Which 4 Series Should I Go For?

[apotts]

JNW1 said:

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

The actual real, large sample, Spritmonitor data says (assume 20k a year):

40i vs 35d: 31.5 vs 38.9 mpg. £41 a month. For the 40i over the 35d, I'd pay it.
35i vs 35d: 28.3 vs 38.9 mpg. £69 a month. In a bigger car I prefer the 35d over the 35i, so no way would I pay it.

20d: If I had to have a 4 cylinder tractor, I'd buy a car in proportion to the engine. Like an old Accord.

[JNW1]

apotts said:

JNW1 said:

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

The actual real, large sample, Spritmonitor data says (assume 20k a year):

40i vs 35d: 31.5 vs 38.9 mpg. £41 a month. For the 40i over the 35d, I'd pay it.
35i vs 35d: 28.3 vs 38.9 mpg. £69 a month. In a bigger car I prefer the 35d over the 35i, so no way would I pay it.

20d: If I had to have a 4 cylinder tractor, I'd buy a car in proportion to the engine. Like an old Accord.

You missed (deleted?!) a key bit off the front of my quote which was "on the running I do"; I've got around 60k miles of my own data on the 335i/335d - and measured properly not just off the computer - so with due respect to Spritmonitor I'm happy I know where the relative fuel consumption is likely to be based on my driving style and mileage profile! Obviously I'm not saying my numbers will apply to everyone but I honestly don't believe that in my hands a 435d would be over 7mpg better than a 440i.

However, as you've quoted some figures, the combined figure for the 435d is almost identical to my F31 335d and, as that's averaged almost exactly the 38.9mpg you mention above, the figure for the diesel actually feels about right (or at least mirrors my experience). However, given I achieved 30.1mpg over 37k miles from my E92 335i I really don't see that I'd only be getting 31.5 from a 440i; the combined figure for one of those is around 25% better so mid-30's (35 or 36) for a 440i sounds more like it to me. Given the 440i is relatively new (not even launched in the UK yet) I just wonder how large the Spritmonitor sample size is for that model and whether it includes figures for X-Drives which won't be available here (and which have slightly worse fuel consumption?).

[AB]

Some driving today, again A road and M'way some on cruise at 70mph and the odd few miles at a bit more.

I just can't see a 440i getting close to that but I'd love to be wrong.

[JNW1]

AB said:

Some driving today, again A road and M'way some on cruise at 70mph and the odd few miles at a bit more.

I just can't see a 440i getting close to that but I'd love to be wrong.

My F31 335d won't get close to that either!! Also, whilst not disputing your figures, I do think you need to be wary about numbers calculated by the trip computer over a relatively short distance; they're not especially accurate in my experience which is why I log my mpg the old fashioned way (well via spreadsheet!) and pay most attention to the cumulative average...

[ftypical]

As all the 3- and 4-series models are essentially the same car, has anyone considered a 'mix and match'?

Probably punitive now, but with everything bar body panels and some trim (interior as well as exterior) being interchangeable, the scope for personalising one's car last looks huge...

[gizlaroc]

AB said:

Some driving today, again A road and M'way some on cruise at 70mph and the odd few miles at a bit more.

I just can't see a 440i getting close to that but I'd love to be wrong.

I used to see 40mpg from my 335i sport touring if I sat at 60-70mph on the motorway. I would see high 30s when I hoofed it too.
So I would expect to see the odd journey showing 50mpg from a 435d.

But do you get a genuine 630 miles from a tank full?
Most owners seem to get around 480 miles, so more like 38mpg from calculated figures.

My 535d used to say 34mpg on the OBC, reality was 26mpg, my X3 said 48mpg, reality is 40mpg.
However, my 335i used to say 30mpg and it was spot on, my 530i said 27 and that was spot on.
For some reason the diesel just seem to lie.

I reckon there is about 5-7mpg between the 335d and 440i over long term, maybe less for someone who does lots of sub 10 mile journeys.

[JNW1]

gizlaroc said:

But do you get a genuine 630 miles from a tank full?
Most owners seem to get around 480 miles, so more like 38mpg from calculated figures.

A range of 630 miles is pie in the sky IMO; I've seen 550 on a long run but generally 480-500 is where it's at.

gizlaroc said:

my 335i used to say 30mpg and it was spot on. I reckon there is about 5-7mpg between the 335d and 440i over long term.

But if 38-39 is about right for the 335d (and I would agree it is) that's putting a 440i at around 32-33; that's only 10% better than an E9x 335i and I'd have thought the difference would be more than that?

[gizlaroc]

JNW1 said:

A range of 630 miles is pie in the sky IMO; I've seen 550 on a long run but generally 480-500 is where it's at.

JNW1 said:

But if 38-39 is about right for the 335d (and I would agree it is) that's putting a 440i at around 32-33; that's only 10% better than an E9x 335i and I'd have thought the difference would be more than that?

I honestly think that if people drive both, and drive them the same, there will be around 10%, so about 4mpg difference between the two.


The problem I think with figures on the net is the bloke who does 30k miles a year up and down the motorway automatically buys the diesel, where as the person who buys it for 10k miles having fun buys the petrol, and the skews the figures.

My CSL used to average 18mpg, but I then used it as a daily up and down the M11 for 3 months when it was my only car and the thing averaged 33mpg for that period, which was better than the 535d that I had just sold.

[JNW1]

gizlaroc said:

I honestly think that if people drive both, and drive them the same, there will be around 10%, so about 4mpg difference between the two.

If you mean 4mpg between a 340i/440i on the one hand and a 335d/435d on the other I wouldn't disagree!

[silent ninja]

For a site called pistonheads there sure is a lot of talk about fuel economy in this thread. Certainly for petrol if you're looking at a 3+ litre car and thinking about fuel consumption, you're looking at the wrong car IMO. I somewhat think the same applies to a 'sports' diesel like the 435d too

[gizlaroc]

JNW1 said:

If you mean 4mpg between a 340i/440i on the one hand and a 335d/435d on the other I wouldn't disagree!

I mean I reckon there is only around 4-5mpg difference between the 335d and the 340i for someone doing the same thing in both, maybe 6mpg, but no more than that.

I think the OBC may say there is 10mpg, but real world 6mpg at most.

[gizlaroc]

silent ninja said:

For a site called pistonheads there sure is a lot of talk about fuel economy in this thread. Certainly for petrol if you're looking at a 3+ litre car and thinking about fuel consumption, you're looking at the wrong car IMO. I somewhat think the same applies to a 'sports' diesel like the 435d too

But too many people compromise and go for the diesel when in reality they didn't need to.

That is why we are discussing it.

If it was 20mpg vs 40mpg and you're doing 30k miles then fair enough, but it is more like 30-34 vs 36-40, and people convince themselves buying the petrol will ruin them.

It is about £10 a week, and when you are loosing £500 a month in depreciation or on hire costs, and you are still putting £200 or £240 a month in in fuel, plus insurance, servicing, tyres etc. etc. just buy the one you want.

[qwerty88]

gizlaroc said:

But too many people compromise and go for the diesel when in reality they didn't need to.

That is why we are discussing it.

If it was 20mpg vs 40mpg and you're doing 30k miles then fair enough, but it is more like 30-34 vs 36-40, and people convince themselves buying the petrol will ruin them.

It is about £10 a week, and when you are loosing £500 a month in depreciation or on hire costs, and you are still putting £200 or £240 a month in in fuel, plus insurance, servicing, tyres etc. etc. just buy the one you want.

You have a point.

[JNW1]

gizlaroc said:

I mean I reckon there is only around 4-5mpg difference between the 335d and the 340i for someone doing the same thing in both, maybe 6mpg, but no more than that.

I think the OBC may say there is 10mpg, but real world 6mpg at most.

Agreed!

[JNW1]

qwerty88 said:

gizlaroc said:

But too many people compromise and go for the diesel when in reality they didn't need to.

That is why we are discussing it.

If it was 20mpg vs 40mpg and you're doing 30k miles then fair enough, but it is more like 30-34 vs 36-40, and people convince themselves buying the petrol will ruin them.

It is about £10 a week, and when you are loosing £500 a month in depreciation or on hire costs, and you are still putting £200 or £240 a month in in fuel, plus insurance, servicing, tyres etc. etc. just buy the one you want.

You have a point.

Essentially what I was trying to say on page 4 of this thread but gizlaroc has made the point better than I did!

[silent ninja]

4 GC owners, are the split folding rear seats standard? I see the option on the website, but I understood 60:40 seats were standard so the option for 40:20:40 just means more folding seats and isn't necessary. Is this right?

[smashy]

Your forgetting the sweet spot my 330d 380 miles around including M25 A40 A127 M4 OBC 56mpg

[silent ninja]

I'm in a dilemma folks.

Current spec 420d m sport with metallic paint, sports paddles, rear seat heating for 2 years lease

I've been offered the 430d for only £462 more over the life, however I lose the rear seat heating otherwise identical spec. If I add the heating it'll cost me over £1k due to the silly way the finance works. It will recalculate based on current residual figures rather than this locked in rate from a month ago.

What to do? Is the extra outlay worth it. Rear seat heating would be nice for kids!

[qwerty88]

Guys, I am getting impatient with work as they can't tell me whether or not I will get this car allowance now and can only tell me any time between now and the end of March. If I do get it, I will probably go all out (440i M Sport Coupe).

But I have been offered the below and I am tempted to bite the bullet now, thoughts?

420i M Sport 5dr Auto Gran Coupe [Professional Media][2016.25]
£3,253.07 inc VAT initial rental
£361.45 inc VAT per month
20k miles p/a

[hornetrider]

silent ninja said:

I'm in a dilemma folks.

Current spec 420d m sport with metallic paint, sports paddles, rear seat heating for 2 years lease

I've been offered the 430d for only £462 more over the life, however I lose the rear seat heating otherwise identical spec. If I add the heating it'll cost me over £1k due to the silly way the finance works. It will recalculate based on current residual figures rather than this locked in rate from a month ago.

What to do? Is the extra outlay worth it. Rear seat heating would be nice for kids!

462 more? I'm failing to see the dilemma here.