I had a 620 GT until recently, a brilliant car. Comfortable, practical and full of kit. Headup display, panoramic roof, heated seats and wheel, HK sound system, air ride suspension and massive inside. Held its price amazingly to, i lost less than £8k in 4 years.
I feel attacked hahahahah I can not resist the urge of getting distracted by whatever interesting car passing by. Can't kill the carspotter soul inside me even as I grow older, it seems.
Absolutely this! I have interrupted so many conversations with people just because I saw a nice car on the road, and it didn't even necessarily have to be an exotic. It's an irresistible urge indeed.
Hi, about the " cornering😊", it runs on winter tyres and as you said it was 20 dergrees temperature so the tyres " job " a little different. I think with proper summer tyres it will work better.
I continue to go your videos as a welcomed lunchtime retreat from cubical life and "the headset". It is so nice to see regular reviews on "regular" cars from an honest car guy not an influencer. Keep up the work!!!
We used to have loads of big practical hatchback/fastback cars from 2 different classes, you had the Mondeo class and all it's rivals, the what used to be the SD1 class or Granada class and all their rivals, there really was a lot of choice
I've owned a GT 330D for a year now. Brilliant car, fancy spec for the price. Feels like a luxury giant cruising coupe. Frameless doors etc. Excellent choice if you want more practical space , but don't like estates. At the time these GT offerings were slated for looks, but that made them wildly underrated....and now you see similar shaped Teslas all over the place....tastes change. These are an amazing used buy.
I had one of these on a 65 plate, the 330d M sport +. I chose it as I need a hatchback for the dog, and rear space for the kids. And it was a very spacious family car, bigger than most with that limousine wheel base. A few faults over the 3 years, oil senser, passenger door lock. I replaced it with a Kia Stinger GT as the family grew up and I didnt need the space anymore. It was first and probably only BMW I will ever own as I'm not a badge snob, and driving one attracts other badge snobs to drive bad around you. The Kia is a "sleeper" compared, as the badge doesnt attract as much attention.
My Dad is on his third BMW 3 GT - he has loved all of them. They have so much space inside - both boot space and legroom for rear passengers. He’s had 2.0 litre diesels each time and whilst they don’t have the punch of the 3.0 litre units, they are still very engaging and extremely economical. The 3 GT is also very comfortable and does give you much more exclusivity on the road than a standard 3 Series Saloon or Touring. Enjoyed the video :)
@@PasciniThe third one was actually not a planned purchase. He bought one new in 2014, then again in 2018, which he had planned to keep till 2022, before moving onto perhaps a 5 Series. However, in 2020, the second one was written off and he needed another car quickly. Due to the waiting times for new cars during COVID, he just took an approved used 3 GT with slightly better spec than his one that was in stock at the dealer and at a good price and low mileage.
Got exactly this in white 2016 xdrive Msport 335d. Light remap and pdf removed. Also upgraded the original brakes to M3 orange calipers and discs and now at last it can stop (!!) as it does go like stink when you need it, and is a proper mini barge. Safe as houses with the 4 wheel drive too.
A few years ago I was convinced that the key to economical performance was to get a 6 pot BMW diesel, preferably twin turbo, when my daughters partner made my mildly hot MX5 NC look stupid alongside his 330d saloon. The bug bit hard, and I was on the trail of an affordable 6 pot beemer diesel. I narrowed my search down to two cars, a 635d M Sport and a 535d GT. The GT was relatively local to me so I made an appointment to view and pulled into the car park at the per-arranged time to see the car in front of me - IT WAS HUGE! Side on it looked more like a minibus! I quickly engaged reverse and hade a sharp exit that wouldn't be lost in a lager advert! I bought the 635d and had a whole lot of fun in that car. These days I'm driving a 330d X-Drive touring, and I must say it is a superb car. Maybe when the finance is paid off I'll get it re-mapped, or maybe not given the preponderance of 20mph zones in my native Wales.
My reasons for choosing the f34 were rear seat legroom which is bigger than in the 5 series and important with modern bulky child seats; xdrive and 16,5cm ground clearace so it basically is a secret mild-SUV, great for snowy winter; great bang for buck when used and cheaper to run than a 5 series. Struggling to update it now to something newer as I cannot find anything with a smiliar value offering. X3 or x4 is at least 50% more expensive and smaller
One of these was literally my first Dad Car in that we bought it when our first child came along. We got a 325d, manual, head up display and was brilliant, huge boot for buggy and still space for shopping/luggage etc. I know the looks weren't great, but we went for comfort - on our test drive I couldn't believe it had run flat tyres fitted (although I was comparing to a recently driven 4 Series GC and an Audi A5 Sportback, both of which were very disappointing in comparison). I would have had the Touring but wife vetoed... in the end, it was fine.
To add to the list of quirky german cars was the Mercedes 6x6 as well as Maybach Landaulet version of G Wagon. As well as the E-Class 4x4 squared estate with portal axles 😂
We own a 650i, an X3, a 325i and a 328i GT. The GT is the best road trip car ever made. Comfortable, well kitted out, boat loads of cargo space, massive rear legroom and I've gotten over 40 mpg on the highway out of it. Incredibly cheap to run. Maintenance costs are tires, brake pads, oil and gas. Absolutely brilliant. Since they don't offer many estate cars in the US, we're stuck with SUVs... The GT was a great balance.
I owned a 2014 328i GT for 7 years, M Sport Estoril Blue. It made a lot of sense at the time as the wagons were difficult to find and actually had less space for stuff than the GT with the long wheelbase. You do sit higher in the GT than a normal 3 Series as well so that was nice for entrance/exit. I called it my German Saab 900 hatchback to people who just didn't understand the car. I would've happily replaced it with a new gen 3 Series GT (5/6 GT were just too big for me), but since BMW discontinued the platform I moved to a M440i Gran Coupe. I like that car too but it isn't as clever with use of space as the GT.
Great review I had the 6 series GT great car, and totally agree what you’re saying . I didn’t keep it too long, and bought an A6, but yes A6 or 5 series more likely choice 😂
I think the 3 GT and 5GT are very underrated. You dont need an SUV for space...you can have a car with a hatch and a load of leg room (5GT). They are practical AF, probably more so than an estate.
i remember reading that the 5 series GT had more front and rear legroom and cargo capacity than the 7 series. for several 10s of thousands dollars less!
Tbf, its like a german modern equivalent of the citroen XM saloon. The hatchback boot lid is a game changer on any otherwise the same car.. Mondeo saloon vs hatchback, e36 compact vs coupe, citroen GS vs GSA, etc. You mentioned the C6 comparison.. if they'd stuck a hatchback on the 2.2hdi I could have overlooked the cheap plastic, ridiculous tyres etc.
The best car! Have one since 2019. It has more space than the 5 serices, both the F10 and the G30. Great for long trips. Not so good in the corners. But as it's name goes, it is a true GT.
You should try the BMW 128ti which has surprised me for a front wheel drive hot hatch. Drives so well, is fun and the interior is just so well put together...
I mean these are kinda interesting, esp in the US where we didn't have as many wagons and the ones we had were limited in engine options and were rare whereas on the used market these are more available and in greater variety.
Had a 335dgt for 6 years and an absolute all-rounder. From a standing start would beat most cars,massive carrying capacity, economic..it was so good I've just got a 630dgt and that is in a different league with luxury equipment as standard and a super smooth ride. Still has very good performance and economically is the same as the 335dgt but definitely not a car to race around in but why would you want to with all that luxury
I have the 435D GT X-Drive. And I love it. Totally standard but with most of the options. That engine is immense, 630 NM & 313 BHP. It's a Q car because most people see it's a diesel & therefore slow. Comes as a shock when you gently pull away from them without putting your foot down. But I still get an average of 40 mpg combined. BUT.....James is correct, it's heavy & even with 4wd it will let go if you push into a corner too hard. It also crashes on any depth of pothole. But does that put me off? Absolutely not. It's just so nice to drive & munches the miles effortlessly, & that gearbox is great in manual mode. You can get a fairly low mileage car for around £20k. It's an absolute bargain. PS: The 435 looks much better than the 335 too, but maybe I'm biased.
Have to agree, I went for the 435d also, I like the looks with the slightly wider track and more aggressive stance. Remember though, the 4 series is a GC not GT, albeit as a x-drive sits slightly higher than the rwd versions.
Owned one for 1.5 years. Arguably the most useful car I've had. No other car could drive us as comfortably and quickly as this, while packing a month's worth of luggage in the back... for this price. It was the 325d, a very economical thing, which had all the power you needed. While it was boaty in the bends in comfort, in sport+ with the adaptive suspension it just handled everything. And we all found it to be a very handsome car... But tastes are not up for discussions, we all hated the touring models. :)
@@R03333 I'm from the balkans, and here "most" of the men dislike tourings. They either remind us of a hearse, or just somehow imply that someone wanted a sedan but had to make a compromise for practicality due to starting a large family and getting kids. Except for the Audi RS6, that has a pass as a touring as it's more of a batmobile than a regular car.
I must admit, I did like the 3 and 5 Series GTs, They gave me mild shooting-brake vibes, or at least slim-line estate. I can see what BMW were trying to do, although it does fall into the "solving a problem that doesn't really exist" category somewhat. When James said what the tune was on the 35d... 390bhp and 500 lb/ft is a LOT and 1.8 tons is not actually a lot of weight to hold it back, I bet that thing knows how to pick up it's proverbial skirts when you sting it! I'd purged the 6-Series GT from my mind, because that thing is affront to the otherwise memorable 6-Series family (Of which I do own one) as it's pretty dull and dreary to look at.
Have driven one of the Z cars with the drop-down doors. Heavy and not the best driving car, dynamically, but lordy you felt special when you were in it going down the road! FYI you're not supposed to drive it with the doors down because they rattle in the housing and damage the pain finish. There.
The Turismo models from BMW are way underrated, they have MUCH more space for rear facing child seats (reboarder) than any of BMWs cramped SUV. Also the Turismo models get better fuel economy and drive better.
Twin power turbo is applied to single turbo diesels as well. Should say twin turbo haha. My 435d 67 plate feels num. Supposedly they use se springs instead of lowered ones like a 430d m sport rwd.
The BMW range is a bit confusing these days, they must have so many production lines for fairly similar cars. They renamed the 3-Series Coupe the 4-series and then did a 4-door version of the 4-series anyway, and so on all the way up the range.
Love my F31 335d. Does everything so damn well. Can feel a little nose heavy when really pushing on, possibly some modifications would help this and the xdrive “comedy” ride height
I had a F34 335i GT (non M sport) as a work/private car. Although the frame was a little bit soft with the right mods it was a beautiful, sporty and comfortable car and truly missed. Also the high boot and active rear wing made me feel like a fighter pilot going on amd off the highway 😅
I never got the hate for this car. Sure, it might be, and I really mean it, slightly compromised aesthetically for the sake of practicality, but it's bloody practical!
Are those winter/all season tyres? Be interesting to hear how it faired on a more preformance orientated set of rubber. Even though I can see the financial reasoning I think it would have to be a regular 3 series touring for me. Just think they are a good looking all round good car in estate guise
The BMW iDrive in that car can't be upgraded for Apple Carplay and Android Auto because it's a version 6 in 2014/15 Beemers. 2016/17 cars got iDrive 6.5 with updated maps and 2018/19 cars got iDrive 7 with Apple CarPlay but iDrive didn't come with Android Auto until 2020. The iDrive in that car can't be upgraded to a later version because in its infinite wisdom, BMW changed the head unit for iDrive 6.5 hence it wasn't just a software upgrade, it was a hardware upgrade consisting of a physically larger computer with a much larger capacity hard drive plus an additional socket that, with the appropriate antenna plugged in, enables wireless connectivity (not just Bluetooth as previously.) You can tell the difference visually because the graphic user interface has changed to tiles on the home screen, not just list menus. 2016/17 LCI cars -- BMW calls its facelifts a Life Cycle Impulse -- get a touchscreen plus little niceties such as auto folding mirrors as standard, though the screen looks a mess in no time flat covered in fingerprints. If you have version 6.5 and you want to upgrade the software to later maps, etc., it would cost about £300 from a BMW dealer to flash the hard drive but if you want to upgrade version 6 to a later version, you need a new head unit and the cheapest that I have found of those is about £2,000 used on eBay plus fitting.
@Graham_Shaw came from a 640d. This car is 3 x the price . It isn't as sporty as everyone makes out. Looks never did it for me until added a couple of bits. It's nice just not worth the money for me
@@derekporter66 I wish a manual had been availble, the auto box is good, but... All cars are crazy prices now. My 3401 cost me 3 x the price I paid for the top of the range Octavia I had before that. I should have just kept it TBH. It did all that I needed it to do, and cost a lot less to run (Diesel)
@Graham_Shaw same as the 640d. But I just got the urge and once I get it in my head I won't.stop till I buy it. Best bit about it is the engine id say. 35 to 40mpg on a good run and lots of power.
Hmm I think he missed the point a little here. The 335d GT is a practical family car with almost supercar performance! 0-60 in 4.7s. It has more luggage space than the 3 series touring and the same rear leg room as a 5 series and so ticks lots of boxes for the family as well as the sporty dad, but it wasn’t intended to be an out and out sports car (even though it has a unique for BMW, automatic spoiler!). It may be a little fugly for some, but who wants to drive around in the same variation on a theme as everyone else. Not me.
I bought a 330d back in 2005. Got it nearly fully spec'd and loved it. Great car for London and weekend getaways. Also owned a Peugeot 404 back in the late 80's. The Peugeot was hairy to drive given its overheating problems, buy easy to work on, and super comfortable for long distance driving. Just needed to make sure I had my tool kit and a flagon of water!
Interesting stuff. There is something appealing about the almost wilful ugliness in the design, but fact is if the GTs HAD had a Peugeot badge on they'd have sold about six of them, in total. I say that as BMW driver (3 series touring).
Thank you for this, I always wondered what those GTs were supposed to be and this explains things perfectly. I don't understand why BMW made these cars but I'd still happily take any spec GT over a hideous X5, X3, X6 etc.
One of the best intros EVER! The Z8, the quirky Z3M coupe, the 507….spot on, relevant, stylish and brilliant into James!! Yes, love the channel. Best regards from DownUnder in Sydney
The problem is, you have to look at it. There is a lovely estate car, there is a beautiful sedan and there is an industry leading coupé and then you CAN choose this.
It is a strange looking vehicle, but I get why it could appeal to the family and dog owning car fan. Personally, I’d just go for the 3 series wagon, but perhaps they aren’t cool anymore? 🤷🏻♂️
Diesels in the US were hot for a minute. GM retooled their 350 c.i. V8 to run on diesel to appeal to Americans who would buy a regular big car but insisted on better mpg. The engines were under-developed and quickly proved to be unreliable to an extreme. “NEVER AGAIN” said all those Oldsmobile and Cadillac stalwarts. Mercedes continued to offer diesels, as did VW, but did not sell in huge quantities. Much later, VW and Audi messed up with Dieselgate. Nowadays US diesels require blue fluid to reduce emissions. I think there was even a Jeep offered with a diesel engine. Mainstream for trucks, rare for cars.
I have a facelifted 2017 330i GT Luxury which is loaded with extras. It looks much better than the original 3 GT. It's a proper grand tourer. Spacious, luxurious, comfortable, and with enough performance to overtake with ease. It's a great place to be on a long road trip, whether on motorways or Highlands roads in Scotland. Almost all 3 GTs in the UK were sold in M Sports spec, then drivers complained that it didn't handle as well as the saloon. Personally, I think the GT makes more sense in Luxury specification than M Sport. When necessary, the adaptive suspension can stiffen a little for twisty roads but we spend most of our time cruising comfortably in Eco Pro or Comfort modes. The 330i engine is well suited to it. At A-road speeds, we can get up to 54mpg, which is incredible for such a large petrol-powered car. On the motorway, the twin-spool turbo direct injection petrol engine ticks over almost silently at circa 1,600rpm, but it's capable of 0-60 in a more than adequate 5.9 seconds. The 8 speed automatic transmission is smooth and responsive, especially in Sports or Sports+ mode, and the overtaking performance is more than adequate for UK roads. It has flappy paddle gears shifts but we never use them. When the tyres needed replacement, we fitted Pirelli All Season tyres, and they make a huge difference to grip in the cool weather conditions we can get in Scotland all year round, especially as we do a lot of evening driving. With all its physical controls, it's arguably the pinnacle of BMW ergonomics before they started following the mad trend of stuffing more and more functionality onto touch screens and using touch sensitive buttons instead of physical ones. It also has the advantage of regenerative braking without all the extra weight and complexity of a plug-in hybrid power-train. Internal space is almost identical to a 5 Series Touring so it's huge compared to a 3 Series saloon or 3 Series Touring. Personally, I think BMW made a huge marketing mistake badging it as a 3 Series as it's in a different class altogether. When moving furniture, we managed to fit a 6ft long, fully assembled sideboard in the back. We were considering replacing it 18 months ago and tried out a BMW 840i Gran Coupe. I was disappointed to find that, despite its upmarket sounding badge, it was less refined and luxurious than our 330i GT Luxury, and the handling on its 20" wheels and ultra-low profile summer tyres in cool winter temperatures was skittish bordering on dangerous. On paper, the performance of the 840i GC should have been marginally better than the 330i GT, but the latter, on its all season tyres, was light years ahead of the 840i GC fitted with summer tyres. The 330i GT was more spacious, more luxurious, and its hatchback makes it far more practical. At the time, the 840i GC was BMWs widest car, wider even than an X7. As such, it's too big to be a good sports saloon on narrow Scottish Highlands roads, and it has too many other shortcomings to replace our 330i GT. Other possible replacements include an Audi A7, but it's not as large or practical. A 4 Series GC is another, but it's smaller and not nearly as refined as our 330i GT Luxury. I dislike the looks of a 5 Series Touring and don't want a heavy, inefficient SUV, so it looks like we'll be hanging onto our 330i GT for some time to come.
GT got a lot of haters but it’s practical AF. It’s massive, without looking like a plonker driving an X5. It’s also polarising, which is also awesome, as the prices on good used examples are great value.
100% agreed! BMW x5s and the like are one of the ultimate camp, small dinkle over compensation vehicles! Obviously the US is absolutely FULL of those and huge awful pick ups saying a LOT about things that side of The Pond!
Just get an estate? Why wouldn't you just get the estate? The GT line of BMWs also have the worst badging out there. Every time I see it I can't believe that's the badge from factory.
I've just bought a 340i GT and it's great. I wanted a B58 engine BMW and it was 25% cheaper than a touring, has a larger boot, bigger back seats and more kit. I also happen to think that it looks great. The 5/6-series GT is pretty ugly, but on the 3 it really works.
If it had fuel light on for the whole drive, the car may have reduced to stock power I know my mapped 140i would reduce power when fuel light came on Could any mapped 335d owners confirm or deny this ??
I swapped from a 2019 530 to a 2019 630GT. Yes not attractive, but built on a 7 series platform, huge in the back, massive very accessible boot (bigger than a 5 series estate), sits slightly higher than a saloon but not as high as a 4x4, but has as much space as an X5. Doesn’t drive as sharply as a 5 series, but it’s absolutely the best BMW I’ve owned (and I’ve had many). And it was significantly cheaper than the equivalent 5 series Tourer. essentially the public want 4x4’s or Estates, not huge hatch backs (which is what it basically is). Please review one and see if you agree, it’s way lighter than the 5 series GT and has more space 👍
Way lighter? As in physical mass? When built on a 7 series platform? And considering most modern cars, certainly BMWs, are very close in weight to what can be predicted by their footprint? In that case, do know why and what those numbers are? Or did you mean lighter as in lets in more light? A more light feeling interior?
I bought my wife a 620D GT, with all the bells and whistles, a beautiful chocolate merino leather interior and matte wood trim. It's soooo comfortable! We adore it.
Who and where was it mapped? Had a map on my 535d and didn't like it. Struggled to get 45mpg on a run and had fault codes always present. They have now gone after having it returned to stock by bmw and I'm getting 50+ mpg on my commute while being able to drive faster ;-)
I had a 620 GT until recently, a brilliant car. Comfortable, practical and full of kit. Headup display, panoramic roof, heated seats and wheel, HK sound system, air ride suspension and massive inside. Held its price amazingly to, i lost less than £8k in 4 years.
'how do you tell a car enthusiast from a non enthusiast?' 7:30. The irresistible urge to name any slightly interesting car you see on the road 😂
I feel attacked hahahahah I can not resist the urge of getting distracted by whatever interesting car passing by. Can't kill the carspotter soul inside me even as I grow older, it seems.
Absolutely this! I have interrupted so many conversations with people just because I saw a nice car on the road, and it didn't even necessarily have to be an exotic. It's an irresistible urge indeed.
Same car as mine goes past and the kids point and shout SPARES!
@@vx.calibre2901 😂😂😂
Hi, about the " cornering😊", it runs on winter tyres and as you said it was 20 dergrees temperature so the tyres " job " a little different. I think with proper summer tyres it will work better.
I have an E61 535d, so not the same engine obviously, but still, 286hp and nearly 600Nm! Makes a fantastic all-rounder.
My dad had a 3gt a 318d with a manual. I had just gotten my license. It was such a great car.
I continue to go your videos as a welcomed lunchtime retreat from cubical life and "the headset". It is so nice to see regular reviews on "regular" cars from an honest car guy not an influencer. Keep up the work!!!
Got a 328i GT. Perfect car!. I love the looks, fast, economical, and loads of room everywhere.
We used to have loads of big practical hatchback/fastback cars from 2 different classes, you had the Mondeo class and all it's rivals, the what used to be the SD1 class or Granada class and all their rivals, there really was a lot of choice
I've owned a GT 330D for a year now. Brilliant car, fancy spec for the price. Feels like a luxury giant cruising coupe.
Frameless doors etc.
Excellent choice if you want more practical space , but don't like estates.
At the time these GT offerings were slated for looks, but that made them wildly underrated....and now you see similar shaped Teslas all over the place....tastes change.
These are an amazing used buy.
I had one of these on a 65 plate, the 330d M sport +. I chose it as I need a hatchback for the dog, and rear space for the kids. And it was a very spacious family car, bigger than most with that limousine wheel base. A few faults over the 3 years, oil senser, passenger door lock. I replaced it with a Kia Stinger GT as the family grew up and I didnt need the space anymore. It was first and probably only BMW I will ever own as I'm not a badge snob, and driving one attracts other badge snobs to drive bad around you. The Kia is a "sleeper" compared, as the badge doesnt attract as much attention.
My Dad is on his third BMW 3 GT - he has loved all of them. They have so much space inside - both boot space and legroom for rear passengers. He’s had 2.0 litre diesels each time and whilst they don’t have the punch of the 3.0 litre units, they are still very engaging and extremely economical. The 3 GT is also very comfortable and does give you much more exclusivity on the road than a standard 3 Series Saloon or Touring. Enjoyed the video :)
im sorry, 3?!?! just, why?
@@PasciniThe third one was actually not a planned purchase. He bought one new in 2014, then again in 2018, which he had planned to keep till 2022, before moving onto perhaps a 5 Series. However, in 2020, the second one was written off and he needed another car quickly. Due to the waiting times for new cars during COVID, he just took an approved used 3 GT with slightly better spec than his one that was in stock at the dealer and at a good price and low mileage.
Got exactly this in white
2016 xdrive Msport 335d.
Light remap and pdf removed.
Also upgraded the original brakes to M3 orange calipers and discs and now at last it can stop (!!) as it does go like stink when you need it, and is a proper mini barge.
Safe as houses with the 4 wheel drive too.
I actually like the looks; it just throws us because we were expecting a stylish saloon or estate, which do look better.
A few years ago I was convinced that the key to economical performance was to get a 6 pot BMW diesel, preferably twin turbo, when my daughters partner made my mildly hot MX5 NC look stupid alongside his 330d saloon. The bug bit hard, and I was on the trail of an affordable 6 pot beemer diesel. I narrowed my search down to two cars, a 635d M Sport and a 535d GT. The GT was relatively local to me so I made an appointment to view and pulled into the car park at the per-arranged time to see the car in front of me - IT WAS HUGE! Side on it looked more like a minibus! I quickly engaged reverse and hade a sharp exit that wouldn't be lost in a lager advert! I bought the 635d and had a whole lot of fun in that car. These days I'm driving a 330d X-Drive touring, and I must say it is a superb car. Maybe when the finance is paid off I'll get it re-mapped, or maybe not given the preponderance of 20mph zones in my native Wales.
I had a petrol, loved it, quick, comfy, loads of space, drop those seats and its cavernous.. real all rounder. Edit: Mine was a hatchback
My reasons for choosing the f34 were rear seat legroom which is bigger than in the 5 series and important with modern bulky child seats; xdrive and 16,5cm ground clearace so it basically is a secret mild-SUV, great for snowy winter; great bang for buck when used and cheaper to run than a 5 series. Struggling to update it now to something newer as I cannot find anything with a smiliar value offering. X3 or x4 is at least 50% more expensive and smaller
One of these was literally my first Dad Car in that we bought it when our first child came along. We got a 325d, manual, head up display and was brilliant, huge boot for buggy and still space for shopping/luggage etc. I know the looks weren't great, but we went for comfort - on our test drive I couldn't believe it had run flat tyres fitted (although I was comparing to a recently driven 4 Series GC and an Audi A5 Sportback, both of which were very disappointing in comparison). I would have had the Touring but wife vetoed... in the end, it was fine.
To add to the list of quirky german cars was the Mercedes 6x6 as well as Maybach Landaulet version of G Wagon. As well as the E-Class 4x4 squared estate with portal axles 😂
We own a 650i, an X3, a 325i and a 328i GT. The GT is the best road trip car ever made. Comfortable, well kitted out, boat loads of cargo space, massive rear legroom and I've gotten over 40 mpg on the highway out of it. Incredibly cheap to run. Maintenance costs are tires, brake pads, oil and gas. Absolutely brilliant. Since they don't offer many estate cars in the US, we're stuck with SUVs... The GT was a great balance.
@@zeissicon the comment that i look for,next week i am get one of those and just couldn’t find any enough information about it in internet
I owned a 2014 328i GT for 7 years, M Sport Estoril Blue. It made a lot of sense at the time as the wagons were difficult to find and actually had less space for stuff than the GT with the long wheelbase. You do sit higher in the GT than a normal 3 Series as well so that was nice for entrance/exit.
I called it my German Saab 900 hatchback to people who just didn't understand the car. I would've happily replaced it with a new gen 3 Series GT (5/6 GT were just too big for me), but since BMW discontinued the platform I moved to a M440i Gran Coupe. I like that car too but it isn't as clever with use of space as the GT.
Had both he 5gt and 3gt, both were excellent cars, primarily for carrying cargo, bigger than the equivalent tourings.
I like your camera shots on this!
Great review I had the 6 series GT great car, and totally agree what you’re saying . I didn’t keep it too long, and bought an A6, but yes A6 or 5 series more likely choice 😂
I think the 3 GT and 5GT are very underrated. You dont need an SUV for space...you can have a car with a hatch and a load of leg room (5GT). They are practical AF, probably more so than an estate.
i remember reading that the 5 series GT had more front and rear legroom and cargo capacity than the 7 series. for several 10s of thousands dollars less!
Tbf, its like a german modern equivalent of the citroen XM saloon. The hatchback boot lid is a game changer on any otherwise the same car.. Mondeo saloon vs hatchback, e36 compact vs coupe, citroen GS vs GSA, etc.
You mentioned the C6 comparison.. if they'd stuck a hatchback on the 2.2hdi I could have overlooked the cheap plastic, ridiculous tyres etc.
The best car! Have one since 2019. It has more space than the 5 serices, both the F10 and the G30. Great for long trips. Not so good in the corners. But as it's name goes, it is a true GT.
You should try the BMW 128ti which has surprised me for a front wheel drive hot hatch. Drives so well, is fun and the interior is just so well put together...
I mean these are kinda interesting, esp in the US where we didn't have as many wagons and the ones we had were limited in engine options and were rare whereas on the used market these are more available and in greater variety.
I literally saw a bmw “bubble car” while out on my lunch today…poor lady was pushing it down the road! Never seen one before - gotta love bmw!
Brilliant right up to the point the rod end bearings let go
im getting one of these as my daily driver as i do alot of camping as my other car is an f80 m4 and not a very good load carrier!
Had a 335dgt for 6 years and an absolute all-rounder. From a standing start would beat most cars,massive carrying capacity, economic..it was so good I've just got a 630dgt and that is in a different league with luxury equipment as standard and a super smooth ride. Still has very good performance and economically is the same as the 335dgt but definitely not a car to race around in but why would you want to with all that luxury
3 GT is also one of the most beautiful BMW I have ever seen (don't look so good on pictures though).
I have the 435D GT X-Drive. And I love it. Totally standard but with most of the options. That engine is immense, 630 NM & 313 BHP. It's a Q car because most people see it's a diesel & therefore slow. Comes as a shock when you gently pull away from them without putting your foot down. But I still get an average of 40 mpg combined. BUT.....James is correct, it's heavy & even with 4wd it will let go if you push into a corner too hard. It also crashes on any depth of pothole. But does that put me off? Absolutely not. It's just so nice to drive & munches the miles effortlessly, & that gearbox is great in manual mode. You can get a fairly low mileage car for around £20k. It's an absolute bargain. PS: The 435 looks much better than the 335 too, but maybe I'm biased.
Have to agree, I went for the 435d also, I like the looks with the slightly wider track and more aggressive stance. Remember though, the 4 series is a GC not GT, albeit as a x-drive sits slightly higher than the rwd versions.
Owned one for 1.5 years. Arguably the most useful car I've had. No other car could drive us as comfortably and quickly as this, while packing a month's worth of luggage in the back... for this price. It was the 325d, a very economical thing, which had all the power you needed. While it was boaty in the bends in comfort, in sport+ with the adaptive suspension it just handled everything.
And we all found it to be a very handsome car... But tastes are not up for discussions, we all hated the touring models. :)
Why the touring hate?
@@R03333 I'm from the balkans, and here "most" of the men dislike tourings. They either remind us of a hearse, or just somehow imply that someone wanted a sedan but had to make a compromise for practicality due to starting a large family and getting kids. Except for the Audi RS6, that has a pass as a touring as it's more of a batmobile than a regular car.
I must admit, I did like the 3 and 5 Series GTs, They gave me mild shooting-brake vibes, or at least slim-line estate. I can see what BMW were trying to do, although it does fall into the "solving a problem that doesn't really exist" category somewhat.
When James said what the tune was on the 35d... 390bhp and 500 lb/ft is a LOT and 1.8 tons is not actually a lot of weight to hold it back, I bet that thing knows how to pick up it's proverbial skirts when you sting it!
I'd purged the 6-Series GT from my mind, because that thing is affront to the otherwise memorable 6-Series family (Of which I do own one) as it's pretty dull and dreary to look at.
Good vid as always. It's 'Sakhir Orange'. I do speak fluent BMW. F82 to be exact.
Have driven one of the Z cars with the drop-down doors. Heavy and not the best driving car, dynamically, but lordy you felt special when you were in it going down the road! FYI you're not supposed to drive it with the doors down because they rattle in the housing and damage the pain finish. There.
The Turismo models from BMW are way underrated, they have MUCH more space for rear facing child seats (reboarder) than any of BMWs cramped SUV. Also the Turismo models get better fuel economy and drive better.
Twin power turbo is applied to single turbo diesels as well. Should say twin turbo haha.
My 435d 67 plate feels num. Supposedly they use se springs instead of lowered ones like a 430d m sport rwd.
BMW. Greatest mass produced cars of all time.
The BMW range is a bit confusing these days, they must have so many production lines for fairly similar cars. They renamed the 3-Series Coupe the 4-series and then did a 4-door version of the 4-series anyway, and so on all the way up the range.
Love my F31 335d. Does everything so damn well. Can feel a little nose heavy when really pushing on, possibly some modifications would help this and the xdrive “comedy” ride height
Same here! Will never sell it.
The AC Schnitzer sports suspension transforms these cars. Not cheap though at around 2K fitted!
@@christaylor4946 try 245/35/19 tyres on both front and rear. It transforms the handling!
I can't get over the looks. I just can't.
I had a F34 335i GT (non M sport) as a work/private car. Although the frame was a little bit soft with the right mods it was a beautiful, sporty and comfortable car and truly missed. Also the high boot and active rear wing made me feel like a fighter pilot going on amd off the highway 😅
@@jonnynatali2436 what mods did you put in?
@@bombayrd M sport brakes conversion, charge pipe, stg1 tune, front poly bushings and Wavetrack lsd
I never got the hate for this car. Sure, it might be, and I really mean it, slightly compromised aesthetically for the sake of practicality, but it's bloody practical!
Fantastic intro Jay my old mucker
TY 🙏🙏
Are those winter/all season tyres? Be interesting to hear how it faired on a more preformance orientated set of rubber. Even though I can see the financial reasoning I think it would have to be a regular 3 series touring for me. Just think they are a good looking all round good car in estate guise
This is why the Monde is so good
The BMW iDrive in that car can't be upgraded for Apple Carplay and Android Auto because it's a version 6 in 2014/15 Beemers. 2016/17 cars got iDrive 6.5 with updated maps and 2018/19 cars got iDrive 7 with Apple CarPlay but iDrive didn't come with Android Auto until 2020.
The iDrive in that car can't be upgraded to a later version because in its infinite wisdom, BMW changed the head unit for iDrive 6.5 hence it wasn't just a software upgrade, it was a hardware upgrade consisting of a physically larger computer with a much larger capacity hard drive plus an additional socket that, with the appropriate antenna plugged in, enables wireless connectivity (not just Bluetooth as previously.)
You can tell the difference visually because the graphic user interface has changed to tiles on the home screen, not just list menus. 2016/17 LCI cars -- BMW calls its facelifts a Life Cycle Impulse -- get a touchscreen plus little niceties such as auto folding mirrors as standard, though the screen looks a mess in no time flat covered in fingerprints.
If you have version 6.5 and you want to upgrade the software to later maps, etc., it would cost about £300 from a BMW dealer to flash the hard drive but if you want to upgrade version 6 to a later version, you need a new head unit and the cheapest that I have found of those is about £2,000 used on eBay plus fitting.
Thanks James, I'll stick with my G21, M340i touring, Even if you did slate the G20 M340i saloon when you reviewed it.
Have a saloon. I think its the most overrated car I've ever had .
@@derekporter66 Just curious, as to why?
@Graham_Shaw came from a 640d. This car is 3 x the price . It isn't as sporty as everyone makes out. Looks never did it for me until added a couple of bits. It's nice just not worth the money for me
@@derekporter66 I wish a manual had been availble, the auto box is good, but... All cars are crazy prices now. My 3401 cost me 3 x the price I paid for the top of the range Octavia I had before that. I should have just kept it TBH. It did all that I needed it to do, and cost a lot less to run (Diesel)
@Graham_Shaw same as the 640d. But I just got the urge and once I get it in my head I won't.stop till I buy it. Best bit about it is the engine id say. 35 to 40mpg on a good run and lots of power.
The 4 series GT is a coupe and a van. Everyone loves my wife’s which is a sport , they pay no attention see my 5 series msport + 😬.
Interesting video of an interesting car. Thanks
Good car, just visually challenging. Still better looking than an SUV though.
I’d buy another E39 by choice, unbeatable luxury and properly built
American Amphibious ATV called Quadski was also developed with division of BMW Motorcycles🤔
Audi A2 was quirky too ❤❤❤❤
Hmm I think he missed the point a little here. The 335d GT is a practical family car with almost supercar performance! 0-60 in 4.7s. It has more luggage space than the 3 series touring and the same rear leg room as a 5 series and so ticks lots of boxes for the family as well as the sporty dad, but it wasn’t intended to be an out and out sports car (even though it has a unique for BMW, automatic spoiler!). It may be a little fugly for some, but who wants to drive around in the same variation on a theme as everyone else. Not me.
I bought a 330d back in 2005. Got it nearly fully spec'd and loved it. Great car for London and weekend getaways.
Also owned a Peugeot 404 back in the late 80's. The Peugeot was hairy to drive given its overheating problems, buy easy to work on, and super comfortable for long distance driving. Just needed to make sure I had my tool kit and a flagon of water!
The rear seats in the 5GT with the separate chairs option selected were some of the most comfortable I have sat in in any car.
As a non BMW buyer the GT versions were the only cars that could tempt me.
Interesting stuff. There is something appealing about the almost wilful ugliness in the design, but fact is if the GTs HAD had a Peugeot badge on they'd have sold about six of them, in total. I say that as BMW driver (3 series touring).
Your channel is great, but think about the sections emulating top gear and be your own man, your own style?
I’ll admit. I hated the GT range when they were out, in all 3, 5 and 6 guise. But now I think I love them. And looks like the 35d is the one to have 😍
didnt talk about the active rear wing haha
Thank you for this, I always wondered what those GTs were supposed to be and this explains things perfectly. I don't understand why BMW made these cars but I'd still happily take any spec GT over a hideous X5, X3, X6 etc.
I'm sorry James but I dont't think anyone thinks any Peugeot as quirky.
They are the mr Sensiblepants of France.
What about the 1007, RG editions 206, RCZ, 206cc ?
@@RomainLussier True, but comparing to the madness of Citroen, Peugeot made normal cars. I love the french lol
@@RomainLussier valid point I must confess.
One of the best intros EVER! The Z8, the quirky Z3M coupe, the 507….spot on, relevant, stylish and brilliant into James!! Yes, love the channel. Best regards from DownUnder in Sydney
I must admit that I do get all hot and bothered whenever I see a BMW 507
I dont understand the hate on the looks of this car. It's sleek sporty design of a family car that its driver can handle long road trips with ease.
They should have made it an estate and it would have bridged the suv saloon gap.
Everything in this video was a blur after the Pantera GT5!
M8 pls stop putting people on to the few weird bargins left for us 😂😂😂
Could you review the F30 330e next?
Any car with that engine and gearbox is going to be a good car. How good? Depends on the other bits. And the price to buy it...
The problem is, you have to look at it. There is a lovely estate car, there is a beautiful sedan and there is an industry leading coupé and then you CAN choose this.
Yeah, the Touring does make it a bit redundant, especially when the F31 looks so nice.
There was also the prettier 4 series gran coupe too
@@electricalinput5999 there was!
yes, exactly, but Jay's comments section is suddenly full of fugly lovers, and all happy owners and drivers of fugly, apologists even....
@@electricalinput5999 Is that one even a liftback though? I know it is now but not sure at the time.
It is a strange looking vehicle, but I get why it could appeal to the family and dog owning car fan. Personally, I’d just go for the 3 series wagon, but perhaps they aren’t cool anymore? 🤷🏻♂️
Diesels in the US were hot for a minute. GM retooled their 350 c.i. V8 to run on diesel to appeal to Americans who would buy a regular big car but insisted on better mpg. The engines were under-developed and quickly proved to be unreliable to an extreme. “NEVER AGAIN” said all those Oldsmobile and Cadillac stalwarts. Mercedes continued to offer diesels, as did VW, but did not sell in huge quantities. Much later, VW and Audi messed up with Dieselgate. Nowadays US diesels require blue fluid to reduce emissions. I think there was even a Jeep offered with a diesel engine. Mainstream for trucks, rare for cars.
Think they look alright
I have a facelifted 2017 330i GT Luxury which is loaded with extras. It looks much better than the original 3 GT. It's a proper grand tourer. Spacious, luxurious, comfortable, and with enough performance to overtake with ease. It's a great place to be on a long road trip, whether on motorways or Highlands roads in Scotland.
Almost all 3 GTs in the UK were sold in M Sports spec, then drivers complained that it didn't handle as well as the saloon. Personally, I think the GT makes more sense in Luxury specification than M Sport. When necessary, the adaptive suspension can stiffen a little for twisty roads but we spend most of our time cruising comfortably in Eco Pro or Comfort modes.
The 330i engine is well suited to it. At A-road speeds, we can get up to 54mpg, which is incredible for such a large petrol-powered car. On the motorway, the twin-spool turbo direct injection petrol engine ticks over almost silently at circa 1,600rpm, but it's capable of 0-60 in a more than adequate 5.9 seconds.
The 8 speed automatic transmission is smooth and responsive, especially in Sports or Sports+ mode, and the overtaking performance is more than adequate for UK roads. It has flappy paddle gears shifts but we never use them. When the tyres needed replacement, we fitted Pirelli All Season tyres, and they make a huge difference to grip in the cool weather conditions we can get in Scotland all year round, especially as we do a lot of evening driving.
With all its physical controls, it's arguably the pinnacle of BMW ergonomics before they started following the mad trend of stuffing more and more functionality onto touch screens and using touch sensitive buttons instead of physical ones. It also has the advantage of regenerative braking without all the extra weight and complexity of a plug-in hybrid power-train.
Internal space is almost identical to a 5 Series Touring so it's huge compared to a 3 Series saloon or 3 Series Touring. Personally, I think BMW made a huge marketing mistake badging it as a 3 Series as it's in a different class altogether. When moving furniture, we managed to fit a 6ft long, fully assembled sideboard in the back.
We were considering replacing it 18 months ago and tried out a BMW 840i Gran Coupe. I was disappointed to find that, despite its upmarket sounding badge, it was less refined and luxurious than our 330i GT Luxury, and the handling on its 20" wheels and ultra-low profile summer tyres in cool winter temperatures was skittish bordering on dangerous. On paper, the performance of the 840i GC should have been marginally better than the 330i GT, but the latter, on its all season tyres, was light years ahead of the 840i GC fitted with summer tyres. The 330i GT was more spacious, more luxurious, and its hatchback makes it far more practical. At the time, the 840i GC was BMWs widest car, wider even than an X7. As such, it's too big to be a good sports saloon on narrow Scottish Highlands roads, and it has too many other shortcomings to replace our 330i GT.
Other possible replacements include an Audi A7, but it's not as large or practical. A 4 Series GC is another, but it's smaller and not nearly as refined as our 330i GT Luxury. I dislike the looks of a 5 Series Touring and don't want a heavy, inefficient SUV, so it looks like we'll be hanging onto our 330i GT for some time to come.
GT got a lot of haters but it’s practical AF. It’s massive, without looking like a plonker driving an X5. It’s also polarising, which is also awesome, as the prices on good used examples are great value.
I agree with you but aren’t there wagon versions of this
100% agreed! BMW x5s and the like are one of the ultimate camp, small dinkle over compensation vehicles! Obviously the US is absolutely FULL of those and huge awful pick ups saying a LOT about things that side of The Pond!
No need to hate on X5 drivers to make a point.
Just get an estate? Why wouldn't you just get the estate? The GT line of BMWs also have the worst badging out there. Every time I see it I can't believe that's the badge from factory.
It’s a horrendous looking thing, just buy a 335d touring if you need the space.
This car looks better without the spoiler
I've just bought a 340i GT and it's great. I wanted a B58 engine BMW and it was 25% cheaper than a touring, has a larger boot, bigger back seats and more kit. I also happen to think that it looks great. The 5/6-series GT is pretty ugly, but on the 3 it really works.
I love my 330 D GT😂
If it had fuel light on for the whole drive, the car may have reduced to stock power
I know my mapped 140i would reduce power when fuel light came on
Could any mapped 335d owners confirm or deny this ??
There are those who say - not me, of course - those who buy German cars lack an imagination. 😅
Am I crazy in thinking the 3GT is Saab-like in its weird hatchback appearance? It's definitely quirky.
10:35 Think it's more like 1820kg? Very impressive if it is 1700!
BMW make the best Diesel engines 👌🏻
I swapped from a 2019 530 to a 2019 630GT. Yes not attractive, but built on a 7 series platform, huge in the back, massive very accessible boot (bigger than a 5 series estate), sits slightly higher than a saloon but not as high as a 4x4, but has as much space as an X5. Doesn’t drive as sharply as a 5 series, but it’s absolutely the best BMW I’ve owned (and I’ve had many). And it was significantly cheaper than the equivalent 5 series Tourer. essentially the public want 4x4’s or Estates, not huge hatch backs (which is what it basically is). Please review one and see if you agree, it’s way lighter than the 5 series GT and has more space 👍
Way lighter? As in physical mass? When built on a 7 series platform? And considering most modern cars, certainly BMWs, are very close in weight to what can be predicted by their footprint? In that case, do know why and what those numbers are?
Or did you mean lighter as in lets in more light? A more light feeling interior?
I meant as in the 6 series GT is lighter than the 5 series GT (or so the bmw literature told me)!
Weigh less, because more use of aluminium, apparently
I bought my wife a 620D GT, with all the bells and whistles, a beautiful chocolate merino leather interior and matte wood trim. It's soooo comfortable! We adore it.
I don't know. Now BMW makes a lot of really ugly looking cars if we're being honest.
How far on the wrong side of that bend !!
Hmm…off to autotrader I go
Who and where was it mapped?
Had a map on my 535d and didn't like it. Struggled to get 45mpg on a run and had fault codes always present. They have now gone after having it returned to stock by bmw and I'm getting 50+ mpg on my commute while being able to drive faster ;-)
@@vrsmartin2981 Unicorn motor developments in Stockport. They have done a lot of these engines and I can't fault it.
It is not a twin turbo, it's one turbo with twin-scrolls..
Models up to the 330d/430d have a twin scroll, the 335d/435d have a proper sequential twin turbo
This car seems so much better a buy in amost every way (snobbery apart) than the Aston Martin of a few days ago!
This BMW was probably developed because Audi made success with A5 Sportsback.😉