Quote:
Originally Posted by mxa121
Hey everyone,
I am a recent college grad and am trying to get together the funds for a new car. I have been infatuated with the m3 and lately the 335i for a while now and decided I needed a test drive to confirm what I was looking for.
First drive was a '12 335i coupe auto. Felt solid, very smooth, and had a great feeling of torque on tap. The ride was firm but comfortable. The seats and overall quality of interior were excellent! The motor just felt awesome though. I really get why you guys love these things so much, it was adequate and fast. No noticeable turbo lag, more like a little bit of tranny lag. Some minor hesitation upon throttle, but then it would rip.
Second drive was a '11 328i coupe auto. This felt good, just not AS good as the 335i that I just stepped out of. The seats were leatherette and the steering wheel did not feel as thick or comfortable. Otherwise, the power train was smooth and quick. Felt really good and did not feel slow at all. It just did not feel as good as the 335i. The salesman threw it into sport mode and I immediately appreciated the quicker downshifts and snappier up shifts. Made me consider an auto...
Overall these cars had a solid tight feel to them which I really enjoyed. The red leather seats in the 335i were really nice.
Now I just need to figure out what I am going to do. It seems this trip to the dealer raised more questions than it answered. Now I am all over the board with sedan, coupe, manual, auto, but I think it is safe to say I will be getting the 335i for that motor.
What are thoughts of using bmws graduate program (low monthly payments with balloon) or do you think a used one with around 50k mi will be reliable for years to come? (I have read a lot of threads on here about reliability, so I am just wondering how much cash I may have to put out over the next 50k mi for parts/labor if I buy used)
It is tough for me to weigh these options. I could get a new car built to my spec with covered maintenance and warranty for 50k, I would just be spending around 50k total on the car over 5-7 yrs... OR get a used one, which I am worried could be headache.
Thanks for reading!  |
Congrats!!
In addition to e90 did you think about e46 m3? It is an excellent machine and unique. That is a true M3.
Also, e90 328i manual is plenty fast and reliable. It is also much lighter than 335i. Also, manual is a great anti-theft device.
You can also check out lease-trader with an option to buy.
As you are going through your evaluation, consider also what car would you prefer to drive in HPDE. Even if it is not an option now it may become in the future.
GL and welcome to the club! :-)