[dcat151]

I just realized that I have just passed the six month point of my ownership of a 2006 330i and thought I'd share my thoughts on it. This may be of no interest to most, but if anyone's looking at a 330i, it might be of some help.

My previous car was an AP1 Honda S2000 (and full disclaimer: I had an unnatural affinity for that car...and yes, I'm expecting many V-TEC jokes). I loved the gearbox in the S2000 (and still think it may be the best manual transmission ever made) and the fact that it, while not the fastest car on the road, was incredibly fun to drive. The biggest downside was having to rev up the engine past 5500 RPM to get to the powerband.

My wife and I found out she was expecting our second child, so that spelled the end of life in a two-seater. The criteria I had were that my car would have to be a sedan, had to be a manual transmission, and had to be fun to drive. I understand that a sedan is a completely different type of vehicle than a roadster, so I'm not comparing the cars, just using my experience as a starting point for where I was coming from.

The first car I looked at was a 2009 Civic Si. I figured that I liked the S2000 and maybe Honda had made more or less a sedan version of the S2000. So, I went to test drive the Si and was massively disappointed. The fun factor was missing; the gearbox was crap; I couldn't find a good sitting position (I always felt like I was way too high up); and the power was severely lacking.

I then began looking at a number of other cars, but none seemed to put a smile on my face when I drove it. I had always read that the 3 series was the pinnacle of sports sedans, so I figured I'd check it out. After driving one, I decided I really liked it and bought a 2006 330i 6MT ZSP ZPP ZCW with iDrive (and subsequently I had the ipod connector installed). Now that I've lived with it for 6 months, I still love it.

First, the powerband is great. There's enough low-end torque to mean that I don't really have to go past 3000 RPM to keep up with traffic. But, what really surprised me was that the power really comes on above 4000 or so. I know it's no 335i, but I'm pretty impressed with the N52. The stock gearbox wasn't bad, but left something to be desired. I've replaced the stock shift knob with an M knob, which improved the shifter feel immensely. I deleted the CDV and replaced the transmission fluid with Royal Purple, and it has been greatly improved. (The biggest improvement was from removing the CDV.) I may install a short-shifter, but I'm pretty happy with the gearbox now.

Another thing that impressed me was the handling and the fact that I could find a good sitting position. It's no roadster, but for having such a comfortable ride, it really handles well. I can even get the tail out if I'm trying. The handling is fairly neutral and the weight distribution pretty spot-on, which is amazing in a sedan. To me, this is the most important consideration in a fun drive.

I'm also impressed by the fuel economy. (I know, not really an enthusiast consideration, but a nice bonus.) I do a pretty even mix of city and highway driving and the occasional long trip and the computer says I'm averaging just about 25 mpg. I think the computer's a bit optimistic (at least from my own calculations), but the mpg is still better than the S2000 that had a 4 cyl engine and 600 fewer pounds to carry around.

There are a couple of things I'm less-enthused about. The run flats are not great. They're not horrible, but I'll probably replace them with standard tires once I wear these out.

Second, the iDrive is just a bit inefficient. (I understand improvements have been made to the system.) It didn't take me long to figure it out: it's pretty intuitive. However, it just seems ineffecient not to have a touch screen. My wife's Garmin is much faster to use because she can just type in an address, whereas I have to scroll up and down through the alphabet. The same thing with the ipod connection: it can take a while to highlight the album I want to hear. (Also, does anyone know if there's a way to get the screen to display the map without you having to enter a destination?) But, these are minor complaints.

Finally, I like that it's not impossible to do my own maintenance. I really enjoy working on my cars, and while BMW has made it a little bit difficult to do everything, it's doable (largely thanks to the DIY section of this forum).

So, all in all, I would recommend the 330i to anyone looking for a sports sedan. I think BMW has proved that that term is not an oxymoron. I look forward to many more years of ownership.

[Verbiage]

330i FTW.

[RDHTran]

nice, think about the performance ssk I think its affordable and well worth it

[dcat151]

Originally Posted by Rtran

nice, think about the performance ssk I think its affordable and well worth it

Yea, I am definitely leaning that way.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by dcat151

Yea, I am definitely leaning that way.

You join our FB group?

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php...7862689&ref=ts

[dcat151]

Cool. I'm in.

[spdy330]

I got mine on December 4th 2009 and still have so much fun driving it. Mine is only a weekend and evening car. I have only put 3k miles on it since I got it and a few mods.

Good write up OP!

[Jblack4083]

Im purchasing one this summer. I'm having trouble finding one with ZSP but they all seem to come with ZPP and ZCW.

I also thought the idrive was inefficient.

[djspeed_330i]

You forgot one more thing, NO HPFP issues!

Built like a rock. No problems on mine, although I only have around 29K miles or so. My everyday ride is a 99 Jeep Cherokee, so the miles on my 330i have been limited.

Martin

[Huertabmw]

i got mine about a month ago and i LOVE IT!!!

[dcat151]

Originally Posted by djspeed_330i

You forgot one more thing, NO HPFP issues!

Built like a rock. No problems on mine, although I only have around 29K miles or so. My everyday ride is a 99 Jeep Cherokee, so the miles on my 330i have been limited.

Martin

Yea, that did factor into my decision.

I just hit 34,000 miles and it's been problem-free so far. <Knock on wood.>

[coolkeef]

I've also owned a 2006 330i for just over 6 months now. It's a fantastic car. At over 30K miles I have had no issues.

[John 070]

I was at the unveiling not sure, circa Aug. or Sep. 2005. The excitement about the E90 330i was incredible, everyone drooled and gasped when they lifted the cover off. Later that fall I got to drive the 330i (auto) with professional drivers, and I had my heart set on one. By the time I was in a position to get one, there was an E92 and a "335," so I couldn't resist. But I still remember how much I wanted a good ol' E90 330.....

[caradd]

I also owned an ap1 2002 sebring silver. I agree the gearbox is simple amazing. I've now owned my e90 for almost a year. It's a great sporty sedan.

Unfortunately I went to test drive an e92 335i manual today. Now I want one. The torque put a big f##* smile on my face. Knowing that I can put a JB on it for $300 and get another 60whp is just too tempting!

DAMN IT!!!!!!!

[k3m0-330i]

330i for the WIN !!!!

[IN54NITY]

dcat151: Nice write up. Thank you.

[TommyK]

i have been in love with mine since 05/06 and 60k miles later its still the same story. i don't plan on giving it up. its a great car

[VTECaddict]

It's pretty much amazing.

[jocamryn]

Nice car nice price. I suppose that once the F30 comes out, the value of all our cars will tumble, and with that the aftermarket ricer crowd will overrun these boards.

I can't wait to upgrade :P

[F32Fleet]

I completely agree. I really enjoyed my E90 330, and I found that Michelin PS2 RFT's were a significant improvement over the OEM Bridgestones.

[DenverJayhawk]

29k miles here and nothing major to report. Only a few rattles in the winter and a buzz under the throttle body that was fixed under warranty. Very happy with the 330. The other thing I enjoy is that I see very few 330s on the road, especially with ZSP. Almost every E90 I see is a 328. It's silly, but I like its rarity.

[Speed 2179]

Great Info Guys (Short & Long Term Feedback / k/m's)

Im in the market for an E90, One week my mind is set on the 335 and then after reading a thread like this one, im really considering the cost effective and reliable 330. I do agree that in a short while we'll see more 330 owners/drivers (aftermarket crowd) and not that its a really bad thing but it kind of takes away from the exclusivity and prestige of ownig and driving a 330 on the streets. Hmmm... Just thinking now, yep... Im back on the 335 side... LOL