Diamond

WOndering if anyone has driven a e90 330i or 328i and how that compares to their e60 530i (06 or 07--since it has the same engine as the 330)

I am kinda pissed as I just found out the e90 has favorable gearing for quicker acceleration and wondering why the 530 got longer gearing--allows for a higher top speed but who cares--is neglible.. Not sure the benefit but I feel the 330 would feel signifigantly quicker.

And its not due to the weight difference as that is less than 100 pounds between the two

vkhong

I own both a 2004 530i manual and a 2007 328i auto. The E90 feels faster and handles better. I prefer to drive the E60. The E90 is used primarily by other members of my family, thus the auto.

Diamond

as it should the 328 has 230hp and the 530 has 225

I was lookin to compare the 255hp 530 and the 255hp 330i

Kryptus

I had a 330i before my current 530i. The 330 did feel faster and a little more fun to drive. The 5 is still fun though and it is more comfortable.

Diamond

Makes sense-final drive on the auto is 3.64 for the 330i and 3.46 for the 530i--that is enough to pull in the lower gears. The gear ratios were identical.

Question if you had an auto in both-did 2nd gear take you to 60mph in you 3 series as it does in the 530? That is ne thing that is annoying on a 328 when I drive one--the gear ratios are higher but 1st only takes you to 25 and then 2nd to about 55-so you need 3 shifts to get to 60

I wish there was a final drive rear end upgrade from bmw performance or dinan. I would love a 4.10 rear end--that would give this thing an extra 40 foot pounds of torque transmitted to the ground

ObD

The 255 hp engines have direct injection and contain magnesium parts which yields 10% more fuel economy and less engine weight. To make use of the extra 25 hp you have to keep the revs high. The solution to your problem is the TT, N54. The N52 is a good engine. However, at the low end it's anemic.

Diamond

Dude why do you chime n with not only no helpful information but yet also WRONG information. The n52 is not DI. The n53 in europe is DI but does not have valetronic. The n52 has no DI but is valvetronic and vANOS

And yes as with all bmw I6 NA engines you need to be up in the rev range-that is how smaller, fast spinning engines make power-that is no news

PROE60

I have a 07 530 and my cousin has a 07 330... we switch cars all the time I enjoy driving his car it is very fast and crazy pick-up. But my E60 does drive quick enough i dont miss drvn the 330, also not to mention comfort being over 6'3.... lol!!

Side note when ever i'm drvn the 330 I alsways seem to feel other cars coming up to race.....lol! I had the option of getting the 330 also but once I sat in my 530.....WOW, just WOWWOWOWOWWW. Dude just get the E60 it has more than enough get up and go!!!!

Da_Meister_22

I drive both all the time. I have an '07 530i and my girlfriend drive an '08 e90 328i. I do feel the road better when I'm driving the 3 series, maybe duo to the steering being so stiff (kindda like it, but makes me speed for some reason). At first the 328i acceleration felt different (quicker), then I got a sprint booster for my e60 and it changed everything.

Diamond

The 328 has aggressive gearing and is quicker than the 530 through 1st gear but once you hit the middle of second the aggressive gearing cannot make up for the lack of power and the 530 pulls hard in 2nd all the way to 60.

I figure t is the same way for the 330i as it has more aggressive gearing but as it has the same hp probably continues to pull hard.

I guess it irrates me that they dont atleast offer more aggressive gearing or put different gearing- it makes no sense to use different gear as they have the same engine and same tranny--if anything the 530 should have more aggressive gearing due to its weight being a bit more. That is why the 300is 255 hp is more than the 530 because more torque and thus hp reaches the wheels through gearing. HP and TQ is so misleading-as it is gearing that dictates how uc of that is multiplied and in use at the wheels.

I like my 530 but think a big more aggressive gearing would have been great.