35is in terms of driving fun

S

szatras

Member
 Switzerland / Poland - Warsaw
Hi

I've sold my E85 3.0iR about month ago. Since then, I've took for a ride both Z4MR and 35is. Only 30 minutes in each.

I have no idea which to choose :tumbleweed:

Z4MR
+ raw driving experience is what I've loved in 2003 3.0i. And it's even better.
- I sold mine old Z4 for about 12k Swiss Francs. Z4MR costs about 30k. Huuuge price step for the car that looks almost the same...

35is
+ great price for a quite new car 2011-2012.
+ looks absolutely astonishing.
- driving pleasure?
And here comes my question.
That what have a huge matter for me is driving fun. Other requierments are met by both Z4MR and 35is. I don't care about track-performance. Driving pleasure. Fun. Is 35is so bad in those terms? Worse than in E85 3.0i? Much worse than in Z4MR? Reviews are killing me! :headbang:

30 min test drive is too little to get the real feel of the car... So I'm counting on Your experience:)
 
How do you define driving pleasure and fun?

The 35is is not the best handling beast on the planet - a bit too soft for that, not a sharp tool, more of a very capable GT car.

It will wag its tail at the drop of a hat and has prodigious overtaking ability.

It can cover long distances rapidly with ease.

If you like a bit of a 'handful' then this is the car for you. If you want more of a precision tool then a Porsche Boxter/Cayman will afford better satisfaction.

HTH
 
Not to forget that the 35is only comes in a non manual shape. That is a very important difference as well as the difference in involvement between a Z4M and a 35is is huge.
 
You're going to get other peoples views in answer to this. The e85/6 brigade will push theirs, the e89 brigade will push theirs, for different reasons. I say this is down to your own personal choice. Go drive them a bit more and then make a decision. If you can afford a used M and money is important then go M because it will be fun and also hold its value better. e89 prices seem appealing, until you realise they depreciate like a stone.
 
I like to feel that I am driving a car instead of playing Playstation. Driving fast on curvy roads without roof, enjoying acceleration and sound - it's all I need.
But how much performance can I get from suspension/handling - I think it doesn't really concerns me. Important is - if eating curves, little drifting etc. gives fun. I'm not a pro anyway, but I still love short slides and driving fast in the mountains and such.
 
If I had to fcuk around with gears whilst having fun in the 35iS I honestly think I'd put the thing in a hedge :thumbsup:
 
....and that is the difference between full driver enjoyment and just having fun. The DCT is a fantastic box, it really is. BUT it is absolutely NOT as involving as a Manual car. This comes from a DCT owner. Yes if you give it some stick the e89 is fun, but its not the rather more visceral experience of a manual M which I'd suggest the OP looks into as the best option for a drivers car.
 
Jasey said:
If I had to fcuk around with gears whilst having fun in the 35iS I honestly think I'd put the thing in a hedge :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Nicely put :lol:

DKG is not an issue for me. I like how it works - quick and smooth. Reducing gears with paddles gives a lot of fun also:)
 
I still say if you're 50/50 you need to drive each one more before you decide. Its going to be your choice in the end, not what others may feel.
 
Maniac said:
....and that is the difference between full driver enjoyment and just having fun. The DCT is a fantastic box, it really is. BUT it is absolutely NOT as involving as a Manual car. This comes from a DCT owner. Yes if you give it some stick the e89 is fun, but its not the rather more visceral experience of a manual M which I'd suggest the OP looks into as the best option for a drivers car.
Click to expand...
Yep - If you aint Ayrton Senna and you want to go fast - Get a 35iS :D.
 
I have had a Z4M R and now have my second 35iS.

The reason I got rid of the Z4M R was the gearbox - I hated it. It was too slow and notchy and no matter how I tried to adapt my driving style I found it intruded and spoilt my enjoyment. That said, when pushing the car / extending it on B roads it was great - the change after 1st to 2nd and when warm is OK. It was just that a lot of my driving was in semi built up areas and not on B roads where the car can be enjoyed. The car felt big (compared to my older S2000) but actually handled really well when you took it by the scruff of the neck. Not a relaxing car to drive in traffic though due to the gearbox !

My 35iS has the DCT box which I love - but then I love autos now and pre empting what I want either by kickdown, paddle use or simply putting into sport mode at a certain time. I find it fun but to push it you need to hold the gears manually as an auto box can't see the road ahead and you can. Using an auto with skill is all about planning and I use them at work, at speed (legally) so am probably more used than most to driving an auto aggressively.

Handling wise the E89 is longer and heavier than the earlier model. It does handle but does not inspire the same confidence. It has surprised me at times when in sport mode as it will let you push it OK; it just doesn't feel as good at it as the Z4M R.

Speed wise the 35iS is noticeably quicker IMO than the Z4Mr and that acceleration is easier to access. I prefer the feeling of the acceleration to the Z4MR which was more linear. The noise in both is great. The Z4M R is muted but very much a high revving straight 6. The 35iS noise is great and the over run in sport mode gets heads turning ....

You need a longer drive maybe but for me, having had both, the 35iS is easily the winner for my style of driving.
 
I have just completed 2000+ miles getting to and driving around the Scottish highlands with a group of friends in my 35i (not S). It was epic fun. In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of the E89 35i engine is its overtake ability. once in sports + with the gearbox in sports, oh mama!! whenever you wanted to pass, it was always ready to go. No need to keep the engine on the boil. in this configuration it was always ready to pass. My only negative point on the car is the RFT tyres. the major potholes in Scottish roads made the car shudder as if the engine had dropped out on some of them.

If you got smooth roads then this is not a problem. if you have precipitous drops on your mountain roads, keep the RFT tyres. my faith in RFT is solid as i had a blow out in a 5 series on a motorway (when i hit a pothole and sliced the side of the tyre) and it was a non event, let alone drive off a mountain because of it lol.

The speedo spools up so so quickly making progress at somewhere near the speed limit is easy.

Just my opinion though.
 
Hi, had both, currently on a 35is, just imo but tbh i don't find the 35 handles any worse than the M unless you're being, frankly, silly. In sport to me the 35 feels much like the M albeit a bit heavier. As SO8 says the gearbox is notchy on the M from 1st to 2nd and on a long trip the M gets frustrating whereas the 35 will cruise with ease. For me the 35 is better in nearly every way unless you really want to rag around on the limit BUT as Maniac says as excellent as the DCT is it is'nt as involving as a manual. In short, point and squirt thrash round = M. Less manic but still involving = 35is. As said just IMO.
 
I think that it would be the best to rent 35is for one day and then make a decision. I know exactly what to expect from Z4MR, so we will see. BMW made this choice so complicated... :evil: Newer car should be better in every aspect - but no! Those two are animals with different characters...
 
As you live in a mountain country, I know what I would like.... nothing like the feeling of getting the gear lined up perfectly before a hair pin. That to me is the challenge and the fun.

The E89 obviously is a more expensive car to own as the depreciation is much like that of a 3 series or so.

Don't the dealers give you a car for the weekend? For every car I have bought, I have had one for a weekend to play with. Vital when making a decision like this though.
 
As someone who went for the M, I suppose all I can really do is state why I chose it over the '35.. To me it came down to a case of cruising pleasure vs driving pleasure.

With it's turbo setup, softer suspension, dual clutch box and electronic steering, to me the e89 was a beautiful and able cruiser, but a bit large to properly throw about in the corners and get a thrill from beyond sticking it in a straight line.

Whereas I went in the M, quick fold roof, felt more sat over the rear axle, steering felt more direct, the general experience felt much more roadster like, more raw, more exciting. It had an old school charm about it that I fell in love with whereas the Z4 felt more built for pacey comfort.. Just my opinion.
 
I wouldn't worry about depreciaton in my case.

The thing is: I can buy Z4MR (2006-2007 MR with about 50000-60000 km on it) on swiss market for about 30k swiss Francs.

The thing is, that I can buy 35is on german market for about 33k swiss francs (after import to Switzerland I get german TAX back which is 19%). It doesn't work with Z4MR because it's too old - so it is better to find one in Swizterland.

So, after ca. 5 years of owning 35is, making 5000-6000 km per year, I really doubt, that they'll be cheaper than ~24-25k or so. Now on swiss market they cost about 40-45k.
 
Hi. I've also owned both and recently purchased a new IS. No point in going over the basics as that's been done a lot already, I found the differences quite marked and they were broadly as follows.

Z4MR

Much better steering. More precise, better weighted. Took me a couple of weeks to get used to the E89 steering after buying my first 35i.
Great engine / Exhaust.

IS

Metal Folding Roof
Far superior interior.
Much better Tech / integration with my Tech.
Feels heavier - but this isn't all bad
Feels much more grown up.
More relaxed suspension that wasn't trying to break my spine over dodgy road surfaces. Adaptive suspension works very well.
Just a far more relaxed environment / feel. VERY capable GT that's good at everything.
DCT gearbox - sublime.
Great sounding exhaust / engine too - but a very different sound. More old school F1 than Raspy M. Great popping when backing off.
Looks far more modern.
Valencia Orange available. :wink:
 
Thank You for Your opinions :)

Hmm Valencia Orange looks great - but I'm not as brave as You are;) for me grey colour would be perfect ;) but we will see:)
 
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