Before I bought my Superb I was, for a while, dreaming of buying the new BMW 3-series when it came on the market. So, now that it is on the market I thought it would be fun to test drive one and see if I missed out on much by buying a Superb. I tested a 328i with the new 4-cylinder turbo and the 8-speed automatic. I drove it both on the motorway and on some twisty roads. To be honest, I don't feel that this car is so much better than my Superb. Sure the tyre noise was better insulated and the car was quicker. But I didn't get any feeling of "Wow, this car is so much better than the Superb, it is worth the extra money".

Ride comfort was a bit better and turn in on twisty roads a bit quicker. But not amazingly so. Of course if you press the car to its limit, there will be a difference, but in more normal driving the difference is not all that great.

no difference at all apart from the extra £10000 it would cost to buy tha same spec as in a superb.

bill

pretty expensive badge when compared to the Superb. Price up the extras to draw a direct comparison and then see that the cost will hurt!!

Plus, you can take the Superb out in the snow!

Ray

Plus, you can take the Superb out in the snow!

Ray

Plus you have not got to put up with dreadful run-flat tyres

no difference at all apart from the extra £10000 it would cost to buy tha same spec as in a superb.

bill

We have this phrase here :

To poor people (I also ), everything is expensive. I haven`t driven that new 300-series so hard to say, but at least when talking about style, it is lightyears ahead of skoda.....

We have this phrase here :

To poor people (I also ), everything is expensive. I haven`t driven that new 300-series so hard to say, but at least when talking about style, it is lightyears ahead of skoda.....

To be frank I don't like the styling of either the new BMW 1-series or the 3-series. The 3-series is okay I guess, but the 1-series is nothing short of dreadful if you ask me. I don't think the problem is expensive or not. If you can afford a 3.6 4x4 Superb you can afford some kind of BMW 3-series. The question is more a problem of what you get for your money. The BMW HAS better handling than the Skoda, but you probably have to push both cars pretty hard to discover it.

I didn't notice any earth shattering differences on my test drive anyway. And that is the point, if I can't notice that much of a difference in everyday traffic, why should I buy a BMW? Previously you could buy them for the lovely smooth straight sixes. Now you get a vibrating turbo four in the BMW, excatly like in a Passat or a Superb.

i did not say it was expensive just not good value for the money .

bill

i did not say it was expensive just not good value for the money .

bill

You`re right. But :

good value for the money, that depends how much money you have in your bank account.....so called normal people see it differently than those who have millions and millions.... :sun:

having played golf with many different people over the last 40 years from truck drivers like myself to multi millionaires every body wants value for money some time its the wealthy that want more. from my experience.trying to get £3 winnings from the wealthy people can be quite hard.

bill

Your perception of wealthy people needs upgrading My experience of people who procrastinate in discharging their financial obligations is they do not wish you to know they are buried in debt.

Edited 3 May, 201214 yr by techni

When I moved from a BMW 3 series (6 cylinder) to an Audi A4 turbo quattro it was a quantum leap as the beemer was 14 years old. Going from the Audi to the Superb was another quantum leap (power, fittings, computers). What impressed me with the Superb was the fit and finish as well as what was standard equipment. Here in Australia it is very easy to add 30% onto the base price of an Audi or BMW by ordering just the "useful" options. All I have "extra" in the Superb are electric tailgate, KESSY and the window tint. It came in at over

$20,000 cheaper than any comparable European model plus I get a 5 year unlimited Km warranty with roadside assist. Now I consider that value for money. Only real

downside is the local Skoda dealer is a prat, I drove over 240 Km to buy my car and will be doing the same for servicing.

Before I bought my Superb I was, for a while, dreaming of buying the new BMW 3-series when it came on the market. So, now that it is on the market I thought it would be fun to test drive one and see if I missed out on much by buying a Superb. I tested a 328i with the new 4-cylinder turbo and the 8-speed automatic. I drove it both on the motorway and on some twisty roads. To be honest, I don't feel that this car is so much better than my Superb. Sure the tyre noise was better insulated and the car was quicker. But I didn't get any feeling of "Wow, this car is so much better than the Superb, it is worth the extra money".

Ride comfort was a bit better and turn in on twisty roads a bit quicker. But not amazingly so. Of course if you press the car to its limit, there will be a difference, but in more normal driving the difference is not all that great.

Your comments caught my eye, I have only driven one BMW- a mates 320 coupe and while it was a nice steer it was woefully underpowered. I've only read good things about the new 3 series, how it's the best car in the world and all the car you'll ever need, but if that is the case why have nearly every person that I know who has owned a BMW 3 series said they'd never buy another one. They all gave different reasons but who's right, the journalists who test them or the people who buy and run them?

Are they really that good?