[Ryan87]

As above,

Im after opinions please?


I currently have a 325D that covered a grand total of 9000 miles last year and cost me a DPF in the process.

Having recently purchased our first home were now closer to work and the 3 is either sat in the garage or doing short town runs (a sure way to ruin another dpf).

Im considering going back to petrol but having now owned a BMW im reluctant to go back to a "hot hatch" like I had previously.


Has anyone gone from a six cylinder diesel to petrol? Im aware it's quite a rare transition these days but Im curious as to how you found the performance delivery and general styles different over an extended time.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[webwysard]

Had a 325d myself and changed that with a 130i, slightly disappointed being a naturally aspirited but after few days just loved it and then changed that with a 335i.

Do it and you will never look back.

[dxb335d]

Not a straight swap but went from a tuned 335d to an E46 M3, but with a two year gap between.

Both similar performance (acceleration wise) but very VERY different deliveries.. the M3 a far more complete package also.

A 335i is a good car but make sure you have a warranty,

P.S your DPF didn't go because of 9k miles a year, what mileage was the car on? What journeys did it do? I think you were unlucky.

[Ryan87]

Originally Posted by webwysard

Had a 325d myself and changed that with a 130i, slightly disappointed being a naturally aspirited but after few days just loved it and then changed that with a 335i.

Do it and you will never look back.

The lack of torque is what worries me,

I've gotten used to being lazy and letting the car pull from low down so not sure how Id get on with a diesel.

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Not a straight swap but went from a tuned 335d to an E46 M3, but with a two year gap between.

Both similar performance (acceleration wise) but the M3 a far more complete package.

A 335i is a good car but make sure you have a warranty,

I've seen one or two M3's and Id love a 335i.

Unfortunately the other half is only 22 and were trying to get her on the insurance so going too mad is sadly out of the window at the moment.

[Ryan87]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

P.S your DPF didn't go because of 9k miles a year, what mileage was the car on? What journeys did it do? I think you were unlucky.

It was only doing short journeys which was what contributed to it. I was told by several dealers when looking for the car that the E90 didn't have a DPF and stupidly believed them instead of doing a bit more research.

The car had just turned over 71k and as far as im aware was the original DPF.

[andy9188]

I have been told by bmw that the dpf's are meant to be good for 125k obviously this depends on your length of journey and speeds. 71k could be a bit premature but i suppose it depends on what the previous owner has done or not done with it in this case. You should have tried to claim good will from bmw. Ive recently gone from a 335d to a petrol. And like carl said the 335i does have alot of common issues so make sure you have a fully comprehensive warranty ideally from bmw. A 130i may be a nice compromise

[Ryan87]

Originally Posted by andy9188

I have been told by bmw that the dpf's are meant to be good for 125k obviously this depends on your length of journey and speeds. 71k could be a bit premature but i suppose it depends on what the previous owner has done or not done with it in this case. You should have tried to claim good will from bmw. Ive recently gone from a 335d to a petrol. And like carl said the 335i does have alot of common issues so make sure you have a fully comprehensive warranty ideally from bmw. A 130i may be a nice compromise

I was told that it was a consumable part and they weren't prepared to offer any form of assistance even though it had failed at "low" mileage. They said the driver profile was fine though.

As said, unfortunately a 35i is out of the equation due to the other half and the insurance companies.

Im tempted by a 130i but then they always seem a tad small when I see them on the road.

[m thriller]

you would be suprised at how cheap the insurance for a 335i is mate...........try a few quotes, there really not that bad.

[Kerr]

I've read a few guys moving from the 35d over to the 3.0 N54/N55 petrol in recent weeks and all loved the change.

Jon D was the only one on here.

The 335i for some reason is very cheap to insure. From all the how much do you pay threads on here, 335i owners seem to be the cheapest.

I don't think we are all oldies either.

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Kerr

I've read a few guys moving from the 35d over to the 3.0 N54/N55 petrol in recent weeks and all loved the change.

Jon D was the only one on here.

The 335i for some reason is very cheap to insure. From all the how much do you pay threads on here, 335i owners seem to be the cheapest.

I don't think we are all oldies either.

i'm 25..insurance wants 6k , 6 points on license ,living at good residential area, no crash and no ncb lol
on my dad's insurance now , 800 pounds ....

[chrisbmwcy]

My DPF needed replacement on 90000 miles. I took it out, cleaned it, put back on and everything is fine now. I am happy with the diesel, nice torque.

If I would of changed I would go directly to a 335i E92 or an F30 328i (for the economy and the new looks)

[HighlandPete]

I've made the change back to petrol, from the E91 330d.

If I was driving higher mileage I'd have stayed with diesel, but as I'm a low mileage user in my BMW these days, petrol was on the cards again.

The diesel saves very little (if anything) in running costs at lower miles, and I also was finding I'd be over shooting home or destinations, just to complete DPF regenerations, due to my useage. So seemed pointless to have another diesel doing the same thing.

I know diesel surge, grunt and effortless driving style is the forte of diesel engines, particularly the bigger ones, but to be fair the 3.0i turbo petrol isn't lacking in its power delivery. Not sure I'd have gone for a 3.0i NA model, as the engines do need some revs to get going, but once we add the turbo, then we level the playing field to a much greater degree.

I've gone for the 535i touring, so not a 3 - 3-series change, but find the engine a superb bit of kit, plenty of go, and a touch of refinement the diesel engines just don't give us. The vibration free idle, the silky smooth delivery, and that ability to 'extend' the engine revs.

Do I miss the diesel torque? No not really, the petrol is slightly different, 'softer' but just as fast to build mph without needing top end revs, but to me even more rewarding to drive.

Economy... about 10% more cost to fuel the same driving, that is about 2 - 3 pence a mile, nothing in the scheme of things, with cars that cost around £1 a mile to run over 3 -years and about 8k miles per annum.

HighlandPete

[s2rv]

I changed from a remapped 330d to a M135i.

I realise they're completely different cars, but I haven't looked back, obviously fuel consumption is higher, but the sound is amazing and the responsiveness is way better. I'd actually forgotten what a petrol engine was like. I don't do huge mileage pa, probably 10k.

As much as I loved the torque of the diesel the petrol gives me way more smiles per miles.....

[xPETEZx]

I would not rule out the 335i on insurance cost without checking.
I was very surprised how the engine made no difference to my quotes.
They all came in at about £950-£1050 whether I picked a 320d / 320i / 325d / 325i / 330d / 330i /335i
I am driving a 325i (so 3.0 NA) and I do find to get moving when doing say 50 - 60 mph, you NEED to drop 1-2 cogs or you are just not going anywhere.
Even the little 120d I drove had more pull at this point.

Still, far more smilies in the 325i! So much smoother to drive, and off the line its much quicker!

[J44KPR]

I'm 21 and I pay £836 insurance on my 335i

I much prefer turbo cars, the low down torque is much more fun and easier on lazy drives

[Jon D]

I've just switched from a 535d to a 640i (both 3 litre) and agree entirely with what Highland Pete says.
It's the smoothness, lack of noise at low revs and the glorious exhaust note when pushed that I notice more than anything.
There's also a welcome aspect of the significantly reduced warm-up time, which I noticed only yesterday - I was getting warm air from the heater within less than 5 minutes of starting the car from cold.

[ALF_E90]

I think the OP will notice a major difference - whether that is an issue to him depends on what he likes from an engine.

I like the reviness and instant throttle reponse that only an NA petrol will give you - but I am sometimes caught out in my car, wishing I had stuck it in sport mode before putting my foot down, and I can see that people used to a good diesel may have problems with how flat it can feel if you expect too much at low revs.

I have been in 335i's and I have to say I would break my "no turbos" rule for them, the downsides of turbocharging are barely present and the upside is thrust from low revs that I can only dream of. That's what you get from a light pressure turbo rather than one that is doubling the power of the NA version. Unless I get a trackday car as well as the 330, my next most likely choices are 135i, M135i, or 335i. Keeping my license and using more fuel would be my main concerns...