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Fat BMW F30 2.0 Diesel: Dream or Reality?

  • Writer: Garage Racer Assistent
    Garage Racer Assistent
  • Apr 30
  • 3 min read

 ОР ОР! A new story with the BMW F30: choosing, searching, and buying.

This time, we're telling the story of purchasing another BMW F30 — a car owned by one of our good friends, in the selection of which we were directly involved. Thanks to this, we managed to dive into all the nuances of the process, from motivation to configuration analysis.

By the way, we’re currently in Kyiv. Location — 9 Holosiivska St.

How it all started

 It all began when our friend, communicating with us daily, unintentionally "got hooked" on BMW. Especially after a week of driving our F31. That’s when the clear desire to own an F30 — preferably a diesel — appeared. Eventually, after selling the previous car and setting a suitable budget, we began our search.

The first option was a BMW F30 320d with all-wheel drive in white, imported from Korea. Quite a simple configuration, damage on the right side, mileage — 140,000 km, which was considered quite a good option for a diesel. The car cost around $14,000 but needed some investments. Eventually, it was brought to perfection and caused no issues.



Why we decided to change the car

Over time, the desire for more options appeared — a wider monitor, sports seats, LED optics, etc. And since upgrading the current car to the desired comfort level would cost a serious amount, it was decided to sell it. The offer from potential buyers was attractive, so the search for a new car began.

New F30 Search Criteria

Budget: $17,000–18,000

Desired: facelift, diesel, sedan only, LED optics, sports seats, wide monitor, park sensors, minimal mileage.

We first considered BMW 330d options, but in Kyiv, nothing decent could be found: almost all cars were poorly restored after serious accidents or had technical problems, especially with B-series engines (valve stem seals, leaking gaskets, etc.). The market was flooded with "cosmetic" cars.

Nearly giving up, we stumbled upon an interesting offer from Odesa.



A facelifted BMW 328d in a rear-wheel drive version — 140,000 km mileage, imported from the USA with a front-end hit, but with intact airbags. The repairs were done well, although a few details still need attention. The former owner invested around $20,000 in it; we bought it for $17,500.



Configuration:

  • sports seats with electric adjustment and memory (a rarity even in European sport packages);

  • heated steering wheel (reupholstered, but planned to be replaced with an M-wheel);

  • wide NBT monitor with ID4 (can be upgraded to ID6);

  • extended instrument panel;

  • Hi-Fi sound system (significantly better than the base one in the previous F30);

  • Surround View, sport selector, keyless entry system;

  • assistants: blind spot monitoring, lane keeping, collision warning.



Missing features: head-up display and touchscreen.

A separate topic is the rear-wheel drive. While many look for all-wheel drive versions, the owner was thrilled with the rear-wheel — better handling, dynamics, and the feel of a "real" BMW. Moreover, winters in Kyiv last just a few days, so good winter tires are quite enough.

General conclusion

This is probably one of the most optimal options among F30s: affordable to maintain, economical (6 l/100 km on the highway at 130–140 km/h), practical, and well-equipped.

The car is already used daily and carries the family even on long trips. Soon, minor suspension issues will be fixed and the visuals finalized (buying original wheels, maybe completing the M-Tech body kit around).

Want one like this? Our car selection service is at your service. We’ll pick, check, and consult — as for ourselves.



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