[NewM3driver]

TWO wheel drive 320 sport pack and track handling pack HANDS DOWN. I also have an M3 ZCP and I LOVE driving the 320.

Whenever I get a 328 loaner I am shocked at how the engine seems to be less free reving and less sporty. Go with the 320.

[asuh1991]

Originally Posted by NewM3driver

TWO wheel drive 320 sport pack and track handling pack HANDS DOWN. I also have an M3 ZCP and I LOVE driving the 320.

Whenever I get a 328 loaner I am shocked at how the engine seems to be less free reving and less sporty. Go with the 320.

wat?

are you sure its not because you have to mash the pedal out of the 320 to match the power u get out of the 328 ?

[ScarecrowBoat]

Originally Posted by NewM3driver

TWO wheel drive 320 sport pack and track handling pack HANDS DOWN. I also have an M3 ZCP and I LOVE driving the 320.

Whenever I get a 328 loaner I am shocked at how the engine seems to be less free reving and less sporty. Go with the 320.

...because it's slower and less powerful?

[NewM3driver]

Originally Posted by ScarecrowBoat

...because it's slower and less powerful?

Sorry guys... but a 320 specified as I said is a much more sporty car than your 328. It's not just me that feels that way... the 320 engine is a much more free revving unit. The automotive press has written about it. Sometimes you can ruin a good engine by tuning every last drop out of it. In 997 guise, the 911 was better than the 911s

[Heavy messing]

Originally Posted by BMWtight2me

Metallicpea basically said it --> the best value will be the 320i or going straight to M

Most don't realize they have nearly the same tuning potential. If you plan to mod the 320i it is in fact the sleeper hit. Contrary to what people speculated, the 11:1 vs 10:1 compression ratio can handle upwards of 22psi on the stock turbo on 91 gas. Recommend a larger FMIC, downpipe, and jb4 of you plan to go this route.

Although there are some slight differences in parts, none of those parts have proven to be a limiting factor for performance modifications. The parts that have been known to potentially fail are the same in both cars.

Now that people have realized this, they are putting e85 or meth kits in their 320is and supposedly the slightly higher compression with the high octane fuel will yield more power out of the same psi.

So in the end, if you plan to mod... would you rather buy a 320i and tune and modify it yourself? Or buy a 320i and have Bmw give it their own modest tune and exhaust upgrades -- aka a 328i! I'd rather take the 320i, pocket the difference, and put on my own aggressive customizable tune, exhaust, etc. with the money saved you can modify the performance and buy a new set of shnazy performance wheels.

Keep in mind, it's no mystery why a stock 320 comes slower than a stock 328i. Same engine and turbo, but the 328i comes set to 18psi and the 320i to a mesely 8psi. That's so underpowered and detuned... it's as if BMW wants you to thinks it's a different car so they can drive you to spend more on a 328i. just look at the poll. So long as people keep falling for it, BMW will hopefully continue their clever marketing, and release the same modular car desiguised as different models. Great for those of us that like to get under the hood and do some of these upgrades our own way.

Don't believe me? Check out my build thread:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=915596

Btw, did I forget to mention the 320i is also lighter and more efficient...

Love this topic...

Now you've done it.
I pick up my new F30 320i M sport in 6-8 weeks, and seeing your awesome build thread has me already planning to spend £3K on it.... the Joy Prevention Officer is gonna have kittens!

I trick out all my bikes (being a bike guy)
and have sunk in a few thou on the KTM 990, so I'm gonna have to be extra crafty about modding the car....

I guess I'm gonna have to choose between power mod joy and my manufacturers warranty......

[BMWtight2me]

Originally Posted by Heavy messing

Now you've done it.
I pick up my new F30 320i M sport in 6-8 weeks, and seeing your awesome build thread has me already planning to spend £3K on it.... the Joy Prevention Officer is gonna have kittens!

I trick out all my bikes (being a bike guy)
and have sunk in a few thou on the KTM 990, so I'm gonna have to be extra crafty about modding the car....

I guess I'm gonna have to choose between power mod joy and my manufacturers warranty......

Ayy congrats. Let us know how your modifications go.

[Heavy messing]

Originally Posted by BMWtight2me

Ayy congrats. Let us know how your modifications go.

Will do. I'm planning on CF splitter, and mirror caps first. I was gong to have CF side skirts and diffuser as well, but can't decide if I should get ABS plastic and paint them Min Grey like the body work?...

[ScarecrowBoat]

Originally Posted by NewM3driver

Sorry guys... but a 320 specified as I said is a much more sporty car than your 328. It's not just me that feels that way... the 320 engine is a much more free revving unit. The automotive press has written about it. Sometimes you can ruin a good engine by tuning every last drop out of it. In 997 guise, the 911 was better than the 911s

[asuh1991]

Originally Posted by NewM3driver

Sorry guys... but a 320 specified as I said is a much more sporty car than your 328. It's not just me that feels that way... the 320 engine is a much more free revving unit. The automotive press has written about it. Sometimes you can ruin a good engine by tuning every last drop out of it. In 997 guise, the 911 was better than the 911s

stop embarrassing yourself.

[Heavy messing]

If I understand correctly (swift retribution if not I guess) the U.S 320 has a different engine? My F30 will have a B48M in it. So how will this new unit compare to the older 328 one?
Ta.

[BMWtight2me]

Originally Posted by Heavy messing

If I understand correctly (swift retribution if not I guess) the U.S 320 has a different engine? My F30 will have a B48M in it. So how will this new unit compare to the older 328 one?
Ta.

The b48 can be found in the new 320 and 330. I can only speak to the n20, which has proven to be a solid and easily tunable engine. The b48 is still pretty new and I'm not sure if it has the same tuning potential or products available at this time.

[Tommy_hf]

The B48 engine ECU hasn't been cracked yet, so the tuning options are limited. There are external ECU's like Ventura, JB4, Mosselman i-tronic, but no full custom mapping without external hardware. It does sound a lot smoother and the cars with the B48 engines (320i and 330i) have twin outlet exhausts which in stock form already sound good. No more cold start diesel sound as well.

The N20 has it's tuning potential, up to over 360 hp on the 320i with just remap, turbo, exhaust and intercooler. The N20 is just over twice the price of a B48 engine when it grenades. (They've proven to do so as well, just like any engine).

For daily driving either is fine. Although you should avoid the "20i" to prevent being banned from the forum as any mazda or chevrolet will be the better car anyway.......... oh bollocks, I got the numbers wrong and bought the 420i instead of the 240i.

[Bimmer North]

Originally Posted by Jtc411

320 is great if that's what you can afford. I love mine. But I'm not stupid. If I had the money I'd take a 328. If I had more money I'd buy a 340. If I had even more money I'd buy an m3. If your options are a higher specd 320 or Sparce 328 decide if you want more power or more features. Plain and simple. Don't let people bully you though. The 320 is a BMW and a great one for what it is. Lots of people around here with small dong syndrome putting people down for liking the 320.

Well Said! I got my first BMW and have the 320i. I came from a long line of Honda Civic/Acura 1.6 EL/Volkswagen GLI. Therefore I see it as progression and improvement over time based on your budget.

No matter what I was happy to get into the BMW and have no regrets. I certainly want to upgrade to the 330 for my next lease; and look forward to it.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Bimmer North

Well Said! I got my first BMW and have the 320i. I came from a long line of Honda Civic/Acura 1.6 EL/Volkswagen GLI. Therefore I see it as progression and improvement over time based on your budget.

No matter what I was happy to get into the BMW and have no regrets. I certainly want to upgrade to the 330 for my next lease; and look forward to it.

My first BMW was a 320i.

A 1978 320i!!

Loved that thing despite it always breaking down. Had to get rid of it in 1993 because it was just too old. Didn't come back to BMW until 20 years later. Got myself a 2013 328i, which was the cheapest 3 series I could find. Loved it so much got a 340i then a F80 M3. Gotta start somewhere!!

[Katin]

I know I will get beat for this but here goes, we have a 328 stock and always enjoy the power. Wasn't until I had a service loaner 320 flavor that I realized how much better the 328 was. NOT considering the chassis the 320 had the charisma of a Camry that we got on vacation last year. Seriously Very under powered. Sad really.

[STR8-6IX]

Originally Posted by jmg

That goes without saying, but if faster is better why not an M3? Or a Buggati Chiron? The OP clearly has a budget for a used 320 or 328, otherwise he would have included a 330i, let alone a 340i. No point in even bringing it up unless you can get a 2015 340i for the price of a 328i.

agreed. some people fail to grasp the basics of common sense.

[BMWtight2me]

Originally Posted by Katin

I know I will get beat for this but here goes, we have a 328 stock and always enjoy the power. Wasn't until I had a service loaner 320 flavor that I realized how much better the 328 was. NOT considering the chassis the 320 had the charisma of a Camry that we got on vacation last year. Seriously Very under powered. Sad really.

If you think your 328 is fast, you'd be sad if you pulled up on my 320i at a light.

You could say it's sad for 328i owners that spent more from that 50 extra horsepower, when for less than the difference in price between the 20 and 28, you can buy a 320i and and spend less to add over 100 hp with only a few bolt ons and a remapping. The cars have basically the same peak tuning potential. I actually wonder if the 320i can push more power on map 7 with high octane (of e85 or meth) due to its slightly higher compression and lighter weight. Not trying to put down people's decision to go 328i, there are many reasons why a 328i is superior at the same time -- more options, some different components, power without potentially breaching warranty, higher badge number! ; ) But hey! It's a fun debate! Many said initially that the higher compression would keep the 320i from running the higher maps like the 328i, but my logs love the high psi, and the higher the octane the crazier the power band gets.

It really seems the 320i's underpowered stock form and bogus restrictions on options are just part of a marketing tactic to push buyers to spend that 328i money. A cheap tune and a few bolt ons ons and you can benifit from what so many fail to realize (same engine and turbo!) Bless BMW for making such a beautifully modular lineup this generation. I hope it's as easy for those with b48s. Good luck tuning! And Katin, you should try a dinan tune or jb4 and get a taste of what that 328i is really capable of. Good stuff

[eluded]

How much is a motor replacement in a 320 versus a 328?

[BMWtight2me]

Originally Posted by eluded

How much is a motor replacement in a 320 versus a 328?

Same engine, same cost.

[newuser310]

Originally Posted by BMWtight2me

If you think your 328 is fast, you'd be sad if you pulled up on my 320i at a light.

You could say it's sad for 328i owners that spent more from that 50 extra horsepower, when for less than the difference in price between the 20 and 28, you can buy a 320i and and spend less to add over 100 hp with only a few bolt ons and a remapping. The cars have basically the same peak tuning potential. I actually wonder if the 320i can push more power on map 7 with high octane (of e85 or meth) due to its slightly higher compression and lighter weight. Not trying to put down people's decision to go 328i, there are many reasons why a 328i is superior at the same time -- more options, some different components, power without potentially breaching warranty, higher badge number! ; ) But hey! It's a fun debate! Many said initially that the higher compression would keep the 320i from running the higher maps like the 328i, but my logs love the high psi, and the higher the octane the crazier the power band gets.

It really seems the 320i's underpowered stock form and bogus restrictions on options are just part of a marketing tactic to push buyers to spend that 328i money. A cheap tune and a few bolt ons ons and you can benifit from what so many fail to realize (same engine and turbo!) Bless BMW for making such a beautifully modular lineup this generation. I hope it's as easy for those with b48s. Good luck tuning! And Katin, you should try a dinan tune or jb4 and get a taste of what that 328i is really capable of. Good stuff

There is no debate. The 320i is the least expensive. The 328i is superior in every other way. The 335i is superior to the 328i. M3 is better than that etc...

Have fun with having to push your engine to the absolute edge to match the power of the 328i, which nobody other than a 320i owner would pretend is some sort of benchmark.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by jmg

Got myself a 2013 328i, which was the cheapest 3 series I could find. Loved it so much got a 340i then a F80 M3. Gotta start somewhere!!

I had a similar progression, from E90 328 to F30 335 to F80 M3. Loved all of them in their own way, but if I could do it over, I would have skipped the 328 and 335 and gotten used M3 right off the bat

[Katin]

Originally Posted by NewM3driver

Sorry guys... but a 320 specified as I said is a much more sporty car than your 328. It's not just me that feels that way... the 320 engine is a much more free revving unit. The automotive press has written about it. Sometimes you can ruin a good engine by tuning every last drop out of it. In 997 guise, the 911 was better than the 911s

Might be something to this "free revving" comment. I noticed that the last 320 loaner I had spun up very fast in the RPM's from 4 to 6k rpm much quicker than my 328, i thought maybe it was the new b48 platform at work. Though that was impressive I still think it was a dog and if you are staying stock I say stay away from the 320. If your into mods and taking warranty for a gamble then go for it!