[Cuprat]

Currently have a 335d xdrive in the household and may be getting a 328i company car.

Has anyone driven both cars....I'm interested in a view on the relative performance.

Cheers

[MWA]

I have driven a 328i Manual on a test drive before buying the 335d.. The 328i is light, nippy but its not a straight 6.. So not as powerful as you would want it and not as nice sounding as lets say the 330i.. In town economy on my test drive was around 25mpg, short journey but still.. The 335d by miles is a better car.. But if I had to get another f30, that was petrol it will defo be the 328... It's twin turbo if I am correct..

[Tengocity]

I had a 328i for a couple of days as a demo and coming from an E90 330d I found it a bit gutless to be honest. The clock may say it's fast, bit it didn't have the surge of torque that I was used to. It was smooth sounding but rather souless. The 6 cylinder diesels may not be as smooth but there is something very purposeful about the noise they make, that I like. The 328i may turn in a little nicer than the 6 cylinder diesels, as it's a lot less weight in the nose, but I never drove back to back to know for sure. I found the fuel economy of the 328 nowhere near what the figures suggested, probably because I felt the need to rev it out so much to get the turn of speed I was used to!

I really like 6 cylinder engines though and chose a Z4 30i over a Z4 28i as much preferred the noise, and feel of the straight six engine, despite the poorer economy.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by MWA

It's twin turbo if I am correct..

Nope, it's a "twin power" turbo, whatever that means, but it doesn't have two turbos. Neither does the current 335i engine. The 335d engine does though.

[Nick the Greek]

It's twin turbo if I am correct..

No, single twin scroll turbo.

I've driven the 330d f30 back to back with mine. I came from a e90 lci 330d which I never really got on with.

Comparing the f30 328i and 330d there is nothing in it in a straight line. 328i better on the brakes and handles better. 330d was the better long distance motorway muncher. Horses for courses.


Current wisdom is that x drives don't handle as well as the s drives, although I haven't driven one yet.

I get mid 30s mpg on long runs, and I like to make progress.

[Cuprat]

Thanks all for the detail.

I will test drive one....would ideally have gone for the M135i alongside the 335d but I need to keep under 160 emissions!

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by Cuprat

Thanks all for the detail.

I will test drive one....would ideally have gone for the M135i alongside the 335d but I need to keep under 160 emissions!

Get a 330d then, they are under 160g/km....

Or a 325d... Only about £750 more expensive over a 328i...

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by Nick the Greek

Current wisdom is that x drives don't handle as well as the s drives, although I haven't driven one

In what way? My 335d xdrive handles much better than my old E90 rear wheel drive. But I haven't driven the F30 m sport sdrive yet to be fair.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by Cuprat

Currently have a 335d xdrive in the household and may be getting a 328i company car.

Has anyone driven both cars....I'm interested in a view on the relative performance.

Cheers

If you search I did a write up on the 328i.

Handles beautifully, if only my 330d handled like it.

EDIT: When you get it, please consider taking it to RGS for a dyno run (not sure where you are in the country), but from this forum we have had a 330d, 330d PPK, 335d on this dyno.

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

If you search I did a write up on the 328i.

Handles beautifully, if only my 330d handled like it.

EDIT: When you get it, please consider taking it to RGS for a dyno run (not sure where you are in the country), but from this forum we have had a 330d, 330d PPK, 335d on this dyno.

Here you go

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=764989

[dopper99]

As this is a petrol/diesel thread....
I only just realised the fuel tank sizes are different.

Petrol: 60 litres
Diesel: 57 litres

I thought all 3 series tanks were 57 litres. Well you learn something new every day.

[FastLaneJB]

Originally Posted by dopper99

As this is a petrol/diesel thread....
I only just realised the fuel tank sizes are different.

Petrol: 60 litres
Diesel: 57 litres

I thought all 3 series tanks were 57 litres. Well you learn something new every day.

I knew they'd lowered the tank size which I find annoying but didn't know petrols were bigger than the diesels.

E90 was 61 litres I think. I know it's not a huge change but as the cars got a bit bigger if have expected at least the same or bigger tank. I guess they do it to force the weight down a tad when full but I want longer range.

[Pablo68]

Or get a 335i. More torque than 330d, more horses than a 330d and the straight 6 soundtrack as well.

It's 169g/km co2 but that's pretty remarkable really. And I seem to be getting mid 20's mpg but still breaking in.

"Twin Scroll" is really just two turbos in one case.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by FastLaneJB

I knew they'd lowered the tank size which I find annoying but didn't know petrols were bigger than the diesels.

Yes its on the website and I've checked in my handbook.

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by Pablo68

Or get a 335i. More torque than 330d, more horses than a 330d and the straight 6 soundtrack as well.

It's 169g/km co2 but that's pretty remarkable really. And I seem to be getting mid 20's mpg but still breaking in.

"Twin Scroll" is really just two turbos in one case.

335i is well down on torque over a 330d... 400nm vs 560nm.

335i has 186g/km Co2 with manual transmission, 169g/km Co2 with an Autobox.

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by Pablo68

Or get a 335i. More torque than 330d, more horses than a 330d and the straight 6 soundtrack as well.

It's 169g/km co2 but that's pretty remarkable really. And I seem to be getting mid 20's mpg but still breaking in.

"Twin Scroll" is really just two turbos in one case.

After my test drive of a 435 xdrive, I knew my next car would be a diesel variant again - precisely because the 330D & 335D put out WAY more torque than the 335i.

I felt the 335i very flat in normal driving compared with my E92 335D and the F31 330D I drove. Admittedly, when you give the 335i its head it does come alive and sparkle.

But, I love the lazy mountain of torque at low revs you get in the BMW 6 cylinder diesels, giving a massive, effortless and silent thrust.

D.

[DaveA]

My thoughts on a 330d vrs 328i in this thread..

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=907024

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by Dave_3

After my test drive of a 435 xdrive, I knew my next car would be a diesel variant again - precisely because the 330D & 335D put out WAY more torque than the 335i.

I felt the 335i very flat in normal driving compared with my E92 335D and the F31 330D I drove. Admittedly, when you give the 335i its head it does come alive and sparkle.

But, I love the lazy mountain of torque at low revs you get in the BMW 6 cylinder diesels, giving a massive, effortless and silent thrust.

D.

Sounds like the 335i has the same engine characteristics of the 328i, but just a bit more powerful. Its not a bad thing….. just an observation.

[Pablo68]

Originally Posted by dopper99

Sounds like the 335i has the same engine characteristics of the 328i, but just a bit more powerful. Its not a bad thing….. just an observation.

I've not driven the F30 328i so cant comment on that. But my 335i has a flat torque curve from 1200 through to 5000 rpm so it pulls like a diesel from right at the bottom but the main thing is it doesn't then run out of puff and keeps pulling harder all the way up as the revs rise to max hp at around 6k (with a very satisfactory sound).

You will always get more torque low down from a big diesel of course so the good old bum dyno will feel quick in everyday driving, but for me personally I prefer the feel of a big petrol (even if turbo charged).

[Cuprat]

Thanks again all.

I have to stick to sub 160 for the emissions on the company car scheme.

I would ideally like petrol to go with the 335d as we will use this car for the school run.

I want something with a bit of poke....I loved the m135i and nearly got it over the 335d but needed/wanted 4wd

I'm seriously considering the audi S3 saloon or the golf r, both of which creep under the 160 limit in auto guise.....which is my preference.

Any other contenders that would meet my criteria?

[F30AM]

Generally, no Diesel engine can be as smooth as a Petrol one. That's a fact.
The 335i Petrol engine is creamy, silky, smooth and very quiet. I love it! Hence an M235i as my next car.

[bwrlane]

Originally Posted by Pablo68

Or get a 335i. More torque than 330d

Nope! Nowhere near.

more horses than a 330d

True

and the straight 6 soundtrack as well.

True, but the 330d sounds unbelievable. A diesel 6's best ever impression of a V8 IMO.