Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Came up against a 335d a while ago in the STi, seriously quick car, what's the handling like?

Jampot

iTrader: (1)

Phenomenal

8 speed is amazing

I've driven 335d M sport and the M50 too the M50 is a machine!!!!!!!

If I had a spare 50k would I.... Yes

SPEN555

Chris Harris view on powerful BMW diesel;

SmurfyBhoy

My old man has a new 335d GT

Goes like stink, quicker than my scooby at 350bhp in every way

Cant compete with the low down torque and quick auto box.

Now with my bigger turbo id say i'm quicker top end but the 335d is still pulling away at first due to the response.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Nailed it - "my old man"

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Got a 535d GT in the family fleet..same engine and gearbox. Just RWD. It goes well

I think it's the highest revving diesel I've driven- you do have to put it in manual mode to wring its neck...not that you need to as the torque drops off past 5000rpm and box shifts so quick the turbos always remain on full song.


Only weird thing about is the absence of engine braking when dropping back down the gears, which is not what you'd expect on a diesel.

Had a 530d GT before it which is basically the single turbo version; initially that felt quicker, but only because the turbo gave more initial shove when it spooled up, which it did at a higher rpm whereas the 535d is more progressive and spools up at lower rpm so it's far less noticeable, as such it doesn't feel quite as quick...but that's deceptive because it's just smoother at delivering the torque throughout the rev range as such you don't notice how much quicker it is until you look at the gauges or time it.

Oddly, I've found the 535d GT is also more thirsty on fuel on empty motorway cruising and LESS thirsty on start-stop congested motorway (like M25 during rush hours)...the 530d GT was the opposite

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

On Monday my car went to the dealership for a problem with the idrive and by sheer coincidence, look what I've had for 3 days as a courtesy car.







What a fooking amazing machine, handling is better than any car I've ever driven.

Fair enough it's only the 320d, but I would give my right arm to own one of these in 330/335d guise.

jasey

Currently got a 435xd - It's a great all round car and probably the best car I've owned.

It just does so many things pretty well. Once the warranty is out will possible re-map to make it a real beast

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Our BM went into the dealer for warranty work (leaking rain sensor...the silicon inside it was oozing out all over the windscreen) and I was given a Zafira

Came in handy though as I needed to shift some huge concrete plant pots LOL

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

I can imagine that being pretty fooking fast, even in standard form.
I want one.

SmurfyBhoy

My old man has a 335D GT xdrive.

Its all the car you need really. Not as great fuel economy as i expected avg 27-30mpg.

Big heavy car powerful too so cant really complain.

Throw it a out it the wet and its pretty tail happy.

jasey

Official figures are 4.7 to 60 which seems pretty accurate.

The xdrive certainly helps on our ****ty roads for getting the power down.

In the rain it doesn't seem to make much difference - the thing kust pulls like a train - Always

Being all grown up now I sometimes miss the rawness of the various subarus I've had - but I aint getting any younger so I think I'll be sticking with big BMWs for the forseeable future - feel myself being drawn to the M5

henrysmith

iTrader: (5)

My 335D Msport Xdrive touring. Bought as I commute from Cornwall to London. Driven sensibly (but not like a granny) I get about 42 to 43mpg as an average - Cornwall to London - 4 days in london to/from work and then back to Cornwall.

This is by far the best all round car I have had. Also has the adaptive supsension which firms up the dampers which really improves handling and feel (IMO).

Xdrive M sports do not come with the Msport supsension - only the 'regular' suspension set up as BMW deem the Xdrive system improves the handling/grip suitably. I do not agree but hey ho.

The Xdrive system is excellent though. Car is parked on long wet grass on a slope when the family go Kayaking and the Xdrive works brilliantly. drives up the grass fine - and have been there when two other 2wd cars couldn't get standing traction on the grass. Haven't used in the snow yet though.

The 2 litre xdrive diesels can do ridiculous mileage if driven sensibly and still decent performance.

SmurfyBhoy

Maybe MPG will improve but 30-35 in my dads 335d, xd

It is a GT tho not the estate,

Still under 2k on it maybe it still needs to loosen up,

30-35mpg atm

SmurfyBhoy

Few pics of the car i'm talking about

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

They look smart. Can someone tell me what the GT is about? It looks like it's sitting too high.

SmurfyBhoy

I'm not too sure what the GT is all about,
One thing is that the boot in the thing is huge, infact overall it's huge when you consider it is still a 3 series,

Handles pretty well considering how top heavy it is, brakes take a good prod to feel like they are there but its around 1750kg probs more with full fluids n passenger so quite a fair bit of mass to slow down

jasey

The XDrive makes it sit higher than non XDrive.

The GT makes the inside feel like you're in an IKEA - Bloody acres of space.

SmurfyBhoy

Sure all the GT sit that little bit higher although the x-drive may add a bit more but the GT is like an inflated 3 series as you say plenty of room inside,

Personally i prefer the 4 door saloon but that wasn't available on lease,

jasey

Bone dry road this morning - Sport+ and a bit of Aggressive acceleration through a roundabout and the rear twitched out a little - surprised me

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

I can't believe how many regular newish BMW 320d's are on the roads these days. I expect half of them are all business leased cars....

SmurfyBhoy

That 335d Gt was around £300 a month.

With £2000 down over 2 years.

henrysmith

iTrader: (5)

When I looked BMW seemed to have the beating of everbody else in terms of performance and economy.

The standard 320d does 0-62 in 7.4 and 140mph yet still does 50+ combined mpg.

I had a 420d coupe as a loaner and got 58mpg on a long run driving normally and it felt like it had enough 'Go'.

If buying the car then the dealers seem keen to do a deal - unlike Ford and Honda when I spoke to them.

I also looked at the Audi A4 3.0 TDI quattro at the end of last year - 25% less power and 25% less fuel economy compared to the BMW. I was told at the time by an Audi salesman that 'Audi were revising their diesel engines to bring them closer in line with current BMW models'!

SmurfyBhoy

Have yet to see anything like the claimed figures for the 335d around town, its more like 25-27mpg,

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

They're still bland cars though (320) with big depreciation, let's be honest.

jasey

the 435xd does 30-33 mpg (30 if I drive like Hamilton - 33 If I drive like Rosberg).

Except on a long motorway drive when it does 40mpg.

SmurfyBhoy

If i drive mad then easily 20 or less but thats wringing it's neck,

If that's what a 435d gets then not bad considering how much bigger that 335dGT is and heavier,