Feedback on new DD options...

[Jack Burton]

Well, as of a month ago or so, I have a new job and a new commute. It's about 65 miles for the round trip commute. It's mainly country roads with speeds of 45mph to 55mph with little traffic. I do hit some high traffic areas at times. Right now, I'm driving a 2011 Ram 1500 single cab with the Hemi. Obviously it guzzles gas. Due to my prior jobs I had hardly any time to enjoy my toys, so I have sold my Harley and my boat. So, right now, I don't have anything to tow. If I do get anything that needs to be towed, my wife only works about 12 miles away, so we can get her a truck/SUV/etc...

So, I'm looking to get rid of my truck and get something a bit better on gas. I've pretty much narrowed it down to the next three options (but I'm open to suggestions).

1.) BMW 135i - decent power, handling, and interior. BTW I've never driven one, but I've checked out the reviews.
2.) BMW 335i - Same power as above, a bit bigger, a bit better interior, etc... I drove a hard top convertible in 2007 and it was a fun car. Quick, handled well, and was very comfortable.
3.) Ford Focus ST (yes, I know it doesn't blend) - Lively little car, hatchback capabilities, but only comes in stick.

With all that being said, my wife doesn't know how to drive stick too well. She's learned a bit on my c5z06 that I had, and still learning on my 04 Cobra. Now, with that being said, having a stick isn't a deal breaker, but with my commute a BMW with a DCT 7-speed sounds pretty tempting. She currently drives a 2012 (or is it 13) loaded Toyota Camry, but she wants to upgrade to a truck now that she has a short commute.

Any feedback, real work experience, etc... with the models I mentioned above? Any recommendations?

I've considered the 2015 Mustang GT, which I like, but I would prefer a different model such as a used 2011-2012 GT500. Anybody have real world numbers on mpg with that (yes, I know it will be bad. Just how much worse than my truck will be the question) and how it is to live with on a daily basis.

AS far as price, not really sure what I want to spend. I'd prefer a c6z06, but I have the feeling that being limited to two seats may not work for me (still unsure).

Any and all feedback is welcome. :beer:

 

[WolfPackST]

You want a good commuter car, something good on gas, but are considering a 2011-2012 GT500?

:rollseyes

 

[Jack Burton]

You want a good commuter car, something good on gas, but are considering a 2011-2012 GT500?

:rollseyes

Well... I'm sure I can find a way to pitch it to the wife :lol1:

 

[Blk04L]

OP what does your truck get currently?

I've read some MPG threads on the Shelby's, and I know some members have gotten around 17-18 mixed, not driving it hard.

Obviously it's not the best choice if gas is your #1 concern.

Out of the top 3, what year BMW's are you considering? I prefer the look of the 335 over the 135, but I have very limited wheel time behind a 2010 335.

 

[Satyr]

With those choices, 335i--hands down.
If you open up the playing field, the Fusion is a sweet ride (would be my choice). Great interior/options with ecoboost power. Not a rocket ship, but definitely refined and economical. Other options include the Optima SX-L or the Taurus SHO (a bit out of left field, but a good option, nonetheless).

 

[Jack Burton]

OP what does your truck get currently?

I've read some MPG threads on the Shelby's, and I know some members have gotten around 17-18 mixed, not driving it hard.

Obviously it's not the best choice if gas is your #1 concern.

Out of the top 3, what year BMW's are you considering? I prefer the look of the 335 over the 135, but I have very limited wheel time behind a 2010 335.

I prob get around 16mpg (mixed). That's without towing anything...and the MDS is very intrusive.

The GT500 is definitely on the back burner. It's there if I want, but not exactly what I'm pursuing.

With those choices, 335i--hands down.
If you open up the playing field, the Fusion is a sweet ride (would be my choice). Great interior/options with ecoboost power. Not a rocket ship, but definitely refined and economical. Other options include the Optima SX-L or the Taurus SHO (a bit out of left field, but a good option, nonetheless).

I love the 335i, but there's something about the 135i styling that gets me. But, as I said, I haven't driven 135i, so I may hate it.

 

[black4vcobra]

Are you stuck on getting only one car? Why not buy a GT500 and a 10-12 year old Civic/Corolla/Focus.

Don't know where you live, but here in WI, I need access to a 4WD myself.

 

[04owmach]

You have a truck... Your wife wants a truck.. You want a commuter car... Your wife has a commuter car.. Swap rides maybe? Haha

 

[Rotzs99]

U want 4 seats, 4 doors even? I'll pitch the G8 GT or the Chevy SS. The LS3 seems to suck a bit more gas than the L76 though. I average 17-19mpg and have seen up to 24, but I can't keep my foot out of it. I've always been interested in the BMWs, but they're not a car I'd want to wrench on by myself.

If the wife is interested in manuals, try out the Focus ST or Fiesta ST. Probably a lot easier to learn on that. I miss my SVT Focus a lot. It's nice to have a car you can have fun in without going stupid fast speeds. Check out their subforums. Those guys seem to be loving their hot hatches.

 

[bokyo1987]

Might be biased, but what the hell... Also, this is primarily about the earlier N54 powered A6 steptronic cars.

The 135i does a pretty bang up job as DD. I average almost 28mpg cruising 75mph on the highway and I'm around 22.5mpg city (Stop and go suburban/on base as well driving through back roads leisurely). Some people complain about the back seats, but I've had people over 6 feet tall sit back there with no complaints. They fold down as well if you need extra space. The interior, overall, is kinda bland for some people. Suits me just fine though.

Power wise, peak torque is right around 1800rpms so passing power is available throughout the rev band in any gear. Intake, bigger fmic, downpipes, and a tune will put you right around 370ish whp and e85 will put you over 400whp with minor bolt-ons. You can expect mid to low 12s with bolt-ons on street tires with good DA/temps since these cars suffer from the heat worse than others.

The N54s steptronic is also nice to have for a dd. You can shift it manually in sport mode or use the paddle shifters when you feel the itch. An Alpina tranny tune is also available that is said to increase mpg and makes using sport mode or the paddle shifters a lot more fun.

While the engine itself is bulletproof, some of the peripherals aren't unfortunately. The most common gripe is with the water pump and fuel pump going out early. The fuel pump issue is more prevalent with the early models, but BMW has extended the warranty covering it to 82k miles if I remember correctly. But if you're a wrencher, it shouldn't be too bad. They also extended the warranty on the turbos, but problems with them are a lot less frequent. Besides, a lot of people are opting for aftermarket twins or single upgrades nowadays anyway. No real diff, but the elsd does an admirable job. Some folks can cut 1.7 60ft with the elsd.

Not too much to complain about really. It's lighter than the 335i by around a couple of hundred of pounds and feels a lot more tossable and fun IMO.

 

[xenodragon]

Coming from a 335xi as my DD...i can say I loved it. I loved it in fact so much that I will not drive a non BMW as a DD again. If you plan on doing any modifications to the car I recommend going with the n54 motor 2007-2010 335i and I believe the 2011 335is. The 135 n54 also carried over to 2011. The 2011+ cars (not including the 'i s" and the 135) have the n55 motor. Major differences are that the n54 has some forged parts I believe and a true twin turbo whereas the n55 motor loses the forged and goes with a twinscroll turbo. n54 cars had hydraulic steering (loved it) n55 went to electronic.

Here is my take on the x35i:

n54 motor 2007-2010 (135i and 335i)
The 135 and 335 will feel the same. The 135 is slightly faster and handles slightly better. The 335 is a little more comfortable and larger. Both can easily be modded to 400whp and will do the 1/4 mile in mid 11s. Also the hydraulic steering felt great on these cars IMO.

n55 motor 2011 - current (M235i, 335i and 435i)
Less tuning potential overall, but I believe the tuners have gained some strides since last I checked. Have you looked into the m235i? Getting great reviews light weight and great handling. Some are calling it the old e46 m3.

At the end of the day depending on your budget I would take a look at the M235i. If you are looking for something in the mid 20s go with a 2008-2010 335i or 135i depending on how much space you need. The 135 lacks a large back seat.

Hope this helps

 

[xenodragon]

While the engine itself is bulletproof, some of the peripherals aren't unfortunately. The most common gripe is with the water pump and fuel pump going out early. The fuel pump issue is more prevalent with the early models, but BMW has extended the warranty covering it to 82k miles if I remember correctly. But if you're a wrencher, it shouldn't be too bad. They also extended the warranty on the turbos, but problems with them are a lot less frequent. Besides, a lot of people are opting for aftermarket twins or single upgrades nowadays anyway. No real diff, but the elsd does an admirable job. Some folks can cut 1.7 60ft with the elsd.

Not too much to complain about really. It's lighter than the 335i by around a couple of hundred of pounds and feels a lot more tossable and fun IMO.

They extended the fuel pump warranty to 110k FWIW.

 

[BlueSnake01]

IMO as a reliable cheap fun car with great MPG, I would take the Focus ST.
Love my 335i but IDK, something about that fully loaded ST. It would be my next car on the list but they dont have an auto option.

My 335i got me almost 30mpg with an 75-80 MPH avg, pretty damn good if you ask me for the type of car it is. Cheap good power as well. Also, if you get RFT's get rid of em. Bought some Pilot Super Sport's and its by far the best thing I bought for the BMW. Handling, ride quality, and of course grip is a million times better than the RFT's. Literally is night and difference between the both.

 

[Gravik]

Focus ST.

 

[nxhappy]

BMWs don't hold their value worth shit. That being said, buy the Focus.

 

[musclefan21]

Man you guys must be doing something right... A 2011 gt500 as DD.. Beside your "toy"

 

[BlueSnake01]

BMWs don't hold their value worth shit. That being said, buy the Focus.

If you're buying a car based on ther value, then you're doing it wrong. Buying a used BMW is a smart move especially considering they took a big hit in the first 2 years, after that its a slow decline like almost all cars.

I take my money that a used 2007 328i rides a whole lot more comfortable than your GT500. Not taking any shots but you cannot compare the ride quality from a luxury car to an ordinary car. I would take the Focus as a DD main reasons that it'll be a DD, small, great MPG, and looks like a fun car. However, comparisons between both a BMW and the Focus is Apples to Oranges.

 

[SVT_4_me]

2015 gti

 

[gambit90lx]

not related to the post but your avatar and sig pic is one of my favorite movies (big trouble in little china) and I would go with the Focus

 

[flyby763]

I'll sell you my Focus ST...