[dxb335d]

Can't compare an 335 with an E46 M3 as a drivers car.

If you going for 400+HP go with a 335i, otherwise keep the D. Want a car that feels special to drive get the E46 M3.

The M3 is not that slow.. There are mods that can be done which can give the massive performance like a remap does to a 335 etc..

I would never have a 335i now. The reliability would really put me off. A 335d I could (again) but for a daily. Would want to keep the m3 too.

Only car I think I could get next is a E92 M3 or an M5. But for now very happy with the E46. Peddle it properly and it's a quick car. 0-100 in 11 secs ain't to be sniffed at. Had no troubles with E92 M3's ! Ain't tried a 335i yet.

Originally Posted by Guvernator

Aha I thought you were considering driving into London, if you are only using it as a weekend toy then get the 335i or M3. My 335i is for weekend use only too and I was looking at exactly the same choices but in convertible form. I went for the 335i in the end as it was a newer car, better interior and slightly lower running costs but both are awesome tbh and more exciting than the D.

Better interior being an opinion rather than fact.

I had a new 335d and although it's a nice modern look to the interior (I-drive a must) the quality of the leather is not as good as my M3's Nappa.

I actually prefer the shaped dash in the E46 too. Just feels more driver focused.

[Edi1011]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Can't compare an 335 with an E46 M3 as a drivers car.

If you going for 400+HP go with a 335i, otherwise keep the D. Want a car that feels special to drive get the E46 M3.

The M3 is not that slow.. There are mods that can be done which can give the massive performance like a remap does to a 335 etc..

I would never have a 335i now. The reliability would really put me off. A 335d I could (again) but for a daily. Would want to keep the m3 too.

Only car I think I could get next is a E92 M3 or an M5. But for now very happy with the E46. Peddle it properly and it's a quick car. 0-100 in 11 secs ain't to be sniffed at. Had no troubles with E92 M3's ! Ain't tried a 335i yet.

Better interior being an opinion rather than fact.

I had a new 335d and although it's a nice modern look to the interior (I-drive a must) the quality of the leather is not as good as my M3's Nappa.

I actually prefer the shaped dash in the E46 too. Just feels more driver focused.

No offence, but when you had the 335d EVERY post you made was how much better the 335d was compared to the E46 M3 - think you actually said that you had never lost at the Pod to any E46 M3.

Now you have changed to the M3 you are now trying to say that the E46 is soo much better car than the e9x 335i/d ?

If you want to talk about reliability issues between the E46 M3 and 335i why not list them ?

E46 M3
Cons
VANOS problems
REAR SUB FLOOR !!!! - Your car only has 1 more year before it goes out the 10 year guaranteed period
Poor Brakes for a high performance car !!!
Very High Service + Parts costs
the S50 engine is piss poor for actually being able to tune - MAPS will only get you extra 10-15 bhp

335i[/U]
Cons
Fuel Injectors / HPFP - Most cars were covered under the QEP that applied
Wastegate Rattle
Turbos - not many seem to fail unless cars have been heavily modified AFAIK
Pros
Tuneability - take your pick between a remap/JB4/Cobb/Vishnu + all the other goodies such as DP/FMIC/LSD

As said ^^^ not want to cause offence - but your post seems a tad hypocritical to the views you had previously given prior to changing from a 335d to the E46 M3

[ yes I am also on M3Cutters so know what the problems they say apply to their cars ]

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Edi1011

No offence, but when you had the 335d EVERY post you made was how much better the 335d was compared to the E46 M3 - think you actually said that you had never lost at the Pod to any E46 M3.

Now you have changed to the M3 you are now trying to say that the E46 is soo much better car than the e9x 335i/d ?

As said ^^^ not want to cause offence - but your post seems a tad hypocritical to the views you had previously given prior to changing from a 335d to the E46 M3

[ yes I am also on M3Cutters so know what the problems they say apply to their cars ]

Perhaps experience of an M3 has made DXB appreciate that there's more to a good driver's car than being fast in a straight line? It is of course possible he's one of those people that thinks whatever they happen to be driving is the greatest thing since sliced bread but trying to be fair maybe he's matured and seen the light?!!

[Edi1011]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Perhaps experience of an M3 has made DXB appreciate that there's more to a good driver's car than being fast in a straight line? It is of course possible he's one of those people that thinks whatever they happen to be driving is the greatest thing since sliced bread but trying to be fair maybe he's matured and seen the light?!!

Might be the case - just don't think someone who hasn't owned a 335i
[ although some friends of his have ] should be so openly critical of the car.

Yet totally disregards the inherent faults of his current car - which could potentially be far more costly to prospective buyers than the reliability problems that he perceives apply to the 335i

[E60525d]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

The M3 is not that slow.. There are mods that can be done which can give the massive performance like a remap does to a 335 etc..

Massive gains, which mods are these then?? The only way you will get massive performance is by supercharging which will cost you easy £5k+.

Originally Posted by Edi1011

No offence, but when you had the 335d EVERY post you made was how much better the 335d was compared to the E46 M3 - think you actually said that you had never lost at the Pod to any E46 M3.

Now you have changed to the M3 you are now trying to say that the E46 is soo much better car than the e9x 335i/d ?

If you want to talk about reliability issues between the E46 M3 and 335i why not list them ?

E46 M3
Cons
VANOS problems
REAR SUB FLOOR !!!! - Your car only has 1 more year before it goes out the 10 year guaranteed period
Poor Brakes for a high performance car !!!
Very High Service + Parts costs
the S50 engine is piss poor for actually being able to tune - MAPS will only get you extra 10-15 bhp

335i[/U]
Cons
Fuel Injectors / HPFP - Most cars were covered under the QEP that applied
Wastegate Rattle
Turbos - not many seem to fail unless cars have been heavily modified AFAIK
Pros
Tuneability - take your pick between a remap/JB4/Cobb/Vishnu + all the other goodies such as DP/FMIC/LSD

As said ^^^ not want to cause offence - but your post seems a tad hypocritical to the views you had previously given prior to changing from a 335d to the E46 M3

[ yes I am also on M3Cutters so know what the problems they say apply to their cars ]

Completely agree with every point you made there.

Looks like the tables have now turned in terms of the M3 being better than the 335d.

[phil200tdi]

335i/d ain't a weekend car in my opinion, it's an everyday car.

If I were buying a car to drive low miles I would be much more concerned with depreciation than fuel economy.

M3/5/6 would be a better long term investment. Naturally aspriated V8 or v10 would liven up a weekend for me..

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

335i/d ain't a weekend car in my opinion, it's an everyday car.

If I were buying a car to drive low miles I would be much more concerned with depreciation than fuel economy.

M3/5/6 would be a better long term investment. Naturally aspriated V8 or v10 would liven up a weekend for me..

+1

I like my E92 335i very much and as an everyday car it's better than my old M3 CS in a number of respects (much better economy for similar straight line performance, more refined on a long run, etc). However, for a blast on a challenging road it's not as engaging or involving to drive and doesn't feel anything like as special. Don't get me wrong, the 335i does a great job for me and is well suited to my current requirements; however, an M-car it isn't and if I was doing less than 10k miles a year I'd have an E92 M3.

[Sparky68]

Decent suspension setup brings the two cars a bit closer in terms of handling but, i would still take the M3 over my 335i. If i didnt commute 20,000 miles a year i would have bought a M3 without question.

[dxb335d]

This place has gone down the pan..

If you don't know the mod then google it.

Also since owning an M3 I have realised what it has to offer whilst also finding out that actually it is quick.

All the M3's I previously raced had shocking drivers..

But I couldn't really give a fuck what a few moronic mofos think on here

[Sparky68]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

This place has gone down the pan..

If you don't know the mod then google it.

Also since owning an M3 I have realised what it has to offer whilst also finding out that actually it is quick.

All the M3's I previously raced had shocking drivers..

But I couldn't really give a fuck what a few moronic mofos think on here

How can you possibly state that all the M3 owners you "raced" were shocking drivers ?The M3 is by far the better car but, it will get trounced in a straight line by a 335 with mods. No mod on a M3 will get it to anywhere near the wBHP a 335 can achieve.

[dxb335d]

I had a 335d mate not I and this was at Santa Pod over a 3 year period.


A remapped 335d and 335i are similar in performance. There was a mag feature a few years ago.... Times were slower than a E46 M3, but when you go to Pod M3's are slow... 99% of the time due to poor pilots that's all,

But yes a 400HP 335i will be quicker without a doubt.

[Sparky68]

Both cars have amazing ability, the e46 M3 is iconic as it was a performance benchmark for everything for a long time. A few lads at work took my 335i out [they have M3's] and could not believe how fast it was in standard form. Remapped or a JB4 fitted the 335 is a lot quicker. Still does not takeaway the fact that the M3 is a better car though.

One thing i dont like about the 335 compared to the M3 is the body roll, the M3 is a much more planted car through the twisty stuff. In a straight pull off the lights though its a different matter.

Its all horses for courses, the M3 looks better, has more smile appeal and will hold better value if looked after.

You pay your money and take your pick.

[dxb335d]

The 335i " feels" faster.. Because of the torque, just a remap on a 335i does not make it faster. Evolve did a mag feature.. Remapped 335i did 0-100mph in 11.8 sec the E46 does it in 11.2.

But the power delivery could not be any more different. The torque of the 335 makes its performance so easily accessible.. The M3 needs several cogs dropped to be quick.

[Sparky68]

I think a lot of the difference is in perception. The M3 sounds quick because that is partly how it is designed, the 335 is a lot quieter in everyday use and its speed is more suprising. Do you get what i mean? I have driven countless M3's and loved every minute,they sound "fast" I dont think M3 owners and 335 owners will ever agree on this but they shouldnt have to. Its partly BMWs fault for releasing a car that could cause this discussion in the 1st place.

I came from a very highly modified Focus ST to the 335 and thought the 335 was slow, it wasnt,it just sounded like it was.

[dxb335d]

I don't think the M3 feels fast at all.. It feels SLOW in comparison to my remapped 335d.

It does not have that shove of a turbo.. But it does actually perform. It puts down the times. It's quicker than what it feels.

My 335d didn't sound loud at all. It felt properly fast though because of the torque.


I have had both 335 (ok D, but have driven plenty of i's) and E46. Both great cars.


Thing is mate, it's harder to extract the M3's performance than the 335i. In gear the 335i is pretty monstrous. The M3 would need to be on the right gear and ready for it.

Standard for standard the E46 is quite a bit quicker, but get a average driver inthe M3 who does not drop that extra gear or hang on for that last few 100rpm and it then becomes a slow car (relatively speaking) in which a 335i will beat it. Because the 335i has so much torque to lean on and does not need dropping to 2nd at 50mph from 6th gear like the M3 does!

[Sparky68]

Thats what i mean about BMW releasing it knowing how close it would be to a M3.