Which to buy: 2011 E90 or 2012+ F30 328i?

[KnudsonsM3]

So my parents are looking at spending anywhere between $20-26k for a car and they are leaning towards an e90. I am in the belief that the n20 with the better power, mpg, transmission, looks, room and being a newer style are what make it a better choice. Plus I think the e90's value is about to plummet.

The e90 is nice but it is outdated and has a 6spd slush box. My dad thinks nothing is better than an N/A BMW i6. The turbo 4 is a great motor.

Choices: 2011 e90 328 for $21.5k or 12+ 328i. (Both in auto trans)

So what car do you guys think they should buy and why?

[DavidD123]

Reliability on both engines seems to be pretty good. Obviously with the e90 being NA there are theoretically less parts to break. But performance and gas mileage of the n20 is fantastic. Personally I think the styling of the F30 is beautiful and will hold it's beauty for sometime without looking outdated. The F30 also shines in the technology department offering more standard features and the better transmission.


F30 has my vote

[BimmerBreaker]

How long do they plan on owning it?

If long term I'd get the E90 with the N52. If its something they'll sell in a few years get something with an N20.

[KnudsonsM3]

They're wanting to keep it long term. I don't see the n20 being an engine that would go less miles than an n52.

[BimmerBreaker]

The N52 is the last N/A I6 BMW made and represents the pinnacle of BMW's I6 technical development

The N20 is a relatively new foray into turbocharged 4 cylinder engines. A lot of their turbo powerplants are plagued with long-term reliability issues. There are more parts to go wrong and a lot more stresses on the engine due to the forced induction. It may be a more fun engine, and will be much easier to mod - which may influence you wanting them to get one - but I don't think that'd be beneficial to them. I can't think of any reason the N20 could ever possibly be more reliable than the N52

If they keep it long term then both the E90 and F30 base models will have depreciated like rocks so I don't see that as being a huge consideration. It's not even like the F30 is a huge step forward looks-wise. Its just very different. The only real advantage to the F30 I see is the much better gearbox

[auaq]

Well, how many reports on N20 failures vs N52? By that I don't mean the engine itself but the parts?

[cmoody]

A few other things to consider include noise and power at altitude. The N20B20 sounds like a diesel engine on startup, especially when cold. The direct injection coupled with the I-4 lead to the exact opposite of a sexy, smooth sound. At idle, -28i engines sound grumpy. Goose it a bit, and not many people will be wiser. Also, if the car will be driven in portions of the country that are much higher in elevation than others (where I'm from) one will find a distinct lack of power in NA engines. The turbos can compensate for this pretty easily.

If it were my money and I was looking for a sporty DD, I'd be buying a 128i and doing the manifold swap. The N52 is a very good engine, but the E90 is not the best platform. It was heavy, the 6AT transmission was generally bad, and I'm not a fan of the looks or interior (subjective opinion, I know). If your parents get an F30 off of lease, then that's probably the best overall deal. It's new-ish, probably well-maintained by the dealer, and has the better engine and gearbox, along with having my subjective opinions.

If your dad wants the quintessential BMW I6, get the E36/46 M3. Since they are keeping it for long-term and sounds like more of a DD, I would suggest the F30.

[shiftmygears]

I was being driven around in a F30 yesterday while my E93 was getting serviced. I honestly think you should save your money and get the E9x. The newer one has nicer sharper lines, but to me is not worth the price premium. Nicer, but not OMG nicer.

[Automaticftp]

I agree with the E90. Less to go wrong, fun to drive, etc. The F30 just doesn't seem like it is worth the price difference.

Incidentally, $21.5k sounds on the high side for a 11 328i. Having recently been car shopping, under 20k sounds more reasonable. It is, after all, now five model years old.

[FastJohn]

Honestly, I don't know how economically feasible it is to keep a newer car today, once it is out of warranty. Repair costs are through the roof, especially if you have to go to the dealer, which is often the case with newer BMW's and their specialized construction.

I just added an E90 T as a DD, so I didn't run up a bunch of miles on my beloved E39 540. The E90 is an order of magnitude more complex in terms of electronics. It really has me appreciating the E39 more - just enough electronics to meet smog rules, no less, no more. I can fix most anything on it myself, which means an indy mech can also fix it for not a whole lot of money. On the newer ones... when something breaks, it's going to get real expensive, real quick.

[SpeedsterBek]

if your dad likes simpler N/A inline six and the E90 body style, then why are you trying to steer him towards the F30?

He is right, LCI E90 is better in terms of handling, engine sound, and has a better steering feel compared to F30 with electric power steering. Dozens of comparison tests done by magazines would agree. Besides, some early F30s were riddled with dozens of problems.

As for me, if I had a similar budget for a new car, I would just get a new Honda Accord (or similar). Why? Sometimes you reach the point in life where you want a car that just works and costs peanuts to run. Not to mention peace of mind comes with a new car and the safety advancements. Small overlap crash test ratings in the F30 is not very good. At least 2 series get a good rating in that test, and so does honda accord

[KnudsonsM3]

Thanks for the input guys, he ended up getting a 12' 328i sportline. It is loaded, original sticker was 48k.

They got to the dealer and upped their price range to 31k lol

Its still under warranty for another year and they love it.


AW on blk with red stitching and anthracite headliner. I will take pics in a couple days.

- - - Updated - - -

A few other things to consider include noise and power at altitude. The N20B20 sounds like a diesel engine on startup, especially when cold. The direct injection coupled with the I-4 lead to the exact opposite of a sexy, smooth sound. At idle, -28i engines sound grumpy. Goose it a bit, and not many people will be wiser. Also, if the car will be driven in portions of the country that are much higher in elevation than others (where I'm from) one will find a distinct lack of power in NA engines. The turbos can compensate for this pretty easily.

If it were my money and I was looking for a sporty DD, I'd be buying a 128i and doing the manifold swap. The N52 is a very good engine, but the E90 is not the best platform. It was heavy, the 6AT transmission was generally bad, and I'm not a fan of the looks or interior (subjective opinion, I know). If your parents get an F30 off of lease, then that's probably the best overall deal. It's new-ish, probably well-maintained by the dealer, and has the better engine and gearbox, along with having my subjective opinions.

If your dad wants the quintessential BMW I6, get the E36/46 M3. Since they are keeping it for long-term and sounds like more of a DD, I would suggest the F30.

He's going to look for a late model 128i in the future. He LOVES my 128i and wants one.

- - - Updated - - -

if your dad likes simpler N/A inline six and the E90 body style, then why are you trying to steer him towards the F30?

He is right, LCI E90 is better in terms of handling, engine sound, and has a better steering feel compared to F30 with electric power steering. Dozens of comparison tests done by magazines would agree. Besides, some early F30s were riddled with dozens of problems.

As for me, if I had a similar budget for a new car, I would just get a new Honda Accord (or similar). Why? Sometimes you reach the point in life where you want a car that just works and costs peanuts to run. Not to mention peace of mind comes with a new car and the safety advancements. Small overlap crash test ratings in the F30 is not very good. At least 2 series get a good rating in that test, and so does honda accord

At my parents age, they wanted something that was going to be a good DD and still be a fun car on the twisties.

This is a BMW forum and BMW's have a special feel that no Accord would give.

My dad has done nothing but rave about his new car. They are getting great mpg all while driving spiritedly.

He also loves the engine and the transmission, he couldn't be more pleased with his decision and has thanked me for swaying him towards the f30.