ST220 vs E46 Coupe/Cab vs A4 Cabriolet - what car?

[Blue Oval84]

OK, so some of you may know I posted a what car thread a couple of years ago where I asked a similar question to this and chose a Mondeo.

I've been very content with my choice, the car is reliable and economical to run. But the time has come that I am now bored.

I need-

• Petrol (don't trust diesels)
• Manual (don't want an autobox to pop)
• More gutsy than my 2.0, but it doesn't need to set the world alight (even the 1.8T would probably do)
• Reliable - I don't want a car which is going to cause me constant visits to the garage - my Mondeo has shown me how much nicer it has to have a car which just works
• Not ridiculously thirsty - must be capable of 35mpg on a very long motorway run

So, the cabriolet options are on the table because, well, I fancy one. But not at the cost of my sanity if they are a cabriolet version of a ruinous car.

I've got a budget of up to £4K to spend, but less is better

Current thinking is that the answer is going to be ST220? Unless someone can tell me that +100K mile E46's and A4s are actually really pretty reliable?

I'm going to view a 330Ci locally tomorrow if it's still available, price, spec and colour are right, but with over 130K on the clock, I suspect it will feel just too tired.

[Mave]

Depends what you mean by reliable. I've had a few higher mileage E46s, I would call them "reliable", but they have needed a visit to the garage every year or so for something needing replacement. Normally plenty of warning that something needs attention, I've had one AA moment in an e46, but by contrast the only 100K+ mile car I've owned that hasn't had an AA moment was also an e46....

Doubt you'd get a genuine 35mpg out of a 330i, I've struggled to get 30 out of any of my 6 cylinder 3 series...

[Blue Oval84]

Shhhh, I probably won't get it from an ST either but I'm kidding myself slightly. To be fair my Z4 3.0i used to manage more than that (just) if I sat in top gear at 70mph for two hundred miles, although that was lighter.

I guess even my current Mondeo has needed at least one visit to the garage per year, but it does go many months in between them. It's just that my E39 needed one visit a month and it's made me a little scared to go near a high miles BMW again!

[Patrick Bateman]

I averaged 31mpg in my 330Ci. 35mpg on a motorway run is easy.

[ZX10R NIN]

[quote=ZX10R NIN]Don't be afraid to travel if it's the right car it's worth putting yourself out.

55k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Rare Clubsport
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Drop Top
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

62k Auto though
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

[Howard-]

You'll easily achieve 35MPG in the ST220 or 330ci. I could get 35-37 in my old ST220 depending on traffic levels on the motorway.

[pbarlow0032]

I've got a 1.8t sport a4 cab, 03 reg. bought 2.5 years ago on 100k miles, now on 116k miles. In that time I've put on 4 tyres, rear brake pads and discs and had it serviced. It failed it's MOT on a seized wiper linkage which I got sorted for about £100.
The aircon has stopped blowing cold (not bothered, put the roof down). The passenger window regulator has snapped (needs sorting, ~£200) and it's probably due a suspension refresh.
It averages around 33mpg, although I rarely do any long runs, the only long run I've done was to Manchester airport, wife and 2 kids and a couple of cases in the boot, and it averaged >40. As an earlier poster said, it's not quick, but it's quick enough for the type of car ie it's not a sports car, it's a cruiser (and a surprisingly practical one at that).
I used to have a 3.0 fwd a4 cab, it sounded better but was nose heavy and thirsty, averaged about 25.
I also test drove a 330 convertible at the time I bought this, and that was quicker, sounded nicer, but ultimately couldn't justify the extra cost.

[Blue Oval84]

Thanks for the replies and links guys!

To be honest, the "cruiser" nature of the A4 may well be a good bet, as to be honest the roads here are shocking, so something that's not too rough would be relatively welcome. But then, there's the lovely six cylinder noise of the E46 and the ST...

I still get the impression that an ST will cause me less financial grief than either the E46 or the A4 though.

I've actually never been so uncertain about what to buy in my life, the generally painless ownership of the Mondeo has destroyed my previously brave approach to buying high mileage, highly strung German cars!

[Howard-]

The Mondeo is indeed likely to cause you less financial 'grief'. The only benefit of the Audi that I can see is the lack of a roof. It's otherwise quite a dull car in comparison with the other two.

With that in mind, if you want a RWD coupe with slightly better interior build quality and the potential for bills (the suspension will probably want refreshing for example) then go for the BMW. Otherwise, the Mondeo is a great choice and a really rather good all-rounder. Possibly even unbeatable in this respect for the money.

[Fastdruid]

Blue Oval84 said:

I need-

• Petrol (don't trust diesels)
• Manual (don't want an autobox to pop)
• More gutsy than my 2.0, but it doesn't need to set the world alight (even the 1.8T would probably do)
• Reliable - I don't want a car which is going to cause me constant visits to the garage - my Mondeo has shown me how much nicer it has to have a car which just works
• Not ridiculously thirsty - must be capable of 35mpg on a very long motorway run

Mondeo Mk4 2.5T.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

There are plenty more cheaper if you want to go more leggy.

I regularly get ~36mpg on a run, more if I'm a saint (I've seen 38 on a long run) and mine is the estate (so a bit heavier).

Current over all average this year to date is 25mpg but that's 98% town driving.

[Vincefox]

Out of them i'd have the 330, coupe only, manual only.

[anonymous-user]

If you want a cabrio consider the 2006 onwards Volvo C70 T5 as a manual. It'll do high 30s on a gentle motorway run, should be bullet proof mechanically and sounds nice. Not a sports car, but none of your other options are either.

[Vincefox]

dme123 said:

If you want a cabrio consider the 2006 onwards Volvo C70 T5 as a manual. It'll do high 30s on a gentle motorway run, should be bullet proof mechanically and sounds nice. Not a sports car, but none of your other options are either.

That's true, none of them are sporty as such, but if i were looking to uprate stuff later, the 330 would be the best base to work from.

[Blue Oval84]

All good points!

I definitely don't want a "Sports" car, an ST220 or 330Ci will be plenty quick enough to drive around the town centre, and manage a motorway slog. My days of going for spirited drives are well behind me I'm afraid. If anything, I actually prioritise comfort over sportiness.

Will check out the MK4, the issue I have with those is that I've driven them twice and they just didn't feel that fast, not in the way that the ST gives you a wave of lovely torque and then comes on song above 3K. Maybe I need to drive an ST and a MK4 back to back...

[Howard-]

The ST220 doesn't have that much torque. It's quite a peaky engine really. My (remapped) 2.0T mk4 Mondeo is a bit quicker overall, and feels a lot more torquey with normal day to day driving, mainly because it does actually have quite a bit more torque.

Granted the ST220 is more fun on a balls-to-the-wall hoon but the 2.5T is a bloody good engine - the same amount of power but with more usable torque, and even more on top if you accidentally on purpose shove a Bluefin up its behind

[rich85uk]

i had a 330ci in manual, quick enough and at its best on the motorway. 35mpg isn't out the question either. ST220 was an option at the times aswell and will have more spec but be aware of the flywheel issues they have

i would also look at a Volvo T5 of some sort, you would be surprised just how cheaply some S40 or C30 T5's go for

[rich85uk]

oh and budget for all the bushes to be replaced with powerflex ones on the E46, they make a huge difference and the chances are they need doing anyway

[Blue Oval84]

Is the flywheel a notable issue on the Mondeo? That may have some bearing on my decision!

I had an ST TDCI once which lunched it's flywheel 3 weeks into ownership, I wasn't pleased at the £1,200 repair bill!!

Anyone know if it's the same cost on the ST V6?

Off to check out S40's now...

I've also checked out C70's, lovely cars and I would hope that being based on the Focus they are less "wallowy" than the S60 I test drove the other day? (I *think* they're based on the Focus anyway?)

[Howard-]

There isn't really a flywheel "issue". DMFs are more delicate than solid flywheels but if you drive it with a modicum of mechanical sympathy it's unlikely to fail especially with the petrol engines.

[Fastdruid]

Also the Mk3 Mondeo was pretty much the start of the DMF's in everything so while the diesels ate them quicker than tyres the petrols occasionally killed them as well.

While no where near the same numbers for the ST220 (in comparison to the diesels) enough to be wary.