RE: Driven: BMW 335i

[r7ehw]

goron59 said:

So, a nice, if dull car, sloppy steering, OTT engine and 50k ? Struggling to find the positives here.

Did you read a different review to me?

Looks fabulous. The current 335 is not a big seller and its likely this will not be either but makes a great range topper. I think the new interior puts this car into a different league to the previous generation of car, and on a different stratosphere to the old E46 coupe I had, which I loved too.

I would definitely go for this car.

[E38Ross]

goron59 said:

...OTT engine.....

you think a reasonably economical 3.0 straight six is OTT?

wrong website?

[drivin_me_nuts]

In estate form three years down the line that will make a superb approx 18k barge

[Vladimir]

A 3 series is a big car. It's meant to have a 6 or 8 pot engine.

A four pot is quite simply, wrong, even if it's generates 400bhp and a billion torques. Same with all mid size execs - Audi A4/6, Merc C class, etc.

[Captain Muppet]

Riggers said:

Captain Muppet said:

Heinz tinned tomato soup, watery minestrone from a packet of powder or rich lumpy home made vegetable soup with a steak pie floating in it?

That sort of thing tells me far more about the person writing it than it does about the car, and I'm not interested in people, I'm interested in cars.

Fair enough, Captain.

I'd say Heinz tinned tomato, on balance.

So sort of averagey then? And likely to stain a white shirt.

I feel like I've driven it myself.

[Ozzie Osmond]

I'm confused.

306 bhp seems decidedly modest these days from a 3-litre six with a turbo.

[Dagnut]

Ozzie Osmond said:

I'm confused.

306 bhp seems decidedly modest these days from a 3-litre six with a turbo.

Yeah but it does 39mpg combined????

[Ozzie Osmond]

Dagnut said:

Yeah but it does 39mpg combined????

Yes, I guess that's probably the selling point these days. The catch is so often that BMW are very good at getting their cars to deliver good mpg on the test cycle but less good at delivering those numbers in the real world. Maybe the 8-speed auto puts it in with a chance.

[Output Flange]

I think I'll hold out for the 18 speed version with a Shimano gearbox.

[Riggers]

Captain Muppet said:

Riggers said:

Captain Muppet said:

Heinz tinned tomato soup, watery minestrone from a packet of powder or rich lumpy home made vegetable soup with a steak pie floating in it?

That sort of thing tells me far more about the person writing it than it does about the car, and I'm not interested in people, I'm interested in cars.

Fair enough, Captain.

I'd say Heinz tinned tomato, on balance.

So sort of averagey then? And likely to stain a white shirt.

I feel like I've driven it myself.

I was kind of angling for you to imagine the consistency rather colour...

[g3org3y]

Given the above, I'm still not convinced that the electric steering is a question that needed answering, especially at the expense of steering feel.

What's the dealio with throttles now? Are they all 'drive by wire'?

Vladimir said:

A 3 series is a big car. It's meant to have a 6 or 8 pot engine.

Really? It was quoted in the recent 328i review in Car Magazine that this new 3er is larger than the E28 5er of old. 6 cyls I'll give you, always been the case since the E21 but shouldn't require a V8 imo.

[gumsie]

Vladimir said:

A 3 series is a big car. It's meant to have a 6 or 8 pot engine.

A four pot is quite simply, wrong, even if it's generates 400bhp and a billion torques. Same with all mid size execs - Audi A4/6, Merc C class, etc.

Wot really? The 3 Series is big? So the 5 is massive and the 7 gargantuan?
Nope. The 3 is a compact saloon, not really big enough for a family of four to be comfy for a trip anything over a couple of hours.
I'm in full agreement about the 6 pot/8 pot bit. 4 Cyls should be illegal - except the characterful Subaru units.

r7ehw said:

goron59 said:

So, a nice, if dull car, sloppy steering, OTT engine and 50k ? Struggling to find the positives here.

Did you read a different review to me?

Looks fabulous. The current 335 is not a big seller and its likely this will not be either but makes a great range topper. I think the new interior puts this car into a different league to the previous generation of car, and on a different stratosphere to the old E46 coupe I had, which I loved too.

I would definitely go for this car.

Eh? You have £50K burning a whole in your pocket and you'd buy this???

[rtz62]

3 series gets bigger and better.
Scratch that.
3 series gets bigger.

[Vladimir]

g3org3y said:

Really? It was quoted in the recent 328i review in Car Magazine that this new 3er is larger than the E28 5er of old. 6 cyls I'll give you, always been the case since the E21 but shouldn't require a V8 imo.

if I'd left the 8 pot out, the rather precious M3 gang would have mauled me...

But yes, I agree.

Dad had a very early E21 323i from new and it was brilliant. Until the engine blew up a year after he bought it.

[rallycross]

goron59 said:

So, a nice, if dull car, sloppy steering, OTT engine and 50k ? Struggling to find the positives here.

I've not driven a new one but my used 335 petrol coupe manual is a superb all rounder.
The twin turbo set up is superb - BMW have done an amazing job to deliver such power and economy from this engine (for a 300+ bhp petrol). I average under 30 mpg but will see closer to 38 mpg on cruise on the motorway. And it still delivers a lovely straight 6 yowl when driven hard.

Having also/previously had e46 M3 smg and E36 M3 evo manual models I think the 335 offers a good deal more to me than my E46 M3 did, I much prefer the way it delivers its power. I would say most of the time (ie real road driving) the 335 is a bit quicker than the old M3, plus its far cheaper to run.

The E90 335 also handles beautifully, its just missing an LSD to make the most of its abilities. My 335 has just clicked to 180,000 miles with FSH and is still on its original components (excluding brakes and tyres) so they are more than capable of racking up the miles .

[Dagnut]

rallycross said:

The E90 335 also handles beautifully, its just missing an LSD to make the most of its abilities. My 335 has just clicked to 180,000 miles with FSH and is still on its original components (excluding brakes and tyres) so they are more than capable of racking up the miles .

That is impressive

[j123]

Riggers,

I'm proud of you, great article, honest (in both senses). This is a perfect example of someone being honest in the face of a growing tide of journalists that admit yes there is a "issue" with x car but basically shove that issue under the rug. Riggers did not do this. Most everyone (except Jethro of CAR/EVO) refuses to make a point out of these BMW's losing their steering feel.

For those interested please have a look that it is POSSIBLE to modify electric steering to Hydraulic like Citroen has shown how to here:
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/07/citroen-revea...

ALso note that at least for the new M5 BMW switched back to AT LEAST a half Hydraulic system and as big and heavy as that car is, its still much better for it.

We need this kind of honestly and advocacy from journalists other wise many enthusiast cars may go completely dark. j

[chris333]

Martin 480 Turbo said:

Is the windscreen wiper movement still transmitted to the brake pedal via the cowl hinges?

Edited by Martin 480 Turbo on Wednesday 15th February 14:13

Edited by Martin 480 Turbo on Wednesday 15th February 15:24

only if one of t' crossbeam's gone out of skew on t' treadle...

[aston addict]

Hmm - I remember the days when all but the lowliest of 3 series had 6 pots - even the 320 had a nice creamy six. Completely understand why given the quest for fuel economy,but there's nothing like the smoothness and purr that comes from that straight 6. Will be interesting to see how reliable the turbo-engined cars are - know a few people with 320ds and 535ds and they've had (expensive) problems with turbos blowing.

And the interior does look better than the ghastly sport models I saw a picture of - saw one with a red stripe across the dash - looked worse than a 205gti (which the stripe suited) - or maybe it was on the seats - cant remember.

[BlitzE34]

aston addict said:

Hmm - I remember the days when all but the lowliest of 3 series had 6 pots - even the 320 had a nice creamy six. Completely understand why given the quest for fuel economy,but there's nothing like the smoothness and purr that comes from that straight 6. Will be interesting to see how reliable the turbo-engined cars are - know a few people with 320ds and 535ds and they've had (expensive) problems with turbos blowing.

And the interior does look better than the ghastly sport models I saw a picture of - saw one with a red stripe across the dash - looked worse than a 205gti (which the stripe suited) - or maybe it was on the seats - cant remember.

And it was usually the smallest 6cyl that was the smoothest.