BMW 325i touring
Discussion
good little escape for half term 
like these 3 series estates but 25mpg on a run is pretty bad
i have an E60 525d LCI M-Sport and can easily get 40mpg on a run without trying much
i think the next car will be an E91 but a nice big powerful oil burner with lots of torque please santa
glad i now know they come with a panoramic roof
JJ
like these 3 series estates but 25mpg on a run is pretty bad
i have an E60 525d LCI M-Sport and can easily get 40mpg on a run without trying much
i think the next car will be an E91 but a nice big powerful oil burner with lots of torque please santa
glad i now know they come with a panoramic roof
JJ
panoramic roof has been fantastic, though not used as much as i would like- kids pre-sunglasses don't like the sun in their faces much, but the roofbox and them growing older are fixing that. He will wear sunglasses now and have the roof open to keep an eye on his bike! (we take the bikes to Spain each summer and on all sorts of mini adventures). Whilst my roof has been fine, there are some known issues with the pan roof, not cheap to repair as you can imagine... Still at least our Alpina roof started to catch fire so I haven't been completely left out of the BMW sunroof problems club.
As to the economy, take a look back at the pictures, huge roofbox and two bike racks doesn't help. 25mpg including the London bit each end would be over 30mpg on the open road with no roof load, and its such a smooth and revvy engine to do it with, and a nice manual shift. I don't object a bit, it can do the economy thing ok when needed. I imagine a 330i gives the same economy for noticeably more poke though.
By the way, great short story on the origin of the touring here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0CUaS0czk I think PH did an article on it last year?
As to the economy, take a look back at the pictures, huge roofbox and two bike racks doesn't help. 25mpg including the London bit each end would be over 30mpg on the open road with no roof load, and its such a smooth and revvy engine to do it with, and a nice manual shift. I don't object a bit, it can do the economy thing ok when needed. I imagine a 330i gives the same economy for noticeably more poke though.
By the way, great short story on the origin of the touring here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF0CUaS0czk I think PH did an article on it last year?
Just had the alignment done. A cautionary tale for BMW drivers, especially of cars driven over speedbumps and potholes regularly...
Actually, no! After 6 years of driving London's awful streets and mounting a speedbump every 200 metres, there was virtually no adjustment needed. I was amazed, disappointed even. Maybe it has been speedbumped out of alignment for three years and then back in for the subsequent 3?
Wheelpower use a Hunter TD Elite with codelink. None of which means anything to me, but it is supposedly a very good machine.
Actually, no! After 6 years of driving London's awful streets and mounting a speedbump every 200 metres, there was virtually no adjustment needed. I was amazed, disappointed even. Maybe it has been speedbumped out of alignment for three years and then back in for the subsequent 3?
Wheelpower use a Hunter TD Elite with codelink. None of which means anything to me, but it is supposedly a very good machine.
2 things today. First a look at the bubbling paintwork just below the pop up rear window. You can also see some grit that has no doubt contributed. I still think it's not very impressive!
Secondly, I used the turkey baster method to replace some of the PAS fluid. The E9X cars use CHF-11s fluid, despite some of them having caps that say "ATF"- at least that should be under a sticker saying CHF 11s but I guess they sometimes peel off with the engine bag heat. I removed the contents of the reservoir and replaced. The car has 73k on it and a lot of lock to lock parking, I think the pump has hard a hard life. You can just about see the green of the new fluid in the neck of the can. You can definitely see the "green" of the used fluid.
I'm under the impression the PAS system is described as sealed for life. That would be a life of about 80-120k miles for most cars I would think. Not exactly life!
Secondly, I used the turkey baster method to replace some of the PAS fluid. The E9X cars use CHF-11s fluid, despite some of them having caps that say "ATF"- at least that should be under a sticker saying CHF 11s but I guess they sometimes peel off with the engine bag heat. I removed the contents of the reservoir and replaced. The car has 73k on it and a lot of lock to lock parking, I think the pump has hard a hard life. You can just about see the green of the new fluid in the neck of the can. You can definitely see the "green" of the used fluid.
I'm under the impression the PAS system is described as sealed for life. That would be a life of about 80-120k miles for most cars I would think. Not exactly life!
Time for an E91 update (that's a small BMW estate update for those who dislike BMW speak).
The car had a pair of new rear Goodyear F1s, 265 35 18s, which, whilst they are not Michelins, are a good tyre and had the benefit of the lowest db rating I could find. That shows the balance of ultimate nth degree dynamics vs family comfort that is the reality of our family mini barge.
27mpg, don't get that in London!
We're now in Spain having done our usual shared drive down. The peage autopay really helps for this, took us straight past a few very long queues... At least until the infamous E9x (sorry folks, that's small but not really small BMW) water pump failure arose.
If you read the Internet write ups, EVERY E9x water pump collapses at 75-80k miles. These are complex electrically driven pumps, constantly varying water flow to help economy.just what we need, another complicated BMW part. In April, I had Birds check the cooling system and engine codes, worrying about the pump and our 2500km journey. I even had the parts in my basket at ECP a couple of times ahead of trips to the US. But then I told myself, what kind of idiot spends hundreds of pounds - about £400 for parts- on preventative maintenance on a car that is fine? Not even me! So at 74940 miles, we had a yellow temperature warning, shortly followed by a red warning. Being a nerd that's read up, I immediately pulled the car over (leaving a peage- see how the autopay helps!) and switched off. No overheating of this magnesium engine block, no sirree. But worrisome codes yes:
And now we're rocking a Peugeot 2008 hire car which we somehow persuaded our roof bars, bikes and roofbox onto. Our car is languishing in southern France, still awaiting the pump, thermostat and a nice coolant refresh. The peage recovery people had a yard full of cars from all over Europe, sat for weeks awaiting... Something. Well, a yard full of cars and guard dogs. And dog poo. What a business. Here it is languishing in car hell:
Recovering 10-15 cars a day at €2-400 a pop plus €12 a day per car parking fee. Well, we're out of there but still in a garage that thought the car was fine- started it up no problems. Yes, let's not read the codes or understand the car at all, just conclude it is fine.
Point is, the pump is either done for, as the ecu codes suggest, or about to fail. Either way it needs changing as I'm not driving my family off in a car that's about to fail. Weirdly, instead of making us want to thwack it with branches, it's made us realise how much the old thing means to us.[url]
The car had a pair of new rear Goodyear F1s, 265 35 18s, which, whilst they are not Michelins, are a good tyre and had the benefit of the lowest db rating I could find. That shows the balance of ultimate nth degree dynamics vs family comfort that is the reality of our family mini barge.
27mpg, don't get that in London!
We're now in Spain having done our usual shared drive down. The peage autopay really helps for this, took us straight past a few very long queues... At least until the infamous E9x (sorry folks, that's small but not really small BMW) water pump failure arose.
If you read the Internet write ups, EVERY E9x water pump collapses at 75-80k miles. These are complex electrically driven pumps, constantly varying water flow to help economy.just what we need, another complicated BMW part. In April, I had Birds check the cooling system and engine codes, worrying about the pump and our 2500km journey. I even had the parts in my basket at ECP a couple of times ahead of trips to the US. But then I told myself, what kind of idiot spends hundreds of pounds - about £400 for parts- on preventative maintenance on a car that is fine? Not even me! So at 74940 miles, we had a yellow temperature warning, shortly followed by a red warning. Being a nerd that's read up, I immediately pulled the car over (leaving a peage- see how the autopay helps!) and switched off. No overheating of this magnesium engine block, no sirree. But worrisome codes yes:
And now we're rocking a Peugeot 2008 hire car which we somehow persuaded our roof bars, bikes and roofbox onto. Our car is languishing in southern France, still awaiting the pump, thermostat and a nice coolant refresh. The peage recovery people had a yard full of cars from all over Europe, sat for weeks awaiting... Something. Well, a yard full of cars and guard dogs. And dog poo. What a business. Here it is languishing in car hell:
Recovering 10-15 cars a day at €2-400 a pop plus €12 a day per car parking fee. Well, we're out of there but still in a garage that thought the car was fine- started it up no problems. Yes, let's not read the codes or understand the car at all, just conclude it is fine.
Point is, the pump is either done for, as the ecu codes suggest, or about to fail. Either way it needs changing as I'm not driving my family off in a car that's about to fail. Weirdly, instead of making us want to thwack it with branches, it's made us realise how much the old thing means to us.[url]
Edited by Polynesian on Thursday 4th August 20:17
After more than a week, the water pump and thermostat are done. I've probably been a difficult customer for small French garage in, wait for it, August! Seriously, I probably have been with my calls to ensure they will use the correct coolant refill technique and is it ready yet.
For an 11 year old family mini barge, I'm actually feeling really excited to pick it up in the next hour or so- had a 300 mile drive back from northern Spain this morning to be here. In a rental Peugeot 2008, so that makes it about 500 normal miles. Very keen to see the wagon and get driving back. There's a bit more holiday left yet. But a taxi to wait for yet, in France, in August, at lunchtime.
For an 11 year old family mini barge, I'm actually feeling really excited to pick it up in the next hour or so- had a 300 mile drive back from northern Spain this morning to be here. In a rental Peugeot 2008, so that makes it about 500 normal miles. Very keen to see the wagon and get driving back. There's a bit more holiday left yet. But a taxi to wait for yet, in France, in August, at lunchtime.
helix402 said:
Your pump failed 60 miles too early. At least you're not in a Peugeot any more.
Yes, I may send the old pump to BMW (may be a rebate on them too?) and complain about my missing 60 miles of pump service. Also had time to daydream a bit about French pilotes- you always used to hear about the local Claude on a French road able to take the corners faster in his a pug 205 diesel than the visitor in their Esprit or whatever. What on earth do those French drivers drive now? The new stuff seems to be merde.Still, it lives:
and served up 31mpg on the 80-90mph run back to Asturias. That's sans roofbox and bikes but still made me happy. 660 miles of driving in one day. That's enough adventure for me. Even tried a can of monster energy today. If that's what is in the McLaren fuel tanks I may have discovered their problem.
Edited by Polynesian on Wednesday 10th August 22:51
Edited by Polynesian on Wednesday 10th August 22:54
Until this water pump saga, the car has never let us down in 6 years. So there I was driving off from another peage on the way home (through the 30kmh transponder lane which somehow feels fun on GB plates) and I accelerated, for you can all the way to 7, unlike in the Pug diseasel we've had, and my phone flew out of its little clip on dash vent holder. And then I noticed... The car is now cursed, French mechanics have sabotaged it, it's for the scrap pile... The DTC light was on. s
t!
In my mind, unlike in my E46, there isn't a button in the E91, so I was driving along using my best French and Spanish swear words. And no cruise control either. CC ID code 184 came up. We have to tip this car off a cliff, it's doomed now to failures!
Then I realised that my phone falling had clipped the DTC button that was hidden behind it, and all was fine.
Sometimes it's user error not the car...
t!In my mind, unlike in my E46, there isn't a button in the E91, so I was driving along using my best French and Spanish swear words. And no cruise control either. CC ID code 184 came up. We have to tip this car off a cliff, it's doomed now to failures!
Then I realised that my phone falling had clipped the DTC button that was hidden behind it, and all was fine.
Sometimes it's user error not the car...
Clever lady just did this:
Whilst my wife was putting our 2 year old in that side... Missed my wife by centimetres. Looks like a clear no fault, with witnesses, and a driver who claimed to see nothing. Still, now dealing with insurance and offered Albany claims, turned down to go to my local bodyshop guy for a quote tomorrow. Save everyone's premiums a bit and get a good job done.
Some drivers really shouldn't be on the road. Very glad my wife still has her legs!
Whilst my wife was putting our 2 year old in that side... Missed my wife by centimetres. Looks like a clear no fault, with witnesses, and a driver who claimed to see nothing. Still, now dealing with insurance and offered Albany claims, turned down to go to my local bodyshop guy for a quote tomorrow. Save everyone's premiums a bit and get a good job done.
Some drivers really shouldn't be on the road. Very glad my wife still has her legs!
CB 987 said:
Pretty sure I spotted you yesterday in Dorset, with a roof box? I was in my E91 330i.
Wheels looked really good!
That would have been us! Slightly jealous of your enine- basically the same economy with a worthwhile extra chunk of hp and torque. Nice.Wheels looked really good!
Thanks for the compliment on the wheels- I think they really suit it, and being 18's, and noticeably lighter than the original wheels, it rides ok-ish too (we have non rfts)
chillbill said:
Good read, hope it gets mended soon!
I happen own an E91 320dA in the same colour. Sometimes wish it was a 6-cylinder petrol manual but can't complain too much about the 2.0d's torque or auto box in stop start traffic.
Thanks, I'd actually prefer the auto in ours, living in london it would be a help more than a hindrance. It's a lovely colour in the sun, isn't it. And hopefully back with us soon from the door incident with lots of shiny new paint. We are not even using the honda avensis we've been loaned, it's just too sad and woeful a place to be! I'm not saying that a 3 series is a bentley in comparison, but everything is so well thought out, the materials are miles ahead and it feels like a car- something you interact with- not a transport device you submit to. Come home soon E91!I happen own an E91 320dA in the same colour. Sometimes wish it was a 6-cylinder petrol manual but can't complain too much about the 2.0d's torque or auto box in stop start traffic.
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