buying advice Stuck Deciding: 330d vs 320d M-Sport — Coming From a BRZ

[Deeks.1 1]

Hey team, I’m in a bit of a bind and could use some opinions from anyone familiar with BMW diesels or who’s made the jump from a fun petrol car like a BRZ.

So, I currently daily a Subaru BRZ. It’s been my first real car — properly fun, great driver’s car, looks good, and got me into the car scene. But as much as I enjoy it, I’ve hit that “I need more power” wall. It’s still a solid car and pulls enough to be enjoyable around town (0–70km stuff), but on the open road or longer drives it just lacks grunt.

Now I’m eyeing a diesel sedan for something a bit more grown-up but still fun. I've narrowed it down to the BMW F30 — either a 320d M-Sport or a 330d.

Here’s where the dilemma kicks in:

320d M-Sport

Much easier to find in NZ, especially with M-Sport trim.

Looks the part, still has decent torque.

Cheaper to buy and insure.

But… it’s still just a 2.0L four-cylinder diesel. Not slow, but might feel a bit “meh” after the BRZ once the newness wears off.

330d

Proper power and torque. Feels like a real upgrade — you actually feel that inline-six grunt.

Makes a great sound under load for a diesel. Some even sound jet-like with the right mods (yes, I’ve heard one under pull — addicting).

Harder to find in clean condition, especially with M-Sport trim. Feels like most are RWD Lux lines or don’t have all the goodies

Costs more, usually higher km.s, and insurance/potential maintenance will likely follow that.

I’ve test driven both (not back-to-back, unfortunately), and the 330d obviously felt like the more “complete” car performance-wise. The 320d M-Sport is no slouch, but it doesn’t feel like a true step up from the BRZ in terms of straight-line speed.

I want something that:

Pulls harder than the BRZ (ideally 5–6 sec 0–100 territory)

Is fun around town (dailying through the city with occasional open road bursts)

Still looks the part and doesn’t bore me in a few months

Feels like a proper upgrade — not just a sideways move

TL;DR:

Coming from a BRZ, I want more power and torque but still want something that turns heads a little. 320d M-Sport is common and tidy but might not be enough. 330d is rare and fast but harder to find in the right spec/condition. What would you go for?

Would appreciate anyone’s thoughts — especially if you’ve owned or driven both, or made a similar transition from a fun petrol coupe to a quick diesel sedan.

[elias 390]

The f30s are great cars, and the diesel ones are really economical as far as fuel consumptions goes. One thing to be aware of is the n series engines timing chain issues, which although potentially fatal if ignored for too long I find are blown out of proportion slightly when discussed online, however good to be aware of nonetheless. 
 

It really depends on what you’re using the car for in my opinion, if you drive mostly around the 4cyl would be perfectly fine as you don’t really need much power torque. For more open road driving the extra power really becomes worthwhile. Another thing to bear in my mind is the fact that diesels don’t enjoy short trips to the shops and back, they require some open road, hot running. 
 

I’ve got a tuned 135i, which is a fast fun small coupe, and I’ve owned a 330d wagon (e91) and found that to be a great second car to have as it made adequate power to be fun and not feel too boring and sluggish when stepping out of the 135i after a weekend drive. Personally I would lean towards the 6cyl option if you can find one in the right spec/condition within your budget.  

[318Touring 40]

https://redriven.com/cheat-sheets/used-bmw-3-series-f30-review/

[Sammo 2612]

Really like my F31 but I would never describe it as a fun car, especially coming from something like a BRZ.

What about an M135i / M235i?

Edited yesterday at 01:58 AM by Sammo

[Deeks.1 1]

23 minutes ago, Sammo said:

Really like my F31 but I would never describe it as a fun car, especially coming from something like a BRZ.

What about an M135i / M235i?

Me personally not a fan of hatches, would you say i should look for a 330i or 340i something like that instead?

[Danch 41]

I think you are comparing very different cars (BRZ and 320/330d). I think the thrill of faster acceleration will wear off quickly and you will find them not as engaging to drive as your BRZ - especially if you're going from 6s manual to auto. On the flip side, both 3 series are excellent daily drivers. Much better place to be in when you just want to get from A to B. They are still fun to drive but just not as engaging as BRZ.

I think if you buy 320d, you can absolutely tune it for more power but you'll always be wondering what if, when a 330d drive up next to you.

If you are new to BMW ownership, be prepared to pay a lot more for maintenance!

[Danch 41]

And here is ChatGPT's 2c:

Hey, solid write-up — I’ve been down a similar path and get exactly where you’re coming from. You’ve already nailed a lot of the pros/cons, but I’ll throw in some perspective that might help:

Coming from a BRZ…

You’ve been used to a car that thrives on engagement — balance, revs, cornering. The 320d, while decent, will feel more like a mature, efficient commuter with a sporty shell. It’s definitely torquier than the BRZ down low, but once the novelty of turbo diesel torque fades, it may not deliver that “special” feeling you’re after.

The 330d, on the other hand…

That’s a different beast. It will feel like an upgrade — not just in grunt, but also refinement, road presence, and long-haul ability. It’s seriously quick in-gear, and with that inline-6 torque curve, it transforms overtaking into a one-pedal job. Add some subtle mods and you’ve got a sleeper with real presence. Think: autobahn-grade pace in a suit.

That said…

You're absolutely right that tidy 330ds are hard to come by in NZ, especially in M-Sport trim. But if you can be patient and pounce when the right one pops up, it’s worth the hunt. Yes, they come with higher running costs — ZF8 box, more complex drivetrain, potentially more expensive diesel system maintenance — but many owners find the extra grin factor worth it.

My two cents:

• If you're itching for a real upgrade and want to feel like you're driving something significantly different from the BRZ, go for the 330d.

• If you need something now, and the right 330d isn’t on the market, either hold out or buy a tidy 320d M-Sport and treat it as a stop-gap — just be aware it might feel like a downgrade in “driver engagement” after the BRZ.

Bonus tip:

Keep an eye out for Japanese imports — sometimes you’ll find nicely-specced 330ds that never hit the local listing radar. Also, don’t totally rule out a 335i/340i if you’re diesel-flexible — those can give you the power and engagement you’re after, with that sweet petrol sound.

Hope that helps — and good luck with the next the chapter!

 

[balancerider 828]

The 20d is a solid engine (as @elias noted, the internet is awash with stories of the N47 grenading itself). Excellent fuel economy when combined with the ZF8 if that matters.

You'll want a decent commute to make the diesel worthwhile - my 35d takes 15km on the motorway to get oil to temp at this time of year (20d probably better in this regard). The torque of the 6cyl is pretty hard to beat though. 

If you can find a 335i / 340i in budget (likely mostly luxury line) that could be a good alternative.

[Neil McCauley 451]

M340i would be my pick, and that’s coming from a 335d owner. The diesels simply take too long to warm up and are far better commuter cars than entertainment cars. 700nm is hilarious on the open road though, it really is just push to pass.

[Driftit 2200]

The 640D would be my pick.  It was an option right?
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