension, which makes it feel aggressive. That is not the same as sporty to me. You don't need a loud exhaust or an really stiff suspension to have a sporty car. And then they state that the M340 would be more fun on a track. Track driving is a lot different to driving on the road, but if a car is fun on a track it is probably a good indication that it is set-up in a "sporty" manner.

As other people have said, we probably shouldn't over-analyze their conclusions, which are entirely personal to the reviewers. We should make our own judgement and buy the car that fits our needs/preferences. In my case, that is the M340 xdrive.
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