[photonic]

Stage 1: Excitement.... in coming to the realization that this will be my next car. I've owned a 2001 X5 4.4 so I'm familiar with the "bugs" these cars have. BTW, the issues with the 335 PALE in comparison to the early model X5's...and nothing was TSA'd, recalled or BMWNA Goodwill'd. I replaced pretty much every electrical and mechanical device/component but the engine and transmission at least twice and both THOSE were puking fluids! Literally too many things replaced to list. Sold it with about 255K miles...bought it with about 60K on it so I put it through it's paces. But....still loved driving that beast. It got me faded yo. Stage duration: 7 months. 7 glorious months of researching specs, posting pics of appealing color schemes on twitter, following 335/M3 fanboys on instagram and ghost-trolling these forums. Just glorious.

Stage 2: Guilt and Remorse....(Internal reflections)>>Why am I getting a coupe? I have a wife and kid for the love of god! Think of the wife and kid...and dog! Fido can sit back there. You won't LET fido set back there. Don't be so selfish..yo. Look at the IS350. I know it sux b@lls and is as soul-less as a Vespa but...but it'll be worry free...just look at the ES300 you're driving now (wife's hand-me-down). Has about 220K miles on it and you've had to replace nothing but your pride. At least ask the wife...see what she says. (Wife says get the coupe..) Stage duration: 2 weeks

Phase 3: Acceptance..and Excitement revisited....in realizing this will be my next car. Already planning road trips which probably won't happen. Contemplating mods which will probably decrease the life of the engine. Imaging which pic angles I'll post first... The X5 felt fun. Like riding a bike for the first time. And just solid. Hard to describe the feeling of driving these beasts. Test drove the 335 Xdrive (2010). Just felt tight. Phase duration: Unknown. Still in this phase. Hopefully I'll stay here until I get the beast within the next 4 weeks or so.

Did any of the current owners experience similar stages/phases and are you still having "Fun"? Probably a loaded question but WTH...

[SkyWalker_J]

Well i'm still in the first 5 months of ownership on my E92 and i'll tell you honestly. I'm having a blast!!

To give you a background i'll tell my quick story.

Graduated college a few years ago. Finally landed my first real job in which I can easily pay monthly bills with plenty of disposable cash leftover. I thought to myself maybe i'll build my old car up to be a monster (its a WS6) then I also thought. Maybe its time for a change

Ever since these came out in 07 I wanted one, but was nowhere near ready to get one as I was working a warehouse job at the time while going through college

So once I decided to do a bit of research to buy one I did exactly what you described in stage 1. Stalked these forums. Pulled pics, asked my buddies...Jet black? Alpine white? Woodgrain? Navigation? AWD or RWD? Decisions decisions

Got my downpayment together (since I decided to keep my old car) went down to the dealer with no intention to buy (lol I know I know). Up until this point I hadn't driven one yet. I drove it and spent a good hour doing a walk around and drilling the salesman with questions he wasn't prepared to answer. Then I finally said OK lets start signing.

That first drive home was


Then I got it home and being my age I got from alot people. Then some remorse set in. "Dude you're only 26 why do you need a car like this?" " You didnt even give yourself enough time to REALLY enjoy the extra money.... great job, idiot" "You have a siberian husky, good look with the fur, bro"

These are things I thought about

Then I installed the JB4 ....nuff said


Still having fun here.. iDrive is a bit fustrating seeing as its the old unit. But I found a shop that will install the new system within 50 miles of my location.



For those that read all that. Thanks for reading!

[wwc310]

The guilt and remorse phase only occurs when you aren't driving. I found myself repeatedly questioning spending the money I did on a car that is leaps and bounds above what I need to drive 10 miles to work every day...then I mash the gas pedal, get tossed into my seat, and am back to being beyond thrilled with every aspect of the 335i. The balance between performance and luxury is unlike any other.

Granted I've only had mine for 2 months, but I don't see this feeling fading anytime soon.

Enjoy the new ride!

[thenewrick]

I bought a convertible so I could haul lots of large objects with the top down.

[cbad335]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

I bought a convertible so I could haul lots of large objects with the top down.

Cool. See that every day on the I5 in SoCal.

[Dark_Knight_335]

You must be a huge fan of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

I take it you read "On Death and Dying" at some point in your life

Ok I'll bite:

My three stages:

1) Excitement
2) Disappointment
3) Remorse

It's still fun to drive, just WAY too many noises and quirks right now.

[Dark_Knight_335]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

I bought a convertible so I could haul lots of large objects with the top down.

You too huh?
Have I got a story for you involving a desk from Wal-Mart, an Interstate, and a 40 degree day

[straightcashhomie]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker_J

Well i'm still in the first 5 months of ownership on my E92 and i'll tell you honestly. I'm having a blast!!

To give you a background i'll tell my quick story.

Graduated college a few years ago. Finally landed my first real job in which I can easily pay monthly bills with plenty of disposable cash leftover. I thought to myself maybe i'll build my old car up to be a monster (its a WS6) then I also thought. Maybe its time for a change

Ever since these came out in 07 I wanted one, but was nowhere near ready to get one as I was working a warehouse job at the time while going through college

So once I decided to do a bit of research to buy one I did exactly what you described in stage 1. Stalked these forums. Pulled pics, asked my buddies...Jet black? Alpine white? Woodgrain? Navigation? AWD or RWD? Decisions decisions

Got my downpayment together (since I decided to keep my old car) went down to the dealer with no intention to buy (lol I know I know). Up until this point I hadn't driven one yet. I drove it and spent a good hour doing a walk around and drilling the salesman with questions he wasn't prepared to answer. Then I finally said OK lets start signing.

That first drive home was


Then I got it home and being my age I got from alot people. Then some remorse set in. "Dude you're only 26 why do you need a car like this?" " You didnt even give yourself enough time to REALLY enjoy the extra money.... great job, idiot" "You have a siberian husky, good look with the fur, bro"

These are things I thought about

Then I installed the JB4 ....nuff said


Still having fun here.. iDrive is a bit fustrating seeing as its the old unit. But I found a shop that will install the new system within 50 miles of my location.



For those that read all that. Thanks for reading!

I'm right dead on with you with this one... except I'm 23 was thinkin to myself why do I need a car of this caliber right now... Then I'm like I'm workin my ass off might as well have somethin I can enjoy.

[jetvet]

What started it all for me was two of my friends bought E90s so it piqued my interest in BMWs. I didn't know what all the hype was about as I've always drove Japanese sport/luxury cars. Then I sat in my friends 335i and he took me for a ride. That's when everything changed. What sold me was the fact that these cars are beasts under the hood with exceptional handling yet practical enough for the family (the e90 anyway).

I spent the better part of 6 months researching the 3 Series. I usually buy new but decided to get a used one with low miles, some balance of the factory warranty remaining and definitely an extended warranty. I picked up an '08 335i (CPO) with about 27k miles on it back last September.

Immediately after I bought the car I went through a period of remorse because I received so much grief from friends and co-workers about buying a BMW. You'd think I hit the lottery and I actually had people ask me that. Truth is, I paid less for this car than I did probably my last 5 cars. It's all about perception, sadly.

I think now I am on the tale end of the honeymoon phase. I still wake up and look forward to driving it to work because it's such an awesome car to drive, especially when you put your foot down or hit that twisty back road. But then there are times I get paranoid and think "what's next" because my car has been in the shop so much lately (albeit for minor things).

[NN]

These are good points for someone like me to read. I am looking at picking up 335i 6spd RWD. Right now there are just two things hold me back (also have always had Japanese cars), one is getting a 335i with issues and, two cost of ownership for these cars.

Also thinking that if I hold off for another year or two and save up some money for an e90 m3 might be better.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. lol

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by photonic

Stage 1: Excitement.... in coming to the realization that this will be my next car. I've owned a 2001 X5 4.4 so I'm familiar with the "bugs" these cars have. BTW, the issues with the 335 PALE in comparison to the early model X5's...and nothing was TSA'd, recalled or BMWNA Goodwill'd. I replaced pretty much every electrical and mechanical device/component but the engine and transmission at least twice and both THOSE were puking fluids! Literally too many things replaced to list. Sold it with about 255K miles...bought it with about 60K on it so I put it through it's paces. But....still loved driving that beast. It got me faded yo. Stage duration: 7 months. 7 glorious months of researching specs, posting pics of appealing color schemes on twitter, following 335/M3 fanboys on instagram and ghost-trolling these forums. Just glorious.

Stage 2: Guilt and Remorse....(Internal reflections)>>Why am I getting a coupe? I have a wife and kid for the love of god! Think of the wife and kid...and dog! Fido can sit back there. You won't LET fido set back there. Don't be so selfish..yo. Look at the IS350. I know it sux b@lls and is as soul-less as a Vespa but...but it'll be worry free...just look at the ES300 you're driving now (wife's hand-me-down). Has about 220K miles on it and you've had to replace nothing but your pride. At least ask the wife...see what she says. (Wife says get the coupe..) Stage duration: 2 weeks

Phase 3: Acceptance..and Excitement revisited....in realizing this will be my next car. Already planning road trips which probably won't happen. Contemplating mods which will probably decrease the life of the engine. Imaging which pic angles I'll post first... The X5 felt fun. Like riding a bike for the first time. And just solid. Hard to describe the feeling of driving these beasts. Test drove the 335 Xdrive (2010). Just felt tight. Phase duration: Unknown. Still in this phase. Hopefully I'll stay here until I get the beast within the next 4 weeks or so.

Did any of the current owners experience similar stages/phases and are you still having "Fun"? Probably a loaded question but WTH...

I went through the excitement for a few months...that turned to guilt as I began to learn of BMW drivers rep . That turned to anger as it started to break down.....HPFP, injectors (3 at a time because they refused to do them all at once even though they knew the other 3 would go...and they did), radio died, hvac fan, every steering component...etc etc. Happy again...its gone.

[photonic]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker_J

Well i'm still in the first 5 months of ownership on my E92 and i'll tell you honestly. I'm having a blast!!

To give you a background i'll tell my quick story.

Graduated college a few years ago. Finally landed my first real job in which I can easily pay monthly bills with plenty of disposable cash leftover. I thought to myself maybe i'll build my old car up to be a monster (its a WS6) then I also thought. Maybe its time for a change

Ever since these came out in 07 I wanted one, but was nowhere near ready to get one as I was working a warehouse job at the time while going through college

So once I decided to do a bit of research to buy one I did exactly what you described in stage 1. Stalked these forums. Pulled pics, asked my buddies...Jet black? Alpine white? Woodgrain? Navigation? AWD or RWD? Decisions decisions

Got my downpayment together (since I decided to keep my old car) went down to the dealer with no intention to buy (lol I know I know). Up until this point I hadn't driven one yet. I drove it and spent a good hour doing a walk around and drilling the salesman with questions he wasn't prepared to answer. Then I finally said OK lets start signing.

That first drive home was


Then I got it home and being my age I got from alot people. Then some remorse set in. "Dude you're only 26 why do you need a car like this?" " You didnt even give yourself enough time to REALLY enjoy the extra money.... great job, idiot" "You have a siberian husky, good look with the fur, bro"

These are things I thought about

Then I installed the JB4 ....nuff said


Still having fun here.. iDrive is a bit fustrating seeing as its the old unit. But I found a shop that will install the new system within 50 miles of my location.



For those that read all that. Thanks for reading!

Roger that. Figured i wasn't alone. Hey, YOLO right.

[photonic]

Originally Posted by wchilds310

The guilt and remorse phase only occurs when you aren't driving. I found myself repeatedly questioning spending the money I did on a car that is leaps and bounds above what I need to drive 10 miles to work every day...then I mash the gas pedal, get tossed into my seat, and am back to being beyond thrilled with every aspect of the 335i. The balance between performance and luxury is unlike any other.

Granted I've only had mine for 2 months, but I don't see this feeling fading anytime soon.

Enjoy the new ride!

Thanks. Now trying to find one with a good service history to reduce my chances of running into problems early on...

[photonic]

Originally Posted by Dark_Knight_335

You must be a huge fan of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

I take it you read "On Death and Dying" at some point in your life

Ok I'll bite:

My three stages:

1) Excitement
2) Disappointment
3) Remorse

It's still fun to drive, just WAY too many noises and quirks right now.

Dark k, do the noises go away when you put the top up?

[Dark_Knight_335]

Originally Posted by photonic

Dark k, do the noises go away when you put the top up?

Haha, no- they get worse!
I enjoyed the post though, seriously. Passion is a lost art in the world- enjoy your car in good health!

[photonic]

Originally Posted by jetvet

What started it all for me was two of my friends bought E90s so it piqued my interest in BMWs. I didn't know what all the hype was about as I've always drove Japanese sport/luxury cars. Then I sat in my friends 335i and he took me for a ride. That's when everything changed. What sold me was the fact that these cars are beasts under the hood with exceptional handling yet practical enough for the family (the e90 anyway).

I spent the better part of 6 months researching the 3 Series. I usually buy new but decided to get a used one with low miles, some balance of the factory warranty remaining and definitely an extended warranty. I picked up an '08 335i (CPO) with about 27k miles on it back last September.

Immediately after I bought the car I went through a period of remorse because I received so much grief from friends and co-workers about buying a BMW. You'd think I hit the lottery and I actually had people ask me that. Truth is, I paid less for this car than I did probably my last 5 cars. It's all about perception, sadly.

I think now I am on the tale end of the honeymoon phase. I still wake up and look forward to driving it to work because it's such an awesome car to drive, especially when you put your foot down or hit that twisty back road. But then there are times I get paranoid and think "what's next" because my car has been in the shop so much lately (albeit for minor things).

I hear you jetvet. I went the the same round of questioning when i had the X5 but like you said, i bought it used and it was cheaper than most of my buddies cars new. All that said, i wouldnt have been able to afford it if it wasn't ME doing all the repairs. Forums and tutorials got a long way for the shadetree mechanic

[SkyWalker_J]

Originally Posted by photonic

Roger that. Figured i wasn't alone. Hey, YOLO right.

Exactly, I thought to myself well if not now then when? later when I have a family of my own? Probably not..

So I ended up pulling the trigger... so far so good.

[Dr_Dooms]

Originally Posted by straightcashhomie

I'm right dead on with you with this one... except I'm 23 was thinkin to myself why do I need a car of this caliber right now... Then I'm like I'm workin my ass off might as well have somethin I can enjoy.

same exact thing man!
I'm 23 as well, on a daily basis people are like "what the hell do you need a car like that for", "do you really want a $650 a month car payment?", "you're an idiot". but at the end of the day, we work for it. and every time I get in my car I'm like I LOVE THIS CAR.. and that's why I feel perfectly fine with it.

Oh and girls freaking love the car. that is a major plus seeing that I'm young and single!

[John 070]

The only stages were: 1. Euphoria, first BMW, tracked from the factory to the ship to the port. Lasted about 2 yrs. and 11 mos.

2. Extreme disgust, car randomly stalled for no reason, multiple trips to the dealership claiming they can't duplicate and nothing is wrong, stalled leaving their parking lot, finally drove back without an appointment, left it running, and told them to fix it. They kept the car nearly 3 weeks.

3. Extreme satisfaction, 100% trouble-free for about 34 mos. now. The E92 335 with the N54 is in the sweet spot. M3 better? Of course. But getting 21.7 mpg commuting, and 30+ on the highway?

Short of buying a vehicle that was trashed, if you buy a used 335i, somebody else went through stage 2, not you = WINNING

[photonic]

Originally Posted by John 070

The only stages were: 1. Euphoria, first BMW, tracked from the factory to the ship to the port. Lasted about 2 yrs. and 11 mos.

2. Extreme disgust, car randomly stalled for no reason, multiple trips to the dealership claiming they can't duplicate and nothing is wrong, stalled leaving their parking lot, finally drove back without an appointment, left it running, and told them to fix it. They kept the car nearly 3 weeks.

3. Extreme satisfaction, 100% trouble-free for about 34 mos. now. The E92 335 with the N54 is in the sweet spot. M3 better? Of course. But getting 21.7 mpg commuting, and 30+ on the highway?

Short of buying a vehicle that was trashed, if you buy a used 335i, somebody else went through stage 2, not you = WINNING

I like your formula

[nOshi]

owning a 335 is best described as a love hate relationship.

[photonic]

Originally Posted by nOshi

owning a 335 is best described as a love hate relationship.

Agreed. People dont buy BMWs for their reliability. "The ultimate driving me crazy machine"