silent running

I remember when I was bought my WRX wagon I was looked at a couple of E36 M3's. My abiding memory is that they were really narrow and cramped inside. The last week or so I've been looking at various more modern 3's - an new 330d and an older 330, both saloon and wagon.

The brand new one seems a tiny bit roomier but still not the kind of place I'd like to be for any length of time. Is this my imagination? And the pedals seem to be offset to one side so you keep catching your foot on the clutch footrest. When I got back in my Scoob I almost breathed a sigh of relief at how roomy and airy it seems in comparison. Along with the fact that it's loads faster than any 3-series old or new, has room for a full size chest of drawers in the back and has all the toys I want. The only annoyance is the fuel economy which is shocking, but I guess you can't have it all.

rb5_336

yeah i agree, recently bought an e46 and seems smaller inside than my old e36

silent running

So maybe I should be looking at a 5 as my starting point rather than a 3.

GCollier

I would agree with complaints about rear legroom in the E46 and earlier, though I never had any complaints about sitting in the front of the E46 M3.

The new ones are quite a bit bigger. Certainly don't have any complaints about our E91 as somewhere to spend many hours behind the wheel.

Gary.

Kevin Mc

I was in a 07 reg 320 the other week as a passenger (only the third BM I've been in, in my life - never driven one though) and must admit I thought it was pretty cramped. Thought it was okay in side, but couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

RAJ27

All cars imho have gone a lot smaller and bigger on the outside. I used to have a Rover 400 (the old shape) during my uni days.....bloody huge inside. Then in my latter years I bought a 530i sport (E39). It was relatively small inside compared to the actual dimensions of the exterior of the car.

BMW's suffer badly because of the mass amount of airbags and the obvious rwd mechanicals intruding into the boot. I think that's why the rear leg room is dire, because they push fwd the back seats in order to make up for the intrusions in the boot. The front is also cramped due to the fact huge transmission tunnel and to get a 50:50 weight distribution, BMW place the engine back a bit.

You look at older cars with less of the safety and the tricks and they are massive inside.

falkster

I dont think the 3s have ever been that big inside but it does seem they have got smaller inside.

I was in an E39 530d as a passenger the other day and was suprised how snug they were in the back.....my Alfa 156 is much smaller to look at but has loads more room in the back!!!! As long as you dont mind sitting on the dogs blanket

MattOz

SR,

Try the 5 series. I loaded mine up with 4 x 6ft plus mates and all our luggage for a trip to France over the last bank holiday, Loads of space and no complaints about lack of legroom etc.

Matt

silent running

I think the 5 it is then, if I ever do get a Bimmer. Cheers for the comments!

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Just had lunch with a mate, went in his 320 D (previous version) and it was not exactly a humungous spacious car in the front........and after lunch it felt even smaller!

dpb

Not as small as a 1 series mind

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

That could not be more true!!

Germans and most Northern European ppl are not small, so what is it with the migdet cars???

The Chief

Snug is not the word, i drove a mates brand spankers 320d last week and the seats nearly squeezed the life out of me.

saying that being 20st+ does not help 'ahem'

still pretty cramped though

zip106

We've had two 3 series and now the kids are getting bigger we're waiting the delivery of a new 5.
I'm 6' 4" which is no problem in a 3 UNTILL one of the kids is sitting behind me and then they are kicking hell outa the seatback...

By the way, have you seen the LED/fibre optic rear lights on the face lift 5? OOOooooo, they look damn good
Roll on, end of June

Shark Man

Never had an issue with space for the driver (although I'm not a lard **** so... ). But the 3 series ALWAYS has been a cramped car...especially in the rear. Boot, even on the touring models is a bit small.

The thing that narks me is the general public always compare the 3 series to a Mondeo. Let me get this clear, IT IS NOT COMPARABLE TO A MONDEO (sizewise)!

Now that I got that off my chest, I will say that a 3 series is comparable to a Focus interms of space.


This is one of the many resons why you always seem me advocating the 5series...its a far better car:

Its much more roomy inside, yet only 1ft longer
It weighs the same as a comparable engined 3 series (give or take 20kg)
Due to above and wider track and better suspenion: It handles better and is more sure-footed on bumpy roads.
Plus its cheaper to buy second hand: because all the feejits are besotted by the 3series, keeping the residual artificially high.

Monkeybone

Drove down to the south of France in an E90 325 a couple of years ago.

Two adults in the front, 2 in the back, all the stuff, not much room at all