# 328d vs 320i



## ScottFM (Nov 24, 2013)

328d in the US or 320d in Europe is the car I own. 

Last month I hit 8000 miles since buying it last November. I got the service due light and called the dealer to get it in. Today is that day. I asked them to make sure the top off the DEF as I don't want to be back there in a couple of months and paying for that myself! 

I did get a loaner. A 2014 320i. First thing I noticed was that the trim package was really inferior to the 328d. It just looked cheaper. Black and brushed aluminium not very pretty when compared to walnut. Also plain black interior is plain. 

Oh well. 

But comparing the driving was interesting. The 320i has no pick up, even in sport mode, as compared to the 328d. I missed that torque! I also noticed that the gasser was a lot noisier than the Diesel, go figure! I really could hear the motor a lot more, maybe because I was having to have it at higher rpms to get it going. I am glad that I got the oil burner. I had not had a chance to drive the gas version. I am glad I did not base my decision to purchase on the gas version at all.


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

I like that BMW gives people a choice. I too am likely to get the best car my budget can handle, and for some, that would be a 320i. Also, one can get a manual transmission with the 320i, 328i, and 335i. That is an advantage.

Agreed that the base trim, all vinyl and aluminum look, is cheap. But so is a 320i price wise. Just not one with all the options I would want. If I was in the market, the 328d would be my choice with the unfortunate lack of a manual transmission.

PL


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## Squiddie (Dec 19, 2010)

The 320i engine is a turbocharged design with the turbo missing. No wonder you have to torture it and it tortures you right back.

In the US there is some interesting options games going on. If you do the 320i then you can have the non-adaptive m-sport suspension without the m sport plastic body parts, and that means you can have it in any color you want with the m-sport suspension. That isn't possible in any other BMW right now. The moment you pick m-sport you only get ********* colors.


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## MotoWPK (Oct 5, 2012)

Squiddie said:


> The 320i engine is a turbocharged design with the turbo missing. No wonder you have to torture it and it tortures you right back.


The 320i is turbocharged, the turbo isn't missing.


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## F32Fleet (Jul 14, 2010)

I would think that the 328d has more sound deadening material as well. It's funny that BMW effectively makes you pay a few extra thousand dollars just to have "access" to their already expensive options (328i/d).

They truly must not want to sell them, but a ton of 328i's with base suspension. I rarely see a sport 328 and of the handful of 335i's only one had a sport pkg.


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## henrycyao (Oct 23, 2012)

320i reminds me of a 128i I had on loaner just without the power. I could see myself in a 320i if the suspension is tuned right. I don't think it is.


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

henrycyao said:


> 320i reminds me of a 128i I had on loaner just without the power. I could see myself in a 320i if the suspension is tuned right. I don't think it is.


Really? The option exists to have an M-sport suspension in the sport package without having to pick a "line" (not possible on a 320i). No other variant, 3 or 4, allows this, and it costs less as a result. You even get the M sport steering wheel and sport seats.

PL


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## ScottFM (Nov 24, 2013)

It did drive a little differently than my 328d. I am not sure of the exact cause. It was a two wheel drive 320i, my car is an x-drive. There one thing I really missed was the lack of a HUD in the loaner. I did also note that the engine temp guages are different. 210F is the middle temp at 12-o'clock on the d and 250F was in that position for the i.


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