[Alan l.]

Looking at the F10 as my replacement car and I am just curious as to how the N55 feels in the bigger heavier F10.

I'm currently in a Cobb tuned N54 335 6MT and it is plenty fast enough for me. Just wondering how the N55 feels in the F10 or should i shell out more $$$ and go for the 550i instead. Granted this will be our "baby" car at some point I really don't need all that much power with a little one in the car but torque in my current 335 is so addicting!

Thanks
Alan

[fobunited]

I have a stock N54 335i and a 2011 550i. Regardless of the extra power, they are entirely different cars and drive completely differently. The 335i isn't exactly a light car, but after driving the 550i and getting into the 3, it feels like a go-kart. The 550i is much heavier and much more of a highway vehicle. It has enough power on tap to pretty much pass at any speed, but doesn't feel like it. It's the perfect road trip vehicle, while the 335i is more of an all day enthusiast vehicle.

My wife doesn't like riding in the 335i because the ride is too harsh and the steering is too tight. She much prefers the 550i because of the smoother ride. The torque in the 550i is there, but you have to search for it to get it. The torque in the 335i is there with just a little tap of the foot.

[Needsdecaf]

Drive them. I suspect the N55 will feel soft in the F10 compared to your car.

[ibimmer954]

I owned a 2007 E93 335i. The F10 rides very differently, much smoother. As a family car, I feel it's much more appropriate than the 335i.

From a power perspective, the engines are practically the same. I believe the N55 engine feels more like an NA engine compared to the N54 engine. My 335i had more of a torquey/boosty feel, but the N55 feels more smooth. More like a 328i I'd driven in the past with its smooth, linear power delivery.

As far as the power goes, I'm happy with my 535i. Sure the 550i has more power, but it's also heavier. Might as well try the new 528i too. A little less power, but the engine is smaller and should be even a little lighter yet. With the new turbo engine in the 528i, it will have pretty nice torque.

[alextremo]

I had a FBO 335xi and went with the 550i (which I had flashed with the Dinan tune 3 days after I took delivery)

You will definitely feel the extra weight in the f10, even the 535 is ~800lbs heavier than your 335 and with an engine rated for the same power output...

[Dinans2]

Just picked up 550 xdrive. Own an e46 M3 as well, and prior two e39 540s. The 550 is truly amazing: power, luxury, handling (M Sport), audio (premium), comfort pack...I really can't say enough.

Yeah, the slushbox hesitates in 1 and 2 a bit. But I CHOSE the automatic, with paddles...it is what it is.

And even with that, I love this car.

[Alan l.]

Yeah i expect the F10 to be a much bigger and smoother car which is the main reasons why I am looking at it as my family car. Just concerned that the power will be down alot compared to my current 335 which hauls ass no matter what rpm i am at.

I drove a F10 528 (old motor) briefly and it was pretty slow when i punched it but the interior was amazing.

Alan

[yummijimmy]

Went from N54 335 to N55 535.

The 535 is more comfy overall... I do miss the sporty feeling from the 335 though. For daily driving, the 535 is a lot more comfortable in LA traffic.

[ibimmer954]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

I drove a F10 528 (old motor) briefly and it was pretty slow when i punched it but the interior was amazing.

Yeah, the old motor would be a little anemic. Not much torque. The new turbo 4 should have quite a bit more torque.

Be sure to drive the 535i too so you can judge for yourself. To my butt dyno the car doesn't "feel" as fast as the 335i, but I think the car is sneaky fast since it is so quiet. The exhaust note is basically gone in the 535i... very different than the 335i.

[NoMods]

i am considering the same thing this spring. i want the carbon black 535i M-sport

[davesf]

I retired my 2005 Audi S4 6MT (4.2L V8, 340bhp) for the 550xi. While the S4 wasn't quite the same animal as the M3, it's vaguely in the same category.

Once moving, the F10's power delivery is smooth and effortless. It's all of the zoom-zoom of the S4 with none of the work (or fanfare). At very low speeds things are a bit more of a 'negotiation' with the gearbox compared to the 6MT. It's different, but predictable enough for me.

The rides couldn't be more different. My S4 ride was sharp, tight, and rough. Really rough. It's one of the reasons I was getting a new car. My wife insisted that I have a car that wouldn't give our new infant neck problems (and one which would fit an infant seat). The F10 is that and more. It's extremely comfortable while still being connected and confidence inspiring. However, despite having a remotely similar curb weight, there is no doubt the F10 feels like a much bigger car.

For me the biggest difference between the F10 Comfort+ and Sport is not the car's capabilities, but what the "feeling" of the car encourages me to do. In comfort+ the soft smoothness just encourages me to take it easy a little for my wife and child. While in Sport+ the stiffer reactions to the road encourage me to have fun and push it. In this respect, it satisfies a bit of the same driving itch the S4 filled. The funny thing is, it stays just as flat around a corner regardless of the driving mode because of ARS, so I've started just flipping it into sport-tranny mode while in Comfort (shh, don't tell anyone).

They offered me so little as a trade on my old S4 I kept and garaged it. (it only has 50k miles) We'll see if I take it out for a fun spin now and again, or if I end up selling (or loaning) it to a friend.

[kckc1016]

i just traded my e92 335 for a 535, the 535 is without a doubt smoother but the 335 was more fun to drive, if this for the family go with the 535, and if you have the spare $ you should go with the 550, that thing is a beast.

[Alan l.]

Is the 535 a dog though compared to the 335? The right thing to do is go for the 535 since it saves us some money and with a wife/baby in the car i shouldn't be needing all that power anyways.

I want and expect the F10 to be way smoother than the 335. I've just been spoiled with my current car's power and don't want to lose all of it in my next car.

[AVIMAX]

I changed from a 335 to a 535. Yes you will feel a small loss due to the extra weight, but unless you are switching back and forth between the two cars, you will quickly adjust and won't miss the little extra umph. it is still a pretty powerful car, just not as quick and nimble as the 335. The 535 however is a big step up in comfort and luxury inside and for me this easily makes up for a little less go for everyday driving. A very enjoyable cabin to spend the daily commute in.

[Rbembas_M3]

Originally Posted by AVIMAX

I changed from a 335 to a 535. Yes you will feel a small loss due to the extra weight, but unless you are switching back and forth between the two cars, you will quickly adjust and won't miss the little extra umph. it is still a pretty powerful car, just not as quick and nimble as the 335. The 535 however is a big step up in comfort and luxury inside and for me this easily makes up for a little less go for everyday driving. A very enjoyable cabin to spend the daily commute in.

Yes I agree I live outside Atlanta and cummte everyday in my 535i love it get for weaving in and out of trafffic. I have the manual 6 speed off the line 0 to 60 plenty hp.... and when cursing in 4th gear on the interstate at 3,000 I'm ready for any idiot driving on I85 It's hot looking car if you ask me much better looking than the mercedes and audi

[dblock2151]

Alan, first off I still have your old E46 as my desktop at work, I can't wait to see what you do with your F10 if you do end up modding it.

I own a Msport F10 550i, and was able to test drive a non-sport 535i and recently had a 335i (n55) Msport as loaner from my dealer. I'll give you a few thoughts from what I noticed.

E90 335i MSport - This car was so fun to drive. Like someone mentioned earlier it felt like a go-kart even compared to the 550i Msport. On the other hand, it was much louder, much harsher, and the interior bits weren't anywhere near the F10 in terms of quality and finish. This is a perfect "daily" for me if I could afford it lol, although passengers seem to hate the "rough" ride.

F10 535i Non-Sport - My cousin bought one and I took it for a drive. The vehicle has ample power and is quiet and comfortable. Compared to the E90 is does feel like a boat and the suspension wasn't that great (non-sport after all). If I owned the vehicle I would get bored of the power pretty quick and would want to start modding it, which your family may not like.

F10 550i MSport - This is my baby. I didn't even test drive the car when I got it, I just knew it would be quicker and firmer than my cousin's 535i. This car is a beast (all my previous vehicles had the smallest engines..2.5L in my E46, 3.0i in my E53 X5) and I still haven't gotten used to the power. My complaints are that it is a little too quiet. I'll be going 90 and it "feels" like 55-60mph. The torque is always there and the interior like the 535i is great. It's also nice to know that if I do ever get bored with the power, there are tunes available, but I honestly feel I won't be getting it anytime soon.

Hope this helped and if you have any questions let me know.

[Alan l.]

^^ wow that is awesome. didn't think anyone still remembered my old acs E46 lol

Glad to hear that the F10 rides a lot better than the E90. My wife hates the way my car rides now. Partially because its low and on coilovers but i really didn't think it was any better when it was on the stock sports suspension. When it hits bumps it feels like the car is about to crack in half (NY roads suck). She's really pushing for the X5 but I told her there is no way I am going to pick that up right before the all new model comes out (end of 2013). She is convinced that we need a suv if we have a baby and i'm telling her that isn't the case. I've only sat in a F10 briefly and it seemed like a much bigger car than my E90.

Alan

[rmastale]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

^^ wow that is awesome. didn't think anyone still remembered my old acs E46 lol

Glad to hear that the F10 rides a lot better than the E90. My wife hates the way my car rides now. Partially because its low and on coilovers but i really didn't think it was any better when it was on the stock sports suspension. When it hits bumps it feels like the car is about to crack in half (NY roads suck). She's really pushing for the X5 but I told her there is no way I am going to pick that up right before the all new model comes out (end of 2013). She is convinced that we need a suv if we have a baby and i'm telling her that isn't the case. I've only sat in a F10 briefly and it seemed like a much bigger car than my E90.

Alan

We have 2 kids and roll in a 535i on coils. Plenty of room for the car seats although I do have to scoot up a bit when my son is behind me (6'4"). Trunk has a ton of space and I'll put a rack and box on the top if needed.

[strumbringer]

I went from an E92 335i (N54), stock to a F10 535i stock, for much the same reasons. Yes, the E92 was more sporty and felt more like a go-kart. The 535i is more comfy (and I appreciate that now that I have a longer commute), has plenty of zip. It's deceptively fast - doesn't feel as fast as the 335 because it's a smoother, quieter ride and has a bit more inertia - but the actual difference is really in the margins unless you're driving it on a track.

I do still miss my E92, but overall I'm glad I made the switch.

(EDIT: my F10 has the M-Sport package, which includes EDC and ARS, which makes a huge difference in handling)

[umpqua5]

Went from an '07 E92 to '11 F10. As a baby car I would have you consider the newly stretched F30.
My 535 is plenty fast in a straight line but it's a boat and and not fun to push into corners. There's almost no more room in the back compared the 3er and they decided that seat belt recepticles should be flush with the seat and you can't pull them out. My 6yr old who had no problem buckling himself in the 3er needs help every time now because his car seat base covers the buckle recepticle.
Without thinking, because we loved the 3er so much, we jumped into the 5er. I would wait for the F30 or look at the E or A6.

[strumbringer]

I should add that my E92 was a Sport package one, and my F10 has the M-Sport package (i.e. EDC and ARS), which makes it handle really well. However, the turning radius is obviously wider.

[PhiDeltBeers]

Originally Posted by umpqua5

Went from an '07 E92 to '11 F10. As a baby car I would have you consider the newly stretched F30.
My 535 is plenty fast in a straight line but it's a boat and and not fun to push into corners. There's almost no more room in the back compared the 3er and they decided that seat belt recepticles should be flush with the seat and you can't pull them out. My 6yr old who had no problem buckling himself in the 3er needs help every time now because his car seat base covers the buckle recepticle.
Without thinking, because we loved the 3er so much, we jumped into the 5er. I would wait for the F30 or look at the E or A6.

Man I miss my E90 335i (with around 400hp). It was SO much more fun to drive than my new 535i. I have a 3 year old and another baby due in July. That's why I got the "bigger" 535i. I'm not sure there's a whole lot more room in the back than what the 335i had, but the front is definitley more spacious (Mercedes E class has tons of room in the back). All that being said, I hardly ever take my daughter in the 535i as my wife just got a brand new Escalade. Heck, I haven't even had a car seat in it for months. I might look into a new F30 M-sport 335i when it comes out to get some fun factor back in my life. And yes, I miss my GT-R! 600 hp in that beast. I've looked at the CTS-V, M3, C63, and IS-F, but I'm driving more miles now, so fuel economy comes into play. 33 mpg in the new 335i is looking pretty good.