[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Abhi_Automobile

Guys,

Can I request all the new owners/and the ones who are in the middle of deals (preferably done deals) @phani, @astrodwx @worldcrawler share the details of their final deal?

Wait. Didn’t you sell your beloved Octy? Tell me I am still many years away from memory loss. Killer pics BTW!

I had mentioned earlier - my deal in the middle of Unlock 1.0 (May/June 2020) was 4 lakhs off. I did not negotiate too hard as Deutsche Motoren had my desired combo (330i Sport with Mediterranean Blue + Sensatec Black).

I bought my Octavia back

[astrodex]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Reach out to www.dealkarde.com - they have some new G20 accessories which is not yet updated on their site.

Yes, I plan to reach out to them via facebook and order the mirror. I've been meaning to also check out wraps but haven't gotten round to it yet.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Total came to ~16K + GST. This was a one-off and not a plan.

That sounds a lot more reasonable. I'd done a ceramic sapphire plus coating + mag4 alloy wheel coating that made my wallet lighter by 43k (including GST). Carzspa gives 4 year warranty for the coating.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Jury's out on what to do with it:
1. Fix it back!
2. Don't fix it back and clean off the glue. Let it stay as "330"
3. Take the opportunity to debadge it fully, i.e. leave only the BMW roundel logo and no lettering at all.

Fix it back! If it was a 320d, I would have told you to remove the badge, but the i needs to be there

Originally Posted by Abhi_Automobile

Guys,

Can I request all the new owners/and the ones who are in the middle of deals (preferably done deals) @phani, @astrodwx @worldcrawler share the details of their final deal? It’ll be hugely beneficial.

I purchased mine in Jan, after the small price hike. The only one I could find was in Pune and the Goa dealer shipped it down here (they are sister concerns so I think it happens a lot). Could not find any in the west coast (didn't check Mumbai though). I think I had got some 3 lakh discount for an ex showroom price of 39.5.

[Abhi_Automobile]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

I had mentioned earlier - my deal in the middle of Unlock 1.0 (May/June 2020) was 4 lakhs off. I did not negotiate too hard as Deutsche Motoren had my desired combo (330i Sport with Mediterranean Blue + Sensatec Black).

I bought my Octavia back

Yup, well aware of your deal details of course. Was more interested in what other bhpins are getting in the current market. Looks like not much to speak of...

If/When I but my 330i Sport - we’ll have very similar car combos - mine will be 3301i Sport and Jetta CL TDI, which my wifey swears by!

So much so for SUVs you know. I am a sedan guy through and through!!

PS: Great idea to bring back your Octy. For the same money, you won’t get even half the car in the new car market, and you said you definitely needed a second car..

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by dbs09

Have you ordered stuff from them (www.dealkarde.com). If yes, what's your feedback on the pricing / quality of products?

Hi there. As itwasntme pointed out, I had picked up an F30 body kit from them during Unlock 1.0, and I'm happy with their pricing and quality. Would easily recommend them for mirror covers, grills, etc.

Originally Posted by dbs09

Any tips of how best to dechrome / get it to black?

A quality shop can easily wrap it in a shade of your liking, easy peasy. I'd suggest going that route.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Got a fright yesterday when I snagged the "i" in the "330i" on my Jopasu Duster and nearly pulled it off.

Jury's out on what to do with it. Any thoughts?

My advice would be to fix it back, and make it whole again. If not that, as a last resort, debadge it. It adds a nice look, and it's a rare badge. So I'd definitely do all I can to avoid having it removed!

[Karvel]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

I had mentioned earlier - my deal in the middle of Unlock 1.0 (May/June 2020) was 4 lakhs off. I did not negotiate too hard as Deutsche Motoren had my desired combo (330i Sport with Mediterranean Blue + Sensatec Black).

I bought my Octavia back

Congrats on the wonderful new Stead. Caught up on this thread a bit late. Hope all the rodent menace is over and shadowfax is not troubled anymore. Wishing you happy miles.

And was quiet surprised to see the photos of the old Octy as well. And did it cost more to buy back, actually?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Karvel

Congrats on the wonderful new Stead. Caught up on this thread a bit late. Hope all the rodent menace is over and shadowfax is not troubled anymore. Wishing you happy miles.

And was quiet surprised to see the photos of the old Octy as well. And did it cost more to buy back, actually?

Thank you for your wishes. Yes, the bandicoot mafia are leaving me alone, and I thank the Almighty for that.

I bought the Octavia back for a lakh less than what I sold it for 9 months back. My buyer(/seller ) had renewed the comprehensive insurance, fitted CR70 sun-film & done the full 60K km service in the meantime. So, effectively I saved 50/60K more.

Of course, I'm the third owner now BUT I intend to keep the Octavia for the foreseeable future as a chauffeured vehicle with a (hopefully) careful chauffeur.

Am comfortable with the risk:return trade-off. There is NOTHING like it on the market which suits our use case .

[itwasntme]

Struck by the BMW tyre jinx:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post5046382 (Run-Flat Tyres : All you need to know)

[Sreesh1009]

Hey itwasntme,

I've been reading your thread for the 5th time now. I wanted to know how the seating comfort is at the rear, would you recommend the 330i for a family of tall people (5'6 to 6 ft)?

Also how does the car perform under full load? Does it bottom out very often?

Regards,
Sreesh

P. S Big fan of the way you take care of the Bimmer!

[astrodex]

Originally Posted by Sreesh1009

Also how does the car perform under full load? Does it bottom out very often?

I have been meaning to write about this, your question just jolted me to respond

I was concerned about the GC of 3 series when I bought it. My weekend travels include occasional driving though the mining corridor which have humongous speed breakers designed solely for the trucks. I only took our old 2009 Jetta once through the roads since it got stuck multiple times and we had to practically push it over. Then it was a 2016 Honda city which made it though but scraped the bottom when fully loaded with people.

And it so happened that a few weeks back we made impromptu plans to visit and the what we had was the 330i. There was 4 adults and 2 kids all packed like sardines in the car. And on top of that we have the trunk full with mangoes and jackfruit. I was expecting to leave metal shavings on all of the rumblers and we were discussing about having to get out and push the car like we did the Jetta

I crept up the first few of the speed breakers diagonally, with a heavy heart, expecting that familiar scraping sound ... and nothing! After a while I even went through them like I'd do the City. And finally by the end of it I was zooming though without any worries!

Came back home to cross check the GC. It did not even scrape on roads that the City scraped and it is supposed to have a longer WB and shorter GC. I suspect it has to do with a stiffer suspension.

Now, rear comfort is something that you won't get it this car. I'd expected it to be able to have at least 5 people sit comfortably, but I think it is best suited for 4 people (adults or kids).

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Sreesh1009

... would you recommend the 330i for a family of tall people (5'6 to 6 ft)?
Also how does the car perform under full load? Does it bottom out very often?

Thank you for your kind words!

I'm 5'10" but have never sat in the back seat () except to take a few pictures. However, I have seen and also received feedback from my 5'9" teen son that it is comfortable at the back even over long drives.

Mind you, it is rather intimate so seating 3 at the back is certainly an issue due to the huge floor hump, rear AC vent console, armrest and the contoured seats.

Based on my experience over 9K km, it does not bottom out usually even at full load as the chassis is pretty stiff. The RFTs also undoubtedly help with the more rigid sidewalls.

However, you will need to diagonally 'crab' over the tall unscientific speedbrakers, but that is something which becomes second nature after some time.

[Sreesh1009]

Originally Posted by astrodex

I crept up the first few of the speed breakers diagonally, with a heavy heart, expecting that familiar scraping sound ... and nothing! After a while I even went through them like I'd do the City. And finally by the end of it I was zooming though without any worries!

Came back home to cross check the GC. It did not even scrape on roads that the City scraped and it is supposed to have a longer WB and shorter GC. I suspect it has to do with a stiffer suspension.

Now, rear comfort is something that you won't get it this car. I'd expected it to be able to have at least 5 people sit comfortably, but I think it is best suited for 4 people (adults or kids).

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Thank you for your kind words!

I'm 5'10" but have never sat in the back seat () except to take a few pictures. However, I have seen and also received feedback from my 5'9" teen son that it is comfortable at the back even over long drives.

Mind you, it is rather intimate so seating 3 at the back is certainly an issue due to the huge floor hump, rear AC vent console, armrest and the contoured seats.

Based on my experience over 9K km, it does not bottom out usually even at full load as the chassis is pretty stiff. The RFTs also undoubtedly help with the more rigid sidewalls.

However, you will need to diagonally 'crab' over the tall unscientific speedbrakers, but that is something which becomes second nature after some time.

So I'm guessing a stiffer suspension helps save face under heavy loads.

I know this is a very silly comparison, I have a Honda Amaze VX AT and everytime we take it for a long drive, have found the car bottoming out. In fact it takes a toll on the car's performance as well.

I have installed spacers but during a trip to Chikmagalur the strut at the rear left started leaking and making a noise over bumps. The Honda SA told me that since I had spacers, it increased the load on the suspension (not sure how true that is).

P. S We're a family of 4 tall people!

Anyway, thanks for your quick response gentlemen! I'm happy to know that the Bimmer crosses the humps with no bumps

P. S Itwasntme, I'm craving for some pictures of Shadowfax

[itwasntme]

Not a driving update unfortunately but here goes:

Service coming up:
Shadowfax's first service is coming up in mid-June, and I am hopeful that the KA/BLR lockdown will get lifted by ~ 7-10 June, and allow me carry out the service exactly on schedule. Done only 9K this year but am happy as others have done far less, and the CBS was also showing a required service at 10K km.

Given the uncertainty around 2021-22 with the third wave almost 'confirmed' in KA sometime in the September-December time period, I am planning to buy and activate the 3Y/40K km 'BMW Service Inclusive' package for now for around ₹46K. This covers the basic oil service & replacement, spark plugs & essential filters only. Wheel alignment and balancing I will do outside later.

Keen to see the state of the brake pads, because that will dictate if I need to upgrade to the twice-as-expensive 'BMW Service Inclusive Plus' before the second service. The BSI Plus package covers brake pads and discs as well as wiper blades.

RFT vs tubeless:
The blown RFT is still pending replacement, and I also need to figure out whether to pick up 4 x Michelin PS4 tubeless for ~52K total OR just buy a single Michelin 3ZP RFT for ~₹18K. The former risks violating suspension warranty but will potentially provide a much better ride without sacrificing handling. The latter ties me down to RFTs again for the next few years, as I will need to buy 3 more 3ZP RFTs when I replace my other tyres.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

RFT vs tubeless:
The blown RFT is still pending replacement, and I also need to figure out whether to pick up 4 x Michelin PS4 tubeless for ~52K total OR just buy a single Michelin 3ZP RFT for ~₹18K. The former risks violating suspension warranty but will potentially provide a much better ride without sacrificing handling. The latter ties me down to RFTs again for the next few years, as I will need to buy 3 more 3ZP RFTs when I replace my other tyres.

I have been following this thread closely, and we have been exchanging notes in some other threads, but I just realized that I never posted here. I know it is very late, but still, heartiest congratulation on your 330i. It looks awesome, and hopefully our cars will meet in person some day :-)

Now coming to your tyre question, my suggestion is that if you decide to replace only one tyre, then please stick with the same brand/model as the other three tyres (which is Bridgestone Turzana RFT I assume). I can not imagine driving a 3-series with one tyre which is totally different from the other three tyres. I do not think this will pose any safety issue as such, but it is very likely to mess up the handling and cause unbalanced dynamic forces during driving. Not the ideal situation for a car like 3-serirs which is known for balance and handling! This could still be done on a temporary basis, but can certainly not be a long term solution. Your car has run only 9k, which means the other tyres would still have a lot of life left. So if you buy one tyre now which is totally different, you will drive with one different tyre for a long time till your other tyres worn out. That is not a good idea.

On the other hand, if you are going to replace all four tyres, then the questions about RFT vs tubless and Michelin vs others are all open for discussion. But not if you are replacing only one.

Just my two cents. I am sure you have got opinions from tyre experts and they would have told you the right thing.

[deepjaju]

Hi guys,

Congrats to all the owners of the 330i for the rocket.

How is the 80/120 speed limit implemented? Has anyone tried to code it out ?

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Keen to see the state of the brake pads, because that will dictate if I need to upgrade to the twice-as-expensive 'BMW Service Inclusive Plus' before the second service. The BSI Plus package covers brake pads and discs as well as wiper blades.

I don't believe your brake pads will need changing before 25k kilometres, and that's with a right foot heavy driving style. You could possibly eke out even more than that.

Given that, I think it will be inevitable you change at least the pads if not the discs by the 3 year mark. And ₹46k for them is fairly par for the course as far as BMW workshop prices go. I'd go for BSI Plus, simply because it offers that peace of mind, and zero hassle experience.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

I also need to figure out whether to pick up 4 x Michelin PS4 tubeless for ~52K total OR just buy a single Michelin 3ZP RFT for ~₹18K. The former risks violating suspension warranty but will potentially provide a much better ride without sacrificing handling. The latter ties me down to RFTs again for the next few years, as I will need to buy 3 more 3ZP RFTs when I replace my other tyres.

I wouldn't be too worried about the suspension warranty being voided if you switch to tubeless; you'll get the usual gyaan from the dealership about this, but I don't believe they'd do anything if you switch to tubeless.

In your situation, I'd buy once, buy well, and switch to tubeless tyres. I know you love that G20, and this'll just make you fall that bit more head over heels for it. Ride quality, comfort, sportiness; everything will go up a notch or two.

Originally Posted by deepjaju

How is the 80/120 speed limit implemented? Has anyone tried to code it out ?

Yup, it can be coded out. That's the beauty of these modern cars being computers on wheels!