[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by gtsussex

Sorry, are you saying this about an adaptive 335d you drove today?

STD suspension I think not adaptive, but it had a sport setting unlike the M-Sport cars if that makes sense.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by FastLaneJB

I've just moved from Norwich to Peterborough recently. Not so familiar with Cambridgeshire roads but knew some good ones around Norfolk. Got any recommendations for a good drive?

To be honest shouldn't the M5 be vastly better at handling at the price it is and the fact its a proper M car? Having never driven an M car I won't know what I'm missing and hopefully the 335d with adaptive will be just fine. I merely want it a bit firmer for the odd sporty moment when it arises but otherwise it'll be on motorways and A roads in comfort so I don't rattle my teeth out on our lovely roads I don't think I'll be bending the laws of physics as I travel like it sounds some of you can do

I'm quite sure xDrive compromises the suspension to a degree but at the same time the car won't be fighting for traction so badly as if it was RWD with no LSD. So it'll make it a faster car for average joes to get around with and have that 4 wheel drive selling point which seems to becoming more important in the UK after a couple of bad winters. It certainly helped me sell the car to my wife with the 4 wheel drive tick box

No Good roads in Norfolk to my knoledge they are all sh*t.

I just use the A11 to get out of the place.
All 335D owners should have a great drive in this car, it does go well, just felt a bit more goey than my 330d, mid range was good.

You will be well pleased with it.

I get so bored with cars, I keep changing, must try and keep this one
I have had many 4 wheel drive cars RS6, RS4 B7, S8 * 2 one being the V10, all were ok in the winter but not great.
The BMW's I have bought all had winter wheels and tyres fitted and have been really sure footed.

[SGLL66]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

NOT so: I test drove the saloon version today and the suspension is no way going to get you comfortably fast around anything but smooth roads.
Shuddering and becoming unsettled was what I was finding on A/B roads in Norfolk/Cambridge area, very unsettling at speed, but these are not autobahns.

An M5 would eat that car alive on the same roads IMO.

My 330d M Sport is much better but I do not know why that is Anyone?

Ooops, Just read NISFAN's comments.

I think I'd be almost all over you in your M5
I normally drive my cars on the limit, I start a journey with the mindset "take your time" and end it with " that thought didn't last long" that's why I can never get from Wolverhampton to London and back in my M5 on anything less than 120 litres of fuel and my car averages 17mpg - averages!

At least with my 335 d I can force you to put your foot down and when you have to stop for fuel I can catch up and overtake you

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by SGLL66

I think I'd be almost all over you in your M5
I normally drive my cars on the limit, I start a journey with the mindset "take your time" and end it with " that thought didn't last long" that's why I can never get from Wolverhampton to London and back in my M5 on anything less than 120 litres of fuel and my car averages 17mpg - averages!

At least with my 335 d I can force you to put your foot down and when you have to stop for fuel I can catch up and overtake you

yea I suppose there are no tankers that I could tow light enough to "even things up"

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

You have a point......but then why 313hp and great straight line figures in a car that has the chassis but not the set up to match

The way the f30 is suspended, they should have stopped at 328i

In a bizarre twist, the Germans are going all US on us, and the US is going all German on us, with Cadillac being voted as the better handling car

It has been a while since I drove an e9x M Sport, but am pretty sure it was more capable over rough roads. As an e90 driver what do you think? Have you driven f30 330d's etc?

No not driven a F30 330d yet. Only driven a 320d with normal suspension (not through choice, was a courtesy car ). It was nothing special for handling.
With regards the E90, Mine had "OK" handling until I got rid of the crappy Bridgestone run flats (note, the older ones, not the ones fitted to F30's). I've fitted Good Year Assymetrics and its transformed the handling, steering and ride. Much, much better car so at the moment I'm not too much in a rush to swap it, whereas before the handling, ride (and skipping out of pot holes ) was enough to make me want to swap it.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

NOT so: I test drove the saloon version today and the suspension is no way going to get you comfortably fast around anything but smooth roads.
Shuddering and becoming unsettled was what I was finding on A/B roads in Norfolk/Cambridge area, very unsettling at speed, but these are not autobahns.

An M5 would eat that car alive on the same roads IMO.

My 330d M Sport is much better but I do not know why that is Anyone?

Ooops, Just read NISFAN's comments.

Don't forget you can get nearly two 335d's for the cost of one M5!! So the M5 *should* be good! (Or maybe one 335d and one 330d)

With regards "eating it alive", I think the OP is best placed to judge the verdict on that as he has owned and lived with the M5 and now has the 335d

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

It has been a while since I drove an e9x M Sport, but am pretty sure it was more capable over rough roads. As an e90 driver what do you think? Have you driven f30 330d's etc?

My E92 M-Sport suffers from 'jacking' badly to the extent I often have to back off when driving at the limit on anything but smooth roads.

I would add that after 3 years and 70k miles the springs have aged - badly. I hit the stops daily now and it's become quite uncomfortable now.

I know from experience the E36 and E46 suffered from breaking rear springs and suspect the E9x will be no different.

As others have said, I fail to see how the F30 will not improve on this (for a non M car) and at least I'll have the option of riding comfy when I feel like it.

Compromise? Of course it is.

[FastLaneJB]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

No Good roads in Norfolk to my knoledge they are all sh*t.

Well the best roads are the ones you'd never generally use because they go from one village with a population of 3 to another village with a population of 3. Generally empty but you've got to be careful as they generally aren't very wide either.

When I was young I used to fly up and down those roads (In a Corsa so probably not fast at all). I once remember a pedestrian walking on the road and as I shot past flapping their arms up and down. I thought it would have made more sense to jump in the hedge than trying to learn to fly at the last minute. Hehe. Obviously I now know they just meant for me to slow down.

Its a shame you cannot program the Sat Nav to take you more on B roads on occasion for a more interesting drive from A to B.

[vieri_c]

Looks amazing! Hope you ll ve many miles of pleasure in it.
Any issues with road and wind noise like the lessors models that a mere mortal like me drives?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by dopper99

Don't forget you can get nearly two 335d's for the cost of one M5!! So the M5 *should* be good! (Or maybe one 335d and one 330d)

With regards "eating it alive", I think the OP is best placed to judge the verdict on that as he has owned and lived with the M5 and now has the 335d

Don't forget I have just got out of the 335D and driven the M5 so I am aware of what each can do and my moneys on the M5
But it really does not matter, at the end of the day I have now bought the M5 to trash other cars, it's more "My last real super car" and at 64 years old it will be nice to just cruise it most times and let the rest just wonder "Just how fast it is"

Probably be in the new M3/4 in two/three years if I still feel young.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by FastLaneJB

Well the best roads are the ones you'd never generally use because they go from one village with a population of 3 to another village with a population of 3. Generally empty but you've got to be careful as they generally aren't very wide either.

When I was young I used to fly up and down those roads (In a Corsa so probably not fast at all). I once remember a pedestrian walking on the road and as I shot past flapping their arms up and down. I thought it would have made more sense to jump in the hedge than trying to learn to fly at the last minute. Hehe. Obviously I now know they just meant for me to slow down.

Its a shame you cannot program the Sat Nav to take you more on B roads on occasion for a more interesting drive from A to B.

Trouble is today the local PLOD are hiding up lay-bys and scammera vans are on these roads.
So no fun to be had here now, 15 years ago these roads were a playground, not any more!!!!.

[JOHNBMWM5]

If I sat down and looked at "Real world driving" then an M5 is way over the top on UK roads. Exploiting it is to be "Carefully thought out" and have the ability to look two ways at once.
Three gears and 140MPH is a frightener for anyone I suppose.

Still I like the looks even if I can't always blast.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Don't forget I have just got out of the 335D and driven the M5 so I am aware of what each can do and my moneys on the M5
But it really does not matter, at the end of the day I have now bought the M5 to trash other cars, it's more "My last real super car" and at 64 years old it will be nice to just cruise it most times and let the rest just wonder "Just how fast it is"

Probably be in the new M3/4 in two/three years if I still feel young.

Fair play to you, and I dont blame you. Will be an epic car for sure and has a 250bhp advantage over a 335d anyway. Is no doubt lightening fast.

[FastLaneJB]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Trouble is today the local PLOD are hiding up lay-bys and scammera vans are on these roads.
So no fun to be had here now, 15 years ago these roads were a playground, not any more!!!!.

Yeah they do hide out in a lot of places but maybe I'm talking more about roads that aren't so much B road but maybe C or D types if we had those classifications. There's so little traffic on them that they normally don't bother with them but they are thin and you've got to be careful. So its not so much fast straight out speed but fast acceleration, braking and hard cornering type roads.

Sad as 15 years ago I was just starting out driving and couldn't afford much. Now I can afford a nice car its getting hard to make good use of it.

[Cuprat]

Hi,

Is the car twin turbo or twin scroll like the 330d?

The BMW site showed twin turbo but I'm a bit confused.

Cheers

[dopper99]

It has two turbos.

[dopper99]

While looking through the specs, I've noticed the 335d brakes are different to the 330d.

335d are stated as swing calliper brakes
330d are stated as floating calliper brakes

not sure what the difference is

[SGLL66]

Originally Posted by Cuprat

Hi,

Is the car twin turbo or twin scroll like the 330d?

The BMW site showed twin turbo but I'm a bit confused.

Cheers

Twin turbo

[SGLL66]

Originally Posted by vieri_c

Looks amazing! Hope you ll ve many miles of pleasure in it.
Any issues with road and wind noise like the lessors models that a mere mortal like me drives?

Thanks. No wind noise and have not noticed any tyre noise yet. But with low profile tyres on motorway cruising it will be inevitable.

[Cuprat]

Thanks all for clarifying. Can't wait for my new car

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by dopper99

While looking through the specs, I've noticed the 335d brakes are different to the 330d.

335d are stated as swing calliper brakes
330d are stated as floating calliper brakes

not sure what the difference is

335d has the 4 piston calipers on the front, same as the US spec 335i, or the M Sport brakes. Painted grey.

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

335d has the 4 piston calipers on the front, same as the US spec 335i, or the M Sport brakes. Painted grey.

Sounds nice. But what happens if we spec the M Sport + pack that includes upgraded brakes? Does this pack upgrade them further?