E90 Decision

[danc]

Hi everyone,This is my first post in this forum. I have been reading this site for sometime now and finally thinking of taking the plunge to join the BMW family. This will be my first conti so hopefully all you sifus out there can help me with some tips. Here are my questions:1. E90 owners what are the common problems you are facing if any?2. Has anyone changed to non run flat tires (normal tires). Is the ride comfort better? Since there is no spare, having a tire repair kit sufficient?3. Not sure between 320 and 325 but it's more for town driving and I don't really drive fast, just once in a blue moon I may have the need for speed!4. Any promotional/free gift/extras given with the car you bought?Thanks and Happy Motoring!

 

[Mouse]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in this forum. I have been reading this site for sometime now and finally thinking of taking the plunge to join the BMW family. This will be my first conti so hopefully all you sifus out there can help me with some tips. Here are my questions:

1. E90 owners what are the common problems you are facing if any?
2. Has anyone changed to non run flat tires (normal tires). Is the ride comfort better? Since there is no spare, having a tire repair kit sufficient?
3. Not sure between 320 and 325 but it's more for town driving and I don't really drive fast, just once in a blue moon I may have the need for speed!
4. Any promotional/free gift/extras given with the car you bought?

Thanks and Happy Motoring!

your kakis all here (maybe u can message them for their opinion coz affraid they miss out your post here)
http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7858&highlight=e90

 

[Spaceman]

hmm...welcome danc! I'm driving CBU E90 325i, so far so good (touch wood).
I'm running 17" stock RFT tyres and they are ok with the stock setup. But, my mileage is still low, so tyres are still new anyway. But all tyres sucks when you put more miles on them..they tend to loose their original performance. Well, if you think you can afford the 325i, go ahead! 325i is good for town driving too, you are not driving Manual tranny car anyway, so no woory...its not too powerful like the Porshe 400BHP where you watch out your gas pedal all the time during heavy traffic around KL. I got RM1500 off the sticker cos i waited for almost 9 months!

 

[adliz]

just met someone who owns both e46 330 and e90 330.. he's not a slow driver, and he said the e90 is a big disappointment.. in that case, i recommend u the 325i (at least) if money is not an issue, and u enjoy driving.. else, the e90 320 shud be better than most cars on the road..

oh, and he's changing his run-flats to advan tyres.. u can imagine why..

 

[KL2DC]

Danc...welcome!!

Right on to your questions, then...

1) Mine is a Week 6 2006 build and so far the issues have been very, very minor:

a) Some random subtle creaks/rattles. Could be temperature related. I think all e90s have this to varying degrees.

b) Clicking sound in B-pillar. There is a TSB for this

c) I have an issue with the passenger side sensor mat (my seat bottom is lumpy)-waiting for part from Germany

d) My adapative bi-xenons' gets foggy in rainy conditions. There is a vent at the back of the housing because of the temperature generated by the Xe's. BMW specs say if the fogging clears within 5 minutes of the main lights going on then its within specs. Keeping an eye on this. Also, I have modded my angel eyes a few times so I need to check the seals once more.

Aside from this, no problems whatsoever at 6,500 miles. The car is as solid as a rock and goes through my morning stop-go commute like a champ. Car still brings smiles to my face....

2) Folks who changed to RFT opines that the car seems lighter on its feet and rides better (understandably as RFTs are very heavy). They also reported better fuel economy. As a backup, either you i) keep a full-size spare ii) source a space-saver set (quite hard, ppl haven't found a satisfactory one yet) or iii) get one of those pump-sealant tire fix kit. The best one is the //M Mobility Kit (USD150) or Continental Tire Repair Kit (USD60).

I am still running on RFTs as I am not 100% comfortable with the available solutions. Also, I have a 3 yr insurance policy on them...

3) I think both the 4cyl 320 or the 6cyl 325 will be more than satisfactory for Malaysian driving conditions. Really a personal preference wrt 4cyl or 6cyl. The 320i SE and 325i have identical equipment levels, so pretty much you're paying for the engine. I'd go with the 320i if I were back in Malaysia, for fuel economy reasons. The 325i is a bit on the thirsty side. Also the 6sp Step gears up either engines pretty well if you're concerned about pickup. I think you should test drive the both and determine for yourself.

4) They made a mistake and put my steering on the wrong side, so they gave me a 55% discount LOL j/k. I actually received an 8% discount OTD over MSRP and the dealer gave me a full tanks and BMW mats and the usual chockskies like chrome exhaust tips, keychains, tire valve caps, caps, t-shirt and some BMW detailer spray/car shampoo samples. Also gave me a stack of brochures. That's pretty much it, but I did negotiate a good price of about $500 over cost price on a custom order.

In closing, I must say that I love my e90. Granted the e46 seems more rawer and a little more nimble and intimate but the e90 is a very capable car and more refined, I still surprise people mid-corner. Some people have issues with styling but this is always so, remember when the e36 first came out, the e30 people didn't warm up to it until some time, and now they love it. You really can't hold on to the past forever, the 3er line has moved on in a new direction.

I do agree the interior is a little bland but everything works as it should. The new technology is great (Comfort Braking, start-stop button, Dynamic Cruise, Hill-Hold, FTM, Adaptive lights etc) and the car is safer than its predescesor.

All the best...

 

[safri]

just met someone who owns both e46 330 and e90 330.. he's not a slow driver, and he said the e90 is a big disappointment.. in that case, i recommend u the 325i (at least) if money is not an issue, and u enjoy driving.. else, the e90 320 shud be better than most cars on the road..

oh, and he's changing his run-flats to advan tyres.. u can imagine why..

well said Adliz...

 

[danc]

Wow Thanks Guys/Gals for the wonderful response and inputs. So, so far there isn't much electronics gremlins that the contis are so famous for. Good to know. I am so use to Jap mobiles i.e toyotas and hondas and kinda use to just change oil, fuel up and drive. Don't get me wrong I am a car freak and love to drive but I guess my age is catching up and would like to experience the blue roundel at least once in my lifetime but don't want to be "burdened" with the hassle of cars spending more time in the workshop than on the road.

I read in the brochures that the run flats comes with sensors that the on board comp will indicate if the tire pressure is low or about to fail. Is this standard in Msia on all 3 series? If so what will happen if I change my rims and tires?

My current ride is a 3.0 litre car, got it cause I love the power. But after driving for 3 years here in KL with all the jams etc. I found it quite pointless. The only time I can really stretch it's legs is on highways and even that during hols it heavy with traffic. I have tested both 320 and 325. No brainer that the 325 mid to top end is way way better than the 320 but I am pleasantly supprised that the 4 cyc is pretty smooth even when you rev it all the way to the red line. (Of course the IL6 is just creamy smooth)

So just thinking if I should just save the 50K or not. Hmm....

I will keep everyone posted on my selection but if anyone has any more feedback/advise, please share.

Cheers

 

[adliz]

Wow Thanks Guys/Gals for the wonderful response and inputs. So, so far there isn't much electronics gremlins that the contis are so famous for. Good to know. I am so use to Jap mobiles i.e toyotas and hondas and kinda use to just change oil, fuel up and drive. Don't get me wrong I am a car freak and love to drive but I guess my age is catching up and would like to experience the blue roundel at least once in my lifetime but don't want to be "burdened" with the hassle of cars spending more time in the workshop than on the road.

I read in the brochures that the run flats comes with sensors that the on board comp will indicate if the tire pressure is low or about to fail. Is this standard in Msia on all 3 series? If so what will happen if I change my rims and tires?

Cheers

electronics gremlins? the i-drive on the 5-series is prone to 'black-out' every now and then. never heard of any problems on the e90. maybe once more and more people own them, then only these things will be noticed. but i guess they shud have rectified them on the much newer e90. besides that, dun worry too much about getting the car into the workshop than on the road. the least u shud insist on when that happens to the latest series is a courtesy car, and better, a new unit!

tyre pressure sensor is standard on most higher range units.. else, it's optional.. change rims and tyres? u can reset the sensor once u re-fill air, change tyres, rims etc.. i guess they work based on a percentage of decrease in air pressure? very reliable on normal tyres, got yellow warning (pls refill soon), and red warning (critical, check immediately).. the sensor on my previous mini came up now and then, very annoying.. could it be because of the run-flats, i dun know..

gud luck, and let us know on your purchase!!

p/s: get kerscher (or something like dat) bodykit.. chun!

 

[KL2DC]

Danc...

There are no hardware involved with the Flat Tire Monitor System, its actually pretty low tech. FTM is a function of the car's DSC. As you recall, the DSC stabilizes your car by measuring yaw angles and rotational speed at each corner (slip) among other parameters. The FTM is takes advantage of DSC and monitors flat tire or low pressure by monitoring disrepancies in rotational speed. A flatter tire (our RFTs don't really run pancakge flat) would have a lower speed than the other 3 and the system will recognize that as a tire warning.

Diligent reinitializations is a must to maintain the effectiveness of the system. You need to do an initilization every air pressure top up. Changing to non-rft wheels/tires combo does not compromise the FTM, as long as you do the proper initialization procedures. Its a very simple system, really.

In the US, most of the electrical grumblings center around the i-drive which is prone to freezing etc. There were some isolated ICE malfunctions but pretty much most of the electrical issues were solved by updating to the latest version of Progman (software).

You have to be honest with yourself, you should expect a little more issues to crop up with BMW ownership, its not nearly the appliances you may be used to, but the drive is worth it.

Again, if you're buying this primarily for city driving, the 320i SE should suffice and 50k buys a lot of petrol.

 

[danc]

KL2DC,

The way you explained the FTM System and still call it low tech..... you BMW owners are really previlaged. I mean getting the DSC to not only keep your car tracking right but also monitor tires just blows my mind! So Im take it that after each time you fill air or change tires/rims the reset procedure is easy enough for us to do it right and do not need to go back to the workshop to set? Is this standard on the Msian 320i and 325i?

Adliz,
You mentioned that FTM is only found on the high end models. If what KL2DC explained I believe that DSC is standard right across the E90 so does that mean FTM is standard?

Yes adding bodykits sounds yummy. First I would like to change to at least 17in rim if I am going for the 320i. I just love the look of the 7 spoke rims styling 162. I have been using replicas with all of my cars with no problems. How about replica rims for BMW? Will it mess up the FTM, DSC? Logically speaking if I keep to the right tire size it shouldn't right? I do not intend to change the shocks/springs as I already find the standard shocks ride a little hard. (Maybe it's the RFT)

Any where I can see some nice bodykits for E90s. I am looking for something very suttle. No Ah Beng looking kits for me.

After some thought (though not decided yet) I am prone to consider the 320i CBU units that AB has left over. Somehow I just trust the CBU a little more. Don't get me wrong as I am proud to be a Malaysian but I have been working in the Auto industry in my previous job and I have seen how we do CKDs etc. With the E90 only just starting CKDs...urrrr not really confident. My past experience even CBUs from Thailand is way above our CKDs i.e. Honda. Does anyone know where the E90 CBUs in Msia are made? Is it South Africa or Germany?

I will have to make up my mind by Monday. Color wise since there are only 5 choices for CBUs I kinda like SG or Monaco Blue (haven't seen this color on Msian roads yet) Love the Black but will be impossible for me to maintain.

Cheers and Keep on Motoring

 

[safri]

KL2DC,

The way you explained the FTM System and still call it low tech..... you BMW owners are really previlaged. I mean getting the DSC to not only keep your car tracking right but also monitor tires just blows my mind! So Im take it that after each time you fill air or change tires/rims the reset procedure is easy enough for us to do it right and do not need to go back to the workshop to set? Is this standard on the Msian 320i and 325i?

Adliz,
You mentioned that FTM is only found on the high end models. If what KL2DC explained I believe that DSC is standard right across the E90 so does that mean FTM is standard?

Yes adding bodykits sounds yummy. First I would like to change to at least 17in rim if I am going for the 320i. I just love the look of the 7 spoke rims styling 162. I have been using replicas with all of my cars with no problems. How about replica rims for BMW? Will it mess up the FTM, DSC? Logically speaking if I keep to the right tire size it shouldn't right? I do not intend to change the shocks/springs as I already find the standard shocks ride a little hard. (Maybe it's the RFT)

Any where I can see some nice bodykits for E90s. I am looking for something very suttle. No Ah Beng looking kits for me.

After some thought (though not decided yet) I am prone to consider the 320i CBU units that AB has left over. Somehow I just trust the CBU a little more. Don't get me wrong as I am proud to be a Malaysian but I have been working in the Auto industry in my previous job and I have seen how we do CKDs etc. With the E90 only just starting CKDs...urrrr not really confident. My past experience even CBUs from Thailand is way above our CKDs i.e. Honda. Does anyone know where the E90 CBUs in Msia are made? Is it South Africa or Germany?

I will have to make up my mind by Monday. Color wise since there are only 5 choices for CBUs I kinda like SG or Monaco Blue (haven't seen this color on Msian roads yet) Love the Black but will be impossible for me to maintain.

Cheers and Keep on Motoring

bro, i believe DSC is now standard for all versions of e90. 320 is a good car (though i would strongly recommend u to go for 325, but RM50K is a lot of money!!!). Pls insist for the sales guy to allow you to view the car first before you proceed (not common) - the CBU unit went thru some restoration works here, yes here.......so best to put your foot down. BMW's desperate to dispose those CBU units so, make sure you make them know you're the king. as for the rims, i would suggest you go for originals (even 2nd hand ok). remember you'll be running on RFTs.

All the best and trust you'll keep us informed of your decision soon.

 

[Rubik]

Got a call from AB earlier this week, informed me my order for a e90 325 CKD had arrived, so i went to check it out. Saw quite a few cars delivered, waiting to be registered. Interestingly, they also delivered some of the CBU's. At first glance, no visual difference, except the rims. We have discussed the situation of the CBU in another thread, here are further details i got from the sales rep.

1.) BMW is being open about the condition of the CBU and buyers will have to sign a disclaimer form, stating that the car is 'refurbhised'. Parts that have been replaced includes-

- Tires
- Battery
- Engine oil & other lubrications that were dryed up
- Window & door seals
- Exterior body resprayed

Some of you have seen that the CKD has different rims from the CBU and were informed that these rims are only for the first batch of CKD. They will revert back to the CBU style rims after this first batch. Was informed that the reason for this is BMW/AB accidiently ordered the wrong rims for the first batch. Fortunately for first batch owners, these rims are the more expensive rims !

 

[adliz]

check out this link for nice kits!

 

[KL2DC]

Danc...

1) DSC is a standard staple in all late-model BMWs. There are a few iterations/evolutions since then. The e90 has the latest (if not one of the latest versions) which replaces ASC with DTC.

2) FTM is standard in all RFT equipped cars. This is critical as one is not able to visually discern a compromised RFT over an undamaged one, so this is for your safety.

3) Restting is done via your OBC stalk. It takes a couple of seconds to do it, so its a no brainer.

4) All E90s are equipped with RFTs so all E90s have the FTM function

5) Type 162's are staggered and 18" diameter. As long as they are straight, same size and of high quality, I see no problems in running replica wheels. As noted, aftermarket wheels do not affect DSC/FTM. Small variations in rolling diameter affects speedo readings. There are e90s running on 20" wheels, with no problem.

6) People have opined that a switch over to non-RFTs have netted better ride, better handling (less unsprung weight) and better fuel economy.

7) For a subtle styling mod, I recommend a Hartge lip and the OEM rear spoiler. The OEM CF front splitters (2pcs) are nice as well. For something a little more agressive, try the M-Sport kit. Other kits like Breyton, ACS, Hammann and Kerscher starts to look agressive.

8) Monaco Blue is a dynamic color, in certain light it looks almost black but in direct sunlight, radiant blue come alive.

More Monaco Blue pics here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244

I think the CBU units remain attractive at the discounted pricing (granted a MY behind). Despite the 'restorations', the car would still be under new car warranty for various issues.

Good luck and happy e90 hunting.

 

[safri]

Monaco blue's is really a nice color...

 

[Daniel]

just met someone who owns both e46 330 and e90 330.. he's not a slow driver, and he said the e90 is a big disappointment.. in that case, i recommend u the 325i (at least) if money is not an issue, and u enjoy driving.. else, the e90 320 shud be better than most cars on the road..

oh, and he's changing his run-flats to advan tyres.. u can imagine why..

care to share why the E90 330 is a disappointment?

 

[adliz]

1. SLOWer, even with 6-speed auto (vs 5spd), which bmw claims shifts as fast as 100ms

2. both having stock set-ups, the e90 seems to be less 'sharp' and rolls much more, even with wider track and longer wheelbase..

3. he doubts the e90 wud be able to keep up with the alfa 156 (stroked 3ltr) (which was around that night), both in the straights and sweepers..

4. his subaru legacy feels better..

those are his words, if i gather correctly..

 

[adliz]

Danc...

1) DSC is a standard staple in all late-model BMWs. There are a few iterations/evolutions since then. The e90 has the latest (if not one of the latest versions) which replaces ASC with DTC.

2) FTM is standard in all RFT equipped cars. This is critical as one is not able to visually discern a compromised RFT over an undamaged one, so this is for your safety.

3) Restting is done via your OBC stalk. It takes a couple of seconds to do it, so its a no brainer.

4) All E90s are equipped with RFTs so all E90s have the FTM function

5) Type 162's are staggered and 18" diameter. As long as they are straight, same size and of high quality, I see no problems in running replica wheels. As noted, aftermarket wheels do not affect DSC/FTM. Small variations in rolling diameter affects speedo readings. There are e90s running on 20" wheels, with no problem.

6) People have opined that a switch over to non-RFTs have netted better ride, better handling (less unsprung weight) and better fuel economy.

7) For a subtle styling mod, I recommend a Hartge lip and the OEM rear spoiler. The OEM CF front splitters (2pcs) are nice as well. For something a little more agressive, try the M-Sport kit. Other kits like Breyton, ACS, Hammann and Kerscher starts to look agressive.

8) Monaco Blue is a dynamic color, in certain light it looks almost black but in direct sunlight, radiant blue come alive.

More Monaco Blue pics here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244

I think the CBU units remain attractive at the discounted pricing (granted a MY behind). Despite the 'restorations', the car would still be under new car warranty for various issues.

Good luck and happy e90 hunting.

the e90 looks nicer every day.. my sister is getting one.. will upload pics.. dunno if she'd allow me to mod her car, at least to mtech kit.. muahaha..

 

[Daniel]

eeeeekkkkkkkk,
BMW sure did their homework!

You were there that night too?

I heard about it......

a 360hp GT3 keeping up with a 420hp Turbo up until 230+.



Now, that's where the bullshit stops.

Excellent.

 

[adliz]

eeeeekkkkkkkk,
BMW sure did their homework!

You were there that night too?

I heard about it......

a 360hp GT3 keeping up with a 420hp Turbo up until 230+.



Now, that's where the bullshit stops.

Excellent.

i read somewhere that the e90 is meant to cater a wider range of prospective owners.. hence the bigger size, higher comfort level, better equiptments, and more subtle styling.. i honestly think a 40yr old wont look awkward at all in an e90..

p/s: dude, dun forget the TT is auto, heavier and 4wd.. at least 25% trans loss?