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2013 BMW 335i xDrive Mini Review - 4 months / 3.9K miles
| 06-21-2013, 08:12 PM | #1 |
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2013 BMW 335i xDrive Mini Review - 4 months / 3.9K miles
After 4 months and 3.9K miles (80% highway), I wanted to share a mini review of 2013 BMW 335i xDrive Sport Line sedan. Prior to ordering the vehicle, I was aware that BMW's plant in Rosslyn (South Africa) received at least one award for quality. Whether it's a coincidence or not, so far the vehicle met all expectations. I will note several problems that other Bimmerpost readers have reported - none encountered during the last 4 months.
Ordering … - Completed production in South Africa in early December 2012 - Sport Line, mineral white exterior, coral red leather and aluminum trim interior - Packages: Cold Weather, Driver Assistance, Premium, and Technology - 19" 401 Style wheels with Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires "Hindsight being 20/20" … - After the vehicle has been built, I learned that Sport Suspension has been deleted from 335i xDrive build. This is noted in the 2013 Ordering Guide (small print) but my CA did not know. I would have ordered Dynamic Handling Package had this information been shared with me earlier. Arriving … - Took delivery on US-West Coast in late February 2013 - While in transit, the vehicle was transferred to another vessel in Bremerhaven, Germany and continued to US-West Coast. My CA was not aware (at least the system he was looking at) that the vehicle has been transferred to another vessel - Did not purchase tire or wheel insurance - Asked the dealer not to mount the front license plate frame and verify the removal of shipping blocks - I checked for Bluetooth software update (there was a new one available) and installed it a few days after delivery Mounting front license plate … - Ordered and installed tow hook mount for the front license plate from US Mill Works http://www.usmillworks.com/ Breaking in … - Followed BMW break in period recommendations. No problems during the first 1,200 miles. Driving (as a driver without the need to push the vehicle to the limit) … - The engine should be in a museum; power delivery is exactly what I expected. - Bridgestone Potenza S001 run flat summer tires handle well. I insured my tires at America's Tire for $220. There isn't even a need to purchase tires from America's Tire - The suspension could be slightly better. It's comfortable and meets 95% of my expectations. But there is a slight float which tends to appear when instead the suspension should remain firm without being harsh. Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) would be the answer for me. I drove a vehicle with DHP during an earlier test drive - did not experience the slight float. Important - DHP cannot be added to the vehicle after production, even at the VPC. - Driver Assistance Package exceeded my expectations while approaching curbs in the parking lots. In almost every instance, the warning sounds at the right time when the front end approaches the curb area. While there is no substitute for human engagement, Driver Assistance Package is more than worth it - My mileage averages 23 miles per gallon - Active Blind Spot detection feature proved to be one of the more valuable options. I still look behind before changing lanes but it's nice to have this feature as another safety measure - When the engine is shut off, the transmission will automatically move to from D (Drive) to P (Park) position. Nice! - Automatic Start Stop was coded to Last User Mode by my dealer Listening to music … - Copied all my music to a micro USB drive. This micro USB drive is now at home in the center armrest USB slot. For Mac users, I suggest to purchase BlueHarvest utility which can delete .DS files and other Mac OS X specific files from the USB drive. These files will cause duplicate songs to be listed when searching for music - I wish the Bluetooth interface with the iPhone was more iPod like. Albums cannot be selected when listening to music from an iPhone connected via Bluetooth (enhanced) interface. That's why I mainly listen to music from the micro USB drive. http://www.zeroonetwenty.com/blueharvest/ - I am not an audio expert and did not order HK stereo upgrade. The acoustics of a standard stereo work well for a non-expert like me Making telephone calls … - The iPhone 4 and 4S pair immediately. Never lost the connection. Navigating … - Thanks to the tips shared by other readers, I programmed one button to serve as "push once and take me home" - In 3D perspective mode, when approaching a major intersection the street name does not appear whereas in another mode the street name does appear well in advance. It's not a concern at least for me. "Pushing pedals" … - The stock break and accelerator pedals could be cosmetically and mechanically better, especially the accelerator pedal - made of hard plastic. I wish BMW had a factory option to order aluminum pedals with a better grip texture. Since none existed, I ordered and installed aluminum pedals from Bimmian.com. Maintaining … - So far, the N55 engine is not burning any oil. I measured the oil level every 2 weeks and the computer tells me that the level hasn't changed. I did buy 2 quarts of BMW oil just in case prior to starting the break in period. I also purchased BMW Oil Travel Bag from Amazon. It has a very nice velcro attachment; perfect for the trunk. - I plan to get an oil change at 7.5K miles - not 15K miles - The aluminum trim does require some care as it can be easily scratched (still prefer aluminum over wood trim) http://www.amazon.com/automotive/dp/B000NDPTIM Not experiencing these problems reported by other owners … - Steering wheel vibration - Limp mode - Noisy breaks - Rust under the front seats Not using … - BMW Apps Adding these items to the next dealer visit … - The rear view mirror is showing signs of drifting downward. After several days, the mirror needs to be adjust slightly up. Other Bimmerpost readers reported this minor problem Last edited by cfm56d7b; 06-22-2013 at 10:37 AM.. |
| 06-21-2013, 08:31 PM | #2 |
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Awesome! Thanks for the honest and informative review. Is the Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) standard on 2013 models? Waiting on the delivery of mine next week! Cant wait.
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| 06-21-2013, 08:55 PM | #3 | |
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| 06-22-2013, 08:55 AM | #4 |
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Drives: 335xi M Sport
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Boston, MA
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awesome
 Mine just passed the break in period last week. Haven't experienced any problem so far.(knock on wood)
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