BMW 330Ci vs Subaru Impreza WRX AWD Estate?

BMW 330Ci vs Subaru Impreza WRX AWD Estate?

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Discussion

Mike_C

Original Poster:

984 posts

224 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
OK, just a very quick, simple question!

I currently have a 330Ci which, on my commute to work (around 8/9 miles mixed driving each way) averages 29mpg on V Power, or 25mpg on unleaded.

I am looking at changing it for something that is 4wd (for when it snows again!) has a big boot (for trips to the tip) and can tow things (my motorbike to trackdays).

Will the WRX (2.0 Turbo model) be massively more thirsty than the 330Ci or about the same? What about other running costs - tyres, brakes, servicing? Obviously assuming I drive both cars roughly the same.

Cheers!

WhoseGeneration

4,090 posts

209 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Are you asking about new or used?
Subaru turbos, across all versions, will use more fuel, usually 29mpg on VPower is only attainable with careful use on steady runs, mixed use and then without too much WOT, is likely to see 20/22 mpg.
Any "fun" sees the teens, all out action, even worse.
Other costs might depend upon whether you use main dealers, independents, diy or a mixture of these. I'd have said, assuming no unusual bills, those costs would be roughly similar.

Orangecurry

7,436 posts

208 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Another thing to bear in mind is ground clearance. My Impreza was superb in the snow (as much down to LSDs as being AWD) but I couldn't move it through the deep snow on the first few days as the front spoiler dug-in.



...but we got out to play from day three onwards...



The Impreza is an icon for a reason. Get one anyway hehe

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

214 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
They're great in the snow.

Not enough ground clearance? Just give it more gas, I was playing in 2' of snow in the local car parks smile



eta

mine has the switchable box which was fun to try out.

Edited by CaptainSlow on Thursday 19th August 11:15

Flying machine

1,132 posts

178 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Excellent cars IMO (scooby) - I've had a ppp wagon and it was great. Yes, you'll only get low 20's with fuel. No idea what it would be like towing, probably fine. The interior will feel a bit rubbish after the e46 I expect. If you're planning on it being a snow mobile then dont get over excited, mine wasn't as good as I expected it to be, but it could have been down to tyre choice.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

214 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
The Crack Fox said:
My BMW was feckin' useless in the snow, but how often do we get winters like the last one ?
So true, I was walking past when a chap in a BMW got stuck on the very last piece of snow during the final thaw. It was literally a metre of 1cm thick snow. I gave him a push but did make me chuckle.

Orangecurry

7,436 posts

208 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
They're great in the snow.

Not enough ground clearance? Just give it more gas, I was playing in 2' of snow in the local car parks smile
We had nine inches, which was too much. 'Giving it gas' makes no difference whatsoever if the car starts to sit on a raft of compressed snow.

I was able to play in six inches.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

192 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Mike_C said:
OK, just a very quick, simple question!

I currently have a 330Ci which, on my commute to work (around 8/9 miles mixed driving each way) averages 29mpg on V Power, or 25mpg on unleaded.

I am looking at changing it for something that is 4wd (for when it snows again!) has a big boot (for trips to the tip) and can tow things (my motorbike to trackdays).

Will the WRX (2.0 Turbo model) be massively more thirsty than the 330Ci or about the same? What about other running costs - tyres, brakes, servicing? Obviously assuming I drive both cars roughly the same.

Cheers!
I think it depends on the Impreza. Classics tend to be more thirsty than new age ones. A friend has a 99MY saloon and claims the best they've seen is 23mpg on a long run.

Of course number of miles you'll be doing will dictate how much real world affect this would have on your wallet.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

214 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Orangecurry said:
CaptainSlow said:
They're great in the snow.

Not enough ground clearance? Just give it more gas, I was playing in 2' of snow in the local car parks smile
We had nine inches, which was too much. 'Giving it gas' makes no difference whatsoever if the car starts to sit on a raft of compressed snow.

I was able to play in six inches.
Said the actress to the bishop wink

eta

Well maybe I was ok as it was quite fresh powder and not particulary compacted. I definately had it up to the bottom of the bumper.

Edited by CaptainSlow on Thursday 19th August 11:40

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

214 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
The Crack Fox said:
CaptainSlow said:
The Crack Fox said:
My BMW was feckin' useless in the snow, but how often do we get winters like the last one ?
So true, I was walking past when a chap in a BMW got stuck on the very last piece of snow during the final thaw. It was literally a metre of 1cm thick snow. I gave him a push but did make me chuckle.
I used my MX-5 instead. Roof down of course. smile
Yeah I'm waiting to see how my mx-5 performs on the snow, I have my PH beany in the glovebox waiting.

GravelBen

15,755 posts

232 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
A friend has a 99MY saloon and claims the best they've seen is 23mpg on a long run.
Then there is probably something wrong with it, unless they haven't discovered 5th gear yet. wink

OP - FWIW my Legacy GTB (280bhp twin-turbo, heavier than an Impreza but longer gearing) averages 26ish mpg in mixed use, and will do 30-32 on a run easily enough without being a granny about it. Thats on 98 RON fuel, it can be 10-15% thirstier if I have to feed it 95.

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 19th August 11:50

_rubinho_

1,237 posts

185 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
I've just done 3000 miles in the last month in my WRX Wagon (UK to Norway, all around Norway and back again). It returned 28mpg overall. This was mostly motorway spec cruising on the way there and back and driving at Norway's ridiculously low speed limits whilst there.

Hooning gets you teens though as others have mentioned.

GravelBen

15,755 posts

232 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
Yeah I'm waiting to see how my mx-5 performs on the snow
Mine was great fun last time round, comedy oversteer on demand! biggrin


Didn't have to drive up any hills mind you...

JB!

5,254 posts

182 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Do they do PPP hawk-eye wagons? How much more expensive to insure is a PPP WRX wagon over just a WRX wagon?

Nigel H

1,883 posts

212 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
I ran a (bugeye) WRX for 6 years, the best I ever got out of it was 29mpg (cruising at 70mph), more realistically I got 25 mpg. On your commute I'd guess 22/23 mpg tops. They are not fuel efficent, as I found when I swapped to a 130 BMW, which is easily 25% more economical.

My WRX was a saloon and its boot was huge and swallowed loads of stuff.

I guess with the right tyres in the snow a WRX should be great. I have to say when I used mine with wide standard road tyres it was not good, small hatches with thin tyres were better.

On the servicing front - it cost a fortune! Oil services every 7500 miles (later models are 10000). Bills used to come out at about £300 every time at a local specialist.

Then I had to have a tracker due to the high risk nature of the car.

So while I thought it was a great car (I did 70000 miles in it and nothing went wrong) it was expensive to run. My BMW is better in almost all respects and way way cheaper.

Edited by Nigel H on Thursday 19th August 12:39

kazman

308 posts

169 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
Orangecurry said:
CaptainSlow said:
They're great in the snow.

Not enough ground clearance? Just give it more gas, I was playing in 2' of snow in the local car parks smile
We had nine inches, which was too much. 'Giving it gas' makes no difference whatsoever if the car starts to sit on a raft of compressed snow.

I was able to play in six inches.
Said the actress to the bishop wink

eta

Well maybe I was ok as it was quite fresh powder and not particulary compacted. I definately had it up to the bottom of the bumper.

Edited by CaptainSlow on Thursday 19th August 11:40
Said the actress to the bishop wink

Olivera

7,285 posts

241 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
The Crack Fox said:
My BMW was feckin' useless in the snow, but how often do we get winters like the last one ?
The correct tyres are more important than 4wd when it comes to driving in the snow. Fit a set of winter tyres to your BMW and it won't have a problem in most snowy conditions. Conversley, put wide summer/track tyres on your Impreza and it will be garbage in the snow. There was an Impreza STI owner on PH that posted when the winter snow was at its worst, stating his car was diabolical in the conditions simply due to the wrong tyes.

GravelBen

15,755 posts

232 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Nigel H said:
On the servicing front - it cost a fortune! Oil services every 7500 miles (later models are 10000). Bills used to come out at about £300 every time at a local specialist.
Surely you could take half an hour out of your saturday a couple of times a year to do it yourself? Its not rocket science!

Mike_C

Original Poster:

984 posts

224 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Thing is, winter tyres for me car around £200-£250 a pop! And I don't fancy splashing out a grand on tyres for just a few months.

Anyway, thanks for the info - think i'll give the Impreza a miss!

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

214 months

Thursday 19th August 2010
quotequote all
Mike_C said:
Thing is, winter tyres for me car around £200-£250 a pop! And I don't fancy splashing out a grand on tyres for just a few months.

Anyway, thanks for the info - think i'll give the Impreza a miss!
You need to shop around, ebay is your friend. You could get a set of thinner alloys from a n/a or Legacy for circa £80 and then a part worn set of winters for £160. There is a tyre fitting place in Uxbridge selling 4 part works with 8mm of tread for £160. You only need 195s.

I was very lucky and found a set of Legacy alloys with winter tyres on ebay and won them for £57. They now sit in the garage ready for the winter.

eta

here they are, tread is nearly 10mm



Edited by CaptainSlow on Thursday 19th August 14:24