So now that the F30 has been out a while..

Originally Posted by DSXMachina

That's the distilled opinion of most journalists who've driven the car. My opinion? It's a gimmick which makes the mpg figure higher when run through the standard test sequence, but one which will be disabled by most drivers in the real world.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I hate it. I don't care if it saves fuel or how much. I would have the re-coding done or manually disable it EVERY SINGLE TIME. I would absolutely refuse to use it.

That's exactly correct. I haven't used ASS once except by mistake and the service bulletin allowing F30 owners a free recode to get rid of it came out the same week I took delivery which was very convenient timing since I couldn't let the wife near the car until ASS was out of the equation.

Since then, my ASS is disabled, it hasn't bothered me at all, it's like I have no ASS.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

That's exactly correct. I haven't used ASS once except by mistake and the service bulletin allowing F30 owners a free recode to get rid of it came out the same week I took delivery which was very convenient timing since I couldn't let the wife near the car until ASS was out of the equation.

Since then, my ASS is disabled, it hasn't bothered me at all, it's like I have no ASS.

BJ

My dad has no ass. Flat as a board.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Gee, what's this thread about?

BJ

Oooo it's one of those funny BMWs with the piece of bodywork missing between the headlamp and the kidney grille. Somebody tell the factory!

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

Originally Posted by tturedraider

I hate it. I don't care if it saves fuel or how much. I would have the re-coding done or manually disable it EVERY SINGLE TIME. I would absolutely refuse to use it.

ASS does not save much fuel, maybe by 1mpg or so, it is for emission reduction, I think I heard on average 13% reduction in city driving.

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

Aren't Acura's, Volvo's, Lexus, etc. quite good in that area? But yeah, I have to say the sports seats in the BMW are really good.

Originally Posted by bimmerfan3

Aren't Acura's, Volvo's, Lexus, etc. quite good in that area? But yeah, I have to say the sports seats in the BMW are really good.

I am not even talking about the sports seats. I don't have ZSP and love the seats in my car. IMO, the F30 seats are even nicer.

The seats in my last car, and Acura TSX, we're fantastic. And, a friend has a new Lexus SUV and I like thoses seats as well. So, your point is taken. BMW is one industry leader in that regard, but they have competition.

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

I am surprised that you like the exterior.

As for that ASS system: I would assume that such system requires a much more durable starter motor and the stronger battery. Is that the case? I can't imagine that the current system would be able to handle 20-50 times more starts.

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

I have criticised the F30 interior in the F30 forum since introduction, it is just that the F30 owners in this forum do not like that criticism...

The F30 interior is a slightly redone F20 (new 1-Series) interior. That's a fact. The materials are slightly more upscale than the F20. The layout is almost the same. BMW simply positioned the 1-Series as a slightly cheaper 3-Series interior-wise, not as before as it positioned the 3-Series as a cheaper 5-Series interior-wise. So the F30 is in this limbo of interior looks and quality that does not make any sense to me in the price bracket that it is positioned.

Which it is the root of the problem that I have with this: that will be the new 4-Series, the M3 and the M4 interior as well. A damn F20 interior glorified for a much premium duty. WTF?

The 4-Series will be a $40-$60,000 car; the M3 and M4 will be in the $60-$80,000+ range. This is no $80,000 interior, no matter how much leather is tacked on to make it look and feel decent.

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.
.

That's ridiculous.

The F30 interior is vastly superior to the E93 and E90 interiors I'd owned prior. There's nothing cheap about it and it actually looks exciting and interesting. The E9X interior is bland as hell.

BJ

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

yep - in terms of design - the F30 is a pastiche of derivative forms and unsettling cut lines that imparts a strong whiff of affectation.
....the upright nav screen further reinforces a feeling of not only bad design but insubstantial cheapness. Jus' elucidatin'

One of the reasons I chose my M3 over a 997 was that the E92 M3 possessed a superior very purposeful, serious interior
- point being the M3 interior compared very favorably with the more expensive Porsche. If I were to substitute an F30 for my E92
– different conclusions would be drawn from the comparison.

I really want to like the coming M4 – I hope M can work its magic.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

That's ridiculous.

The F30 interior is vastly superior to the E93 and E90 interiors I'd owned prior. There's nothing cheap about it and it actually looks exciting and interesting...BJ

Ah yes ...sort of like a tarted-up starlet on
America's got Talent, ...and that's talking about the guys...

Originally Posted by Capobranco

Ah yes ...sort of like a tarted-up starlet on
America's got Talent, ...and that's talking about the guys...

I get that you're jealous but please, no need to sound petty and foolish too. Not my fault you bought an instantly-old car, don't blame me.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

That's ridiculous.

The F30 interior is vastly superior to the E93 and E90 interiors I'd owned prior. There's nothing cheap about it and it actually looks exciting and interesting. The E9X interior is bland as hell.

BJ

BJ, you might want to moonlight for the studio which shoots BMW interiors for their ads. Your interior shots actually have me liking the 'look', mostly. Your naturally lit exposures are as good as they get with tens of thousands of dollars of lighting. Agreed, the fit and finish quality looks very high in your photos.
There are a few quirky things I have trouble with, or at least my eye has trouble with. The single buttress from the console up to the dash is an unusual styling element. The 'drop-off' on the right side of the dash isn't pleasing to my sense of balance. And as has been mentioned in this thread, for what you paid for the car the Nav screen looks stuck on as an afterthought. Far less expensive cars have them built into or retract into the dashboard.
None of these unusual elements would result in me not buying one if I were in the market. I'm just nitpicking.

I'm not crazy about the iDrive screen on the F30 - not terrible but not as well integrated into the rest of the interior as I would like it to be, but other than that I don't mind the interior styling at all. I can't comment on the quality of materials or the fit and finish as I have never even sat in an F30 let alone ridden in or driven one.

CA

Two things about the interior I didn't like, the screen looked an afterthought, the shifter was designed for someone who likes to sit there and admire, rather drive the damn thing.

I know the shifter is handed down from 5, 7 series. Still don't like it in the 3. The 3 should not be a 5, minus a few inches.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

That's ridiculous.

The F30 interior is vastly superior to the E93 and E90 interiors I'd owned prior. There's nothing cheap about it and it actually looks exciting and interesting. The E9X interior is bland as hell.

BJ

BJ, these tasteless yahoos can howl at the moon all they want. The fact of the matter is the design of the F30 interior and dashboard and the materials are first rate!

Originally Posted by DSXMachina

BJ, you might want to moonlight for the studio which shoots BMW interiors for their ads. Your interior shots actually have me liking the 'look', mostly. Your naturally lit exposures are as good as they get with tens of thousands of dollars of lighting. Agreed, the fit and finish quality looks very high in your photos.
There are a few quirky things I have trouble with, or at least my eye has trouble with. The single buttress from the console up to the dash is an unusual styling element. The 'drop-off' on the right side of the dash isn't pleasing to my sense of balance. And as has been mentioned in this thread, for what you paid for the car the Nav screen looks stuck on as an afterthought. Far less expensive cars have them built into or retract into the dashboard.
None of these unusual elements would result in me not buying one if I were in the market. I'm just nitpicking.

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I'm not crazy about the iDrive screen on the F30 - not terrible but not as well integrated into the rest of the interior as I would like it to be, but other than that I don't mind the interior styling at all. I can't comment on the quality of materials or the fit and finish as I have never even sat in an F30 let alone ridden in or driven one.

CA

Originally Posted by dtc100

Two things about the interior I didn't like, the screen looked an afterthought, the shifter was designed for someone who likes to sit there and admire, rather drive the damn thing.

I know the shifter is handed down from 5, 7 series. Still don't like it in the 3. The 3 should not be a 5, minus a few inches.

The"single buttress" is a design element right out of the 5er and the new stunningly gorgeous 6er. The iDrive screen, that whole dash design language, is straight out of the 6er, one of the most outstandingly beautiful designs BMW has ever penned.

The design and location of the iDrive screen makes perfect sense and is the exact opposite of an afterthought. It is purposefully and carefully designed to be exactly where it is. It is now a feature that will be used every single time you are in the car, as is true with virtually every new car on the market today, and it is positioned so that it is perfectly in the driver's sight with a quick, easy glance. What makes no sense is a screen that deploys and retracts every time the car is turned on and off. An after thought is exactly what I think of when I see the retracting screens in the A6 and A8. It's as if when they finished the dash design they suddenly realized, "oh, we need a screen. Oh well, since we didn't design a place for one we'll just stick it here and make it open and retract"......every frikken time the car is started and turned off.

Ok the screen is at the right place and right moment, but they designed it so it looks like an afterthought.

Better now?

Obviously some people will say whatever passed down from the higher models is a good thing, others might disagree.

Originally Posted by Capobranco

yep - in terms of design - the F30 is a pastiche of derivative forms and unsettling cut lines that imparts a strong whiff of affectation.
....the upright nav screen further reinforces a feeling of not only bad design but insubstantial cheapness. Jus' elucidatin'

Are we reviewing car interiors or wine?

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

I am surprised there isn't more criticism of the F30 interior. The e90 is pretty far from the class leaders in that regard, but the F30 just feels cheap.

On the flip side, BMW still does seating better than any other make.

I think you are in the minority on the interior. IMO both the MB and Audi interiors are geared towards luxury more than sport and I prefer the BMW style. I find nothing inferior about the quality it's just sporty.

Originally Posted by dtc100

ASS does not save much fuel, maybe by 1mpg or so, it is for emission reduction, I think I heard on average 13% reduction in city driving.

Stats say 3-5% I believe. That's significant. Every MPG is important in in these days of efficiency and CAFE.

The location of the GPS screen and the sloping dash on the passenger side are misses for me. But, other than that, the interior looks similar to the previous generation.

I also hate the shifter which is similar to the one in my 335is. I would much rather be able to slide it into P/N/R like the older style shifters.

The interior seemed really nice to me when I sat in it - seemed like a base model. The M Sport (or maybe it's the Sport) looks awesome in pictures.

I hated the E90 interior in photos but once driving one it seemed pretty nice and high quality. The non-iDrive model kind of sucks though.

FWIW I also thought some of the materials on the F30 were significantly cheaper than those in the E90. Specifically the buttons and knobs.
I also thought the doors felt less solid.
Does this make the E90 better? I wouldn't necessarily say that.

I will say that I debated whether to buy my E90 or wait for the F30. While the F30 has some things going for it, I don't regret not waiting at all.

Originally Posted by Chris90

I hated the E90 interior in photos but once driving one it seemed pretty nice and high quality. The non-iDrive model kind of sucks though.

I hated the E90 dash when I first saw it at the car show, just before it came on the market, in 2005. I couldn't believe BMW made such a huge departure from the E30, E36, and E46.

Originally Posted by 3ismagic#

FWIW I also thought some of the materials on the F30 were significantly cheaper than those in the E90.

This is virtually verbatim what E46 people said about the E90. Some still do.