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      11-26-2012, 07:36 PM   #1
rigel-xvi
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Drives: F30 328i M-Sport EBII
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland

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328i Msport, the first 2000 miles

I haven't read the forum lately but I've been busy driving

Anyway, just wanted to share a few things that may be helpful for other potential owners!

Overall, I am extremely satisfied with the car (or the 3 cars you seem to get with Eco pro, Comfort, and Sport/+ )

Now, for some more color:

I drive most of the time in Eco Pro and Comfort -- I wish there were more opportunities to drive in Sport/Sport+ but my daily commute goes through half a dozen street lights and then 20 or so miles of multi-lane highways which are fairly busy and boring. The times I have driven in Sport/Sport+ in some backroads have been exhilarating, though. The torque at cruising speeds is heady stuff.

Fuel economy is decent, around 26 mpg, which is comparable to what I was getting with my C230 sport coupe, but not extraordinary unless you modify your driving pattern. In Eco Pro I have removed the speed limit notification so I cruise at 75-80 mph. I reach the 50% mark in the fuel gauge at around 200 miles. The gamification in Eco Pro is pretty effective, IMO, but I have not had the patience to "gain" more than a dozen miles per tank.

I love the M-style steering wheel and the lateral support of the sport seats. I would like a bit more lumbar support, but I would trade it for the lateral support. I have only driven an E92 for 20-30 minutes or so but I can tell you that the F30 is not an E92 Still, the deliberateness in negotiating corners is there.

I hate the idling sound -- it grates me every time I hear it

The Harman Kardon sound system is good. Just don't expect to be as good as a $5,000 home system, of course.

The navigation (I did not get the whole tech package, just navi and enhanced BT) system takes some time to get accustomed to. I find the zoom in/out behavior of the control wheel to be counterintuitive (CW to zoom out! ) Entering the address with the control wheel is a minor pain, but probably less distracting than trying to punch in numbers and letters on a touchscreen.

I regret not ordering BMW Apps -- not for the in-armrest holder or the twitter integration, but for the ability to get stats for consumption and to use the native iPod interface. My CA tells me that there is no way to install BMW Apps after the factory, which I find weird (esp. if we are talking about the s/w upgrade only). For the time being, I keep an old 60GB iPod permanently connected by USB inside the armrest and connect my iPhone via BT for address book calling and podcast streaming.

I also hate having to mount a front license plate I have removed the front mounting bracket and been driving with the temporary plates for 7 weeks now!

Finally, a couple of minor gripes: I would like the doors to unlock (esp. the trunk) when I switch off the engine and open the driver's door to exit the vehicle. I don't know if this is standard behavior in other vehicles but I think it was like that in the C230 (which, of course was a coupe).

I am annoyed by the fact that the visor does not extend. I mean, come on, how much more would such a simple feature cost. The visor when turned over to the left of the driver still leaves 2+ inches of space between it and the back door column.

So far, so very good, though! I wish BMW didn't nickel-and-dimed us but I look forward to the next 43,000 miles until my lease expires

P.S.: I forgot to add that 95% I am fine with the ASS and when I ride in other cars I get irritated that they don't power down at red lights! However, every now and then it will shut down at the wrong time...
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2013 F30 M-Sport Line (Estoril Blue)

Last edited by rigel-xvi; 11-26-2012 at 08:09 PM..
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