My first BMW 435dx convertible

fuzzybunny · 11-22-2018, 08:49 AM

Hi All,
Been on this forum since 2011 but have only just got my first BMW, an 8 month old 435dx. I love diesels and I love convertibles and I live in the country so xdrive a nice combination with the winter approaching. Bit of a mad combination of convertible diesel and all-wheel drive I suppose but I do love it. Extras include the convertible comfort package, 19” wheels, Prof Nav, foldy mirrors, parking assist and all-round cameras. The petrol heads will baulk at the diesel sound, but I like the quiet power of the 6 cylinder diesel. The 8 speed auto is a real joy and the car goes like a rocket despite carrying around an extra 240Kg being a metal top convertible. Can be driven at all temperatures though with heated steering wheel, heated seats, warm air collar and large wind deflector. Being xdrive it has the standard suspension so quite soft but perfect for the Somerset roads and the raised ground clearance handy for the minor flooding we get round here. Although suspension is soft it goes round corners like its on rails with the benefit of xdrive. Downsides so far have to be a disappointing mpg of only 35 due to having a heavy right foot. Have gotten 45 on a long motorway journey up north using sad eco mode. Also standard brakes are disappointing for such a fast car requiring quite a bit of foot pressure. Apart from that its great and the colour combinations means it’s really light and airy inside and even more airy with the roof down. Cheers.

speary8 · 11-22-2018, 09:11 AM

Looks awesome. Looks like you don’t have the msport brakes. Enjoy the performance. FYI. Mine is a 440i conv and I generally get 28mpg and 40 mpg on a mainly motorway run keeping roughly to the speed limits

fuzzybunny · 11-22-2018, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speary8

Looks awesome. Looks like you don’t have the msport brakes. Enjoy the performance. FYI. Mine is a 440i conv and I generally get 28mpg and 40 mpg on a mainly motorway run keeping roughly to the speed limits

Cheers, yes I am tending to go somewhat over the speed limit at the mo so maybe I can do better on the mpg. I think the xdrive loses 10% on fuel compared to RWD. I got the impression from previous posts the MSport brakes weren't that much better being bigger disks but full of holes! Have you had any issue with your brakes?

TurboMark47 · 11-22-2018, 09:51 AM

very nice, enjoy

goodbyalfa · 11-22-2018, 01:44 PM

Looks great, more pictures of the interior please.
The mpg you quote is one of the reasons I went 440i...

GOF_430d · 11-23-2018, 03:05 AM

I have the 430d convertible with the extras listed plus adaptive suspension.

Economy wise I get 40 mpg around town [A roads] and close to 50 mpg on the motorway at the legal speed limit plus roadworks. Actually its the roadworks which improve the fuel consumption obviously.

The brakes are poor for such a heavy car and I wish I'd found a car with X drive as I find it very easy to lose grip on wet roads even driving like an older man as I do now.

Sadly for me the air collar / scarf heater is of no use for me whatsoever as it only warms a spot on my back. I'm over 6ft 6in.

I just wish that the idrive played nicely with Android.

Enjoy!!

fuzzybunny · 11-23-2018, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOF_430d

I have the 430d convertible with the extras listed plus adaptive suspension.

Economy wise I get 40 mpg around town [A roads] and close to 50 mpg on the motorway at the legal speed limit plus roadworks. Actually its the roadworks which improve the fuel consumption obviously.

The brakes are poor for such a heavy car and I wish I'd found a car with X drive as I find it very easy to lose grip on wet roads even driving like an older man as I do now.

Sadly for me the air collar / scarf heater is of no use for me whatsoever as it only warms a spot on my back. I'm over 6ft 6in.

I just wish that the idrive played nicely with Android.

Enjoy!!

Do you find the adaptive suspension good. I don't think it lowers the car just tightens things up?
So you find the brakes disappointing as well. Ive been told its because its a four piston setup instead of the floating caliper type so we don't get that initial reassuring 'snatching' effect on first touching they brake.

GOF_430d · 11-23-2018, 04:33 AM

Fuzzybunny

My car is the Luxury spec, so the adaptive suspension allows me to switch between soft and hard. I drive in soft most of the time unless I'm driving on sweeping A & B roads then I switch to sport and wallow less.

Most of the time the brakes are fine, my car is no sports car, more like a GT with a removable roof, so I plan ahead with my braking.

I had a 2 litre diesel M sport convertible before but after breaking 5 wheels in 4 years I vowed never again, but then bought this car because it came with all the extras I missed out when I went from my old Altea Freetrack to a BMW convertible such as electrically folding mirrors [they don't fold automatically sadly], folding back seats making the convertible surprisingly practical.

Going from a manual to an automatic has taken some of the fun out of driving but the 3 litre engine makes overtaking less of a forward planning exercise [2 litre diesel convertible] to a "DAMN I forget how fast this can be" when you depress the loud pedal quickly.

The adjustable suspension just means I have a choice whether to thud over pot holes [sport suspension] or float [ish] in standard / comfort setting.

fuzzybunny · 11-23-2018, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOF_430d

Fuzzybunny

I had a 2 litre diesel M sport convertible before but after breaking 5 wheels in 4 years I vowed never again, but then bought this car because it came with all the extras I missed out when I went from my old Altea Freetrack..B

How did you happen to break 5 wheels, I managed to kerb one of my front 19" alloys in the first week

which was annoying and my own daft fault. Stupid 19" alloys!

GOF_430d · 11-23-2018, 09:35 AM

19" wheels on E92's apparently had a cracking issue which was well documented [I missed it]. I had to change two wheels for the first MOT, which BMW had to order in specially!!

The cracking manifested itself as what I thought were punctures and in fact air was escaping through the wheel. I'd had three wheels weld repaired and the welds failed.

That car was economical 50+mpg but ate wheels.

11-22-2018, 08:49 AM	#1
fuzzybunny Second Lieutenant 113 Rep 289 Posts Drives: Orange F33 435dx Convertible Join Date: May 2011 Location: Somerset, UK iTrader: (0)	My first BMW 435dx convertible Hi All, Been on this forum since 2011 but have only just got my first BMW, an 8 month old 435dx. I love diesels and I love convertibles and I live in the country so xdrive a nice combination with the winter approaching. Bit of a mad combination of convertible diesel and all-wheel drive I suppose but I do love it. Extras include the convertible comfort package, 19” wheels, Prof Nav, foldy mirrors, parking assist and all-round cameras. The petrol heads will baulk at the diesel sound, but I like the quiet power of the 6 cylinder diesel. The 8 speed auto is a real joy and the car goes like a rocket despite carrying around an extra 240Kg being a metal top convertible. Can be driven at all temperatures though with heated steering wheel, heated seats, warm air collar and large wind deflector. Being xdrive it has the standard suspension so quite soft but perfect for the Somerset roads and the raised ground clearance handy for the minor flooding we get round here. Although suspension is soft it goes round corners like its on rails with the benefit of xdrive. Downsides so far have to be a disappointing mpg of only 35 due to having a heavy right foot. Have gotten 45 on a long motorway journey up north using sad eco mode. Also standard brakes are disappointing for such a fast car requiring quite a bit of foot pressure. Apart from that its great and the colour combinations means it’s really light and airy inside and even more airy with the roof down. Cheers. Attached Images Last edited by fuzzybunny; 11-22-2018 at 09:05 AM.. Reason: pics
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11-22-2018, 09:11 AM	#2
speary8 Enlisted Member 13 Rep 44 Posts Drives: 440i M Sport Convertible Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Bolton UK iTrader: (0)	Looks awesome. Looks like you don’t have the msport brakes. Enjoy the performance. FYI. Mine is a 440i conv and I generally get 28mpg and 40 mpg on a mainly motorway run keeping roughly to the speed limits
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11-22-2018, 09:51 AM	#4
TurboMark47 New Member 9 Rep 20 Posts Drives: G22 M sport coupe Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Cleethorpes, UK iTrader: (0)	very nice, enjoy
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11-22-2018, 01:44 PM	#5
goodbyalfa King of the North (living in the east...) 1056 Rep 2,154 Posts Drives: M340i mineral white Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Suffolk iTrader: (0)	Looks great, more pictures of the interior please. The mpg you quote is one of the reasons I went 440i... __________________ 2021 M340i in mineral white, options galore Previously 2018 440i GC in MG 2015 330D F30 MSport EBII 2012 Alfa Guilietta 2.0d Veloce 2009 Fiat bravo sport 2000 ST Mondeo
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11-23-2018, 03:05 AM	#6
GOF_430d Lieutenant 288 Rep 499 Posts Drives: 430d convertible Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: London iTrader: (0)	I have the 430d convertible with the extras listed plus adaptive suspension. Economy wise I get 40 mpg around town [A roads] and close to 50 mpg on the motorway at the legal speed limit plus roadworks. Actually its the roadworks which improve the fuel consumption obviously. The brakes are poor for such a heavy car and I wish I'd found a car with X drive as I find it very easy to lose grip on wet roads even driving like an older man as I do now. Sadly for me the air collar / scarf heater is of no use for me whatsoever as it only warms a spot on my back. I'm over 6ft 6in. I just wish that the idrive played nicely with Android. Enjoy!!
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11-23-2018, 04:33 AM	#8
GOF_430d Lieutenant 288 Rep 499 Posts Drives: 430d convertible Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: London iTrader: (0)	Fuzzybunny My car is the Luxury spec, so the adaptive suspension allows me to switch between soft and hard. I drive in soft most of the time unless I'm driving on sweeping A & B roads then I switch to sport and wallow less. Most of the time the brakes are fine, my car is no sports car, more like a GT with a removable roof, so I plan ahead with my braking. I had a 2 litre diesel M sport convertible before but after breaking 5 wheels in 4 years I vowed never again, but then bought this car because it came with all the extras I missed out when I went from my old Altea Freetrack to a BMW convertible such as electrically folding mirrors [they don't fold automatically sadly], folding back seats making the convertible surprisingly practical. Going from a manual to an automatic has taken some of the fun out of driving but the 3 litre engine makes overtaking less of a forward planning exercise [2 litre diesel convertible] to a "DAMN I forget how fast this can be" when you depress the loud pedal quickly. The adjustable suspension just means I have a choice whether to thud over pot holes [sport suspension] or float [ish] in standard / comfort setting.
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11-23-2018, 09:35 AM	#10
GOF_430d Lieutenant 288 Rep 499 Posts Drives: 430d convertible Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: London iTrader: (0)	19" wheels on E92's apparently had a cracking issue which was well documented [I missed it]. I had to change two wheels for the first MOT, which BMW had to order in specially!! The cracking manifested itself as what I thought were punctures and in fact air was escaping through the wheel. I'd had three wheels weld repaired and the welds failed. That car was economical 50+mpg but ate wheels.
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