BMW 3-Series Gran Limousine 330Li LCI | Initial Ownership Review

TL;DR

This beauty came home this month and I haven't stopped grinning since!

The story/garage so far

As most people here, I have been dreaming of cars and motorcycles ever since I was in primary school. In fact, most of my margins in school notes were filled with doodles of anything with wheels! When I started earning decent, I finally had the opportunity to buy my first car, a Honda Brio. Fast forward to today, our garage has the good old Honda along with a Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI, a Triumph Street Twin 900 and the latest to join the stable - a spanking new BMW 3 series - a BMW 3GL - a 330LI G28 M Sport LCI to be precise.

Honda Brio


The Honda Brio is an absolute joy to drive. It's now been exactly 11 years (Oct 2012) and has done a decent 80000 km. It recently went through a bodywork repair and a complete repaint and is the engine is a complete beauty. I have left the car sitting for more than two months and it still cranks without drama after two months of remaining untouched. We replaced the suspension recently and it's on its third set of rubbers. I intend to keep the Brio till end of its life. Fantastic chuckable car for city drives. I recently drove the Brio for 50km straight across the city and though I got tired (mostly because of the clutch in bumper to bumper traffic), the car is an absolute joy and still wheelspins when I shift from the first to the second gear when launched hard!

Last month, the Brio got into a minor accident when it was driven by a call driver and we had to repair the bumper. We also decided to give the Brio a fresh coat of paint. For those interested, we got the bodywork done at TINKR. The founding team is extremely knowledgeable and passionate. Shahrukh used to run the body shop in Kun BMW Chennai and an absolute gem to work with! Highly recommended for anyone in Chennai looking to get bodywork done. They also get insurance sorted if needed. For those interested, Shahrukh is reachable on +919626655722.

Note: I am sharing his details because of their impressive services that I experienced first hand. I am sure will be useful to members of this forum - I have absolutely nothing to gain from this. I took Shahrukh's consent before sharing his number too.


Triumph Street Twin 900


I have dreamt of motorcycles since a child and a long time dream was to one day own a superbike. We bought the Street Twin 900 just before the pandemic. The motorcycle has seen its ups and downs especially because I haven't ridden the motorcycle as much as I would have liked. It's great for city rides and the occasional long ride. But with a kid, we hardly get to take the motorcycle out. It is still a joy to ride and I plan to keep it for a long time.

Skoda Kushaq


There was a need for a bigger car once the kid came into the picture. We also needed an automatic because the manual was tiring to drive for long stretches especially in city traffic. The car has its niggles - especially the noisy nature. The brakes are super noisy and give out an obnoxious, loud grinding sound especially when you are manoeuvring in super low speeds. Skoda just hasn't been able to resolve this and they claim that's the nature of the car. I have seen other owners of the Kushaq complain about this all the time. It's mostly annoying and our entire street knows when we are taking the car out.

But it's is a brilliant car + engine + gearbox and we really enjoy driving the Kushaq. Super practical when it comes to space + creature comfort features and it's got enough power on tap with fantastic dynamics for some spirited driving.


Prospective third car

We have reached a point now when both my partner and I are expected to show up at work in the post-WFH era. We both need our own rides, and the kid needs to be chauffeured from school. We have briefly considered a few cars over the past 2 years.

Tata Nexon EV - The Tata showroom experience was a nightmare. We entered the showroom and it was overflowing. The same sales person was attending to multiple people at the same time. There was a big fight going on in the delivery bay between the showroom folks and a family who had come for delivery. We took the brochures and left in a hurry knowing we would never come back.

Hot hatch (i20) - We very briefly considered a hot hatch like the i20 N-line, because the driving will mostly be within the city. But it didn't quite feel like an upgrade. We didn't even test drive any.

BMW X1 - We drove the diesel and it was good. But the interiors were super outdated and they refused to give any kind of discount which was very surprising, considering the car was badly due for a new generation.

It was a no brainer for us to look beyond the X1 - plus we were also keen on a RWD (with the only exception being a Volvo). The RWD parameter also meant we skipped the Audis though the interiors and technology were mouthwatering.

Mercedes C - The baby S had just launched and there were absolutely no discounts. The C200 was okay to drive and didn't feel special. But the interiors were stunning and made one feel super special and luxurious.

Mercedes A35 - We very briefly considered the A35 (the yellow looks insane!). But they had just stopped production and there was a demo car available. But it sat waaaaaay too low and the ground clearance was a big question on Indian roads.

BMW 3 - We have been evaluating the 3 for quite some time. We test drove the car multiple times - both the pre-facelift and the LCI version. It always left us grinning. The team at Kun BMW (OMR) were so nice that they would insist we test drive the car even though we made it very clear that we were in no hurry to buy! We test drove the 3 over two years and the team would always indulge us. I think this worked out really well in their favor.

Full marks to Sabarish - he is not with the dealership anymore, but he is a wonderful catch! Whichever car dealer hires him will be super lucky to have him selling their cars! Our sales consultant, Ashraf is also another gem. He too indulged us with test drives over the last 6 months even though he knew we were not actively evaluating. More on Ashraf later.

The serious buying phase

By now, I had to go to office everyday and my partner also had to go to office everyday. We badly needed a third car now as she was Ubering to work everyday since the kid needed the Brio to be chauffered to and from school.

With the Brio sorted and with an extension in life, we were certain that if we ever needed a third car, it had to be from the luxury/sports segment. My partner always had a thing for Volvo and would longingly suggest we get one of the sedans. Much to my relief, Volvo stopped manufacturing the S60 in India. Fantastic car, but I didn't want a FWD for this big car purchase!

We worked out the finances and figured we can make a big car happen and my partner was kind enough to agree to finance half the car.

Stuttgart or Munich?

I called up the sales manager of Titanium Mercedes showroom and we set up an appointment to check out the C220d. My partner decided to take an Uber auto instead of driving and our kid dozed off with the wind on his face. She arrived five minutes before I could, and was met with suspicious and half-dirty stares. I arrived 5 minutes after she did and even as the sales manager rushed with a smile to greet me, I stared in disbelief at my partner - she was standing in the middle of the showroom, carrying her bag and our kid who was blissfully asleep on her shoulder.

The folks at the showroom had apparently quizzed her on her intentions, and hadn't even offered a seat or a glass of water.

We half-heartedly checked the car out and surprisingly got a good deal right off the bat. But with the borderline humiliating experience, we quickly exited the showroom and I texted the sales person at Sundaram Mercedes. He got back promptly with similar discounts. (They haven't followed up since.)

Armed with this quote, we drove straight to the BMW showroom.

There were no discounts given initially. I shared the Mercedes quote with them and asked them to better that. Somehow, the BMW folks managed to figure out that we were finally ready to make a purchase. Consistent follow up from them was key.

And each time, they called, I was able to get a lakh shaved off from the OTR. I wasn't able to get much done on the ex-showroom price. But a few lakhs off was good enough. I am sure the OTR was jacked up in order to give the sales team a good negotiating cushion, however it helped me a LOT that I initiated the conversation with 10 days to go for the quarter to end.

And the final price we sealed the deal was close to the Mercedes deal. In hindsight, I am pretty sure I could have gotten another lakh shaved off if I had negotiated for some more time. They were clearly in a hurry to close the deal before Sep 30.

Interestingly, the only variant on offer was the M Sport variant. And of course the regular 330i has been discontinued in India.


Full marks to Ashraf for ensuring the deal closed. I literally had him on speed dial throughout the buying journey and he was super patient and involved during the process.

C vs 3

For someone evaluating The 3, there is a strong probability they are also looking at the C Class. There are also some key differences between the C and the 3.

Where the C Class loses

1. Rear AC controls. Very weird the C doesn't ship with these since Mercs are considered chauffeured cars.
2. No rear USB charging point - again, weird for the above reason.
3. Rear space feels cramped.
4. Boot space is super limited and is occupied largely by the spare.

Where the C wins

1. Electric steering - both reach and rake. You can also store steering position in seat memory settings. Very cool.
2. Window shades. The 3 loses out on this.
3. Electrically operated rear shade. The BMW lacks shades in the. back as well. I can't even imagine why they left such a minor feature out for a luxury car.
4. Sunroof seems larger in the C Class - but that's largely because the cabin is shorter in length.
5. I quite like the Merc's instrument cluster. BMW's seems very crowded and noisy.
6. I also quite liked the driver seat in the C class. Seemed more sportier and hugged the driver.

PDI

I have written before about the PDI drama that unfolded. I do not want to repeat the story all over again. But long story short, someone from their team messed up. But the dealer immediately owned up, and made up for it by inviting me to the yard to witness the unloading. They made sure I was completely satisfied with the PDI. Full marks for the honestly.

Here are pictures from the unloading.





Accessories

Surprisingly, the accessories team had no clue about accessories for the 330LI. They completely denied having black grilles for the 330LI facelift. I had to send them delivery pictures from last month in Bangalore as proof. They claimed there were no official accessories brochure for the LCI - all they shared was the pre-facelift brochure - accessories of which should technically fit the LCI version. After much follow up, they agreed to procure the black grille for around 18K, but I had lost interest by then. I think I will just vinyl wrap the grille in the future whenever I feel like a change.

Same for the BMW ISOFIX child seat - it just wasn't available and the accessories team wasn't too enthusiastic. Surprising since I would assume the 3 was a fast moving product and I always thought accessories were high margin goods.

What I like about the 330LI

• Engine + gearbox are just perfect for all driving styles and driving conditions
• Driving dynamics
• Surprisingly cushy ride
• Badge value - aspirational car
• Cabin space
• Modern interiors
• Loaded with technology and nice features

What I am not too fond of about the 330LI

Note: The dislike list seems to be way longer than the likes list. These are mostly first world problems. But I felt this was important to address for prospective 3 G28 owners to make an informed choice. Most of these features are only good to have for my preference, but you never know which feature might be a deal-breaker for whom.

• Loads of deleted equipment or missing features. List of missing features below.
• Petrol is/will be a guzzler. I had initially booked the diesel because we have high running, but decided against because I would rather pay a bit extra for fuel than live with the stress of uncertainty. I have driven for around 50 km so far in the last 2 days and I am receiving 10.5kmpl. The drive has mostly been in and around our house on East Coast Road. Once I start driving to work across OMR rush hour, I will know the true picture. I will update this thread once I get to 1000 km or more.
• Boot space is less than expected. Kushaq gobbles up everything you throw in and will be the chosen one for airport rides.
• Massive hump - but that's expected for such a low RWD sedan. 5 of us went out for lunch and the rear seat is pretty wide. If not for the hump, one can do 5 person long trips comfortably. 5 person trips even now should not be a problem, but you will have to draw straws on who gets to sit in the middle.
• Low stance - the Kushaq will be the vehicle of choice whenever we take parents out.
• Limited colour options - only 4 available. I originally wanted Sunset Orange Metallic or Dravit Grey.
• Polarizing instrument cluster. Love the digital consoles of the Mercs - super simple, minimal and stunning. I have driven the car for the past few days and the instrument cluster has grown on me. It is still busy and I am left searching for some good to have information like odo reading etc. I know it's there somewhere, but is lost in all the visual noise.
• No ventilated seats at this price point - I use this feature in the Kushaq all the time. Very handy in the Chennai heat.
• More of an ironic complaint - the rear bench is just too far away from the front! Context: When I drop the 5 year old at school every morning, I get exactly 10 seconds to stop, get him out and get going. I lean back and unbuckle his car seat in the Kushaq - and that is a bit of a struggle as I have to really do the "Boomer Man" arm stretch. First world problems, I know!
• Probably the most important dislike (which is also a like from a different persepctive) is the 18 inch wheels with low profile run flat tyres. They look absolutely STUNNING, but I am forced to tackle the occasional pothole and speed breakers in an extra-slow manner. I have so far not been surprised by a pothole showing up out of nowhere, but I am dreading the day that happens. I guess impatient drivers behind me have no choice, but honk away for now.
  
  Luckily, Chennai has decent roads and my daily 50km drive has zero bad roads/stretches. I hope these wheels and tyres last me a long time.
  

List of deleted/missing features

• 360 degree camera - extremely useful for such a long car. The car has got sensors all over and it makes up well for the 360 camera. The parking mode is really helpful while parking in tight spots and in bumper to bumper traffic.
• Ventilated seats
• HUD - good to have feature.
• Even the M badge on the side is missing (chip shortage, seriously?)
  

330LI Quirks

There are a certain quirks, some useful and some not so with the 330li.

Comfort access

This is a great feature to have. There are multiple ways to enter and drive the car without using the key.

1. The key itself. It's got the basic functions covered. And then there are some more. Lock, unlock, boot open and sound (when you forget where you have parked the car in the mall).
   
   And then you can long press each button for another hidden sub-function. Eg. Long pressing unlock slides down the windows. Long press once again and it opens the sunroof. Long pressing lock reverses the previous action. Long pressing the boot button will close the boot for as long you press the button. Very useful for when you need the boot partly open in case there is a ledge on top.
   
2. The M key card. Tap the card on the door handle and it locks/unlocks. Haven't used this much as it negates the point of carrying the physical key. I don't think I will ever get into the car without the key.
   
3. Smartphone. With the My BMW app installed on the phone, you can save the key to Apple Wallet. Pointing the phone near the handle locks and unlocks. I think this is very useful as all of us most probably have the phone in hand while walking up to the car.
   
4. Apple Watch. Same as above. Touch the handle while wearing the watch and the car locks/unlocks.
   
5. My BMW App. You can unlock or lock the car using the interface of the My BMW app. More on the app below.
   
6. Approaching or walking away from the car. Which is perhaps the most convenient way to lock/unlock the BMW. The car unlocks itself as you approach the car with the key in the pocket. And the car locks itself as you walk away. The threshold is around 5 ft and this is super convenient. But there is a downside that is very specific to my context.
   
   We live in a villa and the garage is one wall away from the living room. This means the car automatically unlocks each time I walk anywhere close to the door. It's very annoying and I have now customized this to keep "lock while walking away" on and turned off "unlock while approaching". This will be a fantastic feature if you live in an apartment where the car is typically parked floors away.
   

The M key card




The physical key




The digital key inside Apple Wallet




The digital key stored in your Apple Wallet can also be shared. I haven't tried this out, nor do I intend to.

The My BMW App

As someone who has been marketing and selling software for more than a decade, I greatly appreciate solid integration of hardware and software. The My BMW app is I'd say pretty high up there in terms of integration.




The home screen

Air conditioning

Air conditioning has generally been pretty good. Will have to wait till the harsh Chennai summers to really evaluate how powerful and quick the cooling is.

The BMW does have the function of "ventilating" the car via the My BMW app. Coming from driving a basic manual with physical knobs for AC, the first reflex when the car stalls has always been to turn the AC off before cranking the car.

Running the AC in the car without the engine on makes me very uncomfortable, but the BMW dealer told me that the car is super powerful and capable that I shouldn't be worrying at all.

In fact, when you turn the car off, the car has the function to precool the car while the engine is off. You also have the feature to automate precooling to match your schedule. Very useful to have in places like Chennai where the temperatures can soar (and extremely bad for the planet!), but how bad is it for the battery? I would appreciate any answers from folks here who pre-ventilate the car. I have also seen this feature in the Kia Seltos.






The animation in the My BMW app is very handy.



Here is the suggestion in the car display prompting me to "pre-ventilate" the car.

Initial driving experience

Coming to the most important aspect of the review, I can safely say that getting into the BMW and pushing the start button as the 2 litre engine comes to life is an exhilarating experience. Much has been written about how the car drives in the forum and I will not dwell much into it. But coming from having driven a Brio 1.2 manual I-VTEC and a Kushaq 1.0 TSI (both of which are already fun to drive cars), The 3 is a brilliant upgrade - both in terms of the power available on tap and the drivability.

The low, sporty driving position was a bit uncomfortable on day 1. But we got used to it now and I am absolutely loving the sporty driving position. In a way I am glad we bought a sports sedan now instead of the usual trend of getting an SUV - I don't think I can do this low seating position 10 years from now.

Driving modes

Eco Pro mode

I have been mostly sticking to the Eco Pro mode and I would say it is largely sufficient for Indian road conditions (not the actual road conditions, but other drivers who have scant respect for the rules and those who ship with zero common or civic sense. And the car is pretty powerful even in the Eco Pro mode. I have executed some fast overtakes in the Eco Pro mode itself.

Comfort Mode

This is the default mode and I switch out of the comfort mode to the Eco Pro mode once the cabin has sufficiently cooled. The difference between the two modes (in terms of driving) is immediately not apparent because I was mostly driving in the city, but the occasional overtakes seemed easier/faster in the Comfort mode.

Sport Mode

I haven't had a chance to try the Sport Mode yet. I also want to drive easier during the first few hundred kms and hence do not want to be even tempted to rev or launch the car. I don't intend to launch the car ever. Sadly, Indian roads are simply not meant for that. You never know who or what is about to magically spawn in front of you from nowhere.

BMW says there is no concept of running in period for modern machines. My Triumph sales person also had a very similar view. I was advised by both to drive the machines like I normally would. In fact, my Triumph sales person's view was if I am a naturally hard rider, I should ride hard right from day 1. I would love to hear views on this.


Summarizing the driving modes and practicality, Eco Pro and Comfort modes should satisfy 80% of driving requirements in India. In fact, I can safely see how the Eco Pro mode can stay as the driving mode of choice if your commute involves city driving in India. It is calm and sedate and goes very well with my new conscious driving style - I have been trying not to lose my temper when an idiot in a Tata Ace tries to bully me on OMR or when a rattly bus from Pondicherry drives like a maniac down ECR because he has to meet his daily trip quota.

Other observations

Auto Start/Stop

I have kept this on. I have seen other BMW owners here who find this annoying. I am all for this feature if this in a very small way helps the planet. The system feels as silent and seamless as an electric car and you barely feel the engine come back to life. However, what I am worried about is the impact this will on the starter motor's wear and tear. I have been doing research on this and the general consensus seems to be modern cars are powerful enough and one does not need to worry about things like auto start/stop systems. In fact, I saw a video where the the technical head at Kia Canada explained that modern cars ship with beefed up starter motors in order to ensure auto start/stop systems don't harm the starter motor. When it comes to things that the manufacturer recommends, I trust them blindly. But would love to hear other takes here.



This is my favourite cluster setup so far.

Auto hold

I have kept this on too for now. How does this impact brake life?




The welcome lights are nice.




Closer look at the illuminated M.




Anticipation and acceleration values. How do I interpret this?




Sensors are very useful, especially in bumper to bumper traffic. Flip side is, with morons on the road trying to squeeze through, it's always beeping. Works well as it keeps me alert.

One annoying thing is the sensors keep detecting "parking space" while crawling in traffic. There is no way to permanently deactivate search. One can toggle it off, but the next time you enter this mode to help navigate bumper to bumper traffic, active search comes back up.

One more change I would love is if this can come up on the screen automatically whenever I slow down to crawling speed. This is extremely useful in traffic signals. The park assist screen disappears the minute you accelerate to 20+, but doesn't come back automatically when you slow down. You have to manually turn it on whenever you need it.



Nice integration of parking camera with sensors. 360 degree camera would have been great to have, but the 360 degree sensors are good enough that one doesn't really need 360 degree camera. But I think the fact that a 60 lakh car doesn't have this is a bit careless.



This happened just once. I wonder what the issue might be. I haven't seen it since.



The wheels are beautiful. Hoping they last long with our roads and these low profile tyres!






For those interested in checking the BMW 3 out in Chennai, unfortunately, there is only dealer (Kun) who has monopolized the brand. So that puts us customers at a disadvantage. For those keen, do reach out to Ashraf who works out of the OMR showroom. He's fantastic, super passionate about automobiles and a generally great human. His number is +91 7824857694 and I have his consent to share his number.

Mods, I have shared phone numbers of TINKR and my sales consultant from Kun BMW. I have done with their consent and because I genuinely recommend their services having experienced it first hand. Please feel free to mask/remove the numbers if it's against the forum rules. Thanks!

Big, big thanks to Teambhpian @nimishlalwani for being a friend, philosopher and guide throughout my motoring journey over the last few years. He was instrumental in me getting the BMW 3 and guiding me through test drives and PDI!

Update after 200 km.

I have finished 200 km as of today and it's mostly been city rides. I am seeing an economy of 9.5 kmpl. It could be a result of me trying out the Sport mode every now and then. It's right there and just too hard to resist! Plus the car growls and it's too good!

Update on Auto start/stop system.

In a couple of long signals, I have noticed that the engine comes back to life despite me not having tapped the gas pedal. Is this normal? Is there some kind of a timer that forces the engine to wake up from?

Update on the "unlock when approaching" issue.

Though the car automatically unlocks when it detects the key "inside the house", the car also automatically locks itself when there is no activity for a few minutes despite the key being within the detect zone. So that's one thing sorted and I have turned on both vicinity based unlock and lock.

My BMW ID

For some reason, each time I start the car, the car starts in guest mode. I am forced to login manually to my profile. Thought it takes less than 2 seconds (I have to enter a pin), it is very annoying. Driving in guest mode is not a deal breaker - since I am the primary driver, seat position doesn't typically change. But I like to have my driving data logged in for later analysis.

Driver profile also can't be changed while the car is running (for good reason, I guess). But it is also annoying because I have to pull over every time I remember this to change the profile from guest to mine.

More observations

There is no magazine holder behind the seats - not even a netted option. Big oversight - even my 4 lakh Brio comes with one.

Turning radius is surprisingly manageable. I am still not taking my usual smaller roads to get home. It's causing me an extra 15 minutes to get to and from work. But I am not complaining!



Any idea what the 5.8km here means?



I see here that I have gained "1 km" since start of journey. I am guessing it's a combination of auto start/stop and driving in eco mode?



As you can see I have been mostly driving in Eco pro mode. My consumption still is 7% "more than the community". I am guessing the remaining 25% of my driving has been in Sport mode.

Also the app says ~150km because I drove for an entire day without logging into My BMW assuming it would log me in automatically.

Coding

I do plan to code my BMW to increase lane change indicator from 3 times to 5 times. This is a bit annoying. I am not sure I want to disable to speed limit chime - I have heard it's loud and annoying when doing highway speeds. I have heard it a few times within the city and I haven't found it annoying. I will decide if I want it removed or not after a road trip to get an idea of how annoying it really is. I have in fact found the chime in the Kushaq very useful - even the best of our highways are just now meant for 80+ speeds sadly.

Congrats! Looks stunning.

Some gyan on Auto Start / Stop system (from Bimmer-tech)

HOW DOES BMW AUTO START-STOP FUNCTION WORK?
BMW auto start-stop function turns off the engine each time the car comes to a full halt (e.g at crossings, traffic lights, traffic jams) and then turns it on automatically, at all times keeping safety issues in mind.

The function is coordinated by the central control unit that monitors data from all relevant sensors, the alternator and the starter motor. So it will not be activated if e.g.:

the engine doesn’t reach the ideal running temperature
the air-conditioning is running with a high temperature outside
a particulate filter of a diesel car is in the middle of its cleaning cycle
If needed, the control unit can also automatically restart the engine – it may happen when the battery charge is low, the car starts rolling down or condensation forms on the windscreen.

What’s also safe and convenient about the BMW auto start-stop system is that nothing is accidental. The system fully recognizes the difference between a temporary stop and the end of the journey, hence there’s no way it could restart on its own as you get off. For the engine to restart you’d have to have your seatbelts on and the doors and hood closed.

Congratulations and thanks for the elaborative review of the car and features. I test drove the 330Li last weekend and few observation:

Cons:
- Boot space is big let down- Your feedback is appreciated on how you manage long hauls (smaller bags, duffels etc.)
- Missing Ventilated seats, Window shades and rear seat pockets (to keep things)
- Car scraped in one of the gutter protector cover (annoyed with this finding) - May be you can help in this observation
- The material inside didn't look too premium for the asking price

Pros:

- Driving dynamics, Stability and Power train is unmatched, real adrenal rush (Sports mode)
- Fit and finesse is great overall
- Park assist and reversing assist was amazing and well thought-out
- Car comfort was better than expected
- Rear Seat (just grand as name suggests)

The test drive car (that i drove in Pune) had the tubeless, is there two option RFT and tubeless?

Overall i liked the car. C class is coming tomorrow. Lets C ()

Congratulations!

The reason why the car starts in the Guest Mode is because the key which you use has not been linked with the BMW ID you use. If you link that it will automatically login to the BMW ID which your key is linked to.

Hope it helps!

I presume you are using ECO Pro mode. +5.8km means for the amount of fuel post the last refuel your driving style has increased the total range by 5.8km than you would have got using Comfort mode. This number will get reset to 0 if you refuel at any time. The system will guide you through visual cues whenever possible like lift off the gas, reduce speed etc in order to maximise this number.

The 5.8km is the extra range to the gas station driving in eco mode has given. Apart from the start stop the eco pro reduced the air conditioning consumption and also has a coast function which you will notice if you remove your leg from the accelerator. The car just continues to coast freely as if there is no hinderance at all. This confused me initially because one has a usual perception of when to remove leg from the accelerator when approaching maybe a speed breaker on your usual leg of journey. The eco pro will make you re analyse the whole thing. Over the 12000 kms I've completed in my car I'm usually using the eco pro less and less because I personally feel the eco pro removes the engine braking completely and makes the car reliant only on brakes much like a neutral.

Case in point on an expressway when cruising at 100 i usually removed my leg from the accelerator when i was nearing 500 metres to the toll and the car coasted to a manageable speed of around 50 or so when reaching the first set of set breakers in comfort mode. On the same leg with eco pro the speed had reduced only to 80 when reaching the speed breakers! That is a massive difference.

Try this next time - when you near 100m, shift the gear knob to the left (sport mode) and you will achieve engine breaking automatically and your speed will be lower than comfort mode.

I have done 37K km till date and my brake pads are 49K and 60K to go for first replacement. Now, I am not believing that completely but hoping it doesn't straightaway fall to 10K one fine day :-)

Thanks for the pretty detailed review @msnarain and congrats on your purchase. I own the pre-LCI model. Just wanted to know if the "pre-cooling" in the LCI switches on the A/C or just the fans (aux ventilation in BMW jargon). For example, can you "pre-cool" the car to a set temperature?

TIA