Recommendations For An Enthusiast Out of The Loop

AMG KLR · 10-30-2020, 12:27 PM

Hi all,

Got my first E90 in high school and always dreamed of this moment. 10 years later I am finally wrapping up school and have gotten formal employment. Although I don't want anything crazy for my first "real" car paid for myself, I do want something that will last a short term and be able to mod it to my desire.

I was looking at 340i and seems like they are now the "M340i" with a 15k price difference between the 330. To me this seems like a waste of money. Do you guys think I should wait for prices to drop on the M340 or just look at the 2018 model year for the 340i? Only "negative" is that it will be the F chassis and not the latest. I would prefer an older model if it had HUD, active collision warning, msport etc over a stripped out G chassis.

Alternatively I could look into the 5 series but haven't done much research. I know everything about the Exx chassis and a decent amount on the F3x but been out of the loop for a while as I got through 4 years of grad school. I figure I can also delve into the 2 series since I don't have a family yet, but I always liked the idea of having the extra space a sedan has. I feel that part of the issue is that BMW doesn't have an organized system of vehicles as one is always lagging while some series models are on newer chassis.

I would of course be coding and adding downpipes, BM3, exhaust, etc. This would be in tandem with a CPO extended warranty ideally so that I can increase my income and get established. This would be more of a short term (~3 year) vehicle but honestly who knows. Could be less or more time. My priority is to have an awesome car as that is what truly makes me happy. I figure I would like to keep my payments to under $650. Thanks bros!

davidr3 · 10-30-2020, 12:44 PM

Payment under 650 for a car that is purchased i'd probably go for a well optioned 18 340i.
Or an m240i. Don't get me wrong the M340i is a hell of a car but very expensive, i'm kind of in the same boat as you especially if you're trying to establish some savings with your income.
The only issue I unfortunately see with your whole post is trying to retain your warranty with BM3 and downpipes. That is not a guarantee whatsoever unless you have a connect that's a service advisor. You may have to make the tough decision of keeping it stock, or losing warranty.

Commerce · 10-30-2020, 12:45 PM

Don't let that leading "M" badge throw you off too much, BMW was late to jump on that bandwagon to compete with Mercedes 43 AMG and Audi S. A comparable 2018 would be a 340i with M package I and II.

There are 7 years between the two chassis with some minor improvements to suspension and steering in 2016 with the LCI. The M340i will be a lot more refined. Drive them both and see what you like better, everyone will have their own opinion.

AMG KLR · 10-30-2020, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opulence

Don't let that leading "M" badge throw you off too much, BMW was late to jump on that bandwagon to compete with Mercedes 43 AMG and Audi S. A comparable 2018 would be a 340i with M package I and II.

There are 7 years between the two chassis with some minor improvements to suspension and steering in 2016 with the LCI. The M340i will be a lot more refined. Drive them both and see what you like better, everyone will have their own opinion.

That is totally true however unfortunately this would be my first time even getting a paycheck. I think there is no shame in grabbing a 2018 340i so I can at least enjoy the b58 1.0 and then pick up something nicer along the way as my income increases

AMG KLR · 10-30-2020, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidr3

Payment under 650 for a car that is purchased i'd probably go for a well optioned 18 340i.
Or an m240i. Don't get me wrong the M340i is a hell of a car but very expensive, i'm kind of in the same boat as you especially if you're trying to establish some savings with your income.
The only issue I unfortunately see with your whole post is trying to retain your warranty with BM3 and downpipes. That is not a guarantee whatsoever unless you have a connect that's a service advisor. You may have to make the tough decision of keeping it stock, or losing warranty.

Not really worried about the warranty issue with SA

The turn off for me is that the M240i is a 4 cylinder right? Not something I'd be interested especially for that price premium

Commerce · 10-30-2020, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG KLR

That is totally true however unfortunately this would be my first time even getting a paycheck. I think there is no shame in grabbing a 2018 340i so I can at least enjoy the b58 1.0 and then pick up something nicer along the way as my income increases

Not at all, the 2018 is still an amazing machine that has had all of its kinks worked out through the lifecycle. You won't be disappointed, it's not worth breaking the bank on a car as there will always be something better out there. You need to draw the line somewhere.

As for the M240i, it's also the B58 6cyl engine. BMW has gone through an indentity crisis recently so anything 40i is a 6cyl and 30i is a 4cyl.

HarryTee · 10-30-2020, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG KLR

The turn off for me is that the M240i is a 4 cylinder right? Not something I'd be interested especially for that price premium

No, that's not right. The M240i has the same B58, but has more power and torque than the 340i.

Edit: I'm too slow!

i128 · 10-30-2020, 01:17 PM

If you're looking for a manual; the choice is easy. F30 with a b58

Like with every new generation, they get bigger and feel less connected.
However like anything else you get used to it.

In your position, I would probably opt for the F30, seeing that you can still get a fully equipped one with low miles at a relatively decent price, not to mention aftermarket parts availability.
For daily comminuting they will both perform equally well, performance differences will not be noticeable, creature comforts, and tech will be the most apparent differences.

For the purpose of this comparison, (and the fact that I hate the G20 cluster) the only tech that wished my LCI 2016 had is iDrive 5.0/6.0 aka NBT Evo ID5/ID6, (which allows for AppleCarplay). To my knowledge only 2017-2018 LCI models with Nav. are equipped with the latest iDrive system.

Finally, if you change you mind, later down the road if you really still want an M340i there will still be plenty to choose from.

Goodluck!

davidr3 · 10-30-2020, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG KLR

Not really worried about the warranty issue with SA

The turn off for me is that the M240i is a 4 cylinder right? Not something I'd be interested especially for that price premium

No, the M240i is a B58 6 cyl turbo with a bit of extra power and torque and less weight. What's not to love if you don't have a family.

AMG KLR · 10-30-2020, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidr3

No, the M240i is a B58 6 cyl turbo with a bit of extra power and torque and less weight. What's not to love if you don't have a family.

Definitely something to consider now. And Im assuming the b58 in the m240i is equivalent to the b58 TU that is in the M340i correct?

davidr3 · 10-30-2020, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG KLR

Definitely something to consider now. And Im assuming the b58 in the m240i is equivalent to the b58 TU that is in the M340i correct?

Yeah just souped up a bit in the M340i as far as I understand. Still the same B58 in all previous generations + supra + m340i.

Desertnate · 10-30-2020, 02:23 PM

If I could afford it and didn't have to worry about loadinga family in the back seats, I'd go for the M240 no question. All the power, a little less weight, and a smaller vehicle? No question where I'd go.

Depending on your budget, look at used/CPO M2's as well.

AspektUSA · 10-30-2020, 04:04 PM

I went for the F30 340i because it still had BMW quirks like 4 orange gauges, traditional HVAC/Radio, and other old school German car quirks.

I think I'll pass on the G20s for now.

psyki · 10-30-2020, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG KLR

Not really worried about the warranty issue with SA

The turn off for me is that the M240i is a 4 cylinder right? Not something I'd be interested especially for that price premium

The M240 has the B58 6-cyl but I'm not sure it has the same tune as the 3 series B58. I know for a fact that the M235 has more hp/tq than the 335 or 435 due to a different factory tune.

Something else to keep in mind when considering the 2 series is that it has less tech available compared to the 3 or 4 series. For example here is no HUD, no active cruise control, no surround view, but I believe it has collision avoidance (as an option).

AMG KLR · 10-30-2020, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AspektUSA

I went for the F30 340i because it still had BMW quirks like 4 orange gauges, traditional HVAC/Radio, and other old school German car quirks.

I think I'll pass on the G20s for now.

M340i is a beauty but seems like the 340i is best for my current scenario. Thanks all for the help!

10-30-2020, 12:27 PM	#1
AMG KLR Captain 163 Rep 732 Posts Drives: 2018 440i GC Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Recommendations For An Enthusiast Out of The Loop Hi all, Got my first E90 in high school and always dreamed of this moment. 10 years later I am finally wrapping up school and have gotten formal employment. Although I don't want anything crazy for my first "real" car paid for myself, I do want something that will last a short term and be able to mod it to my desire. I was looking at 340i and seems like they are now the "M340i" with a 15k price difference between the 330. To me this seems like a waste of money. Do you guys think I should wait for prices to drop on the M340 or just look at the 2018 model year for the 340i? Only "negative" is that it will be the F chassis and not the latest. I would prefer an older model if it had HUD, active collision warning, msport etc over a stripped out G chassis. Alternatively I could look into the 5 series but haven't done much research. I know everything about the Exx chassis and a decent amount on the F3x but been out of the loop for a while as I got through 4 years of grad school. I figure I can also delve into the 2 series since I don't have a family yet, but I always liked the idea of having the extra space a sedan has. I feel that part of the issue is that BMW doesn't have an organized system of vehicles as one is always lagging while some series models are on newer chassis. I would of course be coding and adding downpipes, BM3, exhaust, etc. This would be in tandem with a CPO extended warranty ideally so that I can increase my income and get established. This would be more of a short term (~3 year) vehicle but honestly who knows. Could be less or more time. My priority is to have an awesome car as that is what truly makes me happy. I figure I would like to keep my payments to under $650. Thanks bros!
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10-30-2020, 12:44 PM	#2
davidr3 Captain 448 Rep 909 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Riverside iTrader: (1)	Payment under 650 for a car that is purchased i'd probably go for a well optioned 18 340i. Or an m240i. Don't get me wrong the M340i is a hell of a car but very expensive, i'm kind of in the same boat as you especially if you're trying to establish some savings with your income. The only issue I unfortunately see with your whole post is trying to retain your warranty with BM3 and downpipes. That is not a guarantee whatsoever unless you have a connect that's a service advisor. You may have to make the tough decision of keeping it stock, or losing warranty.
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10-30-2020, 12:45 PM	#3
Commerce Second Lieutenant 278 Rep 280 Posts Drives: 2019 X3 M40i Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Don't let that leading "M" badge throw you off too much, BMW was late to jump on that bandwagon to compete with Mercedes 43 AMG and Audi S. A comparable 2018 would be a 340i with M package I and II. There are 7 years between the two chassis with some minor improvements to suspension and steering in 2016 with the LCI. The M340i will be a lot more refined. Drive them both and see what you like better, everyone will have their own opinion.
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10-30-2020, 01:17 PM	#8
i128 Lieutenant 316 Rep 546 Posts Drives: 340iX (6MT) - X3///M40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	If you're looking for a manual; the choice is easy. F30 with a b58 Like with every new generation, they get bigger and feel less connected. However like anything else you get used to it. In your position, I would probably opt for the F30, seeing that you can still get a fully equipped one with low miles at a relatively decent price, not to mention aftermarket parts availability. For daily comminuting they will both perform equally well, performance differences will not be noticeable, creature comforts, and tech will be the most apparent differences. For the purpose of this comparison, (and the fact that I hate the G20 cluster) the only tech that wished my LCI 2016 had is iDrive 5.0/6.0 aka NBT Evo ID5/ID6, (which allows for AppleCarplay). To my knowledge only 2017-2018 LCI models with Nav. are equipped with the latest iDrive system. Finally, if you change you mind, later down the road if you really still want an M340i there will still be plenty to choose from. Goodluck! Last edited by i128; 10-30-2020 at 01:24 PM..
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10-30-2020, 02:23 PM	#12
Desertnate Captain 391 Rep 849 Posts Drives: BMW 435i Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Swansea, IL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW 435i [0.00]	If I could afford it and didn't have to worry about loadinga family in the back seats, I'd go for the M240 no question. All the power, a little less weight, and a smaller vehicle? No question where I'd go. Depending on your budget, look at used/CPO M2's as well. __________________ Stop by and check out my blog: The Car Geek
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10-30-2020, 04:04 PM	#13
AspektUSA Lieutenant 271 Rep 495 Posts Drives: 340i MSport/THP Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Denver iTrader: (0)	I went for the F30 340i because it still had BMW quirks like 4 orange gauges, traditional HVAC/Radio, and other old school German car quirks. I think I'll pass on the G20s for now.
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