[BI9J]

I am planning on getting a e92 335i and modifying it. I test drove a m3 dct and found I prefer having boost for road use. But I have noticed m3 prices are almost the same as 335i m sport with nav.

Why are the 335i prices so high at the moment? Does anyone recon they will drop soon?

[gangzoom]

Buying a 335i and modding it is a sure way to waste your money...I speak from first hand experience. If you can afford the running costs just get a M3 and be happy

[Reece]

As much as i love the 335i for what it is, after tuning etc can be alot faster than the m3, you probably wont be a million miles from the same mpg etc, for me you cant beat the look or sound of that V8 in it

[lolololol]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Buying a 335i and modding it is a sure way to waste your money...I speak from first hand experience. If you can afford the running costs just get a M3 and be happy

Strange comment re modding bearing in mind you are a member of E90 post.

I like M3's but find them too slow ;-)

[BI9J]

I would only be driving on weekends, less than 100miles. I can afford the running cost, I just can't justify them on a m3 over a 335i.

When I test drove the m3 it was fast and very nice but I felt like it had to be driven very hard to appreciate it. And on normal roads that's just asking for trouble. Which is probably why I enjoy boosted cars.

I might test drive the m3 again, just to be sure haha

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by omaragha

Strange comment re modding bearing in mind you are a member of E90 post.

I like M3's but find them too slow ;-)

Why is it a strange comment??

I've spent £7k on my 335 to make it handle/drive better. There is no end of discussions on here about fitting M3 bits to a 335, why?? Because stock the 335 is far too compromised, I for one couldn't live with a stock 335, that's why I had a LSD fitted after just 4 weeks of ownership...In my view the main problem with the 335 is the awful M sport suspension and a lack of a LSD, actually power wise 300bhp is already more than enough for me.

I don't deny a well modded 335 is just as good as a M3 (I wouldn't swap my 335 for a M3), but if the OP can get a M3 for the SAME price as a 335 it's a no brainer....Can you imagine how quick a M3 would be if you stuck a supercharger on it!!

[GX337]

I don,t think prices are the same. You will have to pay £16-19k for an 09 335 e92 with dct/ nav etc. for the same age / mileage m3 you are looking at min of £24 k .

[joeyt]

Agreed. The prices ate nowhere near the same.

At least 5-6k difference.

[phil200tdi]

Weekend driving, you'd have to be insane to buy the 335i.

The m3 is just so right out of the box and will hold its value far better than a modded 335i.

There is still an £7-10k price difference though on equivalent cars. I've probably spent 4k modding mine (and am still not completely happy), hence my advice go for the M3.

[BI9J]

I was mistaken, the price gap is at least £4k.

[BI9J]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

Weekend driving, you'd have to be insane to buy the 335i.

The m3 is just so right out of the box and will hold its value far better than a modded 335i.

There is still an £7-10k price difference though on equivalent cars. I've probably spent 4k modding mine (and am still not completely happy), hence my advice go for the M3.

Hahaha, everyone say's I am mad to want a 335i over the m3. I just prefer forced induction over high revving v8.

When I came out of the m3 my first thought was "wow the chassis and throttle response is amazing" but I wasn't taken away by the power. It was good but not amazing. I might test a c63.

Also I am looking at n54 6at/6mt 335i as I read the it handles big power better than dct.

[phil200tdi]

Originally Posted by BI9J

Hahaha, everyone say's I am mad to want a 335i over the m3. I just prefer forced induction over high revving v8.

When I came out of the m3 my first thought was "wow the chassis and throttle response is amazing" but I wasn't taken away by the power. It was good but not amazing. I might test a c63.

Also I am looking at n54 6at/6mt 335i as I read the it handles big power better than dct.

If you want over 420bhp then the DCT won't hold it reliably.. Manuals will need a stronger clutch..

Spend £3k on upgrading the clutches in the dct though and this is the platform you want!

Money no object a dct car with single turbo would be very nice indeed...

[BI9J]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

If you want over 420bhp then the DCT won't hold it reliably.. Manuals will need a stronger clutch..

Spend £3k on upgrading the clutches in the dct though and this is the platform you want!

Money no object a dct car with single turbo would be very nice indeed...

My plan power wise was jb4, fmic, downpipe, performance exhaust.

[phil200tdi]

I'd go with DCT if that's all you are doing - no meth etc..

The DCT makes a huge difference on the road - gearing and shift speeds pull it ahead by quite a margin..

[BI9J]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

I'd go with DCT if that's all you are doing - no meth etc..

The DCT makes a huge difference on the road - gearing and shift speeds pull it ahead by quite a margin..

Something like this then http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...1500?logcode=p

n54 with dct is hard to find

[djgandy]

The DCT is the box, they are pretty hard to come by sometimes though, far rarer than the old auto box and they hold a premium in M Sport form with an N54 engine.

M3's are no where near 335i prices. 6 year old M3's are still going for £25k!

[BI9J]

Originally Posted by djgandy

The DCT is the box, they are pretty hard to come by sometimes though, far rarer than the old auto box and they hold a premium in M Sport form with an N54 engine.

M3's are no where near 335i prices. 6 year old M3's are still going for £25k!

I would be looking at 6at m3's. Something like this
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

[Boz335i]

It just depends what you're want from a car.

If you are really into your modding, then the 335i is the way to go.
I owned a mapped 335i DCT for 4 years and really enjoyed doing something different to it every month and noticing/seeing the difference bit by bit, it sort of feels like you're getting a new car every time.

Now I own an M3 all I can do is small cosmetic mods, like a performance grille, because it has been setup very well/looks great in the first place. I keep looking at it, thinking what can I do next, but a voice in my head says - "leave it!!"

If you want straight line speed then the 335i is the way to go again, for hardly any money at all you can make the 335i faster than the M3 in a straight line.
If you want a weekend car and you like gunning it around country lanes then the M3 would tear the 335i a new one.

You will end up spending more on the 335i in the long run. Believe me, I did it and I never even touched on the LSD or suspension. I once scribbled down what I'd spent on the 335i, I wish I had'nt and that's nothing compared to what other forum members have spent. Would I do it if I had my time again. absolutely yes!
What it does do, is once you go to an M3 you really appreciate what a machine the M3 is.

p.s. You can do anything you like to exhaust, but you will never get near the sound of that V8

[djgandy]

Originally Posted by BI9J

I would be looking at 6at m3's. Something like this
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...xperiment=true

Thats a Manual. You can pick up a similar mileage 335 for 12k pretty easily. If you keep an eye out on the forums people are often selling with mods done too. The diff is the big cost really at around £2k.

[BI9J]

Originally Posted by Boz335i

It just depends what you're want from a car.

If you are really into your modding, then the 335i is the way to go.
I owned a mapped 335i DCT for 4 years and really enjoyed doing something different to it every month and noticing/seeing the difference bit by bit, it sort of feels like you're getting a new car every time.

Now I own an M3 all I can do is small cosmetic mods, like a performance grille, because it has been setup very well/looks great in the first place.

If you want straight line speed then the 335i is the way to go again, for hardly any money at all you can make the 335i faster than the M3 in a straight line.
If you want a weekend car and you like gunning it around country lanes then the M3 would tear the 335i a new one.

You will end up spending more on the 335i in the long run. Believe me, I did it and I never even touched on the LSD or suspension. Would I do it if I had my time again. absolutely yes!
What it does do, is once you go to an M3 you really appreciate what a machine the M3 is.

p.s. You can do anything you like to exhaust, but you will never get near the sound of that V8

Good write up, cheers. That is basically it, I wouldn't be gunning it around country lanes very often so the m3 would be wasted on me in that sense. I will definitely be modifying what every car I get.

[joeyt]

My brother has the M3. I have had 3 335i's. I keep going back to them, his m3 is ok. But unless you thrash it its slow. It has no bottom end bite and hasnt got anything on the power range like its aposing c63.

Im going to put it one way so it makes sense to anyone wondering whats better. A boosted 6 cycle or a lazy V8............................ the new M3 has had its V8 removed and replaced with a twin power turbo 3.0ltr.

mercedes are replacing thier 6.3ltr engine with a smaller turbo charged engine as they also realised a cla 45 amg with a remap was destroying its 6.3 big brother and its not a good advert really.

Flame suit on. Lol

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by joeyt

My brother has the M3. I have had 3 335i's. I keep going back to them, his m3 is ok. But unless you thrash it its slow. It has no bottom end bite and hasnt got anything on the power range like its aposing c63.

Im going to put it one way so it makes sense to anyone wondering whats better. A boosted 6 cycle or a lazy V8............................ the new M3 has had its V8 removed and replaced with a twin power turbo 3.0ltr.

mercedes are replacing thier 6.3ltr engine with a smaller turbo charged engine as they also realised a cla 45 amg with a remap was destroying its 6.3 big brother and its not a good advert really.

Flame suit on. Lol

The M3 is slow