F3X 330e buying
Discussion
Nearly bought one but didn't like the dealer.
Decently quick, even with a depleted battery. As with all PHEVs you need to charge them often to get the most out of them in terms of mpg. Hybrid system isn't as sophisticated as what VAG use with the clutch that decouples the engine when coasting, so they usually do worse in terms of mpg compared to VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda hybrids (have a look on HonestJohn RealMPG if you are curious). Can run on electric only up to 50 mph. Electric only range is 10 - 20 miles depending on temperature.
Make sure you get one with split folding rear seats as it was an option and many didn't have it. Also make sure they come with all the correct charger cables as they are expensive to buy and often go missing.
Oh, the 2.0 petrol engine will remap from around 180 bhp to 300 bhp, so in combination with the electric motor you will be looking at 380+ bhp
Decently quick, even with a depleted battery. As with all PHEVs you need to charge them often to get the most out of them in terms of mpg. Hybrid system isn't as sophisticated as what VAG use with the clutch that decouples the engine when coasting, so they usually do worse in terms of mpg compared to VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda hybrids (have a look on HonestJohn RealMPG if you are curious). Can run on electric only up to 50 mph. Electric only range is 10 - 20 miles depending on temperature.
Make sure you get one with split folding rear seats as it was an option and many didn't have it. Also make sure they come with all the correct charger cables as they are expensive to buy and often go missing.
Oh, the 2.0 petrol engine will remap from around 180 bhp to 300 bhp, so in combination with the electric motor you will be looking at 380+ bhp
georgeyboy12345 said:
Nearly bought one but didn't like the dealer.
Decently quick, even with a depleted battery. As with all PHEVs you need to charge them often to get the most out of them in terms of mpg. Hybrid system isn't as sophisticated as what VAG use with the clutch that decouples the engine when coasting, so they usually do worse in terms of mpg compared to VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda hybrids (have a look on HonestJohn RealMPG if you are curious). Can run on electric only up to 50 mph. Electric only range is 10 - 20 miles depending on temperature.
Make sure you get one with split folding rear seats as it was an option and many didn't have it. Also make sure they come with all the correct charger cables as they are expensive to buy and often go missing.
[b[Oh, the 2.0 petrol engine will remap from around 180 bhp to 300 bhp, so in combination with the electric motor you will be looking at 380+ bhp[/b]
Yep I'd looked into that and it was a major attraction!Decently quick, even with a depleted battery. As with all PHEVs you need to charge them often to get the most out of them in terms of mpg. Hybrid system isn't as sophisticated as what VAG use with the clutch that decouples the engine when coasting, so they usually do worse in terms of mpg compared to VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda hybrids (have a look on HonestJohn RealMPG if you are curious). Can run on electric only up to 50 mph. Electric only range is 10 - 20 miles depending on temperature.
Make sure you get one with split folding rear seats as it was an option and many didn't have it. Also make sure they come with all the correct charger cables as they are expensive to buy and often go missing.
[b[Oh, the 2.0 petrol engine will remap from around 180 bhp to 300 bhp, so in combination with the electric motor you will be looking at 380+ bhp
[/b] Yomamaisasnowblower said:
Anyone have an opinion on the later G series version? Not bad value at the moment but worried about the battery giving me hell at some point...
I've had both, and used them mainly for travelling into the city and back. Very capable cars and had no issues with the batteries on either of them - I hardly used petrol and would charge them up overnight or at work. Get one with all the toys if you can, depending on what you value in a car. Things like the widescreen display, and harman kardon, heads up display are very useful.Good points -
-Very quick
-Refined (especially without run flats, though they weren't bad in comfort just noise)
-Remotely activating AC/heating is awesome. Iirc you get the bmw services app free for life on e-models.
-When warm the engine is quiet and switch over between ice/battery is unnoticeable.
-can be run fully electric for most short journeys.
-a good 60-70mpg return for most mixed journeys when starting with a full battery (bare in mind the battery will probably be flat at the end, so you need to take into account the cost of recharging)
-£0 ved for 2016 models.
Bad points -
-Battery doesn't last long approx 10miles, which isn't that much of an issue, except fuel economy takes a good hit when it's self charging. It also means the battery is usually depleted at the end of a journey limiting your use of the remotely activated climate control.
-boot is small in a normal f30 and a bit smaller in the phev
-when the engine is cold and battery is flat (more so in winter) the switch over when pulling away can be clumsy. It feels like a very slow gear change. You end up compensating by pressing harder on the throttle which basically puts heavy load on the engine from cold.
-if the battery is flat at the start of your journey you can expect around 20mpg around town and not more than 35mpg on a run.
-more expensive to run than a diesel Honda crv.
-Very quick
-Refined (especially without run flats, though they weren't bad in comfort just noise)
-Remotely activating AC/heating is awesome. Iirc you get the bmw services app free for life on e-models.
-When warm the engine is quiet and switch over between ice/battery is unnoticeable.
-can be run fully electric for most short journeys.
-a good 60-70mpg return for most mixed journeys when starting with a full battery (bare in mind the battery will probably be flat at the end, so you need to take into account the cost of recharging)
-£0 ved for 2016 models.
Bad points -
-Battery doesn't last long approx 10miles, which isn't that much of an issue, except fuel economy takes a good hit when it's self charging. It also means the battery is usually depleted at the end of a journey limiting your use of the remotely activated climate control.
-boot is small in a normal f30 and a bit smaller in the phev
-when the engine is cold and battery is flat (more so in winter) the switch over when pulling away can be clumsy. It feels like a very slow gear change. You end up compensating by pressing harder on the throttle which basically puts heavy load on the engine from cold.
-if the battery is flat at the start of your journey you can expect around 20mpg around town and not more than 35mpg on a run.
-more expensive to run than a diesel Honda crv.
Ice_blue_tvr said:
Good points -
-Very quick
-Refined (especially without run flats, though they weren't bad in comfort just noise)
-Remotely activating AC/heating is awesome. Iirc you get the bmw services app free for life on e-models.
-When warm the engine is quiet and switch over between ice/battery is unnoticeable.
-can be run fully electric for most short journeys.
-a good 60-70mpg return for most mixed journeys when starting with a full battery (bare in mind the battery will probably be flat at the end, so you need to take into account the cost of recharging)
-£0 ved for 2016 models.
Bad points -
-Battery doesn't last long approx 10miles, which isn't that much of an issue, except fuel economy takes a good hit when it's self charging. It also means the battery is usually depleted at the end of a journey limiting your use of the remotely activated climate control.
-boot is small in a normal f30 and a bit smaller in the phev
-when the engine is cold and battery is flat (more so in winter) the switch over when pulling away can be clumsy. It feels like a very slow gear change. You end up compensating by pressing harder on the throttle which basically puts heavy load on the engine from cold.
-if the battery is flat at the start of your journey you can expect around 20mpg around town and not more than 35mpg on a run.
-more expensive to run than a diesel Honda crv.
The G20 version doubles that battery only mileage to about 20 miles around town. Maybe more on the motorway. Agree that the hybrid system is seamless and they are very reliable cars from my experience. -Very quick
-Refined (especially without run flats, though they weren't bad in comfort just noise)
-Remotely activating AC/heating is awesome. Iirc you get the bmw services app free for life on e-models.
-When warm the engine is quiet and switch over between ice/battery is unnoticeable.
-can be run fully electric for most short journeys.
-a good 60-70mpg return for most mixed journeys when starting with a full battery (bare in mind the battery will probably be flat at the end, so you need to take into account the cost of recharging)
-£0 ved for 2016 models.
Bad points -
-Battery doesn't last long approx 10miles, which isn't that much of an issue, except fuel economy takes a good hit when it's self charging. It also means the battery is usually depleted at the end of a journey limiting your use of the remotely activated climate control.
-boot is small in a normal f30 and a bit smaller in the phev
-when the engine is cold and battery is flat (more so in winter) the switch over when pulling away can be clumsy. It feels like a very slow gear change. You end up compensating by pressing harder on the throttle which basically puts heavy load on the engine from cold.
-if the battery is flat at the start of your journey you can expect around 20mpg around town and not more than 35mpg on a run.
-more expensive to run than a diesel Honda crv.
Go and drive one before you commit. When I had a Golf GTE I drove a 530e with a thought to changing (same drivetrain AFAIK) and the hybrid system was clumsy changing between power sources, the EV range was appalling and I found the ICE kicked in at very low speeds even at low throttle.
Hopefully the G20 is better?
Hopefully the G20 is better?
They are targeted new at business users with the hybrid reducing the BIK massively. Used though depending how long you keep it then it's not proven like the Toyota system. Personally I worry whether when they get to 8, 10 and beyond then what cost if the hybrid system fails and will that be dealer only. Presumably it can't just be coded out.
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