Why does a 335d always feel like the benchmark...
Why does a 335d always feel like the benchmark...
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Leicesterdave

Original Poster:

2,288 posts

210 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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.... for everyday quick motoring?

Had an F31 335d for about a year- yes it felt heavy and not particularly agile but it 'felt' so quick- the pin back in your seat kind of quick that I've not had with any other car since.

Sure- to this day I've not driven anything faster than the above, I'm just a normal motorist with access to only the average motor!

My other half & I now have a MK3 TT with a 2.0T quattro combo. Sure it's around 90bhp down on the 335d and a fair few lb/ft down on torque which would go some way to explain that it doesn't feel quite so quick (...) but I still expected it to feel 335d quick as obviously the TT is much lighter.

I think the numbers (on paper) match- namely the 0-100 km/h and 100-200km/h time.

Is it just that torque that makes the 335d feel the way it does?

Very happy with the TT by the way- good to finally be back in a petrol!!!!

thebraketester

15,826 posts

168 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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The TT probably isn’t as light as your think. The bmw has way more torque and the TT has its power sapped by the haldex. Remapping it will make it feel much more alive.

forrestgrump

1,539 posts

221 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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Probably one for the unpopular automotive opinions thread, but I found my 335d a little disappointing, even after being remapped. Maybe I read too much hype about them or had faster stuff. Maybe you hit your own nail on the head when saying you're an average motorist with access to 'normal' non-performance vehicles. They do have power but in the dullest sort of lets-get-up-this-slip-road-really-fast way.

Leicesterdave

Original Poster:

2,288 posts

210 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
The TT probably isn’t as light as your think. The bmw has way more torque and the TT has its power sapped by the haldex. Remapping it will make it feel much more alive.
Just checked

TT 2.0T quattro: 1335 kgs

F31 335d Touring: 1796 kgs

Huge difference. TT is also mostly made of aluminium.

MikeM6

6,070 posts

132 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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It is probably down to how it delivers the power, as you say the performance in paper seems to match closely. Same reason my old 335i didn't feel that fast compared the turbo hot hatch I had before, because it has more linearity to the power curve.

brillomaster

1,901 posts

200 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
probably because for a car largely available to the masses, it makes a stonking amount of torque, therefore the any gear, any rev shove is relentless.

A remapped 335d makes 760Nm of torque. Thats more than a BMW M5 and a Mercedes C63, and almost as much as an Audi RS6. and yet its yours, with that amount of torque, for less than £10k.


SD_1

7,278 posts

188 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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Slight tangent, but I'm looking to get an F31 335d in the next few months to replace my ageing A4 3.0 TDI. Those who have owned them, how have you found reliability? I was planning to get the run flats off (if not already done) pretty sharpish, anyone had any issues with that?

Anything in particular to watch out for buying one around 5 or 6 years old?

Leicesterdave

Original Poster:

2,288 posts

210 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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Ideal daily is still a 335d in my opinion!

jonindorset

1,082 posts

274 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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Made an essential journey in my G30 530d last night, with only 265ps but 457 ft lb of torque and concluded that while I'd love a more agile car with more communicative steering and a quicker rack, the last thing I need on the road is either more power or torque - it demolishes any speed limit so fast... Trouble is the likes of BMW will only sell you a car with an 'M' type setup with almost as much power again on top!

ashenfie

3,369 posts

76 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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I think without question the TT is faster 0-60 than the BMW 335d even with taking the Turbo's into account. In fact even lesser TT would also give the 335d a run for it's money, when you consider cornering etc.

ashenfie

3,369 posts

76 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
I think without question the TT is faster 0-60 than the BMW 335d even with taking the Turbo's into account. In fact even lesser TT would also give the 335d a run for it's money, when you consider cornering etc.

ScoobyChris

2,307 posts

232 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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brillomaster said:
probably because for a car largely available to the masses, it makes a stonking amount of torque, therefore the any gear, any rev shove is relentless.

A remapped 335d makes 760Nm of torque. Thats more than a BMW M5 and a Mercedes C63, and almost as much as an Audi RS6. and yet its yours, with that amount of torque, for less than £10k.
That's peak torque at the flywheel though and is a bit meaningless in terms of actual performance as it doesn't take into account the effect of the gearbox and the resulting torque at the wheels. interesting fact of the day, a current F1 car just has 670Nm at the flywheel and a double decker bus develops 1000Nm.

Chris

normalbloke

8,961 posts

249 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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ScoobyChris said:
brillomaster said:
probably because for a car largely available to the masses, it makes a stonking amount of torque, therefore the any gear, any rev shove is relentless.

A remapped 335d makes 760Nm of torque. Thats more than a BMW M5 and a Mercedes C63, and almost as much as an Audi RS6. and yet its yours, with that amount of torque, for less than £10k.
That's peak torque at the flywheel though and is a bit meaningless in terms of actual performance as it doesn't take into account the effect of the gearbox and the resulting torque at the wheels. interesting fact of the day, a current F1 car just has 670Nm at the flywheel and a double decker bus develops 1000Nm.

Chris
Hardly eye opening figures. Most artics are around 2400nm. Even my battery impact wrench makes 2400nm....

anonymous-user

84 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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I'm going to disagree with the OP here. Sorry ;-)

I don't think an 335d feels "quick" at all, simply because it is very very linear in performance (thanks to the dual huffy puffy snails) and because it (necessarily) has tall gearing. Now it is quick, i've owned a E91 335d for coming up to 10 years now, and you have to be driving a PROPER fast car (think 911 turbo/720s etc) to realistically pull away convincing in road driving (yes, yes, a 911 is miles faster accelerating above say 120 mph, but on the road, few people are (sensibly) that stupid to drive at these speeds).

In fact, i'm going to suggest that a 320d 'feels' quicker, because it has much more jerk (jerk being the rate of change of acceleration, which is what as a (mostly) human you feel) because the difference in torque between off boost / low rpm, and on boost/peak power rpm is so different.


I'm also pretty sure, that a std 335d run on decent fuel makes at least it's claimed power, and in fact, probably a little bit more, especially in the uk where it's normally reasonably cold and the small intercooler therefore doesn't limit performance too much.

BTW, mine is standard, (yes i know, a non chipped 335d... what ever next eh)

Court_S

14,794 posts

207 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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They are pretty quick (well I think they are).

The F series cars are X drive so have loads of traction and the ZF8 is a bloody good box, making the most of all of that torque.

I was impress with the engine when I test drove one (was less impressed with the standard SE suspension). For a relatively normal car, they’re pretty swift especially one rolling.

Schermerhorn

4,353 posts

219 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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The 335D X-Drive with the autobox pretty much meets every motoring need for most regular people.

Leicesterdave

Original Poster:

2,288 posts

210 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
In fact, i'm going to suggest that a 320d 'feels' quicker
My then 335d went it for warranty work and I was given a 320d for the day which indeed 'felt' perfectly 'quick'. It felt miles more agile and driving it in a more sporting manner confirmed this. It was obviously much lighter than the 335d.

The 335d was just very fast in a straight line but anything else it felt like steering a cruise liner. I maintain- a fantastic family bus but not so much for an enthusiast imo.

Benbay001

5,895 posts

187 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
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Leicesterdave

Original Poster:

2,288 posts

210 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Benbay001 said:
Thanks. So interestingly the 335d is indeed a fair bit quicker than my TT..... Thought it'd be slightly closer!!

ScoobyChris

2,307 posts

232 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
Even my battery impact wrench makes 2400nm....
Bet it cost a lot less than 10k too biggrin

Chris