Am I causing myself problems, by only wanting 3.0+ engines?
Discussion
I'm looking for something exec'y. 3,5,7 series, C Class, A4/A6 etc. 2011 onwards.
Needs to have all the equipment, nav, dab, xenons etc. Looking at diesel.
Coming from a VXR vectra, I've set myself on needing a 3.0+ or bigger engine with an autobox.
This is all fine, but the prices for these cars are very high. a 520 and 530 with the exact same spec/miles etc can be £4k+ difference in price. Same with the C220/C350 and so on.
Am i doing myself an injustice? Would I be happy with a 320/520 etc. I'm not taking the thing round the nurburgring, but I want to be shovelled along and have a feeling of fast progression and being good for overtakes. I'm also thinking that an autobox would be wasted on a 2.0d engine, but i really dont want a manual diesel. Looking at the power figures for the A4 2.0d for example, wakes for woeful reading.
In short, would i be satsified with a 2.0 or do i still need to keep my sights set high at 3.0 and above, and just have to stomach the huge price more i'll have to pay.
Needs to have all the equipment, nav, dab, xenons etc. Looking at diesel.
Coming from a VXR vectra, I've set myself on needing a 3.0+ or bigger engine with an autobox.
This is all fine, but the prices for these cars are very high. a 520 and 530 with the exact same spec/miles etc can be £4k+ difference in price. Same with the C220/C350 and so on.
Am i doing myself an injustice? Would I be happy with a 320/520 etc. I'm not taking the thing round the nurburgring, but I want to be shovelled along and have a feeling of fast progression and being good for overtakes. I'm also thinking that an autobox would be wasted on a 2.0d engine, but i really dont want a manual diesel. Looking at the power figures for the A4 2.0d for example, wakes for woeful reading.
In short, would i be satsified with a 2.0 or do i still need to keep my sights set high at 3.0 and above, and just have to stomach the huge price more i'll have to pay.
If it's not about the sound, then it seems like it's not so much about the size as about the power.
You'd probably be happy with a 2.0 that gets close to the Vectra (280 bhp) on power - so maybe a newer 328i/330i (which are 2.0s) would be fine, but an E90 320i with no turbo would struggle.
You'd probably be happy with a 2.0 that gets close to the Vectra (280 bhp) on power - so maybe a newer 328i/330i (which are 2.0s) would be fine, but an E90 320i with no turbo would struggle.
Nothing wrong with looking at cars with big engines, they obviously make a fair bit of power and sound good. If you can afford the economy (or lack of) and all that then go for it.
My other half has gone form a 1.6 diesel to a 3.5 V6 and because her commute has gone form 50 miles each way to 45 miles per week so she's not finding it bad to run. Sounds nice though
My other half has gone form a 1.6 diesel to a 3.5 V6 and because her commute has gone form 50 miles each way to 45 miles per week so she's not finding it bad to run. Sounds nice though
I love the 640d 3.0D straight 6....I thought the 530D was a tad out of puff in the top end and just kept reving until the gearbox did it's thing...
Overall, the X20D will be "okay" with the smaller engine as the ZF gearbox in the BMW at least really allows you to make the best of the power available.
Rather like I say to 530D owners try that first and if you are happy then go for it, if you really are not happy then go try the 535D. So probably worth trying a 520D and if you are not happy the 30D...or just like me stuff it all fall in love with the shape of the 640D then come to accept the MPG penalty...(and probably a few others...).
Over list prices ignore them and ask for discount...I am sure there will be the usual BMW offers on...
Overall, the X20D will be "okay" with the smaller engine as the ZF gearbox in the BMW at least really allows you to make the best of the power available.
Rather like I say to 530D owners try that first and if you are happy then go for it, if you really are not happy then go try the 535D. So probably worth trying a 520D and if you are not happy the 30D...or just like me stuff it all fall in love with the shape of the 640D then come to accept the MPG penalty...(and probably a few others...).
Over list prices ignore them and ask for discount...I am sure there will be the usual BMW offers on...
Edited by Ninja59 on Friday 29th July 14:04
I would definitely say that 6 cylinder or 8 cylinder engines are far more enjoyable cars to drive than 4 cylinder diesels/petrols which are soulless things most of the time.
In the UK you aren't really punished for big (petrol) engines like you are in Ireland (€2400 a year on motor tax for a start), so I don't understand why everyone isn't driving V8s!
In the UK you aren't really punished for big (petrol) engines like you are in Ireland (€2400 a year on motor tax for a start), so I don't understand why everyone isn't driving V8s!
Triumph Man said:
bqf said:
520d not that much different to 530d. Really.
But with a 530d, you get a lovely smooth 6 cylinder engine.As ever, it's down to personal preference. Personally I went for a 320d over a 330d because I'm used to much faster cars and didn't feel the performance and smoothness difference was worth it in terms of weight and mpg. I'd far rather my car was 1505kg than 1615kg (figures on the current F30 3 series, cause they're easy to find!) or 1695kg vs 1785kg (current F11 5 series), with most of that weight over the nose. I also don't really like automatics. I can quite understand someone not interested in handling and more focused on performance, smoothness and sound wanting the '30d engine. So OP: if that's you, then limit yourself as you'll forever be disappointed with a 4 cyl engine.
I have to say I love my 2016 VW Golf R estate. Great DSG box, super quick, super comfy with the suspension change settings, goes like s**t off a shovel and handles brilliantly.
It looks fairly plain, but I prefer that, more understated. Pretty cheap to insure and tax compared to large engines and fairly economic to run, 4motion (not bad for 296 bhp). Just my own view, some will hate the VW, just my personal preference.
I had a 56 plate Ford Mondeo 3.0 Titanium X estate and it sounded lovely, but too heavy and expensive to run, cornered like a barge. I also had an old k-reg 2.9l VW Scirocco, much the same story.
With the smaller engines now cranking out more power these days, I don't see the point in large engines, except they make more noise and for me it's not worth it financially, unless you have money to waste and plus you have to think about when you sell it on.
You will struggle to find buyers and if you do you will need to pretty much give it away, unless you have a collectable one, but even then you might need to wait a while to shift it.
It looks fairly plain, but I prefer that, more understated. Pretty cheap to insure and tax compared to large engines and fairly economic to run, 4motion (not bad for 296 bhp). Just my own view, some will hate the VW, just my personal preference.
I had a 56 plate Ford Mondeo 3.0 Titanium X estate and it sounded lovely, but too heavy and expensive to run, cornered like a barge. I also had an old k-reg 2.9l VW Scirocco, much the same story.
With the smaller engines now cranking out more power these days, I don't see the point in large engines, except they make more noise and for me it's not worth it financially, unless you have money to waste and plus you have to think about when you sell it on.
You will struggle to find buyers and if you do you will need to pretty much give it away, unless you have a collectable one, but even then you might need to wait a while to shift it.
Edited by seadragon on Friday 29th July 14:11
Edited by seadragon on Friday 29th July 14:13
I might be the odd one out here, considering im not from the land of cheap and plentiful big engine cars, but:
I wouldnt consider a 320D slow, an e90 320d has between 160 and 180 hp, with a good amount of torque, does 0-60 in 8.3-7.6 secs. I just cant imagine that ever being truly slow or poor for overtaking, unless you absolutely need to overtake the losers who only do 100 on the autobahn. It is never going to be a true autobahn monster, and you wont shatter Ring times with it, but that isnt needed from what i read.
That said, id probably try to man-math myself into a big engine as well, itll be a different experience, and you might feel happier with it, so there is nothing wrong with spending money on it (within reason). I just dont think a modern 2 litre diesel would be inadequate for powering an execy german saloon
I wouldnt consider a 320D slow, an e90 320d has between 160 and 180 hp, with a good amount of torque, does 0-60 in 8.3-7.6 secs. I just cant imagine that ever being truly slow or poor for overtaking, unless you absolutely need to overtake the losers who only do 100 on the autobahn. It is never going to be a true autobahn monster, and you wont shatter Ring times with it, but that isnt needed from what i read.
That said, id probably try to man-math myself into a big engine as well, itll be a different experience, and you might feel happier with it, so there is nothing wrong with spending money on it (within reason). I just dont think a modern 2 litre diesel would be inadequate for powering an execy german saloon
bqf said:
The 520d is fine. Quick enough, smooth enough, incredibly economical. 530d is heavier, auto only, not that much different. I tried both (and didn't buy either, but thats a whole other story)....
Having had both I can't agree that the 530D is not that much different. Very noticeably quicker and smoother than the 520D. If doing bigger miles totally agree that the 520D is the better car though. Goes well enough, will cruise at 80-85 on the motorway all day long and consistently returns 45-50MPG.I don't know why anyone would go for the manual option with a diesel engine. The ZF 8Spd is perfectly matched to the torque and limited rev range the engines offer and TBH BMW's manuals have never been all that great anyway. The last one I truly liked was in an E36 M3 Evo.
Vitorio said:
I might be the odd one out here, considering im not from the land of cheap and plentiful big engine cars, but:
I wouldnt consider a 320D slow, an e90 320d has between 160 and 180 hp, with a good amount of torque, does 0-60 in 8.3-7.6 secs. I just cant imagine that ever being truly slow or poor for overtaking, unless you absolutely need to overtake the losers who only do 100 on the autobahn. It is never going to be a true autobahn monster, and you wont shatter Ring times with it, but that isnt needed from what i read.
That said, id probably try to man-math myself into a big engine as well, itll be a different experience, and you might feel happier with it, so there is nothing wrong with spending money on it (within reason). I just dont think a modern 2 litre diesel would be inadequate for powering an execy german saloon
I've gone from a 335 petrol to a 320d and the latter definitely feels...lethargic, but that's to be expected. I wouldnt consider a 320D slow, an e90 320d has between 160 and 180 hp, with a good amount of torque, does 0-60 in 8.3-7.6 secs. I just cant imagine that ever being truly slow or poor for overtaking, unless you absolutely need to overtake the losers who only do 100 on the autobahn. It is never going to be a true autobahn monster, and you wont shatter Ring times with it, but that isnt needed from what i read.
That said, id probably try to man-math myself into a big engine as well, itll be a different experience, and you might feel happier with it, so there is nothing wrong with spending money on it (within reason). I just dont think a modern 2 litre diesel would be inadequate for powering an execy german saloon
I might be the only one here who says this but the 2.0 diesel lump feels delicate and strained at anything over 2.5k rpm, and I rarely every give it the beans for fear of something snapping.
If a petrol 325/330/335 were even remotely cheap to run in a comparative sense I would go back in a heart beat.
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