BMW 435i Gran Coupe (F36) | PH Fleet
At long last, Cam's finally bought a new car. Was it worth the year-long wait?
I’ve been on the lookout for a new car for what feels like an eternity. My Mk6 Fiesta ST, which ticked past 140,000 miles earlier this year, has been a trusty workhorse for the best part of a decade, but I’m at a point in life where a 20-year-old, three-door hot hatch (that’s very much looking and feeling its age) just isn’t all that practical. So, for the last 12 months or so, I’ve been on the lookout for something to take over the daily driving duties. A car that’s reliable, modern-ish, safe and, most importantly, won’t lead to calls for me to hand my PH card in. It’s been a long, arduous search, but I’ve finally landed on a car that ticks all the important boxes and more: an F36 BMW 435i Gran Coupe.
Niche, right? Well, there was an extensive list of criteria the car had to meet, most of which were the result of my own fussiness, but also my wife wanted to have her say in the matter as well. To cut a very long story short, she knows how to drive in her home country and confidently navigates one of the world’s busiest and most chaotic cities in a black-over-tan Lexus GS 250 F Sport. However, her licence doesn’t apply here in the UK, and having no interest in learning to drive a manual meant an auto was an absolute must. Any make was fair game, but, for some reason, she detests small cars (perhaps scarred by my ST), hatchbacks and SUVs, instead preferring a saloon or estate. And finally, she wanted something interesting. Nothing too dull or ordinary.
So no Golf GTI, then, but that still left plenty of options to choose from in the classifieds within a budget of £15,000. Originally, I had my heart set on a Jaguar XJR, but that was swiftly ruled out once I added my wife as a learner driver to the insurance policy. Probably for the best, really, because as much as she loved it, giving an old, supercharged V8 luxury saloon with 400hp to a learner probably wouldn’t have been the wisest thing. So I started looking for something a bit newer. A B9 Audi S4 was sadly out of budget, as was a BMW 340i, especially the equivalent Avant/Touring. What I could get, however, was a 335i, which proved a good £5k cheaper than a 340i of similar mileage.
As it turns out, BMW really didn’t sell many 335is in the UK, and the ones it did were typically fitted with the M Sport kit and naff all else. Think manual seats, the most basic of infotainment systems and even halogen lights. On top of that, most had knock-off M Performance bodywork, a stage-something tune and little to no service history. I, however, was after a Luxury spec, which does without the M Sport styling and adaptive dampers, but in return you get a softer ride and more wood on the dash. Annoyingly, these were sold in even fewer numbers, with examples turning up once every two months - if that.
With a good, clean example alluding me, I almost gave up on a wafty straight-six 3 Series and widened the net out to 320is. Sure enough, there were far more options to choose from and I found a lovely, dark-blue 2016 car with Oyster leather inside and the rare BMW Individual wheels. Before making the call, however, I decided to have a quick look at 435i Gran Coupes, knowing that they were essentially the same as the 3 Series underneath, albeit a little sharper to drive. The insurance would have been more expensive with a learner as a named driver, but it would have been worth paying for the right car. And that’s when I found this 2014 435i GC.
Everything about it just felt right from the get-go. Two previous owners, originally belonging to a father and later bought by their son, a full service history and just 74,100 miles covered. On top of that, it had recently had a major service carried out, which included replacement brake discs and pads, and an oil leak fix (the only real issue with these N55 straight-sixes). The spec, while a tad old man-ish, is wonderfully understated and the optional 19-inch wheels look spectacular. A deposit was placed immediately after a short test drive, a price agreed on wheel a wheel refurb thrown in, and I turned a few days later to pick it up.
Worth the inordinate wait? You betcha. It’s supremely comfortable and quiet, which perhaps isn’t saying much given my daily driver has been a beaten-up Fiesta for the last eight years, though it packs an almighty punch when you step on it. The turbocharged N55 dishes out 306hp and 295lb ft of torque, which’ll get you to 62mph in 5.5 seconds. So it’s quick, but in that effortless way a luxury GT gathers pace. The steering isn’t especially communicative, which was an issue with these early EPAS BMWs, though it’s nicely weighted and has a lovely, oily feel to it. The eight-speed auto is a delightfully smooth, too, and there are four different driving modes, ranging from eco to sport plus, which mostly change the throttle response.
Obviously, it isn’t perfect. Coming up for 12 years old, the dampers do feel a little past their best and the tyres, mismatched front and rear, won’t be helping with that at all. Meanwhile, the engine does feel a little rough on a cold start, and a quick look around the forums suggests that the coil packs are to blame. Otherwise, it’s just general wear and tear stuff. The rubber door seals have seen better days, there’s a slight scratch on the arm rest and I’d love to get an Apple CarPlay head unit for the aged system that’s in there - but those issues aside it’s damn near perfect.
So what about the Fiesta, then? It’s staying, partly because I want a manual runabout for short trips into town, but also for the sake of nostalgia. It’s in desperate need of some TLC, not just the beaten bodywork but also the rock-solid dampers and non-existent bushes. I’ll find somewhere to send it for a service and a good going over in January, then park it up for the remaining winter months to minimise its exposure to salty roads. Mrs T seems to love the new addition as much as I do, so mission accomplished there, which means I can crack on with sorting the ST without worrying about ruining our only mode of transport. As two-car garages go, it’s a bit of an odd one, but at this moment in life, it suits me perfectly. Here’s to a smooth, surprise-free year of motoring in 2026.
Image credit: @andytaitphotography
FACT SHEET
Car: 2014 BMW 435i Gran Coupe (F36)
Run by: Cam Tait
On fleet since: December 2025
Mileage: 74,100
Last month at a glance: Finally, a long-overdue addition to the fleet
Previous reports
I wasn't keen on the stance when I bought it (the OEM springs are way too high on the x-drive model in particular), so had AC Schnitzer springs fitted (about 20mm lower). Massive improvement in looks and corner handling is much better too. A worthwhile upgrade.
Ditch runflats for Goodyear assymetrics and get down to Birds to sort the suspension/ LSD and tune. Completely transformed my 435.
CarPlay and better woofers were worth it as well.
Basically a poor man’s Alpina, and a nice Q car.
Love the F series BMWs and that's a great engine choice
I ran an F32 for a year a couple of years back, mine was the 435d. I also struggled to get the exact spec I wanted, it's surprising how many things were options on these cars...
It’s also garbage in the article that the Luxury gets a ‘plusher’ interior. There are some different wood/metal trims available but everything else is the same as standard. The Luxury also means you are stuck with that horrible steering wheel.
Excellent cars though.
Effortless performance yet can be surprisingly economical (I calculated 42 mpg on a run through northern France). Agree with the comments above about the wisdom of changing the ZF8 gearbox oil - I had mine done on the basis of age rather than mileage, which was only 21,000 when I bought it. I'm looking forward to trying it over in Germany early next year.
It s also garbage in the article that the Luxury gets a plusher interior. There are some different wood/metal trims available but everything else is the same as standard. The Luxury also means you are stuck with that horrible steering wheel.
Excellent cars though.
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