Possibly thinking of buying one of these at some stage in the future - maybe.

Never previously ever considered buying a BMW, mainly because I don't really want to be regarded as a BMW driver (I'd have to forget how to use my indicators for a start, and also have to get used to always having the right of way in any traffic situation).

However I am looking for an economical, comfortable estate car with a 6' load bay (long enough to sleep in or carry a touring bicycle [which has mudguards and a rack] easily, and preferably with 4WD: not for cross-country expeditions, but just to avoid getting stuck on a wet grassy airfield or on muddy country roadsides or in muddy gateways.

My Skoda Ocatava 4WD estate is solid enough but clunks and bangs on potholes and poor roads (see my other post) and is much less ecomomical than the 2WD version.

What attracts me about the BMW is the recent availablity in the UK of their xDrive (4WD) option. And the 335d seems, on paper, to be amazing: 0-60 in well under 5 seconds - as quick as an XKR Jaguar and quicker than most Aston Martins yet is a full 4/5 seat estate car which does 50 mpg (on paper - so probably about 40mpg in reality).

OK so this is no more economical than my Octavia, but you get vastly more performance for your money! It's also a lot more expensive, but I can put up with that if I'm getting my money'sworth. Lesser 3-series BMWs are cheaper, but much slower for not a lot less fuel consumption or purchase price.

Does anyone have any experience of BMW 3-series, or of the xDrive system, or of their adaptive suspension option please?

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by Stuarted

You might be surprised how small the boot is on a 3 series estate. My fabia estate has a bigger boot. You need a 5 series estate to match the Octavia on boot capacity.

I'd carefully look at one in the flesh before making a decision either way.

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by booke23

Good comment - thanks.  Luckily I do not need an especially large luggage volume, just a long-enough-to-sleep-in (6') load bay.

I would not have thought the xDrive transmission would make any difference.  The BMW is a rear-wheel-drive car with a prop shaft, rear diff and rear drive shafts anyway, even without the xDrive.

We've got a 330D X drive at work, it's a great car. The 4wd system isn't permanent and shifts the distribution when you start to lose traction. Our X drive doesn't have the adaptive suspension, but our M135i does and it's quite good. Sports mode is quite bumpy, but I quite like the feel.

Space isn't that great at all, but that's the same on any 3 series.

 

The 4wd system isn't permanent and shifts the distribution when you start to lose traction.

Exactly like my Octavia 4x4 - or a Scout.

think the pedals are offset to one side or they were on previous model . if its auto might not be too bad

long enough to sleep in

 

just a long-enough-to-sleep-in (6') load bay.

 

Is this in case of arguments with swmbo?

 

If it is, then I presume she's quite tall!

a friend had an X3 with the 3.0d lump and the X drive system.

 

He had a puncture, got a new tyre fitted then the car started driving like something major was broken. Nope, just that with the X drive system you HAVE to replace tyres in pairs, no choice in the matter

a friend had an X3 with the 3.0d lump and the X drive system.

He had a puncture, got a new tyre fitted then the car started driving like something major was broken. Nope, just that with the X drive system you HAVE to replace tyres in pairs, no choice in the matter

Wow is that true, pants if so!

completely true mate

completely true mate

No X-drive for me then, thats woeful!

Have to say I admire the 335d x-drive for being such a great on-paper all-rounder; particularly in touring format.

If they werent so damn expensive to buy (even with a good discount) its something id aspire to own.

My only issue with BM's 6 cylinder diesels is that they are just super effective and not characterful in the same way the equivalent 6 cyl turbo petrol motor is. Despite its power disadvantage, also that as an ownership proposition it would end up being more expensive in terms of depreciation and running costs I think I would still rather have a rear wheel drive 335i M Sport. Larger power band, sound beautiful and all 335d hype aside there is little or no difference in performance, particularly once the 335i gets into its stride at higher speeds. Also given that 335i's have been clocked doing middling 4's 0-60 I reckon the official stats for the 335i dont tell the whole truth anyway.

a friend had an X3 with the 3.0d lump and the X drive system.

He had a puncture, got a new tyre fitted then the car started driving like something major was broken. Nope, just that with the X drive system you HAVE to replace tyres in pairs, no choice in the matter

Same as my last S4.

You can't have a tread depth more than 2 or 3mm difference on the same axle :( A smaller circumference on one side of the axle winds the diff up.

a friend had an X3 with the 3.0d lump and the X drive system.

He had a puncture, got a new tyre fitted then the car started driving like something major was broken. Nope, just that with the X drive system you HAVE to replace tyres in pairs, no choice in the matter

Hasn't affected our x drive and we changed one the other week

this is what he was told and as soon as a pair was fitted all the problems disappeared.

 

quick look on google and there are lots of X drive owners asking about having to change more than 1 tyre. Some even asking if they have to change all 4

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by ryan-re

Just as an aside, really, but: I see that the BMW 5-series is available with most of the 3-series engines but in each case of course is slightly slower because of the extra body weight and size.

However you can also get a 5-series with a 350d engine - still a 3-ltire, 6 cylinder turbo diesel but even more powerful - about the same compared to a 335d engine as the 335d is compared to a 330d.  A 350d engine stuffed into a 3-series would be real fun!  But probably impossible due to incompatible engine-management electronics.  A fascinating pipe-dream though!

Just as an aside, really, but: I see that the BMW 5-series is available with most of the 3-series engines but in each case of course is slightly slower because of the extra body weight and size.

However you can also get a 5-series with a 350d engine - still a 3-ltire, 6 cylinder turbo diesel but even more powerful - about the same compared to a 335d engine as the 335d is compared to a 330d. A 350d engine stuffed into a 3-series would be real fun! But probably impossible due to incompatible engine-management electronics. A fascinating pipe-dream though!

Thats the M550d M Performance model isnt it, a tri-turbo version of the 335d motor.

Something in the region of 350hp and over 500lb/ft torque or something like. Available in the X5 & X6 too.

Same as my last S4.

You can't have a tread depth more than 2 or 3mm difference on the same axle :( A smaller circumference on one side of the axle winds the diff up.

.

That's quite a bit - about half the tread, so equivalent to trying to match a new tyre with a half-worn one, or a half-worn one with one at the end of its usable life (i.e., down to about 3mm.  Wouldn't want to drive a powrful car like that with any less than 3mm of tread!)

Makes a good case for buying 5 and rotating them all - wouldn't cost any more, overall, and you then have one matching spare.

_ _ _

I like comfort and would want the smallest rims and highest profile tyres I could safely fit.  I'm not into big bling wheels and low-profile tyres, which actually don't get you round the corders any faster - just ruin the ride comfort and cost a fortune for the ultra-low-profile tyres.

I have doubts about the comfort of runflats, too - I would consider having a spare set of winter wheels with non-runflat tyres, probably Comtinental TS850s, and maybe even replacing the original summer tyres with non-runflats when they eventually needed renewing.  I'b be happy to carry a spare wheel in the back if needed, although Holts repair gunge will cope with many simple punctures.

Edited 17 December, 201411 yr by Stuarted

Thats the M550d M Performance model isnt it, a tri-turbo version of the 335d motor.

Something in the region of 350hp and over 500lb/ft torque or something like. Available in the X5 & X6 too.

Sorry 378ps and 546 lb/ft! The M550d x-drive does weigh nearly 2 ton though so guess it needs the power and torque!

Sorry 378ps and 546 lb/ft! The M550d x-drive does weigh nearly 2 ton though so guess it needs the power and torque!

.

Yay!  Imagine that stuffed into an unbadged 3-series - especially an anonymous-looking touring version ...

.

That's quite a bit - about half the tread, so equivalent to trying to match a new tyre with a half-worn one, or a half-worn one with one at the end of its usable life (i.e., down to about 3mm. Wouldn't want to drive a powrful car like that with any less than 3mm of tread!)

Makes a good case for buying 5 and rotating them all - wouldn't cost any more, overall, and you then have one matching spare.

_ _ _

I like comfort and would want the smallest rims and highest profile tyres I could safely fit. I'm not into big bling wheels and low-profile tyres, which actually don't get you round the corders any faster - just ruin the ride comfort and cost a fortune for the ultra-low-profile tyres.

I have doubts about the comfort of runflats, too - I would consider having a spare set of winter wheels with non-runflat tyres, probably Comtinental TS850s, and maybe even replacing the original summer tyres with non-runflats when they eventually needed renewing. I'b be happy to carry a spare wheel in the back if needed, although Holts repair gunge will cope with many simple punctures.

Runflats on the previous model 3 series were awful, we've still got 2 older ones left and they skip a lot. The new x drive is on runflats and is very very comfy, ours is Police spec, so no M sport or anything extra, but the ride is 100 times better. The M135i however..... Is just on a different level! Can't wait for a X drive version!

I dont think we'll see the x drive m135i here, certainly not the current F20/21 gen. There is some packaging problem that BMW cant work around to make these RHD I gather.

I dont think we'll see the x drive m135i here, certainly not the current F20/21 gen. There is some packaging problem that BMW cant work around to make these RHD I gather.

Shame as it would be a monster!