328i test drive

Originally Posted by kobechrome

Good point about VA. In the close to 7 years I've had the car, we've probably endured about one big snow storm per year. Every time that happens, I curse myself for not getting xdrive - so while it happens relatively infrequently (aside from the 2010 snowpacalyspe year); I do want the assurance that I'm not going to fishtail making a right turn at 5 mph in 1/2" snow. The RWD is 100% useless in snow.... and yes, I could also solve this by getting snow tires.

BTW - isn't DHP the same as sport suspension? Or are you referring to the default sport suspension in the Sportline? Aside from that, every other sport suspension is part of the DHP, right?

Here, here. I live in Colorado...work for a major ski area. Am on my second 3 series in 11 years. Have only had RWD...but with good winter tires (Dunlop or Blizzak). I have been stuck once....high centered. RWD does very well in the snow. Only issue is getting high centered.
The major advantage of AWD...is accelerating from a stop. After that...it is all tires and not AWD that keeps you in control. (Note the number of RWD highway patrol cars on the road in the winter). BMW gets a bad rap for its performance in the snow. Yet this car has half of its body weight over the rear tires...more than any other brand.
I am about to purchase an F30...RWD. Bring on the snow and ice.
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Originally Posted by AK

My original opinion that the F30's interior is a step down from the E90 stands. The materials are cheaper in spots, most notably on the center console. I also find the design of the dash to be less...elegant. There was an M-Sport 535i sitting right next to the F30s at the BMW display and what I can say is that the F10 interior is MAGNIFICENT. The gap in interior quality between an E60 and an E90 wasn't all that great but the difference between F10 and F30 is enormous.

I completely agree with the statement "nothing dates a car like a navigation system". The graphics get old, the map databases go obsolete unless you pay for pricey updates, they're slower and more difficult to use... I realize car companies like BMW are using these systems as profit centers and it appears that there are plenty of sheeple out there willing to pay $2K or more to have this functionality built into their cars but the reality is that a modern Android smartphone with a large screen (Galaxy S3, HTC OneX, whatever) simply kills any in-dash navigation system in terms of its ease of use (and low cost!). When I ordered my 335i in the fall of '06, in-dash navigation was the way to go but today, it simply isn't worth it. I *might* be willing to pay, say, $500 to have navigation in my car but definitely not $2K.

+1 on both points. F10(and even E60 and E39) is a distinct step up to F30 in terms of "trim" quality, e.g., wood trims are better and bigger and longer, doors and trunk close nicer, the plastic panels have better felt covers. Your comments on NAV are right on for any car these days.

To be fair, in-dash Nav has a few advantages over current generation of smart phones:
1. in-dash Nav has stronger antenna that smart phones, and hence it works indoor and underground(e.g. tunnels) to some extent
2. in-dash Nav usually has better/bigger interfaces than smart phones, and can be more convenient for some(e.g. Tesla Model S 17-inch screen with Nav is impressive and easy to use).

Not to mention the ugly suction cup and goose neck in the window.

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