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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) Local Forums UK Test drive of a new 320d MSport - do others find this?

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      11-14-2019, 08:53 AM   #1
RichardJS
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Test drive of a new 320d MSport - do others find this?

I've had my F30 330d from new for nearly 6 years now so thinking about changing. Thinking about a 320d as realised although the 330d performance is nice I only really use it's full performance for a few seconds a month so doesn't represent good value for money!

I took a 320d M Sport with passive suspension, technical pack and 19" wheels with P Zeros (I think non-runflat) for an extended test drive on a mixture of town, motorway, fast A road and a challenging moorland lane.

First impressions were good - looked nice in dark grey and the interior is a big step up from mine - fine felt definitely cheap and scruffy when I got back in! Not sure about the digital instruments though - not clear to read, especially the tacho, and information scattered all over the place. What's wrong with round dials with a needle?! There's a lot of information available though. HUD was good - I found it really annoying at first but then realised I was relying on it after a while. Seats are comfortable.

The engine was quiet (almost inadible at idle - much quieter than my 6 cylinder!) and perfectly smooth. It revved happily too, feeling and sounding like the engine from my previous 123d. Performance was adequate and was faster than it felt. BUT, a big problem for me was a poor throttle response - a noticeable pause even at higher revs in Sport mode in manual. Much more so than my previous diesel BMWs. I can't help wondering if there was something wrong with this particular car or is this the sacrifice you make for economy. Although speaking of economy it did 43.5mpg according to the trip computer so not great.

Steering was very similar to my current car - but mine does have what was then the optional variable sport steering. So pretty lifeless.

The ride was odd. Over things like sunken manhole covers it was more absorbent than mine is in Comfort (mine has the adaptive suspension). BUT, on the motorway and A roads there was a constant jiggling that was irritating and to me would be a show stopper. Also, sudden short dips and crests at speed on country roads caused a violent motion that I don't get in mine even in the stiffer Sport setting. I wonder if this was caused by the 19"wheels and if 18" wheels (like my current car) would fix the problem. I had an F30 320d M Sport on 19" wheels for a few weeks while mine was in for the EGR cooler and it had the same jiggly unsettled ride - actually worse than the G20.

Despite the issue with the suspension, when I drove 'briskly' down a small road across some moors, which I know well, with a nice mix of fast open parts and some very twisty and bumpy sections, I was very impressed by the handling. My 330d, even in sport setting, feels a bit out of its depth and 'loose' when really pushing down this road - but the G20 felt much more composed. It even felt fine over a very undulating section taken fast. Another plus is that the driver aids don't intervene as soon as on mine - the tail came around very niceley with power on a couple of tight bends in the wet with everything still fully engaged. I have to activate DTC by being in Sport+ or with the button to do this in mine.

Talking of driver aids, the lane keeping assist was still set for the steering to intervene, which was very disconcerting if not dangerous, especially when taking sensible lines through well sighted bends.

So, all in all, a nice car except for the poor throttle response and jiggly ride.

Has anybody else experienced a poor throttle response on a new 320d?

And can anyone with 18" wheels on passive M Sport suspension comment on whether the ride is less jiggly and more settled?

And can anyone comment on what the standard suspension (on SE and Sport) like? The chance of finding an SE or Sport for a test drive is I think rather small!
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      11-14-2019, 10:05 AM   #2
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I have a 320i on 18" wheels with standard suspension . I honestly have say that I have not found the suspension jiggly, in fact my feelings has been of a far more level platform than previous F30. This I put down to the larger wheelbase and span , not as agile either , more like a Merc.
You are correct regarding the lane departure aid with steering intervention. The current best advice is to disable it through the i-drive before departing the dealership. You can leave the steering wheel shake function on but notch it down to medium.
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      11-14-2019, 11:11 AM   #3
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I have the 320d with 18". I find it very stable and steady. But I have to mention that in the first weeks I found it hard to get used to this new steering mechanism. But you had in the f30 as I read?

From others with rft, I have not, I understand that these are less course steady. Especially with less rubber on not perfect asphalt this can be noticeable.

The mpg can be better! I do 5l/100km while in comfort and not paying attention to it. According to my lease dashboard I'm just on the better side of average in this type of car.

The gas pedal response is something I have to confirm but I blamed the diesel with auto. Used to have a 5cyl non turbo manually benziner. However, or I get used to it or the car get used to me.
I don't find this a problem anymore. With the lever in m/s it's way more reactive. Also the speed with which you push the pedal has impact on the reaction of the car. I guess it just another motor management which you need to get adapted to.
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      11-14-2019, 11:25 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DomiGijzen View Post
I have the 320d with 18". I find it very stable and steady. But I have to mention that in the first weeks I found it hard to get used to this new steering mechanism. But you had in the f30 as I read?

From others with rft, I have not, I understand that these are less course steady. Especially with less rubber on not perfect asphalt this can be noticeable.

The mpg can be better! I do 5l/100km while in comfort and not paying attention to it. According to my lease dashboard I'm just on the better side of average in this type of car.

The gas pedal response is something I have to confirm but I blamed the diesel with auto. Used to have a 5cyl non turbo manually benziner. However, or I get used to it or the car get used to me.
I don't find this a problem anymore. With the lever in m/s it's way more reactive. Also the speed with which you push the pedal has impact on the reaction of the car. I guess it just another motor management which you need to get adapted to.
Regarding the mpg I must admit I was driving it quite hard - it was a test drive after all!

Thanks for the feedback on the throttle response, that's helpful, I'll assume I'll get used to it or just give a bigger prod than I'm used to. The 330d I have takes off with just the lightest of touch.
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      11-14-2019, 11:27 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumble View Post
I have a 320i on 18" wheels with standard suspension . I honestly have say that I have not found the suspension jiggly, in fact my feelings has been of a far more level platform than previous F30. This I put down to the larger wheelbase and span , not as agile either , more like a Merc.
You are correct regarding the lane departure aid with steering intervention. The current best advice is to disable it through the i-drive before departing the dealership. You can leave the steering wheel shake function on but notch it down to medium.
When you say standard suspension - is that standard SE or Sport suspension? If so, do you find floaty at all or is it well tied down? Thanks.
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      11-14-2019, 01:44 PM   #6
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Can't comment on passive as mine has adaptive suspension and I'm blown away. H how much better it rides, yet also handles, compared to my previous F30s. And that's on 19inch with runflats.

Also, I think you're talking about lane departure warning, which is different from lane keeping assist. I disabled the former but love the latter when on dual and motorway.
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      11-14-2019, 03:16 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RichardJS View Post
I've had my F30 330d from new for nearly 6 years now so thinking about changing. Thinking about a 320d as realised although the 330d performance is nice I only really use it's full performance for a few seconds a month so doesn't represent good value for money!

I took a 320d M Sport with passive suspension, technical pack and 19" wheels with P Zeros (I think non-runflat) for an extended test drive on a mixture of town, motorway, fast A road and a challenging moorland lane.

First impressions were good - looked nice in dark grey and the interior is a big step up from mine - fine felt definitely cheap and scruffy when I got back in! Not sure about the digital instruments though - not clear to read, especially the tacho, and information scattered all over the place. What's wrong with round dials with a needle?! There's a lot of information available though. HUD was good - I found it really annoying at first but then realised I was relying on it after a while. Seats are comfortable.

The engine was quiet (almost inadible at idle - much quieter than my 6 cylinder!) and perfectly smooth. It revved happily too, feeling and sounding like the engine from my previous 123d. Performance was adequate and was faster than it felt. BUT, a big problem for me was a poor throttle response - a noticeable pause even at higher revs in Sport mode in manual. Much more so than my previous diesel BMWs. I can't help wondering if there was something wrong with this particular car or is this the sacrifice you make for economy. Although speaking of economy it did 43.5mpg according to the trip computer so not great.

Steering was very similar to my current car - but mine does have what was then the optional variable sport steering. So pretty lifeless.

The ride was odd. Over things like sunken manhole covers it was more absorbent than mine is in Comfort (mine has the adaptive suspension). BUT, on the motorway and A roads there was a constant jiggling that was irritating and to me would be a show stopper. Also, sudden short dips and crests at speed on country roads caused a violent motion that I don't get in mine even in the stiffer Sport setting. I wonder if this was caused by the 19"wheels and if 18" wheels (like my current car) would fix the problem. I had an F30 320d M Sport on 19" wheels for a few weeks while mine was in for the EGR cooler and it had the same jiggly unsettled ride - actually worse than the G20.

Despite the issue with the suspension, when I drove 'briskly' down a small road across some moors, which I know well, with a nice mix of fast open parts and some very twisty and bumpy sections, I was very impressed by the handling. My 330d, even in sport setting, feels a bit out of its depth and 'loose' when really pushing down this road - but the G20 felt much more composed. It even felt fine over a very undulating section taken fast. Another plus is that the driver aids don't intervene as soon as on mine - the tail came around very niceley with power on a couple of tight bends in the wet with everything still fully engaged. I have to activate DTC by being in Sport+ or with the button to do this in mine.

Talking of driver aids, the lane keeping assist was still set for the steering to intervene, which was very disconcerting if not dangerous, especially when taking sensible lines through well sighted bends.

So, all in all, a nice car except for the poor throttle response and jiggly ride.

Has anybody else experienced a poor throttle response on a new 320d?

And can anyone with 18" wheels on passive M Sport suspension comment on whether the ride is less jiggly and more settled?

And can anyone comment on what the standard suspension (on SE and Sport) like? The chance of finding an SE or Sport for a test drive is I think rather small!
Exactly my take on the ride. I didn't get on with the standard M Sport suspension either and I think "odd" was the word I used too. The car I tried was a 320d on 18" wheels (non-RFT) and I found it inconsistent, firm but not awful around town but also jiggly at higher speeds and just felt "unresolved" at times. Luckily my 330e has Adaptive which I think provides a great ride (although after ordering found out that the 330e M Sport doesn't actually have M Sport suspension).

I thought the throttle response was ok and it was pretty nippy from standstill but felt underpowered at higher speeds
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      11-15-2019, 04:38 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tengocity View Post
Can't comment on passive as mine has adaptive suspension and I'm blown away. H how much better it rides, yet also handles, compared to my previous F30s. And that's on 19inch with runflats.

Also, I think you're talking about lane departure warning, which is different from lane keeping assist. I disabled the former but love the latter when on dual and motorway.
Might have to have adaptive then. It's a shame it's not an option that can be selected on any model like it was before.

I thought lane departure and lane keeping was the same thing. I stand corrected! I think I'd still turn it off though.
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      11-15-2019, 11:42 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RichardJS View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tengocity View Post
Can't comment on passive as mine has adaptive suspension and I'm blown away. H how much better it rides, yet also handles, compared to my previous F30s. And that's on 19inch with runflats.

Also, I think you're talking about lane departure warning, which is different from lane keeping assist. I disabled the former but love the latter when on dual and motorway.
Might have to have adaptive then. It's a shame it's not an option that can be selected on any model like it was before.

I thought lane departure and lane keeping was the same thing. I stand corrected! I think I'd still turn it off though.
Lane keeping on dual carriage and motorway works surprisingly well, alongside adaptive cruise... makes my boring commute round the M25 much more relaxing.
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      11-15-2019, 06:26 PM   #10
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I have a 320d M-Sport saloon with standard sport suspension, had it just over a month and although the suspension is stiffer than my 2017 520d Luxury Touring was its not been an issue for me so far.

I find it very responsive in Sport mode in manual and automatic but then i am comparing to the 520d and its markedly faster and more responsive.

On the fuel consumption after 2400 miles the ex-works mpg is 53. I did a run to Cambridge (I live in Scotland) and did 747 on the tank with 43 range left and the mpg reading was 63, over 10mpg better than the best I ever got on the 520d and its not run in yet. The week after went to Manchester and got 64mpg so I am really happy with the improvement.

Hope that helps.
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      11-16-2019, 02:20 PM   #11
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So, for what I'm reading the adaptive suspension is a must have on g20.

A 330e with 19" rft can be comfortable? I tried a 320d g20 with stardart m suspension with 19" and it was so hard on road as my e91 with 17" m pack. Could adaptive suspension be so different?
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      11-16-2019, 03:50 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vogal View Post
So, for what I'm reading the adaptive suspension is a must have on g20.

A 330e with 19" rft can be comfortable? I tried a 320d g20 with stardart m suspension with 19" and it was so hard on road as my e91 with 17" m pack. Could adaptive suspension be so different?
Yes I would I agree I drove both, 18" with no adaptive the ride was much better with 19" and adaptive
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      11-18-2019, 01:25 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vogal View Post
So, for what I'm reading the adaptive suspension is a must have on g20.

A 330e with 19" rft can be comfortable? I tried a 320d g20 with stardart m suspension with 19" and it was so hard on road as my e91 with 17" m pack. Could adaptive suspension be so different?
It's not an S-Class ride but I've come from a 2016 Mondeo (with 19" wheels) which was pretty comfy and the BMW adaptive on 19" is better (and has a lot more body control to avoid the floaty feeling). I wouldn't have bought a standard M Sport model, I don't think it's well set up for UK roads (although I'd still judge it a bit better than the 2006 330d M Sport I ran back in the day, when I was a little younger :-) ).

It's all so subjective, best way is to try an adaptive car, I think you'll find a big difference.
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      11-18-2019, 03:08 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vogal View Post
So, for what I'm reading the adaptive suspension is a must have on g20.

A 330e with 19" rft can be comfortable? I tried a 320d g20 with stardart m suspension with 19" and it was so hard on road as my e91 with 17" m pack. Could adaptive suspension be so different?
I'd say yes. Mine is the first car I've had with run flats that I don't immediately want to swap the tyres off. 19s with adaptive...
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      11-18-2019, 03:43 PM   #15
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OP, I have a fully optioned G20 320dx and previously had a F30 335d. My car has adaptive suspension and find the ride quality excellent. It is comfortable and yet handles superbly. I test drove a car with and without adaptive (albeit sDrive) and preferred the softer ride that adaptive offers. Refinement, ride and handling have moved the car on miles from my F30 which also had adaptive suspension.
I wouldn't describe the throttle response as poor especially in the sport setting. I'd guess its just the different throttle position calibration you're attributing to 'response'
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