As mentioned in another thread I've had one of these for a couple of days. It was a very pretty and subtle metallic grey. On a 69 plate it had 400 odd miles on it when I collected. Average fuel consumption remained steadfastly ar 29 mpg over the 100 miles or so I put on it. I drove it like a saint during my tenure. The engine is of course a 2.0 litre petrol 4 cylinder with 240ish BHP mated to the standard BMW auto box ( I think they're all autos now, they certainly are in the Netherlands). Interior was very standard BMW fare. The steering wheel felt rather "thick" compared to the 335d. Lovely electrically adjustable seat - every BMW should have these as well ! (mine hasn't). It had the premium sound system which is great...oddities were an absence of BMW's soft touch indicators, these felt clunky compared to the ones in my car - certainly not "premium" - the auto wipers have now moved from a neat little button at the end of the wiper stalk to a more conventional "1 up" clunky wiper switch. Another oddity was when I leave my car and lock it it it shuts down the car - radio, lights, and ignition. The 430 gave a cheeky little hoot when I tried it on with it and had to shut the car down manually by pressing the start button...
The engine was very quiet at normal speeds, I was disappointed with the auto box's performance with this engine, in the 335 only the occasional blip on the rev-counter is the only indication of a gear change, not so in the 430 - you felt almost every change and could hear the engine note change. Maybe it's unfair to compare it with a six cylinder diesel engine, the performance and torque from that motor is epic and seemingly more economical than its petrol relative. The engine was trashy when pushed which is a shame. A nice touch was the way an arm extended offering you the seat belt as you sat down - neat that.
What would wind me up was the lights. In common with all BMWs now it had LEDs on main beam there was an irritating horizontal black line across the pattern on main beam. This line was exactly where dipped beam cut off was, how this has escaped form the design stage goodness only knows.
The ride was strange compared to the 335..there was strange wallowing from the front end on A roads. I've owned enough BMWs to know that this wasn't right. Maybe the steering geometry was adrift. Tyre pressures were on spec....sadly it felt a little bog standard - it was Msport spec but not an X-drive. It was actually a pleasure to get back into my 30k 3 year old car, it drove so much better.
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>> The 430 gave a cheeky little hoot when I tried it on with it
>> and had to shut the car down manually by pressing the start button...
The engine was still running you dipstick!!!!It hoots at you if you try to lock it.
>> What would wind me up was the lights. In common with all BMWs now it
>> had LEDs on main beam there was an irritating horizontal black line across the pattern
>> on main beam. This line was exactly where dipped beam cut off was, how this
>> has escaped form the design stage goodness only knows.
Its there on mine, a thin blue line, barely noticeable on a white wall, you dont see it when driving.
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225xe has LED lights.
Excellent they are too.
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>>mated to the standard BMW auto box
Most new BMW cars now have a DCT autobox (same idea as problematic VW DSG, Ford Powershift)
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>> >>mated to the standard BMW auto box
>>
>> Most new BMW cars now have a DCT autobox (same idea as problematic VW DSG,
>> Ford Powershift)
They have the ZF HP8 gearbox which is not a DCT like the problematic VW DSG or the Ford powershift.
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Engine was off - ignition and radio was live. If I lock mine at this point it shuts down, the 430 didn't.
This was more than a thin blue line, certainly not present with the 335's LED headlamps, it was very visible when driving.
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>> Engine was off - ignition and radio was live. If I lock mine at this
>> point it shuts down, the 430 didn't.
Engine was on. It may have auto stopped but it was on. Thats what the hoot is telling you.
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Not used to these quiet petrols. Not ever had it happen before, I'll try it with the 335 later when it stops raining.
Last edited by: R.P. on Fri 11 Oct 19 at 09:37
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>> I'll try it with the 335 later when it stops raining.
>>
You may have to wait a while.
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Precipitating down here just for a change.
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>> Not used to these quiet petrols. Not ever had it happen before, I'll try
>> it with the 335 later when it stops raining.
Even with two more 500cc cans and 100 more horsepower the B58 is soo smooth and whisper quiet at idle i often forget its on.
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Not used to these petrol things....even the Guzzi reminds you of it vibrating innards at tickover ! Actually a beautiful afternoon here, pleasant drive to Betws y Coed for lunch.
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Several years ago I was on the cusp of buying a 328 Touring. The old dears could still just about get in and out of my old (6 cyl) 330 convertible. A pal with a 335 petrol had put me off the idea saying that the old straight 6 non turbo was far more reliable.
Having read your thoughts on the 430 (4 cyl) I’m glad I kept the old 330.
Back to the U.K. tomorrow...can’t say I’ve enjoyed driving the base spec 208 these past few weeks. Previous old rental Fiestas and Leon’s were far superior.
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I loved my old 328...fantastically smooth, nice manual gear box, mind you the later 320 with the 8 speed autobox was a revelation only to be trumped by the 335 engine and box, absolutely spot on.
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That would be the ‘old’ 328 with the straight six. A couple of friends had those. Marvellous.
The ‘new’ 328 was a 4 cyl, which I think became a 330...
I’m sure Z can confirm but ain’t it confusing
The oldest BM I can remember ever riding in was a 2002 Ti, possibly a 3 door hatch ? I was in my mid teens and a pharmacist pal of my Dad owned one. My Dad had a Hillman Hunter, which he really liked.
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On a 58 plate. Bought it from my FiL who bought a 4 cyl 328. I often thought of the 328 as an iron fist in a velvet glove.
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>>The oldest BM I can remember ever riding in was a 2002 Ti
I remember my mate's mum had a 1602 in the late 70s.
Replaced in 1983 with a new XR3i, then in 1986 with a Honda Prelude (which I later acquired).
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>> >>The oldest BM I can remember ever riding in was a 2002 Ti
>>
>> I remember my mate's mum had a 1602 in the late 70s.
>>
>> Replaced in 1983 with a new XR3i, then in 1986 with a Honda Prelude (which
>> I later acquired).
I had temporary custody ( dont ask its a long confusing story) of a BMW 2002 Ti Turbo, sometime in the late 70's early 80s It was a stunning car as well as being terribly frustrating.
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>> The ‘new’ 328 was a 4 cyl, which I think became a 330...
>> I’m sure Z can confirm but ain’t it confusing
Yes it is, nomenclature has become deliberately confusing, Take Audi with their new 30/40/xx model designations, no basis for engine config at all.
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I know....I saw an A1 badged as a 30TFSI...I misread it as a 3.0 TFSI,....and I thought WOW !
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Am I right in saying back in the late 80s, early 90s, BMW badges signified their engine sizes?
I remember a guy used to park outside our office in this period with a convertible. I always assumed it was 2.8 litre engine?
I remember it had a strange double door lock that kind of sat in middle of the driver's door.
Was the 316 a 1.6 engine, 318 , 1.8 and 320 a 2.0?
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>> Am I right in saying back in the late 80s, early 90s, BMW badges signified
>> their engine sizes?
>> I remember a guy used to park outside our office in this period with a
>> convertible. I always assumed it was 2.8 litre engine?
>> I remember it had a strange double door lock that kind of sat in middle
>> of the driver's door.
>>
>> Was the 316 a 1.6 engine, 318 , 1.8 and 320 a 2.0?
>>
Yes more of less although one or two oddities. The 318td was actuallt a 1.7 engine and the 318is is a 1.9.
Your rman in the convertible will have been a 323i (although E36 used a lower power 2.5 for a while) or a 325i.
Makes no sense now.
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Mercedes are doing the same. My 350CDi is only a 3.0 litre. C200s are now about 1.5 litres I think.
It is bordering on fraud..
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My 350 petrol only has a 2 litre engine!
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>My 350 petrol only has a 2 litre engine!
As I've posted before, the 2 litre 4-pot powertrain in the 330e I had as a hire car last year was complete garbage. Absolutely the worst 3 Series I have ever driven. Rough, unresponsive and noisy.
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>> As I've posted before, the 2 litre 4-pot powertrain in the 330e I had as
>> a hire car last year was complete garbage. Absolutely the worst 3 Series I have
>> ever driven. Rough, unresponsive and noisy.
>>
....the similarly derived engine in my X1 is fine (and noticeably responsive even after a long history of diesels - and, of course, that may account for the quietness ;-) )
It is, of course, in a slightly different state of tune (though not much) and mounted entirely unnaturally for a BMW. :-)
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>>....the similarly derived engine in my X1 is fine
I think the unresponsive traits of the car I had were caused by the software.
The comments I posted about the 330e I posted in the other place:-
>I had one as a hire car for a week and wasn't at all impressed. It's biggest weakness is that below 2000rpm
> (where it will spend most of its time with ~40mph/1000 rpm in top), the 4 pot engine is very rough.
>So, at motorway cruising speeds it is tiring.
>Also, although most of the time the electric motor and ICE work well together, there is a very noticeable delay
>if you suddenly ask for more power eg. overtakes, sliproads or busy roundabouts. It's as if the ECU says:
>"You want more power? I'll give you the electric motor."
>"Ohh! you want more than that? I'll open the throttle and wait for the turbo to spool up."
>"More than that? Jeez, I'll ask the gearbox if he would be so kind as to give us a lower ratio, I'll get back to you."
>"OK, here you go."
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>> It is bordering on fraud..
Only for those of us old enough to remember the formula for number to engine size. A 1600 engine was probably around 80bhp - maybe a bit more with and extra carb or fuel injection. For ordinary mid size cars 1300 was poverty, 1600 cooking and 2 litre plus a bit extra.
Problem now is that with 1.0 engines developing anything from 60-120PS cubic capacity is no longer a proxy for power. Therefore no surprise that manufacturers have adopted a new nomenclature - Audi referenced in this thread - is a case in point.
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>>nomenclature has become deliberately confusing
I don't doubt that. I am sure it is intentionally misleading.
And I must say I find very f. annoying.
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Been driven home from the pub tonight (the bus was late) - this car is awesome, power when required, nothing feels "strained" or being pushed - I doubt whether I'll ever buy another BMW - I may be looking at another Volvo soon - a hybrid of some sort.
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>>I don't doubt that. I am sure it is intentionally misleading.
Audi are the among the worst of the bunch.
Their cars are now given a number relating to their power output, so a 30, 35, 40 etc is not a 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0 litre
www.carwow.co.uk/news/3742/what-do-audis-new-engine-badges-mean
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Next door have a Q2 30tsfi. I don't think anybody would imagine it packs three litres under the bonnet.
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But a few months ago I saw a 40 A4. To me it looked like an S4 with boggy badging. Wow I said that must shift..
Not impressed but this idea at all but them I am unlikely to buy an Audi anytime soon.
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>> Next door have a Q2 30tsfi.
I quite like the Q2. Seems to make the Q3 look rather dated.
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Stopped for a sip of diesel in the BMW today (Volvo ready on Saturday) - when I parked at the pump, I got out of the car leaving the engine running in (Transmission goes into Park when the door opens) - being in Rhyl I locked the car and the engine and ignition went off, unlike the 430.
Reflecting on the ownership of the 335 over the last 2.5 years, I have to say it has been a fine motor and workhorse - in that time I've put 32000 miles on it, it has been faultless (apart from a non functioning second "tone" on the horn - replaced under warranty) Had a new set of boots at 22k - the current tyres have plenty of tread on them. Averaged around 40mpg despite using the performance - I never experienced the "kick down" - the incredible acceleration this car has has to be experienced to be appreciated. Time to get rid for a number of reasons. If BMW had been able to source me an used 340 XDrive I would have gone for it.
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>>Time to get rid for a number of reasons...
Been seen outside too many dodgy places?
;-)
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Misread that as "dogging" - Yes, it has spent time in Rhyl.
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BMW - 430i - Driving impressions. - Zero
