E90 330i questions!
Discussion
Okay, so I am coming under pressure to sell my fleet of cars and maybe get one all rounder....it appears it could be an A4 or one I have fancied a 330i. I have seen a pre facelift 330i advertised...2008 car...it says it has 269BHP, so does that make it an N52 or N53 engine? I am always confused by this as I thought the N52s had 258 BHP in the 330i....
Is the N53 really a bad engine to have in your car? I have read a lot of negative stuff on here about coil packs and other things, but understand the N52 to be relatively trouble free......
Finally, does anyone know if the early (ish) E90s have MP3 capability...
Is the N53 really a bad engine to have in your car? I have read a lot of negative stuff on here about coil packs and other things, but understand the N52 to be relatively trouble free......
Finally, does anyone know if the early (ish) E90s have MP3 capability...
To be sure, get last digits of VIN and put them in a site like BMWVIN.org that will give full build details including engine
Not buying the car for a worry about something like injectors is surely like dumping a Victoria's Secret Angel cos she farted
I ran an allegedly troublesome N54 for 25k miles, 59-84k; no problems before my ownership only an oxygen sensor and injectors during. No big deal!
Not sure why you are not considering 335i.
If you don't know VIN you can usually but reg plate into the BMW warranty get a quote site and it will give all.
I don't know what MP3 capability is, but my 2009 pre facelift could play music via external media such as USB stick if that what you mean.
Not buying the car for a worry about something like injectors is surely like dumping a Victoria's Secret Angel cos she farted
I ran an allegedly troublesome N54 for 25k miles, 59-84k; no problems before my ownership only an oxygen sensor and injectors during. No big deal!
Not sure why you are not considering 335i.
If you don't know VIN you can usually but reg plate into the BMW warranty get a quote site and it will give all.
I don't know what MP3 capability is, but my 2009 pre facelift could play music via external media such as USB stick if that what you mean.
The 330i is a wonderful car and both engines are great. The earlier engine at 258bhp has very little that goes wrong but can suffer coil packs and injectors and they both have plastic water pumps which will rear their head as they get older.
Improving the audio is very possible but expensive to get a meaningful improvement. I put in an amazing system in mine, but it really was eye watering.
MP3 capabilities can be added although all have a phono jack as a minimum.
I would avoid a car with base audio unless you don't like music. Easily spotted by not having tweeters in the front pillars.
Don't discount the auto or a SE spec either as the auto although not as much fun as the manual is very accomplished and the SE cars whilst not looking quite as sharp ride a lot better.
Ditch run flats
The Audi to drive is not in the same league. Front wheel drive unless Quattro. Engine slung up front. Understeer on tap. Interior, looks and build quality wise they are great, but IMO the e90 is better where it matters in terms of how it steers, handled and rewards.
Improving the audio is very possible but expensive to get a meaningful improvement. I put in an amazing system in mine, but it really was eye watering.
MP3 capabilities can be added although all have a phono jack as a minimum.
I would avoid a car with base audio unless you don't like music. Easily spotted by not having tweeters in the front pillars.
Don't discount the auto or a SE spec either as the auto although not as much fun as the manual is very accomplished and the SE cars whilst not looking quite as sharp ride a lot better.
Ditch run flats
The Audi to drive is not in the same league. Front wheel drive unless Quattro. Engine slung up front. Understeer on tap. Interior, looks and build quality wise they are great, but IMO the e90 is better where it matters in terms of how it steers, handled and rewards.
..so the earlier 258 model can suffer from coil packs and injectors as well, I didn't know that, I thought it was only the later D.I. model..
The only reason I haven't been looking at a 335i, to answer the previous poster is that a) they seem to cost much more money, year on year and b) I believe the VED is £490 a year...seeing as the 2008 330i I have seen is only 35 BHP down on power, but a year or two newer than 335s I have seen and £285 per year less on VED, it seems to me, to be a better all round choice. Plus, I like n/a engines which rev! I have 3 cars presently and all are n/a petrols....
The only reason I haven't been looking at a 335i, to answer the previous poster is that a) they seem to cost much more money, year on year and b) I believe the VED is £490 a year...seeing as the 2008 330i I have seen is only 35 BHP down on power, but a year or two newer than 335s I have seen and £285 per year less on VED, it seems to me, to be a better all round choice. Plus, I like n/a engines which rev! I have 3 cars presently and all are n/a petrols....
Edited by greenarrow on Saturday 11th June 18:18
Just to add to your confusion I have a 3 litre N52 in my E86 (Z4 Coupe) and it is a fantastic engine! 
Pulls pretty well at low speeds, but really sings as you chase the red-line and it sounds wonderful (although probably a bit quieter in an E90).
IIRC the N53 engine is a band lower than an N52 for RFL, so if the CO2 quoted on the V5 starts with a "2" it is an N52 engine.
I know what you mean about the 335i and that eye-watering RFL for not much more power - it would only make sense to me if I was getting it re-mapped!
Pulls pretty well at low speeds, but really sings as you chase the red-line and it sounds wonderful (although probably a bit quieter in an E90).
IIRC the N53 engine is a band lower than an N52 for RFL, so if the CO2 quoted on the V5 starts with a "2" it is an N52 engine.
I know what you mean about the 335i and that eye-watering RFL for not much more power - it would only make sense to me if I was getting it re-mapped!
I've recently bought an E92 335i, and it's such a magnificent engine I'd urge you too try one before you buy a 330i.
Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
My 335i was a 2009 and I only paid 285£ road tax!
Didn't it change before 2008?
I prefer Naturally aspirated, but was so glad I got the 335i and not as i had considered the 330 (actually at that level would have gone E46) as 335i is a notch above in performance hence it is often deemed a E46 M3 competitor. And that's stock, as the other fella said you can remap.
Didn't it change before 2008?
I prefer Naturally aspirated, but was so glad I got the 335i and not as i had considered the 330 (actually at that level would have gone E46) as 335i is a notch above in performance hence it is often deemed a E46 M3 competitor. And that's stock, as the other fella said you can remap.
Smuler said:
My 335i was a 2009 and I only paid 285£ road tax!
Didn't it change before 2008?
I prefer Naturally aspirated, but was so glad I got the 335i and not as i had considered the 330 (actually at that level would have gone E46) as 335i is a notch above in performance hence it is often deemed a E46 M3 competitor. And that's stock, as the other fella said you can remap.
Actually I think I remember reading somewhere that the first 335i's (N54 engine) were fundamentally an M54 with twin-turbos whereas later ones (2009 Model Year) got the N55 engine with a single turbo (based on the N53 IIRC), so that is probably when the RFL Band changed.Didn't it change before 2008?
I prefer Naturally aspirated, but was so glad I got the 335i and not as i had considered the 330 (actually at that level would have gone E46) as 335i is a notch above in performance hence it is often deemed a E46 M3 competitor. And that's stock, as the other fella said you can remap.
f1nn said:
I've recently bought an E92 335i, and it's such a magnificent engine I'd urge you too try one before you buy a 330i.
Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
Agree with this and I have a N52 330i, the 330i does have a lovely smooth and sweet revving engine but it's not that fast and not that fuel efficient either, the 335i hammers it in every way for me(reliability aside) unless N/A really is a must. Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
The 335i is quicker/more tuneable/actually sounds better and offers at least the same mpg if not better, so it's the 335i all the way I reckon.
Mr Tidy said:
Actually I think I remember reading somewhere that the first 335i's (N54 engine) were fundamentally an M54 with twin-turbos whereas later ones (2009 Model Year) got the N55 engine with a single turbo (based on the N53 IIRC), so that is probably when the RFL Band changed.
Just read here that it was efficient dynamics technology that dropped the tax band, happened for cars built from late 2007. cerb4.5lee said:
f1nn said:
I've recently bought an E92 335i, and it's such a magnificent engine I'd urge you too try one before you buy a 330i.
Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
Agree with this and I have a N52 330i, the 330i does have a lovely smooth and sweet revving engine but it's not that fast and not that fuel efficient either, the 335i hammers it in every way for me(reliability aside) unless N/A really is a must. Road Tax? Well yeah it's a bit more but if you'd notice the difference over the year then maybe these cars are not for you.
£500 on a remap and your looking at 370bhp plus....mines averaged over 33mpg over the last 1200 miles.
The 335i is quicker/more tuneable/actually sounds better and offers at least the same mpg if not better, so it's the 335i all the way I reckon.
Yeah, you're quite correct re: the prices, but please drive one before you buy a 330i. I suspect you'll find the extra.
As a guide, 4 weeks ago I paid sub 9k for a 2007 58K E92 335I SE. Black on creme, 15 BMW stamps, Pro Nav, heated memory seats, sunroof, 19's, 4 new RE050's from a dealer, and very happy I am too.
As a guide, 4 weeks ago I paid sub 9k for a 2007 58K E92 335I SE. Black on creme, 15 BMW stamps, Pro Nav, heated memory seats, sunroof, 19's, 4 new RE050's from a dealer, and very happy I am too.
greenarrow said:
I am sure you guys are all correct about what a wonderful car the 335i is, but show me a 4 or 5 door 335i for the £7500 that the 2008 330i was up for with 52,000 miles on it. The only 335s I have seen are £8-9K with 100K on them or close to....
I've had my E90 330i three years in November and as an all rounder I've been very happy with it and I do think the engine is lovely...it's free revving and sounds pretty nice at the redline...plus it's very smooth too. The reason I recommend the 335i over the 330i is because the performance/thirst is really poor, even a 4 pot 2 litre turbo engine wipes the floor with it on performance/economy hence why I think it's worth going for the 335i over the 330i for its extra shove/potential, yet it still offers the same mpg.
cerb4.5lee said:
I've had my E90 330i three years in November and as an all rounder I've been very happy with it and I do think the engine is lovely...it's free revving and sounds pretty nice at the redline...plus it's very smooth too.
The reason I recommend the 335i over the 330i is because the performance/thirst is really poor, even a 4 pot 2 litre turbo engine wipes the floor with it on performance/economy hence why I think it's worth going for the 335i over the 330i for its extra shove/potential, yet it still offers the same mpg.
Thirsty is not a word I'd use on the n53, n52 perhaps tho. Running properly the n53 is pretty frugal.The reason I recommend the 335i over the 330i is because the performance/thirst is really poor, even a 4 pot 2 litre turbo engine wipes the floor with it on performance/economy hence why I think it's worth going for the 335i over the 330i for its extra shove/potential, yet it still offers the same mpg.
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