Hi there. This is my first post. I have done some reading of other threads and searching some topics of interest so have already gotten some good information.

Here is my specific situation that I'd like to get your advice on:

My wife and I live in New York City and only own one car which we use on the weekends (driving out to Hamptons, visiting family, fun and miscellaneous stuff). Currently that car is an Audi A4 2.0T quattro with auto transmission. Lease on the Audi expires in May and I'm strongly leaning towards getting a RWD manual trans 3-series sedan to replace it. (Looking now for a car that's as fun as possible while still practical, since it's our only car. Next car will probably be purchased when we have two kids and will have to be bigger.)

I have been leaning towards getting a 328i as opposed to the 335i because it's less expensive, gets better gas mileage, has quite respectible power and acceleration, great balance, and I'd like to own a classic BMW inline six. The rational side of me has trouble justifying spending more on the 335i. And I test-drove a 328i and really liked it. I haven't had a chance yet to test drive one with a Sport Package.

I like the idea of the getting the sport package to make this car even more fun to drive and also to get nicer-looking wheels and performance tires that I can switch out for winter tires at the appropriate time. But I'm worried about the sport suspension in the sport package because a good chunk of our driving is a two hour drive to and from the Hamptons on Friday and Sunday evenings, with the wife in the passenger seat (sometimes napping) and the dog in the back (often napping). And I would hate to give them a too-harsh ride experience. Also, we could likely have a baby in a year and that baby's going to be sleeping in a car seat the back of the car, and so I don't want anything that will be too harsh for that reason. So I'm interested in your advice on whether, given that this is an only car and has to serve this purpose, I should hesitate on getting the sport package because it will result in a harsher rider for passengers. (Maybe the answer is I just need to test drive and try to figure this out for myself, but I'd love to get your views.)

Second question is, if I do break down and spring for a 335i, does the sport package version of that car have a harsher ride than the 328i SP, because of the 18" wheels and extra-low-profile tires? Or will this not really make a difference? Currently my Audi has 17" wheels and 45 tire thickness (sorry for not using good technical terms here) and no sport package, so I'm not used to anything thinner than that, and not sure what the effect is. I did test drive a non-sport-package 335i and found it to be amazing -- I could perhaps decide that if I'm getting the 335 I already have enough extra fun in store because of that engine that I could do without the sport package and the harsher ride. Thoughts?

Thanks!

SP suspension isn't harsh at all, won't wakeup anyone :D. My kids sleep comfortably in the back all the time. Get it, you won't regret it.
Also 18" tires will provide a bit harsher ride than the 17", but I doubt it is too much to worry about, I'd be more worried about the interaction of the low profile 18 with the NYC potholes.

Hmmm... I think my sport package gives a bone-jarring ride over city potholes. Ouch. Over smooth roads / highways, it is like rails, and less wobbly / more pleasant IMHO than "normal" cars. I'd get it in a second, especially if you do highway driving. City driving / cobblestone roads, however, ouch...

As far as 335 vs 328 there is a lot of debate and it really comes down to preference. If budget is an issue go with the 328. If you can easily afford the 335 but are just not sure you want to spend the money on it, go for it, I don't think there is anyone who regrets spending the extra money if they can afford it.

The sport package 335 with 18 inch wheels is a firm ride. It can be a little rough on others over pot-holed, repeatedly patched roads. I don't think it would bother you as the driver but it might your passenger. The kid will get used to anything. The wife would probably just find something else to nag about so I say go for it.

I drove both the sport and non sport and bought the non sport for the ride.

Just my .02 but I have a 335 w/SP and love it here in the suburbs. Every time we go visit our friends in Brooklyn though, I HATE driving the last 30 miles or so because of the horrible roads. The experience is very jarring IMO. I have said before that if I lived in NYC, I would not get the SP. Perhaps that's just another reason that I will never move to the city though! :)

We ordered a 328i MT, premium pkg, heated seats and love it. BMW offers many cars with a multitude of options. I decided what was practical for us and went with a naturally aspirated engine, the power band is exceptionally long and the engine is as smooth as silk in our 328. The MT was a must for us, it augments the driving experience IMO. The premium package and heated seats were things that were important to us.
These cars are special for many reasons the fact that one can customize to match their needs helps make them great. Best of luck with whatever you choose.

The first decision is 328 vs 335, because the 328 starts out with 16's and the 335 starts out with 17's.

If you love lots of smooth power, are willing to pay a bit more, and will lease the car or sell it in a few years, you've got to drive the 328 and 335 back to back.

Most people that do that buy the 335. The power is incredible and its very smooth. I love smooth power, but after driving them both, I loved the overall balance of the 328. So I bought it. Plus, I'm in it for the long term and I'm concerned about the long term reliability of the turbo.

Once you select 328 or 335, you can decide on Sports or no Sports based on where you are on the ride vs handling spectrum. Most enthusiasts are better off with Sports. Not only does the car handle better, the seats are terrific. If you can drive your chosen car with and without Sports, that's the best way to decide.

Good luck!

I agree with you. I usually keep my cars about 6-8 years and 335 out of warranty scares me. The 328 scare me a little but not as much but due to the slightly higher maintenance cost compared to other manaufacturers. Also as a salesrep I need the car to reliable and be ready to use everyday The 328 probably is better for this role. I do lot's of stopping and starting and lot's of walking.

Also the 335 with the sport package and 18 wheel in the NJ/NY area with the conditions of some of the roads could cause a problem. Potholes, RFT, low profile 18's, not the best combination. Unless you are mainly in the suburds.

I live in the NJ suburbs, I have the sports package and I'm skeptical of even the 17" wheels vs. NJ's potholes. There are a couple of roads I just won't drive the car on because of the odds of bending a wheel. I have a 328i but for a wagon it's the only choice. I'm considering downsizing to 16" wheels. I love the rest of the package, the seats and suspension.

Hmmm... I think my sport package gives a bone-jarring ride over city potholes. Ouch. Over smooth roads / highways, it is like rails, and less wobbly / more pleasant IMHO than "normal" cars. I'd get it in a second, especially if you do highway driving. City driving / cobblestone roads, however, ouch...
Considering that the suspension doesn't change (eg stiffer/lower) if you have an Xi your argument really isn't valid.

Test drive both and see if you can tell the difference. I like a tight feeling car and don't think I'd say it was "jarring" in the car. Remember if you are ordering it you can always just upgrade the wheels and keep the non-sport suspension (softer damping) and have better looking wheels.

Or you can get sport and sell the stock sport wheels for some smaller rim/bigger tire ones.

FYI cars are made for bumps, Europe has some bump "rocky" roads and they do just fine there too. :)

I live in the NJ suburbs, I have the sports package and I'm skeptical of even the 17" wheels vs. NJ's potholes. There are a couple of roads I just won't drive the car on because of the odds of bending a wheel. I have a 328i but for a wagon it's the only choice. I'm considering downsizing to 16" wheels. I love the rest of the package, the seats and suspension.

Wow that bad. I would prefer 16 or 17's but the only way to get the paddle shifter, I need an auto this time, is with the sports package. And on the 335 it comes with 18's, the 328 17's. But the 335XI has 17's. Not really considering the 328XI.

Hi there. This is my first post. I have done some reading of other threads and searching some topics of interest so have already gotten some good information.

Here is my specific situation that I'd like to get your advice on:

My wife and I live in New York City and only own one car which we use on the weekends (driving out to Hamptons, visiting family, fun and miscellaneous stuff). Currently that car is an Audi A4 2.0T quattro with auto transmission. Lease on the Audi expires in May and I'm strongly leaning towards getting a RWD manual trans 3-series sedan to replace it. (Looking now for a car that's as fun as possible while still practical, since it's our only car. Next car will probably be purchased when we have two kids and will have to be bigger.)

I have been leaning towards getting a 328i as opposed to the 335i because it's less expensive, gets better gas mileage, has quite respectible power and acceleration, great balance, and I'd like to own a classic BMW inline six. The rational side of me has trouble justifying spending more on the 335i. And I test-drove a 328i and really liked it. I haven't had a chance yet to test drive one with a Sport Package.

I like the idea of the getting the sport package to make this car even more fun to drive and also to get nicer-looking wheels and performance tires that I can switch out for winter tires at the appropriate time. But I'm worried about the sport suspension in the sport package because a good chunk of our driving is a two hour drive to and from the Hamptons on Friday and Sunday evenings, with the wife in the passenger seat (sometimes napping) and the dog in the back (often napping). And I would hate to give them a too-harsh ride experience. Also, we could likely have a baby in a year and that baby's going to be sleeping in a car seat the back of the car, and so I don't want anything that will be too harsh for that reason. So I'm interested in your advice on whether, given that this is an only car and has to serve this purpose, I should hesitate on getting the sport package because it will result in a harsher rider for passengers. (Maybe the answer is I just need to test drive and try to figure this out for myself, but I'd love to get your views.)

Second question is, if I do break down and spring for a 335i, does the sport package version of that car have a harsher ride than the 328i SP, because of the 18" wheels and extra-low-profile tires? Or will this not really make a difference? Currently my Audi has 17" wheels and 45 tire thickness (sorry for not using good technical terms here) and no sport package, so I'm not used to anything thinner than that, and not sure what the effect is. I did test drive a non-sport-package 335i and found it to be amazing -- I could perhaps decide that if I'm getting the 335 I already have enough extra fun in store because of that engine that I could do without the sport package and the harsher ride. Thoughts?

Thanks!

My advice is to get the 328i with the sport package, for the seats,steering wheel and 17 inch tires alone. The suspension is a little stiffer , but gives such a more pleasing sporty ride. I am trading my 328xi in for a 328i w/sport package for this reason.

My advice is to get the 328i with the sport package, for the seats,steering wheel and 17 inch tires alone.

+1

The Run Flats are the culprits that cause the bone-jarring ride over potholes, not the sport suspension. I'd get the sport suspension.

Test drive both the 328i w/and w/o the sp and do the same with the 335i. I got the 335i with the sp and find the ride very acceptable, handling spectacular. No complaints with the RFTs. The engine in the 335i is a work of art!

Hi there. This is my first post. I have done some reading of other threads and searching some topics of interest so have already gotten some good information.

Here is my specific situation that I'd like to get your advice on:

My wife and I live in New York City and only own one car which we use on the weekends (driving out to Hamptons, visiting family, fun and miscellaneous stuff). Currently that car is an Audi A4 2.0T quattro with auto transmission. Lease on the Audi expires in May and I'm strongly leaning towards getting a RWD manual trans 3-series sedan to replace it. (Looking now for a car that's as fun as possible while still practical, since it's our only car. Next car will probably be purchased when we have two kids and will have to be bigger.)

I have been leaning towards getting a 328i as opposed to the 335i because it's less expensive, gets better gas mileage, has quite respectible power and acceleration, great balance, and I'd like to own a classic BMW inline six. The rational side of me has trouble justifying spending more on the 335i. And I test-drove a 328i and really liked it. I haven't had a chance yet to test drive one with a Sport Package.

I like the idea of the getting the sport package to make this car even more fun to drive and also to get nicer-looking wheels and performance tires that I can switch out for winter tires at the appropriate time. But I'm worried about the sport suspension in the sport package because a good chunk of our driving is a two hour drive to and from the Hamptons on Friday and Sunday evenings, with the wife in the passenger seat (sometimes napping) and the dog in the back (often napping). And I would hate to give them a too-harsh ride experience. Also, we could likely have a baby in a year and that baby's going to be sleeping in a car seat the back of the car, and so I don't want anything that will be too harsh for that reason. So I'm interested in your advice on whether, given that this is an only car and has to serve this purpose, I should hesitate on getting the sport package because it will result in a harsher rider for passengers. (Maybe the answer is I just need to test drive and try to figure this out for myself, but I'd love to get your views.)

Second question is, if I do break down and spring for a 335i, does the sport package version of that car have a harsher ride than the 328i SP, because of the 18" wheels and extra-low-profile tires? Or will this not really make a difference? Currently my Audi has 17" wheels and 45 tire thickness (sorry for not using good technical terms here) and no sport package, so I'm not used to anything thinner than that, and not sure what the effect is. I did test drive a non-sport-package 335i and found it to be amazing -- I could perhaps decide that if I'm getting the 335 I already have enough extra fun in store because of that engine that I could do without the sport package and the harsher ride. Thoughts?

Thanks!

I went for the 328i because like you a wanted the classic BMW inline six that is also rock solid for reliability (I own the car). I loved the 18 inch rims so when I purchased the car I had that included as opposed to the 16s and 17s as part of the deal. I paid a little more but was worth it. I also have the sport package. Here's my thoughts on the harsher ride. Yes it is a little harsher then say 16s with no sport but it is not as bad as people say. On the highway or without any pot holes I can't tell the difference. I only notice the difference going over a large bump or pot hole. That being said I still wouldn't give up the sport or 18s because I think the car is amazing with those options !

Thanks to all for your advice. I will be trying to test drive some sport package versions after I get back from a vacation I'm currently on in sunny St. Martin. I'll let you know what I choose. Thanks again!

I didn't think that there was any difference suspension-wise between the base and Sport packages....only wheels and seats. BMW literature/website doesn't state any suspension differences between the two...

I didn't think that there was any difference suspension-wise between the base and Sport packages....only wheels and seats. BMW literature/website doesn't state any suspension differences between the two...
coupes all come with sport suspension but on the sedan there definitely are two different suspensions and non ZSP cars ride noticeably higher and are more "floaty" on the road

coupes all come with sport suspension but on the sedan there definitely are two different suspensions and non ZSP cars ride noticeably higher and are more "floaty" on the road

Ah....gotcha!....thanks.

You're right....since I've been shopping for a coupe, all the literature states the "Sport" suspension as standard.