[e93]

Originally Posted by astra

i like the polished lip, a little bit of bling but nt a fan of wheels that look like csl's

I like CSL's - but no lip
Also think these will be easier to clean!
Didn't want to depart too far from OEM look - thus no black for me.
I've ordered them today from JleviSW.com in the US. Should be here in a week. I found it impossible to find anything here that had the right offsets - I don't like using spacers. These are 19x8.5xet30 and 19x9.5xet30. Will push the wheels out 13mm front and 15mm back and give me a couple of mm extra clearance between the suspension. Should be perfect


OZX5 - good luck with your vert purchase!!!:rocks:

[e93]

Originally Posted by deandob

My 1st post here.

Regards,
Dean

Welcome Dean


OOPs - I double posted - I'm sorry Astra !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[deandob]

Thanks e93, I was starting to wonder how open this board is to new members. Any feedback on my questions would be greatly appreciated.

- What is the handling differences between the coupe and convertible? The convertible is definitely a heavier car but it should also have a lower centre of gravity especially with the roof down. I can't find a performance orientated review of the convertible to understand if it is the same or worse as the coupe (unlikely to be better). I'll buy it with the optional 19" rims.

- I like the option of adding a piggyback ECU to gain another 20-30% or so power/torque. This should negate the extra weight of the convertible and give me close to E40 M5 performance, heaps for a daily driver car and fun to boot!

- Why not wait for a M3? I think the new M3 will be like the new M5, more suited to a track, and not as good value as the 335.

- The option of having a convertible and coupe is 2 cars in 1, and should be lots of fun if it performs well in the power/handling dept.

- There is a long wait for the convertible. I also think it will be harder to negotiate a discount as these cars are in demand. The positive side is that the resale should be better on the convertible. Any experiences on dealer flexibility on convertible discounts & delivery times?

My dealer rang today to invite me to a "3 series experience day" on Sunday where basically you get to drive the entire range on a racetrack in Brisbane for a couple of hours and ask all the questions you want to BMW Australia reps. This should give me a chance to sort out my comparison about the drive of the coupe & convertible, and a lot of fun as well!

I also learnt that the m-sports pack is coming in September but unfortunately it will not be available on the convertible, which may sway my thinking....

Regards,
Dean

[astra]

dw deandob, we don't bite :

oh, and e93... http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...4&postcount=10 lol

[deandob]

re: sports pack for the convertible, looking back on the e93 specs you can get the sports suspension as an option anyway, the 335i comes with the sports seats and the rest of the m-pack are different trimmings. The m wheels are the 193 M model but only 18" yet you can get 19" as optional wheels in the 335 e93?? So not having the m-pack is not such a big deal.

[SlammedR8]

im having the same dilemma!
i like the roofline of the coupe a lot more, however considering its a hard top and not soft top, and also considering how badly i want a convertible. i think its finally a car worth getting in the convertible....but i still like the look of the coupe more!!

[WOPALX]

Originally Posted by deandob

re: sports pack for the convertible, looking back on the e93 specs you can get the sports suspension as an option anyway, the 335i comes with the sports seats and the rest of the m-pack are different trimmings. The m wheels are the 193 M model but only 18" yet you can get 19" as optional wheels in the 335 e93?? So not having the m-pack is not such a big deal.

Speak to your dealer, they should be able to give you a CD with several 19's that will fit your car and be OEM.

BMW Sydney has most on display and will more than likely be happy to send you the CD so you can see them on the car b4 purchasing.

[deandob]

Thanks. I'll check with my Brisbane dealer.

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by WOPALX

Speak to your dealer, they should be able to give you a CD with several 19's that will fit your car and be OEM.

BMW Sydney has most on display and will more than likely be happy to send you the CD so you can see them on the car b4 purchasing.

There is a list online at bmw.com.au if you goto the accessories section, you can browse all the wheels that are available for each model.

[daninsyd]

buy the coupe and if you get sick of the roof drive it really fast under a low bridge...a really low bridge... remember to duck...

[ozx5]

One thing I noted to myself, and to all people in the coupe/vert uncertaintity boat is that if you love the shape of the coupe over the convert, this is obv, but the only time the vert looks hot, is if its running on a nice pair of wheels (round 19, maybe even 20) and lowered to make it neat...otherwise the vert with the roof closed, just doesnt have the curves of the Coupe, sorry "E93" (the forum member) , its just a small point, but something that works in favour for the E92...

Another disadvantage in the coupe (E92), I just realised you cant put the rear windows down

[SlammedR8]

Originally Posted by ozx5

Another disadvantage in the coupe (E92), I just realised you cant put the rear windows down

good point

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by ozx5

Man, Please look at this,

I thought of you immed. E93

Wow, I have not seen the roof operate yet, and I have to say that it looks like mechanical ballet.

@e93 - your car looks hot in that colour/leather combo.

[ozx5]

Originally Posted by JamieA

it looks like mechanical ballet.

hahahahaha

Originally Posted by JamieA

e93 - your car looks hot in that colour/leather combo.

Defntly, 2nd that thought here

[ozx5]

Another Advantage for the Coupe over the vert (very small) but the coupe offers the electric seat belt offering when you step into the car...

[deandob]

I went to the BMW 3 series experience event on Sunday, was fun and got to do laps in a 335 with Geoff Brabham in a M3 pace car. It was a great event to look at the various features of the cars that are a little hard to experience during a dealer test drive like the effect of DSC (which is much better controlled these days than the aggressive cutout my M5 has when the traction control cuts in). I can confirm that the 335i will catch a M3 in the straight but the M3 will eat a 335 in the corners - the 335 although well balanced is setup to understeer and the front tyres scrub off the speed in the corners.

So why am I confused?? My dealer grabbed a couple of the convertibles from the weekend Brisbane drive day and convinced me to do another test drive while they had the cars. So tonight I got to drive a convertible 325i and it was a mixed experience:

Pros:
- The looks, even with the roof up it still looks sweet, a little different to the coupe but not necessarily worse.
- Top down driving is fun, and a new experience for me. It is like having 2 cars in one. Driving down the Brisbane M1 at peak hours was not fun (pollution & noise) but that is what the top is for.
- Pretty impressed with the lack of wind noise at least for legal speeds. There was actually more road noise in the car I drove.
- The car was stable, I didn't detect any extra shaking or instability comparing it to a normal sedan.

Cons:
- Weight. With the 325 motor you really have to get the boot in to get it do anything. Although I'm only interested in the 335 and coming from a M5 its not a fair comparison but.....
- Handling. Not sure if it is the lack of the m-suspension but the car did not seem "sharp" or well connected to the road. Although well mannered around corners, it did not feel tight or agile. It reminded me of driving my old 1997 325i.

Immediately after finishing the test in the convertible the salesman suggested I hop back into a 335 to do a comparison. Unfortunately they only had a sedan with the m-sports pack so it was not an even comparison, but the difference was night and day. The 335 sedan was everything that the 325 convertible was not; tight, responsive, connected, agile - basically much more fun to drive. I was really surprised at such a big difference, sure you expect the car to be faster, but it felt like a completely different car.

Now I can see the 335 convertible with the Procede should give me enough power, but its the handling that is the concern. The dealer says that the m-suspension pack was the difference between the 325 convertible and the 335 sedan I drove, but I'm not sure, there was such a difference. Some of it I could put down to the magic of the 335 engine, but I know I'd be disappointed if I decided to order the 335 convertible and I didn't get 95% of the handling of the sedan/coupe. It would also be OK to use aftermarket springs/coils to upgrade the converible, as the understeering would need to be fixed even on the coupe/sedan, as it is the main disadvantage compared to my M5.

Maybe the salesman was right - I should be waiting for the M3, but I'm not after track-like performance and would be happy with the 335 convertible with a procede and a better suspension setup. Another thing worth noting is that by the time you add all the extra bits, the price of the convertible is getting closer to the M3 price.

I'd be interested in sharing feedback from other performance orientated drivers (ie. you notice the understeering characteristics ) who are looking at the same decision, and especially any e93 drivers who can comment on the difference the m-sports suspension makes or what is possible with aftermarket suspension parts to improve its connection with the road & dial out the understeer.

Regards,
Dean

[danielt]

Dean: I went to the Fascination 3 event too. I managed to be able to drive behind Geoff Brabham in one of the 335s. However I don't think he was pushing it in his M3. One thing I did notice is the lack of tyre squeal in those 335's compared to when I took my 335 to the track at Warwick. I thought maybe they had taken the RFT's off the test cars but they were run flats. Because the 335's there seemed to handle pretty well. Anyway it was definately lots of fun. Shame there weren't the convertibles on the paced laps too.

[deandob]

Daniel, you are right, the M3 went better around the corners (and could probably be pushed even harder without DSC) and it is possible he was not full throttle in the straights, however I have driven a M3 on a track and I thought the 335 had better pulling power from memory.

The 335 would go through a lot of front tyre rubber on a track....

Regards,
Dean

[e93]

Originally Posted by deandob

I
I'd be interested in sharing feedback from other performance orientated drivers (ie. you notice the understeering characteristics ) who are looking at the same decision, and especially any e93 drivers who can comment on the difference the m-sports suspension makes or what is possible with aftermarket suspension parts to improve its connection with the road & dial out the understeer.

Regards,
Dean

Your right Dean - the standard e92/93 setup has a lot of understeer dialled in. The sports suspension package improves body roll (its lower and firmer) but does not remove all the understeer. BTW - all the initial e92s delivered in Aust came with the sport suspension package so if you test drive a dealer car it will invariably feel better in the handling dept - e93 sport susp is an option. I think a lot of manufacturers keep their steering setup conservative to ensure the novice driver stays out of trouble. I didn't opt for the sports suspension on my e93 - an aftermarket suspension package is the best cure. I'll fit the KW coilovers in a few weeks - reports from others on the forum suggest that the coilovers alone will remove the understeer - I'll add a bit of negative camber if required to get the car to turn in faster. My X5 had better steering response!

You'd have to spend a lot to get to M3 price territory. An e93 with suspension mods and procede is gonna be under $140k. I've not seen official pricing for the M3 yet but rumours are around $180k? Even if you can afford that - is the M3 a good daily driver???

[deandob]

Hi e93, thanks for the response. Seems not a lot of traffic on this site for the e93.

Please keep me updated on the improvements to your suspension, the standard e93 setup leaves a bit to be desired IMO. However, if it is possible to make the turn in better and remove the understeer we could be talking. I'd prefer the convertible but not knowing if the handling can be significantly improved without doing OTT mods I'm not willing to take the risk - and my dealer will be asking for a decision soon

I could order it with the standard suspension and spend the extra $$ on the aftermarket bits and getting the 19" rims will help with turn in although the OEM 19" rims are no wider than the standard 18" rims (but lower profile). Apparently a thicker rear sway bar will help fix the understeer but I'm not sure what a coilover will do?

But if it is even possible to get over the physics of the extra weight I'm not sure . I may have to wait until the dealer gets a 335 e93 to determine the real differences.

re: the M3, it will be around $160K - $170K, and apparently is a better daily driver than the prior model so not that much of a gap, but no convertible for another year . It would be interesting to see the torque curve for the new M3 and compare it to a procede 335 motor, I suspect the twin turbo will be more tractable in normal traffic due to the wider torque curve. As a current M driver I must say the new twin turbo engine is sweet

Regards,
Dean

[e93]

Originally Posted by deandob

Hi e93, thanks for the response. Seems not a lot of traffic on this site for the e93.

I don't think there are significant numbers on the road yet. Suits me to have some exclusivity for a while.

Daninsyd - perhaps you could comment on the difference your KW's made to handling and if you changed the camber from factory specs?

[BMW //MPOWER]

Hey Dean,
I'm holding out for the e93 M3, sure it'll be worth the wait!