[ddam1994]

I am trying to buy a car for myself and i cannot decide between the 328i and the 335i. I cannot spend the enormous amount for a low mile 335i. Which ever car i choose will have 80,000-100,000 miles. I am just not sure about the power difference between the two. Is the 328i coupe just as fun as the 335i coupe? Thank you!

[John 070]

The 328i is not as fun, the 335i is way more fun to drive. The fuel economy is about the same so no-brainer imho...

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by John 070

The 328i is not as fun, the 335i is way more fun to drive. The fuel economy is about the same so no-brainer imho...

But with an 80-100k mile 335i out of warranty.... ehhhh. I don't have problems with mine (knock on wood) but I see tons of people who do.

[TeinBMW]

The higher model is obviously more fun. Don't know how the is even a question. It's like asking if the base civic is as fun at the si version....

[ssmith96]

328i is fun without a doubt, and at that mileage, get a 328.

[VTECaddict]

Depends how you define fun. The N52 E9x is definitely a fun car with sport package, and even moreso mated to a 6MT. The chassis dynamic is the same and arguably better than the 335i due to the lighter engine. 335i just adds effortless power to top it off.

[1chanc3]

If you are looking for a 80k-100k car, I would advise against the 335i. Unless you know the previous owner took super good care of this car and the turbos, and unless you are willing to spend a lot of money into repair, which you said you don't have, then I would go for a 328i. If you are low on money, then a 328i better suits you.

by the way, a 335i is more fun to drive and play around with. A lot more performance mods and HP.

[melloww22]

is this a serious post? if its then...

the 328 will not outperform the 335... hence why the price with both models at the same mileage for the same year, will reflect the cost difference favoring the less desireable 328.

go for the 335 not the 328

[iBoost]

In general:

328; reliability and cheaper to maintain ( still fun in MT )
335; crazy fun power but prone to costly repair bills because of turbos.

If repair bills might be a burden on you go for the 328.
If not, 335 no doubt.

[redline2001]

Being able to outperform and a fun driving experience are not the same thing. A 911 turbo can certainly outperform that Subaru BRT but which one is more fun to drive on the street? You cant even push the 911 to 1/10 of its potential on the streets. the BRT will put a smile on your face every time you enter a exit ramp.

[uberbeast21]

Originally Posted by redline2001

Being able to outperform and a fun driving experience are not the same thing. A 911 turbo can certainly outperform that Subaru BRT but which one is more fun to drive on the street? You cant even push the 911 to 1/10 of its potential on the streets. the BRT will put a smile on your face every time you enter a exit ramp.

the BRZ is very slow imho so when i entered an on ramp to the highway in a testdrive i was kind of bored... but i get what you are trying to say haha

[ny325]

I've read that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Also, car magazines say the 328 is more tosable than a 335. Mainly due to the lighter weight of the 328.

[norsairius]

Originally Posted by ny325

I've read that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Also, car magazines say the 328 is more tosable than a 335. Mainly due to the lighter weight of the 328.

I agree with this completely. Extra power doesn't hurt, but sometimes knowing the car can do more but not being able to actually do it sucks. I used to have a 2009 Subaru WRX that was properly quick for accelerating on to the highway, etc. (0-60 a few ticks above 5s), but it was just like any other car bumbling along in traffic when there were more cars on the road.

I think it really depends on what driving is like in your area. I think for the most part, either car will be tons of fun for carving corners. From a couple minutes of searching online, it looks like the 335 is around 100 lbs heavier than the 328.

If you'll have more opportunities to exploit the extra power from the 335, then go for it, but as others have mentioned, you should be aware of the potential reliability issues and extra maintenance.

If you find yourself in traffic more, the 328 is still really good. I have one myself and it fits my needs perfectly because I spend a lot of time driving in a city and when I do find myself getting on the highway, the power is good for speeding up and passing when needed, especially if you wind out the motor and shift at the higher end of the tach.

Just evaluate what you can afford and how much risk you're willing to take on for unexpected repairs then go test driving. I don't think you could go wrong with either car.

[JAL0988]

[sandjam]

With that kind of mileage stay away from the 335i. Just search on the fourm for all the posts of the non stop issues with 335s, Turbos, HPFP, injectors, carbon buildup, etc. You have to be able to pay for those repairs or all that fun everyone keeps telling you about will disappear when the car starts having issues. Notice all the 335 owners dumping theirs cars at 60 -70,000 miles. Its not like the 328 has no power. People that say that don't drive one. Test drive one before you just blindly follow the masses and then spend the next years paying through the nose on repairs.

[srezzo]

I'll mirror what others have been saying:
328: Fun to drive and more practical daily driver (due to lower cost of ownership)
335: A monster due to the turbos. You can easily be thrown back into the seat.

There is a trade off there and you'd need to determine what will work best for you. I opted for the 330 (more comparable to the 328) with the sports package since I was looking for a car I could reliably and inexpensively drive to 150-200k miles. It was absolutely the right choice for me. That being said, anytime I ride in a 335, I'm reminded how much faster they are. Good luck!

[BEAR-AvHistory]

At that mileage either one is a crap shoot. No easy way to tell how they have been driven or maintained over that time. You might want to look for something newer that you can afford.

[bahasad]

At 100K miles, I would forget the 335I unless you have a sufficient amount of money to fix anything (and there will be plenty of things that go wrong - turbos, injectors, fuel pumps, cooling, wastegates and more). If you had sufficient money, you would be able to afford a lower mileage 335I.

I would go for the 328, because it's fairly reliable for a BMW and should be able to make it well past 100K miles without too many repairs. The main things are just the electric waterpump and maybe the valve cover gasket. Everything else should be routine maintenance. My 328I puts a smile on my face when I drive it through some curves, accelerate smoothly, and can put a lot of miles without worry. That in itself has some value.

No question the 335I is faster, has more potential, and, if you can perform the upkeep, should be fun.

[BeachsideF30]

You want to get into one of these at 80-100k? I hate to say this but if you cant afford a lower mile one what makes you think you'll be able to afford the maintenance on a high mileage one? These cars are so fineky as it is. Maybe nows not the time for you to be getting into one. Dont stretch your means.

[pgaplayerless]

Originally Posted by sandjam

With that kind of mileage stay away from the 335i. Just search on the fourm for all the posts of the non stop issues with 335s, Turbos, HPFP, injectors, carbon buildup, etc. You have to be able to pay for those repairs or all that fun everyone keeps telling you about will disappear when the car starts having issues. Notice all the 335 owners dumping theirs cars at 60 -70,000 miles. Its not like the 328 has no power. People that say that don't drive one. Test drive one before you just blindly follow the masses and then spend the next years paying through the nose on repairs.

Turbo wastegate rattle....is a non-issue. HPFP is warrantied till 120k. Carbon buildup...... is a non-issue.


To the OP:

If you know how to work on cars and do your own repairs and maintenance: get the 335i

If you are clueless about cars other than how to drive them: get the 328i


People that say BMW maintenance is expensive are only saying it because they are foolish enough to pay dealer to do their maintenance at $160/hr.....

[raleedy]

MT? 328i. AT? 335i. You'll get more car for your money with the 328. The 328 will handle better because of its lighter weight. The 335 will give you more of an acceleration kick but it comes with turbo lag.

[yarviinn]

328i 6MT is your best bet.