[touge90]

I’m stuck between two options and need some real world input before buying.

2008 e92 335i~80k miles, manual, 12k
2016 f30 340i~105k miles, manual, 18k

I currently own a manual 2006 330i and adore the heavy hydraulic steering and analog input of the e9x generation. However I love the modern f30 looks, Interior, and B58’s supposed reliability.

My goal is to have a dailyable yet extremely fun turbo BMW that is manual. I am a proficient DIYer and have access to a shop and indoor lift. My other two vehicles are the previously mentioned 330i and a 2005 Outback xt (fbo).

Power goal~450whp

Budget~25k

Main things I am hoping to hear from those who have owned or driven both extensively.

How different will they feel handling wise after suspension modifications? (coilovers, sway bars, stiffer bushings etc.)

If you were in my shoes, which would you pick and why?

Appreciate any insight—especially from people with seat time in both.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by touge90

I’m stuck between two options and need some real world input before buying.

2008 e92 335i~80k miles, manual, 12k
2016 f30 340i~105k miles, manual, 18k

I currently own a manual 2006 330i and adore the heavy hydraulic steering and analog input of the e9x generation. However I love the modern f30 looks, Interior, and B58’s supposed reliability.

My goal is to have a dailyable yet extremely fun turbo BMW that is manual. I am a proficient DIYer and have access to a shop and indoor lift. My other two vehicles are the previously mentioned 330i and a 2005 Outback xt (fbo).

Power goal~450whp

Budget~25k

Main things I am hoping to hear from those who have owned or driven both extensively.

How different will they feel handling wise after suspension modifications? (coilovers, sway bars, stiffer bushings etc.)

If you were in my shoes, which would you pick and why?

Appreciate any insight—especially from people with seat time in both.

I'm the wrong person to answer since I haven't driven an F30 extensively. I love my E93 335i but I wouldn't be opposed to having a F30 340i. F30 is a much more modern looking and feeling car, and definitely feels more premium inside. B58 is potentially less of a headache than the N54 too, just based on the price of injectors alone.

[lookalikehuuh]

Being a longtime owner of an N54 engine, if you truly want 450whp, you won't be able to do that with the stock turbos on the N54. At least not with longterm reliability and FBO.

I estimate my car is in the high 300s/ low 400s and I run a pretty agressive tune on an E50 mix. You really have to push the stockies pretty hard to get to that 450whp range. I think most people max out around the 400whp mark based on the dyno sheets I have seen from actual users. If you go with some RB turbos or Pure turbos then yeah, I think that is much more feasible, but even with turbo upgrades, you will see things like fueling starting to hit a wall pretty quckly.

Keep in mind since you are in California as well we use the stupid ACN 91 quality fuels, which is actually more like a 90 octane fuel and will be a huge limiting factor in tuning. It's one of the main reasons why I went with an E85 mix tune, because of the low california fuel octane ratings.

B58 is quite a bit newer, and much more reliable as compared to the N54. Also man the price for that 2008 E92 is sky high IMHO. Yeah, I get it only has 80K miles and its a manual but KBB's value for that car with a ton of options (since we don't know what the car you are considering has) is like $5-6K even with "Excellent" condition.

For $12k that E92 better have brand new turbos, water pump, injectors, HPFP, etc.

As much as a fan that I am of the E9x platform, I own 2, reliabiility wise and power goals wise, I kind of think the F30 might be a better option overall. These damn injectors that WILL fail are $2500 for the Vitesco units and $4,500 for BMW Genuine ones... High pressure fuel pump is also a crazy $1300 bucks. So even when you can do your own work, the bespoke parts are pricey for sure. As a comparison the B58 injectors are $500 for a set, and HPFP is $266 with the "TU" pump at $500. From what I understand, they are both much less likely to fail as well.

Anyway, I think you will love either car. Let us know what you decide one going with!

[touge90]

Originally Posted by lookalikehuuh

Being a longtime owner of an N54 engine, if you truly want 450whp, you won't be able to do that with the stock turbos on the N54. At least not with longterm reliability and FBO.

I estimate my car is in the high 300s/ low 400s and I run a pretty agressive tune on an E50 mix. You really have to push the stockies pretty hard to get to that 450whp range. I think most people max out around the 400whp mark based on the dyno sheets I have seen from actual users. If you go with some RB turbos or Pure turbos then yeah, I think that is much more feasible, but even with turbo upgrades, you will see things like fueling starting to hit a wall pretty quckly.

Keep in mind since you are in California as well we use the stupid ACN 91 quality fuels, which is actually more like a 90 octane fuel and will be a huge limiting factor in tuning. It's one of the main reasons why I went with an E85 mix tune, because of the low california fuel octane ratings.

B58 is quite a bit newer, and much more reliable as compared to the N54. Also man the price for that 2008 E92 is sky high IMHO. Yeah, I get it only has 80K miles and its a manual but KBB's value for that car with a ton of options (since we don't know what the car you are considering has) is like $5-6K even with "Excellent" condition.

For $12k that E92 better have brand new turbos, water pump, injectors, HPFP, etc.

As much as a fan that I am of the E9x platform, I own 2, reliabiility wise and power goals wise, I kind of think the F30 might be a better option overall. These damn injectors that WILL fail are $2500 for [...]

thank you so much for the reply! I am leaning towards the f30 but i do love that e9x handling. The e92 in question had all of those besides turbos done, however he put index 8s in it so not quite as nice as index 12. And I was planning on trying my luck with viv 19ts if I were to get it because I do have two other vehicles i can drive if necessary. I will absolutely let you know what I end up getting and will make a build thread because whatever I get won’t stay stock for long!

[hybrid90]

I came from and E90 335i (N55) and an E92 335is before I got into a 340i. While the 340i will prob do what you ask of it in terms of power, and it is more modern, you have a bit of... disconnection? It also is bigger and FEELS bigger. That may or may not be a bad thing, but I would suggest driving it to understand. The e90/E92 platform feels much more engaged thanks in part to the steering and a bit more "rawness". Not to mention that it's a bit more compact and feels more like a cockpit to me.

I personally prefer the E90/E92 platform, but I also am more a fan of handling than power, so the "connection" feels better to me. On the other hand, the F30 is more modern looking, more modern technology and the E90 platform doesn't even have a backup camera, so it all comes down to what you are looking for.

And I agree, that's a bit high for a 335i.

[touge90]

Originally Posted by hybrid90

I came from and E90 335i (N55) and an E92 335is before I got into a 340i. While the 340i will prob do what you ask of it in terms of power, and it is more modern, you have a bit of... disconnection? It also is bigger and FEELS bigger. That may or may not be a bad thing, but I would suggest driving it to understand. The e90/E92 platform feels much more engaged thanks in part to the steering and a bit more "rawness". Not to mention that it's a bit more compact and feels more like a cockpit to me.

I personally prefer the E90/E92 platform, but I also am more a fan of handling than power, so the "connection" feels better to me. On the other hand, the F30 is more modern looking, more modern technology and the E90 platform doesn't even have a backup camera, so it all comes down to what you are looking for.

And I agree, that's a bit high for a 335i.

This is exactly my worry. I absolutely love a connected car and am concerned about that disconnect. I also hate boaty vehicles. My next question to you would be, do you think a 340i and an e92 m3 would be a good two car combo to keep that rawness all while having a powerful and relaible daily?

I would only be able to purchase one right now but could get the other in probaly another two years.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by touge90

My next question to you would be, do you think a 340i and an e92 m3 would be a good two car combo to keep that rawness all while having a powerful and relaible daily?

You could drive either one of those cars every day without worry. They're not exactly fragile super rare exotics.

Another question to ask is how the F30 responds to suspension upgrades. The only F30 I've been in, and got to drive a bit, was a 330i and I was surprised. My opinion going in was based on all the hate about soft suspension and soft disconnected steering, but I found it very acceptable. This was a Dinan car though, the guy my friend bought it from basically ordered every possible Dinan part from the catalog, including the flash tune and lots of suspension parts.

I'm not planning to sell my E90 or E93 any time soon, but if I was shopping for a car I'd strongly be considering a F30 340i or an E92 M3, or an E90 335d.

[hybrid90]

[QUOTE=touge90;32560216]My next question to you would be, do you think a 340i and an e92 m3 would be a good two car combo to keep that rawness all while having a powerful and relaible daily? /QUOTE]

OK, I'll address it this way. ANY of these cars are great performers. My advice was for putting them side by side. But to answer your questions, I'll tell you why I get rid of my M2. It was a MAGNIFICENT car! Performed well. Totally underrated power (it was one of the good ones). Sounded phenomenal! Handling was top notch, even with Falken tires instead of Michelins. And it was fairly comfortable. BUT... we would drive on Sundays through a canyon, pushing it fairly good, then stop for gas and take a 40 mile freeway run back home. THAT was the problem. On the freeway, it was noisy, we almost had to yell to talk and you had to turn the stereo way up to hear it from the road noise. So while it WAS comfortable enough to use as a daily driver, it was slightly too noisy for freeway driving, unless you LIKE that.

Now, the F30 340i, I'll answer both your questions. First, it had the Adaptive Suspension and I tried two different spring combos (both with factory Adaptive Dampers). Originally, I used the Eibach Pro Kit which were good and being a progressive spring, tightened up the harder you pushed them in the corners. They also amplified the Adaptive Suspension, meaning that they were still soft enough in Comfort, but when you put it in Sport or Sport Plus, You DEFINITELY knew it. It tightened the suspension up without being too harsh but still handled great. I ended up trading the Eibach's for H&R Super Sport because the Eibach's weren't low enough for what I was going for.

As for it being a good car, it still handled really well, had enough power but still progressive with almost no turbo lag, and was really fun running through the mountains, but still nice enough to be oh so comfortable on long trips and around town. It feels bigger, but not like a boat. The E90 felt better, but it was marginal. Now here's the kicker that I did NOT expect: When I put the springs in, the other thing that happened was the steering tightened up and I KNOW it had to do with the springs because it did not do that before I changed the springs.

So... do I think that having an F30 340i and an E92 M3 would be a good combo? Hell yes. If I could have kept my M2 AND the F30, I would have in a second, but financially and storage wise, I could not do it.

I really hope this helps and if you have any more questions, fire away. Good Luck and stay safe out there!!

[touge90]

[QUOTE=hybrid90;32560454]

Originally Posted by touge90

My next question to you would be, do you think a 340i and an e92 m3 would be a good two car combo to keep that rawness all while having a powerful and relaible daily? /QUOTE]

OK, I'll address it this way. ANY of these cars are great performers. My advice was for putting them side by side. But to answer your questions, I'll tell you why I get rid of my M2. It was a MAGNIFICENT car! Performed well. Totally underrated power (it was one of the good ones). Sounded phenomenal! Handling was top notch, even with Falken tires instead of Michelins. And it was fairly comfortable. BUT... we would drive on Sundays through a canyon, pushing it fairly good, then stop for gas and take a 40 mile freeway run back home. THAT was the problem. On the freeway, it was noisy, we almost had to yell to talk and you had to turn the stereo way up to hear it from the road noise. So while it WAS comfortable enough to use as a daily driver, it was slightly too noisy for freeway driving, unless you LIKE that.

Now, the F30 340i, I'll answer both your questions. First, it had the Adaptive Suspension and I tried two different spring combos (both with factory Adaptive Dampers). Originally, I used the Eibach Pro Kit which were good and being a progressive spring, tightened up the harder you pushed them in the corners. They also amplified the Adaptive Suspension, meaning that they were still soft enough in Comfort, but when you put it in Sport or Sport Plus, You DEFINITELY knew it. It tightened the suspension up without being too harsh but still handled [...]

Thank you so much! This is perfect, i appreciate your time. I assume you had an og m2 (n55 ftw)?

[hybrid90]

[QUOTE=touge90;32560461]

Originally Posted by hybrid90

Thank you so much! This is perfect, i appreciate your time. I assume you had an og m2 (n55 ftw)?

Yep. a 2016 N55 M2 with the DCT 7spd. Loved it, but just wanted something a bit more comfortable. The E92 335is I had checked all the boxes. The M2 just had a bit more power and handled a bit better, but other than that, they were very similar performance wise, but the E92 335is was more comfortable on longer trips.

[touge90]

Originally Posted by hybrid90

Yep. a 2016 N55 M2 with the DCT 7spd. Loved it, but just wanted something a bit more comfortable. The E92 335is I had checked all the boxes. The M2 just had a bit more power and handled a bit better, but other than that, they were very similar performance wise, but the E92 335is was more comfortable on longer trips.

sweet, have always loved the first gen m2s. Any thoughts on a 135i (n54 auto)? Theres one local that I can snag for a wicked deal.

[hybrid90]

Not too familiar with the 135’s. I know they seem to be an early version of the M2, but never drove one. But I’m guessing it would be a little rocket with that N55 motor in it!

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by hybrid90

OK, I'll address it this way. ANY of these cars are great performers. My advice was for putting them side by side. But to answer your questions, I'll tell you why I get rid of my M2. It was a MAGNIFICENT car! Performed well. Totally underrated power (it was one of the good ones). Sounded phenomenal! Handling was top notch, even with Falken tires instead of Michelins. And it was fairly comfortable. BUT... we would drive on Sundays through a canyon, pushing it fairly good, then stop for gas and take a 40 mile freeway run back home. THAT was the problem. On the freeway, it was noisy, we almost had to yell to talk and you had to turn the stereo way up to hear it from the road noise. So while it WAS comfortable enough to use as a daily driver, it was slightly too noisy for freeway driving, unless you LIKE that.

Now, the F30 340i, I'll answer both your questions. First, it had the Adaptive Suspension and I tried two different spring combos (both with factory Adaptive Dampers). Originally, I used the Eibach Pro Kit which were good and being a progressive spring, tightened up the harder you pushed them in the corners. They also amplified the Adaptive Suspension, meaning that they were still soft enough in Comfort, but when you put it in Sport or Sport Plus, You DEFINITELY knew it. It tightened the suspension up without being too harsh but still handled great. I ended up trading the Eibach's for H&R Super Sport because the Eibach's weren't low enough for what I was going for.

As for it being a good car, it still handled really well, had enough power but still progressive with almost no turbo lag, and was really fun running through the mountains, but still nice enough to be oh so comfortable on long trips and around town. It feels bigger, but not like a boat. The E90 felt better, but it was marginal. Now here's the kicker that I did NOT expect: When I put the springs in, the other thing that happened was the steering tightened up and I KNOW it had to do with the springs because it did not do that before I changed the springs.

So... do I think that having an F30 340i and an E92 M3 would be a good combo? Hell yes. If I could have kept my M2 AND the F30, I would have in a second, but financially and storage wise, I could not do it.

I really hope this helps and if you have any more questions, fire away. Good Luck and stay safe out there!!

Excellent summary there!

Originally Posted by touge90

sweet, have always loved the first gen m2s. Any thoughts on a 135i (n54 auto)? Theres one local that I can snag for a wicked deal.

Wicked deal on a 135i? I say go for it.

An old friend of mine had a 135i with the M-sport package. I was bummed when he sold it, I didn't know he was even selling it. I similarly missed out on a 93 RAM Cummins 6 speed manual. "Man, I didn't know you were interested!"

Go buy that 135i, you won't regret it.