BMW 335d Msport to S3 S Tronic......
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Nick, what are your thoughts on the 335d M sports, i'm thining about purchasing one later in the year?
Kev_M5KPL
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I have been out in the 335d M sport and in my opinion amazing the torque is awsome and such a nice car to drive ( i have had 3 BMW's so a bit biased) but you are mad changing it to the S3 why not change the wifes car to the S3 and have the best of both worlds?.
The 335d is one awesome car and mine is remapped so it is even more so.
The only issue i have had with it is the suspension which is too hard due to the runflat tyres and it tends to skip across bumps in the road and with all that torque you do need to be careful in the wet. That is the main thing that attracts me to the S3, 4wd, which i had in my last 3 cars (2 x mark one S3's and an R32).
This in the only car I have had for 18 months and am still a little loathe to sell even though I loved the S3 which felt really 'planted' and more 'fun' than the 335d which is a little more restrained in character even though it is very very fast when you need it to be. Decisions, decisions.
The only issue i have had with it is the suspension which is too hard due to the runflat tyres and it tends to skip across bumps in the road and with all that torque you do need to be careful in the wet. That is the main thing that attracts me to the S3, 4wd, which i had in my last 3 cars (2 x mark one S3's and an R32).
This in the only car I have had for 18 months and am still a little loathe to sell even though I loved the S3 which felt really 'planted' and more 'fun' than the 335d which is a little more restrained in character even though it is very very fast when you need it to be. Decisions, decisions.
The one thing I will say, the S3 IS very planted, so very planted 
Taking corners properly has never been so easy!!
Taking corners properly has never been so easy!!
As there is always a loss on changing cars, why not convert to ordinary tyres - they will fit and go to Birds and fit a Quaife LSD, apparently it is very effective, more so for RWD than FWd where it can be somewhat snatchy.
I think it depends on other factors such as age & status etc.
The coupe would be more practical for a married with kids type, the S3 suits the needs of a younger guy with no kids etc.
Then again, my mate loves barges so it horses for courses
The coupe would be more practical for a married with kids type, the S3 suits the needs of a younger guy with no kids etc.
Then again, my mate loves barges so it horses for courses
PNH80
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I wouldn't call a 3 series coupe a barge, i think it's very well proportioned. I wouldn't compare it to an A3 either, to be honest we're talking a different level of car which is reflected in the price.
I'm 27 with no kids or major responsibilities but i'd take the BMW. But thats just me, i understand why someone would rather have an S3...Lets be honest it has a better image and is less pretentious!
I'm 27 with no kids or major responsibilities but i'd take the BMW. But thats just me, i understand why someone would rather have an S3...Lets be honest it has a better image and is less pretentious!
I recently had a 535d M Sport. Fantastic car, great engine (although a bit rough until the turbos come in at low speed), would buy another BMW with the same engine it for sure. Had run flats and changed to normal tyres, found it made a difference but not that much to be honest. There is no way I would take an S3 over a 335d coupe. Wouldn't mind having both though.
Im 42 with 3 kids but the wife has an X5 as the family car so no probs re space etc with the S3. Although the kids loved the S3 with 3 doors, a change for them I suppose.
I don't agree.
Image is the biggest reason I wouldn't have an S3, no matter how good a car it is.
It's just my opinion, so let's not get pages of debate about it, but if I see an S3, I think "wide boy".
I wouldn't think the same of a 335D driver.
I'd love one of them, but the cost and tax is too high.
I don't agree.
Image is the biggest reason I wouldn't have an S3, no matter how good a car it is.
It's just my opinion, so let's not get pages of debate about it, but if I see an S3, I think "wide boy".
I wouldn't think the same of a 335D driver.
I'd love one of them, but the cost and tax is too high.
Come on mate, the S3 isn't a wide boy car! It is definitely a young guys car though, at 40 I wouldn't want a hot hatch, I'd want something really classy, like a DB9 or something (if everything goes to plan in the next 15 years!)
Well, IMO, there's only one reason to buy an S3/Evo/Subaru.
Because they offer the most performance for the least money.
You could get comfier/more practical/bigger cars with slightly less performance for the money, but you've chosen performance as your No.1 priority.
I think that's wide boy behaviour, sorry.
It's only my opinion though.
'Chillax', as I believe the 'yoots' say.
Well thats rubbish, if performance was my highest priority then I wouldn't have got an S3, I would have got a motorbike.
If I was sensible enough not to become a donor (read: motorcyclist) and performance was my top priority I could have spend my £30-something k somewhere else...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/446905.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/479972.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/416331.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/446918.htm
But I didn't I got an S3 because it's a nice looking, classy, all rounder. Something a little bit more special than your average family hatch, but by no means a proper performance car.
We'll have to beg to differ, sorry.
I class an S3 the same as an Evo or a Subaru.
Hot hatches/saloons.
I don't differentiate between them.
You probably bought the S3 because you had the power of choice, not told what to buy, which fuel to put in, in which tax bracket to look etc etc, unlike some other poor angry sods round here
You probably bought the S3 because you had the power of choice, not told what to buy, which fuel to put in, in which tax bracket to look etc etc, unlike some other poor angry sods round here
Well, that too yeah
Note, he didn't respond to my little dig at motorbikes!
Well, young at heart at least!
You're not going to see any grannys rocking around in them are you!
Well, young at heart at least!
That will be me !!
Got a bit worried there , thought I was over the hill at 45.
Mark
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Hmm, think lines are getting a little blurred here. Bowfer, you have to admit that the S3 does carry more class than a scooby or evo surely?
Do we class an RS4 in the same bracket as an Evo? Both performance based saloons.
I know what you're saying about the hot hatch thing, this is why i went for an S-Line over a Golf R32/GTI/ S3....But i'm not getting into that argument again. Some people take great offence as if they gave birth to the car.
I'm going off the whole hatchback look to be honest, maybe because i'm 27 and getting old lol
Do we class an RS4 in the same bracket as an Evo? Both performance based saloons.
I know what you're saying about the hot hatch thing, this is why i went for an S-Line over a Golf R32/GTI/ S3....But i'm not getting into that argument again. Some people take great offence as if they gave birth to the car.
I'm going off the whole hatchback look to be honest, maybe because i'm 27 and getting old lol
I can see why people consider the S3 classier than a Subaru or Evo, but I think it's marginal, at best.
I wouldn't class an RS4 in the same bracket as an Evo, because they're polls apart in price.
S3/Subaru/Evo are all high £20K cars, usually owned by younger men, hence the comparison.
FWIW, I don't have a high opinion of RS4's either.
I admit it's daft, but my experience of them is tainted by a right twit who drives one past my house all the time.
Windows down, stereo blaring, sunglasses on, using the gaps between the speed bumps as acceleration/braking tests, sounding like an ME109 in the process.
He also has some lowered silver 911 thing with a roll cage, but at least he has to slow down for the speed humps in that.
Shallow as it may seem, it really only takes one example like that to put me clean off a car...
I can see why people consider the S3 classier than a Subaru or Evo, but I think it's marginal, at best.
I wouldn't class an RS4 in the same bracket as an Evo, because they're polls apart in price.
S3/Subaru/Evo are all high £20K cars, usually owned by younger men, hence the comparison.
FWIW, I don't have a high opinion of RS4's either.
I admit it's daft, but my experience of them is tainted by a right twit who drives one past my house all the time.
Windows down, stereo blaring, sunglasses on, using the gaps between the speed bumps as acceleration/braking tests, sounding like an ME109 in the process.
He also has some lowered silver 911 thing with a roll cage, but at least he has to slow down for the speed humps in that.
Shallow as it may seem, it really only takes one example like that to put me clean off a car...
Are there any performance cars you do like / would / have owned?
Not really.
I might, if money were no option, buy a car that just happened to be fast, but it would never be my primary consideration.
Once you've ridden a sportsbike, you realise that truly fast cars are few and far between, so you're farting against thunder.
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Bowfer i have to admit i agree with most of what you're saying. And now comes the controversial statement which is going to cause a VERY angry backlash....
I think a lot of the w**kers who used to have or aspire to own BMW M cars have crossed over to Audi seeing as S and RS models are now flavour of the month.
I actually consider the new M3 a classier, more understated car than any RS model. Audi used to specialise in understated performance cars and you had to know what you were looking for in order to spot one.... Full chrome grills and shiny wing mirrors soon put an end to that.
Don't get me wrong i love Audi's but as a brand maybe becoming a little tarnished and attracting the same calibre of people who gave BMW a bad name.
Cue angry mob....
Paul.
I think a lot of the w**kers who used to have or aspire to own BMW M cars have crossed over to Audi seeing as S and RS models are now flavour of the month.
I actually consider the new M3 a classier, more understated car than any RS model. Audi used to specialise in understated performance cars and you had to know what you were looking for in order to spot one.... Full chrome grills and shiny wing mirrors soon put an end to that.
Don't get me wrong i love Audi's but as a brand maybe becoming a little tarnished and attracting the same calibre of people who gave BMW a bad name.
Cue angry mob....
Paul.
Cheers I dunno, I agree that Audi styling is getting a little more pimped (not too bad yet), but recent BMW's are just plain ugly.
I used to agree with the BMW stereotype, especially with M3's! But to be fair I've not seen a BMW driver being a c*nt for a long time. It's more the 20 year old hatches driven by teenagers you need to watch out for!
Ive seen a lot of E46's being driven by chavs lately, with pimped up chrome stuff on it.. Ruined that car for me.
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