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2014 F30 335i review

littleazn248

Go Kart Champion
Location
NorCal
So I recently picked up a 2014 F30 335i M-sport. After 1,150miles I have almost finished breaking in the car so I can soon really give it a drive. :D Here are just some impressions, once I do the break in oil change I can drive the car more naturally.

Some specs:
-N55 inline 6
-270whp/ 273-lb-ft tq
-RWD
-8AT not dct
-M-sport, Tech package, Premium package, Driver Assistance package

Exterior
Being a 335i this has the larger caliper setup as well as the dual out exhaust. Unfortunately as a result of the M-Sport package you loose the fog lights but,in exchange you gain better looking body work :D Without this package I just find the front end looks a little too squished. The car is also equipped with some very heavy 19" (403m) wheels. Lastly being an M-Sport the vehicle is 1/2" lower iirc. Overall the car looks very aggressive though I'll eventually throw on some lowering springs.

Interior
The car is well equipped inside with well laid out, driver oriented controls. At first the iDrive system was very confusing but, once you get a chance to mess around with it, its not too bad. The seats feel supportive but, they are different from the GTI seats. The best I can explain it is that while the BMW seats cradle you they are not as deep as the GTI seats. Though the BMW seats are more comfortable I actually prefer how the GTI seats hug you. Lastly the steering wheel is crazy good. It's a very large diameter and soft leather wrapped steering wheel that is supposedly the same as the M3 wheel. After using this the steering wheel the GTI's wheel feels too skinny lol.

Driving
First thing I found the most interesting about this car is the mode selectors. You can choose between Sport+, Sport, Comfort, and EcoPro mode.

Sport+: Increases the weight of the steering, adjust the throttle sensitivity, opens exhaust butterfly, and activates dynamic traction control. I feel that this mode is actually a little too un-natural. The steering while weighted feels overly dramatic. I've driven numerous cars with hydraulic steering assist and I can say that they are not close to as heavy. The throttle sensitivity feels about right, and is noticeably more sensitive than comfort mode. This mode also opens up the exhaust butterfly valve which allows for exhaust burbles. I haven't driven the car hard enough to activate traction control yet. The car also changes shift characteristics and never utilizes the 8th gear in this mode.

Sport: Same as Sport+ but doesn't disable traction control. This is also my default profile.

Comfort. Everything is dulled down a bit. The exhaust butterfly valve is shut, shift points are low, and steering is lighter.

Eco-Pro mode: IMHO its pointless you'll accelerate slower than a prius.

In general I'll say the car is very different in feel compared to the GTI. I dislike that regardless of the mode you don't feel much through the steering wheel. You can go over man-hole covers , small bumps and not feel much feedback. Lastly while I can take turns at the same speed as the GTI, I don't feel it. I'll go to say that the while the GTI is slower it feels faster, and while the BMW is faster it feels a lot slower than it actually is. While I loose some sense of speed I like how the BMW is just able to do it without much effort. While it felt like I was pushing the GTI to the edge the BMW feels like it can be safely pushed harder. The BMW also feels more confident? It feels like a heavier car that is more sure footed.

For now these are just my impressions. I'll upload some pics once I take it in for the break-in oil change.
 

mk6medic

Go Kart Champion
Nice review! Thanks for sharing! Sedan or coupe?
 

danielj1

Go Kart Champion
Location
Seattle WA
once I take it in for the break-in oil change.

I have the same N55 and BMW won't do an oil change until the service reminder comes one. Its been almost 20 months and 8k miles, same factory oil. Oh well....
 

DaveSTR

Go Kart Champion
Location
Germany
BMW have good engineering data to support not changing the oil after 1000miles etc. Enjoy the car and get into a good BMW driving class/school if you can. You will learn alot!
 

theunholy

Go Kart Champion
Location
United States
I thought you can add the fog light with M bumper?

 

littleazn248

Go Kart Champion
Location
NorCal
I thought you can add the fog light with M bumper?


I believe the wiring isn't there for the fogs. People that have a sportline or base model that currently have fogs can run them if they swap bumpers. I'm missing the switch for the lights as well. According to BMW it's for better cooling in our "hot" climate:thumbdown:

BMW have good engineering data to support not changing the oil after 1000miles etc. Enjoy the car and get into a good BMW driving class/school if you can. You will learn alot!

I just feel the break in and 5k oil change are cheap insurance. Plus the m3 gets a break in oil change :p

I'm definitely gonna take one of those classes once my schedule clears up. My salesman was asking to take the class with me lol. I hear they're really fun and informative like you said. I'm looking for the M-School classes and they only have a bunch of teen driving courses atm.

I have the same N55 and BMW won't do an oil change until the service reminder comes one. Its been almost 20 months and 8k miles, same factory oil. Oh well....

I figured it'll be like the GTI. I'm going to be paying out of pocket for this oil change but I figured good insurance for such little money. I'll pretty much be following the oil change schedule I do on my GTI. Break-in oil change and every 5k after. How's the N55 engine? I hear there's still that Carbon issue. Also having trouble finding tunes for the engine besides the mppk

sweet pick up!

PICS OR GTFO

K THANX

Thanks guys :D here's a pic for now.

IMAG0092

Nice review! Thanks for sharing! Sedan or coupe?

Sedan just like my mk6. Can't live without the practicality :p
 

danielj1

Go Kart Champion
Location
Seattle WA
I figured it'll be like the GTI. I'm going to be paying out of pocket for this oil change but I figured good insurance for such little money. I'll pretty much be following the oil change schedule I do on my GTI. Break-in oil change and every 5k after. How's the N55 engine? I hear there's still that Carbon issue. Also having trouble finding tunes for the engine besides the mppk

The engine is great but I don't drive all that far or often :( To Dave's point I trust the engineers so I'm not worried. That and mine is also a lease. Lastly leased or owned, I'd never have it for more than 30k miles (I trade often) so issues such as carbon or conducting a break in oil change to yield some unknown long term advantage are non issues for me.
 

littleazn248

Go Kart Champion
Location
NorCal
The engine is great but I don't drive all that far or often :( To Dave's point I trust the engineers so I'm not worried. That and mine is also a lease. Lastly leased or owned, I'd never have it for more than 30k miles (I trade often) so issues such as carbon or conducting a break in oil change to yield some unknown long term advantage are non issues for me.

Yea I'm planing on keeping the car so to be safe I decided to call some performance shops. They pretty much ended up stating that while in theory its the right thing to do BMW doesn't call for it. I can be done for just more of an assurance thing. I'll probably just do an oil change at the 5k mark.

BTW I also found out another reason for the lack of fog lights. Apparently the M-Sport package adds an additional radiator on the drivers side that other trims don't get. The oil cooler is also feed via pump. I'm surprised BMW doesn't advertise this.
 

littleazn248

Go Kart Champion
Location
NorCal
Of course bmw doesnt feel faster bc its a lot more refined than gti. But it sure does run rings around it. Are you gonna keep the gti or sell it?

Yea I accept that its supposed to be more refined. Just means I gotta drive faster to get the same thrills lol.

Yes I'm keeping the gti, especially considering its an easier car to throw around. Plus mods seem easier to come by on the gti.
 
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