Remember also the 3 is smaller than the G. The G is actually closer in size to the 5. Part of the reason the 3 feels more tightended and planted. The 09 3 has a widened track front and back, too.

I know MANY people that have 3's, and all have had several problems...some had turbo issues last year...supposedly fixed. It is an amazing ride if you get a good one...but a FULLY loaded 335 with Sport, Premium, Active cruise, Cold Weather, Steptronic Auto, Comfort Acess and logic sound is upwards of $52,000.00, before any dealing and taxes. That $$ does not include any other "options" such as iPod or upgraded wheels and such.

And while you may get free service, you don't get loaners. And my dealer is amazing...i say fix something...and they do. BMW dealers are not always so accomodating. FYI - BMW bought back my 05 545. HASSLE.

I got my 08 with every option except Tech for 36ish. I do not think there is that much to the BMW to warrant the excess. Plus the G has a tried and true engine. I have a few niggly rattles too at 7k miles...but for me i'm just going to spend the 500 and dynamat the entire car anyway.

Just my .02.

-s-

 

I've had my 08 for exactly one year and have not had any problems. I haven't noticed any rattles or had any other issues.
I personally love the exterior looks of the new 3s, at least as much as I like the G's. They're both very sporty and classy at the same time. It's a good thing I like the 3, because I drive by about 20 of them every time I'm in my car. That was the biggest drawback to me, there are just too many 3s around. I also prefer the G interior to the 3 (or even the 5). I know German style is the simple and plain look, but for that kind of money I want some kind of flash.

 

Every car has its share of problems. That being said, I've had the 3 since beginning of Feb with no problems.

Haven't read of sensors going bad (which did you read about?)

Wastegates, yes, there's been a few but it isn't like there was a manu recall on them.

ECUs, no. Never read of one going bad due to production defects. User error when installing/removing a tune, yes. Just plain-ole died, no.

NAV, no, other than not being really user friendly, but I don't have it so I can't comment fully on that.

There's been a few cases of turbos being replaced, but that's due to overboost by the user installed tune, or by fuggin with the tune via a laptop. I've maybe read of one or two going bad stock, but those are very rare.

Rattles, none yet.

And go to e90post.com, not BF. Better forum

 

I has the 335i cabrio(1200km) and the G35x(5000km) both Auto
Im gonna describe it in terms of Better/nicer
G35x
Good
Nicer and roomier interior
Better technology (i dont have idrive)
Better sound system
I feel it a smoother ride
Its quiet-er that being said the 335i is a cabrio...
Bad
Rattles in steering wheel, and in the rear somewhere
I have obi. black, and ive never seen so many hairline scratches on a car.
I have passenger air bag problem
Questionable Engine Sound
The driver seat rocks 1mm occaisionally.. probably just a TSB.
Sunroof wind deflecter is useless. makes windnoise even louder
windows down, also bad noise

335i
Good
better performance / handling
Stronger/Stiffer (safety feeling) ride
Better brakes
More sexier
Free maintnence and even better if you get the 6cyl package( free brakes, etc)
Better name value
Bad: opposite of the Goods of G.
Havent driven it enough to find particular bads.
Cant really say it for this car yet but after 100000km, my old 04 325i had so many problems.

Cant really recommend one over the other but if i really had to choose I'd go with 335i becuz of performance and a stronger build quality feel. Also all my friends say the 335i is more baller.

 

I could not help but weigh in on this discussion as my wife just laughs when I suggest she buy a BMW given how much she has witnessed me going to the dealer in the past three years of ownership of my 06 325i. I enjoy my car so much that I shared my enthusiasm for BMWs with her-only to get my feelings hurt.

I currently have five cars (two are Hondas for my daughters) and if the maintenance folders I keep on each car are any indication of reliability, then the BMW folder which is by far the largest folder (the 325i and another car were purchased within months of each other and the three older cars still have much smaller folders) definitely shows an issue with reliability. I have owned over the years VWs, Toyotas, Hondas, GMs, Fords, Chryslers and Nissans. In all honestly the BMW has required more maintenance (assuming one drives the car as performance cars are intended for you to do and one does not park the BMW in the driveway as a testament to perceived wealth and collect dust).

Now, since this is not my first performance car, in all due respect to BMW it is very reliable for a performance car and if you put miles on it (and you should), yes it will need tweaking often. This is par for the course for any highly precision vehicle.

Having said that, regardless of the laughter coming from the other side of the room, I will stick with BMW and enjoy the ultimate driving machine and my dealer’s free coffee. (Heck I am plotting the purchase of my next BMW).

I pasted this from bimmerfest. Now I drove a **** out of my 07. I hit red lines way too many times even at brake in period. After 35k before trade in no issue.



There are several problems BMW experiencing/experienced. Oilcooler, runflat tires!!!!(issue to replace it for free),Turbo log issue, Fuel pump issue, 1400miles on the engine and blew it(read it 2 different forums other blew it at 3500). Stock with no update and mod on it, oil leak , upshift jerk from 3,4,5, brake dust(Infiniti had that too in 2003). Oh and just like some infiniti bmw has rattles too.

These are few problems they have. Problems to make appointments and loaners well good luck one of the guy says. How often you think the turbo'd engine should have the oil changed? You can't change earlier than 15k or 1 year.

Upside of 335 it has amazing power if chip it. But more boost less engine life. I think the hr engines will outlast the 335 engine.

All these just my opinions. Decision is yours. None of these cars are perfect. Also to me most Europian cars are boring inside. Not my taste.

To be honest with you I would never buy a car when the nearest dealer is 150 miles away.

tg

 

+2

Maintenance of older BMW can be quite expensive unless you learned to do them yourself.

 

I hate rattles as well and it seems like my G has a lot (close to my 01 GP GTP). And I noticed the other day in the passenger seat that the trim doesn't seem to fit right (I am going to get it looked at when I go in next).

 

I've been lurking around this forum for several weeks and am plotting my first purchase of an Infiniti soon. I have been a loyal BMW owner since 1992 but my last one, which was sold 1 week ago, pushed me over the edge. Maintenance issues are there once the mileage stacks up. At 90K I was into my second radiator/thermostat/expansion tank at $1400 out of pocket, also just prior to that fuel pump another $500 not to mention $400 worth of brakes every 25K. I drive them hard and they were all modded. I will miss the feel of a Bimmer but enough is enough. Just can't justify the close to 3K a year in maintenance costs with no real major issues fixed. Are any performance cars perfect, hell no. I am older and have friends or business associates with Porsches, BMW's and an occasional Italian sports car and they all require maintenance but nothing like I went thru with my last 2 BMW's all starting around 90K in mileage. If you must have one and 335i's are nice and fast, lease for 4 years and them give it back. Also the only 335i issues I've seen on stock cars have consistently been wastegates(MFG recall) and fuel pumps (also MFG recalls) other than that I've only seen those other issues on modded cars, oh just reminded my self of the oil temp issues in early Step cars where they cooked the oil and went into limp mode and BMW did not stand behind that one. Free maintenance yes, loaner yes (got a Kia Rio oh boy). Just remember nothing is perfect, oh and rattles I had a ton in my 2000 coupe but it was slammed and that contributed to those IMO. Good luck!

 

I had the 6MT 335 on order, but went with the G last moment and been very happy with the 6MT G35. My friend has the 335 and I think if you can afford it the 335 is a MUCH better performance car and the free maint. is awesome. HOWEVER, the 335 has had a lot of reliability issues. I know the owner of a towing company and he sees them all the time he has to tow because it wont start or something and my friend with the 335 is the same. For the value G hands down, for the performance 335 hands down!!!! I think the G is more referred as a luxury higher end car and the 3 more of a kids car, even though the 3 is more. So if you have the money and want performance =335, want a deal and more gadgets and refinement G35.

my 2 cents... but all pref. everyone thinks of these cars in different lightd

 

and btw, the BMW auto is 6 speed with a FAST tranny... I would get the auto instead of the 6-speed.... the G auto is 5 that's why I went with the MT... that and I want to turbo

 

i would've purchased the 335i if i could afford a 20% increase in cost...there's no doubt i could've gotten financed to get it but i just couldn't justify spending that much more...especially since i was looking into used e46 m3's that were running aroudn 32k...i just remember my dad telling me about an 8 series he used to own a looong time ago and how much of a POS it really was...bimmer has the prestige, infiniti has the reliability...i plan on keeping my car for a long time so i went with infiniti...if i wanted to replace the car in a few years, i still woulda went with infiniti

 

Keep in mind that chipping your car just causes the car to wear out faster. I had my last car, Jetta GLI, chipped and I soon found out that the car was not designed to handle that much power. Everything wears out quicker, like your clutch, brakes, etc....

 

Remember that both the G and the 3 are entry level vehicles for the US market which are stuffed with a lot more sausage & sushi (options) than a similar model in their home market. The cars we get in the US only represent about 10% of similarly optioned cars in the motherland. I'm not surprised both cars have more squeaks and rattles and annoyances -- that's what happens when you squeeze a large car into a small pair of pants.

But at least on a Japanese car the majority of problems can easily be diagnosed and fixed on the 1st or 2nd attempt. Fixing German cars can be a mystery requiring multiple visits with no resolution. You don't see many Japanese cars on tow trucks, they can at least make it home (my '92 Q has never seen a tow truck during my ownership from 130K to 240K miles).

But leasing a BMW for 3-4 years is not a bad idea as long as 1) you're tolerant & understanding, 2) you feel you're part of a special tribe by taking your BMW to the shop for "fine tuning", and 3) you don't fall deeply in love and buy it after the lease is up!!!

 

if i had the $$$ 335 just to ball out. for the sticker price.
but i wanted reliable and good. so G.

 

haha..here in Jersey I work for my father's towing company, and of all the luxury/high end cars we tow, BMW is the most common. We are a prime AAA garage, and BMW roadside used to go through AAA, so every other day we were towing not only BMW's that were a few years old, but brand new as well(the most common were the X models). As of last year i believe, BMW roadside does not have a contract w/AAA anymore, so I really don't know how often the 335i's break down, but based on the "reliability" of all their other vehicles, i think it says something about what you can expect.