[alcook]

Thought I'd share....

As an ex-Subaru driver, having owned a fairly hardcore Litchfield Type 20 fast road car for over 2 years, I moved to the 335D and was instantly impressed at the real world usability of the performance (not forgetting the 38+ MPG and a host of other positives). After a few months of ownership I can honestly say it's the best car I've ever owned.

I'm still the Chairman of a Subaru and performance car club in Yorkshire and our club forum home is on another Board specialising in Scoobs (amongst others).. Over the months I've noticed a marked increase in the number of 330D & 335D requests for info and one in particular caught my eye. It was from a Porsche 996 Turbo owner who wanted some info on the 335D. After a few pages of banter and feeding my intial impressions he went out and tested one and came back with these comments...

Have had a test drive of a 335D - very impressed.
real world quick as the porker - there is so so much torque - it just goes.
gearbox is superb
going to part ex the porker.

Concise, but a great testament to the car's ability and the increasing good press it's getting from every corner of the Performance car world as people (who are no doubt feling the pinch in lost residuals, fuel and tax hikes) look for a good alternative to such impressive cars as the T20 and 996 Turbo...

I'll send him the link to here when I get the chance...

[roofer]

BMW's best kept secret. Take the crap tyres off, then you can use more of the performance.

[Steve A]

im glad i sold mine, no emotion, no noise just better mpg.

I liked it when i had it but with a V8 i have everything i like (apart from 18mpg)

[mikem]

Where is this "real world" everyone dreams of ?

[Oli]

Originally Posted by mikem

Where is this "real world" everyone dreams of ?

Is it stop start trafic in London??

[dxb335d]

Nice one alcook. Glad your happy with your 335d. It really is a wonderful car.

Shame some people dont want to believe what a capable car it is on road and track.

Do you have a link to the 996 turbo owners comments and subsequent comments?


Carlos

[booforty]

The DXB is easily the best van on the road

[squeezebm]

Originally Posted by Steve A

im glad i sold mine, no emotion, no noise just better mpg.

I liked it when i had it but with a V8 i have everything i like (apart from 18mpg)

18mpg thats good

[mikem]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Nice one alcook. Glad your happy with your 335d. It really is a wonderful car.

Shame some people dont want to believe what a capable car it is on road and track.

Carlos

It`s the best small diesel car on the road, nobody disputes that.

Better than the most useable supercar in the world, it aint. Real world or not.

[squeezebm]

Originally Posted by mikem

It`s the best small diesel car on the road, nobody disputes that.

Better than the most useable supercar in the world, it aint. Real world or not.

Agreed,cracking piece of kit but soul less

[mikem]

It`s amazing what BMW have achived with that derv engine, it really is.

In response to the OP`s comments about inerest in it, from other high performance drivers. I`ve lost count of the number of people who`ve switched back to petrol on this and other forums after a spell in it.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by mikem

It`s amazing what BMW have achived with that derv engine, it really is.

In response to the OP`s comments about inerest in it, from other high performance drivers. I`ve lost count of the number of people who`ve switched back to petrol on this and other forums after a spell in it.

Of course they will. There is no other diesel option which is as good.

I will be driving a petrol next time. Most people ive spoke to rate the 335d very highly. For sure they will not keep it forever thats obvious.

[CD]

Originally Posted by Steve A

im glad i sold mine, no emotion, no noise just better mpg.

I liked it when i had it but with a V8 i have everything i like (apart from 18mpg)

unfortunately steve in the 'real world' not everyone can afford 18mpg

335D all the way!! well at least until i either become as rich as you must be, or petrol prices come down, then and only then would it be sensible to have a V8. but since there isnt much chance of the later, the 335D is the real word performance car

[NFS]

Originally Posted by squeezebm

Agreed,cracking piece of kit but soul less

Originally Posted by mikem

It`s amazing what BMW have achived with that derv engine, it really is.

In response to the OP`s comments about inerest in it, from other high performance drivers. I`ve lost count of the number of people who`ve switched back to petrol on this and other forums after a spell in it.

That's the next stage then.

With the 335d BMW have finally produced a diesel engined car which can compete with petrol in terms of performance.

For diesel to truly become a performance car option we would have to see a derv car which can usurp petrol in terms of SOUL and pure driving enjoyment.

The 335d being a compulsory automatic isn't going to achieve this. I have a lot of respect for the 'big d' as Carlos describes it, but I don't want one. I enjoy the rorty sound of a straight six too much and I profoundly believe that autos don't belong in sports cars.

Maybe the Audi R8 can take this to the next level?

[330cdsport]

Was in my mates M3 yesterday for a good blast and we thought of a good idea.

Gonna drive his car on my daily commute and record the engine soundtrack and then I can play it back in my car every day during the week.

[alcook]

The 335D is certainly not perfection (if such a thing actually exists in car terms).

But I do agree that if some character in terms of a proper manual shift and decent engine note is built in then that will go al long way to fixing some of the shortcomings

Anyway, is soul achievable by being built in? Isn't this something that just 'happens'.

[red355]

Having run my 335D coupe since sept 06, I can understand its lack of 'something special' that sets a car apart from just transport. I've had a very good last 18 months at work and have toyed with the idea of swapping it out for a few things, RS4 avant, 911, C63 AMG etc

But then I drive it on a wet windy day home after a stressful day when the traffic is bad, and its seems ideal 'real world' car. especially with the cost of fuel

So TBH I can see me keeping it for a long time, few tweaks to help me keep it. remap, LSD, swap the wheels again.

plus

get something else to give a bit of spice or join a performance car club

[Ti Rich]

To all those who complain about the diesel being soul less try de-cating and fitting a performance exhaust. You sound track actually becomes much nicer and sometimes you can (almost) think you are driving a petrol!

I did this on my previous diesel and it made the car more responsive and more "sporty"

[NFS]

Originally Posted by alcook

The 335D is certainly not perfection (if such a thing actually exists in car terms).

But I do agree that if some character in terms of a proper manual shift and decent engine note is built in then that will go al long way to fixing some of the shortcomings

Anyway, is soul achievable by being built in? Isn't this something that just 'happens'.

Good post. The 335d is an extremely capable car. For me that alone isn't enough to make me want one and if I did swap the 330i for another BMW it would be for a 335i or M3.

I don't know how a diesel could be 'better' than one of those cars for me. More sensible, more economic, but for me not 'better'.

On the other hand the diesel R8 sounds like it might just be mental enough to pull it off.

[R4R]

Every now and again this term "Soul less" is trotted out to describe a car that might not be extreemly exciting or possibly does everything you want it to do but it just needs putting in its place or something as its a pretender to some sort of throne!

i bought my 335d as a means for me to cover 30,000 mile a year on business. i moved from a E270 cdi and it was 4 years of bloody aweful car. it was mediocre at best!

the 335d whilst being "apparently" soul less allows me to get good mileage and do my bit with reasonable C0 (no i'm not a tree hugger) figures and when required become a back road blaster. i dont really care about the auto box (i prefer them for everyday use, afterall man kind was made intelligent enough to design a box that swaps cogs for you!)

there is little wrong with the 335d if you dont expect it to be a sports coupe/saloon. it is however a consumate vehicle for covering miles at good mpg and hooning it around when you need (and its never often beat as a real world car)

when i had the Merc i bought my Z4 3.0 manual as i needed my "car fix", now i have the coupe i dont take it out that often as it does most things i wanted from my Z4 (except put the roof down).

The 335d IS exactly what its supposed to be, a good car to drive and ride in!

Rant over

[alcook]

Originally Posted by NFS

Good post. The 335d is an extremely capable car. For me that alone isn't enough to make me want one and if I did swap the 330i for another BMW it would be for a 335i or M3.

I don't know how a diesel could be 'better' than one of those cars for me. More sensible, more economic, but for me not 'better'.

On the other hand the diesel R8 sounds like it might just be mental enough to pull it off.

Herein lies the problem of reaching a consensus in this area.

Your choices are very sound and,as you say, are fit for you. Better for me is, amongst other things, the extra MPG and sensibile nature. Having moved from the Scoob, the D MPG and the totally different relaxed and easy drive for daily use was attraction enough. PLUS, the lower insurance and general running costs were a significant factor.

In a few years time, 'better' will have moved on and I'm sure people will have switched a few times to broaden their driving experience.

Now, the R8 sounds interesting!!

[booforty]

DXB v R8 - no contest