[red14]

A friend just sold his BMW 335d saloon x drive with something like 600+torques and 55 mpg with only a modest map. Lovely car and made me think so looking around these appear fairly cheap at around £20-ish k. There are a lot about.

 

Not been a BMW driver since a hateful underpowered 520i many moons ago, but appreciate it's not a bad car these days.

[IOWRS3]

Purple RS6 seconded to my list.
That car + merlin purple = my absolute dream car. What a machine!!

[IOWRS3]

A friend just sold his BMW 335d saloon x drive with something like 600+torques and 55 mpg with only a modest map. Lovely car and made me think so looking around these appear fairly cheap at around £20-ish k. There are a lot about.

The 335d is a very good all round car. 0-60 is still RS3 ish and yeah it still gets 50+mpg comfortably and the tax is less also. Shame about the interior and I feel it needs an extra bit of 'M' bodykit to make it look nicer. Although for 40-50 I'd definitely go 435D Gran coupe.

Take a look at Autovogue AVR on Autotrader and some of the cars they do!
Oooooft!!!

http://www.autotrade...new,new&adPos=7

[Roy]

All looks ok apart from the row of buttons under the air vents looks like they could not think of anything else to do with them .

 

And under that looks like an "old style" radio !

 

Just my view of it , the rest looks nice just those bits dont look very modern .

[IOWRS3]

Completely agree Roy, like I said the one thing that is always a put off with BMWs is the interior. Yeah they want to have that classic nice car feel but in today's constantly modernising world they need to rethink it a little.

I do feel that 435D definitely looks nicer than some other BMW interiors even if the 8P RS3 interior looks better. And thats based on a design 10 years old!

[135i king]

Bmw's interior & entertainment systems are one of the best out there. Simple & effective 👌

[Roy]

Thats one way of saying "Basic"

 

I didnt say they were not effective, all I said was they dont look very nice to look at 

[Tippytoes]

Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale or MC Stradale Centennial - along with Jag F Type R AWD/SVR are the best two looking cars listed in this thread. Shame the Maser can't match RS3 standing start and whilst the Jag can best the RS3 it has absolutely no storage in cabin, apart from two cups of coffee which along with only 400 cu ltr of boot space is a shame.

[P_G]

Completely agree Roy, like I said the one thing that is always a put off with BMWs is the interior. Yeah they want to have that classic nice car feel but in today's constantly modernising world they need to rethink it a little.

I do feel that 435D definitely looks nicer than some other BMW interiors even if the 8P RS3 interior looks better. And thats based on a design 10 years old!

 

It won't resolve the brake issues, work colleague has the 430D (x drive I believe) and he says the brakes work once or twice but afterward and like pressing on melted butter. Rapid and good mpg but scary to slow down.

 

Went through a similar selection process as yourself with the following criteria;

 

Budget up to £55k

Practical performance car

4 or 5 doors

Ideally 4WD but would consider something else

similar or better running / insurance costs

Petrol or diesel

 

Looked at current and previous gen. M3's. M5's; XF-R; previous gen C63 (current C63 out of price range); Panamera (turbo and non) Tesla Model S P80D (early registered cars are coming into the range you mentioned, Lexus IS-F, Masser Grad Turismo 4.7 Then RS3 / S/RS4, S5 Sportback C7 RS6/7 and ended up after all that with an RS7 but only because it was a facelift model and deal clincher, had ceramic brakes. Love the RS6 but they keep their values better so RS7 was better value for money plus added bonus of exclusivity

[booker]

It's a great looking car P_G, but way too big for me - how is it to drive after the RS3?

Edited by booker, 10 November 2016 - 05:50 PM.

[P_G]

It's mega, if budget weren't an issue I'd have said I should have done it ages ago but I can't afford six figure cars just yet! I find that I don't drive as aggressively as I used to, maybe it's just me getting old!

But 6 weeks in and 3000 miles have been a pleasure. Handles really well for a big car, so glad it has DRC and now with the 034 bar I can use comfort mode and still have masses of grip with zero body roll, even surprised the hell out of a Clio Cup driver who thought he could go round corners quicker than I could and visibly looked gutted when I was still on his bumper and then wafted past on the straight at warp speed. And did I mention the ceramic brakes, AWESOME! Best braking car I've owned.

Newcastle to London and back on a tank of fuel but then open the exhaust and the taps and it decimates most journeys. Minor gripes are the Continentals which are still crap, will change to MPSS's next year, double glazing whilst good on cruises means you don't hear the symphony of V8 like everyone you pass does and for a car with such a large rear window, no wiper?

Well chuffed, FI V8 doesn't quite sound as good as NA but not far off and it makes far far better downshift cracks and pops even to rival and RS3 8V. Tech is far better too including HUD and I never realised until now how much I missed a sunroof.


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Edited by P_G, 10 November 2016 - 08:43 PM.

[booker]

Sounds very interesting - food for thought

[P_G]

Think Roy is getting on well with his S7 as well. Dimensions wise it's about 10cm wider but the length is the main difference in being about 2ft longer. That said I had reservations about parking etc but not had any issues getting it parked. Park assist is just weird, radar cruise is a laugh.

ZF not quite as good as stronic but now I have the 034 transmission mount it has made a huge difference. And with 560+ bhp as standard with heaps of tuning potential if I get bored!


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Edited by P_G, 10 November 2016 - 09:31 PM.

[booker]

I have been looking at some YouTube videos of the RS7 which have whetted my appetite - seems a stage 1 remap plus exhaust takes power up to around 700hp, and the noise is just epic. Any plans P_G?

[Roy]

Loving the S7 

 

As PG said so quiet  due to fore mentioned double glazing and also rear wiper would be nice.

 

Power ok for me dont need to remap or upgrade mine as it more than enough for me plenty of power

 

( I must be getting old)  but could get remapped to RS7 power if I wanted but not for me.

 

Remaps been there done that got the T shirt and new engine !

 

At my age I now  want comfort and power S7 fitted just right .

 

So no plans to mod mine at all 

Edited by Roy, 11 November 2016 - 03:08 PM.

[Ozmosis]

Blimey this is going to be a S/RS7 owner's club soon hahaha!

Nice to know the people who have made the switch are happy with the or choices, though.

As I have said previously, I do like the A/S/RS7 shape, and after having a sit down in Roy's motor was very impressed. Doesn't change the fact that they are just too big for me though...

[P_G]

I have been looking at some YouTube videos of the RS7 which have whetted my appetite - seems a stage 1 remap plus exhaust takes power up to around 700hp, and the noise is just epic. Any plans P_G?

Power ATM is just fine for me but I guess a map will make it mental. Anyway, just bought it so plenty of time, will probably hold on to the warranty on this one with COD being an unknown.

Got tyres and maybe wheels to look at first.


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[P_G]

Loving the S7

As PG said so quiet due to fore mentioned double glazing and also rear wiper would be nice.

Power ok for me dont need to remap or upgrade mine as it more than enough for me plenty of power

( I must be getting old) but could get remapped to RS7 power if I wanted but not for me.

Remaps been there done that got the T shirt and new engine !

At my age I now want comfort and power S7 fitted just right .

So no plans to mod mine at all

Yeah right, says the man whose already changed to an RS grille


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[Roy]

Hahahaha

 

Ok smart arse, I meant power wise !

 

Are you selling your RS wheels  just asking,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a friend of course 

[P_G]

They'll be staying, looking at a summer and winter set again, just in two minds as to whether to bother. You can get a decent set of Performance replica alloys, 21x 9.5J ET35 for £600....


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