2008 BMW 120d vs 320d

**quattro** · March 12th, 2008 11:31 PM

i have the brochures and price list here with me and the 320d comes with leather, wood 18" wheels and a 6-speed AT. only one variant each for the 120d and 320d and prices are 2.395M and 3.090M respectively.

**Radical!** · March 13th, 2008 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by niky

The interior of the 3-series definitely FEELS more upmarket than the 120d. The 120d's seats and interior trim feel quite flimsy in comparison..

Yes, I noticed the 120d's interior looks quite bland. A plus on the 3

Originally Posted by niky

The 3 also rides much, much better, and has much more interior space. Handling is still great, though not as go-kart-ish as the 120d. The brakes on the 120d feel sharper because it's lighter, but the 3 brakes really well, as well.

My boss is passed retirement age, though he still enjoys spirited driving. A plus again on the 3 here in comfort and interior space

Originally Posted by niky

BUT: I don't think the 320d comes in automatic. If that's important to the buyer, they might want to consider a 320i, instead.

U-oh. Bad news. The car has to have an A/T as my boss' wife can't drive a stick.

Thanks for the tips...

**niky** · March 13th, 2008 02:53 PM

*everyone who corrected me: My mistake then... the 320d does come with an AT. Excuse me while I eat my shoe... my faulty memory strikes again!

Definitely go for the 320d. If your boss enjoys driving, the 3-series is a very sublime handling car, and it doesn't have the punishing ride that other run-flat equipped BMWs in the price range (1-series, X3) suffer from.

**BuyMe** · December 18th, 2008 12:48 PM

There is a big price difference between the 120d vs 320d sport (600k), I think the 300k difference you're talking about is between the 120d (2.3M) and the 320d advantage which is priced at 2.6M. The 320d advantage looks pretty bare, the rims are small, it doesn't come with all the trimmings. The 320d sport is around 2.9M and that comes with all the good stuff.

If its spirited driving were talking about he should def get the 120d, its super fast and it handles like a sports car. It has the same engine as the 520d and 320d but in a smaller chassis and frame. Some find it questionable in the looks department but I think beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. I've driven the 120d and the new 320i and there really is no comparison in terms of drive feel. The 3 series is def more refined and sophisticated but the drive is so generic compared to the 120d.

Having said all that, knowing your boss plays golf the obvious choice would be the 3 series (trunk space), plus tbh if he's at the retirement age I think it would suit him better.

**crossdx** · November 21st, 2009 12:08 AM

The 120d's interior does look kind of bland, though I like it quite a bit for its pros: Great handling, compact size, nice acceleration, and I don't find the styling all that bad. Even come to appreciate its "uniqueness" in the BMW lineup, hehe. I've read about the runflats giving it a harder ride than might be comfortable for most, but it's still not that bad according to others. Unfortunately, a test drive unit wasn't available so I wasn't able to judge for myself.

Backseat's definitely too cramped for comfort, and the lack of a leather option doesn't help, but if you're a driving enthusiast that isn't going to be using it as a family/passenger car, and can live with the bumpier ride on the RFTs, I see it as a nice choice (though knocking of a few 100k from the sticker price would help, lol).