[Antnee]

Fair point

[neil@JuicedUpTuning]

Originally Posted by Antnee

Chubbs - the drive in to work this morning clocked me all of 22mpg this morning, and it wasn't because I was in a rush. Stop/start all the way up the A38 to work in heavy traffic... I don't expect to ever get anything marvellous. Besides, with the job I start on Monday involving a lot of work from home, I suspect that after the initial phase of being in the office a lot that my fuel costs will nose-dive dramatically.

Phil - In all honesty, I often plan to mod, but never do. I tend to just spend the cash on keeping things running nicely instead. That said, the JB4 is very tempting and I gather fitting a FMIC is very easy? On the Cupra R you pay the price of a JB4 just for a remap, so all the bells and whistles that it gives appear to be amazing value for money. Moving from a 210hp 1.8 to a 300+hp 3 litre is going to make the world of difference for the time being anyway. I've never actually been tempted to tune the Leon so I don't expect I'll be in a mad rush to do it to a 335i. However, and as ever, I appreciate the advice. Thank you

Hi Antee,

The ETS Intercooler is a direct replacement with no cutting involved.

The JB4 is amazing value for money for the features and power levels. The JB4, USB Cable and DCI Intake is even better value for money.

Add an FMIC and some downpipes and the JB4 MAP 5 will auto learn and increase boost for safest power levels for your car, mods and conditions.

The JB4 comes with a 14 day full money back guarantee.

Enjoy the forum

Neil

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by Antnee

To be perfectly honest with you, I so rarely ever require sat-nav. I can look at a map at home and 100 miles later recall it and know where I'm going. I have it as an emergency measure on my phone in case I get lost, but I don't need it. Like I said previously, I'm a web-developer, so I like the gadgets, therefore I would like iDrive. I wouldn't ever bother buying a Tom Tom because generally they end up stuck to your windscreen and as an ex-biker who has seen loads of friends taken out by people either on the phone or unable to see them coming because a sat-nav obscured their vision, I just don't agree with them.

You, Sir, are a beacon of clear thinking in a strange old world. I have lost count of the number of people I've seen driving whilst fiddling with their GarminTom thingy; and don't get me started on people who hold mobile phones whilst driving........round our way it is often school run mums who should know better. Well, anyone should know better really I suppose.

I've got the old i-Drive in my 2006 car and I find it really good, although I rarely use the SatNav. I find the interface with my iPod very good indeed (mine has the iPod cable in the glove box, works a treat).

Meanwhile, get that SEAT sold and get yourself into a 335i; seriously it really is a terrific car, and with £15 -17k you'll be able to get a good one if you take your time.

Mike.

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by SelSol

Also, I think its fair to say that the warranty on a car like a 335i isn't there because the cars unreliable par se, its more there because if you have bad luck (like me) you can soon find yourself with a bill for several grand.

Well put....it gives you peace of mind driving to a degree.

[Antnee]

Brilliant stuff again, everyone. Feeling much happier about continuing to look for the model I originally wanted. Thanks again

[chris_s1]

Originally Posted by SelSol

Also, I think its fair to say that the warranty on a car like a 335i isn't there because the cars unreliable par se, its more there because if you have bad luck (like me) you can soon find yourself with a bill for several grand.

One point to consider is that people always think they get great value out of their warranties because the bills that get sent to the warranty companies are huge, but thats not neccessarily what you'd pay if you were funding it yourself.

Here's an example that happened to me:

Bought an E46 M3. 6 weeks later the gearbox lunched on 5th and 6th. Totally wrecked. Bill from BMW for a new one + labour was about 4 grand, so if I'd had a warranty I'd have gone on about what a fantastic job it was that I had bought the warranty otherwise I'd be 4k out of pocket.

But I didn't have a warranty, so I bought a used 'box off ebay - £350 and paid my local BMW independant £300 to fit it. So all in all, it cost me £650 cash which was about half what an annual warranty on an aging M3 would have been.
12 months, 10k miles and 50+ laps of the Nurburgring (at sub 9min pace) later its still absolutely perfect.

So I saved myself about £500 by not buying a warranty even though one of the worst things that can happen DID happen.

So in future, I'm only in for warranties if I plan on keeping all repair work done at BMW dealers, which when my E90 turns 3 I probably will be.
But if you're getting your work done at an Indy, there's not much you can't do for the cost of a warranty anyway, especially as the car gets older and the warranty costs goes up.

[AlanYoro35i]

dieseal or not..my 335i somehow sounds like a dieseal when not moving....=[

[Antnee]

Haha,my last bike sounded like a diesel when it was stationary and cold

Thanks again for the real world experience, Chris

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by Yoro35i

dieseal or not..my 335i somehow sounds like a dieseal when not moving....=[

I have noticed that in mine....I thought I was going mad or being too sensitive, but to hear someone else say it too.

[seanblee]

It's the injectors 'chattering' - unfortunately, that's what direct injection petrol engines sound like

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by seanblee

It's the injectors 'chattering' - unfortunately, that's what direct injection petrol engines sound like

So it is normal then?.....Unfortunate as it is!

[leeadam]

defiantly go idrive...as others have said it looks much better in the car and no matter what flaws it has it will so so so help your resale when you sell over a non idrive. And you dont just use it for the sat nav ...you use it for altering various car settings be it..music..heating...door locks...service reminders in detail...and great for me as i put movies on it via my iphone and of course control my iphone music on it. I Would not be without it. Im happy with my diesel it has near on 300 bhp ...averages 40mpg and on long steady runs 50+mpg. But good luck with your hunt...keep an eye out for the dreaded cracking 19" rims too when you look.

[leeadam]

oh and i brought mine with no warranty..i have mates in the bmw trade to do work. not had one single hiccup from motor...but...did have the well known steering lock failure problem in which it fails and stays locked on...so had to have it replaced and cost a few hundred. (

[Nick999]

As you can see from my picture. I dont have nav/idrive. Dont need it. But much more important is that 335i badge on the boot and those twin exit exhaust pipes. Even better still the lovely sound they make

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by leeadam

defiantly go idrive...as others have said it looks much better in the car and no matter what flaws it has it will so so so help your resale when you sell over a non idrive. And you dont just use it for the sat nav ...you use it for altering various car settings be it..music..heating...door locks...service reminders in detail...and great for me as i put movies on it via my iphone and of course control my iphone music on it. I Would not be without it. Im happy with my diesel it has near on 300 bhp ...averages 40mpg and on long steady runs 50+mpg. But good luck with your hunt...keep an eye out for the dreaded cracking 19" rims too when you look.

Slightly off topic but any pictures of your car with the Performance Diffuser, really interested in getting one but not seen any pics with it fitted to an e92.

[Swiller]

330i or 335i are insane bargains these days. I wouldn't be worried about I drive personally.
Ones without are cheaper and I don't thnk you can get better motoring for the money.
335i can be had for 10k, e90 330i can be had for 6-7k, under 100k on the clock. All about the drive and the engine, not the bum warmers or I drive.

[ChubbsBmth]

When I was looking for my 335i, I had a wish list and I would put it in this order of importance:

1) Manual
2) M-Sport
3) Colour
4) Leather (I was shocked the amount of 335i's that had originally been bought without leather)
5) 19's
6) Colour of the Leather
7) I-Drive
8) Heated Seats
9) Bluetooth

I would say 7, 8 & 9 and 6 to a certain degree were up for discussion, but I wouldnt even look at a car if it didnt tick the boxes for points 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

[BGM]

an e92 will always have leather, it was standard :/

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by BGM

an e92 will always have leather, it was standard :/

The new ones maybe, but 100% not standard for the year of car I was looking at.

[Antnee]

I'm not sure that I can really rank my preferences at this point, but what I want is:

1. Petrol
2. 325, 330 or 335
3. Manual
4. Black or white
5. M-Sport/Highline
6. iDrive
7. Less than 20k a year on the clock so far
8. Preferably in the lower tax bracket (57+???)
9. Bluetooth

Some I can't budge on, like the petrol requirement. The engine capacity is clearly something I could adjust, but the preference is 335 over 330 over 325. There's absolutely no point in going smaller than 325 for me. The colour is purely preference but both black and white are equally gorgeous IMHO. I definitely want an M-Sport or M-Sport Highline. No budging there. I'm going to try my best to meet the mileage requirement too, but it's not the most important thing. I might give a couple of dealers a call and pass on that list of requirements too and see if any of them have anything that hits the nail on the head

[ChubbsBmth]

Originally Posted by Antnee

I'm not sure that I can really rank my preferences at this point, but what I want is:

1. Petrol
2. 325, 330 or 335
3. Manual
4. Black or white
5. M-Sport/Highline
6. iDrive
7. Less than 20k a year on the clock so far
8. Preferably in the lower tax bracket (57+???)
9. Bluetooth

Some I can't budge on, like the petrol requirement. The engine capacity is clearly something I could adjust, but the preference is 335 over 330 over 325. There's absolutely no point in going smaller than 325 for me. The colour is purely preference but both black and white are equally gorgeous IMHO. I definitely want an M-Sport or M-Sport Highline. No budging there. I'm going to try my best to meet the mileage requirement too, but it's not the most important thing. I might give a couple of dealers a call and pass on that list of requirements too and see if any of them have anything that hits the nail on the head

My listing was based on having already narrowed it down to a 335 petrol model.

Having done some research into the petrol engines, there didnt seem to a bigger enough difference in the MPG between the 325/330 to the 335 to not warrant getting a 335i, as the difference in prices wasnt huge.

Black and white were the only colours I would consider, but 2nd hand white cars seem to be at least 2-3k more expensive than the same model in black so I didt think it was worth it.

[Antnee]

Yeah, I'm pretty much with you on that one actually. I think Parkers quotes 32mpg for the 325i, 33mpg for the 330i and 31mpg for the 335i and the real world numbers all look to be around the same as each other also.

I sent that list of requirements to Sytners and one of their guys called me today. Had a good chat about what I want and he's going to have a look for me and get back to me. I've also had some interest in the Leon, which is nice. Hopefully I'll find the one I want soon, but I will definitely hold out for the right one now I think.

Thanks again for all the help guys