Bmw 330i (2007 272BHP model) info please
Discussion
Hi Guys,
I am thinking of buying a 2007 BMW 330i manual box as my current Audi A6 TDi is boring me to death.
I wonder if anyone has any general advice / experience of this BMW model they would be able to share.
Also - I am a bit worried about the RWD in the winter and I wonder about the extent to which snow tyres would mitigate this? I don't fancy getting stuck in the winter snow on the home to collect the kids!
Thanks a lot for any advice!
I am thinking of buying a 2007 BMW 330i manual box as my current Audi A6 TDi is boring me to death.
I wonder if anyone has any general advice / experience of this BMW model they would be able to share.
Also - I am a bit worried about the RWD in the winter and I wonder about the extent to which snow tyres would mitigate this? I don't fancy getting stuck in the winter snow on the home to collect the kids!
Thanks a lot for any advice!
I was just about to say exactly the same having just seen this.
I would FAR rather be in a rwd car on FULL winters that a 4wd on summer tyres.
Get a cheapo set of steels or ebay alloys in plenty of time & change as soon as the mean temperatures get down consistently into single figures.
DO NOT bother with "all season tyres" they truly are the worst of both worlds.
I would FAR rather be in a rwd car on FULL winters that a 4wd on summer tyres.
Get a cheapo set of steels or ebay alloys in plenty of time & change as soon as the mean temperatures get down consistently into single figures.
DO NOT bother with "all season tyres" they truly are the worst of both worlds.
Be fine
I've personally never bothered with winters but I don't have to go out either. When I have gone out in snow I prefer RWD to my front wheel drive Megan.
On winters I can only imagine it would be better again.
Cracking engine btw but watch out for prior injector work having been done.
I've personally never bothered with winters but I don't have to go out either. When I have gone out in snow I prefer RWD to my front wheel drive Megan.
On winters I can only imagine it would be better again.
Cracking engine btw but watch out for prior injector work having been done.
Thanks a lot guys.
I am really put off by what I have read about the N53 engine / injectors on this forum.
The car was absolutely beautiful to test drive earlier but reliability is pretty much paramount to me.
I want to enjoy the car and not be constantly worrying over every little creak.
All advice welcome....
I am really put off by what I have read about the N53 engine / injectors on this forum.
The car was absolutely beautiful to test drive earlier but reliability is pretty much paramount to me.
I want to enjoy the car and not be constantly worrying over every little creak.
All advice welcome....
What have you read?
From what i understood, from when i searched before i bought my n53'd f10, is that the problems have largely been resolved. You'll expect to pay out for coilpacks occasionally (cheap) and possibly injectors, but the days of multiple repeat visits for trial and error diagnostics should be over AFAIK.
From what i understood, from when i searched before i bought my n53'd f10, is that the problems have largely been resolved. You'll expect to pay out for coilpacks occasionally (cheap) and possibly injectors, but the days of multiple repeat visits for trial and error diagnostics should be over AFAIK.
You would be scared off buying most cars if you dig into forums. They are populated by enthusiasts (minority) or people with axes to grind (smaller minority). Most people get years of happy motoring from cars without difficulty.
All cars have some issues that does not make them bad. Changing coil packs is not too expensive and injectors are easy enough to change. Other than that they are pretty bullet proof and a 6 cylinder BMW engine is about as reliable as they come.
Buy the lowest mileage, newest, lowest owner count car you can afford with lots of provenance and by that I mean reciepts and you can't go far wrong.
All cars have some issues that does not make them bad. Changing coil packs is not too expensive and injectors are easy enough to change. Other than that they are pretty bullet proof and a 6 cylinder BMW engine is about as reliable as they come.
Buy the lowest mileage, newest, lowest owner count car you can afford with lots of provenance and by that I mean reciepts and you can't go far wrong.
Good luck buying one. I was in the market for one of these for two years and gave up in the end. Unless you can go anywhere in the country at a moments notice you'll miss out on the good ones.
Even the manual 325i sell fast. If you are after a M Sport trim one you'll need a wad of cash and a fast car to get you to the seller before it goes.
Even the manual 325i sell fast. If you are after a M Sport trim one you'll need a wad of cash and a fast car to get you to the seller before it goes.
I bought my 2009/59 E92 330i manual in October 2014 when it was five years old. Ex company car on 126k miles, bought it when it came off fleet with me as the second owner. The brake discs were worn and shock absorbers were tired which gave me the excuse for a Bilstein shock / Eibach spring setup. Mine is an SE but specced with the black headliner, sports seats, red leather, 18" wheels and the Logic 7 hifi upgrade. There are better grades of BMW leather but the Dakota (standard) leather in mine has been hard wearing and free from any signs of wear.
I baby mine in terms of servicing but all I have thrown at mine has been consumable parts (fingers crossed). It's on 149k now and no plans to sell it or change. For the 20k+ miles I have owned it there has been a 30 second window from cold engine start where it has a lumpy idle and occasional engine management light if you idle from startup. This is a sign of HPFP failure but mine has been stable for 18+ months / 20k miles. Don't let the horror stories put you off these cars..
Mine is fantastic, took me a while to love it coming from a Suzuki Swift Sport as my daily but it is highly recommended. Like you I read up about the injector and HPFP issues. The later cars are better and even if you come unstuck the fixes are well known now. The revised injectors came in mid-2009 and the final HPFP version mid-2010 so a 2011 car should be fine.
I baby mine in terms of servicing but all I have thrown at mine has been consumable parts (fingers crossed). It's on 149k now and no plans to sell it or change. For the 20k+ miles I have owned it there has been a 30 second window from cold engine start where it has a lumpy idle and occasional engine management light if you idle from startup. This is a sign of HPFP failure but mine has been stable for 18+ months / 20k miles. Don't let the horror stories put you off these cars..
Mine is fantastic, took me a while to love it coming from a Suzuki Swift Sport as my daily but it is highly recommended. Like you I read up about the injector and HPFP issues. The later cars are better and even if you come unstuck the fixes are well known now. The revised injectors came in mid-2009 and the final HPFP version mid-2010 so a 2011 car should be fine.
Just a thought, but if you are looking at a 2007 model maybe consider an early one (56 plate I think) as it will have the N52 engine which may "only" have 265 bhp but doesn't suffer from coil-pack, HPFP or Injector issues!
It will cost you a few quid a year more in Road Fund Licence, but maybe that is a price worth paying for more peace of mind? Easiest way to distinguish is the CO2 rating on the V5 - N52 will be 200+ whereas the later N53 is under 200.
Good luck anyway!
It will cost you a few quid a year more in Road Fund Licence, but maybe that is a price worth paying for more peace of mind? Easiest way to distinguish is the CO2 rating on the V5 - N52 will be 200+ whereas the later N53 is under 200.
Good luck anyway!
ferrisbueller said:
They still do coil packs but they're cheap from ECP. Pre March '06 gets you cheaper tax, too.
Didn't know about the N52 doing coil-packs, but if they are cheap it isn't really a problem. My OEM electric water pump was £500 plus fitting which did make the eyes water a bit! But I imagine the N53 has an electric pump too so the same potential issue.N52 engines fall into Band K, so no difference in tax pre- or post- March 06 (that date only impacts upon Band L & M) but I think the N53 is in Band J. Still the RFL saving over 4 or 5 years probably only pays for one injector!
Mr Tidy said:
Didn't know about the N52 doing coil-packs, but if they are cheap it isn't really a problem. My OEM electric water pump was £500 plus fitting which did make the eyes water a bit! But I imagine the N53 has an electric pump too so the same potential issue.
N52 engines fall into Band K, so no difference in tax pre- or post- March 06 (that date only impacts upon Band L & M) but I think the N53 is in Band J. Still the RFL saving over 4 or 5 years probably only pays for one injector!
You're right, I was thinking of E46 M3.N52 engines fall into Band K, so no difference in tax pre- or post- March 06 (that date only impacts upon Band L & M) but I think the N53 is in Band J. Still the RFL saving over 4 or 5 years probably only pays for one injector!
I picked N52 because there's a lot less to go wrong.
omar2010 said:
Thanks a lot guys.
I am really put off by what I have read about the N53 engine / injectors on this forum.
The car was absolutely beautiful to test drive earlier but reliability is pretty much paramount to me.
I want to enjoy the car and not be constantly worrying over every little creak.
All advice welcome....
Reliability is paramount? I am really put off by what I have read about the N53 engine / injectors on this forum.
The car was absolutely beautiful to test drive earlier but reliability is pretty much paramount to me.
I want to enjoy the car and not be constantly worrying over every little creak.
All advice welcome....
Don't buy a ten year old BMW.
Don't be put off by the scare stories you read on the internet about these. Chances are almost all N53s are sorted now with upgraded coil packs, injectors and fuel pumps.
I had a 330i e92 manual; with a N53 which had all the above changed through BMW goodwill and it performed perfectly with 120k on the clock.
You will read horror stories about all cars on the internet.
Awesome cars, lovely engine and should be sorted now they're getting on a bit.
I had a 330i e92 manual; with a N53 which had all the above changed through BMW goodwill and it performed perfectly with 120k on the clock.
You will read horror stories about all cars on the internet.
Awesome cars, lovely engine and should be sorted now they're getting on a bit.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff