Faults:

Check Engine light came on briefly after 8 months then disappeared. Scan said Valvetronic sensor signal lost, but light went out. Never reappeared. I have an extended mechanical warranty, will get it checked during the next service in 3 months.

General Comments:

RHD F30 LCI with B48 135kW/181 hp engine, 8-speed auto. Bought Feb 2025. Rarer Luxury trim in Platinum Silver with Saddle Brown leather. Ex-Japan used import. I love the chrome detailing plus the wood trim inside. Rear glass is not black tinted. Most F30s here in NZ are MSports which have staggered wheel sizes (I doubt buyers of used Japanese imports know how expensive those tyres are until replacement time.)

My 3rd used BMW, after an E90 320i LCI. Very different in character. Far more mature, comfortable ride, powerful yet unusually frugal. Feels much bigger (but isn’t), a friend riding with me mistook it for a 5-series.

Driving – handling is composed and sure-footed, but not as engaging as the E46 or E90. Steering is precise if rather light in Comfort mode (feels more Japanese). The turbo engine is smooth, no shortage of power or torque. No need to push hard for this car to fly. The 3-series has evolved. It’s no 5-seat MX-5, really now more James Bond than Jason Bourne. You could lament that, but traffic volume and stress has changed long since the E46, and this car suits it – calming in the urban jungle, but will do 240km/h where possible.

The power, gearing, and smoothness actually took getting used to. Because of the 8-speed gearbox, the car quietly creeps up in speed despite even pedal pressure. No good where speed cameras give little leeway. It was becoming a chore to keep watching my speed at city and lower motorway limit areas (Heads-Up Display wasn’t a useless gimmick after all). The answer: select Eco-Pro mode, and turn off coasting function on the iDrive. Eco-Pro changes pedal feel (more pressure), and coast off allows using engine braking like a normal car. Plus the steering weight increases, just enough to feel more like a proper BMW.

Economy – I just cannot believe this car averages around 11.5 km/L (27.3 US MPG, 8.7 L/100 km, 32 Imp MPG) for its power and weight, and with the aircon always on. My previous E90 320i could only average 9.5 km/L (22.6 US MPG). It’s even better than my 2001 316Ti manual. On open road driving, easily 15 km/L (35.7 US MPG) without trying.

And over the last 9 months, it hasn’t used any oil between services. (Really, BMW, are you alright??) The collaboration with Toyota must've done it good (I noticed the alternator was made by Denso). The B48 engine was also used in the 4-cylinder version of the current Supra.

Interior/Ergonomics – I had to check the dimensions as it feels nothing as cramped as the E90 (which is more like a Corolla sedan), but it isn’t really much bigger. It is, however, harder to gauge the front kerbside corner, due to a hump in the bonnet over the wheel arch which the E90 didn’t have. As with the E46 & E90, it doesn’t feel like a smaller 5-series (which feels like a smaller 7-series), not as solid. More like a much larger 1-series.

The gauge cluster is clear and easy to read with a quick glance. Switchgear is well-situated, except for the fog lamps, to the left of the main lighting dial, backlit but hidden by the steering wheel (LHD-biased). Without looking down, you can easily hit the Park Assist or front side camera buttons instead when trying to change Drive Mode. I feel the Drive Mode button should be on the steering wheel or perhaps as a trigger switch on the gear selector. The monostable shifter is easy enough to get used to, but I still prefer the old auto lever with defined positions.

The ADAS suite I find to be well-calibrated enough and not annoyingly distracting . I did turn off the lane keep assist, never cared for that. Blind spot monitoring is a true blessing. Oh – it can also reverse automatically – parallel and perpendicular. As for the three drive modes: Sport, I have never used (no real need), perhaps I should, just to see what it’s like; Comfort is my default, all you'll ever need; Eco-Pro, I use a lot, especially in urban areas for speed control. I did have the car coded so the settings (including auto stop-start) don’t keep turning back on, every time I start the car.

For a car with leather, safety equipment alphabet soup, radar cruise control and side view cameras, the sound system is mediocre. Underseat subs are good, but 4” full rangers all around with no tweeters? Sound is not terrible if turned up, but definitely suits well-recorded (or digitally-remastered) music better. While Bluetooth works well with incoming calls, playing music from the phone can be frustrating when it unexpectedly resets to the first song of the same playlist periodically. The FM was also coded to convert from Japan to NZ frequencies. Didn't bother converting the sat nav - I use my phone. More accurate, gives traffic info too.

Seats are, like my previous BMWs, comfortable for long drives even without adjustable lumbar support. Heated seats are welcome in cold weather. Rear seats are much improved for comfort vs. E90. At 6’ tall, it's easy to find a good driving position relative to steering and pedals. But if the seat is set low, due to that bonnet hump, you might clip the corner in tight confines; it’s not easy to estimate the car’s extremes. Raise up the seat, and the rear view mirror is a huge blind spot.

I waited for at least 9 months and 14K km before doing a write-up. First service was done in August after 10K km. During the service, I proactively had the first of two common B48 issues addressed: replaced the the vent pipe from the cylinder head to the coolant reservoir. Will get the second common issue mitigated (replacing the composite oil filter housing) during the 80K service. Original tyres replaced with Hankook 225/50-17" runflats (I usually buy Bridgestones but they've become very expensive), no complaints with them.

My third BMW, and so far has been a smooth ride. First used car (of any make) I’ve owned which never gave one bit of trouble (bar the momentary check engine light) within the first 9 months. I always thought older cars were simpler and better. Well, my E90 was more reliable than the E46, despite all the plastics in the engine and the computers. And this F30 so far has been better than the E90. Maybe newer cars are just…different.

This is a used car, and a 10-year old, so I am under no illusions that there will be issues in time. But let’s hope this is a good indication of the next few years ahead.

Faults:

Nothing so far!

General Comments:

For nine years old, this 3 series feels as good as new. It's a common sight on the road, but look closely at it and it is actually a really nice looking car - very sharp saloon that still closely resembles 3 series of the past, yet very modern.

Inside the car has leather and is very comfortable with all the toys you could want. Very smooth ride, yet the suspension is firm enough for sporty driving.

2.0 diesel with the auto box provides both performance and economy. Feels very powerful and overtaking is fun! But take it easy and you can easily see well over 50 MPG on average. The average 68 MPG claim is a bit unrealistic, but the car is generally economical.

Quite expensive to buy initially but they do return with quality and reliability if looked after. I know I will have this car a long time.