LCI 335 X drive touring

[V5Ade]

Is the LCI a better drive than the earlier car?

I keep hearing how poor the original 335 xDrive handles, wallowing and trashy ride. Did the LCI fix this?

I'd love to hear though from people who have driven both.

[numtumfutunch]

I understand the LCI is better than the phase 1 car which must have been bloody awful after spending 2y in a wallowy LCI 335d Touring

The engine was superb and the ride pretty good with family on board however it was a long way from being "the ultimate driving machine" when pressing on

Weirdly I swapped it for a Volvo Estate with approx half the power and no pretence to being anything other than a barge and am very, very happy in comparison

My 335d was debadged and a real Q car in Silver so I did have a lot of fun at traffic lights and on motorway slip roads.

The xDrive suspension is the killer. You can upgrade with AC Schnitzer and others for modest cost but mine was leased so I didnt bother.

Im a bit of a BMW tart and almost bagged a petrol 340i to replace it but the deals on a run out model were awful so got the Volvo instead at a steal. The 340i does not have the crap xDrive suspension and coupled with a set of winter tyres/wheels is where clever people would look

Cheers

[rassi]

I have the adaptive suspension and 19” wheels with RFT - as my main use is long distance motorway driving I can’t say the suspension is other than absolutely fine for that purpose. It is not a B road destroyer or a car you wake up early on a Sunday to go for a blast but a very capable, fast and economical car.

I also have 18” winter non RFT and they do run more comfortably and gives a better ride, as a lot lighter than the 19” RFT.

[JimboM3]

As mentioned above the ACS springs are the answer. Had mine fitted by the dealers near Basingstoke. It killed all the wallow but is arguably a bit harsh, although comparable to other BMW M-Sport suspension such as on the 125D hatch that preceded it.

J

[V5Ade]

Thanks all for you opinions. It would be replacing an F10 M5 so will be a step down in all areas, but I just want a comfortable barge for a while.

[rassi]

V5Ade said:

Thanks all for you opinions. It would be replacing an F10 M5 so will be a step down in all areas, but I just want a comfortable barge for a while.

Quite the change, but one I have also done (though via an X5 M50D, and an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio).

The biggest difference would be in the sound level as an F10 is built like a tank, and much better sound proofing with regard to road noise and to some extent wind noise too. An F10 535D (LCI) would in retrospect have been a better choice for me - maybe for you too? - but the 335D is easily as fast as the X5 M50D and of course much more economical. If you can find one with adaptive suspension, even better, it does make a difference.

[ds666]

V5Ade said:

Thanks all for you opinions. It would be replacing an F10 M5 so will be a step down in all areas, but I just want a comfortable barge for a while.

You’ll be surprised how good they are . I swapped from an f10m5 same as you and was rarely disappointed with it . Get the acs springs . Massive difference and virtually no down side ( bumper a bit more vulnerable when parking against a kerb ).
Great cars

[Pica-Pica]

I have the 335d F30 LCI saloon. I generally find the 19” run-flats OK, but I am going down to 18” wheels now the tyres are worn to replacement level. Yes, I too would prefer a 5 series, but parking spaces are just too small for that.

[Wills2]

ds666 said:

V5Ade said:

Thanks all for you opinions. It would be replacing an F10 M5 so will be a step down in all areas, but I just want a comfortable barge for a while.

You’ll be surprised how good they are . I swapped from an f10m5 same as you and was rarely disappointed with it . Get the acs springs . Massive difference and virtually no down side ( bumper a bit more vulnerable when parking against a kerb ).
Great cars

I went from a 335d xdrive to an F10 M5 I'd say there is no comparison in any area myself. (although I didn't like the 335d at all so my view is somewhat biased)

[stevewak]

Bought a year-old 335d xDrive Touring in June. Mega spec (roof, pro nav, rear camera, electric/heated seats, folding mirrors) on 18in wheels with Pirelli run-flats, no privacy glass and - oddly - self-parking. £48k list. Exactly what I wanted but no adaptive suspension.

My take on the handling is that it's OK for me, given the massive power of the engine, which might be one reason why some can't get on with it. I always drive in 'comfort/auto' and coming from a E46 330i SE find there's very little engine braking (function of big twin-turbo six with low-friction innards) and the car rockets off into the distance like a Saturn V before a corner that requires some slowing down. Mixture of trail braking and lifting-off then throws in a bit of 'wallow'. If driven through a corner with a hint (I mean that) of throttle it's far better. I live in Home Counties so traffic is so bad I tend to use it in point and squirt mode.

The steering is a bit '4wd-ey', I agree. Have not really fiddled with Sport and Sport+. Interestingly, the week after I got it I had a puncture on the M25 en route to 300-mile trip to France, but felt something was wrong before the tyre warning flashed up. So it does give driver some feedback. Topped up pressure and did another 400 miles on tyre with nail in it I discovered later back in the UK. Would 100% buy another but swap (never used) self-parking for adaptive. Hard to get cars s/h with good spec as usually rare private sales and sell fast.

[AliMc99]

I had a Pre-lci 335d so can’t comment on the LCI. However the handling was very wallowy but utterly transformed by ACS springs (only about £500 fitted). Replacing the Bridgestone run flats with conventional Michelin Pilot Super sport tyres further improved things.

[V5Ade]

Thanks for all the comments.
I've bought the car and will collect it next week. It's only for family duties, so hopefully I won't hate it too much

[The Li-ion King]

V5Ade said:

Thanks for all the comments.
I've bought the car and will collect it next week. It's only for family duties, so hopefully I won't hate it too much

I'm sure it will be fine, I could think of worse cars to be in

I had a 320d MSport Touring which was quick enough, but too small for a family of five...

[stevewak]

V5Ade said:

Thanks for all the comments.
I've bought the car and will collect it next week. It's only for family duties, so hopefully I won't hate it too much

Happy?

[V5Ade]

stevewak said:

Happy?

I am now. I picked up last Thursday with 15 miles on the clock. It threw a 'check engine light' on the way home I called the salesman, there was not he could do other than tell me to call BMW assist.
I called BMW assist, they said they would send a tech the following day. Midday the next day a guy came out and diagnosed a faulty o2 sensor so had the car recovered. This was on Friday, the dealer didn't have the part so they had to order it for Monday.
I was told there were no loan cars, but after several hours of complaining I was given a MINI (that was at 745 PM on Friday).
I got the car back on Monday, they had done 35 miles in the car while they had it.....

It's fine now, but it was a bad start. I think that I was treated pretty badly, especially as this is the 2nd new BMW that we have bought this year! My wife picked up a new G01 X3 3.0D in May, and that was a shambles too.

BMW are not what they used to be, especially the support. Shocking really.