F36 Gran Coupe

[Tmrtom]

Considering one of these as a left field alternative to a warm/hot hatch.

Any experiences of them?
Which is petrol engine is the most reliable?
Any issues?
And most importantly, what is the handling like? Aware it will be no hot hatch, but would still like it to go well on A and B roads!

[d_a_n1979]

Tmrtom said:

Considering one of these as a left field alternative to a warm/hot hatch.

Any experiences of them?
Which is petrol engine is the most reliable?
Any issues?
And most importantly, what is the handling like? Aware it will be no hot hatch, but would still like it to go well on A and B roads!

All I can offer is that I test drove a 428i and a 440i and loved them both; the 428i went really well and the B58 440i even better. The 428i was a Luxury and the 440i an M Sport

Really liked them both (albeit the 440i was close to £5k above budget); but for my liking, their loadspace was too small to be practical enough for us when we go camping or up to The Highlands/down to Anglesey etc and that's why I settled on my F31

Both handled superbly though; they were both here in Preston, so I took them down a good few of the rural B roads that surround where I lived and neither was found wanting

Yes my plan was to change their suspension, as I've done with my F31, but nothing stupid (Bilstein B4S shocks with Eibach pro kit springs etc); made a superb difference over the clunky, sometimes shaky, M Sport suspension (but that's with RFTs which I'm not a fan of at all)

I'd personally ignore all the negative stuff you read about the N20 in the 428i and don't discount it until you've test driven one; but if you've the budget to go for one; the 440i has to lead the pack. That B58 is a superb engine

[428 days later]

I used to have a 428i sport GC. Handled nicely, although I missed the wider rear tyres that m sports offer. Currently got a facelift 420i m sport with the B48 engine in. Handles nicer and feels lighter, but the N20 was a much nicer engine, a lot smoother and loved revving more than the newer engine IMO, the newer petrol 4 banger could even be considered fairly harsh at times

[Tmrtom]

Great thanks. Sounds like it’s worth testing one then when I’m ready, still need to see what it’s like compared to a proper hot hatch.

[ghost83]

I tested a 330d gran coupe with all the m sport kit on it, was carbon black absolutely lovely car if I’m honest and the 330d suited it well