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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > 2012-2019 BMW 3 and 4-Series Forums > General F30 Sedan / F32 Coupe / F36 Gran Coupe Forum > Disappointment in the F30
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      01-04-2015, 12:15 AM   #177
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For kicks I have temporarily swapped my F36 with my parents Hyundai i30 hatch. They wanted to know what a premium car was like

There is a problem now though; I had always known that recent Hyundais were pretty decent, but the latest i30 has me doubting whether the F3x can be considered "luxury" at all!

The first thing that jumps out is the quality of the leather. The Hyundai leather seats are far softer and plusher than my F36's dakota leather sport seats. Not as supple as the optional BMW Merino leather (or the leather in my Lotus) but I'd say about halfway between that and dakota. There are many positions in which the Hyundai seats feel perfectly comfortable for my 5'9" 150lbs self, however in the BMW I'm embarrassed to say I haven't found a setting that feels entirely right.

The next thing is the smoothness. I can brake the i30 down to a stop smoothly every.single.time. No jolt when the car comes to a stop. Maybe i shouldn't have optioned the M sport brakes on my F36? Also the i30 rides bad roads far better than the F36 in comfort mode.

The last and most surprising thing is the handling. Now of course the i30 has far lower limits than the F36, however in normal driving at normal speeds, the i30's steering feel is far less artificial than the BMW's. Using my weekend car (Lotus Evora S) as a baseline, I can definitely say that the Hyundai's weighting and chassis response is comparable if not better than the BMW's.

Would I still call the F3x "entry-level luxury"? Yes, because it has the badge, and many people aspire to the badge. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's just that the gap between "entry-level luxury" and "Korean econo-box" is far, far, FAR smaller than most people would expect.
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      01-04-2015, 02:35 AM   #178
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I agree with most of what you said here. I had a 2006 750i, 2008 550i, E34s and my mother in law had a E92. All of them I thought had things that were better than the F30 but overall, the F30 is a far better car. the 750 and 550i, were potential electronics nightmares or any major component once the warranty ran out and I dont get that feeling with the F30. So far not a single problem other than a light bulb. Handling and ride, yes, nothing like the others but i am fixing that with Eibachs and Bilsteins. Interior, mine is a little sparce but when I have driven loaded F30s with leather everywhere, I am impressed. Evolution doesnt always mean everything is better, sometimes change is just change!

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Originally Posted by Ali Shiralian View Post
I don't know how you can really compare the V8 in the 540 to the four pot in the N20. I agree that it doesn't sound refined, it is a small four cylinder after all, but it is more advanced as far as the power delivery and fuel efficiency. I also agree on the steering feel which doesn't seem as connected as before. I'm afraid BMW Is catering to the non enthusiast who are the majority. We need to look in to other brands soon if we want to have the old school bimmer feel. A familiar name "Porsche" comes to mind...
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      01-04-2015, 04:27 AM   #179
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My previous car was an E91 320d msport, with Msport suspension, the ride was exceptionally firm as expected, however you could feel every bit of the road and the traction control light was almost a permanent feature.

There is also a difference between what a premium car is and what a luxury car is, I would say the 3 and 4 series fall in the premium area and are not luxury, that's your 5, 7 series etc.

As a stepping stone for affordability, BMW have their price model (at least in UK) pretty much spot on when taken inconjunction with numerous other rivals (audi, mercedes, jaguar.

The budget entry 4 pots 316, 318, 320's, are just that the budget range of a premium series.
The 325d and 328i fill the mid range.

With the 330d, 335d and 335i the top end.

The refinement of those 6 pots coupled with the 8AT is amazing and that is what I want from a premium car.
The interior does need to match the price model, however I don't want to pay even more just to have better interior than a 325/328, as that would likely kill 6 pot sales.

The problem BMW has is this need to appeal to the mass market sales sector it now sits in, more BMW 3 series are sold in UK than ford mondeos, vauxhalls etc.

Yes I do wish they would sort options list out and it's associated pricing.
Would be good just get black grills from outset and BMW factory fit likes of ACS springs for the xdrives.

However I am more than pleased with the premium feel of the power delivery and how smooth it can be put down.
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