I just like the sound that 335i/340i's make :neener:

 

One of the few cars I would trade my E46 is a nice E90 335d with the Sport package. And it's not even available with a manual trans. But the idea of a little German sports sedan sounding like a lifted diesel F350 is pretty awesome---to me. :thumbsup:

Absolutely no interest in the F30. Drove a 330i for a day and hated it. Sorry Jake. Diff'rent strokes.

 

One of the few cars I would trade my E46 is a nice E90 335d with the Sport package. And it's not even available with a manual trans.

Don't even dare to trade your beloved E46. :facepalm:

 

^ We can't be friends anymore... you know what. I will ban you :eeps::censor::evil::banghead:






But yea, the 335D facelift E90 msport is a beauty....

 

^ We can't be friends anymore... you know what. I will ban you :eeps::censor::evil::banghead:

It's the turn signal action. Couldn't handle it. :thumbdwn:

J/k it just wasn't the car for me. Yours is a beaut though.

But yea, the 335D facelift E90 msport is a beauty....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOh5J77dTYg

:drool::drool::drool:

 

The turbo 4 on the F30 328i :drool:

 

I know, right? It's disgraceful that BMW has lost its heritage with NA i6, and now is doing this turbo 4 nonsense.

 

We (well, my wife's daily driver) had an E90 for exactly 4 months and got rid of it, as we could never get used to the interior, which in OUR opinion sucks compared to the layout of the E46 interior.

We also believe that the interior finish quality on the E90 is far from what the E46 has.

Again, just our opinion.

 

When E90 came out, everyone said the E46 was ruined and it was junk.

I don't know who said that but that's complete nonsense. As a current E92 335i owner and multiple E46 owner I can tell you right now the E92 is heavy, numb, lethargic, there is no throttle control whatsoever (on downhill descents this is VERY apparent), the electronic brake servo intervenes way too often, the car is so disconnected from what you're doing that I truly loathe this car and regret buying it. And this is just the driving aspect of it, the in car electronics are a whole other world of miserable. It's an old-people's car. It's a terrible car. The E46 is by far and away a better machine in every single conceivable aspect except (arguably) appearance.

No, I have no experience with the F30 because after what the E92 did to my perception of BMW, I won't buy anything newer than an E46 probably ever again.

 

It is an interesting question, but I can't get interested in either car. I mean, one big, heavy car versus another big, heavy car. The E46 is big as far as I'm concerned, and I wouldn't want one even larger. Sorry, BMW, but you've lost me - the only car you build that is small enough for me is the 1-series but it's just too fuggly. Someone inside BMW was trying to recreate the magic of the E30 and failed dismally.

 

The newer cars are heavy sounds like a bunch of internet BS

E46 3200 lbs.
E90 3300 lbs.
F30 3300 lbs.

 

Drive them. See what they feel like. They FEEL heavy, and that's what matters to me.

 

When E90 came out, everyone said the E46 was ruined and it was junk.
?

Sorry, to clarify, everyone said the E90 was junk and that the E46 legacy was ruined.

 

I haven't driven an F30 but owned an E46 for nearly seven years and now a E92 for about two years. I loved the E46 and DIY'd quite a bit so I felt like I knew the car. The E92 was a step up in nearly every category and it's a lot of fun to drive. Those on the E90 forums don't seem to like the F30 but BMW owners are a picky lot and loyal to their platform. As suggested above, go drive a couple and make a choice based on your preferences and needs.

 

In terms of feel, I prefer the E90 to the F30, because I enjoy tighter-feeling cars.

The F30s I drove feel no different than my A4. Both are roomy, soft and with an adequate amount of power to drive enjoyably. But, nothing special.

There's still hope, though. The m240i I drove recently certainly "felt" like what a BMW should be.

 

The weight numbers are very interesting. The weight of the E46 just feels lighter. E90 felt big and heavy iseven though it’s only 2” longer. F30 is another 4” longer and would have been a 5-series class a generation earlier. The F30 330e electric adds something 400-500 pounds. That one is a porker. I’m waiting to see how the G20 (next generation 3-series) feels. Supposedly their recently cars are returning to sharper handling and more driver focused than the last two generations. The reviews of the 2018 X3 were very favorable. If I had to get a car right now the X3 M40i would be high on my list. G20 should be out later this year for the 2019 model year.


Sent from my iPhone using E46Fanatics

 

You're forgetting the Bavaria. Everything after is a letdown.

t

 

My wife went 7 years in her E46 Vert with the Sport package then moved to a 2013 E93 328i Vert without the Sport package. With the crappy roads in our area, it is not a bad thing to give up the Sport Package for a daily driver.

Its different, not in a very bad way, but more disconnected from the road and less throttle responsiveness. Not sure it is slower, just less immediate throttle. The car may not handle quite as well, smaller, non staggered tires with higher sidewalls.

She adjusted to it quickly, did say the car was different, but about 18 months later she is happy with it.

She does like some of the newer creature comforts and the better quality BT hands free along with the heated steering wheel.

No engine oil dipstick!! Direct injection and had a coil fail at 30k mile, the E46 has over 100k and original coils.

It is different, not sure I would like the F chassis, but have not driven one. The crap with the 4 cylinder turbos does not excite me, I do not think the 4 cylinders will go the distance of the I6? Time will tell.

 

PREMISE: I'm not a race-addicted guy. I like to use the car everyday and , at the same time, enjoy it in weekend on mountain uphill landscapes BUT not searching for the fasted lap: I'm an "average driver", I like a slow and relaxed driving, while enjoying the engine "sound". I don't mind to havve mp3 or bluetooth on my car, nor I use my car calculating how I can gain a second on a lap or similar. I only want to hear "vrooom!" from my engine, contemplating the landscape, manually change my gears. I'm a romantic

But I, honestly, I'm not "able" to feel those weight differencies, or dynamics between the models.
So...I'm not so skilled in technical stuff and I think newer cars are fastest, safer, comfortable and efficient but I'm fashinated by older cars because they are less "muffled" and sincere. Generally speaking, I like the second ones.
Choosing a car, I generally prefer an old one because it has more "fashion" and can easily make me "feel" her.

BUT, comparing an E9x and a F3x, we're talking about "new" cars. The E9x is still a "modern" car for me. So, I'll talk only about design.

The F3x is SOOOOOOOOOO much beautiful of every E9x. Internally, externally, in the cockipt.... There is no comparison.
I had an E46, took a E36/7, switched to an E60 (for me, less ugly than a E9x) and then switched back to E46.

E9x has never been on my mind, I always saw them as extremely ugly, with no offense for anyone who like them. Choosing between an E9x and an F3x, I will have no doubt. They're both "modern", but at least the F is very beautiful the most beautiful BMW I saw till E46.

 

I like the looks & torque of the F30 sport package. N20 engine seems to be weak, though it does respond to mods.
Has way too many electronic gizmos though, like 4 different drive modes, and the centre console feels cheap.

The enthusiast will usually choose the E9x series though. Anything before 2009 looks fugly, especially the sedan.
Better handling feel due to no electric steering, more mods available, and stronger engine (N55 still used in new cars today)

I have been eyeing 335d's even though they only come in auto.

 

Pre-LCI E90 looks very classy when in good condition/high spec IMO.

 

Pre-LCI E90 looks very classy when in good condition/high spec IMO.

3 problems with the prefacelift:

- Underbite front bumper.
- Milk mustache chrome on kidneys
- Clenched butt. Once you see it in the taillights, you can't unsee it.

 

Honestly I think the e90 front end looks ugly, f30 looks closer to e46 IMO

 

i haven't driven an E90 but have driven a F30 (328xi) and was largely unimpressed. It seems like a great "get me from point A to point B" car, but i like more sporty ride. Given the NA engine i think i'd go with an E90 because a turbo just does not excite me as much. Facelift E90, to be clear, the pre-facelift is fugly.

 

I agree with most of this, but will add that on the F30 (like most 3 series) the sport package makes a considerable difference.

I drove the lowest of the low models - a 2017 F30 320i with xDrive.
My expectations were a heavy pig of a car, with no grunt. It had a surprising amount of torque & a nice quick shifting transmission.

98/100 Preface E90s are uke:

 

I was forced to switch from my 330 to a '09 335i LCI (ZPP, ZCW, ZSP).

My beloved E46 330ci was totaled recently by an inattentive moron in a beaten-to-hell Accord. I couldn't find a single facelift 330ci in my area in good nick, so I expanded my search to the LCI E90 335i and F30 335i. The F30 is disconnected and sloppy, even with the M Sport package. The E90 still has the BMW feel to it - responsive handling, telepathic steering feel, and responsive throttle control. Indeed, it feels even stiffer, and is a better drivers car than my 330ci. The auto gearbox (dad has a bad back, and he drives it semi-frequently while I'm at college) is worlds better than the GM 5 speed in the post-03 330s. Indeed, I'm in love with the power of the N54 and the avant-garde lines of the E90 LCI.

But I'd still trade my 300hp 335i for a 225hp 330ci. Can't beat the timeless lines and analog goodness of the E46. If a good ZHP came up for sale, I'd trade my 335i in for it in a heartbeat.

 

I have a 2001 330i E46, 2006 330i E90 and a 2014 335 F30. The 335 is fast but soft and handles like crap. My E90 has M3 control arms all around with MSport shocks and springs, it handles better than the E46 and F30. My E90 is my favorite and I drive it at least 3 to 4 days a week. I drive my cars hard and the E46 and E90 are manual transmissions. F30 is a 8 spreed auto, all three are sports package cars. The F30 non sport drives like a Camry.
E46 has 236k miles
E90 has 221k miles
F30 has 31k miles

 

I have a 2012 F30 Sedan built in Munich and imported into US by an individual. I love everything about it. Mine is a manual six-speed w/ sport package, carbon-fiber interior, 18" wheels, etc. Awesome, awesome car with lots of power and still gets 39mpg...

 

We had an F30 328i x-drive for a couple of years... some interesting takeaways: The 4 cyl turbo combined with the 8 speed auto is fast... 13.9 in the 1/4 mile. We added a JB 1 and lowered the ET to 13.4. We were beating V8 mustangs at the local drag strip. A lot of that is the 8 speed transmission and x-drive as the mustangs started catching up by the end of the track.
We also had an X1 35i x-drive Msport with the 6 speed auto. It turned the exact same time in the 1/4 mile as the F30 without the JB1

The downside is the chassis is soft, numb and unpredictable. Dare I say like an old Taurus? The stop/start feature will drive you crazy.
So if you're not flooring it in a strait line, the car is boring as hell and scary when trying to go fast around a turn because the is no road feedback whatsoever in the steering wheel... I imagine the sport package would make it a bit more tolerable

 

I've had my 2001 e46 sedan sport package since new, 250k on the clock. I lusted to have a 335i e90 sport package with a manual, a rare combo. I must admit the front and rear design of an early e90 isn't a favorite of mine, until the LCI (facelifted) version came out. The LCI was very nice blend of classic modern and futuristic modern BMW, if that makes any sense. The e46's dash is a much nicer design and more informative at a glance in my opinion . . . the e90's design is harsh and has less readily available information at a glance. But overall, both interiors are typical of BMW high standards of the time. Anyway, back in December I picked a super clean and reasonably low mileage manual tranny 2007 e90 335i with a stage 1 Cobb tune . . . OMG! For those you who haven't driven an N54 (twin turbo) powered 3 series, go out and drive one. A very fast car. Then try different ones at different stages of tune. The N54 is one of BMW's most tunable engines, V8 eating power. I still can't get over the wheelspin, shifting from second to third gear in my Cobb stage 1 tuned 335i. I love both my e46 and e90. But if forced to get rid of one . . . the e90. The e46 is a modern classic, and I feel more connected with the road. (I'd love to add an e46 M3 in my stable.) I've had an e21, e30, e36 . . . they all seem to have that connection. As far as the F30 goes, it's big . . . but good looking with a poor quality interior. (BUT, I wouldn't mind having an F30 M3.) The e90 is the last of the "small" 3 series. The E90 M3 is a normally aspirated V8 gem . . . and another story.