335i performance
335i performance
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Fox-

Original Poster:

13,575 posts

276 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
Hi guys,

Took a 335i out today hoping to find it a tremdendous upgrade performance wise from my E39 530.

It was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it but the engine, which I expected to be the highlight, was a bit.. underwhelming. Perhaps a case of high expectations but I expected it to accelerate very hard and leave me pushed firmly into the seat. It didn't - infact it didn't feel leaps and bounds quicker than my 530.

This has dissapointed me because I'm considering one as my next car and want to feel like I've made a 'leap' if you know what I mean.

Was this one broken, was it a combination of the fact it was an E93, had 3 people in it (Me, the GF and the salesman) and thus has blunted performance or.... are they just not quite the road rocket I thought they were?

ipwn

2,920 posts

221 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
Auto or manual?

What year was it ?

Mileage on it ?

You 530i will have a 0-60 of around 7 seconds I'm guessing and the 335i is 5.5.

It's relatively quicker but not THAT much quicker. In the real world feeling a second difference isn't really going to be noticed.

Dare I say it, getting it mapped may sort it out wink

Edited by ipwn on Sunday 13th September 21:10

Fox-

Original Poster:

13,575 posts

276 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
2009 DCT Auto, had about 5k on it.

ipwn

2,920 posts

221 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
It could be that you are used to a manual....

Edited my orig post.

dibbly_dobbler

11,493 posts

227 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
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E93 335i kerb weight=1810kg linky

E92 335i kerb weight=1600kg linky

+ the salesman probably weighed about 80kg

so the convertible was roughly 300kg more than you + the Mrs in a 335i coupe - that's going to make a fair difference !



Fox-

Original Poster:

13,575 posts

276 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
Whoa thats a huge weight difference! Sounds good. The car as a package was fantastic I just wanted to be blown away by the performance but wasn't. My 530i is a manual so yea, familiarity with the DCT box could have been an issue as well.

Wow, 200kg heavier!

dibbly_dobbler

11,493 posts

227 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
Yes that's what I thought ! Sounds like you need a shot 2-up in a coupe.

What gearbox are you after ?

Fox-

Original Poster:

13,575 posts

276 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
No idea really, just chucking ideas around as I'm still very fond of the 530i but obviously it's what nearly 8 years old now! Local dealers 'Ultimate Drive' weekend seemed like a great opportunity for a no obligation hoon to get a better idea.

Probably a manual smile

NickXX

1,647 posts

248 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
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I'd imagine it's in the 60-100 region that the 335i feels much faster.

dibbly_dobbler

11,493 posts

227 months

Sunday 13th September 2009
quotequote all
Fox- said:
No idea really, just chucking ideas around as I'm still very fond of the 530i but obviously it's what nearly 8 years old now! Local dealers 'Ultimate Drive' weekend seemed like a great opportunity for a no obligation hoon to get a better idea.

Probably a manual smile
Good man smile. Keep us posted if you do get a drive in a 335i manual - I'm a bit perplexed as to what I could go onto next after the 330...

philmots

4,666 posts

290 months

Monday 14th September 2009
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The dct should behave in a similar way to a manual as it's dual clutch. it's a fixed drive not like the torque convertor of the auto that can appear to sap power!

I'd deffo put it down to the weight of the cab! go try a coupe with any gearbox i think you'd be impressed!

eliot

11,995 posts

284 months

Monday 14th September 2009
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Whilst having test-drive in an E60 550 I commented that it didn't feel as quick as I was expecting and that I was also considering a 335i - sales bod said it wont feel much different - So I bought a VXR8 instead, which did feel a good deal quicker than my E39 540. Sacrilidge I know, been driving BM's for ages - but the huge tuning scene is difficult to ignore.

martin vr6

3,883 posts

231 months

Monday 14th September 2009
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VXR8 or a E60 550i Thats a simple choice IMO and its not the one that looks like its been styled by a playschool infant

Gutted i missed this open weekend as i wanted a run in a 335d

eliot

11,995 posts

284 months

Monday 14th September 2009
quotequote all
martin vr6 said:
VXR8 or a E60 550i Thats a simple choice IMO and its not the one that looks like its been styled by a playschool infant
Haven driven both very recently - I chose the VXR8 and I would consider myself a BMW fan.

Fox-

Original Poster:

13,575 posts

276 months

Monday 14th September 2009
quotequote all
eliot said:
martin vr6 said:
VXR8 or a E60 550i Thats a simple choice IMO and its not the one that looks like its been styled by a playschool infant
Haven driven both very recently - I chose the VXR8 and I would consider myself a BMW fan.
I couldnt wait to get out of the Commodore I hired in Australia, found the Falcon noticeably better. I presume they are fundamentally the same car?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

254 months

Tuesday 15th September 2009
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The 335i is an autobahn mile muncher, it is incredibly smooth and very relaxing, but it is not that exciting.

The E93 also ruins the performance, the coupe will hit 60 in a smidge over 5 seconds every time, where as the cab takes nearly 6 seconds, big difference.


christer

2,804 posts

281 months

Tuesday 15th September 2009
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eliot said:
martin vr6 said:
VXR8 or a E60 550i Thats a simple choice IMO and its not the one that looks like its been styled by a playschool infant
Haven driven both very recently - I chose the VXR8 and I would consider myself a BMW fan.
I have a 550 and I would consider a VXR8 - however whether one thinks the BMW has been styled by a "playschool infant" or not, I actually put a value on anonymity - the fact that a 550 looks just like a 520d MSport with bigger wheels is a huge plus in my book. I have other options for getting attentionsmile

eliot

11,995 posts

284 months

Tuesday 15th September 2009
quotequote all
christer said:
eliot said:
martin vr6 said:
VXR8 or a E60 550i Thats a simple choice IMO and its not the one that looks like its been styled by a playschool infant
Haven driven both very recently - I chose the VXR8 and I would consider myself a BMW fan.
I have a 550 and I would consider a VXR8 - however whether one thinks the BMW has been styled by a "playschool infant" or not, I actually put a value on anonymity - the fact that a 550 looks just like a 520d MSport with bigger wheels is a huge plus in my book. I have other options for getting attentionsmile
Sorry OP, for going way of topic / highjack.
The BMW is without doubt is a much higher quality car over the Holden and I really did want to like the 550 as I've been watching them for around 18months (you know, when they were 18k!). Inside, they are actually more roomy than the 5, boot is about the same size. Plastics and feel not as nice as the BMW, but it drives wll and its not a bad effort overall. Performance out of the box is good, plus plenty of opportunity tune them.

I really like the look of the 335i Coupe as well and certainly wouldn't rule out returning to the fold when the prices drop a little more - along better remapping options. I wanted to try a 4.8is X5, but dealer with head up his backside said I needed to put a deposit down on it!. The BMW dealers seem to be just making prices up at the moment whilst there is a shortage of cars, so I've voted with my feet.

To the o/p; even EVO commented that the VXR8 may be an alternate to the 335i, I'm not quite sure about that because the vxr is a very big car compared to a 335i - but on paper they are about the same performance. VX slashing a genuine £10k of the price helped too, although all the manuals have been snapped up and only auto's and red ones left now.

Edited by eliot on Tuesday 15th September 10:43

martin vr6

3,883 posts

231 months

Tuesday 15th September 2009
quotequote all
I was referring to the VXR8 being styled by a playschool infant, a truly horrific looking car IMO

The BMW everytime for me

dibbly_dobbler

11,493 posts

227 months

Tuesday 15th September 2009
quotequote all
martin vr6 said:
I was referring to the VXR8 being styled by a playschool infant, a truly horrific looking car IMO

The BMW everytime for me
I thought that! Quite funny that people assumed it was the other way around though hehe