£5-8k. E46 330Ci vs E46 M3?
Discussion
mboon said:
I am sure BMW figures are not the best either so wouldnt take a massive amount of notice to them.
Quite, but you'd expect them to be consistently 'not the best' rather than the official figures for an M3 being woefully pesemistic. I mean thatd be a first wouldnt it, a manufacturer stating a consumption figure far lower than the car is really capable of?The E46 M3 has a combined consumption figure of about 23mpg versus 31mpg in the 330i.
jaedba2604 said:
In an E46 M3, i managed 26mpg over mixed driving over 3 years - calculated manually. trip computer read 26.8mpg.
I've had a few E36 and E46 M3's none of them ever got even close to that figure, 18-22 seemed to be normal, long motorway cruise it might get closer to 26.rallycross said:
I've had a few E36 and E46 M3's none of them ever got even close to that figure, 18-22 seemed to be normal, long motorway cruise it might get closer to 26.
must have a light right foot, over 30 on the motorway from mine...and i've spoken to others who've achieved the same.m3 isnt really that bad compared with the 330ci 5sp which has a piss poor engine compared, needs 6spd 
. on a run i can get over 30 in M
interesting http://www.tesco.com/Momentum99/productBenefits.as...
. on a run i can get over 30 in Minteresting http://www.tesco.com/Momentum99/productBenefits.as...
I wonder why it isn't possible to discuss these cars without the relative owners convincing themselves the other is crap? 330i 'piss poor engine'? Just what? It's a fantastic engine - very different to the engine found in the M3 - which in its own right is another masterpeice - but it's hardly 'piss poor'.
The M54 is a particularly smooth, refined and lovely engine when combined with a nice torque convertor auto, for example. 'On a run', which you claim gets you over 30 (I can well beleive) you can eek out almost 40 (Though not in aforementioned auto, this also supports the differential BMW claim). As a result it hasn't anything like the hard edged performance character as the S54 in the M3 - but thats why the M3 has an S54 but the 330i doesnt. They are different cars!
The M54 is a particularly smooth, refined and lovely engine when combined with a nice torque convertor auto, for example. 'On a run', which you claim gets you over 30 (I can well beleive) you can eek out almost 40 (Though not in aforementioned auto, this also supports the differential BMW claim). As a result it hasn't anything like the hard edged performance character as the S54 in the M3 - but thats why the M3 has an S54 but the 330i doesnt. They are different cars!
Edited by Fox- on Sunday 25th March 12:27
mboon said:
agree with above, the 330i is a cracking engine, so smooth, plenty of torque and very quick on the motorways.
Its also as reliable as its going to get.
Mine has oil leaks all over the place, is comparatively noisy from anywhere except inside the cabin, and makes all sorts of weird wooshing sounds that I don't think it's supposed to, that might relate to the abortion that is the oil separator/crank case ventilation system.Its also as reliable as its going to get.
As far as 3 litre straight-sixes go, the only thing it's got going for it is that it can achieve 40mpg. Other than that it's a bit of a fail IMO.
I don't think you know what reliable means!
Mine has 160,000 on the clock and you cannot hear the engine when it is ticking over and sat in the drivers seat. you have to look at the rev counter to know its running.
Outside is met with a smooth quiet engine note....
From the rear you can hear the exhaust which if I am honest, sounds very nice.
Reving is lovely, sounds really good when pushed on and loves to be reved. Never once has it missed a beat etc or made a funny noise.
I think any car that has 160k on the clock and still sounds, well like new deserves a title of reliable....
Not putting your car down, but maybe its time for a check over.... they all burn a little oil, they did when they was brand new. Get the pipes changed to stop this having a major oil thirst.
Get the oil leaks fixed maybe as well? maybe a sign of poor maintainence if your running it around with know oil leaks? Harsh to judge the car if that is how your treating it...
I am sure there are plenty of people who own the 330i and can comment on how reliable they really are....
Outside is met with a smooth quiet engine note....
From the rear you can hear the exhaust which if I am honest, sounds very nice.
Reving is lovely, sounds really good when pushed on and loves to be reved. Never once has it missed a beat etc or made a funny noise.
I think any car that has 160k on the clock and still sounds, well like new deserves a title of reliable....
Not putting your car down, but maybe its time for a check over.... they all burn a little oil, they did when they was brand new. Get the pipes changed to stop this having a major oil thirst.
Get the oil leaks fixed maybe as well? maybe a sign of poor maintainence if your running it around with know oil leaks? Harsh to judge the car if that is how your treating it...
I am sure there are plenty of people who own the 330i and can comment on how reliable they really are....
mboon said:
Mine has 160,000 on the clock and you cannot hear the engine when it is ticking over and sat in the drivers seat. you have to look at the rev counter to know its running.
Outside is met with a smooth quiet engine note....
From the rear you can hear the exhaust which if I am honest, sounds very nice.
Reving is lovely, sounds really good when pushed on and loves to be reved. Never once has it missed a beat etc or made a funny noise.
I think any car that has 160k on the clock and still sounds, well like new deserves a title of reliable....
Not putting your car down, but maybe its time for a check over.... they all burn a little oil, they did when they was brand new. Get the pipes changed to stop this having a major oil thirst.
Get the oil leaks fixed maybe as well? maybe a sign of poor maintainence if your running it around with know oil leaks? Harsh to judge the car if that is how your treating it...
I am sure there are plenty of people who own the 330i and can comment on how reliable they really are....
I'm pretty sure valve cover gasket leaks & oil filter housing leaks are very well known problems with this engine. I've replaced both. The valve cover still seems to be leaking a bit though.Outside is met with a smooth quiet engine note....
From the rear you can hear the exhaust which if I am honest, sounds very nice.
Reving is lovely, sounds really good when pushed on and loves to be reved. Never once has it missed a beat etc or made a funny noise.
I think any car that has 160k on the clock and still sounds, well like new deserves a title of reliable....
Not putting your car down, but maybe its time for a check over.... they all burn a little oil, they did when they was brand new. Get the pipes changed to stop this having a major oil thirst.
Get the oil leaks fixed maybe as well? maybe a sign of poor maintainence if your running it around with know oil leaks? Harsh to judge the car if that is how your treating it...
I am sure there are plenty of people who own the 330i and can comment on how reliable they really are....
The oil separator is a known problem as well, as is the line from the oil separator back down to the dipstick.. another vac leak and oil leak source.
carl0s said:
I'm pretty sure valve cover gasket leaks & oil filter housing leaks are very well known problems with this engine. I've replaced both. The valve cover still seems to be leaking a bit though.
The oil separator is a known problem as well, as is the line from the oil separator back down to the dipstick.. another vac leak and oil leak source.
The valve cover gasket is a common one but to be honest a leaky valve cover gasket is hardly the end of the world, it's not as if its lunched itself is it? Oil filter housing leaks are less common. If the valve cover gasket is still leaking then it wasn't fixed right - you can mess it up if you remove the cover when the engine is hot apparently, as it can warp. You also need the seperate gaskets for the bolts, or it might still leak.The oil separator is a known problem as well, as is the line from the oil separator back down to the dipstick.. another vac leak and oil leak source.
Fox- said:
The valve cover gasket is a common one but to be honest a leaky valve cover gasket is hardly the end of the world, it's not as if its lunched itself is it? Oil filter housing leaks are less common. If the valve cover gasket is still leaking then it wasn't fixed right - you can mess it up if you remove the cover when the engine is hot apparently, as it can warp. You also need the seperate gaskets for the bolts, or it might still leak.
I replaced it all. The spark plug gaskets, fresh rubbers for under the bolts/washers..I used a bit of RTV on it today.
Perhaps the non-OEM gasket is rubbish...
Apart from that, and the cracked radiator expansion tank (isn't that common too?), and the fact that I had to pre-emptively replace the acc-belt tensioner with a newer hydraulic type to stop it ripping out of the front of the block, well, it's err, a nice car. Starting to rust around the arches though.
I also had the severed CCV -> dipstick tube pipe.
Front bushes seem to last less than a year, but take 15 minutes to replace, at £60/pair.
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