1335i vs 335? Thoughts?

[chip0952]

Have the deposit down on the order list and am on the next wave with the dealer on the 1335i for March / April delivery. Have fully spec'd out the car, etc.

Still have nagging feeling that for relatively same dollar outlay could purchased a year old / low mileage 335 coupe.

Money is not really the issue, just doing a gut check as to the pro's / con's of which way to go on this front.

Folks on this board seem to really know their stuff. If you could provide some viewpoints, would really be appreciated. Thanks.

[e60lover]

I was thinking exactly what you were thinking just a couple days ago. I did a search on carmax and found a 2007 335ia (gray, sport, leather with 8000 miles) for $39998.00. I was seriously thinking about getting it. Luckily, it was sold the next day. I later google "BMW 135i" and read lots of positive review. I looked at some pictures of the 335i and thought that it looked very plane. Didn't take too long before I wish I could get my 135i tomorrow.

[chip0952]

It's a pretty interesting series of trade offs. I asked Yirallis on the 3 Series board what he thought, he's gung ho on the 1335 i and has never seemed to be a supporter of buying used.

Have done every bit of research possible on the 1 series, but just don't know. Seems like some sweet deals on low mileage 335i's wthere coupes, sedans or X rive varients. With CPO going at 100,000 miles, well it offers a different perspective from new.

Have seen BMW over the years introduce new lower end models, eg. 318 TI, the reviews were great, the buyer result / value sub optimal.

Have owned enough BMW's to subscribe to the wisdom related to keeping the warranty until the 4 years are up and then launch the puppy since with all the electronic gadgetry, "sophisticated engneering" it takes the Taj Mahjahl to continue to service the car. A CPO deal up to 100,000 miles is pretty good.

CPO purchase isn't that much of premium to pay at the end of the lease or of course the enticement the dealer keeps coming back with is you can re up to a new model for only slightly more. Suspect that any lease residual will be high so the deal ont his won't be all that sweet. Being a repeat customer you certainly don't want to appear cheep and the new gadgets, etc are always enticing. It's a matter of what one can live with as a BMW car nut.

Sounds like I'm waffling, I am. Was going to purchase the 1335 with all options wanted as the driver to hold on to and relax with in the retirement years (yes an old fart here).

Now thinking that perhaps a lease is way to go and take the next 3 years to see how it all sorts out, see what the buyout from the lease is and go from there (though hate in the end run the addtional cost of this approach)

Since it's the first day of the year, here's my new year's predictions:

1. The 1335 will come out hot for the first half of 2008 and shake down reports / reviews will generate even more debate between the cost / driving performance between this model and the 3 Series 335i

2. The 1335 TI version will draw the "extreme" driver performance set. Comparison will be made between the new M3 and the very smaller pocket rocket. Cost/ performance/ etc. Though those that can afford the M3 will just snicker on the chatter related to this.

3. An SMG option in 1335/ TII in 2009 will futher create more chatter. Us wannabees who want to live the track but never will will read with great interest, dream of our machines capabilities but never really test at the edge of what the capabilities truely are.

4. It will take a year or two for 1335 values to sort themselves out. Early adopters / purchasers will ride the roller coaster of an entirely new model. But then again, it you have to worry about the price fluctuations, then perhaps you don't belong in the purchase circle for this type of car.

Net....probably won't get a whole lot of input to this post. Some of us are willing to pay the price up front, others willing to wait it out to drive out a value that makes sense on a different set of critiria that delivers on different dynamics.

If you've got the time, would appreciate other poster's input.

Thanks

[e90-m3]

my reason--the 335simply doesn't look as nice as an e46.... The 135i is a nice upgrade in body style IMO.

[dolphin77]

Who is this guy? He must own a bunch of BMWs. I have a 335i sedan, 6 speed manual, with sport and premeium packages and I don't see how it can get any better...it is certainly worth the extra 4K or so over the 135...JMHO D7

[robert]

I was very tempted with a 2007 e92 335i coupe with 6000 miles and an asking price of 39,999.00. However, at that point I already have an order placed for the 135i, if not it's hard to say what car I will have now. I have no problem going with an used car because I care about value, but I know I will be curious whether he had a piggyback on.

[chip0952]

Suggest you take a look at the E90 post board. He's out there, has a lot of common sense and creates some great dialogue.

Everybody has to make there own choices on what's make's sense for them.

[thebod]

I just came back from the Detroit auto show. I was asking the same questions you are. I think after seeing both cars I would lean towards the 335. With just a 200 pound difference in weight I don't think there is going to be much difference in performance. I was not happy with the reduced leg room in the back of the I135. If you do not want to take any passengers and want to drive the entry level 1 series then go for it. I think to say you have a sports sedan you need to be able to get a normal person in the back seat.

[edhchoe]

Same engine, same gear ratio, and only 200lb lighter but a lot smaller....I don't get it.

[bob.knox]

have issues over the next year or two. To me the cost of the 135i just doesn't make any sense at all. I have moved to the dark side and buy used. For close to $40k you have a TON of options (Porsche 993, Lotus Elise, e46 M3 heavily tailored, e39 M5, or 2 garage queen e30 M3's) all of which will out-drive the 135. I'm predicting white hot sales for the first 12-16 months for the A.D.D. crowd, and then they will fall off a cliff. It will be 318Ti all over again. The right car with the wrong options at the wrong price.

BMW should be looking at a stripped out, cloth seat, no traction control alphabet soup 125i powered by an updated version of the S14 with fixed duration dual overhead cams at $22k. That way BMW will truly hit the main stream, their fleet mpg will go up, and with that motor they will have a "Rock of Gibraltar" reliable car for the single most important demographic, the entry level luxury buyer. Then again we are talking about the company the just burped up the X6. I guess common sense does not apply.

Bob K.
88 ///M5, RIP

[hiraxl5]

According tom "Letters" in the January issue of the Roundel, there is a problem with the turbos in these new engines. Specifically reports of "rattling waste gates". Warranty fixes have been new ECU software is now opening the waste gates from idle. This new change not to engage the turbochargers until 2500 -3000 RPM. This is "a far cry from the 1400 RPM, 300 foot pound kick that original 135i and 335i owners have come to love.
Several letters about this problem with the Turbo's in the January issue.
What are the thoughts of many????

Jerry

[BG]

I just returned from Greece and saw many 1-series 4-door hatchbacks. This one is practical and if BMWNA imported it to USA, it would compete with VW Golf or GTI, Mazda 3, and others. This would be the choice for someone who wanted rear-wheel drive in a hatchback. I just don't understand the high price of the 1s they bring here unless they are specifically trying to keep the price so high, they won't dilute the brand by selling to suburbanites or young car buyers.

[rustyh]

[rustyh]

[Socom]

"trying to keep the price so high, they won't dilute the brand by selling to suburbanites or young car buyers."

"It's not who you are, but what you do that defines you"

[bmwpc]

If money is not the question it gets down to only two factors. If you need a usable back seat, don't get the 135 coupe or wait for the sedan. Second, if you want to haul around an extra 400 pounds get the 335, if you want to haul [Oops!] a bit quicker get the 1. Same applies for either the 128 vs 328/30.

[bmwpc]

By your comments, you are still living in the 80's like the apparent one and only BMW you've ever owned was made. Seems like yoou also neglected to mention any problems with that car even if you did buy it usedPerhaps you need to venture to another board as your "predictions" have already failed.

Also you incorrectly stated that the 318 was a failure. The 318 was a success for BMW just not in the US where American werent buying 2 door hatchbacks an, still don't. You might try a little research before stating an incorrect assumption.

By the way, all these cars you recommend as great buys....which have you purchased and can recommend for their greatness. Again research if you can find two garage queen E30 M3's for 40 K let me know cause I'll buy them.

[jivin ivan]

I absolutely agree with you regarding minimal rear seat leg room in the 135i. As most people seem to have nailed it here it will come to your personal preference (virtually same stock performance, vehicle size, purpose, taste). But then again, I have a tough time calling a fully spec'd out 135i an "entry level car" at $40K+, unless you are referring to BMW line-up only :)

I am in the same boat here. I absolutely love the looks of the 135i but then again 335i is pretty damn sexy too. Had BMW priced 135i lower I would have a much easier time deciding.

Bottom line, 335i looks like it means business (and we all know that it does). 135i on the other hand is more of a street sleeper (which we know it really isn't haha)

Damn it, I soooooo undecided...

Ivan from Michigan

[Scott]

Re your living in the 80's comment, I honestly have no idea what you're even talking about. As far as I can tell, it has nothing to do with anything the guy said.

I guess by now you've finished a few crow salads, as bob's "prediction" has already started to become a reality, that being the turbo issue and BMW's questionable approach to resolving it. bob's hardly the only person that speculated that there would be issues with the bi-turbo engine. It's been the case over and over again that sometimes new technologies take a while to get all the bugs out. Were you really naive enough to think the bi-turbo would be different for some reason?

As far as the 318 being a failure, it was. I know, I owned one. I thought I was going to have to give it away, it was that hard to sell when the time came. You allude to worldwide sales when saying it was a success, but I'm probably not the only one that realized bob was speaking to U.S. sales when he said it was a failure. I mean, wth do we care here in the U.S. about how many units they may have sold in Europe, South Africa, and so on?

Another of your thoughts I don't follow is why you think someone has to actually own a certain car to speak to it's "greatness". Are you saying that you never judge how good or bad a car is until you've actually bought one? Maybe that's the way you do it, but you'd be the exception rather than the rule.

As far as E30 M3 prices, they're all over the place. And yes, it is entirely possible to be able to get two of them for about $40 large, but I suspect you were trying to pick at the "garage queen" label and to that point, I guess you must be equating the term to low mileage. Fair enough I suppose, but there are a lot of higher mileage cars (E30 M3's no exception) out there whose owners still pimped on their cars religiously. Just because a car may have some miles on it doesn't make it a heap. Visit a concours event sometime and check out how many of those beauties actually have odo's with six digit mileages indicated.

Scott

[ty]

yes