E46 330ci 325ci differences

[twoblacklines]

Are there any other differences with these other than the engine?

I ask this because I have been hunting a 330ci coupe manual with heated seats for over a year now and not found any suitables.

Yet right now I see 4 examples on autotrader alone and every time I search... for around 8k, some without heated seats but £500 retrofit.

Is it just the engine that is different in these? No other differences? Engine swap can't be that expensive right?

thanks

[JakeT]

Basically yes. But I would say go for a 330ci. There are a lot of well specced ones in the classifieds. Later models came with a 6spd gearbox (only on the 330), they also come with a more generous spec that includes a rain/light sensor, headlamp washers and probably a few more bits I can't remember. Mark (MWstewart) has retrofitted heated seats to an E46 M3, so you shouldn't have all too much difficulty in fitting them.

[BigTom85]

Mechanically I know the brakes are bigger on a 330ci too.

[twoblacklines]

All the ones in the classifieds are high mileage 330ci's compared to low mileage 325ci's. My last 330ci was 108k and it showed!!!!! I want sub 60k but I notice when they do come along they are up in 335i M Sport price ranges. CRAZY!

[Smuler]

I was on a dealer's mailing list and the other day got an email about a 330ci less than 30k and was about £9.5k !!

This was an auto, so no good for you anyway, but I guess the reasoning is that they are a sought after niche car for those who prefer the older BMW.

I miss my old E46 in many ways, and would never have gone E92 in any car other than 335i. Love the engine )

I did consider saving my old E46, but I think buying an engine from Quarry Motors plus my local garage doing labour was around 1300£ so on a 136k mile car I didn't bother (engines around 55k miles were being sold) in the end as I drive 15-20k miles a year.

Guess it depends what you want car for. Apart from oil leak which was an expensive head gasket off repair job , car was superb, so don't see why a well looked after 330ci can't go further than my car did.

[StuTheGrouch]

The 330 is my second e46 BMW (had the 323 before). When I was looking it had to be a face lift model, M sport and manual. I wanted the HK stereo and heated seats, but simply could not find them and concluded that the M sport models didn't have heated seats. That might not be correct, but they certainly are rare!

I love mine. It's on 127k miles now and is generally is very good condition. I chased an oil leak around for a bit, some of it was due to older gaskets but the CVV caused oil leak issues too- all fixed now.

[Vee]

twoblacklines said:

All the ones in the classifieds are high mileage 330ci's compared to low mileage 325ci's. My last 330ci was 108k and it showed!!!!! I want sub 60k but I notice when they do come along they are up in 335i M Sport price ranges. CRAZY!

I think you need a reality check on your expectations.
You are after a car that has done less than 6k miles per year.
Anything that low is practically brand new condition in E46 terms so they're priced accordingly £7-£10k, excluding Hexagon Highgate stuff which is always ridiculously priced.
You are comparing to 100k mile E92s which will have poor history, probably need money spending on them, are double the road tax and cost more to insure because of the theft issue.

[hornetrider]

OP - I might be misunderstanding what you're saying here, so forgive me if I am. Are you saying you'd sacrifice the engine in order to get heated seats? There is so much wrong with that I don't know where to start!!

If you're that desperate for bum warmers (I don't know why) just get them retrofitted.

FWIW I drove an E39 with these two engines and once you try the 30i there is no way you'll settle for a 25i.

[Sardonicus]

twoblacklines said:

All the ones in the classifieds are high mileage 330ci's compared to low mileage 325ci's. My last 330ci was 108k and it showed!!!!! I want sub 60k but I notice when they do come along they are up in 335i M Sport price ranges. CRAZY!

No reason for a E46 at just 108k to show it age IMO I purchased an E46 325 with 150k for this very reason they are out there you just have to look hard no way was I going to pay silly money for another 35hp and bigger brakes the divide price wise between 2.5 and 3.0 is massive

[LanceRS]

Sardonicus said:

twoblacklines said:

All the ones in the classifieds are high mileage 330ci's compared to low mileage 325ci's. My last 330ci was 108k and it showed!!!!! I want sub 60k but I notice when they do come along they are up in 335i M Sport price ranges. CRAZY!

No reason for a E46 at just 108k to show it age IMO I purchased an E46 325 with 150k for this very reason they are out there you just have to look hard no way was I going to pay silly money for another 35hp and bigger brakes the divide price wise between 2.5 and 3.0 is massive

Mine has 106k on it now.

[ftypical]

Find a rust-free one that needs some tlc for £2k. The main problem areas can be dealt with by a home mechanic, while BMW now sell all the bits needed for about the same as GSF or ECP.


167k miles and still going strong....

[4rephill]

Sardonicus said:

...... no way was I going to pay silly money for another 35hp and bigger brakes the divide price wise between 2.5 and 3.0 is massive

According to the official BMW 325ci/330ci owners manual:

POWER:
325ci: 184hp
330ci: 225hp

(Difference: 41hp)

TORQUE:

325ci: 175lb/ft
330ci: 214lb/ft

(Difference: 39lb/ft)

An extra 41hp and 39lb/ft may not sound like much, but it makes the 330 a much better drive than a 325.

I tried a 325ci and it felt pretty good compared to My E36 328i Sport (saying that, it didn't feel as lively), but then I tried a 330ci and that was it for the 325ci! -The extra power and torque made a noticeable difference to how it drove.

Is the 330 worth the extra over the 325? - That's up to the individual really, you'd have to try both and make your own mind up.

For Me personally, I'd put it this way:

The 325 is a very good car.
The 330 is a great car and definitely worth the extra!

[dhutch]

I have yet to (and hence might never) drive a 325 but did consider an m-sport compact when a red 325 came up as the hatchback would have been more practical.

However just over two days into my 330ci owning days I have to say its spot on, and I have never liked heated seats that much anyway. It has a good heater, what more do you need!

There are some tidy 325's out there it does seem however. Inc some of the nicer colours, ie: not Grey!


Daniel

[BigTom85]

In my experience the 325Ti has similar performance to a 330Ci, mostly down to the shorter final drive ratio, so may be worth a look if outright performance is the end-goal.

The Ti's also seem to be about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of a similar spec/miles Ci, and don't seem to rust like at all either.

[twoblacklines]

The Ti is a bit ugly.

I am not saying I would sacrifice the bigger engine for heated seats I am saying I would sacrifice buying a car with that engine that might be a bit ropey for buying a MINT low mileage 325ci and IF all the parts are the same except the engine (the whole point of this thread) I could just put a 330ci engine in it. And have a mint low mileage 330ci.

The only answers to my question so far have been

engine
gearbox
I believe 330ci exhaust has 2 pipes all the way down and 325ci has one but can't be too hard to find an OEM 330ci exhaust.
brakes?

I owned a 108k 330ci auto this time last year. It passed all the HPI checks and "looked" mint so I bought it. A week later the brakes stopped working, the dealer told me to fk off, a spring cracked, and I auctioned it for 1/3 of the price I bought it for (sold it to WBAC and they auctioned it). On the auction notes it says it was a cat D. On RAC's HPI it didn't. So I paid £7k last year for a high mileage CAT D car that was listed by the dealer AND the HPI check as a high mileage non-cat-anything car.

So you might understand why sinking a further £5k into a high mileage 330ci might be a little offputting?

[twoblacklines]

Vee said:

I think you need a reality check on your expectations.
You are after a car that has done less than 6k miles per year.
Anything that low is practically brand new condition in E46 terms so they're priced accordingly £7-£10k, excluding Hexagon Highgate stuff which is always ridiculously priced.
You are comparing to 100k mile E92s which will have poor history, probably need money spending on them, are double the road tax and cost more to insure because of the theft issue.

Yes? It is not a fking M3. It is a 330ci. Plenty of other marques sell with the mileage I want and condition I want for the price I expect to pay. Considering they actually go for that on autotrader with "buts" I can't see how I need a reality check.

Maybe you need a reality check thinking a 12 year old low mileage tourer is worth the same price as a 3 year old V8 M3?

[Vee]

twoblacklines said:

Vee said:

I think you need a reality check on your expectations.
You are after a car that has done less than 6k miles per year.
Anything that low is practically brand new condition in E46 terms so they're priced accordingly £7-£10k, excluding Hexagon Highgate stuff which is always ridiculously priced.
You are comparing to 100k mile E92s which will have poor history, probably need money spending on them, are double the road tax and cost more to insure because of the theft issue.

Yes? It is not a fking M3. It is a 330ci. Plenty of other marques sell with the mileage I want and condition I want for the price I expect to pay. Considering they actually go for that on autotrader with "buts" I can't see how I need a reality check.

Maybe you need a reality check thinking a 12 year old low mileage tourer is worth the same price as a 3 year old V8 M3?

Where did I mention a V8 M3, or a touring ?
You are moaning that low mileage E46s are as much as high mileage E92s. I was simply pointing out that low mileage 330ci are very sought after for a number of reasons and why they might be priced at the same level as a dog of a 335i.

I would wish you luck with your search but seeing as you're now justifying that a BMW 330ci (I assume sport) should be priced a certain way because 'plenty of other marques are at that price and mileage', I think I'll just sit back and have a chuckle.

[McSam]

twoblacklines said:

I owned a 108k 330ci auto this time last year. It passed all the HPI checks and "looked" mint so I bought it. A week later the brakes stopped working, the dealer told me to fk off, a spring cracked, and I auctioned it for 1/3 of the price I bought it for (sold it to WBAC and they auctioned it). On the auction notes it says it was a cat D. On RAC's HPI it didn't. So I paid £7k last year for a high mileage CAT D car that was listed by the dealer AND the HPI check as a high mileage non-cat-anything car.

So you might understand why sinking a further £5k into a high mileage 330ci might be a little offputting?

I'm not trying to be funny but how the fk did you spend £7k on an auto of all things that wasn't absolutely immaculate in every way? Half that amount is tidy Clubsport money. There's plenty of good examples at £2-3k, less if you want an auto because nobody else seems to.

I don't recall the brakes ever "stopping working" on my 161,000-mile E46 either. Does a stuck caliper or an ABS sensor (at a guess), plus a pair of springs, add up to more than £4600 - since that's what you say you lost selling the car because of those issues?

Sorry and all, but I think you're talking out of your arse.

[Smuler]

I refer back to my earlier answer, and based on all the garage advice I had YES you can put the engine from 330ci in 325ci. The car I believe would still officially be a 325ci for insurance purposes etc. but modified I guess is the status.

It'll be faster, but it's not, in my opinion, a "night and day" difference in daily driving life.

I didn't get any steer as to the need of changing the other parts. I was happy with a 5 speed, exhaust is twin, you can always get aftermarket brakes I you want bigger. Are you planning on tracking car?

[Sushifiend]

I've had my E46 330Ci from new, and now it's on 175k miles. The only time it's ever broken down since I got it 15 years ago, it was on a long overnight ferry voyage. I'd forgotten to disable the tilt sensor and the alarm made the battery go flat. I've got a heavy right foot so the engine uses a bit of oil now and there's a minor oil leak from the engine too. But I specced it well when I ordered it and I've loved it every day - hence why I never traded it for something else.

My spec is Manual (5 speed), black leather interior, heated electric memory sports seats, sports suspension, MV-spoke 18" wheels, high navigation with TV, H/K audio, electric folding mirrors, climate control, climate comfort windscreen, windscreen blue tint, tilt/slide glass sunroof, xenon headlights and I think that's about it. All that stuff still works fine 15 years later. It still drives very sweetly, still on the original exhaust and clutch. Really the only issue is the rust developing on the rear wheel arches. I could get that fixed fairly easily, and I may if I can resist the urge to go for an M3.

What I'm trying to say is try not to let high mileage put you off. If you can find the spec you want and you can see that the car's been well looked after, then it should be a safe enough buy. Perhaps being the first owner, I look after it in a way the 4th owner might not. The biggest issue for me is that the front suspension likes to chew through bushes and the car eats rear tyres for breakfast. Did I mention my heavy right foot?