I am fairly seized with the idea of an xDrive automatic, especially a 330d/335d
As it happens I will be in the vicinity tomorrow so I am going to look at a second hand 320d xDrive auto at a BMW dealer - common sense might prevail, I'm sure it will be plenty fast enough, but really I just want to look at one properly and take a test drive if poss. Haven't called them yet but hope they can accommodate.
If the 320 is disappointing I have a short list of 330/335 in other locations, I'm not in a desperate hurry; and if I can't get what I want for mine I might not bother.
The car I am looking at is an M Sport, about 15m old, 9,000 miles. £25k.
Do these cars still have the 8 speed TC gearbox, does anyone know? I gather BMW also use a DCT.
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It will be a TC gearbox. I think the DCT is in more sporty cars like the M3 or M4.
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Although I see on the BMW website DCT is an option and it lists some cars. Pretty sure it won't have a dual clutch gearbox. It's one reason I'd find one more appealing than a VAG with DSG.
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Obrigado.
I hope you're right. Although in their blurb, BMW say their DCT is better for manoeuvring, which is not my experience based on the VAG jobs.
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>> DCT is better for manoeuvring, which is not my experience based on the VAG jobs.
I've said this a few times - the VW cars with auto-hold are a pain to manoeuvre with a DSG because auto-hold will engage. Turn it off and they creep like any other automatic car.
That's my experience anyway.
The brochure mentions 8 speed auto with Steptronic. So I don't think they are DCT. The DCT is marketed as M DCT Drivelogic and it's 7 speed.
tinyurl.com/htjsqxx
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 6 Feb 17 at 22:57
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Autocar have had a 320d x-drive on long-term test. They like the car in general although I think I read that it has a hopeless turning circle.
Also some time back Andrew Frankel (one of the better motoring journalists) thought that he couldn't really see the point of 4Wd over RWD on a 3-series.
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Mate's old man has a 335d GT X-drive - pretty sure it has the 8-spd ZF slushbox.
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I drove a 320d AWD 'step auto' yesterday, and I was underwhelmed.
Nice car, comfortable driving position once I got the seat sorted, and of course much better interior aesthetics than the current Outlandish which has now progressed to about 10 years behind from the 20 years of my 2011 model.
I had told myself that it would be plenty fast enough with 184ps but it didn't feel especially lively. Of course a 330 or 335d would fix that, but I also felt a bit short of elbow room somehow. I didn't try the back seats, I just forgot, but I am assured that 6 footers can use it. Again it looks a very enclosed and gloomy space, especially with black seats, carpet and headlining.
Of course it's still an excellent car, even with the 184ps engine. Amongst points in its favour was a proper handbrake. I almost did a deal, and probably would have persisted if it hadn't been such hard work, but I'm glad I didn't. On reflection, I admired the car more than I actually liked it, although no doubt it would have done wonders for my image, especially with the pop-up showing-off rear wing.
It did however make me realise that I really want an automatic again, a proper one. So I bought one later in the day. I'm pretty sure most people would prefer the BMW to what I bought, but I am happy.
Continued on p. 94...
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>>a proper one
Not easy these days, even scooby doos use whining belts and pulleys now :(
>>Continued on p. 94...
I'm still on p. 47...
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I've not driven a GT, but have tried a few F30/31 3-ers now and X-Drive has a noticeable impact on the turning circle vs the conventional RWD BMWs, and to me gave the car a slight feeling of understeer under even remotely spirited acceleration out of tighter corners. I will be honest, I didn't care for it very much. That said, the rest of the x35d drivetrain is just spectacular. 'Effortless thrust' doesn't even begin to do the experience justice, and it makes a great noise too. If it were my money though, a RWD 330d is actually a nicer car to drive. It lacks the blistering all weather pace of the 335d, but you'd still never call it slow.
Also, bear in mind with X-Drive that it (on the conventional F30 3-er at least) is also incompatible with the M-Sport suspension, so even in M-Sport trim, an X-Drive 3 series will have standard, non- M-Sport suspension . This means Adaptive is almost mandatory to avoid excessive wallowing when pressing on.
As always it depends what you want. For sheer, effortless point-to-point pace in all weathers, the 335d is one of the most capable and quickest cars I have ever driven. And 465 lb/ft at 1500 RPM through the rear wheels would be two handfuls in the wet. But I'd strongly urge you to try a RWD 330d as an alternative.
Regardless of engine, the 8 speed ZF TC gearbox is peerless. The best two pedal transmission out there, IMHO.
Last edited by: DP on Thu 9 Feb 17 at 09:35
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I love my 320 x drive mSport. The gearbox is the best I've ever used. Works very, very well as an all round package. If only it had ACC
Last edited by: R.P. on Thu 9 Feb 17 at 09:53
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Reply to DP & R.P.
Interesting information. I suspected I would prefer the standard suspension anyway, but I did not find the M Sport 320 xDrive GT I drove particularly firm, fairly compliant in fact. I could essentially have bought a 2 year old 330d instead of a new Outlander, and in performance terms there is of course no comparison. But experience suggests I would just normalise to that.
I agree that the gearbox worked beautifully.
Anyway it's done - I had had an idea that I could combine my fun motoring with practicality, but I will probably just look for a better MX5 for the fun part (and it will be much more fun than a 330d, as well as a lot slower) and I am looking forward to the new Outlander.
I'm not surprised the Outlander is a minority pastime, I'm sure 99/100 people would rather have the BMW, but it didn't suit me. My mother always said I was "contrary".
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BMW - 3 series GT - rtj70
