New 3 series

[jeffbebe 1559]

My good lady is a journo and BMW have decided to loan her a new 3-Series for the long weekend. Not sure which one it will be or where we're headed yet but I'll report back on it afterwards.

[Apex 693]

Possibly this one.

http://www.thread.co.nz/news/6511/15/Smell...,thread-article

Reminds me of the perfume dispenser in the 207, I remember James May commenting it did a good job of making the car smell like a 10 year old Taxi.

Women's Day car of the year apparently. Wonder what deal Women's Day have done?

[Docile 64]

wtf..... wats up with that front end?? bad nose job?

[Apex 693]

Its the same one that has been on the F30 for the last year AFAIK?

[mrad01 0]

wtf..... wats up with that front end?? bad nose job?

It's even worse in real life. Really horrible bonnet. The rest of it is amazing.

[hybrid 1043]

Possibly this one.

http://www.thread.co.nz/news/6511/15/Smell...,thread-article

Reminds me of the perfume dispenser in the 207, I remember James May commenting it did a good job of making the car smell like a 10 year old Taxi.

Women's Day car of the year apparently. Wonder what deal Women's Day have done?

I love how in that article that there are 2 photos of her driving and three photos of her pissing around with the gimmicky fart cans. 1 of the actual car (outside some bankers holiday house)

On the plus side it describes new BMW car owner demographic perfectly.

[bellicose 9]

I love how in that article that there are 2 photos of her driving and three photos of her pissing around with the gimmicky fart cans. 1 of the actual car (outside some bankers holiday house)

On the plus side it describes new BMW car owner demographic perfectly.

Couldn't agree more, i mean seriously WTF is this about?

"The three Ecoya mists: Lemongrass & Ginger for energising, Vanilla Bean to calm, and Lotus Flower for balance and clarity."

That alone would stop me buying the car..........................aside from not having the $

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

Don't worry, the smelly stuff is totally seperate from the car, just another product being tried in the article. Although if there are enough enquiries I'm sure they will make it onto the option list.

I might suggest some Male orientated fragrances as well, so everyone is catered for, something along the lines of beer, diff oil and napalm in the morning?

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Don't worry, the smelly stuff is totally seperate from the car, just another product being tried in the article. Although if there are enough enquiries I'm sure they will make it onto the option list.

I might suggest some Male orientated fragrances as well, so everyone is catered for, something along the lines of beer, diff oil and napalm in the morning?

mine already smell like oil

[jeffbebe 1559]

Possibly this one.

http://www.thread.co.nz/news/6511/15/Smell...,thread-article

Reminds me of the perfume dispenser in the 207, I remember James May commenting it did a good job of making the car smell like a 10 year old Taxi.

Women's Day car of the year apparently. Wonder what deal Women's Day have done?

I think it's the exact same one. I saw it today. Not anticipating a thrill-a-minute weekend's driving but a full tank of gas courtesy of BMW so expect a decent thrash up the coast. I'm probably not allowed to drive it so I can sit in the passenger seat p*ssing about with the perfume sprays drinking soy decaf lattes.

[Allanw 1071]

I'm probably not allowed to drive it so I can sit in the passenger seat p*ssing about with the perfume sprays drinking soy decaf lattes.

Haha! Enjoy. Remember to complain about going too fast too.

[m2geek 4]

wtf..... wats up with that front end?? bad nose job?

I quite like the new 3 Series - it looks different (in a good way) from the last several facelift's Bangle did which IMO were boring

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

I'm probably not allowed to drive it so I can sit in the passenger seat p*ssing about with the perfume sprays drinking soy decaf lattes.

Don't worry there are more than enough buttons and iDrive menus to p*ss about with for many, many hours to keep you interested before you have to spray perfume about .

IMHO it looks better in the flesh, certainly in colours like the Mineral Grey and Metallic Black and with the right wheels. M-sport kitted versions look even better.

The long, low bonnet line is a result of the increasingly tough pedestrian impact regulations compromising any styling ideas at the front end. It won't be long and we'll have to have bonnets made out of matress material with pillows on just in case some person wants to jump out into the road.

[allan 295]

" Lemongrass & Ginger for energising, Vanilla Bean to calm, and Lotus Flower for balance and clarity." thought it might be the new green fuel that it runs on

Oh what a bunch of jealous keyboard critics we all are , Go and enjoy Julian and give us a heads up on it later on

[jeffbebe 1559]

Oh what a bunch of jealous keyboard critics we all are , Go and enjoy Julian and give us a heads up on it later on

Haha! Everyone's a critic in this golden age of information, eh, Allan?! The car turns up today, I'll take a few pics over the weekend to give everyone the opportunity to criticise a bit more! Can't say I'm in love with its looks and not sure how I feel about a new bimmer that won't cost me half my salary every month just to keep it alive! Where's the fun in that?

[Apex 693]

I love it! No critic here. Just want a red 328i with a manual and a LSD.

Take some photo's and drive it like a press car should be driven, you should be covered by insurance, I have had a few press cars and they are quite relaxed with it as long as you are over 25 and have a licence.

Suit up and go and visit people you don't like in it just to make them jealous at your new found success as an important salesman for some important thing or whatever the demographic is for BMW three Series buyers.

[m325i 709]

LSD.

Isn't that the BMW trick these days? Only M cars have one? (No option to even add?)

[Apex 693]

Quaife do them for all BMW's. I have a Quaife in my race car and it works well.

Would cost say $2,500 to buy and have installed on a new three series. Well worth it IMHO.

[jeffbebe 1559]

I love it! No critic here. Just want a red 328i with a manual and a LSD.

Take some photo's and drive it like a press car should be driven, you should be covered by insurance, I have had a few press cars and they are quite relaxed with it as long as you are over 25 and have a licence.

Suit up and go and visit people you don't like in it just to make them jealous at your new found success as an important salesman for some important thing or whatever the demographic is for BMW three Series buyers.

*like*

Not sure who the target market is - judging by the alliance with Ecoya it must be rich housewives (ed. housewives of the rich). The missus writes about health, beauty, travel and lifestyle stuff on the most part so I imagine they're targeting this one at the kind of people that read her stuff!

I'm certainly not the target market... Not until it becomes a well-used 320d under $10K! hahah

[hybrid 1043]

....judging by the alliance with Ecoya it must be rich housewives (ed. housewives of the rich).

Remuera coffee club back scratching I reckon .. I rate this stunt up with BMW's decision to synthisis engine noise through the speakers in the new m5.

Dont get me wrong, I like the new 3 quite a lot. Motorsport / SE version will be very nice.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Remuera coffee club back scratching I reckon .. I rate this stunt up with BMW's decision to synthisis engine noise through the speakers in the new m5.

Dont get me wrong, I like the new 3 quite a lot. Motorsport / SE version will be very nice.

You're not wrong. It was pretty funny (and we fed it back to BMW/Ecoya) that when we sprayed the scent in the car it left an oily residue all over the dash and windscreen which didn't wipe off easily!

When I say "we" I mean the wife

Edited August 9, 2012 by jeffbebe

[Guest Ari Gold]

Look what is in ETK...

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

Oh dear God, no!!

Worse still it'll probably end up as an option I have to spec on every damn order!

Wonder which is best for preventin road rage??

[jeffbebe 1559]

Realised I never did write up any thoughts after borrowing this brand new 320d for a long weekend. To be honest it was boringly good! We managed a respectable 5-600kms over the weekend driving up to Matakana and around the place and it did that distance on less than half a tank of gas - no wonder BMW were more than happy to supply a tank of gas for free with the car. (half a tank of diesel's about $45 in one of these things I think).

The last time I drove a diesel was my dad's Volvo Station Wagon about 15 years ago. It was a bit like driving a tractor only slightly less manoeuvrable. This thing was something else; really responsive, quick enough (not sure how quick but it would absolutely smoke my 528i off the mark).

The auto shut-off when the vehicle is stopped is a bit disconcerting (you think you've stalled the first couple of times - even in an auto!), I guess it's designed to save fuel and cut emissions when you're sitting in traffic or at the lights, but when you want to get moving again there is a delay as the car reignites before you can start moving again. There is a workaround; if you depress the brake lightly the auto shut off doesn't engage - not dissimilar to holding a manual car on the biting point on a hill start.

The interior's pretty flash and the iDrive system has just about every bell and whistle you can think of. Wasn't sold on the plastic/aluminium finish. This was a sport version but, if I had the cash for one of these, I'd definitely opt for the luxury fittings (wood trim, etc) so it feels like a BMW not a Toyota. I didn't like the sports seats that much either. They're reasonably versatile but pretty hard and very narrow (and I'm not a big bloke) - can't help thinking they'd be pretty uncomfortable over long distances but each to their own of course.

Other than that there weren't many cons that I came across. Looks good, drives well, quick enough, very economical. Not much more that you could ask for, I reckon.

Edited August 9, 2012 by jeffbebe

[Deano 1]

Hate to say it but it looks a little Japanese...but i like it

Edited August 9, 2012 by Deano