My Partner, the BMW 320i

Recently, I wrote an article about how my beloved BMW 320i (F30) has gotten so much better compared to when it was first delivered.

BMWが、納車後5ヶ月で非常にいい感じになってきた件。

Last weekend, my husband took our two kids to the park, so I decided to take this opportunity to drive the 320i alone on the Royu Driveway.

I had driven to Royu before when the 320i was still new, but back then, I had the kids in the back seat and wasn’t as comfortable with manual driving, so it ended up just being a simple drive through the mountain pass.

But this time, having gotten used to manual driving and being alone, I headed to Royu excitedly thinking, “Maybe this time, I can truly feel the joy of driving!”

On a weekend afternoon, Royu is still busy with family cars and vehicles passing through from Ashiya to Arima. So I waited for the right moment by pulling over to the shoulder and spending some time at the lookout.

When the road cleared, I set off in the BMW 320i, shifting up through 2nd and 3rd gears. The first thing I noticed was the excellent handling.

Wow, it really turns well! Was this car always this sharp?

It’s not quite like a Porsche that corners with zero deviation, but the feeling of the car precisely following the driver’s intentions through the corners was very satisfying. I’ve never driven a classic BMW from the “joy of driving” era (sorry, I’m implying the F30 isn’t quite that), but I imagine that combined with a smooth inline-six engine, it must be a real thrill.

On the road from the lookout down to Arima, I experimented with my own driving style, thinking things like, “Dropping to 2nd gear here is too much” or “Better to shift up to 4th then back down to 3rd for this corner.” When I hit a rhythm through a series of curves, it felt fantastic, and I even found myself wishing, “I wish these curves would just keep going forever…!!” lol

What’s Missing in the 320i

That said… this 320i (F30) does fall short in suspension and engine sound. I originally bought it with the goal of practicing manual driving intensively, and since I was buying it myself on a tight budget, it’s a “base model,” not a sporty trim, and it’s from this era of BMW—so I can’t be too picky.

This 320i is set up quite comfortably, but I think if the suspension were stiffer and more solid, it would feel livelier and more fun to drive. My husband often says, “If you change the tires, this car will definitely feel better,” so maybe I should seriously consider that.

Also, the engine sound is almost nonexistent, which feels a bit lonely. It was about 13.5°C on Royu that day, pretty chilly, but the engine was so quiet that I rolled down all four windows and let my hair fly in the wind—and still barely heard the engine lol.

You can hear a little engine noise if you really push it in 2nd gear, but then again, “I don’t really want to rev it that high all the time,” I thought.

This 320i is a wonderful car for comfortable drives with the family or shopping trips, but maybe it’s just not the right car for Royu. Still, I enjoyed my solo drive, so I’m happy. When I shared my impressions with my husband after returning home, he said:

Right? BMWs turn really well and have great handling. The E36 is insanely fun. But if you want to enjoy driving more, like on Royu, why not ditch the current 320i (F30) and get an E36 or an M4 manual? lol

I was like, “-_-”

…No, no, I still have payments to make, and I’m finally getting in sync with this car, so I want to keep driving it for a while. But after I’m done paying it off, I might consider switching to a manual BMW that truly embodies the joy of driving… just a thought these days. (Wait, what about Porsche? lol)