My brave pill: E92 BMW 335i with the infamous N54 engine
Discussion
For me it brightens the interior up a bit.survivalist said:
Having owned an E91 N54 335i and an E92 M3 at the same time, I'd actually say that it's a difficult choice even if fuel costs weren't a factor. I love the looks of the M3 in terms of the bonnet, bumper and front arches, but in daily driving the lack of torque meant that the N54 could often be the more exciting engine as it was easier to get the chassis moving at lower speeds. It was also fun accelerating out of junctions and slower corners. That said, having moved on to a 340i I've come to the conclusion that my 335i was remapped as the 340i feels less powerful. It also had a quaife diff in it.
If you want to make the interior feel a a little plusher you could always put the seats and door cards from an M3 in - seem to be loads of these being turned into track cars so interiors frequently come up for sale for sensible money. Only (bizarre) downside is that you seem to sit a bit higher on the M3 seats than the standard E92 ones.
Thanks. It certainly feels like a good decision so far. The M3 does look a lot better, especially from the rear. It’s certainly brisk enough when you press the accelerator. I’ve not really had chance to take mot for a fun drive yet.If you want to make the interior feel a a little plusher you could always put the seats and door cards from an M3 in - seem to be loads of these being turned into track cars so interiors frequently come up for sale for sensible money. Only (bizarre) downside is that you seem to sit a bit higher on the M3 seats than the standard E92 ones.
The interior feels plush enough so far, it’s a step up from the 1 series (even my M140i). The door bins are all properly flock lined so they don’t rattle if you dare to put stuff in them. My only criticism is that I do feel like the seats are a bit high, certainly higher than my old 330. If I recall, BMW fixed seats like in a saloon are lower than the folding seats in a coupe and being electric makes them higher again.
The car still seems to be filling its brief well; it was a nice place travelling into the office on Monday being a chunk more relaxing than my previous 130i. It’s brisk enough when you get on it. The weather has been against me, so it had a quick wash yesterday.
The paint is certainly in very very good condition for a 14 year old car.
I need to collect a few bits from Sytner today; new drivers side seat belt extender because the drivers side is inevitably not working and a cubby to replace the ashtray which is more useful for chucking a phone / wallet in.
The car has behaved since the earlier battery discharge warning.
I have a few bits incoming which I should be able to get fitted before my wrist op;
I’m not sure my car cleaning OCD can cope with the style 225 wheels either so I’m pretty sure a set of CSL reps will find their way onto the car before the winter.
The paint is certainly in very very good condition for a 14 year old car.
I need to collect a few bits from Sytner today; new drivers side seat belt extender because the drivers side is inevitably not working and a cubby to replace the ashtray which is more useful for chucking a phone / wallet in.
The car has behaved since the earlier battery discharge warning.
I have a few bits incoming which I should be able to get fitted before my wrist op;
- CarPlay screen
- M3 lip spoiler
I’m not sure my car cleaning OCD can cope with the style 225 wheels either so I’m pretty sure a set of CSL reps will find their way onto the car before the winter.
Court_S said:
I have a few bits incoming which I should be able to get fitted before my wrist op;
I’m not sure my car cleaning OCD can cope with the style 225 wheels either so I’m pretty sure a set of CSL reps will find their way onto the car before the winter.
Like the 225's, really suit the car. The ride height also looks a decent compromise and would avoid a rear spoiler.- CarPlay screen
- M3 lip spoiler
I’m not sure my car cleaning OCD can cope with the style 225 wheels either so I’m pretty sure a set of CSL reps will find their way onto the car before the winter.
Basically, leave it alone man as it looks great.
Tom4398cc said:
The Coupe is looking lovely Sam. Can’t believe it’s 14 years old!
It does look remarkable for its age. There are a handle of minor age related bits most of which I’m sure will polish out. cerb4.5lee said:
+1
It looks absolutely ace in those pics for sure.
Cheers Lee. It looks absolutely ace in those pics for sure.
SWoll said:
Like the 225's, really suit the car. The ride height also looks a decent compromise and would avoid a rear spoiler.
Basically, leave it alone man as it looks great.
I like the 225’s style wise, I just hate looking after them and that’s with summer muck!Basically, leave it alone man as it looks great.
The rear ride height is largely OK, it’s the front which is very high. Although interestingly I parked next to my friends 125i coupe which is properly low and the roofline of this is a smidge lower.
Tom4398cc said:
+ 1 for no rear spoiler (sorry Sam)
The spoiler is inbound. It’s only a wee thing like the OE M3 one rather than the M4 high flick ones that are very in at the moment. Maybe it’s because I’m used to smaller cars but the bum seems quite big and flat to me. It’s a bit naked and needs just a little something, painted to match the body colour.
If it looks pap it’s only held on with tape so is easy enough to remove.
Popped to Sytner today to pick up a few odd and sods including a new seat belt extender for the drivers side. Hopefully I’ll get time to do that before my wedding / trip to Scotland.
I also picked up a cubby to replace the ash tray. I find them much more useless having fitted them to my 130i and my other half’s 125i. A wallet / phone for in nicely and unlike the 1 series there is no need to dismantle the entire centre console to fit them!
Another minor tweak is LED interior bulbs. I hate halogen bulbs especially after 11 years or so of cars with LED interior lighting.
I also picked up a cubby to replace the ash tray. I find them much more useless having fitted them to my 130i and my other half’s 125i. A wallet / phone for in nicely and unlike the 1 series there is no need to dismantle the entire centre console to fit them!
Another minor tweak is LED interior bulbs. I hate halogen bulbs especially after 11 years or so of cars with LED interior lighting.
SNAP! Me too ~ sort of.
Mine's a '58 plated E92, bought from Sytner Maidenhead in 2020 - faced them with a take it or leave it offer of £10k and was assured that considering the age, the car was truly immaculate …. and so it proved to be.
Why did I appear to pay over the odds? ~ two reasons, Sytner had enough confidence to offer a full no quibble 12 month new car warranty with it, AND every single service, from new had been carried out by BMW Park Lane.
The engine bay is genuinely like new.
The car, when I bought it had covered just over 54k miles which in just over 2 years, I've increased that by a further 4k miles.
Problems? It suddenly started to cough and splutter, I was advised to ignore the main dealer route, I found a guy who turned out to be the local idiot, he replaced the HPFP, get ready for this, with what transpired to be a secondhand pump and he installed 3 new injectors ~ no improvement. I eventually buckled and took it to Inchcape Norwich who discovered that the DMX box was flooded. They replaced it ~ still no improvement.
They suggested a meeting and I went in expecting a full blown fight. They wheeled in their master technician - I was at the stage of demanding the car be returned to the state it was in when it first arrived. The manager and much to his credit, staid calm and offered me all sets of non-standard options …. his argument being that he wanted to sort the problem. I believed him. Then I had a suggestion - I asked what it would cost to remove the 'new' HPFP and replace it with the old one, which I had retained …. the entire meeting had been laced with effing and blinding NOT at them but at the situation I was in. As I left I simply asked "is there a way for you to treat me in a christian manner"? "I'll do what I can" he said.
The old pump was re-fitted ~ and perfect peace was restored ~ it was at that stage that we discovered the cheap and cobbled together second hand HPFP bodge. The manager 'phoned to tell me that the car was ready to collect - "I'll get a taxi" I said. "No need" came back the reply "I'll send out a driver ~ and OH, we've also given the car a full all bells and whistles major service at the cost of a basic ….". I'm not sure that I deserved such largesse ….
I collected the car, it was like putting on a coat which I hadn't worn for a while but was oh-so familiar and comfortable. Once warmed up, I slipped out on to the A47 and flicked through the gears. It was like the return of a long missed lover - - - - jeez but I love my motor! At 76 I wonder if I'll ever grow up …. perhaps, if this care doesn't kill me!
Your car? …. those hideous brushed aluminium dash panels should be illegal ~ they even put them on the Bentley Sports …. WTF did they thing they were doing?!!! As for the other bits and pieces, it's your car ~ your choice.
All that I've done is to replace the front chromed plastic kidney grills with the same but in black. I've also had the brake calibers painted bright red ~ subtle-ish.
The 335i Coupe is a fast car ~ not super-car, but fast. I thought about re-chipping and contacted a guy who sold the idea to me. He arranged for his guy in a van to come out and carry out the work with the assurance that if I wasn't totally pleased after a fortnight, his guy would return, reverse the process and return my £350. On the morning when the work was due to take place, the guy 'phoned me, said that he was returning my money because as he put it, his guru came back and said that under no circumstances should the E92 with the N54 engine management system be tinkered with ~ the reactions from the engine were never favourable.
When I bought the car, it was described as manual, which with its manually clutchless paddle shift, I suppose that it is. I was disappointed, I will admit but am now at the realisation that no matter who we are or how we think we can drive, we cannot change gear manually as we can with a paddle shift - with the sport button depressed, the gear change is all but instant.
Before this one I had a truly manual '57 plated car and that had a 'phone charging part beside the wireless ~ why hasn't mine? The sound system? Jesus, they give you an entire volume of a manual with it - - it's set of Radio 2!!
Perhaps I'll post some pics ….
Mine's a '58 plated E92, bought from Sytner Maidenhead in 2020 - faced them with a take it or leave it offer of £10k and was assured that considering the age, the car was truly immaculate …. and so it proved to be.
Why did I appear to pay over the odds? ~ two reasons, Sytner had enough confidence to offer a full no quibble 12 month new car warranty with it, AND every single service, from new had been carried out by BMW Park Lane.
The engine bay is genuinely like new.
The car, when I bought it had covered just over 54k miles which in just over 2 years, I've increased that by a further 4k miles.
Problems? It suddenly started to cough and splutter, I was advised to ignore the main dealer route, I found a guy who turned out to be the local idiot, he replaced the HPFP, get ready for this, with what transpired to be a secondhand pump and he installed 3 new injectors ~ no improvement. I eventually buckled and took it to Inchcape Norwich who discovered that the DMX box was flooded. They replaced it ~ still no improvement.
They suggested a meeting and I went in expecting a full blown fight. They wheeled in their master technician - I was at the stage of demanding the car be returned to the state it was in when it first arrived. The manager and much to his credit, staid calm and offered me all sets of non-standard options …. his argument being that he wanted to sort the problem. I believed him. Then I had a suggestion - I asked what it would cost to remove the 'new' HPFP and replace it with the old one, which I had retained …. the entire meeting had been laced with effing and blinding NOT at them but at the situation I was in. As I left I simply asked "is there a way for you to treat me in a christian manner"? "I'll do what I can" he said.
The old pump was re-fitted ~ and perfect peace was restored ~ it was at that stage that we discovered the cheap and cobbled together second hand HPFP bodge. The manager 'phoned to tell me that the car was ready to collect - "I'll get a taxi" I said. "No need" came back the reply "I'll send out a driver ~ and OH, we've also given the car a full all bells and whistles major service at the cost of a basic ….". I'm not sure that I deserved such largesse ….
I collected the car, it was like putting on a coat which I hadn't worn for a while but was oh-so familiar and comfortable. Once warmed up, I slipped out on to the A47 and flicked through the gears. It was like the return of a long missed lover - - - - jeez but I love my motor! At 76 I wonder if I'll ever grow up …. perhaps, if this care doesn't kill me!
Your car? …. those hideous brushed aluminium dash panels should be illegal ~ they even put them on the Bentley Sports …. WTF did they thing they were doing?!!! As for the other bits and pieces, it's your car ~ your choice.
All that I've done is to replace the front chromed plastic kidney grills with the same but in black. I've also had the brake calibers painted bright red ~ subtle-ish.
The 335i Coupe is a fast car ~ not super-car, but fast. I thought about re-chipping and contacted a guy who sold the idea to me. He arranged for his guy in a van to come out and carry out the work with the assurance that if I wasn't totally pleased after a fortnight, his guy would return, reverse the process and return my £350. On the morning when the work was due to take place, the guy 'phoned me, said that he was returning my money because as he put it, his guru came back and said that under no circumstances should the E92 with the N54 engine management system be tinkered with ~ the reactions from the engine were never favourable.
When I bought the car, it was described as manual, which with its manually clutchless paddle shift, I suppose that it is. I was disappointed, I will admit but am now at the realisation that no matter who we are or how we think we can drive, we cannot change gear manually as we can with a paddle shift - with the sport button depressed, the gear change is all but instant.
Before this one I had a truly manual '57 plated car and that had a 'phone charging part beside the wireless ~ why hasn't mine? The sound system? Jesus, they give you an entire volume of a manual with it - - it's set of Radio 2!!
Perhaps I'll post some pics ….
Me Alec said:
Your car? …. those hideous brushed aluminium dash panels should be illegal ~ they even put them on the Bentley Sports …. WTF did they thing they were doing?!!! As for the other bits and pieces, it's your car ~ your choice.
All that I've done is to replace the front chromed plastic kidney grills with the same but in black. I've also had the brake calibers painted bright red ~ subtle-ish.
The 335i Coupe is a fast car ~ not super-car, but fast. I thought about re-chipping and contacted a guy who sold the idea to me. He arranged for his guy in a van to come out and carry out the work with the assurance that if I wasn't totally pleased after a fortnight, his guy would return, reverse the process and return my £350. On the morning when the work was due to take place, the guy 'phoned me, said that he was returning my money because as he put it, his guru came back and said that under no circumstances should the E92 with the N54 engine management system be tinkered with ~ the reactions from the engine were never favourable.
Sounds like you had some fun and games with your car but got there in the end. All that I've done is to replace the front chromed plastic kidney grills with the same but in black. I've also had the brake calibers painted bright red ~ subtle-ish.
The 335i Coupe is a fast car ~ not super-car, but fast. I thought about re-chipping and contacted a guy who sold the idea to me. He arranged for his guy in a van to come out and carry out the work with the assurance that if I wasn't totally pleased after a fortnight, his guy would return, reverse the process and return my £350. On the morning when the work was due to take place, the guy 'phoned me, said that he was returning my money because as he put it, his guru came back and said that under no circumstances should the E92 with the N54 engine management system be tinkered with ~ the reactions from the engine were never favourable.
The aluminium trims are certainly proving decisive!
I personally like them and have had them in a few of my previous cars including my M140i which I spec’d from new. There isn’t a great deal of options for these. It’s the wood which I don’t like, the aluminium which I do but most on here don’t seem to, painted silver or black which make the interior feel like a cave. As stock they’re certainly quick, more than quick enough. I doubt I’ll go chasing power. I definitely can’t whilst it’s under warranty.
MikeM6 said:
Unlike the aluminium trims, I had them in mine and I though they lifted the interior nicely
Although I have a 2015 F36 428i GC I have to agree. My car is black with black leather, not even any contrast stitching and I’m forever thankful the original owner specified the aluminium interior. Without it it would be a black hole of light.Court_S said:
The aluminium trims are certainly proving decisive! I personally like them and have had them in a few of my previous cars including my M140i which I spec’d from new. There isn’t a great deal of options for these. It’s the wood which I don’t like, the aluminium which I do but most on here don’t seem to, painted silver or black which make the interior feel like a cave.
I have the "textured" aluminum trim in my 125i - I don't think that's popular either but I like it - I would have still bought the car if it had wood but would have swapped it out asap because black on black with dark headlining and dark wood is a cave for sure I personally like them and have had them in a few of my previous cars including my M140i which I spec’d from new. There isn’t a great deal of options for these. It’s the wood which I don’t like, the aluminium which I do but most on here don’t seem to, painted silver or black which make the interior feel like a cave. MikeM6 said:
I like the aluminium trims, I had them in mine and I thought they lifted the interior nicely
Edit to fix my atrocious typing!
Edit to fix my atrocious typing!
Edited by MikeM6 on Sunday 17th April 19:15
B'stard Child said:
I have the "textured" aluminum trim in my 125i - I don't think that's popular either but I like it - I would have still bought the car if it had wood but would have swapped it out asap because black on black with dark headlining and dark wood is a cave for sure
MissChief said:
Although I have a 2015 F36 428i GC I have to agree. My car is black with black leather, not even any contrast stitching and I’m forever thankful the original owner specified the aluminium interior. Without it it would be a black hole of light.
Which is basically why I changed them. The black leather with a dark headlining makes for a very dark interior.Craikeybaby said:
I didn’t realise you had a new car Sam! I saw this thread shared on Facebook from the PH account.
It all happened quite quickly once I’d realised that an M3 wasn’t a realistic option.Pleased with it so far. It scrubs up well for an old car, just need to hope that the N54 doesn’t give me too many issues.
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