Wrestling with the decision to buy a new 335d

[piancu]

Hey guys. For the past ten years I've owned a 1997 M3 (and for the past two years a 1991 M5) that I've enjoyed a lot. I've been thinking about getting a 335d using European Delivery since I go back every other year to visit relatives who still live in Europe. I wouldn't say I'm bored of the M3, but would like something newer and more comfortable on long road trips, which I like to take often. The market for used cars is pretty much shot and I'd hate to take the trade-in hit for a M3 in great shape with 100k miles on it. What do you think I should do? Should I keep the M3 until the market improves and try to sell it myself or trade it in now?

Paul

[floydr]

I love my 335d, but if you want a highway cruiser, get one without the sport package.

Drove from Seattle to Mt. Hood, skiied three days (driving from Govy to Timberline - 2000' vert) and all the way back to Seattle on one tank. Only got 33mpg, but then the 2000' 3 times killed it.

[Chrisdridley]

The torque of the "d" is a lot of fun on the highway at speed when overtaking other traffic and on long road trips, is, in my opinion, the best car on the road. It's comfortable to stay in for non-stop hours of driving, it has a range that keeps you from stopping to often and when the drive gets boring, just lean on the motor a little.
My 335d just turned 60,000 miles on the clock and I still love it.

[mattjw916]

Personally I never trade in my cars. I always get considerably better money for them listing on autotrader. No sense in hanging on to an old M3 expecting the prices to go up. That just won't happen unless you've got some garage-queen concourse-quality car.

I haven't driven a BMW diesel yet but both the sedan and coupe 3-ers are great for long-distances. I've taken both on cross-country jaunts and they were comfy and quiet. I did drive a new VW diesel and was surprised at how far the technology has come; it was a very respectable car. Considering how much more powerful the BMW diesel is I'm sure it's as great if not better.

[RI335d]

I love my 335d, but if you want a highway cruiser, get one without the sport package.


I just purchased my 335d a few weeks ago, and in the process drove one w/ and one w/o the sport package. Honestly, and to my absolute surprise, the sport package rode better. They both felt the same over the bumps (and there are quite a few on RI roads), but the sport package turns better (less body roll). After my test drives, I see absolutely no reason to NOT get the sport package, unless you're strapped for cash.

[piancu]

Thanks. I've been reading all these great stories from people that have done the European Delivery and asked myself why I pay for a rental car everytime I go. I'll just stay longer if I do European Delivery since you can get insurance for up to five months. I'll try to sell the M3 more aggresively and post it in AutoTrader.

[roccaas]

Spreadsheet shows the 335D will break even with the 335i based on my extensive road mileage within 3.5 years (even with Sport Pkg).

How is the maintainence schedule?

The BMWUSA site isn't very specific. I hear 10,000 mile oil/filter changes, and Urea refills. I'm mostly DIY (a must with an old M6), but have never had a butter burner.

Anything I should know going in?

Thanks

[floydr]

How is the maintainence schedule?

The BMWUSA site isn't very specific. I hear 10,000 mile oil/filter changes, and Urea refills. I'm mostly DIY (a must with an old M6), but have never had a butter burner.

Anything I should know going in?

Thanks

I just had mine for it's first service - oil, urea and software update - at 13K miles (since Nov delivery). I changed (actually had it done) at 2K miles because I'm a break-in oil believer (oil change timer not reset). I have had only one problem - a fuel injector went out of it's baseline adjustments in that time.

The engine doesn't really get broken in for around 7500 miles - mileage went up by about 2 mpg over that time. The sport package is nice, but if you have really rutted roads be prepared for massive tramlining. Be sure to get the better stereo - my one mistake in ordering it. Bluetooth is really nice, especially since WA state requires hand-free now.

[Georgere]

everyone seems so happy w/their D which is a good news. wondering what was the decision factor for u guys to go with D?

[floydr]

everyone seems so happy w/their D which is a good news. wondering what was the decision factor for u guys to go with D?

Mileage (just a bit of enviro-wackiness going on), and torque. There was also the fact that my '01 330xi was at 145K miles and may have been on the way to a center diff failure.

[roccaas]

Even D cars have a lot of strength in the bottom end with 17:1 compression. Should run forever. Diesel will probably remain less expensive per mile and per car purchase over the long term.

Also, filling up every 500 miles keeps me out of the cig smoke at most Convenience Stores!

[Jimbo33]

I have an E46 that is getting a little long in the tooth so I have been researching the 335 and 335D. The dealer scared me off on the 335D. I was in for routine service and a gent with a new X5 came in with a low urea tank with only 1500mi on the SUV. That is only 10% of the distance from a tank of it that BMW claims and because it is "unscheduled maintenance" they charged him about $70. They also told him it uses more in the cold but 10X as much!!! I know a lot of you will respond that you get way more from a tank of it but that particular SUV can't. It can't even go on a trip from Rochester NY to Florida an back with out a dealer refilling his urea tank.

That makes a BMW diesel too much of a risk.

[floydr]

Since my 13,000 miles occurred between November and now, I suspect that the X5 had other problems. I have seen some anectdotes that there were problems with the SCR in the initial model year, mostly related to software problems with emissions control.

[RI335d]

everyone seems so happy w/their D which is a good news. wondering what was the decision factor for u guys to go with D?

I like the fact that there's less lag in first gear w/ the diesel because of the torque, of course the gas mileage, and the fact that it cost less than the 335i to begin with. We got $4500 back because of the diesel plus a $900 tax credit at the end of the year. So when all is said and done, we got approximately $5500 off MSRP before even talking numbers with the salesman.

[Chrisdridley]

I have an E46 that is getting a little long in the tooth so I have been researching the 335 and 335D. The dealer scared me off on the 335D. I was in for routine service and a gent with a new X5 came in with a low urea tank with only 1500mi on the SUV. That is only 10% of the distance from a tank of it that BMW claims and because it is "unscheduled maintenance" they charged him about $70. They also told him it uses more in the cold but 10X as much!!! I know a lot of you will respond that you get way more from a tank of it but that particular SUV can't. It can't even go on a trip from Rochester NY to Florida an back with out a dealer refilling his urea tank.

That makes a BMW diesel too much of a risk.

I am going 13,000 miles, winter or summer, with no urea tank refills. If your dealer is charging some guy for a urea fill after only 1500 miles, you need to find another dealer.
You can re-fill the urea tank yourself....it is very easy and urea is available in lots of places at a fraction of what BMW charges for it.

[AZ335d]

everyone seems so happy w/their D which is a good news. wondering what was the decision factor for u guys to go with D?

I work for an environmental company, and wanted a car with some environmental cred. However, I am not such a big fan of hybrid technology. I have another diesel (an 06 Ford F350 pickup) and have been so impressed with the torque, power, fuel mileage, etc, when the opportunity to drive the 335D came up I jumped at it.

I now have over 10,000 miles on it and have had no issues with it whatsoever. I have found that in Phoenix, during the summer, the high heat in the cabin when the car sits makes the bluetooth connection kind of iffy until the interior cools off.

As for fuel mileage, I get 25 to 29 around town and 31+ on the highway. On my last trip to LA (1100 miles round trip) I got 34 mpg at 85 mph going there and coming back. That is almost the same mileage my wife's Honda Fit gets. Which one would you rather drive - a BMW 335 D or a Honda Fit? If I drive somewhat less rapidly, I have seen fuel mileage over 40 mpg, but I have to keep the speed down to 65-70 to get mileage like that.

This car does everything - it is very sporty, is a great highway cruiser, gets great fuel mileage, is pretty exclusive (I have only seen one other one) and is a blast to drive. The only problem I have is that I leased the car and they only gave me 15,000 miles per year, so I can't drive it all the time or I would destroy my lease mileage.

[DnA Diesel]

Jimbo, there were also a number of X5 35d's that didn't get a full DEF fill from the factory, the 1500mi on empty sounds like about where most X5's were running out of fluid. Do NOT believe some salesman that tells you these cars burn 10x more DEF in cold weather...that is absolute horsey-poop. I had my D services at 20,000 km (12,000 mi) and the tech told me my DEF tanks were still 1/3 full, and that was through an Northeastern Ontario winter and some time driving around the Great Lakes.

One of these days, I'm going to take a video showing how simple (and cheap) it is to fill the DEF if you need to. It's cheaper and much faster than an oil change, so it is a DIY no-brainer.

As for the driving qualities, I echo what RI335d said about the Sport version, I test drove a non-Sport for a full day, then test-drove the Sport...no contest, Sport hands down...and that was also driving around a fair bit in Toronto and Montreal...perhaps not worse than the potholes in Philly, but not far from it.

The D is a beautiful cruising car, roll-on power at highway speeds is unlike anything you'd have experienced before. Unlike a gasser that has to shift down to get up into the power band, the D provides oomph as soon as you put the pedal down...425 ft-lbs is really nice when it happens as soon as you press the pedal! :)

Regards

[AZ335d]

The D is a beautiful cruising car, roll-on power at highway speeds is unlike anything you'd have experienced before. Unlike a gasser that has to shift down to get up into the power band, the D provides oomph as soon as you put the pedal down...425 ft-lbs is really nice when it happens as soon as you press the pedal! :)

Regards

This car lis surprisingly easy to find oneself at go-to-jail speed. You can be doing 80 - press the pedal slightly and be doing over 100 with no sense of doing that kind of speed. There is no downshift if you don't press the go pedal too hard - it just goes.