[Soul_Glo]

Thinking of taking the plunge on a 320d. Non x-drive.

Thoughts/views welcome.

[Beemer5to3]

I have a G30 5 series with the 20d engine at the minute, and aside from it not being the smoothest 2l diesel out there, it's very flexible and economical.

If you're not doing mega miles though, I'd go for the 320i - it's miles smoother and just as quick. That's what I've ended up opting for with my 3 series. It was also nearly £50 a month cheaper than the diesel, and you're not really going to see that in fuel saving.

[M2Andy]

Have recently picked up a 10 month old 320d xdrive after coming from a long line of Bmw 6cyl cars, most recently x4 m40i.

Whilst I prefer a diesel power delivery, it does feel a little strained when pushing on although i suppose ive been quite spoilt over the years.

The tech is good but in all honesty I am really disappointed with the instrument cluster and it’s lack of display options. A massive missed opportunity from bmw imo but maybe they’re leaving themselves something up their sleeves to release later to revive interest however it feels budget when you look at Merc and Audi’s offerings.

Sorry anyway back to the diesel question, for most drivers, it’s a perfectly good choice and will suits their needs

[Soul_Glo]

When COVID struck my businesses folded. I parted with my lease M340i. My 435d X Drive was written off by flood damage shortly after. So with two good cars gone, ideally I wanted another 6 cylinder but most are out of reach or don't meet my needs. Having owned one of five fully loaded F30 320d's... and remapping it... it was a decent all rounder. I was reading how the G20 320d was everything the F30 should have been... and here I am on the G20 forum. Mileage varies year to year but work is a 20 mile drive and includes many hill climbs/inclines so a diesel appeals.

[M2Andy]

Sorry to hear about your recent fortunes, tough times

I’m looking at the 320d as a tool rather than anything else at the moment as the m40i did no miles for the best part of 5 months and then when i did need to go to the office recently, I remembered how tedious the drive is - all slow A roads with hardly any chance to overtake and lucky to get above 40 most days before hitting city traffic and crawling along with everybody else.

I was wondering about a tuning box for the g21 but thinking it won’t make a noticeable difference for the money

[Soul_Glo]

Thanks. I had perfected the 435d to my liking. It was on ACS suspension and thicker anti roll bars.

Given the way BMW are headed with their warranties it's not worth taking the risk. Any maps/tuning box/coding will void a warranty. Not an issue if you are our of warranty or have deep pockets.

On the 20d engine it will feel like the car it should have been. 40-50 extra hp and 60-80 extra torque. Personally, I think a bespoke map will outdo any tuning box though. Often cheaper than a tuning box too. The 0-60 will be upper 6 seconds if that's a figure that matters.

When I mapped the 320d I was seeing 65-72 mpg regularly on longer journeys. It was great for economy.

[Osxboy]

I test drive a 320d and a 330e back in January. The 320d was first and really impressed me, fast, frugal, well equipped and comfortable. The 330e was even better and seemed smother overall. As mine is a company car the 330e won out and now due to the pandemic my annual mileage will be circa 6k rah their than 20k+ so the 320d would not be worth the extra tax.

[jonnyboyj]

I've owned a 2019 320d non X-drive since Feb 2020 and driven 7k in that time. It's an M-Sport with the 19" wheels. Having changed from an Audi A3 2l diesel, the first thing you notice is the quieter/smoother engine from inside and outside the car. Much more refined and appropriate for the class of car.

My usual commute is 200 miles and if you don't like a fairly hard ride then avoid an M-Sport, because even with dampers in Comfort it's firm. This is probably partly due to Run Flat tyres, although personally I'm not bothered and I like the way it rides. I would add that I used to own an E90 M-Sport and the ride in that was much worse. Avoid potholes, I've had a blow out on the A1 due to an unseen pothole in the dark and had to be taken home on the back of a flatbed truck because there's no spare tyre.

If you drive sensibly you'll easily see 50mpg, I averaged 65mpg on my last 200 mile journey. Average over 7k is 57mpg.

Performance is great for a 2l diesel, handling is even better esp in Adaptive or Sport mode. Can be reluctant to kick down but flick gear lever into sport and you're instantly in the meat of the power.

I love the car, only real downside so far is the drivers seat, it's fine for a couple of hours but driving 3-4 hrs straight becomes uncomfortable. I'm 6"3 and I know others have complained about this, but I'm trying small adjustments to see if comfort can be improved over long distances.

I'd definitely recommend the 320d, but if you're mainly doing 20 mile journeys maybe the 330e would be a better choice?

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by jonnyboyj

My usual commute is 200 miles and if you don't like a fairly hard ride then avoid an M-Sport, because even with dampers in Comfort it's firm. This is probably partly due to Run Flat tyres, although personally I'm not bothered and I like the way it rides.

Do you have the adaptive dampers? I believe all cars have the comfort/sport setting but with adaptive dampers I've found the ride to be excellent in comfort with 19" wheels

[jonnyboyj]

Originally Posted by RichardM

Do you have the adaptive dampers? I believe all cars have the comfort/sport setting but with adaptive dampers I've found the ride to be excellent in comfort with 19" wheels

Yes I do have the adaptive dampers with the Adaptive button, but it doesn't seem to make much difference to ride quality. I think I've tried it for a few minutes and not given it a chance to impress, so I'll try it for a long journey. On the other hand the Sport button definitely makes a noticeable difference, you can literally throw the car round corners with very little body roll.

[M2Andy]

I’ve found myself doing something I’ve never done on previous cars which is always driving in sport by default (I don’t have adaptive dampers though).
The car just feels so much more responsive and awake whereas in comfort I feel like I could also nod off at any time.

As I’ve driven it more over the past couple of weeks I’m starting to notice how much better it’s put together compared to the f series cars and the cabin is so much quieter.
It’s a great tool and does exactly what it says on the tin.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by jonnyboyj

I've owned a 2019 320d non X-drive since Feb 2020 and driven 7k in that time. It's an M-Sport with the 19" wheels. Having changed from an Audi A3 2l diesel, the first thing you notice is the quieter/smoother engine from inside and outside the car. Much more refined and appropriate for the class of car.

My usual commute is 200 miles and if you don't like a fairly hard ride then avoid an M-Sport, because even with dampers in Comfort it's firm. This is probably partly due to Run Flat tyres, although personally I'm not bothered and I like the way it rides. I would add that I used to own an E90 M-Sport and the ride in that was much worse. Avoid potholes, I've had a blow out on the A1 due to an unseen pothole in the dark and had to be taken home on the back of a flatbed truck because there's no spare tyre.

If you drive sensibly you'll easily see 50mpg, I averaged 65mpg on my last 200 mile journey. Average over 7k is 57mpg.

Performance is great for a 2l diesel, handling is even better esp in Adaptive or Sport mode. Can be reluctant to kick down but flick gear lever into sport and you're instantly in the meat of the power.

I love the car, only real downside so far is the drivers seat, it's fine for a couple of hours but driving 3-4 hrs straight becomes uncomfortable. I'm 6"3 and I know others have complained about this, but I'm trying small adjustments to see if comfort can be improved over long distances.

I'd definitely recommend the 320d, but if you're mainly doing 20 mile journeys maybe the 330e would be a better choice?

Thanks I was looking for something like this by an owner/driver.

My commute is a 40 mile round trip. The 435d used to take an age to warm up but it got there 15 minutes into the half hour journey. I've noticed our C250d gets up to temp in 10 minutes or less.

I did pitch the question a while ago on what warms up quicker. A 4 pot or 6 pot. Many said the 6 but may be it was a thermostat. Who knows?!

Once a week I will be making a 100 mile motorway journey.

I am hard pressed to replace the 435d. It felt effortless. I originally came from a 320d albeit F30!

I test drove the 320i not long ago and it felt decent. How it'd cope with our rural roads and inclines I don't know. That's why diesel makes more sense because of the torque taking the stress out of the hills by me.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by jonnyboyj

Yes I do have the adaptive dampers with the Adaptive button, but it doesn't seem to make much difference to ride quality. I think I've tried it for a few minutes and not given it a chance to impress, so I'll try it for a long journey. On the other hand the Sport button definitely makes a noticeable difference, you can literally throw the car round corners with very little body roll.

They did something with trick suspension. When a rear wheel drive car accelerates the weight shifts over the back wheels and the front lifts a bit. That's why the 435d suffered from a horrendous sea-saw problem. It could make one nauseous. The G20 electronic dampers, stiffen up and, dampen the sea-saw...! So when I drove one with adaptive and one without... the only thing I found was the adaptive had the edge pressing on through corners. Otherwise they feel about the same when not making haste.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by M2Andy

I've found myself doing something I've never done on previous cars which is always driving in sport by default (I don't have adaptive dampers though).
The car just feels so much more responsive and awake whereas in comfort I feel like I could also nod off at any time.

As I've driven it more over the past couple of weeks I'm starting to notice how much better it's put together compared to the f series cars and the cabin is so much quieter.
It's a great tool and does exactly what it says on the tin.

Are you referring to a G20 320d? Did you purchase one or not yet?

I haven't tried sport in a G20 320d but I can see how it would take the sluggishness away.

In the 435d sport felt vicious, it hung on to revs longer and, didn't really suit the nature of the car. It's no slouch but it's not an M4. More of a cruiser than bruiser. Sure you get the 0-60 bragging rights but I'm a bit old for that.

Our F30 320d felt like the car it should have been post-remap. I didn't want to take a chance on warranty so opted for a more powerful engine.

I keep coming back to the old Chris Harris video of 'do you need anything more than a 320d?' BMW lead the segment of 2.0d as they have darn near perfected it.

[G20NZ]

I picked up my 320d about a month ago and absolutely love it. Engine is great around town too with the power delivery. Obviously it's no M340i but I've found the best individual setting is to put the engine in sport or sport plus (plus needs to be coded in) , steering in sport and suspension in comfort. Wakes it up and is a really engaging drive.

I've come from a close to 400hp 135i so it's a huge change but the G20 chassis with the adaptive suspension is a massive step up alone. No regrets here whatsoever

[PauloBairn]

Soul Glo - I have a base 320d sport and a similar daily drive to you. 50 mile round trip and and once a week 150 mile - mostly motorway. This has been my first BMW so cannot compare it to older models, although my son has the previous version and says the new model is light years ahead. I find the automatic gearbox to be superb although its a bit sleepy in eco mode. fuel economy is amazing for such a big motor and it can quite easily return 60+ on a motorway journey sitting with cruise on at somewhere just above the speed limit. Just returned from the North Coast 500 and it was faultless with just enough power to get you out of trouble whilst not trying to kill you. it even returned mid 50mpg, which is no mean feat if you have ever been on some of those single track roads. Suspension wise, it is comfortable,compliant and not harsh at all. The heating system is also fantastic and i don't know exactly how it works but I'm sure i can feel heat from the vents within the first couple of miles although I may be imagining it as i have the heated steering wheel and seats on. The only fly in the ointment (if you want the latest tech) is the Sport only came with ID6.

[M2Andy]

Originally Posted by Soul_Glo

Are you referring to a G20 320d? Did you purchase one or not yet?

I haven't tried sport in a G20 320d but I can see how it would take the sluggishness away.

In the 435d sport felt vicious, it hung on to revs longer and, didn't really suit the nature of the car. It's no slouch but it's not an M4. More of a cruiser than bruiser. Sure you get the 0-60 bragging rights but I'm a bit old for that.

Our F30 320d felt like the car it should have been post-remap. I didn't want to take a chance on warranty so opted for a more powerful engine.

I keep coming back to the old Chris Harris video of 'do you need anything more than a 320d?' BMW lead the segment of 2.0d as they have darn near perfected it.

Yes correct, I’m now in a g21 320d.
Previous cars like a lot of forum members include the more powerful 3l petrol and diesels (b58 mostly) so yes, you obviously notice the drop in performance but it’s no slouch either.

The Chris Harris do you need anymore than a 320d is a great vid but there was also another thread in the f30 forum where people were discussing if you put your sorts gauges on the central display, it’s a bit depressing to see you’re only ever using a tiny amount of the available ps and torque!

[Soul_Glo]

I finally managed to drive a 320d and found it quite a capable car. Thankfully there were some 60/70 roads nearby so I planted it. It's sufficient. It's economical. It doesn't sound or feel like a diesel. The only thing that gives it away is the torque/power delivery.

I didn't find the seats uncomfortable. The iDrive is much more sharper and intuitive. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to turn off the air con. The park assist plus camera are sharp. I love the way the camera view changes when you get close to something at the front or back.

Didn't have time to test the Harman Kardon. Head up seems clearer. The test mule had speed sign recognition which worked better than it does in our Mercedes.

Yes the 0-60 is reminiscent of 90's hot hatchbacks and at one point anything less than 6.9 seconds was not worth getting out of bed for... but it felt low 6's.

So I placed an order.

Really nice car. Massive step up from the F30. Light years ahead.

Diesel is getting a bad rep still. Many dealerships are stocking mostly petrol and electric but an ad blue diesel is going to heat up the planet slower than a petrol.

[M2Andy]

Harman kardon is a must, meant to say this earlier in the thread.
I say it’s a must not because I’ve heard how good it is in the latest G2x models but because of how bad it is without HK!
Honestly I wouldn’t have believed others descriptions and would have put it down to over playing the downside but the base system (which unfortunately my car has) is truly awful!

[DomiGijzen]

I have a 320d for 16 months and 43k km. Perfect car for daily commutes and longer trips.
You will be very pleased.

PS, I test drove the 320i and was not amused about performance in lower rpm.