[creepy coupe]

335i DCT there is no finer combo.

[SO8]

I have a 330d .... and have to say I would now buy a 335i as the mileage I do is much less than I thought it was going to be. That said, the 330d is stunning - I just want the sound of the 335i and the huge mid range punch it has !!

[dopper99]

The 330d is a good all-rounder. Good performance, good economy and cheaper to run than the other two. Not much in it between the performance of the 330d LCI and the 335d under 100mph.

I guess if you are not doing the miles then go for the 335i. But be careful as some of them have 400 odd quid road tax. Check the CO2 before you buy it.

[wayne71]

With the mileage I do I'd go for the 335i if I had to choose again.

[Chrisdc144]

Thanks for the replies. What should I look out for when looking at the 335i, any common faults etc.

Also, I have worked out that I would be doing on average between 10000- 12000 miles per year, should I consider the D?

[The_Bear_Yid]

Probably not when you look in to the premium of getting the 'd' over the 'i'. The 'i' seems to start around £13k AUC, whereas the 'd' seems to be £18k+.

Even if the gap is not that much, price difference against the cost of your mileage should settle the matter. Will you save the premium of the 'd' over the 'i' in fuel? Yes, but how long will it take? If it would take a couple of years then you need to work out how long you're going to keep it.

[The_Bear_Yid]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

335i DCT there is no finer combo.

Is that literally auto with paddles on the wheel?

[phil200tdi]

Originally Posted by The_Bear_Yid

Is that literally auto with paddles on the wheel?

No

Way better - Double clutch jobby, as on M3..

[The_Bear_Yid]

Ok cheers. The AUC site makes it really hard to find those.

Does the gear shift look short with gear markings on?

[BanziBarn]

For me, it's between the 330d, and 335i.

The reason I would discount the 335d is because it's an older engine, more expensive to run, and not much quicker than the LCI 330d at legal speeds like as has been mentioned.

The reason I'd discount the 330i is that it doesn't have a turbo and lacks the punchy low revs feeling.

Of course, then you're comparing a 330 diesel with the awesome 335i.

If you don't do many miles and work on the assumption that you only choose a diesel if you do, then that's your verdict right there.

However, that's not why I choose the 330d. I chose it because it was cheaper than the 335i, yet I enjoyed the performance more. Yes, it's slower than the 335i, but I love the massive thump in the back you get in the soot chucker at virtually no revs.

Around town, where you don't get the chance to really open a car up, you can still exploit the full extent of the shove in the 330d, like when you need to nip round a bus for example.

Also, I can boot it around without the Mrs complaining because I'm only doing 3k revs!

Also, I've been head to head with a 335i at Santa Pod and TBH, there wasn't a massive amount in it, not enough to really make me wish I had the petrol car anyway.

But, TBH, go for any of the 6 pot BMWs and you'll have a blast.

[dxb335d]

Give us the low down on the run with the 335i, 60ft, 1/4 & Mph of both cars.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Give us the low down on the run with the 335i, 60ft, 1/4 & Mph of both cars.

I've got a vid actually, not sure how to post it - will try and sort. He did 14.37 vs my 14.5. I'd need to find the print outs for more info.

As we were about half way down I glanced at my mate in his 335 and he gave me the "blimey, this is quite close" look. I'd say, as we went over the line, my bonnet was about by his rear wheels (nice and technical there )

To be fair, he did say that he was gentle on launch, and no doubt there is a lot of driver skill that comes into it, but the point is, in a 335i, you can't just jump in and not try, and kill a 330d. I reckon I'd have had him in a 335d.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by The_Bear_Yid

Ok cheers. The AUC site makes it really hard to find those.

Does the gear shift look short with gear markings on?

Looks like the 4th photo in Colin's advert

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=645356

[The_Bear_Yid]

Yeah that's the one. Ok I know what I'm looking for now. You would've thought they'd make more of a song and dance about that feature.

[BIGTIME]

I think you can't search for it as it's only available in the M3 and the 335i. If you require it in the M3 you just put automatic into the search filter. Therfore the dct search function would only apply to the 335i.

[Chrisdc144]

What should I look out for on a 335i? Is there any known faults?

[The_Bear_Yid]

Originally Posted by BIGTIME

I think you can't search for it as it's only available in the M3 and the 335i. If you require it in the M3 you just put automatic into the search filter. Therfore the dct search function would only apply to the 335i.

Ok. But there should be a better way of finding out if a 335i is DCT or not than having to click on every auto car advert.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

I've got a vid actually, not sure how to post it - will try and sort. He did 14.37 vs my 14.5. I'd need to find the print outs for more info.

As we were about half way down I glanced at my mate in his 335 and he gave me the "blimey, this is quite close" look. I'd say, as we went over the line, my bonnet was about by his rear wheels (nice and technical there )

To be fair, he did say that he was gentle on launch, and no doubt there is a lot of driver skill that comes into it, but the point is, in a 335i, you can't just jump in and not try, and kill a 330d. I reckon I'd have had him in a 335d.

Thats quite amazing. Obviously driver skill comes into it, but there is a 60bhp difference? Doesnt look like there is a lot in it then.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by dopper99

Thats quite amazing. Obviously driver skill comes into it, but there is a 60bhp difference? Doesnt look like there is a lot in it then.

I suppose the fact that most of the run was sub 100mph helps. If the pod was half a mile then the gap would have been a lot bigger.

Also, If you consider that the 335d is pretty much a match for the petrol version despite begin down on power then torque must come into I guess. Then factor into it that the 330d LCI isn't that far behind the 335d at lower speeds (lighter so the power to weight difference isn't as big as the figures suggest) the small difference between the two cars can maybe be explained.

[phil200tdi]

335i = 14.0 at 106mph
330d = 14.5 at 97mph
325d = 15.2 at 91 mph

So the margin between at 335i and the 330d is the same as the 330d to 325d. So the 325d is the car to buy? Right?

Wrong... If your mate hadn't feathered the launch he would have easily been 2 car lengths ahead, which after 14 seconds is a lot.

They are all great cars, but to say a 330d is as fast is providing totally false info..

[BIGTIME]

Originally Posted by The_Bear_Yid

Ok. But there should be a better way of finding out if a 335i is DCT or not than having to click on every auto car advert.

Yeh I know what you mean. Some cars didn't even have dct written in the advert when I was looking.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

They are all great cars, but to say a 330d is as fast is providing totally false info..

Totally agree, the 330d is never going to be as quick as a 335i. Even with a gentle start the twin turbo car till beat me.