[Got_Diesel]

Recently took the 335d in for some tires. Had two bubbles in two tires. Lucky for Road & Tire Hazard.

They gave me a 328d x-drive loaner which I was very excited for!

I have always hated the F30 because it's steering sucked. It felt like a lexus. So soft and mushy. For 2014, BMW has rectified the electric steering and has made it much better and much more bearable.

So the 328d's engine is pretty powerful. It's not crazy powerful but it does move well. It sounds like crap. Feels like a refined version of my sisters Jetta TDI. It sounds horrid, like every car I've been in when I was last in Europe. The engine is torquey and the 8 speed transmission suits it well. If we had an 8 speed I could only imagine how much better our cars could be.

Idrive has been improved a lot. The knob that you can draw on is a nice touch. Traffic maps were nice too. The fuel economy impressed me. I got 39mpg in it here in NYC and that was highway, city & traffic. I'd get 29-31mpg in the 335d in similar driving and I was not nice to the 328d.

Overall, not a bad car. It is expensive but the fuel economy is very impressive. Almost 200 miles and less than 5 gallons of fuel. If it were rwd it would be even better. The ride was also much more comfortable than our cars. I would like it more with some sport touches though.

When I got back in my 335d, I missed it so much. Our engines feel lazy yet powerful compared to the 328d which loves to rev and feels so lively..for a diesel. Our car feels a lot more solid, especially the seats and the steering. I was happy to be back in the 335d but the 328d is not a bad choice if you want lots of efficiency.

[dixy2k]

335d is not lazy, but the 8 speed tranny does a very good job in keeping the 4 cyl in it's power band. Most of the time 335d falls below it's optimum power band (just over 1000 RPM) and you either wait for the engine to rev up, or you step on it and kick down to a lower gear.
The lag we get in our cars is mainly due to the tranny.

[starrfyr]

I had the 328d twice for a few days each time. I like the car but would NEVER recommend it. Why? OK, the Pro's ... 1) It's a BMW and drives like one, 2) The fuel economy is incredible. Now, the Con's ... 1) It has more road noise than my E90, 2) It's absolutely gutless; the only thing more gutless is the 320i which might as well be sold by Toyota, and 3) They want well over 40K. I can get a Golf TDI for 26k loaded ... 40K?!? Someone was passing around the crack pipe when the decision to make that car was made.

OK, it sounds like I'm a hater but I'm really not. I drove the car a lot. I like it. But, my 335d beats the crap out of the 328d in every category except mileage. And, while I'm cruising I-5 at 80-85 mph and still pulling down 35-37 mpg depending on the terrain, I don't miss the extra 6 mpg the 328d gives me. IMHO, the "darling" of the F3x series is the 328i. Decent performance, decent mileage, great ride, and it won't empty your bank account.

Oh, and dixy2k, your point is well taken and that's why ZF included an "M" option

[DieselRacer]

Front wheel drive would kill It for me, I would never pay the premium for the 328d when I could get a Jetta tdi or Passat tdi, and save a ton of cash and still have a very nice car, now the 335d is in a whole other ballgame, can anyone say european MUSCLE CAR...

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Damn Im dumb I thought it was a RWD car duh!! Id get a proven car like a Jetta TDi

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by Got_Diesel

...They gave me a 328d x-drive loaner which I was very excited for!

...If it were rwd it would be even better.

Originally Posted by DieselRacer

Front wheel drive would kill It for me, I would never pay the premium for the 328d when I could get a Jetta tdi or Passat tdi,...

Got_diesel was commenting on xDrive vs. the standard RWD 328d.

[AzureHaze]

Originally Posted by dixy2k

The lag we get in our cars is mainly due to the tranny.

It would be interesting to see a DCT on a diesel though. Especially a PDK.

[Clearmysix]

Originally Posted by starrfyr

I had the 328d twice for a few days each time. I like the car but would NEVER recommend it. Why? OK, the Pro's ... 1) It's a BMW and drives like one, 2) The fuel economy is incredible. Now, the Con's ... 1) It has more road noise than my E90, 2) It's absolutely gutless; the only thing more gutless is the 320i which might as well be sold by Toyota, and 3) They want well over 40K. I can get a Golf TDI for 26k loaded ... 40K?!? Someone was passing around the crack pipe when the decision to make that car was made.

OK, it sounds like I'm a hater but I'm really not. I drove the car a lot. I like it. But, my 335d beats the crap out of the 328d in every category except mileage. And, while I'm cruising I-5 at 80-85 mph and still pulling down 35-37 mpg depending on the terrain, I don't miss the extra 6 mpg the 328d gives me. IMHO, the "darling" of the F3x series is the 328i. Decent performance, decent mileage, great ride, and it won't empty your bank account.

Oh, and dixy2k, your point is well taken and that's why ZF included an "M" option

So I just sold my 335d. I really miss it. Have a 328d now. 42.2k MSRP and a 35.5k buying price made it a good buy for me. My 335d had 80k miles on it and I wanted to get into something less expensive (monthly payment, upcoming maintenance, etc).

As far as engines: The 335d is more powerful and wonderful in every way (sound, torque, FUNNNN!!). I agree that a 8-speed tranny in the 335d would make it the perfect car.

MPG: It's not just a 7mpg difference. Its more like a 12-15mpg difference. When I was driving the I-5 85mph I was getting 36mpg with the 335d. Now I am easily getting 49mpg. When in town I would get around 24mpg with the 335d, now I'm consistently in the mid-upper 30s without trying.

Ride: 328d is much softer, quieter, and leisurely.

Steering: I can steer the 328d with my pinky finger - but it can still be sporty and not that bad. I felt like steering the 335d was a workout - although very precise. My father once drove it and came back to tell me he thought the power steering was broken - HA.

Overall I feel like I upgraded my car but downgraded my fun. Opening up the 335d was such a thrill.

Going to get a 535d one day..

[Thud]

Originally Posted by Clearmysix

So I just sold my 335d. I really miss it. Have a 328d now. 42.2k MSRP and a 35.5k buying price made it a good buy for me. My 335d had 80k miles on it and I wanted to get into something less expensive (monthly payment, upcoming maintenance, etc).

As far as engines: The 335d is more powerful and wonderful in every way (sound, torque, FUNNNN!!). I agree that a 8-speed tranny in the 335d would make it the perfect car.

MPG: It's not just a 7mpg difference. Its more like a 12-15mpg difference. When I was driving the I-5 85mph I was getting 36mpg with the 335d. Now I am easily getting 49mpg. When in town I would get around 24mpg with the 335d, now I'm consistently in the mid-upper 30s without trying.

Ride: 328d is much softer, quieter, and leisurely.

Steering: I can steer the 328d with my pinky finger - but it can still be sporty and not that bad. I felt like steering the 335d was a workout - although very precise. My father once drove it and came back to tell me he thought the power steering was broken - HA.

Overall I feel like I upgraded my car but downgraded my fun. Opening up the 335d was such a thrill.

Going to get a 535d one day..

Nice comparison. I want to keep my 335d for a while longer, but from what I've read here it's just a ticking time bomb of carbon buildup, even though it's (knock on wood trim) been the most reliable car I've owned so far.
43k miles and the only issue has been the squealing AC belt (and EGR recall).

Rather than get the extended warranty, I'll probably just keep it and then if/when CBU becomes an issue then that's a good time to trade it in.

I'd love to see how an A6 TDI compares.

[GreekboyD]

Originally Posted by Thud

Nice comparison. I want to keep my 335d for a while longer, but from what I've read here it's just a ticking time bomb of carbon buildup, even though it's (knock on wood trim) been the most reliable car I've owned so far.
43k miles and the only issue has been the squealing AC belt (and EGR recall).

Rather than get the extended warranty, I'll probably just keep it and then if/when CBU becomes an issue then that's a good time to trade it in.

I'd love to see how an A6 TDI compares.

CBU will not cost you a whole lot if you go the indy route. You're looking at $2000 going the dealer route.

[grzes]

in my mind we can't really compare 328d to 335d, engine differences are huge, hard for 4 cylinder to compete and be compared to the 6 cylinder engine. But I do love how economical 328d is in the city. On the highway I did not see much difference (yes 328 was better on miles but not significantly for me to choose it over 335d). Inside, yes 328 has more room but I found it a bit nosier and the engine sound is hmm, what can I say, I like my noise of 6 cylinders responding to what I do and expect from the car .
Anyway, I think overal 328d is a good car but not a replacement for the 335d unless your goal is to be more economical.
cheers

[DbLog]

EcoMode

[dixy2k]

Originally Posted by GreekboyD

CBU will not cost you a whole lot if you go the indy route. You're looking at $2000 going the dealer route.

I got a quote for $4000 at one dealer and $5100 at a different one.

[Pierre Louis]

Originally Posted by DieselRacer

Front wheel drive would kill It for me, I would never pay the premium for the 328d when I could get a Jetta tdi or Passat tdi, and save a ton of cash and still have a very nice car, now the 335d is in a whole other ballgame, can anyone say european MUSCLE CAR...

I drove a 5 cylinder gasser Jetta rental from Montclair NJ to Northampton MA through lots of traffic and on winding CT highways. ANY BMW 3 series would have been a better ride. The Jetta was a big disappointment. Maybe it was the cheapest plastic rental version, but I expected much more as to steering, suspension, and refinement. Otherwise, the engine was fine.

PL

[DieselRacer]

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

I drove a 5 cylinder gasser Jetta rental from Montclair NJ to Northampton MA through lots of traffic and on winding CT highways. ANY BMW 3 series would have been a better ride. The Jetta was a big disappointment. Maybe it was the cheapest plastic rental version, but I expected much more as to steering, suspension, and refinement. Otherwise, the engine was fine.

PL

Same hp for 20k more for the BMW, no thanks...335d or no BMW for me...

[DieselRacer]

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

I drove a 5 cylinder gasser Jetta rental from Montclair NJ to Northampton MA through lots of traffic and on winding CT highways. ANY BMW 3 series would have been a better ride. The Jetta was a big disappointment. Maybe it was the cheapest plastic rental version, but I expected much more as to steering, suspension, and refinement. Otherwise, the engine was fine.

PL

Those are junk the 5 cylinder, the VW TDI is a whole other car...awesome car...

[Pierre Louis]

Originally Posted by DieselRacer

Those are junk the 5 cylinder, the VW TDI is a whole other car...awesome car...

What? The engine was fine. The rest of the car handled like a 10 year old economy car....

[DieselRacer]

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

What? The engine was fine. The rest of the car handled like a 10 year old economy car....

DID YOU SEE THE MPG, compared to a tdi, and the tdi is faster...

[DieselRacer]

Originally Posted by DbLog

EcoMode

That is an awesome picture, thanks for sharing...what is ecomode?

[Pierre Louis]

Originally Posted by DieselRacer

DID YOU SEE THE MPG, compared to a tdi, and the tdi is faster...

Not what I was talking about. I drove the thing! Having owned two New Beetle GLS TDI's, the rental base Jetta was a major disappointment. It had uncomfortable vinyl seats, a lousy suspension, a standard slush box (not a DSG) and jittery steering. The engine was OK, if a bit more thirsty than a TDI. There was enough power, not too different from a TDI, in the 5 cylinder gasser.

Just reporting how my long distance trip was more of a penalty box than a European car experience. I just would not put Jetta's in the same league as BMW 3 series.

[DieselRacer]

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

Not what I was talking about. I drove the thing! Having owned two New Beetle GLS TDI's, the rental base Jetta was a major disappointment. It had uncomfortable vinyl seats, a lousy suspension, a standard slush box (not a DSG) and jittery steering. The engine was OK, if a bit more thirsty than a TDI. There was enough power, not too different from a TDI, in the 5 cylinder gasser.

Just reporting how my long distance trip was more of a penalty box than a European car experience. I just would not put Jetta's in the same league as BMW 3 series.

A Jetta tdi has the same engine as an AUDI tdi and those are direct compition with the BMW 328d, so the same engine class is what im talking about so their is a valid comparison, I only car about the engines in cars everything else I aleays change in the aftermarket anyway...

[starrfyr]

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

Not what I was talking about. I drove the thing! Having owned two New Beetle GLS TDI's, the rental base Jetta was a major disappointment. It had uncomfortable vinyl seats, a lousy suspension, a standard slush box (not a DSG) and jittery steering. The engine was OK, if a bit more thirsty than a TDI. There was enough power, not too different from a TDI, in the 5 cylinder gasser.

Just reporting how my long distance trip was more of a penalty box than a European car experience. I just would not put Jetta's in the same league as BMW 3 series.

You need an VW update. In 2011, the first year for the MKVI, the Jetta/Golf platform was de-contented. Gone was the soft touch interior and enter the shitty vinyl. Also gone was the MLRS. Now, in 2012, VW realized it had made an error so for the TDI the interior was brought back to the previous MkV standard. But, only the Golf TDI had the MLRS restored. The Jetta TDI was stuck with torsion bars.

Now, as a former owner of a 2010 (the last model year before VW fucked everything up) Jetta TDI, the very same TDI I traded in for my beloved 335d, I can tell you it was a very tough decision. I'm not going to stand on a soapbox and state that my Jetta was anywhere near as nice as my 335d, except for mileage. But, dollar for dollar, my Jetta wins hands down. So, why did I trade? Because I love TORQUE ... I don't care much for dollars.