[MikesBMW]

So in July I traded in my 08 Evo X for a CPO 08 135i.

Over the past couple weeks I've been getting real serious about just trading in the 135i and getting something a little bigger and AWD again, so I decided to just lease a new 335xi.

Went into the dealership yesterday and I think I got a really good deal. I was able to build the 335xi to spec (6spd, navi, cold weather, sport, bluetooth). Lease payments are only $510 a month. I figure the lease will help lock me into keeping a car for a while because finally I will have one where I didn't have to compromise at all. I put down a $500 deposit on the deal and signed all the papers. Supposed to take delivery of the 335xi in 6 weeks.

PROBLEM IS.... I just started reading all the threads that talk about how bad the handling is in the XI cars... WTF, I'm reading things saying the car handles like a toyota. I didn't test drive a 335xi at the dealer, since I just figured it was going to be similar to my 1 series, because the 335xi is going to have the sport package just like my 1.

What should I do??? I'm used to really well handling cars and I realllllly don't want to start modding the car since its a lease.

Do I cancel the lease? And lose the deposit? Go to Audi and get an S4 instead?????? Eat the deposit and keep the 1 series???

What would be the best bang for the buck changes I could do that would be 100% reversible?

[TheRox]

THey really must be giving away money in the US.


I mean...lord almighty money must grow on trees down south.


The 335xi is a fine handling car, the suspension is stiffer than an S4. Next time you plan on buying a 50K+ car...please test drive it. Its suspension is also more stiff than the normal suspension (non sport), but not as stiff as sport on RWD cars.

[sA x sKy]

Handles like a Toyota? Are you on drugs?

[335rocket]

who said the XI handles like a Toyota?? That is completely not true. No BMW handels like a Toyota

[hpowders]

A BMW 335i is among the world's best cars. Handles great!!

A Toyota Supra maybe from the 1970's.

[IancoleTX]

$510/mo? Damn that's cheap!

[335rocket]

he must have put like 5k down

[MikesBMW]

im just concerned because ive read some major flamming on these forums about the XI handling. Am I going to feel any kind of upgrade from my current 135i sport or is it actually going to be worse handling?

[MikesBMW]

Originally Posted by IancoleTX

$510/mo? Damn that's cheap!

the trade in has about 4k of equity

[335rocket]

find one and drive it. BMW dealers usually have a ton of XI's in stock. The 135 handles a tad bit better because its smaller. But EVERY BMW handles great. You should not be at all concerned with that. But drive one anyway

[MikesBMW]

so wait, the 335xi does handle better than an S4? does it have less body roll and feel more planted than an S4? I loved the ride on rails feeling of the Evo X, just hated how horrible the interior quality was and how the whole car felt like it was gonna fall apart when you hit a bump

I might plan on just doing an 18" summer wheels/tires set up... would that give me handling like the 1 series?

[John 070]

You shouldn't lose your deposit if you cancel. That's one of those "not responsible for your car when you park with us, we're free to trash it as we please and steal the contents" disclaimer. The tickie may say so, but doesn't make it so.

If you don't need AWD then consider canceling the order and maybe getting the new Cruze turbo 1.4L, it's supposed to be a very good car. '08 to '08 to '11, now that's living!

[MikesBMW]

well before the Evo X, i actually had an 09 Lancer GTS (owned that for a year then bought the 08 Evo X still new in 2009).

[fdriller9]

$510 a month!

I'm paying $565 a month for my 330xi! My car is maxed out though.

BTW, handling is not THAT bad. You do get some body roll but this car handles alot better than some of the other AWD sport cars out there.

[ExpensiveTaste]

I have one and it kind of has misleading handling characteristics. Basically it feels like it floats and has body roll, but does quite well if you power it through the curve. The extra weight up front kind of makes it plow a little, but the AWD is fun. I would recommend it for a daily driver.

[John 070]

$500/mo. is too much imho. Mine was $470'ish and I thought that was too much. The way I see it is the car payment has to fall in line with all the other expenses, which would include paying extra to the mortgage and making sure the 401k is maxed along with $5000 to a Roth. It never ends. I think anything over $400 is taking away from the above, but I let myself slide because the market was doing really well through 2006...

[335rocket]

you think under $500 is too much?! Damn. Surprised you drive a BMW in that case lol

[chenx15]

i drove an i with a sport suspension and an xdrive with a sport package and i can definitely say i did not feel the difference at all. and i had the opportunity to drive the "i" for three days in the summer and tried it and rammed it. like i said maybe because i am not a professional driver. but i did not feel a difference. also you should have done a test drive first.

sometimes all this talk is the placebo effect. if BMW conducts an actual double blinded peer review study of the handling between i and xi a lot of this debate will die for sure and will definitely kill the sale of the RWD.

[Mike D.]

I am on my second xi/xDrive and there's definitely a huge difference between the rwd/sport cars and the awd cars. The awd has a decent amount of body roll, way more than the rwd sport E9x cars and more than an S4. The xDrive won't feel anywhere near as stiff as an Evo. That said, body roll notwithstanding, it handles quite well on the road. I like the traction of awd, and the increased ground clearance is a good thing with the stupid pot holes in MI. Steering is super precise and there's plenty of grip for anything but an autocross or track day. But if you like a rock hard ride and no body roll, you will hate the xDrive.

[MikesBMW]

ok so what if i just do some basic lowering springs and a set of 18" wheels and performance tires for spring/summer/fall. Then I'll just put the stock 17"s on for winter and return them with the lease. would that be the cheapest and best way to improve handling to be bearable for someone coming from an Evo X and 135i???

[JohnnyT]

Originally Posted by TheRox

THey really must be giving away money in the US.


I mean...lord almighty money must grow on trees down south.


The 335xi is a fine handling car, the suspension is stiffer than an S4. Next time you plan on buying a 50K+ car...please test drive it. Its suspension is also more stiff than the normal suspension (non sport), but not as stiff as sport on RWD cars.

Couldn't agree more. A sad sign of the times we live in today. Totally irresponsible.

[scrufy]

500 a month would be great to me!
I'm paying 700 a month. Own, not lease though but still... What I could do with that extra 200... might be able to keep me in HPFPs. lol