|
|
Post by franki68 on Nov 22, 2017 12:26:35 GMT
Certainly a record for me,a forum record as well maybe ?
The gts is gone ,a mere 4 months after taking delivery.
Brilliant brilliant car which would have been kept for a fair period had the gt3 not come up.
In the meantime to shorten the wait the 335d might get chipped .
|
|
|
|
Post by johnc on Nov 23, 2017 18:34:21 GMT
Happy GT3 motoring when it comes but I do think the GTS hits a real sweet spot. They must have had someone desperate for the GTS and no doubt made a normal Porsche killing in the process.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2017 20:07:32 GMT
GT3 sounds like quite a beast, no doubt pictures will arrive after the car. Enjoy.
|
|
|
|
Post by franki68 on Nov 24, 2017 9:58:15 GMT
GT3 sounds like quite a beast, no doubt pictures will arrive after the car. Enjoy. It’s a bit away ,about 90 days 4 hours and 32 minutes,not that I’m counting. |
|
|
|
Post by Andy C on Nov 24, 2017 10:06:40 GMT
Interested by the 335d map. Where you thinking of getting it done ? Presumably the 4wd means it can handle more power and torque quite comfortably
|
|
|
|
Post by franki68 on Nov 24, 2017 10:17:34 GMT
Interested by the 335d map. Where you thinking of getting it done ? Presumably the 4wd means it can handle more power and torque quite comfortably Having thought about it I am Actually not going to map it,I’m finding the handling is challenging on a bad road,which there is a lot of near me. There is something not right ,now I understand why a lot of owners change the springs ,dampers and tyres .car moves all over the place on uneven roads and if I spend money on it I think that is the better place to put it. As for chipping there seems to be a lot of positives ,not read anything negative,there is a lot of info on ph threads over who to use . From what I have read it handles the power increases with ease,wouldn’t do it if it was Rwd though. |
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Nov 24, 2017 11:02:49 GMT
I've noticed that movement on the bad roads around me too.
It's like the old feeling you got when a damper was shot - a hop to the side. I find it occasionally crashes into a bump at random too.
Combined with the feel-free steering* it doesn't inspire you to nail it.
* I drove a colleague's brand new 320i xDrive yesterday and the steering was noticeably heavier albeit still fairly light.
|
|
|
|
Post by franki68 on Nov 24, 2017 11:21:09 GMT
I've noticed that movement on the bad roads around me too. It's like the old feeling you got when a damper was shot - a hop to the side. I find it occasionally crashes into a bump at random too. Combined with the feel-free steering* it doesn't inspire you to nail it. * I drove a colleague's brand new 320i xDrive yesterday and the steering was noticeably heavier albeit still fairly light. It’s a pisser, I didn’t notice at first as most of my driving was up and down motorway but a bumpy a/b road is not a pleasant experience. It’s like one side of the car is doing one thing ,and the other side something else and the steering is doing nothing. |
|
|
|
Post by Martin on Nov 24, 2017 11:42:04 GMT
My sisters partner has just bought a modified 435d (Autovogue AVR), it’s not my sort of thing at all, but I was curious about the remap. They were down at the weekend and he took me out in it. It’s got 375hp and 524lb ft. It’s really quick, felt quite a step up from the 535d and it handled it well but I think it would be too much for RWD unless you’re happy with the TC light on regularly.
franki - the biggest problem is that you’re used to the way a Porsche slows down the road. Other highly competent cars are available....(just for Tim).
I’ve been a bit disappointed with all the 3 series I’ve driven (mix of 4 & 6 cylinder, SE, M Sport and Adaptivr suspension). I think it’s mainly because of all the rave reviews, I certainly don’t think it’s a bad car. The 5 Series feels bigger/heavier, which isn’t a good thing, but I prefer the way it drives plus the refinement is significantly better which is ideal for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by PG on Nov 24, 2017 13:48:26 GMT
I've noticed that movement on the bad roads around me too. It's like the old feeling you got when a damper was shot - a hop to the side. I find it occasionally crashes into a bump at random too. Combined with the feel-free steering* it doesn't inspire you to nail it. * I drove a colleague's brand new 320i xDrive yesterday and the steering was noticeably heavier albeit still fairly light.
It’s like one side of the car is doing one thing ,and the other side something else and the steering is doing nothing.So much for the Ultimate Driving Machine then ;-) |
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Nov 24, 2017 14:02:16 GMT
Definitely not any more.
On the recent greasy roads I have absolutely NOT been filled with confidence - there is no indication of grip level from the steering.
|
|
|
|
Post by franki68 on Nov 24, 2017 14:51:15 GMT
My sisters partner has just bought a modified 435d (Autovogue AVR), it’s not my sort of thing at all, but I was curious about the remap. They were down at the weekend and he took me out in it. It’s got 375hp and 524lb ft. It’s really quick, felt quite a step up from the 535d and it handled it well but I think it would be too much for RWD unless you’re happy with the TC light on regularly. franki - the biggest problem is that you’re used to the way a Porsche slows down the road. Other highly competent cars are available....(just for Tim). I’ve been a bit disappointed with all the 3 series I’ve driven (mix of 4 & 6 cylinder, SE, M Sport and Adaptivr suspension). I think it’s mainly because of all the rave reviews, I certainly don’t think it’s a bad car. The 5 Series feels bigger/heavier, which isn’t a good thing, but I prefer the way it drives plus the refinement is significantly better which is ideal for me. I am aware that you cannot compare it to a porsche,I am comparing to the allroad which preceded it and was far more pleasant to drive down some of these roads,the allorad moved around but not to the degree this does and I felt far more confident in the allroad. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2017 14:56:40 GMT
Interested by the 335d map. Where you thinking of getting it done ? Presumably the 4wd means it can handle more power and torque quite comfortably Having thought about it I am Actually not going to map it,I’m finding the handling is challenging on a bad road,which there is a lot of near me. There is something not right ,now I understand why a lot of owners change the springs ,dampers and tyres .car moves all over the place on uneven roads and if I spend money on it I think that is the better place to put it. As for chipping there seems to be a lot of positives ,not read anything negative,there is a lot of info on ph threads over who to use . From what I have read it handles the power increases with ease,wouldn’t do it if it was Rwd though. Probably a good idea, TomTom is one to avoid.  |
|
|
|
Post by Tim on Nov 24, 2017 15:44:47 GMT
franki - the biggest problem is that you’re used to the way a Porsche slows down the road. Other highly competent cars are available....(just for Tim). I’ve been a bit disappointed with all the 3 series I’ve driven (mix of 4 & 6 cylinder, SE, M Sport and Adaptivr suspension). I think it’s mainly because of all the rave reviews, I certainly don’t think it’s a bad car. The 5 Series feels bigger/heavier, which isn’t a good thing, but I prefer the way it drives plus the refinement is significantly better which is ideal for me.
Ha, just spotted that! The M5 is much, much better than the 320 and even on our terrible roads is a confidence inspiring thing to drive.
I think almost all the 3 series I have driven have been mildly disappointing - not necessarily when, say, comparing my earlier 320ds to the Stilo but certainly in light of the reputation. The only one that didn't was my brother-in-law's 330Ci, that had a great engine and plenty of grip/feedback but then he had upgraded the suspension so in standard form it may have been a let down (but still with a great engine).
|
|
|
|
Post by Roadsterstu on Nov 25, 2017 16:54:04 GMT
I've noticed that movement on the bad roads around me too. It's like the old feeling you got when a damper was shot - a hop to the side. I find it occasionally crashes into a bump at random too. Combined with the feel-free steering* it doesn't inspire you to nail it. * I drove a colleague's brand new 320i xDrive yesterday and the steering was noticeably heavier albeit still fairly light. Not quite the Ultimate Driving Machine we have been lead to believe they are then? |
|
|
|
Post by Roadsterstu on Nov 25, 2017 16:56:28 GMT
It’s a pisser, I didn’t notice at first as most of my driving was up and down motorway but a bumpy a/b road is not a pleasant experience.
It’s like one side of the car is doing one thing ,and the other side something else and the steering is doing nothing. So much for the Ultimate Driving Machine then ;-) I really should read through a thread properly. |
|
|
|
Post by racingteatray on Nov 27, 2017 10:54:34 GMT
I don't remember whether your 335d has the adaptive suspension?
|
|
|
|
Post by johnc on Nov 27, 2017 12:15:12 GMT
I think a lot of the 3's problems revolve around the runflat tyres which have very little movement in the stiff sidewalls.
My car runs the Bridgestone S001 tyres which have softer sidewalls than my old car's RE050's and as a consequence, it rides much better. The adaptive suspension is also a help with ride quality but I rarely use Sport for the suspension if the road is B road bumpy for exactly the reasons that Franki gives. However in Comfort, with the stick pushed over to the left where it uses Sport for the throttle etc I find I make much more comfortable and quick progress - I could certainly drive at speeds that would land me in jail before they landed me in trouble with the car.
There are also three potential steering setups for the 3 and 4. There is the base steering, then there is Servotronic (which all the 6 cylinder cars get and perhaps more recent 4 cylinder MSports) and then there is the Variable Sports Steering.
The general consensus is that the servotronic is the best of the bunch with more feel that the other two (although that is a bit of a relative thing). I was quite used to the steering on mine after a few weeks and have little trouble knowing what the wheels are doing except in cases where the grip level is very low such as mud, snow and ice but I don't try to be a hero in those conditions in any case. I have no issues at all with placing the car accurately and whilst not the same as a car with a proper servo'd rack it still works very well and just takes a bit of time to get used to.
I have the feeling that Tim's car may have the base steering set up since the Servotronic was a cost upgrade on that model at the time and it is certainly lighter in feel than the Servotronic setup.
My old E46 was a weapon on any kind of road handling wise - it had compliance and feel. However it also had normal tyres which make the ride much more compliant.
My car gives much more confidence to the driver than my wife's old A5 ever would or could - in terms of communication, the A5 was shy and demure in comparison to the BMW extrovert but once you got used to it, it could still be pedalled along swiftly at 8/10ths.
On decent A roads, the BMW is perfectly equipped to impress at speed but I would agree that with certain setups, a British B road will not encourage the driver to extract the last few percent because of the tyres and potential suspension shortcomings for those types of road. |
|
|
|
Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Nov 27, 2017 13:27:53 GMT
I've got 19" wheels on my MSport (not sure what tyres) but it is by far the best combination of handling and ride that I've had. The runflats issue seems to have been almost completely resolved and it still surprises me how unflustered it is when bombing down a B road with the nearside tyres battering up and down in the pockmarked tarmac and broken edges while the car continues on relatively serenely, absorbing it all.
I remember test driving an E92 with 18" wheels and sports suspension in 2011 and immediately discounting it due to the harsh ride, ordering 17" wheels and SE suspension instead. Probably saved me a fortune on dentistry.
|
|
