got a 328 loaner while the M3 is in for service

[Heat00]

and now I remember how fast my m3 is... was getting used to it but now driving the 328i overnight....... um.. I miss my m

and the steering feels so loose.... i guess i start taking things for granted until i drove something else lol.... what a difference

[M3Gator]

Originally Posted by Heat00

and now I remember how fast my m3 is... was getting used to it but now driving the 328i overnight....... um.. I miss my m

and the steering feels so loose.... i guess i start taking things for granted until i drove something else lol.... what a difference

Been there. Had a 328 loaner for a day after only 4 days in my M. Probably would have liked the 328 if I had never driven the M.

[Bimmer Al]

Originally Posted by M3Gator

Been there. Had a 328 loaner for a day after only 4 days in my M. Probably would have liked the 328 if I had never driven the M.

Wish I had that problem

One day!

[alpine335i]

Did they give you a choice? My 335i had so many problems and i was in so many loaners they started asking me what i wanted. Best loaner was an 08 535i blk/blk with 700 miles on it. MINT.

[SF-M3]

I wish they had a 328 when my M3 has been in. Instead I have had a Chevy Caviler, Toyota Rav 4 and some other GM econo box.

I do agree it helps reinforce why I picked a BMW once you have done an 1/8 of a mile in one of those.

[M3-DCT]

Originally Posted by alpine335i

Did they give you a choice? My 335i had so many problems and i was in so many loaners they started asking me what i wanted. Best loaner was an 08 535i blk/blk with 700 miles on it. MINT.

I hope I am not hijacking this thread ...

... I haven't driven a 535i .. yet ... ! I know that it is a very different car from the //M3 .. but can you provide your thoughts between the two ... from all perspectives .. i.e. acceleration, handling, comfort, sound, responsiveness, interior room ... etc. Thanks!

[spyderco10]

328 is a totally different animal

[drsnooz]

Had a Dodge Charger as a rental when my M3 was at the body shop after getting rear ended. What a pice of s&*t! No power, steering sucked, handled like a boat, fit and finish was pathetic! Makes you really appreciate what you have.

[sayemthree]

yep - had one too - the 328i felt like a rental car.

[NYSPEM3]

The 325/328 may be underpowered, but the steering is just fine. I actually liked the steering feel of my old E90/325 more than the current M. But the fat steering wheel of the M more than made up for the difference.
The 325/328 is a GREAT car in its own right.

[Crazy Bimmer]

Originally Posted by NYSPEM3

The 325/328 may be underpowered, but the steering is just fine. I actually liked the steering feel of my old E90/325 more than the current M. But the fat steering wheel of the M more than made up for the difference.
The 325/328 is a GREAT car in its own right.

I actually think the steering in the M3 feels lighter than in my 328i.

But yea they are totally different animals. 328i keeps me content but the M3 makes me giddy. Cant wait to get mine!

[JK479]

535i verses M3

Just recently driven both:

535i is vault quiet. Quick acceleration and feels just as fast as the m3. Start up the car, and it's smooth quiet silk. Nice isloation from wind noise. plush large interior. Heated Steering wheel a huge plus.

m3- my 5 drives in various coupes, sedans and verts all had varyign effects. Sedan was similiar to the 535i except, on start up, the v8 rumbles. More muscle car. Same great space. Snug seats with better leather than the 5. POWER. The v8 whales! I fear gas mileage is MUCH lower because of consumption. But it's pure throaty sports car rush. Power in 4th around 80 were the 5 just didn't have any guts. Might be the natually aspirated 8 verses the turbo 6.


Power differences. I think the 300 lbs of torque low in the I 6 is nice for commuting. V8 has power, who ever said it lacked low end torque is nuts. It's a build up like a porsche engine, but magic at 50 or 60 miles an hour, where turbo's lack the mid range. I am a layman in terms of usign the right terms, but if it was the 220hp 328i it would not keep up.

I am scared of the efficiency. 20/28 is a great mileage for the 328i. 14/20 is the handicap of the m3. But the power difference is staggering, and most will tell you to pay for the extra gas and make your own conclusions.

Interior: like I said. m3 is a difference luxury than a 335/328i. CF trim, better leather than a 5 series, makes it a go between between a 5 and 3. I think atleast.

[nusevad]

Originally Posted by spyderco10

328 is a totally different animal

more like a puppy...

[Heat00]

lol... they gave me no choice however I did ask for a BMW as most of the time they give you to enterprise, there is a booth for them inside the dealer... didn't want to know what they would give me.....

hopefully the M will be done today, killing me already....

the delay is that they had to order the parts for my Idrive knob which broke off...now they replace the entire knob including the underneath white part and the wires and on and on lol...

[M3-DCT]

Originally Posted by jk3355

535i verses M3

Just recently driven both:

535i is vault quiet. Quick acceleration and feels just as fast as the m3. Start up the car, and it's smooth quiet silk. Nice isloation from wind noise. plush large interior. Heated Steering wheel a huge plus.

m3- my 5 drives in various coupes, sedans and verts all had varyign effects. Sedan was similiar to the 535i except, on start up, the v8 rumbles. More muscle car. Same great space. Snug seats with better leather than the 5. POWER. The v8 whales! I fear gas mileage is MUCH lower because of consumption. But it's pure throaty sports car rush. Power in 4th around 80 were the 5 just didn't have any guts. Might be the natually aspirated 8 verses the turbo 6.


Power differences. I think the 300 lbs of torque low in the I 6 is nice for commuting. V8 has power, who ever said it lacked low end torque is nuts. It's a build up like a porsche engine, but magic at 50 or 60 miles an hour, where turbo's lack the mid range. I am a layman in terms of usign the right terms, but if it was the 220hp 328i it would not keep up.

I am scared of the efficiency. 20/28 is a great mileage for the 328i. 14/20 is the handicap of the m3. But the power difference is staggering, and most will tell you to pay for the extra gas and make your own conclusions.

Interior: like I said. m3 is a difference luxury than a 335/328i. CF trim, better leather than a 5 series, makes it a go between between a 5 and 3. I think atleast.

Thanks .. great summary! I just love the e90 M3 sedan design. With regard to fuel efficiency ... oh well I guess you can't have it all ... but I remember doing a bunch of spirited runs in the 335i and fuel efficiency falls of pretty quickly (more so than the //M) .. so in short if you are going to run your car spiritedly a good number of times ... the difference in efficiency may not be as much. The //M engine seems to maintain decent economy FOR spirited use. During cruise however, the TT is going to dominate in the economy space ... as you really aren't taxing the turbos .. and you really are just running a simple inline 6 (with virtually no pumping losses to boot due to presence of pressured air in the intake).

But .. I have heard that if you keep your //M in constant cruise around 65-75 in the DCT 7th gear .. you may be able to inch up to 22.5 mpg. Not bad .. ! In city traffic .. you screwed either way .. I'd rather walk or take public transport and leave the baby at home.

[daltonnnn]

Haha. Funny...

I just a 328 loaner this morning. If our ///M was anywhere close to it, I would have never bought it. Why couldn't they schedule me when they opened instead of 15 minutes after so I can choose something other than the 328. They give 1 series loaners and I have yet to try it...... =)

[AckM3]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bimmer

I actually think the steering in the M3 feels lighter than in my 328i.

I had a 328i loaner and thought the same, the steering is very heavy compared to the M (in normal servotronic mode). But there's more feedback from the M when you throw it around a corner.

Great loaner car though.

[Mr Tonka]

Got a 335 for my loaner when i took the car in for 1200 service.

I'm still super impressed with the power of that car; real or perceived. BUT after driving it around for the day I’m very happy that i am blessed enough to have been able to choose the M3 over the 335.

The 335 is a super car, has to be top of its class with ease. But it's such a different driving experience when compared to the M3. I was able to drive it in and around the same places i normally do to make a fair comparison. I have a little "track" that runs through a business park that i take home after work. Everyone pours out of that place between 4 and 5 so I’m running through there a few hours later and have it all to myself. I’ve been going through there for years in the E46 M3 and only a month of so with the E92 M3. In terms of feel, confidence, and shear enjoyment the 335 doesn't hold a candle to the M3. Not even in the same league as the E46 M3 for that matter.

The more miles I put on the car the more Mpressed I am with it.

[achenator]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bimmer

I actually think the steering in the M3 feels lighter than in my 328i.

But yea they are totally different animals. 328i keeps me content but the M3 makes me giddy. Cant wait to get mine!

How's that coming? Any luck with your cars?

[jlaw]

I too had a 328i loaner for several days a while back. I thought that was rough. Then I had a Chevy Cobalt sedan rental car... the 328 never looked so good.

[leemik]

I had a 328ix loaner.. It was the most stripped down model BMW I had ever seen--a 328ix with like NO OPTIONS except for automatic tranny.. It wasn't horrible but I did really miss the M

[Crazy Bimmer]

Originally Posted by achenator

How's that coming? Any luck with your cars?

I aint getting anywhere near what i want for the 328i or NSX. Really bad time to be selling a car.

So, i think im just going to wait it out a year and see what happens. Not like the M3 is going anywhere plus the 328/NSX combo is still entertaining.