Long term update on the 320D
I was willing to post an update from a long time but i had some thing planned for the 4th year anniversary for my car and thought why not get that installed and then post an update. My 2015 320D is now inching towards 30k kms on the odo and it has been a wonderful experience so far owning this car, would just like to list out the pros and cons over these 30k kms. I have done multiple trips to Himachal and last year did a Delhi-Bangalore-Delhi covering 5300 kms and the car has never let me down.
Thank you GTO, Akshay and other fellow bhpians who asked me to stretch my budget and go for this car instead of the Octavia diesel 4 years back.
PROS
1. The ZF 8 speed gearbox coupled with the 2.0 litre diesel really shines when it comes to performance, brilliant gear ratios and impeccable fuel efficiency. She just goes berserk in sports mode, that kick you get from the rwd really plasters a smile on your face. I have averaged 15-16 km/l on highways cruising at 120-130, with that big fuel tank, it translates to a nice range.
2. The steering and brakes are really great, on the crappy Bridgestone RFT's the car used to twitch a bit on braking but ever since i upgraded to 225/50 ZR16 PS3, that issue is gone. The steering may not have the feel of the earlier car but it is still damn well weighted and the ratio is quick too, on the twisties in sports mode, she really shines. I just hate cars with poor/light steering setup's.
3. Reliability with the Germans is a hit or miss but seeing the trend of Bmw's on our forum and my personal experience, the car has turned out to be the most reliable of all the cars we have owned in the recent past (Vento, Linea, Ecosport, Fiesta). Rats chewed on my wiring when i was in bangalore and the car threw a lot of errors, i was ready for a big bill but Navnit repaired the wiring for 1600 INR. 2 things which need replacement in my car now are - horn and blower motor which should be covered under my 5 year warranty plan. I have done Delhi-Bangalore-Delhi in this car and the reliability so far really gave me the confidence to do such a long trip in a low slung German.
4. BMW dealers are not too great when it comes to good service but the support offered by BMW India has been always good whenever required. They don't turn a blind eye to customer mails like VAG. I had a 3 year BSI pack so have not spent a penny on routine maintenance till now, next month would be the 1st paid service. The brake pads on my car lasted 26k kms and with my kind of driving, i was amazed they lasted this long.
5. The air conditioning is excellent, again a surprise coming from Germans. I have a black car but the air con even in sweltering Delhi heat really chills the cabin quickly. I have now encountered an issue with my blower motor and it may require replacement as it is making a lot of noise.
CONS
1. I may get some brickbats for saying this but the stock car's ride and handling package is rubbish if you compare to BMW standards. I don't know why they can't strike a balance, E90 was too hard and F30 is a bouncing machine. With stock 225/55 R16 RFT's (124 mm sidewall in a Bimmer is criminal), there was oodles of body roll and the rear end just kept bouncing like a ping pong on all long wave undulations. You get that floaty feeling on highways and it really gets on your nerves after a while.
The 225/50 R16 PS3's helped solve the floaty feeling a little but i knew i would have to upgrade the suspension.
2. The interior build is not as good as i would have expected, a couple of squeaks and one rattle have creeped in now. When you park the car in sun these days, the entire audio/air con panel, the left lower panel where you rest your leg makes creaking noises when pressed and it feels damn cheap with those groans/moans. BMW really need to work on these bits, not expected in such an expensive car.
3. 2.0 litre diesel's refinement is really average, it is a very vocal engine even on low revvs. Outside NVH is superbly controlled but the diesel engine's noise keeps filtering into the cabin, this is a known issue as the 2.0 litre diesel is inherently noisy.
4. The low seating position tires you out if the roads are in a bad shape since you have to constantly strain your neck to look out for potholes and find a way out to ensure you take the best way out so your underbelly scrapes the least, oh yes, i have taken the car to such places as well. I also find the under thigh support lacking for the front seats in my car.
Upgrades on the car Michelin PS3
The stock RFT's were durable and that is it, i covered 24000 kms on them with not even a puncture. I drive very slowly/carefully over bad roads and that may have helped. The ride was jittery, road noise high and grip levels were poor, could make them squeal and make the rear end slide even with all electronics on. The stock size on my car being 225/55 R16, these had a sidewall height of 124 mm which is almost SUV standards and contributed to the floaty feel and body roll.
Upgraded to Michelin PS3 in 225/50 R16, have done 4000 kms on them and what tyres man. Very smooth tyres, good ride despite being a sporty tyre and it is impossible to make them squeal, they just cling on to the road like leech with zero road noise. Extremely satisfied with the upgrade, i don't if these tyres being very light helped but the vertical movement reduced immediately after replacing the RFT's with these.
Bilstein B6
I knew i had to get Bilstein B6's as i had enough of bouncing around like the old gen Verna, thanks to fellow member d_himan for answering all my queries and other members who had upgraded to B6's. Finally tdc automotive had B6 in stock after waiting for 2 months and i wasted no time in ordering them, costed around 56k all inclusive whereas dealers in India were asking 1 lakh+.
After driving 500 kms on them, i just want to kick myself for waiting so long. These dampers have totally transformed the car. She now rides absolutely F-L-A-T. It seems as if some hand from above is pushing the car towards tarmac, you can feel the difference even in straight line. Lane changes, hard cornering is a piece of cake for the car now and i smile like a stupid man when i do high speeds now, all that floaty feeling is history. I should have upgraded earlier.
Credit to BMW though, the stock dampers were all fine and had enough juice in them, all suspension components were checked and they had no signs of wear.
That's all folks, one more upgrade is pending and i intend to keep her for another 2-3 years before i upgrade to another BMW. Posting some images clicked all these years doing multiple trips and hurdles.
The TPH cover doing duty on the car, still solid after 2 years Enroute Delhi-Bangalore That is me kissing my kid Trip details for Delhi-Bangalore The issue i faced with rates chewing on the wires, car still chugged along Some pics of the G30 we rented in Europe, bmw love eh?