[ryanSTL]

Now that we’re seeing a few more F36’s on the forum, i felt like posting a review after having mine for 5 months. My thoughts & opinions are coming from 7500 miles worth of driving and a wide range of weather, temperature, trips / routes, and a few mods here and there. This is my first BMW.



LEASING / BUYING PROCESS - Over the past year as my old lease expired, I set my mind towards getting into my first BMW. My wife always daily drives an SUV (currently a ’14 Jeep Rubicon 4 door), so I am pretty flexible in regards to body styles for my daily driver car. I was open to either new or used and willing to consider M cars, sedans, coupes, or a ‘vert even… it just had to be sporty. The package I fell in love with was the new F36 Gran Coupe. I loved that it was clearly not a 3 sedan (too common), the utility of the hatch, the N55 inline six, and the 8 speed sport transmission. I’ve also lusted after Carbon Black ever since a friend had a Carbon Black e46 M3 about 10 years ago. I didn’t have time to order a car (next time I will), but found a close match about 90 minutes away. My setup is a 435i rwd, 8 speed sport auto, M-sport non-DHP, regular brakes, 400m 18” wheels with runflats, technology (nav & HUD), premium (leather), Harmon Kardon, xenons, sunroof, and drivers assist (backup cam). My dealership experience during choosing the car & leasing was excellent. I expect my service & maintenance experience to be the same.

EXTERIOR / LOOKS



In my opinion, the 4 series is the best looking BMW currently on the road. The 1 & 2 series cars are too small & squashed for me. The 3 series is boring and everywhere. The F10 5 series can be a beautiful car, but a bit big for me. The 4 series is the perfect size. The F36 is low and wide, has hips, and sits with purpose. The car gets lots of positive comments and looks from up and down the automotive food chain.





Carbon Black changes from metallic navy blue in the sun, to deep purplish at dusk, to a beautiful wet black at night. The regular xenon lights look great. The rear is not it’s best angle, but mods have helped. My appearance upgrades are legal max tint, IND painted front reflectors, IND painted surround kidney grills, ECS spacers (10mm front / 15mm rear), M performance diffuser, cyba 3.5” black chrome exhaust tips, and I’m de-badged. The stock 435 exhaust tips are tiny. Cyba's tips fit perfectly and are a great size. Heads up though that the "black chrome" finish is really more of an industrial machine gun metal look, which I like. I have removed all the shiny chrome as there wasn’t much and it just didn’t look right. I will be adding 19” or 20” wheels in the spring (turning my current wheels into a winter setup). I am super bummed that I don’t have the M-sport brakes. The car could definitely use a drop, but I’m leased and a little hesitant. I might paint my rear diffuser and I’m also considering the M front lip and side blades.





INTERIOR & TECH - The interior is very good, but not great. I have one big complaint and a couple small ones. Let’s start with the good. Cabin lighting is classic BMW amber and the adjustable ambient lighting highlighting the doors & armrests are well done. The aluminum trim and piano black accents are quality. The M-sport wheel is a work of art. The thickness, nappa leather, and paddle layout is perfect. A flat bottom might look even cooler, but I’ve never had one and can’t really comment. The front is spacious and you sit INSIDE and low in the cockpit. The M door sills are stylish and go well with my upgraded pedals, M wheel, & alum trim.



The tech package screen is well done and has good configuration options. Buttons are where they should be and there aren’t too many as to be confusing. The 8 favorite buttons are awesome for storing music, NAV destinations, and phone numbers. The Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade sounds great (after tweaking the Logic 7 EQ) and is another must have option. Bluetooth and iPhone calling & music functionality work flawlessly and in high sound quality. The HUD is amazingly useful and has excellent NAV instructions. The HUD seemed like a cool toy during my test drive, but now I am a die hard everyday fan. NAV displays, functionality, and the whole iDrive system is excellent. I need to play more with BMW Connect app suite and Google Maps send-to-car functionality. The sport gauges for HP and TQ are a little silly to me on a non-M car. The interior is a well done mix of mostly sport, mostly tech, and just a little luxury (which can be improved with the full leather dash option). The back-up camera is great and a must-have on any car in my opinion. Front parking sensors and folding mirrors are useful & smart benefits for parking. I would really like to explore coding if I could find someone knowledgeable who could confidently code on a leased car.



The electric gate rear hatch is ridiculously useful. We took a 2-adult / 3-kid 1600 mile road trip to Hilton Head with TONS of bags & luggage arranged neatly in the back. With the rear seats folded down, storage is huge and rivals a wagon or small SUV. My interior mods are BMW all weather mats, knock-off aluminum pedals (i didn’t want to drill), and an invisicorded Passport Max radar which works perfectly.



Rear bucket-like seating room is okay. Two six foot adults can be comfortable on shorter trips. Headroom is more of an issue than leg room.

What’s not so great? Well, I do not like the sport seats at all. My biggest complaint is that the left thigh bolster digs uncomfortably into my leg. It feels as if my drivers seat is mis-aligned slightly pointed to the right/center of the car. I hope the seat alignment can be adjusted and I’ll be talking to the dealer about it this week. The seats are also uncomfortably firm. The Lexus IS350 F sport I test drove had amazing seats that were MUCH better. My other gripes are minor. The dual-zone climate control should have a SYNC button, but doesn’t. I can’t close my hatch with my key fob (but I think it can be coded). The interior hatch-release button is inconveniently located down by your left knee (it should be center dash or by the sunroof control). Getting golf clubs in the large but square shaped hatch is a trick. The interior panels & speaker grills could be a bit more solidly put together. The Harmon Kardon sounds excellent, but certain frequencies (like talk radio) cause tiny vibrations and interior panel noises.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE / ROAD MANNERS - This N55 engine, 8 speed sport auto, and M sport suspension all want to be pushed! BMW knows how to build an inline six and the N55 is powerful, smooth, efficient, and ready to play. (I can understand buying the 4 cyl turbo in a 2 series, but no way in anything bigger.) The stock exhaust is a little quiet, but it can sound quite good in the higher rpms. I can understand getting the MPPK and the MPE, but they aren't absolutely necessary.

As a daily commuter, i wish I had the DHP suspension because the passive M sport suspension on run-flats can be a little harsh. I’ll be getting rid of the run-flats in the spring and I expect that to be a big help. The transmission settings between ECO-Pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ are all useful and significantly different. Sport+ shifts are very quick and aggressive with subtle exhaust burbles/blips.

Road tripping from the midwest to Hilton Head, SC through the Smoky Mountains was fun. Depending on your mood and the roads, the car can take various personalities. It can extend its legs and tour at high speeds comfortably. You can also flip the car into Sport+, activate the paddles, and rip things up for awhile. Having DHP and replacing my run-flats would be nice here too, because extended periods on poorly surfaced highways can get a little harsh & bumpy.



The car comes alive on the curves and hills of isolated sweeping country backroads, as a BMW should. The wide power band can quickly and effortlessly put you 30+ mph over the speed limit in any situation. The rear wheel drive dynamics are fun and predictable. Steering is a little bit artificial and could use more feel, but it is razor precise in picking and holding lines. 8 speeds is not too many, … it’s just right actually. The sport auto & paddles shift extremely quickly and it never gets too hyper (you can approach 90mph in fourth gear). I do wish the HUD display showed your gear. The brakes are powerful & confident (still wish I had the M-sport brakes). The fixed M-sport suspension really shines during aggressive driving. Keeping the car in SPORT mode is a great setting for spirited driving in the rain, with traction control that keeps you out of the ditch. SPORT+ is good in the dry and you can press the traction button for 3 seconds to further disable electronic nannies. The more you push the car towards 9/10ths the more confident and rewarding it becomes. The tires are the weakest link stock, and they’ll be replaced in a few months. The wide split-zone NAV screen is awesome for long wandering drives through the country. I like to open two maps... a large zoomed-out view for knowing your general area, and a second zoomed-in view for street and highway names. I've found so many scenic twisty local backroads I never knew existed this way.

I have yet to drive in any real snow, but I'm sure with rwd and these tires I'm in a little bit of trouble. I plan on getting a set of dedicated snows for next winter. I drove once in ice and traction was really poor, but ECO-Pro mode helped.

SUMMARY - I am a very picky person and scrutinize my purchases & decisions. I really, really, really like my 435i F36. If I can fix/adjust the seating issue and find a great 19 or 20 inch wheel & tire option, I’ll love my F36. I think this is a truly great choice for my first BMW. I’m getting a complete mix of sport, luxury, and utility in one package at a price where nothing else really competes. Older people think it’s youthful and athletic and sporty. Younger people think it’s grown-up, classy, powerful, and luxurious. I think an M-version would kick the snot out of the new M3. If I had time to order my car car perfectly, I would’ve checked a few more option boxes like M-sport brakes, DHP, and probably the MPPK and MPE. If I go new again next time, I'll order the car and opt for the South Carolina Performance Center Delivery experience. I’m really enjoying my introduction to BMW and have 2.5 years left on my lease to figure out which one might be next!

[DrivenByE30]

Wow love it

Great report, especially for a "Newbie"...
But sounds like you honestly and throughfully enjoyed your first BMW experience...

Enjoy it... and whoever you get your lease will enjoy the car even more! What a great combo...

[jonkarn]

Great write up!

This is what you look for when reading a new car review, honest and thorough but not unreasonable.

I have a M-Sport wagon, but wouldve looked into the GC had it been out back when I ordered mine in Feb. I LOVE the wagon(don't see any in road and like the European sensibility, but wouldve liked the GC for looks alone, a bit more.

Love your blacked out look(Carbon Black is much more special than reg Black), and would get the black kidneys also but don't think the black makes much of a difference in a lighter color like my Glacial Silver.

I agreed with many of your GOOD points, esp M-Sport wheel love, HUD addiction(also wish it showed gear AND RPMs), split map screen(I also config mine to have one Map zoomed in and the other zoomed out), and the mix of high sport and some lux in interior appearance and feel(have same config of alum hex and piano trim). I would just like the interior to be a bit less plain and spartan, and a bit more like Audi. It's still nice though

Agreed with BAD points of not enough seat cushioning(although my back feels great with proper set up, great bolstering and lumbar support, I'm pretty skinny and could use a softer cushioning). I do also notice the left bolster digging into my left thigh, but I don't think its the seat being slightly angled. I think it's just bc I flare my left leg out a bit(that's where dead pedal foot rest is positioned). With the thigh bolsters were also adjustable for long legged guys like myself who like to sit spread out like Al Bundy.

I also experience the buzzing speaker issue when listening to talk radio on Sirius, although I think otherwise the HK upgrade was worth it and is punchy and crisp even if it doesn't have A LOT of boomy bass.

I've driven a 35 and yes it's pretty amazing. But don't underestimate the 28 engine in 3/4 series. It pulls very strong, although doesn't sound as sweet, and the extra MPG are nice(avg 25mpg) as well as saving some money that I put towards DHP/HK etc. And beefed up with a BMS Stage 1 tune, I have something close to the power of the 35 just without the sweet sweet sound.

DHP is great, def include this next time!

And your final statement is something I've said to myself: I have 2 years to think about and figure out my next BMW when lease is up(may be a 4 GC!).

Very refreshing to see a reasonable reaction to a new BMW(hard to believe some of the overly negative reviews of these cars, I tend to think people just don't configure the cars correctly or just made the wrong decisions)

Btw where did you get the non-screw in Aluminim pedal covers? I didn't want to screw anything into the pedals either.

[jb3617]

awesome write up. love the color and the piano black trim. when i decide to get a new bimmer, that's one of my top choices for color and trim.

[jonkarn]

Just wanted to add

As a new BMW driver, like you state in your great post, it is something special driving this car like it was meant to be driven. Despite some shortcomings, if you love to drive, BMW scratches this itch better than anything else. Trust me, I've owned 7 different car brands over the past 24 years, never repeating my leases or purchases with the same car maker. This is the first time I will consider repeating my lease with the same brand. That about sums it up.

[335BOY]

Great write up . I love the hatchback. You said if you had more time to order you would have made a few additions.............well you have lots of time to order winter tires now.

[.BMW.]

Great write up!

[KneeDragr]

Sweet car. When I saw your photos I was sure it was Imperial Blue. Those two colors blur the lines between blue and black thats for sure.

[spuntyb]

Glad you're enjoying the ride so far! Beautiful car!

[ZilberGrau ZHP]

Excellent write up - love your GC and love mine!!

[tboooe]

Thank you for the great write up. May I ask what length lugs you ended up getting after installing the spacers? Also, where did you purchase the lugs?

[ryanSTL]

Originally Posted by tboooe

Thank you for the great write up. May I ask what length lugs you ended up getting after installing the spacers? Also, where did you purchase the lugs?

i got the spacer kit that included new lugs through ECS. The kit was only like $10 more than just spacers.

[sr5959]

Great pics OP, and great review! I just ordered a 428GC this reassures me I made the right decision getting this over the Coupe.

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by ryanSTL

i got the spacer kit that included new lugs through ECS. The kit was only like $10 more than just spacers.

Thank you for the reply.

Did you purchase the H&R spacers from ECS?
Just to verify, do you have 18" wheels on your car now?
Do you have any additional pics of the front and rear wheel? It looks like with the spacers you have they extend just a bit beyond the fender?

[jonkarn]

Non screw attachment aluminum pedals, source?

[ryanSTL]

Originally Posted by jonkarn

Non screw attachment aluminum pedals, source?

ebay. i was skeptical but the fit and quality are great. they match the dead pedal very well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/No-drilling-...a2d33e&vxp=mtr

[tjh94607]

With this rate, you will reach 30K miles in ~20 months.

Did you do a 15k/year mileage lease?

[ryanSTL]

Originally Posted by tjh94607

With this rate, you will reach 30K miles in ~20 months.

Did you do a 15k/year mileage lease?

Yeah my lease is 15k/year. The Hilton Head trip was a big part of it and won't be a regular thing. I also swap cars with the wife every once in awhile to spread out my mileage (she doesn't drive much). I'll do that quite a bit this winter, which will be fun in the Jeep.

[Moisted]

Thanks for the great write up. Like you I also jumped on the bmw wagon with a 435 F36. It's a great choice, stands much sportier than F30. I also think the F32 is the nicest looking bmw, but F36 has a classy and elegant character to it.

I'm taking delivery 2nd week of January. Reading your post made me ever more excited...

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by ryanSTL

ebay. i was skeptical but the fit and quality are great. they match the dead pedal very well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/No-drilling-...a2d33e&vxp=mtr

Thank you! I am going to give these a try. They look very similar to OEM and they are installed exactly the same way as the OEM ones for my Audi S5 and I didnt have any issues with slippage or fit. I may put some silicon on the back just to ensure they stay in place. Much better than drilling!

[jonkarn]

Originally Posted by ryanSTL

Yeah my lease is 15k/year. The Hilton Head trip was a big part of it and won't be a regular thing. I also swap cars with the wife every once in awhile to spread out my mileage (she doesn't drive much). I'll do that quite a bit this winter, which will be fun in the Jeep.

Same with me. I drive 70mi/day for work 5-6 days a week. End up putting close to 24 K a year on car. My wife barely drives(4mi/day to train station), so between the 2 cars, I can swicth back and forth and get 25K/yr combined.

Don't know how I'm going to feel giving up my F31 for her VW Tiguan for 8K miles a year, but I'll try to do it more in the winter to get less salt on the BMW anyway.


I'm sure they will have some pull ahead program when I, about 3-6 months out of lease end that could help to save some miles. Or will have to buy some extra.

First World Problems.

[sr5959]

Originally Posted by jonkarn

I'm sure they will have some pull ahead program when I, about 3-6 months out of lease end that could help to save some miles. Or will have to buy some extra.

I just ordered my new car with 12k/year rather than 15k on my current lease.

Although 15k is closer to what I currently do, there wasn't much of a difference when calculating the cost of buying extra miles at $0.16/mile, plus I may well be moving in the next year which will reduce mileage, plus may pull ahead a couple of months in the next lease too.