E91 Straight Six Bearding

[cerb4.5lee]

ExVantagemech.. said:

Talking of gearing, does anyone else feel 1st is stupidly low? 06 325i E91 spanish, 1st to me is like a couple feet then grab 2nd. Like BMW were expecting you to carry 4 passengers and tow a caravan....

I never thought the N52 engine dealt with weight that well and I remember squeezing 4 adults and a child in my E90 330i. We all chuckled at how it struggled with the extra weight on top of its already heavy kerbweight...never mind a caravan!

I'm guessing the N52 engine works well in a Z4 with it being only a 2 seater and a bit lighter car. I love the N52 engine for its smoothness but its not very punchy in the 3 series for me.

[Mr Tidy]

ExVantagemech.. said:

Talking of gearing, does anyone else feel 1st is stupidly low? 06 325i E91 spanish, 1st to me is like a couple feet then grab 2nd. Like BMW were expecting you to carry 4 passengers and tow a caravan....

I haven't noticed that.

To be fair I find my N52 engine E91 325i very high geared - it's only pulling 2,500 rpm in 6th at an indicated 70 mph, which seems very high gearing for an engine with a 7,000 rpm red-line! Which does mean it doesn't accelerate too quickly unless I drop a couple of gears. Maybe it was to try to keep CO2 emissions down.

It's actually higher-geared than my Z4 Coupe with the 3 litre N52 engine!

[to3m]

1st seems a bit low in my N53 330i too, but maybe it just feels that way because there's nothing to change down to...

[BaronVonVaderham]

Finally got our 330i e91 m sport back from its new water pump surgery and it’s running perfectly now.

Thermostat wasn’t changed as it was apparently fine, and from other numbers on here I’m pretty happy with the bill of £550 all in from probably Hampshire’s best Bmw indy.

Happily the vag tdi passat that we’ve had on loan from the outlaws can be sent back to the depths from whence it came.

[CB 987]

No connection, but there is currently an unusual individual Phoenix yellow E91 330i on autotrader, strong money at £8.5k, but I can’t recall ever seeing another!

[gizlaroc]

CB 987 said:

No connection, but there is currently an unusual individual Phoenix yellow E91 330i on autotrader, strong money at £8.5k, but I can’t recall ever seeing another!

There's a reason for that!

[lord trumpton]

gizlaroc said:

CB 987 said:

No connection, but there is currently an unusual individual Phoenix yellow E91 330i on autotrader, strong money at £8.5k, but I can’t recall ever seeing another!

There's a reason for that!

For the strong price?

[Swervin_Mervin]

The N53?

[ferrisbueller]

cerb4.5lee said:

ExVantagemech.. said:

Talking of gearing, does anyone else feel 1st is stupidly low? 06 325i E91 spanish, 1st to me is like a couple feet then grab 2nd. Like BMW were expecting you to carry 4 passengers and tow a caravan....

I never thought the N52 engine dealt with weight that well and I remember squeezing 4 adults and a child in my E90 330i. We all chuckled at how it struggled with the extra weight on top of its already heavy kerbweight...never mind a caravan!

I'm guessing the N52 engine works well in a Z4 with it being only a 2 seater and a bit lighter car. I love the N52 engine for its smoothness but its not very punchy in the 3 series for me.

Most of my time is spent with one or two occupants in my E90 and it never feels short on pace. I don't think they're particularly heavy but any car will feel the impact of an additional 200 kg. No doubt a 330d or 335i/d will cope with that mass better but that's just physics. What I can say is that an N52'd E90 is quicker than an M54'd E85.

[zippyonline]

ferrisbueller said:

cerb4.5lee said:

ExVantagemech.. said:

Talking of gearing, does anyone else feel 1st is stupidly low? 06 325i E91 spanish, 1st to me is like a couple feet then grab 2nd. Like BMW were expecting you to carry 4 passengers and tow a caravan....

I never thought the N52 engine dealt with weight that well and I remember squeezing 4 adults and a child in my E90 330i. We all chuckled at how it struggled with the extra weight on top of its already heavy kerbweight...never mind a caravan!

I'm guessing the N52 engine works well in a Z4 with it being only a 2 seater and a bit lighter car. I love the N52 engine for its smoothness but its not very punchy in the 3 series for me.

Most of my time is spent with one or two occupants in my E90 and it never feels short on pace. I don't think they're particularly heavy but any car will feel the impact of an additional 200 kg. No doubt a 330d or 335i/d will cope with that mass better but that's just physics. What I can say is that an N52'd E90 is quicker than an M54'd E85.

I find the gearing pretty pretty good for road use, top of 3rd gets you to a ton when messing about, but put it in 6th on cruise and it's a comfortable civilised place to be whilst still making good pace. I often do cross country dashes after work (Essex/Suffolk to Wales for example), so it's a good mix for the motorway whilst retaining some playfulness once I hit the empty welsh mountain roads but can overtake well. I don't think it's the nicest gearbox in the world, but it's alright.

[cerb4.5lee]

ferrisbueller said:

cerb4.5lee said:

ExVantagemech.. said:

Talking of gearing, does anyone else feel 1st is stupidly low? 06 325i E91 spanish, 1st to me is like a couple feet then grab 2nd. Like BMW were expecting you to carry 4 passengers and tow a caravan....

I never thought the N52 engine dealt with weight that well and I remember squeezing 4 adults and a child in my E90 330i. We all chuckled at how it struggled with the extra weight on top of its already heavy kerbweight...never mind a caravan!

I'm guessing the N52 engine works well in a Z4 with it being only a 2 seater and a bit lighter car. I love the N52 engine for its smoothness but its not very punchy in the 3 series for me.

Most of my time is spent with one or two occupants in my E90 and it never feels short on pace. I don't think they're particularly heavy but any car will feel the impact of an additional 200 kg. No doubt a 330d or 335i/d will cope with that mass better but that's just physics. What I can say is that an N52'd E90 is quicker than an M54'd E85.

Yes I was being a little unfair and as you say most cars will notice an extra 200kg of occupants. I think a 330d/335i/d would hide it a little better as you mention.

The 330i is one of those cars that if you're caught in the wrong gear it can feel pretty flat. Max power at 6600rpm is pretty high too compared to most cars nowadays.

[stevesingo]

An E90 is a small/medium saloon car. When compared against similar of the period, it is more than competitive.

Only an idiot would make a statement regarding performance when comparing it to anything which is not in the same market sector.

I have an E90 330i with an N52. It's agility is fking terrible when compared to my modified E30 M3 Sport Evo, it feels heavy and the steering feel isn't a patch on the older car. I mean, the the fk knew?

[bmwmike]

stevesingo said:

An E90 is a small/medium saloon car. When compared against similar of the period, it is more than competitive.

Only an idiot would make a statement regarding performance when comparing it to anything which is not in the same market sector.

I have an E90 330i with an N52. It's agility is fking terrible when compared to my modified E30 M3 Sport Evo, it feels heavy and the steering feel isn't a patch on the older car. I mean, the the fk knew?

Bang on. Also I think sometimes people got spoiled with the always on grunt of a diesel and forget that a nasp engine has to actually be driven and worked to get the best out of it. Torque is down to the box and final drive as much as the engine. Power is all engine.

[Mr Tidy]

bmwmike said:

Bang on. Also I think sometimes people got spoiled with the always on grunt of a diesel and forget that a nasp engine has to actually be driven and worked to get the best out of it. Torque is down to the box and final drive as much as the engine. Power is all engine.

Definitely, I replaced a 123d (torque no issue) with a Z4 Coupe, but it never felt lacking at lower revs - and it flew at higher revs!

For over 3 years I had a 325ti Compact as a daily, but last month I replaced it with an E91 325i - it goes well enough, but you do need to get it revving for some performance.

[ExVantagemech..]

I was looking at changing my E91, but instead decided to spend some money on the car and keep it. Once I got my head around the 115k mileage (what IS it with 100k on a dash that makes people want to sell?) still mean there is life left in it, I sorted out the windscreen, got some 18" wheels and this weekend will stick some Uni RS3's on it to replace the buggered RFTs. Still got an advisory of brake hoses to sort, but hoping the old girl will be as smooth on the new rubber as it was on the winters.

I joined the FB E90/91 etc page - jesus there are some STUPID prices being asked on there. I dont care if its a 2007 335d M sport, I cant see it being worth £11,500 private mate.... Makes me wonder how an SE can only be worth £2950...

[cerb4.5lee]

bmwmike said:

Bang on. Also I think sometimes people got spoiled with the always on grunt of a diesel and forget that a nasp engine has to actually be driven and worked to get the best out of it. Torque is down to the box and final drive as much as the engine. Power is all engine.

I'd had a E90 330d for 6 years so inevitably my E90 330i was always going to feel flat in comparison. They're polar opposite engines and with the 330d you had everything low down and nothing on the top end, whereas the 330i had nothing low down but everything on its top end.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Just this morning got mine back. Top service as always from Darren Wood in Stockport. They didn't have a booking until the 19th but said to get it recovered there and they'd fit it in when they could if they had cancellations.

Labour cost only £120

Have been tooling about in the wife's F20 125i Sport Auto for 2 weeks though and bl88dy hell does mine feel slow and heavy when I just drove it to work!

That ZF8 makes it feel so much livelier on the throttle, and everything's obviously a lot lighter. It is also nearly a second quicker to 60 so is going to show. I need to readjust.

Edited by Swervin_Mervin on Thursday 12th April 11:26

[lord trumpton]

Here's my view on the E9X 330i going forward.

I think they are a great buy and something that should be sought out.

For us petrolheads with an eye on performance, minimal depreciation, decent running costs and a cracking 'rev it out' engine that is fairly bulletproof (well the N52 is) then they make perfect sense.

The looks have (in my eyes) really aged well, they are not burdened with twin turbo/wastegate/HPFP worries, they can offer inxs of 30mpg around town.

There's no DPF worries, EGR worries, no diesel tax/fall off a cliff depreciation worries etc etc

As said before, I run an F10 M5 and while vastly more powerful this e91 330i I've just bought is a more enjoyable car to drive fast. It's not trying to get out of shape all the time, it can be revved with reward and that super smooth turbine N52 engine makes a sound similar to my Z3M (S50) at full chat.

Great cars imho and worth seeking a good one out.

[helix402]

The N52 is indeed a great engine. A friend of mine has a 730i with the N52, most of his miles are paid for so it suits his needs.

[cerb4.5lee]

lord trumpton said:

Here's my view on the E9X 330i going forward.

I think they are a great buy and something that should be sought out.

For us petrolheads with an eye on performance, minimal depreciation, decent running costs and a cracking 'rev it out' engine that is fairly bulletproof (well the N52 is) then they make perfect sense.

I'm pleased I had my E90 330i for 4 years and it was a cracking all round car and completely bulletproof. I even escaped the waterpump going which I thought was good going for a 11 year old car.

The N52 engine is silky smooth and that was my favourite part about it. The noise the engine made I felt was very underwhelming though, far too muted in the cabin and equally as quiet from the exhaust.

Looks wise I think the E90 is a dog's dinner but I do think the E91 and E92 are a little better though.