Faults:

Being firmer and lower, the suspension causes premature wear on bushings, shock absorbers, and tires, resulting in sharp noises or imprecise handling.

The plastic intake manifold swirl flaps can wear out and be ingested by the engine. It is vital to inspect them or install a blanking plug kit.

Internal rubber seal of the crankshaft pulley tends to crack over the years and kilometers.

The particulate filter gets clogged if the car is driven too much in the city. Every now and then, you need to take it for a drive on the open road to avoid this problem.

General Comments:

Who said diesels can't be agile and fast?

This 330d is a real marvel. With 231 hp, it has power to spare, but it’s the massive torque that makes it so quick. On long highway stretches, this car flies, as fast as the petrol 330, I’d venture to say, even though the diesel has 41 hp less.

330d's 3.0-liter, six-cylinder turbo engine generates 369 lb-ft of torque at just 1,750 rpm—133 lb-ft more than the gasoline-powered 330i, which operates at higher revs.

The powerful torque works beautifully with the automatic transmission. You can drive leisurely, letting the torque carry you smoothly without barely touching the tachometer, or you can floor it and take advantage of the transmission's kickdown function. Like most BMWs, it has a sporty character, featuring direct steering and precise handling. It is very agile. It also offers a semi-automatic mode, allowing you to shift gears manually if you want to have some real fun. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in roughly 6.8 seconds and accelerates from 80 to 120 km/h in five seconds. Impressive performance for a diesel!

It comes fully loaded with optional extras; while this raises the price, they are truly worth it. It features leather upholstery, xenon headlights, a six-speed automatic transmission, a Bluetooth phone kit, and sun-protection glass.

The xenon headlights are incredible—if you do a lot of night driving, they are well worth it. They project a beam of light much further than standard headlights.

It also comes with a standard iPod connection. The M package (featuring 18-inch wheels, low-profile tires, a body kit, and a more aggressive stance) also makes the 3 Series silhouette much more attractive. All in all, it is a pleasant place to be.

The 330d M-Sport is an ideal car for those seeking a fast, attractive vehicle with four doors and a spacious trunk, such as young families or drivers who prefer cars that are quick yet understated. You will appreciate its power and (relatively) low fuel consumption.

Like every BMW, it has its own charm.

Faults:

The timing chain is the most critical failure.

The plastic timing chain guides can break, causing metallic noises (humming) and potentially leading to catastrophic engine failure. Luckily, I replaced the chain ahead of schedule, so nothing serious happened.

The electric water pump and thermostat often fail, causing overheating.

Sensor failures (such as the IBS battery), side mirrors that do not retract, and electronic modules.

General Comments:

My wife had recently bought a 2008 320D, which was really comfortable and a joy to drive, even with 192,000 km on the odometer when we bought it. I was impressed that it was in such good condition after so many kilometers, so I was looking for something similar for myself.

The 2012 model was the first of the F30 series. The first thing that caught my eye was the color: Imperial Blue with a Dakota leather interior. A very nice combination. The overall design and style of this BMW were fantastic, and it was slightly larger than the E90. It had a few small scratches on the left rear fender, but you had to look very closely to notice them.

The car handles excellently and feels great; the 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo engine feels as smooth as any 6-cylinder engine I've ever driven, and the 8-speed transmission was also very smooth.

Mine is the Luxury Line trim, and it has some nice features, like power seats with memory for the driver and passenger, a sunroof, and adaptive driving modes, but it didn't have a rearview camera or anything fancy. That said, it did have rear parking sensors with a graphic display that worked pretty well for me. In fact, it was less well-equipped than my wife's E90 320D Executive.

I bought it 8 years ago and considering the price, I got a very good deal.

The ride and handling are good on paved roads, but driving on secondary roads I began to understand the comments about the stiff suspension. The 18-inch run-flat tires transmitted every bump directly! Sometimes, going over a small pothole, it felt like the front end was going to lose control, but that hasn't happened, and I've driven over some pretty big bumps over the years. The suspension has held up well without any issues, but the E90, with 16-inch wheels, is more comfortable on secondary roads.

Wind noise at high speeds on motorways and dual carriageways is certainly noticeable, and run-flat tires are typically noisy as well. But it's not so bothersome as to prevent you from hearing yourself speak; it's simply more noticeable than you might expect from a high-end luxury vehicle.

I've always had the maintenance done by an independent mechanic, so it hasn't been very expensive. I haven't had any major bills either. There was a problem with the paint on the front bumper, which was blistering and peeling, but the dealership fixed it.

I mainly drive on the motorway to work, so my average fuel consumption is about 6.8 liters per 100 kilometers. Overall, it's been a fairly economical vehicle.

I've already put over 180,000 km on it and I don't notice any difference compared to the day I bought it. A very reliable car, as well as luxurious and of great quality.