NickG

I feel a bit strange posting these on an RX8 website, but one or two people expressed an interest, so here's a few pics of my recently acquired E92 335i coupe....

One little anecdote that might interest RX8ers - BMW acknowledge referencing the RX8 when considering how best to design the rear interior package ( space efficiency etc). One result is the first 3 series coupe which accommodates only two in the back. But it does so very well ( better than any previous 3 series coupe by far) and in a way which will be spookily familiar to the owners of the RX8 ("freestyle doors" excluded of course). See what you reckon from the rear interior pics....

As an aside, this afternoon by coincidence I tailed a fairly enthusiastically driven RX8 on one of my favourite narrow ultra twisty bitumen (but badly cambered and bumpy as hell) National Park backroads. The short "drive" proved nothing much of course, but it did remind me that in these conditions - where agility and body control is paramount- my little 8 was damned near unbeatable. By contrast, on roads like this the 335i can be quite a handful - longer, wider, heavier and less composed. It's only on more open terrain, where it can really stretch its legs, that it feels completely at home. Then, it is simply....friggin....awesome .

Cheers Nick

Ciao

Very nice .
Have'nt seen one of these yet .
Good colour choice too

Ciao

Dave

NickG

Thanks guys. I was really worried about the colour. At the time I ordered the car was months away from launch and the dealers had no paint or interior leather swatches. I had to go off some photos I'd seen on the web. It didn't turn out too bad I guess. A nice change from the typical BMW silver or gunmetal/ black, with black interior. And I always kinda wished I'd bought a Winning Blue RX8 instead of red....

yellowrx8inoz

I've seen a couple on the road and they're much better in the metal than on the screen, I reckon. The pics don't give a good impression of the subtle curves...

Nice one, Nick!

Domza

fk. I want.

takahashi

Can the dial below the gear stick be hit accidentally while driving?

The leather is much better looking - any options for special leather?

Gomez

I've never really understood the psychology of people posting about other marques on a single make (and in this case, model) car forum.....it's natural that you'd feel a bit strange doing it, Nick.

That said, you are obviously seeking comment on your change of wheels, so here's my honest opinion. I can't comment on the driving experience, so I'll concentrate on the looks.

That is one ugly beast. The line across the top of the headlights to the wheel arch opening makes the car look like a Siamese cat. The join line between the rear of the doors and the rear wheel opening makes the sills look fat....I have no idea why the designer looked to emphasise the sills!!

The taillights have been nicked from an Accord, by the looks of them. I don't know what size those wheels are, but they look 4" too small. Way too much metal over the top of the rears. And the white interior......no comment. Still, every mother has to love her baby no matter how ugly it looks....doesn't she?

The M3 is the only decent looking model left in the current BMW line-up, IMO.

Enjoy.

gyzmoo

Nice car, but in my opinion 3 series should stay little agressive looking, sporty cars for younger guys, new 3 series is more into medium family cars. I'm saying nice, stylish but not that sporty bmw as the older m3(love them)

Revolver

As one of the people who expressed an interest, thanks for the pics and the impression given Nick. That twisty, bumpy road wasn't McCarr's on the north side was it? (No, it wasn't me!!! ).

Gomez, your comments were totally unnecessary. He did the right thing and indicated the subject of the thread was "OT". You needn't have opened it. Only takes a second to glide on by and save rubbishing his new pride and joy.

This might be a single model forum but it's also a community of people and I happen to think it's great that when people move on they share what they've moved on to and offer some firsthand comparisons to the RX8. This is usually much more insightful than some journo's review.

NickG

Thanks Gomez, I really appreciated that. I posted because a few had expressed interest - that's all. I also tried to be decent by writing a lengthy and very positive valedictory on my RX8 a few weeks back, stressing all the things I came to enjoy about the car . I've reinforced this again in the post that you are now slagging.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion and while I don't give a stuff what you think of my car, your childish vindictive attitude is both uncalled for and truly pathetic. You are a turkey par excellence.

Enjoy!

Tim Tam

Yes you would, you're a sick little girl!

Gomez

Yes Dave, I agree, my comments are unnecessary. Everything here is unneccessary....it's just a forum.

Why do people feel there is a need to have every single thing they post validated? Isn't a little criticism now and again healthy? In my defence, I wasn't even criticising, I was posting honest personal opinion. A different point of view shouldn't be heard, eh? Out of 100 people on this forum, how many do you think like this BMW? Even if it was 95, do you think the views of the other 5 should be stymied just because they don't like the car??

And Nick....you expect me to type nice things about your car just because you typed nice things about mine??? Sorry, I'm not going to lie about what I think just to keep the status quo.

I'm glad you like your car. Don't take it so personally that I don't.

NickG

Actually I don't expect anyone to type nice things about my car. If you think that's why I posted this here you are sadly misguided.
However you seek to defend it after the fact, the tone of your post was objectionable and wilfully inflammatory. "Enjoy" my foot!!

Anyway, you sought to provoke a reaction and you got it.

Cromax

Gomez: Good work! I'm sure it makes you feel better to sledge someone who's got something better than you have ... you closed minded fool! Real BMW styling is an acquired taste, you obviously haven't absorbed it yet.

Nick: I was really really hanging to see the new coupe, I really like it having seen it on the road a fair bit now ... BMWs in my street are more common than Holdens and Fords LOL! Congrats on getting a blue one as well (I kinda wish RX8 was a blue one after owning it for a couple of years as well :P). I really like a look of the new coupe though, but I'm sure to some people it'll take them a while to get used to it.

Revolver

I think you're being a little disingenuous in your response 'Mez. You know I'm happy to have a principled debate in here on just about anything and don't require us all to agree but the tone of your post in the context of this thread was simply rude IMHO.

Think of it this way. Had you posted pics of your new baby (the human kind) because some people had expressed an interest in the arrival, would you consider it good manners for someone to go to some effort to point out how ugly they considered your baby was? I appreciate that cars aren't people but the obvious intent of this thread was to show off his new pride and joy, not invite criticism (which is what your comments surely were, whatever you might say).

There are some aspects of the car that don't appeal to me either but that's something we can all work out for ourselves. It was in that sense that I considered your comments unnecessary. I'm more interested in how it compares dynamically to the 8, which is what I'd rather discuss.

No hard feelings but I thought your post just took the thread away from what could have been a more friendly, informative and positive discussion.

Revolver

I'm willing to bet this isn't something you'd say to Gomez's face, so why say it here?

Let's leave the name-calling to children in the playground.

NickG

Now that I've calmed down a little :

Taka - that little dial is the dreaded I-Drive. There's no chance of hitting it when you change gear thank god. And yes, it does have a mind of its own, but in this version at least, isn't quite as abominable as the earlier installations in the 7 series etc. You can also get around it by voice activation of major functions like radio, CD, phone etc.
This leather is called Jade Grey. It's a kind of putty colour. There are about six standard leathers and four trims you can choose from( 2 wood, plus brushed aluminium, and a piano black like RX8), and more if you go to BMW Individual with the requisite fistfull of cash...

Gyszmoo: your right that many will not find the 3 series coupe bold enough. I think BMW have basically aimed at a kind of smart/elegant look with this car. Not everyone thinks they succeeded though! I guess they figure if you want something more overtly sporty you can go for the Z4, the 6 series or new M3 when it comes out.

Missy K - Even if I wanted to do anything to the car right now I couldn't afford to having barely scraped the cash together to buy the thing in the first place LOL! I will live with it for a while longer before I look into any mods, but there are already plenty out there who've chipped them for an easy extra 50-60 hp. It only runs about 8.5 psi boost. One thing I will do is install a short shifter. Coming from the RX8, the BMW floor mounted lever feels like a column shift!

Cheers
Nick

Cromax

I wasn't name calling, I was stating a fact ... the fact is that 'Mez is a closed minded fool.

Oh, and I don't like your odds on the bet.

auzoom

lmao, talk about not understanding the psycology of people...I often wonder why people reply to threads they aren't interested in! I am sure there is something freudian in that!

NickG, looks great, I love the colour! a litle big for my liking but hey its a tourer not a sports car.

Well Done!

Andrew

takahashi

For me this day will never come. 911 GT3 is still in swede right. No cows in the car. ???

EZZY

depends if it is a club sport.

the blk 996 GT3 i test drove a couple of months back had full leather seats/dash etc and full roll cage.

Most of them came with half suede/leather recaro buckets.

The 997 GT3 has suedes, inc. the steering wheel and gearknob...

jormatom

At the risk of pouring flames onto the fire, BMW's are not my thing and the 335i does nothing to change that.

But hey, each to his own. As long as you are happy with it Nick, that is all that counts.

Having said that, not everyone likes my aubergine shinka, but I don't give a stuff.

Cheers

Greg

NickG

Andrew you hit the nail on the head. It's much more of a pocket GT ( in the true sense of the word) than a ***** out, super agile, flickable sport car. Although the chassis is beautifully balanced, size and weight put paid to any aspirations of knocking off Lotus Elises ( or RX8's???) if the road's seriously tight and twisty. Mind you, riding 20's ( instead of the stock 18's), with ++boost and rock hard suspension could still make it a pretty interesting 400bhp+ weekend track machine....