People Switched from E90 to F30 - Please comment

Originally Posted by captainaudio

The best bet is to cover all the bases and have a 3 a 7 a Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Originally Posted by dtc100

L328 plus Rolex when BJ is with the wife, and 7 plus Patek when with the mistress. Or should it be the other way around?

Originally Posted by beden1

I have a 3, a P-Car, a Rolex and a Patek Philippe. Does that qualify?

This is great fun. I have to ask: What do we pair with a Caddy ATS?

Originally Posted by Zeichen311

This is great fun. I have to ask: What do we pair with a Caddy ATS?

BJ seems to be busy tonight so I thought I would help him out.



CA

Originally Posted by captainaudio

BJ seems to be busy tonight so I thought I would help him out.



CA

Perfect!

Originally Posted by beden1

The average sport Rolex models now list over $12,000. That's hardly mass market pricing.

In today's America, if it is not six figures, then it is merely for the bourgeoisie.

Edit:

After I posted this I remembered that last summer I was walking by the Ferrari Showroom in Park Ave. and there were several Ferraris parked on the street and roped off. There were security guards and a lot of photographers. I asked what was going on and was told it was a promotional event for a watch company. I don't remember which watch manufacturer it was although I know it was not Girard Perregaux who at one time made "Official" Ferrari watches,

CA

suddenly ....the thread is becoming a watch and car thread

Very emtertaining thread. Thanks to all for such a diversity of views.

As the OP, I got one more thing to state:

I love how the F30 looks. May be not the nose, but rest of the car is beautiful in comparison to E90.

However, the interior, I really can't take seriously. It just looks way too 'utilitarian' to me. This is how we dreamed of Honda Civic interiors would look in the future from back in the day. Even with the new 4 series concept, no matter how much I lust after the exterior design, I can't believe they did such an interior design for F30 series.



There is so much cost cutting in the material. I cant believe they used hard materiel, just as you would find them on a Corolla just under the HVAC controls. Same with the center console sides, that's somewhere that you bound to touch more than one would think. I hated the E90 interior design first, but when you live with it for awhile, you realize that the material is high quality (at least comparatively) but only the textures that they used made the material look cheaper.

Some design elements have hard joints where two materials meet and they just look abrupt to me. (Notice the purple arrow). Every time I drive over a bump, I am always checking to see if that joint moves.... just small petpeeves. Bangle wouldn't have done it that way, no matter how much I despite him.

Those points you called out, I don't see them being done in anything other than plastic. Same points I remember being hard plastic in the e90 as well. Those are not touch points, so I don't see the point of taking money and putting soft touch materials there. Bangle would have nothing to do with it either, he was more in charge of he exterior.

Originally Posted by Jamesonsviggen

Those points you called out, I don't see them being done in anything other than plastic. Same points I remember being hard plastic in the e90 as well. Those are not touch points, so I don't see the point of taking money and putting soft touch materials there. Bangle would have nothing to do with it either, he was more in charge of he exterior.

Those are absolutely touch points. The E90 has soft touch materials there.

Originally Posted by Edb5020

Those are absolutely touch points. The E90 has soft touch materials there.

Underneath the e-brake and under all the HVAC are traditionally not referred to as touch points.

Interior is great overall. The worst thing is the glove box. That is a clunky piece of ...

But everytime I open or close the doors and here that thunk, it's all good.

Lighting, ergo, seats, center stack, are well designed.

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

Some design elements have hard joints where two materials meet and they just look abrupt to me. (Notice the purple arrow).

I came from an E92. That transition (purple arrow) is the only sore spot on the F30 interior design. Other BMWs (and brands) are much smoother in transition.

Originally Posted by SamS

I came from an E92. That transition (purple arrow) is the only sore spot on the F30 interior design. Other BMWs (and brands) are much smoother in transition.

I agree on that too. The body gaps look a bit big to me too as I was looking at the doors today.

Originally Posted by Jamesonsviggen

Underneath the e-brake and under all the HVAC are traditionally not referred to as touch points.

I thought touch points are mostly on the passenger side.

Originally Posted by dtc100

I thought touch points are mostly on the passenger side.

Most touch points are more driver centric, i.e. the steering wheel, shift knob and e-brake. When I was a kid and had a crappy car, these were things I would upgrade. So I would have an old GM car with a plastic fantastic interior but with a nice leather Momo knob, steering wheel, pedals, and e-brake handle.

LOL, my first car! Luckily I grew out of my "ricey" phase.

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

As the OP, I got one more thing to state:

I love how the F30 looks. May be not the nose, but rest of the car is beautiful in comparison to E90.

However, the interior, I really can't take seriously. It just looks way too 'utilitarian' to me. This is how we dreamed of Honda Civic interiors would look in the future from back in the day. Even with the new 4 series concept, no matter how much I lust after the exterior design, I can't believe they did such an interior design for F30 series.

There is so much cost cutting in the material. I cant believe they used hard materiel, just as you would find them on a Corolla just under the HVAC controls. Same with the center console sides, that's somewhere that you bound to touch more than one would think. I hated the E90 interior design first, but when you live with it for awhile, you realize that the material is high quality (at least comparatively) but only the textures that they used made the material look cheaper.

This is such nonsense.

I owned an E93 and an E90 and can tell you definitively that the materials you refer to are identical. In fact, the two touch-points that used to make me sore on long trips in the E90 no longer do so in the F30. My left elbow (I lean it on the window sill) and my left shin (I lean it on the lower door storage pocket) no longer feel bruised after a 5 hour cruise. And it's not because the material is softer; it's because the curvature of the plastic has been adjusted to a more comfortable angle.

And as far as the design being 'utilitarian'? Are you kidding? The E90 interior was about as spartan as it gets, was designed straight out of 1975 with no curves, no flair, no panache. Was as boring as it gets.

The F30's exterior is evolutionary from the E90. The F30's interior is revolutionary. 70% of the difference between the two models is found in the interior. It's remarkably comfortable, functional, and fresh.

BJ

Originally Posted by Jamesonsviggen

Most touch points are more driver centric, i.e. the steering wheel, shift knob and e-brake. When I was a kid and had a crappy car, these were things I would upgrade. So I would have an old GM car with a plastic fantastic interior but with a nice leather Momo knob, steering wheel, pedals, and e-brake handle.

LOL, my first car! Luckily I grew out of my "ricey" phase.

Not necessarily the same individual, but this is more or less what I meant when I said touch points on the passenger side:

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

This is such nonsense.

I owned an E93 and an E90 and can tell you definitively that the materials you refer to are identical. In fact, the two touch-points that used to make me sore on long trips in the E90 no longer do so in the F30. My left elbow (I lean it on the window sill) and my left shin (I lean it on the lower door storage pocket) no longer feel bruised after a 5 hour cruise. And it's not because the material is softer; it's because the curvature of the plastic has been adjusted to a more comfortable angle.

And as far as the design being 'utilitarian'? Are you kidding? The E90 interior was about as spartan as it gets, was designed straight out of 1975 with no curves, no flair, no panache. Was as boring as it gets.

The F30's exterior is evolutionary from the E90. The F30's interior is revolutionary. 70% of the difference between the two models is found in the interior. It's remarkably comfortable, functional, and fresh.

BJ

I really do not want to reply to this. However, I WILL leave something highlighted

Originally Posted by sle39lvr

I really do not want to reply to this. However, I WILL leave something highlighted

Compared to the E90 it most certainly is.

You can go ahead and love your 6 year old car without putting down our new ones. We all owned E90's before we got our F30's, I think we know what we're talking about here, might have some expertise that you lack.

BJ

Originally Posted by dtc100

Not necessarily the same individual, but this is more or less what I meant when I said touch points on the passenger side:

Ah, twas a joke. OK.

Looked at / test drove two 2013 328is today, a Melbourne Red with black Dakota, Sport line, Premium and a Modern line Black Saphire with Dakota Saddle Brown.

TL;DR: The F30 is a better sports sedan than the equivalent E90 - and - it is 100% a BMW.

Non-Driving review of the Red 328i Sport:

High quality materials, fit and finish. The Navi screen position is odd at first but not noticed after 30 seconds. The Speedo and tach are smallish, but ok. Don't like silver ring surrounding. No cover to cup holder, but later found it in glove box. Very BMW feel to steering wheel. Mat in trunk is a nice touch. Plastic of covered trunk struts? Fuel door is a bit bigger. Sport line is very attractive - red piping looks sharp.

Cup cover in small net in glove box is good, plus the net is cool. The other small net on back left is also a nice touch. Auto shift lever kinda looks odd. Modern?

The dash and controls canted to driver. Reminds me more of my E46. This is good. The Glove box feels tinny. Ok, No big deal. The In Dash LCD are cool below the gauges. Nice Led lights at top center. Good. Headliner good material weave good. Pirelli Cinturato P7s. Solid disks, Rear disks look smallish. M seats nice. Good support.

Driving review of the black Modern Line:

I test drove the black modern line 328i over a short 1.5 mile course. Excellent power. No noticeable turbo rattle at idle w window open. Great handling. Brakes firm and supportive. Transmission hesitation on spin up, but very very quick to downshift, and it seemed any turbo lag coincided with kickdown for quick reaction. Excellent road feel and steering on normal roads. Compliant suspension.

Car left in normal, not Eco or sport.

Color me impressed.

Some pics.

One more.

Originally Posted by MMME30W

Some pics.

Based on wheels, the black one was a Luxury, not a Modern Line. They both have the same suspension though, so driving the Sport would have given you a different experience.