Would you buy a 335i?

[BarneyFife]

Lease expires at end of the year and I browse online to keep tabs on car prices. The 335i really interests me but I keep hearing all these horror stories about the HPFP. I know the warranty is extended to 120k miles on that part but I feel that if I pay $28k to buy a used car, I shouldn't be worried that the fuel pump is going to go out on me. I know I'll be able to snag a 2007 550i for a few more k but like that the 335i is sportier and has better gas mileage and of course its $4k cheaper. These are CPO. Should I just go for a 2007 550i instead? Just very confused.

 

[zerocool84]

Too damn expensive. If you have money to blow then go right ahead but I'd buy something not as extravagant and still a good car and save tons of money.

 

[SSSnail]

Yes, in half a heart beat. Then on the second heart beat I'll have a JB3 slapped on it.

Edit: you buy a 3 series (with sports package at least) if you want to DRIVE, you buy anything else if you want to drive a BMW, if that makes any sense to you.

Then, you buy an M to track.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

All of my friends are rolling in 335i's now, not the smartest thing financially since they're all paying like 600 a month for the things but they love them. I would have gotten one if I wasn't headed to med school, can't justify the expense now. I'll just get an M3 in like 6 years

 

[woodie1]

I think a 335i CPO makes a lot of sense if you find one with the right equipment/price/miles on it. I'm even tempted sometimes when I see a good deal on one.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I think a 335i CPO makes a lot of sense if you find one with the right equipment/price/miles on it. I'm even tempted sometimes when I see a good deal on one.

Yeah thats true, if you can find a good deal on one its an incredible steal. I've seen premium/sport autos for like 30ish k with like 35k miles on them. Sedans though

 

[amdhunter]

I think a 335i CPO makes a lot of sense if you find one with the right equipment/price/miles on it. I'm even tempted sometimes when I see a good deal on one.

It'd be a better deal if BMW didn't charge as much as a new one for the CPO's though...

 

[DivideBYZero]

Open diff is fail, IMHO. Otherwise I'd be tempted.

 

[StageLeft]

I think you can do better with another brand.

 

[jlee]

I wouldn't, but I'm not a BMW fan. I drove my uncle's BMW (are early 2000's 330i's AWD? his was). It was a nice car, but I didn't really like the clutch/shifter and it was slower than my 2. Just not my style.

 

[RichieZ]

if i wanted a 4 door probably, but for a similar price you could probably get into a 06 Cayman S

 

[c3p0]

There are too many other choices. But if you are blinded by the BMW logo then go for it.

c3p0

 

[Doggiedog]

I've got an '09 335i. My HPFP failed at 2,500 miles. I have 8,700 miles now and I think its acting up again. There's supposedly a new HPFP out that hopefully fixes the problem once and for all.

That said, I love the car. My friend has a mid 2000s 911S and I let him drive my car on the highway once. He couldn't believe how fast my car was. He swears its faster than his car. I don't know since I've never driven his car but the car is a beast though.

I got my car at the height of the credit crisis so I got a really good deal on it ($42K, 0.9%). About a month later, BMW started offering 0.9% financing on CPO cars. I would have gotten a CPO instead with that rate but by then my car was already being built. I have no regrets though.

I got rear ended about a month ago and my bumper needs to be replaced. I'm actually psyched because I'm getting an M Tech bumper which looks much better. I'm just waiting for the body shop to paint it right now. I'm pretty much complete modding my car now.

335i

 

[dirtboy]

I have an '08 335i that I picked up on a lease trade and I haven't had any problems with it. Until now I've never heard of the HPFP problem.

 

[thomsbrain]

What's HPFP stand for?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I would ONLY buy a bmw with one of those motors if I was planning on dumping it at the end of the warranty.


It's really tough in these situations to get accurate info on reliability - you have the fanbois in one corner who blame EVERYONE but BMW and then you have the psycho modders in the other who are causing issues. After spending a good bit of time on all of the BMW forums I've decided that these are much much less reliable (and will get worse as they rack up miles combined with poor BMW suggested maintenance) than the previous 3 series engines.

Personally I'm looking for either a previous gen M3 or Z4 M Coupe as I feel like they're more reliable, more of what "BMW" is about, and are (hopefully) maintained a bit better.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What's HPFP stand for?

First link in google

http://www.all-acronyms.com/HPFP

High-Pressure Fuel Pump
HER PERSONAL FEMININE CARE PRODUCTS IN…





I'm guessing it's the first.

 

[Doggiedog]

HPFP = High Pressure Fuel Pump

BMW's N54 twin turbo engines use this fuel pump and they have a pretty bad failure rate. Some say it's because of the use of ethanol in US gasoline but others say its a design defect. Whatever it is, it's a common problem that BMW seems to be sweeping under the rug. The new 335i (not 335is) use a new engine, the N55, which is a single turbo and apparently has a different HPFP.

 

[TridenT]

I don't think I would, but I don't like car payments and you might. I already pay like $200/month in fuel and insurance. I don't need to slap on an extra $600.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

HPFP = High Pressure Fuel Pump

BMW's N54 twin turbo engines use this fuel pump and they have a pretty bad failure rate. Some say it's because of the use of ethanol in US gasoline but others say its a design defect. Whatever it is, it's a common problem that BMW seems to be sweeping under the rug. The new 335i (not 335is) use a new engine, the N55, which is a single turbo and apparently has a different HPFP.

VW had the same problem with their HPFPs which wasn't present with the euro versions of the 2.0T engines. In that case it was the ethanol in the gas gumming up the injectors, they replaced them with a different version and it ended the problem. The new TDI 2.0T engines have a similar problem when using US biodiesel too

 

[BarneyFife]

I don't think I would, but I don't like car payments and you might. I already pay like $200/month in fuel and insurance. I don't need to slap on an extra $600.

Not a money issue for me. Going to pay for this in cash. I'm asking this as a pure car question.

 

[BoberFett]

Not a money issue for me. Going to pay for this in cash. I'm asking this as a pure car question.

Sounds like you have too much money. Buy a used Kia instead and give the rest to the government. They can spend it more wisely than you.

 

[theblackbox]

yes, get a 3 series so you can further cement the fact that every 20 something or 30 something that wants to be cool gets a 3 series and then when it has problems, can't afford to keep up with it and bitches and moans when something goes wrong.

yeah.


and fast? please.

a month ago i had some kids in a 3 series trying to get me to race them, they were trying to be cool and all. i had about the best laugh that day. but then, i was driving a clk55 amg, that was bought at auction for a lot less then the price of the 335i.

but please do join the "i own a 3 series crowd", we really get a good laugh about it. we do.

 

[theblackbox]

plus, if you are paying cash for a car, get in with someone that does auctions, like manheim, and you can get much more car for your money. here is a hint. people with money don't pay all that much for their cars. i had to pick up an s550 from auction while i was out in LA last year, and it was an incredible deal compared to new or used.

 

[SSSnail]

yes, get a 3 series so you can further cement the fact that every 20 something or 30 something that wants to be cool gets a 3 series and then when it has problems, can't afford to keep up with it and bitches and moans when something goes wrong.

yeah.


and fast? please.

a month ago i had some kids in a 3 series trying to get me to race them, they were trying to be cool and all. i had about the best laugh that day. but then, i was driving a clk55 amg, that was bought at auction for a lot less then the price of the 335i.

but please do join the "i own a 3 series crowd", we really get a good laugh about it. we do.

You sir, are a idiot.