M3 or 335i

[JTO24]

Pretty much everything they said.. I had a jb4 + meth 335i.. quick but boring after a little; I always lusted over an m every time I saw one. Now the m3 is worlds more enjoyable as my daily driver. I rev it out past 5k+ multiple times daily without worrying about popping into limp mode. The handling and the engine/exhaust note is intoxicating.. it is so choice. If you have the means I highly recommend picking one up

[MKE_M3]

Had a 335i, bought an M3. Have never looked back. This is finally a car I plan to keep for the long run. It's been about 2 years and I like it even more now than when I bought it. Quite an accomplishment for me as I typically keep cars for a year or less.

[SilentAttack]

M3 all the way. This is why you posted it in the M3 forums right????

[SMG M3]

328i

[track_warrior]

Some say the X1 is faster than the 335i or M3

[LOVEM]

M3 all the way till you can acquire M4 . Good luck.

[BMWPWR]

Had a 335i, all I can say is do it right the first time, M3!!

[VMcV3y]

Originally Posted by carzfan1

Hello fellas. been a member of this thread since 2009... i don't post much but here it goes:

So I currently own a 2008 BMW e90 328i sedan...
I've had it ever since I was 16. Love it a lot. have modded it as much as one can-

cat back straight pipes
M3 rep competition 19" wheels
M3 rep front and rear bumper
BMW performance trunk spoiler..

blah blah blah who cares--

I've always resented the fact that my car had very little power.
I'd love to mod this car but unfortunately the 328i isnt really performance built.


I have two choices now- (used) manual 335 or an (used) manual M3.

I know that the 335i is considerably slower than the M, but its cheaper too.
my goal (if given the 335) would be to mod it aggressively JB4, intake, tune, performance exhaust.. all that good stuff. Hopefully with all the mods, i can surpass the M3's bhp. all the money ive saved getting a 335 instead of an M3, i can put into performance mods. Then the issue is reliability. Im scared that the turbos will blow out ect... if im not careful.

On the other hand... the second option would be to go balls to the wall and get the M3. I understand that it would be more expensive, but it would be a fucking rocketship compared to my 328i. Its a dream to drive in the corners, looks more aggressive, and better. and above all it comes with the "M" badge.

the things is that the 328i and the 355i are still in the same category... in the sense that the engines are similar. but the M3 is a completely different ball game. I wouldn't even know where to begin modding. I'd probably stick to visual mods then when i felt comfortable enough- move forward with performance items.

I'm posting here because you guys are the experts, by knowing the M3 in and out. i'd like to hear some of your personal stories on what or even how you chose the M3- were you happy with the power? what more did you do performance wise? how's the reliability, is servicing a bitch? I'd like to know everything you wish you knew before making the choice.

thanks,
all comments appreciated!

Which one? M3.

Why? Here's why:

Link to the Houston ///M Club: http://www.houstonmclub.com

Link to the Houston 335i Club:





- V

.

[Powaup]

Originally Posted by Lute

An old coworker had a 335i super modded and he always bragged about how he could beat M3s and other fast cars for breakfast thanks to his powerful turbos. He ended blowing out his engine.... He did get the car back but once he did he said it was never the same and he did not want to go through the whole modding process again so he sold his car at a loss (salvage title).

If you can afford it get the M3, it has an aura of its own and also there is a good community of people who drive these cars. Just look at the F30/F32 forum and you will notice how dull the posts are "how do I turn my car on" LOL

[nullrouted]

Originally Posted by track_warrior

Some say the X1 is faster than the 335i or M3

...because it is!

[Jon@NL]

Originally Posted by track_warrior
Some say the X1 is faster than the 335i or M3

Originally Posted by nullrouted

...because it is!

I was at the BMW CCA event at Mid-Ohio this weekend and there was a X1 there in the novice group that was faster than a red M3. And everything else in the group, for that matter. Was amusing.

OP, they are two different cars. Different engines, different characters. M3 looks better, sounds better, and is overall better on the racetrack. Plus you get the last NA v8 BMW is likely to ever make.

[jphughan]

It's time for another one of these threads, is it?

OP, here's the quick version:

- You're on M3Post, so hopefully you're not surprised at the answers you've gotten.

- Lots of people here on M3Post have come from heavily modded 335s, including those that made more power than M3s. I have yet to see one of those posts that said, "I sure miss my 335."

- As other said, DO NOT test drive an M3 unless you're prepared to buy it. The only people who didn't get chills test driving an M3 are the ones who never took it above 4K RPM or were stuck in traffic or something.

- And now to go SOMEWHAT against the grain: I personally believe that the M3 is only worth the added cost of purchase, gas, insurance, maintenance, etc if you will track this car. Does that mean the M3 and 335 are identical on the road? Of course not, the M3 is still more fun even there, but personally I don't believe that the fun gap on the road by itself justifies the higher total cost of ownership -- but that plus the track fun factor justifies every penny of the M3's higher cost. And a lot of the reason for that is that the M3 is SO much fun on the track. You really get to see what amazing things this car can do and why BMW designed it the way they did (that's aimed mostly at the "this car has no torque" crowd), and therefore you honestly will never enjoy an M3 anywhere near its potential if you don't track it. So if you get the M3, do yourself a favor and take her to the track. If you're worried or skeptical about tracking, go to an event as a spectator and catch rides to get a taste without putting your own car out there. And for the people who say "I have an M3 that I've never tracked but I believe I'm enjoying it to its fullest", I would point out that if you've never been to the track, you don't have the data to support your opinion. Try to find someone who HAS been to the track and believes that an M3 can be anywhere NEAR fully enjoyed and appreciated on the road.

So the bottom line in my mind is that if you'll track even occasionally, get the M3 no question if you can afford it. If you have absolutely no intent of doing that, then a 335 is a much better value proposition and still very fun and capable for a road setting. But yes, you'll still also probably feel your heartstrings being pulled every time an M3 goes by, so be prepared for that too. Of course sometimes people just have to have it all at any price, so if you can afford to buy something and leave a huge amount of its value and fun potential on the table, by all means get the M3 as a road-only car. You'll just be wasting a lot of a great car IMHO, but you certainly wouldn't be the only one.

[Techjunkie666]

I have owned 335i (sports package), 330CI, 330XI, Z4, 535i, 550i & M3. M3 is a beast that is great on a track but as a daily drivers I felt it was heavy and lacked that torque I loved on the 335i or the 330ci . I avoided test driving an M3 till I could afford it, coz I knew I would buy it if I drove it.

Now after owning both, I have to say that I prefer the 335i with sports package as a daily driver and the M3 as a track car. Just my two cents.

[mdosu]

335i

[carchrism5]

Originally Posted by tpowerdinny

The 335i has a huge upside but at the end of the day every time you see an M3 you're going to say DAMN.

Very well said. The 335 has upside in price, maintenance, gas mileage, cheaper aftermarket, etc.

But driving experience is completely different from the M3 and you will always think "what if i got the m3" when you see one pass. If you get the M3 the only time you will wish you got the 335 is when you are at the gas station or if you lose a drag race on the highway.

[M3AG]

Originally Posted by Techjunkie666

.... I felt it was heavy and lacked that torque I loved on the 335i or the 330ci....

Really? Last time I checked the torque numbers were...

M3 : 296 lb-ft
335i: 300 lb-ft
330ci: 222 lb-ft

[Techjunkie666]

I think you meant X1.

Originally Posted by mdosu

335i

[VMcV3y]

Originally Posted by jphughan

<snipped>
- And now to go SOMEWHAT against the grain: I personally believe that the M3 is only worth the added cost of purchase, gas, insurance, maintenance, etc if you will track this car. Does that mean the M3 and 335 are identical on the road? Of course not, the M3 is still more fun even there, but personally I don't believe that the fun gap on the road by itself justifies the higher total cost of ownership -- but that plus the track fun factor justifies every penny of the M3's higher cost. And a lot of the reason for that is that the M3 is SO much fun on the track.
<snipped>

Absolutely right.

Lots of analogies apply: don't buy a firearm if you will not shoot it; don't buy a boat if you never set it in water; don't buy an M3 if it will never run on a track. It's what this car does.

- V

.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by M3AG

Really? Last time I checked the torque numbers were...

M3 : 296 lb-ft
335i: 300 lb-ft
330ci: 222 lb-ft

This is an oversimplification. The 335i has all of its torque available very early in the rev range, whereas the M3 builds fairly linearly and only achieves its peak torque toward the top of the range. And even if that weren't the case, effective torque is also influenced by gearing, so torque numbers at the crank wouldn't tell the whole story. The M3 makes up some of its torque deficit in lower rev ranges by having a shorter final drive, which is facilitated by its engine's broader rev range.

Or you could just downshift a gear or two, have MORE torque than a 335 thanks to the gearing, and enjoy that sweet, sweet banshee wail of a high-revving V8.

[M3AG]

Originally Posted by jphughan

This is an oversimplification. The 335i has all of its torque available very early in the rev range, whereas the M3 builds fairly linearly and only achieves its peak torque toward the top of the range. And even if that weren't the case, effective torque is also influenced by gearing, so torque numbers at the crank wouldn't tell the whole story. The M3 makes up some of its torque deficit in lower rev ranges by having a shorter final drive, which is facilitated by its engine's broader rev range.

Or you could just downshift a gear or two, have MORE torque than a 335 thanks to the gearing, and enjoy that sweet, sweet banshee wail of a high-revving V8.

That's my point. You have to drive M3 like, M3 not like other BMWs.
Richard Hammond review watch from 3:55...

[Techjunkie666]

You can't high rev a m3 in day to day driving like on the track. So no you can't drive a m3 like a m3 in daily driving.

M3 is an amazing car. No doubt!

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by VMcV3y

Absolutely right.

Lots of analogies apply: don't buy a firearm if you will not shoot it; don't buy a boat if you never set it in water; don't buy an M3 if it will never run on a track. It's what this car does.

- V

.

I kind of wish this sentiment would go away, but I'm sure it won't. The E9x does makes a decent track car, but I've seen way too many cars in the wall with signicant damage to ever think of putting my DD on the track with any regularity (I have driven it one weekend when my R32 was in the shop). At my last event, there must have been 10-15 significant incidents over the weekend, including an E46 M3 (I think) that ended up looking like a 318ti.

I previously owned a 335xi, and have no trouble justifying the increased costs over a 335 (new to new) from the standpoint of handling and engine characteristics alone. Used, I'd guess the differential is even less. Occasional track usage is just the icing on the cake for those just getting into the sport, or for those where having a dedicated track car is completely impractical or this will be their dedicated track car.