[boomer28]

I’ve heard this asked before my others and think it is an interesting comparison and wanted to give my $0.02. I have had a ’00 540i sport with an a/t steptronic for about 3 years now and just bought an ’07 335i sedan, sport, m/t.

First off I have to say that I absolutely LOVE my 540i. I know they are hit or miss reliability wise but mine has been a gem. Only thing I had to replace in 3 years was the thermostat which only took a morning to fix. Other than that its’ been plugs, oil and 2 tail lights and I just passed 126k miles. The 540i for me was the perfect car in terms of size, power, handling, comfort and options to a degree.

Highlights of the 540i:
• Sport seats were firm yet great for long drives. My back sucks and I always felt good after 4+ hour trips. Rear seats are pretty good as long as you aren’t super tall.
• Sound system: DSP system rocks, loud and good quality. 6-disc rear changer still works great.
• Style: have dark blue with tan interior. Great combo that is sharp but not flashy or too dull. Have the 18” sport rims and it looks damn fine when clean.
• Handling: despite the weight it tears up the roads. I wear through tires at a good clip but I also do a lot of driving. The V8 is smooth and really never lets you down in any gear. The steptronic gets a lot of shit but can be fun when used under the right conditions.

When I first considered the new 3-sereis I was apprehensive about all the above transferring and more. I’ve driven the old ones and while fun, felt they were lacking many things. Now however this is far from the case as the 335i is superior in almost every way.

• Comfort: I’ve hears some say the sport seats are firmer but disagree. The leather is a higher quality and is generally softer. The adjustability of the lumbar and side bolsters also is a big plus to play around with on long trips. Back seats not so much. I’m 5’11” and my head almost touches the ceiling. Legroom is ok and the seat is good but you do feel cramped. Can’t imagine this is better in the coupe. Interior all-in feels smaller but I don’t get that “cramped” feeling like other small sedans.
• Ride: Runflats suck. I feel like I’m on wagon wheels on rough roads but when it is smooth the car is sharp and precise. MUCH less under steer compared to the 540i, probably due in part to weight balancing and better/newer suspension. Can’t wait to get some normal tires. Overall pretty quite on good roads though.
• Handling/Performance: As mentioned above it is sharp and crisp. There are times I feel like the car will break out or the traction control will engage but it plows through. Super steady on badly banked turns. A blast. Always find the traction control kicking on in the 540i it seems, makes it feel like more uncontained power. All-in the 335 is noticeably faster and has a great range of torque, which comes through especially so in the 6MT
• Accessories/Options: Obviously the e90 is 8-years newer and has many things that come with that. My e39 was pretty simple, no nav, heated seats etc. but I feel like the layout and features were very smartly done and rarely left me wanting more. That being said, moving up to the e90 was quite the eye opener, I got it fully loaded (sport/premium/cold weather/nav/CA and all the other bells & whistles) and it is just a different experience. All the extra gear makes you feel like your are in a fighter jet while the e39 was like flying a nice Learjet. iDrive gets a bad wrap in my opinion. Took me one 700mi. road trip and I’ve got it down cold. Just give it some time and play with it while parked and you’ll be fine. Don’t fight it, it’s great.

Overall I’ll miss my 540 but have fully embraced what I now have. In addition to the new features, and performance I’m sure loving the 28-30mpg highway I’m getting now. I still feel the e39 remains an almost perfectly rounded car (especially for the price you can steal one at now with low miles) and I’ll add that I do NOT like the new

[anerbe]

nice review!

[F1-Slayer]

cool write-up, enjoy ur e90!

[voltron1011]

Excellent write-up

[voltron1011]

How's the torque/horsepower compare?

[BayAreaE92]

E39 540i

286 HP

324 ft/lb

0-60 = 6.5 Sec

Top Speed = 155 MPH

When I was a yungin I drove around my Pops 540i sometimes! I loved it...can't forget the old greats. It was quite a sleeper! Didn't look fast, but it was pretty agile. iDrive rocks on, much better than that Mercedes nav Bull$iht.

[Fuh Teng]

Originally Posted by boomer28

and I’ll add that I do NOT like the new

New what...?

Other than that, good review. I want my car now!!!

Fuh