[Speedster@911]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Well, this does add some valuable context

I'd then veer away from the M340i if it is going to be driven by Dad and also (sparingly) used as a family car. Mercedes Benz might be better as it is far more luxurious. Maybe a C300d?

By the way, what is the budget?

Ah not sure about buying diesel now especially with 2027 diesel ban rumor going around. I guess Meridian was the last diesel car that my father would buy. So, he is definitely looking to buy petrol now.

It's a fair point that Mercedes is more luxurious but considering the fact that it will mostly be driven by my brother as his daily he would prioritize power over luxury.

The budget would be close to 80L

[vjbox]

I had a similar conundrum that posted here - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/luxur...1-car-2-a.html (80-lakh budget | Buy 1 car or 2?)

In my case I decided to split the budget to make way for a Value luxury SUV and went with the Kodiaq first so it gave me room to acquire a used fast sedan in near future. I am still eying the M340i if a sweet deal turns up. My next stop othwerwise would be a used 530D.

In your case you could perhaps also consider breaking the budget and see if you can get hold of a 20/21 MY 330i or something that you can easily find for a good price ? Or if you are up for a two seater, how about used a Z4 ?

If you are super fixated on the M340i and can live with it's ride quality on a daily basis, getting one new might make sense.

[Abhi_Automobile]

Speedmaster,

Thanks for the added context that the car will be primarily your dad’s car (I am sure you and bro will get to use it quite a lot too!)

Get the upcoming new 5 series LWB. Awesome luxury, badge value, comfort, petrol smoothness…it’s got it all. Meridian and 5 LWB will make a great combo too IMHO.

Whatsay?

[GoBlue]

M340i suspension is firm.

Whether it is unbearably stiff or liveable is subjective, depends on individual preferences and what one is driving currently.

Happened to drive an M340i for a long highway test drive and the bone jarring ride over MH roads could not be ignored.

This is definitely not the only car to have in the garage, unless one is okay with other family members suffering due to the suspension. While an enthusiast may be able to put aside the suspension for that sweet engine and exhaust note/handling, family members who do not care about performance could desire comfort. Eventually they may get nauseated with the ride quality, which would lead to a desire to want to stop getting in the car and the expensive purchase will become an individual one.

Do give this careful thought as this is going to be a family car as per your post.

Also on a long highway drive, the driver themselves may want comfort, can't keep driving like a race car driver all the time (which is what that sweet engine eggs one on to keep doing) - that is the scenario where this car may result in scales higher fatigue as compared to the regular BMW sedans (comparison with a comfort focused car is a moot point).

I would suggest to wait for and consider the new E Class which has been launched globally. That would be a perfect blend of more than adequate power, ride quality and class leading interiors.

[Monster2810]

I've owned a pre-LCI M340i for about 13 months now. Here are a few observations from me daily driving it that could help you make your decision:


Suspension is stiff, for sure. But I expected much worse when I first sat in the car. It's a pleasure to daily drive (credit to that also goes to the great roads in Hyderabad). That being said, you must respect every pothole or speed breaker you encounter or those 19" will be hurt.

At times, I do feel bad that this beautiful car is just rotting away in traffic, but then comes that one empty stretch on my way to the office. Put my foot down, and *whoosh* away go any silly thoughts.

My fuel economy (if you must know) has been between 7.5 and 9, depending on my driving style on that tank of fuel.

I've not had any incidents or service issues so far, so I cannot comment on those costs yet.

I never driven an M3 or M4, but logically it will much stiffer to daily drive and live with happily. Fuel economy and maintenance will be much worse too.


If the Sonet is too stiff, the M340i is stiffer still. I cannot sugarcoat that. But you'll fall in love again and again and again every time you find that empty stretch or windy road.

[84.monsoon]

I own an M340 LCI and I can guarantee you the suspension is a lot stiffer than the Sonet. It is also not as easy to park around the city and navigate the narrow streets as the Sonet would be. The turning circle is quite wide and U-turns are not was easy to take, as a sub-4m Compact SUV like the Sonet.

On good highways the M340i is a dream to drive, the moment the surface gets undulating or rutted, it is a nightmare.

I have a 2020 Thar as a daily driver and the M340i as a weekend/long distance cruiser. The combination works out well, as the Thar is perfect for the crowded city streets and most autos and two wheelers respect it somehow, much more than they do luxury cars. On wet days, I would definitely not take out the M340i and the Thar comes in handy even for medium distance out of town trips.

I would recommend retaining the Sonet as your daily driver. Maybe sell the Meridian and get the M340i for driving pleasure and out of town trips taken in nice roads in good weather.

[pratika]

Originally Posted by Speedster@911

Now the plan is to sell the Sonet and replace it with a sports sedan which will be used as a daily driver and occasional long drives.

Must Haves:

1. 350+ BHP
2. 3L engine
3. 4 seater

I've a pre-LCI M340i and have driven it long distances on good and bad roads. The suspension is stiff, there's no two ways about it. People sitting at the back treat it as a punishment posting. Front seat is usually not such a big problem. I had 3 incidents with runflats in first year of ownership so I went ahead and switched over to Michelin PS5 as they're supposed to be comfort oriented. While it might've had some desirable effect on comfort, I can tell you it's not night and day.

The car excels on highways - cruising all day or hard acceleration on open roads is what the car is made for. In the city this car is stressful to drive due to traffic and parking woes as already mentioned in an earlier post. So I avoid taking it out in the city altogether.

An M2 or M4 will be even stiffer than the M340i so I think your passengers may even avoid it unless they love manic acceleration.

If your purpose of the car is "daily driver and occasional long drives" then I think you'll have fewer chances of appreciating what the car has to offer in terms of performance. For daily duties something like a 330Li might be better suited. But this doesn't really tick off points 1-2.

I would probably go back and either reconsider if I need 6 cyl/350 hp as a daily or whether I can repurpose my cars such that a 6 cyl/350 hp is mostly used for long drives only and a less powerful but comfortable car does daily duties.

[revsperminute]

Do you have prior experience of driving fast cars? I’m 21 and trust me I know how tempting these cars are. A 400hp 340i will be a huge jump from a Meridian speed-wise. I’m not even talking about the maniacal full-fat RWD M3s or M4s here. Why not go for something in the middle like a 330, c300d or the AMG 35 twins? Those cars are plenty fast enough.

However, based on options you’re considering, the M340i is the best bet. Just make sure to get used to the car first. Also I see your garage has high-gc cars. Do consider the X3 40i as well. Most people I know who have shifted from crossovers to low German sedans have had a very hard time adopting the driving style these cars demand.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by Speedster@911

the most important one is the resale value since it is 1.0. I had gotten it valued at Spinny last year in Nov and I was pretty shocked when they offered me in the range of 10.5-11L. The purchase value was close to 14.75L so a 3.5L dep for a Kia in its 1st year is quite massive.

My friend, if a 3.5L drop in value is a shocker for you then you really are not ready to venture into German luxury cars, much less niche sport models of said luxury cars.

So, I want to make this clear first that I am pretty young right now and can't afford to buy a car. My father is looking to buy his first luxury car and I am just helping out. And my brother has convinced him somehow to buy a sports sedan.

If this is primarily going to be your dad's car, do you think he will actually appreciate having a sub 4.5 second 0-100 time at the expense of back breaking ride quality or will he appreciate plushness and oppulence more? Yes, it will be really cool when you or your brother borrows it but he is the one who will be stuck with it the rest of the time.

Also, I wanted to ask if there is any good option in Mercedes at this price range? Since there is no rush,we just want to keep our options open

Anyway, try out a GLC 43 Amg if you want a fast family car you don't need to worry about scraping.
Personally, would recommend you just get him a 530d or 530i and call it a day. More than enough power for our roads along with all the creature comforts of a larger car from a segment up.

[inwester]

Originally Posted by Speedster@911

The only downside about Meridian is the low GC...

The Kia ..lacks comfort. The suspension is too stiff to drive in the city.

Now the plan is to sell the Sonet and replace it with a sports sedan which will be used as a daily driver and occasional long drives.

Must Haves:

1. 350+ BHP
2. 3L engine
3. 4 seater

My Choices:
1. BMW M340i
2. Used BMW M2/M3/M4

..And my brother has convinced him somehow to buy a sports sedan.

Welcome to the forum. You're in the right place for advice.

I see. Your brother has convinced your father to get a low slung sports sedan with 350 horses.

Reminds me a bit of myself in the late 90s, I made my father get a Honda City VTEC (I think it was only around 9-10 lakhs at the time) and basically I drove it around.

Now these sports cars have very low ground clearance (BMW M340i is 130mm) and has stiff suspensions. There are no two ways about it. There are ownership reports in the forum you can search and read. Here is Car & Driver summarizing it way better than I can.

"Of course, the point of a sports sedan is to provide joy in the mountains and also be practical for workaday tasks. In that role, the M340i imposes a few penalties. Even in Comfort, the suspension is surprisingly stiff and jiggly, and Sport is way too much for regular use. High tire pressures play a part here, with the summer tires asking for 44 psi for speeds over 100 mph. Airing down to 39 psi for under 100 mph marginally improves the ride. Though we measured a 70-mph sound level of only 68 dBA, our car sounded louder than that."

I also think the car in India doesn't even come with adaptive suspension, so you have no comfort mode, only stiff mode.

Here is what I would do. How about a car with NO engine.

Since you already have a car for highway rides, get a Kia EV6 for the city.

1. EV6 has 325PS of power, 605 Nm of torque - 100 more Nm than the 340i!!
2. Maybe slightly slower in 0-100 time (5.2s vs. 4.4s).
3. Claimed range of 700+ kms.
4. Comes with AWD option, so same as xDrive.
5. TONS of features compared to the BMW (too many to list).
6. 178mm of ground clearance ~ 50 more mm!!
7. Spacious back seat, easy ingress and egress for the family.
8. Safer car, i.e. full ADAS suite, vs. none in BMW.
9. 10 lakhs cheaper (check Haryana EV policy for subsidies).
10. No petrol ever, which will probably save you another 5 lakhs over the life of the car.

The brownie points from your father are there for the taking for being the more sensible brother. Go for it.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Speedster@911

My Choices:

1. BMW M340i - The car has everything that a car enthusiast wants. Great looks, Powerful engine, room for customization. My brother is quite sold on getting this car as he is getting a good finance plan as well. I am not very keen on the looks of the facelifted M340i and I liked the previous one better but I highly doubt that you can find one in the used car market.

2. Used BMW M2/M3/M4 - I think that a used M3/M4 makes sense as you get more power and it is more fun to drive (Because full RWD whereas M340i is AWD)

3. Any other used 350+bhp car - Not older than 2017

As an owner of a M340i (albeit in the guise of an SUV- X3 M40i) the best car to buy even if its for your parent which has a combination of performance + luxury- Look no further as there is literally no other car in this price segment that can beat the B58 engine. This car can be tame if it wants (when you drive in Ecopro) and will become a monster when you are in Sports or Sports +. A perfect Jekyll and Hyde example.

However, I understand from feedback of M340i owners in India that its suspension is taut or rough on bad roads.

Therefore, you should shortlist the X3 M40i (not sure if it's already released and available in India). It will gobble up bad roads like they don't exist.

You can read my ownership report. I have driven mine over every possible surface- Snow/Slush/Rain/Mountains etc.

Longest single drive I have done is 3500 miles ( 6,500 kms) with it and it was a breeze.

M3/M4 potential can be experienced on a track so I would stay away from them.

Originally Posted by Cresterk

Anyway, try out a GLC 43 Amg if you want a fast family car you don't need to worry about scraping.
Personally, would recommend you just get him a 530d or 530i and call it a day. More than enough power for our roads along with all the creature comforts of a larger car from a segment up.

Mercs have lost it. They introduced the 43 with a 4-pot engine (derived from their F1 Car technology) that makes more power than BMW's B58 but, look how it got thrashed.

Reviewer says this is the worst car he drove in 2023. There is no sync between the transmission and engine.

https://youtu.be/HOeRpQ1ZTtQ?si=nYpcqjlQZxrHUdx8

From a performance perspective, it's literally impossible to beat the B58 by any car in its or slightly higher segment.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Mercs have lost it. They introduced the 43 with a 4-pot engine (derived from their F1 Car technology) that makes more power than BMW's B58 but, look how it got thrashed.

Reviewer says this is the worst car he drove in 2023. There is no sync between the transmission and engine.

https://Youtu.be/HOeRpQ1ZTtQ?si=nYpcqjlQZxrHUdx8
From a performance perspective, it's literally impossible to beat the B58 by any car in its or slightly higher segment.

The current GLC 43 available in India is the previous gen 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine producing 385bhp.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

The current GLC 43 available in India is the previous gen 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine producing 385bhp.

Irrespective. M340i is a superior car from almost all parameters.