Could've used a 335 today.

So, I'm really used to my 328i and, as I've said in many threads, I love it. Very spunky, very quick.

Well, today, I was shuttling a couple of girls back and forth to a lacrosse tournament. You wouldn't think having an extra 200 pounds of girl in a car would make a difference, but man! My car just didn't have the "zing" I've gotten used to. It didn't occur to me that it was the extra weight. I was double-checking the parking brake, frantically looking for other warnings in the dash, listening for strange sounds.... something wasn't right.

Then I realized it might be the extra weight.

Drop off the girls and "voila!" I have my good old responsiveness back.

Go figure.

Originally Posted by ProfessorCook

So, I'm really used to my 328i and, as I've said in many threads, I love it. Very spunky, very quick.

Well, today, I was shuttling a couple of girls back and forth to a lacrosse tournament. You wouldn't think having an extra 200 pounds of girl in a car would make a difference, but man! My car just didn't have the "zing" I've gotten used to. It didn't occur to me that it was the extra weight. I was double-checking the parking brake, frantically looking for other warnings in the dash, listening for strange sounds.... something wasn't right.

Then I realized it might be the extra weight.

Drop off the girls and "voila!" I have my good old responsiveness back.

Go figure.

Professor C,

You must delete this thread immediately or the 335 snobs will never let any of the 328 paupers hear the end of it.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!
DSX the fast acting 335i snob.

Originally Posted by DSXMachina

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!
DSX the fast acting 335i snob.

Ha!! Not so fast acting. Took you 44 minutes to post.

So the question is... once a 335 owner gets used to the power to weight ratio of his or her car, would he or she also notice a loss in performance by adding two athletic girls or one not-so-athletic guy to his or her ride? (Being politically correct results in cumbersome sentences, don't it?)

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Ha!! Not so fast acting. Took you 44 minutes to post.

I'm a slow reader. Plus I've been having some difficulty lately understanding people and as you can imagine there is no way I figure'd The Prof would ever toss out a straight line like that.

Originally Posted by ProfessorCook

So the question is... once a 335 owner gets used to the power to weight ratio of his or her car, would he or she also notice a loss in performance by adding two athletic girls or one not-so-athletic guy to his or her ride? (Being politically correct results in cumbersome sentences, don't it?)

Three weeks ago I took two adult males and their luggage to the airport. This increased the weight of my car by a calculated 9%. Another way of looking at it would be to say that I was now finding out just what it would be like to be driving a 328. Horrible, just horrible. Except of course I still had an E92 suspension and a 335i badge (even if it is slightly crooked) on the back. That made me feel a little better.

I dust my car regularly... don't like the added drag.

Seriously, did you feel the effects of the extra mass?

OK, here's the scoop. I have two friends who have M3s. They dump on me. I have to dump on Prof Cook and his 328 (heavily modded though it may be). In turn he gets to dump on his friends'... Prius's and Smart Cars. It's all about trickle down.

Originally Posted by ProfessorCook

I dust my car regularly... don't like the added drag.

Seriously, did you feel the effects of the extra mass?

I did, alarmingly so. Not that the car was slow, but there was an obvious difference in acceleration. I'd bet that 0-60 was more than 2 seconds slower if I had pushed it and measured. Doesn't sound like much but that's what, a 40% reduction?

MY 335 always seems zippy enough even with the three people in the car including me. I was doing 90 in a few secs....ooops!!!

I notice my 102lb gf in the M3. I think it just means you're in tune with your car. Or maybe it means you should have gotten a 335i.


LOLOLOLOL
Philip the M3 snob

Originally Posted by DSXMachina

OK, here's the scoop. I have two friends who have M3s. They dump on me.

This cannot be true! M3 drivers are renowned for their gentle disposition towards fellow drivers.

Why do you have to make these things up?

If this carries on, I might have to go over to the M3 board and discuss Porsches, or "P" cars as they are known.

I'm definitely with you on that story. I can instantly "feel" if I have a few people in my car -- if I have a few people with luggage I will actually occasionally stall it starting off from inclines, and wonder where my "pep" has gone. It changes the whole weight.

As a percentage, 300 lbs is a good 9-10% of the car. By F=ma, you know that the acceleration is now going to be 9% reduced. Think of a 10% reduction in torque or hp -- definitely noticeable, regardless of the 328/335. It would turn your 328 into less than a 325, and a 335 into a 330.

Of note, it is also noticeable if you take twisties near slipping threshold -- be very careful, it will significantly increase the "heft" of your car and can alter the dynamics. Don't lose control of the car just because people are in it, as I don't think the girls would be too impressed!

Lol.... yeah... maybe I should've. Well, it just gives me something to look forward to someday. I still love my 328 and I'm the only person in it for about 95% of the miles, I think. (My golden retriever must be in second place.)

I think, more than anything else, it is because I (and you guys) am more in tune with the car. My wife has noticed this. I have an awareness. Anything within 20 feet of it puts me in alert mode. "Kids! Don't you ride that scooter near my car!

Next thing you know, I'm going to tie about 20,000 balloons to my 328i...

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/up/

Originally Posted by ProfessorCook

So, I'm really used to my 328i and, as I've said in many threads, I love it. Very spunky, very quick.

Well, today, I was shuttling a couple of girls back and forth to a lacrosse tournament. You wouldn't think having an extra 200 pounds of girl in a car would make a difference, but man! My car just didn't have the "zing" I've gotten used to. It didn't occur to me that it was the extra weight. I was double-checking the parking brake, frantically looking for other warnings in the dash, listening for strange sounds.... something wasn't right.

Then I realized it might be the extra weight.

Drop off the girls and "voila!" I have my good old responsiveness back.

Go figure.

I think if you put a 335i badge on, you will quickly solve this problem. From what I have read, there is little difference between the models apart from the 335i has a dodgy fuel pump and one exhaust pipe blacker than the other.

Alternatively, it might be the 200lbs of zaino on the clear coat.

Lol! Do you have any idea what that 200 lbs of Zaino cost me?

I notice a difference if my gas tank is full compared to near empty. This used to really be noticable on the Mustangs I drove since it was easier to throw the rear end around on near "E".

Professor, you'r just getting old

Originally Posted by ProfessorCook

Lol.... yeah... maybe I should've. Well, it just gives me something to look forward to someday. I still love my 328 and I'm the only person in it for about 95% of the miles, I think. (My golden retriever must be in second place.)

If you don't want people asking you for a ride get one of these.



CA

You just need to roll with little super models, then all will be well

All IS well. It just surprised me. BTW, the tall girl sat in the back and had plenty of room.

Originally Posted by captainaudio

If you don't want people asking you for a ride get one of these.


CA

Nah... one of these. They're street legal.

You should have ordered the "big girl transport package" (FGP) with your car. It has more space in the back, and 15 extra horsepower for the heavy lifting. There are also extra large cupholders in the rear.

Professor.... I wonder if putting the car in sport mode when driving with passengers might help compensate for some of the loss of spunkiness that you felt. Uses more gas, but still cheaper than getting a 335. And, is it possible that you also drove a bit more cautiously with those young gals on board?

Just so you know you're not alone! I was showing my 200lb buddy the new & improved 335 since I threw in a JB3 last week... And with just him in the car my zip was not the same. 2nd gear was noticeably slower. . And we're talking a damn near 400hp at the crank. I kept repeating to him that the car is faster when I'm alone. He thought I was out of my mind