Which 4 Series Should I Go For?
Discussion
silent ninja said:
Well the BMW diesel is not as bad as the awful tractor diesel in the C Class so maybe that's why I don't think it's too bad. The auto suits the diesel. Also, the high torque and power available at low revs is what makes a diesel feel quite responsive.
The diesel in my Merc is the 3 litre, so the 20d is a bit of a shock every time I get in it. It is a good engine, and when the choice was the old 320i NA vs the 320d it was a no brainer, but with the new 328/30i it makes the choice a lot harder.
I had the 328i for 2 days a couple of weeks back, it is a peach.
Very quick, faster than my old mapped 535d, and pretty close to my old 335i in standard form, plus it was returning 35mpg without doing any longer journeys. My X3 says it is doing 46mpg on the OBC, but calculated figures show it to be closer to 38mpg.
qwerty88 said:
This might not make sense to everybody but it does to me, I think I'm going to go with a 435d. I do want something with 6 cylinders but I can't bring myself to go for a 435i or 440i YET.
This is my first car with with an engine bigger than 2.0 litres and I know that the real MPG figures aren't too far apart but I think I'll be better off with the 435d for now.
A two year lease isn't a long time if you ask me to have a car for, it's the safer option for me in my situation I believe, in terms of my commute etc. and I can then assess what my running costs look like and if it will be a good idea for me to go for a straight 6 petrol engine next time.
You're right, what you're saying makes no sense whatsoever! As you concede, a 440i and a 435d won't be a million miles apart in terms of fuel consumption and I can't really believe that such a small difference would influence anyone looking at a £40k car. Don't get me wrong, the 35d is an excellent engine as diesels go and if you want/need X-Drive then I can understand why you'd go that route; however, the noise, wider rev range and refinement of a top-notch 6 cylinder petrol is far more in keeping with the character of a sports coupe so if X-Drive isn't a necessity the 440i wins hands down IMHO!This is my first car with with an engine bigger than 2.0 litres and I know that the real MPG figures aren't too far apart but I think I'll be better off with the 435d for now.
A two year lease isn't a long time if you ask me to have a car for, it's the safer option for me in my situation I believe, in terms of my commute etc. and I can then assess what my running costs look like and if it will be a good idea for me to go for a straight 6 petrol engine next time.
JNW1 said:
You're right, what you're saying makes no sense whatsoever! As you concede, a 440i and a 435d won't be a million miles apart in terms of fuel consumption and I can't really believe that such a small difference would influence anyone looking at a £40k car. Don't get me wrong, the 35d is an excellent engine as diesels go and if you want/need X-Drive then I can understand why you'd go that route; however, the noise, wider rev range and refinement of a top-notch 6 cylinder petrol is far more in keeping with the character of a sports coupe so if X-Drive isn't a necessity the 440i wins hands down IMHO!
Haha, I didn't think it would to all! I'd be leasing so the price of the car wouldn't affect me much though it would appear the 435d OTR price is higher than a 440i, well the models I am comparing anyway,
I agree with you, just feel that it's the more considered of the two options for myself considering my situation. Plus I have been behind the wheel of a 430d and that was plenty fast enough for me!
qwerty88 said:
Haha, I didn't think it would to all!
I'd be leasing so the price of the car wouldn't affect me much though it would appear the 435d OTR price is higher than a 440i, well the models I am comparing anyway,
I agree with you, just feel that it's the more considered of the two options for myself considering my situation. Plus I have been behind the wheel of a 430d and that was plenty fast enough for me!
I can vouch for the performance of the 35d, it's pretty impressive and my F31 is one of the best cars I've had for effortless overtaking such is the match of the 8-speed auto to the engine. However, as the old saying goes, it's not what you do it's the way that you do it and, excellent though the 35d is by diesel standards, smoothness, refinement and noise just aren't at the same level as a good petrol IMO; therefore, for that reason personally I wouldn't choose it ahead of the 40i (or at least not in an application like a coupe). I'd be leasing so the price of the car wouldn't affect me much though it would appear the 435d OTR price is higher than a 440i, well the models I am comparing anyway,
I agree with you, just feel that it's the more considered of the two options for myself considering my situation. Plus I have been behind the wheel of a 430d and that was plenty fast enough for me!
bad company said:
My 335d x Drive is up for change next year at the end of the lease. I chose it ahead of the 335 petrol engine. I fancy a 4 series convertible next time and will certainly try the 440.
Can I ask if you don't mind, why did you chose the 335d ahead of the 335 petrol engine at the time?Prices seem to have gone up since Dec. I tried adding Adaptive Suspension to my build. It's a £500 add on, yet it would increase my lease by £55 per month (initial fixed) to £363. That's nuts, that's over £1265 for a £500 extra. How does that add up?! The residual alone should mean I pay only £300 ish of the £500. Central vehicle said I could have the 428i for £355month - yep increase the engine for less than a £500 extra! The world of finance is strange
qwerty88 said:
bad company said:
My 335d x Drive is up for change next year at the end of the lease. I chose it ahead of the 335 petrol engine. I fancy a 4 series convertible next time and will certainly try the 440.
Can I ask if you don't mind, why did you chose the 335d ahead of the 335 petrol engine at the time?I still like the power of my 335d but I will certainly try the large petrol engines.
My 435d is up for renewal in about 8 months. I'm genuinely struggling to think of something to replace it with as it does everything I need, and does it well. As well as the engine I love how it looks and I love the standard kit.
Perhaps I need a bit more space so a 535d or an X4 35d (not sure on the looks of the X4 but I carry a lot of stock/samples). Not sure I really want a 3 series.
I may look at the 440i Gran Coupe, or the 540i (is that a thing yet!?) as I'm sure I'd be happy to sacrifice a few MPG to have a lovely petrol engine but I'd want an extended test drive, a couple of days to drive it around in the same way as I drive my diesel to satisfy myself that the mpg won't be all that different.
Experience of my E46 330Ci which struggles with 30mpg on a run means my brain tells me a much more powerful petrol engine can't possibly get 40mpg on a run which when doing 30,000 miles a year vs the 45ish I'm used to from my diesel.
Crude estimation means it'll cost me about £1,500 over those 30,000 miles for the 440i vs 435d at 40mpg vs 45mpg. That's just about acceptable. But I can't see it.
Perhaps I need a bit more space so a 535d or an X4 35d (not sure on the looks of the X4 but I carry a lot of stock/samples). Not sure I really want a 3 series.
I may look at the 440i Gran Coupe, or the 540i (is that a thing yet!?) as I'm sure I'd be happy to sacrifice a few MPG to have a lovely petrol engine but I'd want an extended test drive, a couple of days to drive it around in the same way as I drive my diesel to satisfy myself that the mpg won't be all that different.
Experience of my E46 330Ci which struggles with 30mpg on a run means my brain tells me a much more powerful petrol engine can't possibly get 40mpg on a run which when doing 30,000 miles a year vs the 45ish I'm used to from my diesel.
Crude estimation means it'll cost me about £1,500 over those 30,000 miles for the 440i vs 435d at 40mpg vs 45mpg. That's just about acceptable. But I can't see it.
AB said:
Experience of my E46 330Ci which struggles with 30mpg on a run means my brain tells me a much more powerful petrol engine can't possibly get 40mpg on a run which when doing 30,000 miles a year vs the 45ish I'm used to from my diesel.
Crude estimation means it'll cost me about £1,500 over those 30,000 miles for the 440i vs 435d at 40mpg vs 45mpg. That's just about acceptable. But I can't see it.
nearly 40mpg is certainly possible in a 435i. I achieved 38mpg-ish there and back on a run from Portsmouth to Lincs a couple of weeks ago. Where the economy suffers is in town (sadly a lot of my driving) where I get 24-26 , or if you use the lovely engine properly...Crude estimation means it'll cost me about £1,500 over those 30,000 miles for the 440i vs 435d at 40mpg vs 45mpg. That's just about acceptable. But I can't see it.
(all figures are from OBC, but a check when I got the car showed it was reasonably accurate)
AB said:
Which is no good for me as I'll see 50mpg being good on a run. It just doesn't stack up at 30k miles.
qwerty88 said:
I know everyone's run is different but what AB has said reinforces why I'm going with the 435d on this occasion.
The only thing I'd say is you need to be talking like for like. Based on experience with my 335d I'd say to get 50mpg from a 435d you'd need to be on a long run and driving quite gently; however, in those same circumstances my experience with petrol (E92 335i) suggests you'd beat the combined figure quite easily which would put a 440i at mid-40's on a long run. I do understand that everyone's mix of driving is slightly different but on the running I do my assumption would be that a 440i would miss the combined figure by around 10% while a 435d would be more like 20% adrift; that equates to a practical difference of under 5mpg which even at 30k miles a year amounts to less than £10/week (which is surely not a big issue for someone who can afford a £40k car?). I appreciate some may get 45mpg as an average from a 435d but if they're doing that their mileage must involve a fair few long runs and in the same conditions I reckon a 440i would probably be hitting 40mpg. Therefore, if you want a significant improvement in fuel consumption over that offered by a 440i I still think you need to look at the 4-pot diesels; the saving offered by a 435d just isn't enough to sway the decision IMHO. If you want/need X-Drive - or simply prefer the power delivery of the diesel - that's a different matter but arguing for the 435d purely on the grounds of fuel savings doesn't really make sense to me (and certainly not in the context of a relatively expensive sports coupe!).AB said:
Which is no good for me as I'll see 50mpg being good on a run. It just doesn't stack up at 30k miles.
That is really impressive when you consider the 435d's performance, I reckon I would have to sit at 50mph for 50 miles to get 50mpg out of the 640d and even then I am not sure it would do it. I do tend to think if you want great economy from a diesel the 2.0d is the way to go whereas I think going for a 435i or 435d becomes a tougher decision, but the range of a diesel is a real plus point.
I drove from Wirral to Aylesbury and on to Bristol yesterday so motorway, some A roads and a little town driving through Bath and trip average according to OBC was 46.
I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
(I had a 635d, old shape, down to 5mpg on a track!)
I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
(I had a 635d, old shape, down to 5mpg on a track!)
AB said:
I drove from Wirral to Aylesbury and on to Bristol yesterday so motorway, some A roads and a little town driving through Bath and trip average according to OBC was 46.
I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
(I had a 635d, old shape, down to 5mpg on a track!)
Nice one re the 5 mpg! I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
(I had a 635d, old shape, down to 5mpg on a track!)
It does seem that you do fancy a powerful petrol model and if they did deliver over 40 then you would be in one in a shot, I appreciate with the miles you do that the diesel is hard to ignore given the performance you get too.
cerb4.5lee said:
the range of a diesel is a real plus point.
The improved range was the main reason I opted for the 335d but with a slightly smaller tank than the petrol - and mpg over 20% down on the combined figure - it's been a disappointment in that respect (partly my fault as I failed to read the technical specification properly and hence hadn't realised the F31 diesel tank size had been reduced to only 57 litres!). The net result is in normal use for me the range is only about 60 miles better than my E92 335i which is somewhat less than the published figures would have you believe; therefore, if you want a real step change in economy and range over a 440i I'm not convinced a 435d is your car.....AB said:
I drove from Wirral to Aylesbury and on to Bristol yesterday so motorway, some A roads and a little town driving through Bath and trip average according to OBC was 46.
I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
A long run at around 70mph and my E92 335i would have been at mid-30's (certainly a bit better than the combined figure of 33.6mpg). There's no reason to believe a 440i wouldn't perform in a similar way in the same circumstances but even if it "only" achieved its combined number that would still imply something starting with a 4! I'd love to do it in a 440i and if it came in over 40 I'd a) be really surprised and b) on my way to the nearest dealership.
I tend to stick cruise on at around 72mph to get these figures.
Lets say I go for a 435d xDrive M Sport Coupe, what options would you recommend?
I personally would like the Sports Automatic Transmission. (Apparently this comes as standard if I am reading the brochure correctly?)
I have read the Adaptive Suspensions should be a must buy. (Again, if I am reading the brochure correctly this isn't available on the variant mentioned above?)
Also, Alpine White or Metallic Estoril Blue?
I personally would like the Sports Automatic Transmission. (Apparently this comes as standard if I am reading the brochure correctly?)
I have read the Adaptive Suspensions should be a must buy. (Again, if I am reading the brochure correctly this isn't available on the variant mentioned above?)
Also, Alpine White or Metallic Estoril Blue?
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