[richk84]

Ive been looking at getting back into a petrol car as i simply don't do the mileage to warrant a Diesel. I had been set on going for 335i LCI DCT. However they are still going for strong money, especially at the dealers. So ive decided to include 330i's in my search.

I'm wanting to know what current 330i auto owners think? Any regrets about not getting a 335i? Have any of you got the performance exhaust?

[ahmedb]

Firstly, I'm a 330d owner and not a 330i owner but here's my 2p worth.

Go for the 335i. You will probably feel regret whenever you see a 335 on the road. The 330d worked for me over the 335d (I've owned both) as I wanted the manual box and the difference in economy was important to me but if I was in your shoes, I would hold out for the right car.

335's are awesome. The look of the car, the sound and performance is amazing and with that DCT box the gear changes are super quick when you want them to be. When the speed novelty wears a little thin, you can also go for a remap which will re-ignite your love with the performance.

If you can wait another 6 months, I'm sure the prices will drop around winter time

[imy]

Originally Posted by richk84

Ive been looking at getting back into a petrol car as i simply don't do the mileage to warrant a Diesel. I had been set on going for 335i LCI DCT. However they are still going for strong money, especially at the dealers. So ive decided to include 330i's in my search.

I'm wanting to know what current 330i auto owners think? Any regrets about not getting a 335i? Have any of you got the performance exhaust?

If its strong money, why would you look at a 330i as an alternative? Why not look for 335i's that are in your budget?

Ive heard that 330i's are great cars and I have no doubt about that, but if your specifically looking for a 335i I don't think getting a 330i will give you satisfaction.

[BMW-330i]

I've got a 330i M-Sport e90 and have no regrets after nearly three years of ownership. They are great cars, less to go wrong than a 335i and enough performance to keep me smiling. E90 are now getting old and the 335i have more to go wrong which will cost big when the turbos go wronge. The 330i is the last naturally aspirated engines to come from BMW which for me was a deciding factor. You can get a stunning 330i with lots of kit for the same price as a low spec 335i. Both great cars, but reliability was a hudge factor for me. Get the M-Sport either way, they still look nice and invest in a Eibach B12 suspension upgrade with non run-flats, it'll make a world of difference.

[richk84]

Thanks guys - All good points and I would like to think prices would drop in 6 months. Most of the nice 335i's at the moment are 22-25k which is ridiculous if you ask me! I probably would regret it a little but the 330i are a lot cheaper and that's why they have peaked my interest and got me thinking.

The car will still be my daily and i will be doing roughly 10k a year so I want a reliable car. The reading that I've done suggests that both the n53 (330) and n55 (335) are both great engines and still provide decent-ish economy.

I've not really looked at n54(335i's) as my current car is a LCI and i dont think i could go back to a pre-LCI as i much prefer the LCI look. Also i think the other 2 engines are a bit more reliable than the n54

[Rialas]

Originally Posted by richk84

Thanks guys - All good points and I would like to think prices would drop in 6 months. Most of the nice 335i's at the moment are 22-25k which is ridiculous if you ask me! I probably would regret it a little but the 330i are a lot cheaper and that's why they have peaked my interest and got me thinking.

The car will still be my daily and i will be doing roughly 10k a year so I want a reliable car. The reading that I've done suggests that both the n53 (330) and n55 (335) are both great engines and still provide decent-ish economy.

I've not really looked at n54(335i's) as my current car is a LCI and i dont think i could go back to a pre-LCI as i much prefer the LCI look. Also i think the other 2 engines are a bit more reliable than the n54

Never seen them valued that high.
Wbac offered me £7.8k for my 335i lci m sport. Jokers. That's before them knowing it has a misfire.

If you buy one, keep it stock, and never tamper or remap it.

[DriverLDN]

I've owned my 330i now for just about 2.5 years now and love it.

I was very tempted to go for the 335i but reading about all the problems people seem to have with them, I was a little put off. I don't regret having a 330i over the 335i, I enjoy driving it day in day out, never fails to make me smile.

Only problem I have had with the car so far is a failed waterpump. Other than that everything else has just been routine maintenance.

I do about 15k miles a year.

[essex_lad]

I have no complaints about my 330I. I have a custom 335 style back box and it sounds great.

I do sometimes wish I had a 335 when I see them fly past me but then again a 330 still eats a lot of cars for breakfast. Also not having a turbo car puts your mind at ease that you won't have a turbo replacement bill one day.

[Malcolm E Boo]

I have a 330i auto E93.

In day to day performance terms it is all the car you need. Yes the 335i is quicker but in real world acceleration, overtaking and high speed cruising etc the 330i is very good indeed.

Add in the fact that there is less to go wrong it is (for me) a no brainer.

I changed out of a Boxster to the E93. The ease of driving also helps. It is super smooth and unhurried. I find more overtly sporty cars like a Boxster or a 335i/M3 get a bit draining after a while of driving as they require the driver to be more involved all the time. The 330i is less tiring on a long drive (if that makes sense, It does to me at least) as it is easier to zone out a bit.

[Dormermike]

F10 272ps 530i here and it is not lacking acceleration by any means even with the extra weight. The autobox has 8 gears so that helps a lot.

[imy]

The exx won't have 8 gears though.

Op, if you have no intentions of tuning or tracking and it will be a daily then a 330i is a sensible choice. I only do around 3k a yr in my 335i as it's purely a hobby car so I can live with the piss poor consumption and all the other aggro that comes with it. I love it to bits though and don't think I will be getting rid for a long time.

[Robin330i]

I have a 330i auto and enjoy it, it does the job really. Can't say whether I regret not getting a 335i as I have never driven one so can't comment.

[richk84]

Ive made my mind up and gone for a 330i e93. Deposit has been paid and i collect in a few weeks. I test drove both and decided that the 330i suited my needs better as a daily.

The car itself is a pre-LCI with a great spec! Wont be doing much to it in terms of mods, nice set of 313's, LCI tails and a drop! Oh and the Performance Exhaust so i can here that engine sing with the roof down

[AndyT330i]

Originally Posted by richk84

Ive made my mind up and gone for a 330i e93. Deposit has been paid and i collect in a few weeks. I test drove both and decided that the 330i suited my needs better as a daily.

The car itself is a pre-LCI with a great spec! Wont be doing much to it in terms of mods, nice set of 313's, LCI tails and a drop! Oh and the Performance Exhaust so i can here that engine sing with the roof down

Enjoy it

[Joshbm]

I have an E93 330i and I love it, considering my bro has a 335 and had about 4 issues in the short time he owned it I deff think I made the right choice. When using the paddles in sport mode its a different car!

[richk84]

Thanks guys. I think i will upgrade the paddles to m3 ones too, but i think they can be pricey?

[BMW-330i]

A good M3 DCT steering wheel costs about £300, and fitting roughly £150. So can work out quite expensive. I'm in the process of doing the upgrade as I had no paddles, not sure I would bother if I already had SSG paddles. You can either buy a harness from burgertuning for a simple DIY or get a helpful indy to create your own harness. Either way, it works out around the same price. If you buy an M-Sport you can also resell the old steering wheel for about £150 which offsets the cost of an upgrade.

[dy63]

just keep an eye out on the bay. I paid £150 for my DCT m3 steering wheel with paddles virtually brand new...if your in no rush then just wait for the stuff you want to come up at good prices.

you made the right decision on car. 335s are nice but they come with more problems then 330s in both petrol and diesels

looking forward to seeing the pics!

[richk84]

Originally Posted by BMW-330i

A good M3 DCT steering wheel costs about £300, and fitting roughly £150. So can work out quite expensive. I'm in the process of doing the upgrade as I had no paddles, not sure I would bother if I already had SSG paddles. You can either buy a harness from burgertuning for a simple DIY or get a helpful indy to create your own harness. Either way, it works out around the same price. If you buy an M-Sport you can also resell the old steering wheel for about £150 which offsets the cost of an upgrade.

As my new car already has the paddles, albeit the older ones i should be able to upgrade them to the LCI/m3 ones where they operate differently. I dont really want to have to replace my whole steering wheel

[Phil99z]

Originally Posted by richk84

Wont be doing much to it in terms of mods

Haha! The more time you spend on here the more mods you end up doing!

Enjoy the car. I've got a 330i E91 and love it. Engine is an absolute joy. Looking forward to seeing the pics.

[Dormermike]

You 330i owner's. . Anyone had injector problems or is that all resolved these days ? I don't see many post so they seem more reliable

Good choice OP! 7000 rpm sounds great

[Pumper]

I'd go for an F30 328i over E90 335i or F30 320i over E90 330i if I were you.