Originally designed to save money, diesel engines have also been affected by the performance syndrome dear to the German automobile industry. Even today, it is not uncommon to find valiant 6-cylinders under the hood of Audi, BMW and other Mercedes, whether in-line or V-shaped and fueled with diesel. However, if these units remain very sober for their displacement and given the masses that they often have to move, the performances are almost at the level of certain sports cars, without the ostentatious look! The dream for certain motorists who love power but also discretion. All that remains is to grant the budget, which is much easier on the second-hand market, where “big” diesels have suffered an even greater discount recently as this fuel is now thrown out the window by our managers. policies.
High-end services
Among these cars which don't look like much, are family oriented but which “drop off” almost everything that runs, the BMW 335d Touring is worth considering. If this name was born with the fifth generation, it is rather the sixth generation BMW 3 Series, sold between 2011 and 2019, which best embodies the compromise between discretion and performance. Particularly because from the outside, apart from the monogram on the tailgate, absolutely nothing distinguishes this version from an ordinary 320d. Certainly, the majority of buyers at the time opted for a sporty finish (M Sport), with rather suggestive shields and rims. But this remains reasonable and does not prevent you from finding a few models in standard finish (Modern or Luxury). As long as the predecessors removed the “335d” monogram, here you are at the wheel of an elegant German family station wagon (4.62 m long). It is not the champion of habitability, especially on the bench seat, but the trunk remains welcoming and the modularity is sufficient to be practical for a small family. No need to dwell on the manufacturing quality in the cabin, which is therefore aging well.
And, at the slightest acceleration, the landscape risks suddenly passing by. Under the hood of this 335d, it is obviously a 3.0 in-line 6-cylinder, powered by two turbos, which takes place. It develops 313 hp and above all 630 Nm of torque from 1,500 rpm. It's an understatement to say that the changes would make many sports cars pale, especially since xDrive all-wheel drive was delivered as standard.. In association with a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission that is as smooth as it is responsive, this is a mechanic with “XXL” approval, which compensates for a chassis that could be improved in terms of damping and steering. Even if this station wagon does not have a sporting vocation at first glance.
Price and reliability of the BMW 335d Touring
It remains to shed light on the two important points of the occasion: price and reliability. In terms of price, you need to count on at least €16,000 for the first models, even if the mileage is difficult to envisage for a long-term purchase. In fact, these examples often exceed 200,000 km. Between 20,000 and 25,000 €, the counters already show more reasonable numbers, rather between 80,000 and 150,000 km. However, for this generally solid mechanism, these levels are not prohibitive. Generally speaking, the 3.0 biturbo is robust, even if a few owners have experienced turbo and EGR valve problems. For the latter, BMW has carried out a recall, so make sure that it has been done on your example. On the other hand, the manufacturer does not recommend draining the ZF automatic gearbox. This can be damaging, so it is preferable to have it done every 100,000 km, often by an independent specialist. The iDrive system can also act up, while some steering columns showed fragility. But the recurrence of these problems remains low.
Above all, to have peace of mind, make sure that no reprogramming has been done on this engine conducive to “optimization”. It's easy to blow the turbos harder to produce 400 hp and 800 Nm, but be careful with reliability… Finally, if the station wagon is not your cup of tea, this mechanism has also existed in sedans and even under the hood of the original 3 Series GT. Shunned by buyers, it is rare second-hand, but its prices are even lower than the station wagon or the sedan…
