F31 335d xDrive - experiences?
Discussion
Tengocity said:
Wills2 said:
I hadn't started on the wine at that point but it had been a long week (1200 miles of driving and several stupidly long 7 hour meetings), perhaps I should explain what I meant by woolly and wobbly.
My car pitched/yawed/rolled and dived over the moorland b roads that I regularly drive on, the SE suspension couldn't cope, the steering was lifeless and that in combination with the handling in my opinion made the car woolly and wobbly.
I also found the brakes to be poor, marking them down for initial bite and found them hard to modulate with a soft, long travel pedal.
On the motorway it was fine, stable and comfy but show it a road with dips/bends/camber and crests and the power/torque was too much for the chassis, personally I feel the cars chassis doesn't match the impressive powertrain.
The 330d sdrive I had for a weekend before I got my 335d handled much better with a more balanced feel, a lighter front end and the adaptive M sport suspension tied everything down.
I have to add that after 9 BMW's I'm very much a fan of their cars, but I didn't like the handling/brakes of my 335d (but what car is perfect?)
My judgement is, some BMWs are not as sporty as they used to be, I know that the above won't find favour with some posters but it's only my lowly opinion.
I'll add that over on F31 post, many of the owners have swapped out the springs for ACS/birds and even gone the whole hog with dampers/springs and stiffer ARBs so I'm not the only one that thinks this, by all accounts this transforms the car with a suspension to match the grunt.
Couldn't agree more and I'm one of those that has gone down the spring and ARB change route. It's allowed me to keep the adaptive suspension, and deals with much of these issues above in terms of allowing the chassis to match the drivetrain. I'm mulling over some bilstein coilovers, but it would be too much for a daily driver business car that I would use on track maybe once per year, and will buy another weekend toy once our house move is completed.My car pitched/yawed/rolled and dived over the moorland b roads that I regularly drive on, the SE suspension couldn't cope, the steering was lifeless and that in combination with the handling in my opinion made the car woolly and wobbly.
I also found the brakes to be poor, marking them down for initial bite and found them hard to modulate with a soft, long travel pedal.
On the motorway it was fine, stable and comfy but show it a road with dips/bends/camber and crests and the power/torque was too much for the chassis, personally I feel the cars chassis doesn't match the impressive powertrain.
The 330d sdrive I had for a weekend before I got my 335d handled much better with a more balanced feel, a lighter front end and the adaptive M sport suspension tied everything down.
I have to add that after 9 BMW's I'm very much a fan of their cars, but I didn't like the handling/brakes of my 335d (but what car is perfect?)
My judgement is, some BMWs are not as sporty as they used to be, I know that the above won't find favour with some posters but it's only my lowly opinion.
I'll add that over on F31 post, many of the owners have swapped out the springs for ACS/birds and even gone the whole hog with dampers/springs and stiffer ARBs so I'm not the only one that thinks this, by all accounts this transforms the car with a suspension to match the grunt.
Edited by Wills2 on Saturday 4th July 11:31
I'm just coming up to 50k miles in 18 months in my leased 335d x-drive Touring so thought it worth sharing my experiences. First we need to remember that this is, with a few choice extras including Professional Media an Adaptive Damping a £50k car, so expectations are high.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
Nick2015 said:
I'm just coming up to 50k miles in 18 months in my leased 335d x-drive Touring so thought it worth sharing my experiences. First we need to remember that this is, with a few choice extras including Professional Media an Adaptive Damping a £50k car, so expectations are high.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
My 335d was new in May 2014. I can't understand your problem with the seats, I find them very comfortable. In fact I drove 180 miles returning from the family xmas yesterday with no problem.First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
The handling is also good but then I have the saloon.
Nick2015 said:
I'm just coming up to 50k miles in 18 months in my leased 335d x-drive Touring so thought it worth sharing my experiences. First we need to remember that this is, with a few choice extras including Professional Media an Adaptive Damping a £50k car, so expectations are high.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
Firstly welcome and a good first post. First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
Can we ask that you add your car history to the garage so we can qualify your experience ie the person following your post has owned Ferraris M5's etc and isn't getting the same handling issues maybe different road usage etc.
I got my 335d XDrive M-Sport Touring mid-Nov and have already done almost 3.5k miles in it.
I, too, went for the adaptive suspension option as I had read all the comments in previous posts and had just come from a 320d touring M-Sport so was used to the excellent setup in that car.
I've just been on a 2000 mile return trip to Poland for XMas and have to say that the car is awesome. Just fantastic for the long cross-Europe slog.
Also, no issues whatsoever with seats - I find them very comfy.
I'm very happy with the engine. It's just effortless at any speed from pulling out of junctions and overtakes to 120mph stints (got 156mph out of it and there was still a little more available) on the autobahn.
But, yes, I find that the suspension is not as amazing as I'd hoped. It's a bit 'wallow-y' in comfort mode and only marginally better in sport mode.
MGP not great either (although I'm probably still in that "lets see what this thing can do" phase...)
Ultimately though, if I wanted a sporty car I'd have gone for something else. For me and my situation I needed a comfy and fast cruiser and this fits the bill perfectly.
Best bits being:
- HUD (a MUST-have IMHO)
- Harmon Kardon
- great engine
- fantastic iDrive (with the connected drive stuff)
Driving another 250-odd miles today and I can't wait...
I, too, went for the adaptive suspension option as I had read all the comments in previous posts and had just come from a 320d touring M-Sport so was used to the excellent setup in that car.
I've just been on a 2000 mile return trip to Poland for XMas and have to say that the car is awesome. Just fantastic for the long cross-Europe slog.
Also, no issues whatsoever with seats - I find them very comfy.
I'm very happy with the engine. It's just effortless at any speed from pulling out of junctions and overtakes to 120mph stints (got 156mph out of it and there was still a little more available) on the autobahn.
But, yes, I find that the suspension is not as amazing as I'd hoped. It's a bit 'wallow-y' in comfort mode and only marginally better in sport mode.
MGP not great either (although I'm probably still in that "lets see what this thing can do" phase...)
Ultimately though, if I wanted a sporty car I'd have gone for something else. For me and my situation I needed a comfy and fast cruiser and this fits the bill perfectly.
Best bits being:
- HUD (a MUST-have IMHO)
- Harmon Kardon
- great engine
- fantastic iDrive (with the connected drive stuff)
Driving another 250-odd miles today and I can't wait...
Nick2015 said:
I'm just coming up to 50k miles in 18 months in my leased 335d x-drive Touring so thought it worth sharing my experiences. First we need to remember that this is, with a few choice extras including Professional Media an Adaptive Damping a £50k car, so expectations are high.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
Pretty much sums up my feelings towards the car, although it wasn't that bad that I'd return to Audi....First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
Edited by Wills2 on Saturday 9th January 16:45
Nick2015 said:
I'm just coming up to 50k miles in 18 months in my leased 335d x-drive Touring so thought it worth sharing my experiences. First we need to remember that this is, with a few choice extras including Professional Media an Adaptive Damping a £50k car, so expectations are high.
First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
I have an F31 335d with adaptive suspension and to be honest I think most of the time the handling is ok. For my taste it's too floaty in the Comfort setting on a twisty, undulating, road but in Sport it's alright unless you're really pressing on; I'd agree it's no sports car but then I never expected that and it would surprise me if an A6 makes for a more rewarding steer over a challenging road (unless it's an RS6 of course!). Having said that I'm not sure I'd opt for X-Drive given the choice as historically I've found RWD to be fine where I live for the vast majority of the time. First the good bits. Performance is effortless at any level although the initial attraction of the sound track has waned. Its economical too - I get around 40mpg consistently which is pretty impressive considering what it is. The Sat Nav is the best I have ever experienced with superb and genuinely time saving real time traffic information. It has been very reliable other than the media steaming etc which has never worked properly.
However there are some huge issues.
First, the seats are deeply uncomfortable giving me backache after just 10 minutes. Over the many miles I have tried every position possible but to no avail. The problem for me is that the thigh support is very firm but the seat bottom is very soft so I get tipped backwards creating an unnatural angle at then base of the spine. I had a 3 day test drive before ordering and thought it very comfortable so I can only summise that the firmness of the the cushioning has been altered, although BMW deny this. Several colleagues - also of lighter build like me - have the same issues with current 3 and 4 series so tread with care.
And now we come to the big one. Handling. This is a BMW so this is where it should excel and every road test suggests it does but my experience is different. The x-drive does not have the M-Sport suspension even if you order Adaptive as I did. An earlier post says it wobbles and that is exactly it. It rides too high, the springing is too soft and the anti-roll is simply insufficient. Even in Sport, with the family and some luggage on board, it can actually wallow which is utterly ridiculous in a performance BMW. It rolls copiously on tight corners and roundabouts and the general lack of body control undermines confidence, even though the steering is reasonably communicative.
The overall result is that I find it both very uncomfortable (seats rather than ride) and a disappointing handler so the whole point of buying it is lost. I know that ACS springs would make a real difference to the latter point but it's a lease car so I can't change anything - and more to the point I should not have to. I'm sure that the s-drive is also better, but won't have the grip in poor conditions. This car is at odds with what BMW stands for.
My last 200k miles have been in Audi A6 Quattros (last and current models) which suffer none of these issues and have no other foibles whatsoever. I changed because I wanted a change and something more 'exciting' to drive but the 335 x-drive is way off that. Given the brand values of BMW and my previous enjoyment of a 2007 model 325i, this is a huge disappointment.
Back to an Audi shortly.
I also find the seats reasonably good as well; they lack a bit of lateral support compared to those in my old M3 CS but I've done North Yorkshire to Kent non-stop on several occasions (so over 3 hours behind the wheel) and never suffered with backache. My car does however have both electric seats and electric lumbar adjustment so perhaps those two things help when trying to find a comfortable driving position?
Interestingly, one of the things you're happy with (the fuel consumption) is the one thing I find a bit disappointing; over 22k miles my car has averaged a genuine 39mpg (41.5 according to the computer but it tells lies!) and, while I never expected to hit the combined figure of 50mpg, I didn't expect a shortfall of over 20% either. If I was choosing again now I'd go for the 340i as I doubt the fuel consumption would be much worse than the 335d but you'd have a nicer engine to sit behind plus RWD rather than X-Drive (which would probably make for a nicer chassis). Overall, though, I'd nevertheless rate the F31 335d as a very competent machine and an excellent daily driver; the only caveat is that if you're a petrol-head who also craves something that's fun and engaging you'll probably need something else for the weekend....
The same is true for the F10 535d well it's rwd so has full M sport suspension.
However the performance is really brutal in the sense it just gets the job done and for what it is that's not bad at all. Sure there are so so so many cars which would utterly destroy it and that's not what I mean by brutal, instead it's a feeling / kind of relentless surge.
Note my RS6 had relentless surge which amplified and just got insane st the top end which was totally different fun and boy did it give you a big grin every drive -- unless nursing it to another fuel station as the previous one you went to on fumes had run out of super...
However the performance is really brutal in the sense it just gets the job done and for what it is that's not bad at all. Sure there are so so so many cars which would utterly destroy it and that's not what I mean by brutal, instead it's a feeling / kind of relentless surge.
Note my RS6 had relentless surge which amplified and just got insane st the top end which was totally different fun and boy did it give you a big grin every drive -- unless nursing it to another fuel station as the previous one you went to on fumes had run out of super...
The 330d is a great compromise for me as I have a 2 year old and need back seats and a biggish boot, but the car is still quick and very comfortable to be in. It's quicker in a straight line than any sportscar I have owned (VX220, MX5) and is very refined for everyday driving.
Not pushed it in the corners yet so I can't really comment about handling.
The fiancee likes driving the car as it is very easy to use, so another thumbs up there.
To me it is a good combination between sports car and practical car.
Not pushed it in the corners yet so I can't really comment about handling.
The fiancee likes driving the car as it is very easy to use, so another thumbs up there.
To me it is a good combination between sports car and practical car.
T5SOR said:
The 330d is a great compromise for me as I have a 2 year old and need back seats and a biggish boot, but the car is still quick and very comfortable to be in. It's quicker in a straight line than any sportscar I have owned (VX220, MX5) and is very refined for everyday driving.
Not pushed it in the corners yet so I can't really comment about handling.
The fiancee likes driving the car as it is very easy to use, so another thumbs up there.
To me it is a good combination between sports car and practical car.
It really is a great car and clearly isn't trying to be a sports car instead an economical family sedan with a decent turn of speed. Not pushed it in the corners yet so I can't really comment about handling.
The fiancee likes driving the car as it is very easy to use, so another thumbs up there.
To me it is a good combination between sports car and practical car.
The 330d can do serious mpg in the F30 deep into the 60's mpg from other posters OBC read outs. Possibly the smartest buy is the 330d with a Hartage remap taking it to 300bhp only 13bhp down but much lighter as no X drive so pace identical and 20mpg more when trying.
nsclem said:
I got my 335d XDrive M-Sport Touring mid-Nov and have already done almost 3.5k miles in it.
I got my 335d saloon about the same time as you and have done a similar mileage. I share many of your sentiments about the car, agree it's not especially sporty but more an effortless and swift cruiser that eats the miles.Have to say l don't have the adaptive suspension yet l find the ride firm and it doesn't roll excessively in corners, I'm more than happy with it having run a Z4si MSport in the past. My main gripe is the harsh ride and cabin noise on the run flat tyres. Think l will definitely have to change them to Michelin Pilot Super Sports or similar in the future as l hear they improve the ride and handling whilst reducing cabin noise. Overall the car puts a smile in my face every time l drive it and l look forward to going out in it so pretty happy so far.
Welshbeef said:
The 330d can do serious mpg in the F30 deep into the 60's mpg from other posters OBC read outs. Possibly the smartest buy is the 330d with a Hartage remap taking it to 300bhp only 13bhp down but much lighter as no X drive so pace identical and 20mpg more when trying.
According to BMW's own figures an S-Drive 330d is only 4-5mpg better than a 335d and most of the reports I've seen from owners posting on here suggest an overall figure in the mid-40's in normal use (which squares with a figure of 39-40mpg from a 335d). Unless you do a huge mileage I reckon the smart buy is actually the 340i; add the cost of a BMW Performance kit or a Hartge remap to a 330d and it costs more whilst still having less power and nothing like the refinement. If you do a huge mileage just get a 320d as they're fine sat on a motorway and will return much better mpg (and therefore range) than the 6-pot diesels...Wills2 said:
Welshbeef said:
Wills2 said:
The new 340i is probably the sweet spot of the range at the moment.
Well I'd say an E92 M3 V8 competition pack DCT is the one to get cheapest overall cost of ownership tooHi,
I'm sorry I should have said what my commute and previous garage was. I'm predominately a motorway and fast A road driver - although generally in heavy traffic. The added complexity is the last few miles from home are ungritted and 4wd does seem to help. I have never owned a genuine sports car so my comparisons are with 'sporty' saloons from 166 3.0 V6 (lovely and surprisingly reliable but definitely not economical!) C270cdi (dull but fast and prone to electrical uncertainty) 325i - 2007 (beautifully balanced), A6 3.0 Quattro Avant (several - they have got more and more capable but less engaging over time). Our second cars have always been Fords so I'm grounded in the reality that ordinary modern cars are surprisingly competent and my expectations on spending £50k are high - otherwise why bother?
My needs are the classic all rounder - fast, reasonably economical, comfortable (4 hours and 160 miles a day spent in it so mile munching is essential) and good all weather capability because of those last few miles.
So the 335xd simply doesn't fit the brief which is a real shame as I had hoped so much that it would combine the engaging and sensible. I'm going to try a Macan before I probably settle on an A6 Allroad as the brutally competent option. For the Audi sceptics - do try it - they are deeply impressive and, racking my memory I can only think of one dynamic point where they are inferior to the 335xd which is the inflection point where you turn from left to right really quickly (one low speed corner on my commute) where the 335xd excels. If I go for the A6, the a sport differential may well help on the engagement point. I'll report back!
I'm sorry I should have said what my commute and previous garage was. I'm predominately a motorway and fast A road driver - although generally in heavy traffic. The added complexity is the last few miles from home are ungritted and 4wd does seem to help. I have never owned a genuine sports car so my comparisons are with 'sporty' saloons from 166 3.0 V6 (lovely and surprisingly reliable but definitely not economical!) C270cdi (dull but fast and prone to electrical uncertainty) 325i - 2007 (beautifully balanced), A6 3.0 Quattro Avant (several - they have got more and more capable but less engaging over time). Our second cars have always been Fords so I'm grounded in the reality that ordinary modern cars are surprisingly competent and my expectations on spending £50k are high - otherwise why bother?
My needs are the classic all rounder - fast, reasonably economical, comfortable (4 hours and 160 miles a day spent in it so mile munching is essential) and good all weather capability because of those last few miles.
So the 335xd simply doesn't fit the brief which is a real shame as I had hoped so much that it would combine the engaging and sensible. I'm going to try a Macan before I probably settle on an A6 Allroad as the brutally competent option. For the Audi sceptics - do try it - they are deeply impressive and, racking my memory I can only think of one dynamic point where they are inferior to the 335xd which is the inflection point where you turn from left to right really quickly (one low speed corner on my commute) where the 335xd excels. If I go for the A6, the a sport differential may well help on the engagement point. I'll report back!
Nick2015 said:
For the Audi sceptics - do try it - they are deeply impressive
When I bought my F31 in September 2014 the other car on the shortlist was the S4 Avant. In the end I went for the BMW because a) I was doing around 20k miles a year and b) the Audi was coming out a fair bit more expensive as the deals available were nothing like as good as those on the BMW. However, if I'd waited another 6 or 7 months the deals on the S4 would have been much more comparable (the model was in run-out mode by then) and if I'm honest I think in hindsight I'd probably have been happier with one of those (especially given my disappointment with the mpg/range on the BMW). Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the 335d and certainly don't feel so strongly that I'd be prepared to take a pasting on depreciation to get out of it early; however, if I could wind the clock back I'd probably make a different decision and I suspect an S4 with the sports diff would almost certainly make for a more satisfying driver's car..... Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff