kanariya

All you need is the Premium package to make it luxury. you can also add the sport line to make it even better with sport seat and 18" rims. and the price is under $42k. Which it can be bought for $39k and that's reasonable $500 over invoice. Wait till the end of the year with the heavy incentives, it's even cheaper.

Of course you can add things like driver assistant pkge and things like bmw apps to make it 50k+.
You can also easily option up the A4 and C300 to way above $50k.

Amon_Ra

the 328i is a inline 6 i thought

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

not the new one.

00Max00

Out of curiosity, I did a configuration from their site for an AWD 328i. They don't even allow you to have 18'' wheel without the M sport package. I took some must have common amenities like leather seat, HID light, upgraded sound, etc, and the price was already like $48,091. Good luck getting your 18'' rims under $42K.

kanariya

you know the AWD 328i sedan is 2011 right?

devil2k

The new 320i and 328i both have the same 2.0L four-cylinder turbo. It's detuned in the 320i, which gives it 15 HP less than the old 323i, but faster due to having more torque. Two cars have different diffs, gearboxes, drift shaft (28mm vs 35mm) and possibly different brakes depending on the market.

It's kind of hard to justify getting a 328i considering that 320i can probably be tuned to be just as fast as the 328i.

g37guy01

The EVO/STI are 4 cylinder performance vehicles that can rallye. There is a limit to the "luxury" that is available in those vehicles.

BMW allows it's cars to be configured from bare-bones to fully loaded, something the Japanese don't. I don't get why you hold that against the Germans. BMW passes the litmus test of a luxury car manufacturer even though it allowed non-power seats to be ordered.

As far as the $50K, you should be astute enough to understand that these mags buy cars configured like most of us wouldn't. When a German car is fully optioned, the price skyrockets.

Porsche also has this amazing ability to double the price of the car: a GT3 is $115K and you can easily configure one for $160K or more.

kanariya

same as the 328i can be tuned to as powerful as the 335i with a chip.

Hell Yes, the BMW N20 Engine is Tuneable Says Kelleners with 294 HP / 310 LB-FT Tune - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST

00Max00

Good catch. I didn't realize that there has no redesigned AWD yet. I think the older car looks more sporty.

Amon_Ra

I see...the numbers in the MT article were "inflated" too...but still impressive either way...Infiniti better come correct in the next generation G

jepva

Not that any of the future German fanboys in this thread will read this...but I just test drove a new 328i and 2011 335d yesterday. I was only sincerely interested in a 335d (for the gas mileage), and since they were offering great incentives I was considering making a switch if the price was right. My observations, however..

-The new F30 looks wack in person. I like the side profile and the rear seats definitely have more room, but looking at the front/hood it just looks weird and like there was a design flaw. The hood is cut above the grille and front bumper with big gaps. Fit and finish is horrible, IMO. The whole front also seems like its pointing down compared to the rest of the car, more than it should be.
-The interior took a turn for the worse. While I like the new center layout and how they made the console wider, the shiny plastic they're using looks cheap...and I felt like I was back in my GTI. They tried to really copy Audi/VW here.

Now on to performance..
-New 328i is very torquey off the line..after having the G for some time it was fun to feel this low-end torque again, but up top it is definitely NOT the G.
-335d off the line is like a rocket ship. That thing has so much torque it's nuts. Talk about a WOW pedal. Can't imagine one with a tune (600 ft-lbs..lol). But above 4k it loses steam. Not a 1/4 miler for sure, more of a stoplight killer.
-No engine note what-so-ever (not in the new 328i or 335d, but im sure the 335i is slightly better), driving experience just wasn't there.
-Suspension sucks. This thing DOES NOT handle or ride as well as the G. It has a lot of nose dive during braking (ill get to brakes later) and on the highway over the spacers and bumps it is very noisy in the cabin and sounds like it has a flat tire (and no, they both sounded like this-something with the 3 series, probably the run flats and inadequate sound insulation). Also, it is more bouncy than the G. It just did not have as firm or sporty of a feel. It did take corners well, but overall was not impressed.
-Braking - the brakes are not nearly as good, and I don't even have the BBK's, I have the standard brakes on a G37xS. I found myself really having to push down hard coming to a light, almost dangerous after driving the G which has much better stopping power and pedal feel.
-It is still smaller than the G and inside it felt cramped with the salesman. Also, I found trying to use the iDrive in the center console very annoying..my arm and hand would not fit right trying to use it and my hand would always be at an annoying position. Have to say I prefer the wheel in the G.
-Seats - While they are comfortable in the BMW I still prefer the G sport speats. They hug you better and are more of a sport seat. I could never find the right position in the 3 seats and it always felt I was falling out and forward (coupled with the nose dive when braking), and yes I adjusted the front up/down but it didn't help much. I know a lot of people complain about the G sport seats but for my size they fit pretty well (about 5'8" - probably same size as the japanese guy they used to test lol).
-Overall I felt like I was in a CHEAPER car. It just didn't seem to all be put together as nice as the G, and just not as "luxury" overall. The driving position is also very vey low compared to the G, I know stock the beamers have always been lower, but it made me feel like I was in a riced out civic again for some reason. And the fact that they are actually MORE expensive, I was not ok with this feeling.

Anyways, that's my write-up..I have to say after finishing up at the dealership and getting back in my G, I was very happy to be driving it again and made me feel like not getting a 3 series at all. And then hearing the V6 growl from the G put another smile on my face.

kanariya

I test drove the 328i the other day and I agree with some of your points.

- Last I heard the hood line was due to the new european safety regulation. All the new BMW models have it. the Z4, the 5, the 6. To like the new design or not it's all personal preference. I found myself love the new front. More aggressive than the last generation.

- The new interior I found it very well done. Catching up with Audi. I like the iDrive knock position. Compared to the G, I don't have to lean myself forward to use the screen. The wide screen hi-res 9" screen is REALLY nice compared to my 2009 G screen.

- Yes, the torque is one of the things that I love it so much. Comparing to the G, which feels like not wanting to move off the stop light. The 3 has so much low end torque.

- The 328i exhaust note doesn't sound as good as the 335i or the G coupe. But G sedan doesn't sound a lot better than it - stock. I hate how the G coupe sounds so much better than the G sedan.

- Yes the brakes in the 328i isn't the best brakes out there.

- The suspension for the sport line I tested was very good.

- 8AT was VERY smooth. Shift was QUICK. I would really want to try the Sports AT.

- The sports seat felt great. Not sure how it compares to the G sport seat since I don't have sport pack in my G.

- I found the car to be roomy enough. The G looked like a big car from outside but it is really small in the inside. My old 1999 VW Passat was roomier than the G. I like the fact that the 3 gives me to choice to get fold down seats. I have so much trouble carrying my snowboards in my G.

- Gas mileage I was getting combined 25MPG for my mixed driving, in sport mode.

- I would test drive the AWD version again later the year and see how Infiniti is responding to the competition. So far the 3 wins for me.

It just sound like the 3 doesn't fit your preference and you enjoy the G more. That's good for you. Kudos to you for actually went to a test drive before expressing your opinion, instead of blindly bashing the competitor.

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

Exterior and interior design, as well as seat comfort is subjective. What really matters when it comes down to it is the performance. I don't know what G model you are comparing to, but I can tell you the non Sport G's handling is not stellar. I doubt the 3 series handling is worse, even when compared to the sport G. Brakes I can understand, as the 328 will not have the brakes like the Sport G. As far as high end power, I think the majority of people would prefer the low end torque, as that is where most time is spent in stop and go traffic, city driving, etc...Unless you live in rural town where you spend 75%+ on the open highway, that high end power is pretty useless. Even then, are you going to fly down the highway and see how fast you can get from 60-120 all day long?

jepva

No, it doesn't, and neither does the 335d (although it had a deeper growl), but I have tons of friends with a 135 or 335i and stock the exhaust is still not as loud or nice as a the G. I have a G sedan and never noticed a difference with the exhaust on the coupe. Mine seems plenty loud for stock. Almost sounds like a V8 really. Not a lot of cars like that, at least stock. Cars with a turbo will never be as loud or nice sounding (as far as exhaust, talking exclusive of the turbo spool here) because a turbo naturally quiets the whole exhaust process.



Yes, forgot to mention this. The ZF 8 speed is very nice. Same ones Audi has been using for awhile now. However, I didn't notice that it was any better/much better than the 7 speed in the G. I don't have all the issues some do with the transmission in the G..I'm convinced people make that up.


Of course the gas mileage is better. Most NA motors cannot touch turbo gas mileage. However, buying a $40k car gas mileage was not my concern, and I'm not missng the $100/month I might save having a 328i. If people on here really need to save money on gas they shouldn't be buying a G/328 period.

When you say "non sport G", it doesn't really make sense, because all the G's use the same suspension setup, except for the 6MT sport and RWD sport which is slightly different with a bigger rear sway and better tires. Not a completely different setup at all. I have an '11 G37xS, what you would call the "non sport suspension" and no, the 3 series did not handle better IMO. The road test and skidpad results also speak to this. However, a lot of it is preference. Like any 3 series it cornered well, but it had a bouncy, unsettled ride over bumps and on the highway that I did not like, as well as nose diving much more when braking. It was very noticeable to me. Like I said, OVERALL it just felt like a cheaper car, and definitely not something I would pay more for or get too excited about like everyone on this forum. At the end of day, I wanted back in the G, not the 3 series.

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

non sport = base or journey. not S. not 100% sure of xS, but i'm pretty sure the rwd S have stiffer suspension, not just swaybars.