BMW 320D Xdrive Touring

[LosingGrip]

Onto my fifth BMW now and another three series. I was trying to find a 330D but there wasn't any within my budget locally that didn't have silly miles or looked crap.

Found this one locally. Full service history, 12 months MOT, 110k miles is slightly more than I would have liked but not the end of the world.

Leather seats, heated front seats (I've missed that!). Sat nav (also missed that).

Paid £10,000 which although I could have got cheaper, it's a nice example. Hopefully picking it up on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Photo is from the advert so will get some more no doubt.

[d_a_n1979]

That looks well...

Sounds like my experience back in December. Looked at a number of 330Ds and they were either rough, basic spec and just the wrong colour etc...

I was wanting to avoid xDrive too

Thats why I ended up with the 325d M Sport we've got now and it's a superb car and really glad I went for it...

[lord trumpton]

Looks bang on.

Just read up on the timing chain issues depending on year...can be a real wallet opener if borkage plays it's hand.

[LosingGrip]

d_a_n1979 said:

That looks well...

Sounds like my experience back in December. Looked at a number of 330Ds and they were either rough, basic spec and just the wrong colour etc...

I was wanting to avoid xDrive too

Thats why I ended up with the 325d M Sport we've got now and it's a superb car and really glad I went for it...

I saw some really good examples of a 325...until you looked at the inside. My god it was gash!

lord trumpton said:

Looks bang on.

Just read up on the timing chain issues depending on year...can be a real wallet opener if borkage plays it's hand.

It looks like I'm OK with this one. It's a 2013 plate. Appears to be up to 2011 from what I've read. So fingers crossed.

[d_a_n1979]

LosingGrip said:

d_a_n1979 said:

That looks well...

Sounds like my experience back in December. Looked at a number of 330Ds and they were either rough, basic spec and just the wrong colour etc...

I was wanting to avoid xDrive too

Thats why I ended up with the 325d M Sport we've got now and it's a superb car and really glad I went for it...

I saw some really good examples of a 325...until you looked at the inside. My god it was gash!

lord trumpton said:

Looks bang on.

Just read up on the timing chain issues depending on year...can be a real wallet opener if borkage plays it's hand.

It looks like I'm OK with this one. It's a 2013 plate. Appears to be up to 2011 from what I've read. So fingers crossed.

Yup. They're far n few between and so are the specs.

Fortunately mine ticked all the boxes. Pro nav, HK system, leather, heated seats, M Sport Blue 370/345mm brakes and non xDrive etc

[Mr Tidy]

Hopefully that is good news then.

Love the colour BTW but 3 Series Tourings do seem to hard to find, and expensive when you do!

Enjoy collection day.

[LosingGrip]

Mr Tidy said:

Hopefully that is good news then.

Love the colour BTW but 3 Series Tourings do seem to hard to find, and expensive when you do!

Enjoy collection day.

Strangely I've had three 5 Series which have all been saloons and now two 3 Series which have been Tourings. I prefer the look of the Tourings and they are so useful (could have done with one when I moved!).

I love the colour as well. In person it looks amazing!

I was hoping to collect it today before work...was due to finish at midnight and finished at 0430. I am not getting up early ha.

[Mr Tidy]

LosingGrip said:

Strangely I've had three 5 Series which have all been saloons and now two 3 Series which have been Tourings. I prefer the look of the Tourings and they are so useful (could have done with one when I moved!).

I love the colour as well. In person it looks amazing!

I was hoping to collect it today before work...was due to finish at midnight and finished at 0430. I am not getting up early ha.

I've had four 3 Series, two E46 Compacts, one Touring and one Saloon as well as an E87 1 Series and to be honest I liked the hatches best. But then I'm on my 3rd Z4 Coupe now!

Hopefully you are up now and have collected it, or are about to.

[LosingGrip]

Collect it this morning. Very pleased with it so far. But just did a small five mile drive to work.

Couple of things I'm not too keen on but was aware when I got it...no electric chairs. It's all manual adjustments. Real pain in the arse as I just got my partner insured on it...and now she'll mess the seats up ha.

Actually I think that's the only thing I'm not keen on so far. It will get a longer drive home this evening.

[5 In a Row]

Nice car and looks lovely in that colour.

I had a 2013 one of those in black for a few years - took it to 125k miles before part-exing it for a 430d.

I was very happy with it, couldn't believe how much space it had inside compared to the E46 Touring that preceded it.

There were 2 major issues though.
First was the x-Drive. At one point I replaced the front tyres only and that apparently upset the transfer box which was subsequently diagnosed and recommended for replacement at a cost of £5k (plus 2 rear tyres) by the dealer :O. However I lived with that for about 18 months - the only sign of the issue was a slight stutter on hard acceleration that was only really noticeable to me.
It could've probably been sorted for a lot less than £5k but I eventually used it as an excuse to get something faster

Second issue was rust along all the door bottoms. I had it checked at a decent dealer (not the ones who looked at the transfer box) who told me it wasn't covered by the anti-perforation warranty as the car appeared to have been driven extensively on gravel roads! Must've been the first owner.

I was recently considering replacing the 430 with a 330 or 335 (despite the latter's x-Drive) but the estates are particularly expensive.

[LosingGrip]

LosingGrip said:

Collect it this morning. Very pleased with it so far. But just did a small five mile drive to work.

Couple of things I'm not too keen on but was aware when I got it...no electric chairs. It's all manual adjustments. Real pain in the arse as I just got my partner insured on it...and now she'll mess the seats up ha.

Actually I think that's the only thing I'm not keen on so far. It will get a longer drive home this evening.

Another issue. It can't play music through my phone . I really missed that from my Golf when i got my 5 series. Kinda assumed as it was a 13 plate and had a sat nav it would have bluetooth for music. I can make phone calls though.

Had a fun drive on the way home though!

[d_a_n1979]

LosingGrip said:

LosingGrip said:

Collect it this morning. Very pleased with it so far. But just did a small five mile drive to work.

Couple of things I'm not too keen on but was aware when I got it...no electric chairs. It's all manual adjustments. Real pain in the arse as I just got my partner insured on it...and now she'll mess the seats up ha.

Actually I think that's the only thing I'm not keen on so far. It will get a longer drive home this evening.

Another issue. It can't play music through my phone . I really missed that from my Golf when i got my 5 series. Kinda assumed as it was a 13 plate and had a sat nav it would have bluetooth for music. I can make phone calls though.

Had a fun drive on the way home though!

I 'think' it can be coded with the likes of Bimmercode or ISTA/Carly etc... Do a bit of Googling... My 2015 does it, that's with pro nav though

And re the seats; that I get as we've manual seats also; however I'm the main driver and my wife only raises it a touch and moves it back. So it's easy enough to get back to where it was. Plus at 6ft 4; the memory seats had me sitting a bit too high when I test drove a 330D that had them; the manuals sit lower as they haven't got the motors packed under them...

This is my F31 Readers Cars project here if you're bored

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[5 In a Row]

d_a_n1979 said:

LosingGrip said:

LosingGrip said:

Collect it this morning. Very pleased with it so far. But just did a small five mile drive to work.

Couple of things I'm not too keen on but was aware when I got it...no electric chairs. It's all manual adjustments. Real pain in the arse as I just got my partner insured on it...and now she'll mess the seats up ha.

Actually I think that's the only thing I'm not keen on so far. It will get a longer drive home this evening.

Another issue. It can't play music through my phone . I really missed that from my Golf when i got my 5 series. Kinda assumed as it was a 13 plate and had a sat nav it would have bluetooth for music. I can make phone calls though.

Had a fun drive on the way home though!

I 'think' it can be coded with the likes of Bimmercode or ISTA/Carly etc... Do a bit of Googling... My 2015 does it, that's with pro nav though

My 2013 one played Spotify through the phone with the standard nav

[V 02]

Enhanced Bluetooth can be coded in using Bimmercode which enables audio streaming from your phone (IIRC)

[LosingGrip]

Thank you, I'll have a look at one .

[d_a_n1979]

LosingGrip said:

Thank you, I'll have a look at one .

Absolutely worth getting BimmerCode and the relevant Bluetooth dongle off Amazon: Vgate iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) OBD2 Fault Code Reader OBDII Code Scanner Car Check Engine Light for iOS/Android https://amzn.eu/d/29voie0

I’ve got that and it’s been faultless.

[LosingGrip]

d_a_n1979 said:

Absolutely worth getting BimmerCode and the relevant Bluetooth dongle off Amazon: Vgate iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) OBD2 Fault Code Reader OBDII Code Scanner Car Check Engine Light for iOS/Android https://amzn.eu/d/29voie0

I’ve got that and it’s been faultless.

I picked that one today. Annoyingly I didn't check but Bimmercode don't support it anymore. The others are more expensive and I don't care that much for it. Although I'll still moan every time ha.

Loving the car. Its comfy, power is about right. MPG isn't brilliant but I've been dicking about with the sports button with my other halves son who loves it.

[LosingGrip]

Found a solution for the music issue via a £15 Bluetooth AUX thingy. Does the job perfectly. Hides away in the arm rest in the middle with a AUX hole and USB hole to charge it at the same time...

Brake light went on Thursday. No issues, popped to get a new bulb but that doesn't work...looks like its the circuit board itself. Looking to be about £60 for a new one (amazon sell them it seems).

I also had to avoid a kid walking out in front of me...ttted the curb and now my front and rear offside alloys are fked.

[d_a_n1979]

LosingGrip said:

Found a solution for the music issue via a £15 Bluetooth AUX thingy. Does the job perfectly. Hides away in the arm rest in the middle with a AUX hole and USB hole to charge it at the same time...

Brake light went on Thursday. No issues, popped to get a new bulb but that doesn't work...looks like its the circuit board itself. Looking to be about £60 for a new one (amazon sell them it seems).

I also had to avoid a kid walking out in front of me...ttted the curb and now my front and rear offside alloys are fked.

Balls Soon get them refurbed...

How's the F31 treating you otherwise?

[LosingGrip]

To he fair I won't get them done most likely. Maybe if I come to sell it I will.

The car itself is perfect for what I need/want. MPG is still st (43ish) but can't complain too much.