[agentf1]

Our car (07 335i loaded with sports package) was in for service and we got a new 335i with x drive coupe in the same color etc as our loaner. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was in this car.

It was definitely a lot slower and did not sound nearly as good. I thought we got a 328 until I got home and looked at it better.

I have thought about buying a new one recently but after looking into it I decided to keep mine. I would need to get a 335is to even begin to come close to my car.

The BIGGEST thing that kills the new car is the fact that they discontinued the Black Poplar Burl wood trim. I think that wood makes our interior, VERY classy and sporty at the same time. The black walnut burl which is actually brown takes away from the interior and is more of a luxury car trim than a sporty car trim that I think the 335i deserves. I do not like the black bamboo trim as it looks cheap IMHO but that is probably what we would have to get. My other choice would be the aluminum which is no where near as nice as our black popular burl.

The next thing I did not like is they got rid of the ash tray and the ash tray door and just have a hole in the console to put change. I could live with this if it was black popular.

I also didn't like the seats and steering wheel as much but I am guessing that is just because we have the sports seats and premium leather wher this loaner didn't.

Did they change the motor in the 335i's? It looked different under the hood and had no wher enear the power and didn't sound as nice as ours does.

My other big complain is to ge a bumper as nice as mine you have to now order the M package or get a 335is. I love the aggressive front bumper on the 07. Not thrilled with the new bumper on the 12 335i.

I really hope the step it up when they come out with the new coupe. I am not really thrilled with the new style front end on the sedan and am assuming it won't be much different.

I never keep a car as long as we have kept our 07 335i but we just love that car and everything about it. I will have to reevaluate whether or not it is time to go back to MB again when we finally have to break down and get a new car. We have 82000 miles on our 335i now so it will probably not be too far down the road.

I have really fell in love with the new AMG C class and could probably get a really nice pre owned one in our budget but I wonder how gas would be compared to our 335i which really isn't an economy car but is tollerable.

I would really love to get another 3 but when pricing a 335i vert optioned the way I like or 335is vert optioned comparable to our car it is pretty pricey. Even a coupe optioned like ours is a lot more than we paid.

Why do foreign car manufacturers do this. MB did the same thing to their C class when the last style came out. I remember looking at them a few years after we bought our (first year with the new style back in the day) and it went down hill similarly to the 3 series. I usually do not like buying first year of a new style but in these two instances it paid off. Actually I do not think bmw changed their bumper for a few years but you get the point.

Thoughts?

We need to start a petition for them to bring back the Black Popular Burl for the 3 series.

[TACA A320]

Yes sir, new motor. N55. One turbo instead of two. I am between leasing a new 335is or purchasing a used E90 M3 in May. Would love to hear your opinion if you get the IS.

[Yeoman]

What the hell is a black popular? An admired black color?

[ctuna]

A general cheapening of things is in progress
since the fianancial crisis. Well at least its happening
at a faster pace now.

[dd243372]

Originally Posted by Yeoman

What the hell is a black popular? An admired black color?

Popular African American?

[Skiptomylou37]

Originally Posted by TACA A320

Yes sir, new motor. N55. One turbo instead of two. I am between leasing a new 335is or purchasing a used E90 M3 in May. Would love to hear your opinion if you get the IS.

Definitely go e90 M3 over 335is. I've had both and the M3 offers a raw performance factor that you can't match with the 335 regardless of how much money you put into tuning and mods.

[CJ421]

The N55-equipped 335i (2011+ except 335is) has identical performance stock-for-stock as your N54 unless your 335i is tuned/modified. xDrive could have been a factor for the exhaust note (and power for that matter); the standard 335i w/ N55 sounds great IMO but the xDrive models are restricted since they have secondary cats.

Several different decorative trims are offered in the 3 series coupe - www.bmwusa.com
You can buy alternative trim and install it if not. Maybe post pics of your dark trim because nobody that's posted so far, myself included has seen it.

Yes they did get rid of the regular sport package a while back; the M package is about twice as expensive by comparison. The newer bumper without the M package looks lame, agreed.

Hard to go wrong with the 335is if you're interested in a new 3.

[jcarv20s]

sounds like you just didn't like it cause it didn't have all the options your model has....well besides the power compliant.

[doubleIN]

I have driven my friend's n54 coupe quite a bit, and I feel like my n55 sedan is quicker. i do have the ppk and he has no tune, but I think the ppk gives only marginal increase in power.

[MattMD]

Was the car still in the break-in period?

[badassfajita]

I think the OP is referring to the Gray POPLAR wood trim, not popular lol. This was offered in 07-08 and discontinued thereafter.

I got the aluminum, but if I could go back in time, I would get the gray poplar instead. Classy yet sporty.

BMW has taken cost cutting measures since 2008 due to the Euro/$ exchange rate. The dollar has gotten much stronger since then.

[krhodes1]

Inevitably that loaner was filled up with the cheapest gas possible. Plus, it was a loaner - they get ridden hard and put away wet at best.

Though I do very much agree about the cheezy cost-cutting. I would have rather have paid $500 more for my car and had a lid on the console, the drink cooler, the underhood insulation pad, the nets on the backs of the seats, the rechargable flashlight, etc, etc. I actually have retrofitted a lot of that stuff to my car.

[agentf1]

Originally Posted by Yeoman

What the hell is a black popular? An admired black color?

The burl wood trim on the dash and doors. It is poplar wood vs walnut. New cars have Bamboo, really cheesy looking.

[agentf1]

Originally Posted by badassfajita

I think the OP is referring to the Gray POPLAR wood trim, not popular lol. This was offered in 07-08 and discontinued thereafter.

I got the aluminum, but if I could go back in time, I would get the gray poplar instead. Classy yet sporty.

BMW has taken cost cutting measures since 2008 due to the Euro/$ exchange rate. The dollar has gotten much stronger since then.

Yes, you are right, is is Gray Poplar, my bad. Really makes the interior IMHO. I didn't even notice the net behind the seats missing and the few other things mentioned here.

I am sure the gas and X-Drive could have made a difference but it was so bad my wife even said something and she is not a car guy like me.

Maybe I should not have said I am disappointed with the new one so much as how much I am impressed with my 07. One of my favorite cars to date. Definitely my favorite DD. That says a lot coming from somebody with a Callaway SC652 Z06 and Viper GTS in the garage. I also have a Lightning which I feel is an awesome vehicle. I can pick up my mulch during the day and turn a 13.5 1/4 mile at night...

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Yeoman

What the hell is a black popular? An admired black color?

The sales manager told me I agreed to a gray popular trim in my car. They don't teach the names of trees in HS anymore, it's a cryin' shame.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by agentf1

in the garage.

You have a garage?

[ChasVS]

The "BIGGEST" complain is the Trim color? WoW

[Doctor///M]

Originally Posted by ChasVS

The "BIGGEST" complain is the Trim color? WoW

+1... apples and oranges really. Sport vs non sport, AWD vs. RWD. There are many reasons why one would be "disappointed, " but the justification in this case isn't truly representative of the progression of the car. Although the N54 is the more favored of the two engines, the N55 outputs the same figures while achieving slightly better fuel economy.

[mashimarho]

I don't know about you guys, but my car is just fine....

[Dark_Knight_335]

Oh cmon man, they have the same horsepower, oh, and the N55 has more torque than the N54 stock for stock.
It's either the Xdrive drivetrain, a loaner that's been beat worse than Tina Turner, or all in your head.

[r3dbimmer89]

I have an LCI with the N55 engine and after the break in period I honestly feel like this engine has the same pull as the N54 stock for stock and I consistently get better MPG. They did include the smokers package again for 2013...

[BenTrovato]

There is a noticeable difference on how the car feels in xDrive vs RWD. To me, xD vs RWD is a big difference compared to the N54 vs N55 feeling (very similar). However, I find it odd that someone actually likes those wood trims. They are so 1998. If there were no high quality vinyl wraps for the interiors I would never have bought this car.

Nothing like walnut trim in a 2012 car
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/287...06/6002785135/