[jkay]

I know straight up the 435 is better than the E92/3 335, but would you say it's worth a 60% premium?

I am in in Australia and looking at 2011/2012/2013 335i Coupes and convertibles (mainly convertibles), 335's are going for around $70k vs roughly $110k for the 435 convertible (for the ones I've seen)

So my question is, although the 435 is better, would you say it's around 60% better (ie 70k vs 112k) and worth that kind of premium?

Ps FWIW I'm coming out of a 2008 E92 M3 Coupe and want a 4 seat convertible as have never had a drop top. M4 too expensive (for me) at around $150k used

Thanks in advance

[stvding]

you comparing a new car to an used car?
of course a new car worth much more than a few years old car

[Paladucky]

A gently used 3 year old car is always going to be a better value than a brand new one. So in that sense, it's never "worth it."

Do you like the way a 435 looks? Is that worth the 60% premium?

In my mind if there's a body style you want, wait a few years and then buy a used one. Then it will be worth it. But people on this forum are not too keen on waiting for things (myself included) so you'll have to decide for yourself

[jkay]

Originally Posted by Paladucky

But people on this forum are not too keen on waiting for things (myself included) so you'll have to decide for yourself

Haha I think I'm guilty of that too.

Based on looks alone the 435 is definitely better, 60% or not I'm still undecided

Hoping to get feedback from Anyone who's driven both to get an opinion as an overall Package (and whether or not they think it's 60% better)

Thanks for the input so far 😀

[mithoowani]

I have recently bought 435 cab; also have 335 cab ( 2009); As for driving experience between the two, of couse the 435 is new car, there is very little difference.

[jkay]

Thanks mithoowan
Exactly the kind of insight I was after

[newoldbeemer]

Originally Posted by jkay

I know straight up the 435 is better than the E92/3 335,

No, its not. Its definitely not. The debate is whether it is as good as the E92 335i, and you will get a different answer to that depending on which sub-forum you ask.

In my opinion, the 435i is almost as good as the E92 335i when it comes to driving feel. And beats it hollow in all other aspects (interiors, exteriors etc). Yeah that looks like it contradicts my earlier statement, but not really. To me at least, driving experience is like 90% the reason for a BMW. So even though the E92 loses out in other aspects, its still the overall winner compared to the 435i. Its like comparing two steaks where one has the better slab of meat and the other has better mashed potatoes and asparagus and is served on a fancier-looking plate.

Anyway.. as to which will be a better financial decision, my suggestion would be compare

- Overall cost (incl. taxes, gas, insurance, interest if you're taking a loan etc) of buying and running a new 435i and owning it over 3 years. Try to guesstimate what its resale value will be after 3 years (should be close to what a similarly equipped 2012 335i is now). Subtract, you get overall cost. Divide that by 36 months and thats cost of ownership per month.

- Similarly overall cost of a CPO 2012 335i, add interest, tax, fees, insurance, gas etc and calculate cost of ownership over 3 years. Look at what a 2009 335i will go for (to get a vague sense of what it will be worth after 3 more years) and knock off another 1000 bucks or so because the body style will be even older then. Subtract, and get overall cost of ownership per month.

Now you can compare both those numbers and figure out which is higher. I think almost definitely the 435i will end up being more expensive, but you have to see exactly how much more. Then knowing that, go take back-to-back test drives of both cars and see what the difference means to you.

With the 335i you will get a better driving feel. With the 435i you will get almost an equally good driving feel but better electronics, better leather, new car, better interiors, better looks etc. Knowing the monthly overall difference, weigh the differences in the driving experience versus the difference in costs and make the call based on that.

If you are paying 60% more on the 435i but you are getting that 60% back then it doesn't really mean anything. So you have to do some excel sheets to get a better sense of that. If you were in the US I would do those calculations myself and send you some example numbers, I have no idea about what the prices, blue book values, insurance, fees, gas etc look like in Australia.

[jkay]

Originally Posted by newoldbeemer

In my opinion, the 435i is almost as good as the E92 335i when it comes to driving feel. And beats it hollow in all other aspects (interiors, exteriors etc). Yeah that looks like it contradicts my earlier statement, but not really. So even though the E92 loses out in other aspects, its still the overall winner compared to the 435i.

Anyway.. as to which will be a better financial decision, my suggestion would be compare

- Overall cost

Now you can compare both those numbers and figure out which is higher. I think almost definitely the 435i will end up being more expensive, but you have to see exactly how much more. Then knowing that, go take back-to-back test drives of both cars and see what the difference means to you.

With the 335i you will get a better driving feel. With the 435i you will get almost an equally good driving feel but better electronics, better leather, new car, better interiors, better looks etc. Knowing the monthly overall difference, weigh the differences in the driving experience versus the difference in costs and make the call based on that.

If you are paying 60% more on the 435i but you are getting that 60% back then it doesn't really mean anything. So you have to do some excel sheets to get a better sense of that. If you were in the US I would do those calculations myself and send you some example numbers, I have no idea about what the prices, blue book values, insurance, fees, gas etc look like in Australia.

Great post.

Also echos my sentiments exactly on the overall cost spread over 36 months

Based on my own estimates (which are just my own and may not be accurate), I figure I'll lose around (over 36 months)

-$35-40k on a 435i

-$15-20k on a CPO facelift 335i

Assuming my figures are anywhere near accurate, I'll be paying around $20k more in depreciation for the pleasure of a better looks and interior etc. Based on this I'm leaning more and more towards a 335i for that kind of money. A test drive should confirm this but its good being armed with this in my mind before going to test drive

I'll also be buying cash

Thanks for your feedback

[newoldbeemer]

Originally Posted by jkay

Great post.

Also echos my sentiments exactly on the overall cost spread over 36 months

Based on my own estimates (which are just my own and may not be accurate), I figure I'll lose around (over 36 months)

-$35-40k on a 435i

-$15-20k on a CPO facelift 335i

Assuming my figures are anywhere near accurate, I'll be paying around $20k more in depreciation for the pleasure of a better looks and interior etc. Based on this I'm leaning more and more towards a 335i for that kind of money. A test drive should confirm this but its good being armed with this in my mind before going to test drive

I'll also be buying cash

Thanks for your feedback

I don't think those figures are accurate. Did you pull them from actual quoted values and blue book values with accurate calculations?

Just for comparison, here's some rough US numbers:
- new 435i for 55K (+5k tax) will go for say 30K after 3 years = 30K loss = $833 per month depreciation
- 2012 CPO 335i which you buy for 32K (+3k tax) will go for say 16K after you use it for 3 more years = 19K loss = $527 per month depreciation

So difference of ~ 300 per month between the two.

EDIT: Got some figures wrong, edited.
I don't imagine it will be very different in Australia but I could be wrong there.

By the way I think if you just lease a 435i instead of buying, you will end up between those two.

[jkay]

Originally Posted by newoldbeemer

I don't think those figures are accurate. Did you pull them from actual quoted values and blue book values with accurate calculations?

Just for comparison, here's some rough US numbers:
- new.

I just loosely based them on for sale prices, so again I could be wrong

435i Convertible new - $126,600, add a few options and you're in the mid $130's to $140

I've based my figures on used 435i's which start at $105k up to $130k and have gone for around $115k as an average

2011/2012 335i Convertibles go for $58-70k (so guess thats what a 435 cab might be worth in about 3 years?)

2009's with new iDrive are around $42-49k

All the above are based on current ads I've seen online (carsales.com.au being one of them)

I wish we had US prices 😁

[newoldbeemer]

Originally Posted by jkay

2011/2012 335 Convertibles go for $58-70k (so guess that what a 435 cab would be worth in about 3 years?)

No, they'll be worth slightly less. They'll be worth around the current selling price or a 2012, not the buying price. Look up both on a blue book.

Also don't throw 2011 and 2012 together, they should be significantly different.

Looks like the initial depreciation on these cars is even steeper in AU, thats why you are seeing such a huge difference.

Looks like a no-brainer to me, get the E92.

[jkay]

Yes the more I speak To you about it looks like it's a no brainer to go with the E92.

At first I thought the 435 would be way better than the 335 but again after speaking to you and another member seems that the difference is not as huge as I thought (driving wise)

Thanks again for your input