Quote:
Originally Posted by hwelvaar
I currently drive a E92 335i (since 8 months) and I recently did a 1-hour test-drive with the E92 M3.
My opinion:
- I prefer the torque of 335i for daily driving (and my 335i is still stock) - it makes your car real fast in daily traffic
- when you're not revving, the M3 feels slow ; I was *really* disappointed. I was *hoping* that the M3 would blow me away, so I could convince my own brain to drop the extra bucks to get an M3. But it didn't. Not on normal roads.
- the sound of M3 engine is fantastic in high revs, but not noticable in low and mid RPMs
- the sound of 335i is very nice in both mid and high RPMs
- I prefer the suspension of the M3 for daily driving (with EDC in comfort) and the fact that you can switch to sport when needed;
- It felt good to drive around in a car labeled "M3"
- I prefer the looks of stock M3 over stock 335i (no-brainer)
- LSD is a must-have for occasional fun drifting !
- 1 hour-drive on normal roads, and 1/4th of the M3 fuel tank is empty -> M3 really drinks alot !
- the brakes on the M3 are definitely good (and noticably better than stock 335i)
So yes I can modify the 335i, throw in PROcede, an LSD, Bilstein suspension with electronic comfort and sport setting, some carbon for the external, and a big brake kit. I would not need to fear to pull up next to a stock M3 at the lights, and certainly not when doing rolling starts.
But I'd still not have an M3 badge. And I must admit that saying 'I drive an M3" would make me feel better than "I drive a 335i"
Also, I'm afraid to tune my 335i. Basically I never had any tuning done on any of my previous cars either.
Conclusion for me personal: Today's turbo engines is what you want if you'll be driving +95% of the time on normal roads. I want an E92, with all the tech options of the M3, but with a modded 400HP 500Nml torque 3L twin-turbo engine of the 335i.
That car would rock. Even better, if some tuner would come out with a reliable turbo-kit for the E92 M3, which would deliver low-rev torque, that would be heavon on earth for me.
Any thoughts ?
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I have a few questions with this review:
1) If the engine was not any faster on normal roads, how could you tell the brakes are much better? The 335i has bigger brakes than the e46 M3, certainly more than sufficient for normal roads.
2) You don't feel comfortable putting even a mild +50HP, +60TQ chip into your 335i, such as an SSTT, but "heaven on earth" for you would be an entire aftermarket turbo system on the M3?