E91 Straight Six Bearding

[bmwmike]

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.

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.

Interesting comment about the e91 being more enjoyable to drive fast than a m5 f10. I have an f10 530i with the n53 and have/had been considering a m5. One of my concerns was not being able to wring the m5 engines neck out as I enjoy doing with the n53. I've often thought it's more fun to drive a slower car fast and near its limit than a fast car well below and within it's limit. I find myself on the wrong side of speed limits very easily with the 530i.. the M5 would be way worse and perhaps a little frustrating for it on UK roads.

Sorry for the non e9x distraction.

[2 GKC]

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.

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.

In excess of 30 mpg around town? I struggle to get that on the motorway

[Swervin_Mervin]

Yeah, more like 25 around town. Mid-30s at absolute best on the motorway - in fact, I reckon when I got my best ever of 34mpg with 3 adults a full boot and a roof box, the roof box must've been providing some lift!

[Patrick Bateman]

Mid-30's on the motorway at a push?

I could average 31mpg easily in my e46 330Ci across a tank without sitting at 60 everywhere. I'd imagine an N52 car could do better than mid-30's on the motorway if you wanted it to.

[Patrick Bateman]

cerb4.5lee said:

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.

The Z4 I drove sounded very muted as well, more understandable in the 3 series but still too quiet.

Is there an easy exhaust mod in the e9x cars? My e46 had the butterfly valve in the exhaust stuck open so it sounded brilliant all the time, just about what I'd expect from such a car an in no way intrusive.

I know there's the sound generator mod on the Z4's.

[MajorMantra]

Same! Averaging around 27 reported by OBC for mixed driving, (I don't care enough to calculate it accurately). The highest the average has ever crept was low 30s when I reset it right before a long journey. A diesel it ain't.

All the other reasons are exactly why I bought one though. I wanted a petrol engined car that felt worthy of giving some love, but which wasn't so complicated that maintaining it (mostly) myself was feasible.

The £300 tax does sting a little, however.

[lord trumpton]

2 GKC said:

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.

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.

In excess of 30 mpg around town? I struggle to get that on the motorway

Well, That's what I've been getting according to the OBC so it may not be accurate

Mines only done 23k miles though and I've done what I do with every car I get - add BG44k.Maybe a combination of a healthy engine and clean fuel system?

Maybe try some as I've been using it for years and it does liven up an engine and improve MPG.

[cerb4.5lee]

Patrick Bateman said:

The Z4 I drove sounded very muted as well, more understandable in the 3 series but still too quiet.

Is there an easy exhaust mod in the e9x cars? My e46 had the butterfly valve in the exhaust stuck open so it sounded brilliant all the time, just about what I'd expect from such a car an in no way intrusive.

I know there's the sound generator mod on the Z4's.

Yes I believe you can have the butterfly valve fully open aswell on the E9x cars. I did look at doing it but I took the rear light cover off from inside the boot and then I changed my mind and just thought it is what it is.

I always thought the exhaust note on the E46 330i as standard sounded much more fruity than the E9x cars.

[ferrisbueller]

Patrick Bateman said:

Mid-30's on the motorway at a push?

I could average 31mpg easily in my e46 330Ci across a tank without sitting at 60 everywhere. I'd imagine an N52 car could do better than mid-30's on the motorway if you wanted it to.

My M54 can be staggeringly good on juice - think over 40mpg. N52 best is high 30s.

[gizlaroc]

Remember there is a knock sensor on these, 95ron will retard the timing and lose you around 15hp and roughly 8% mpg.

It takes a good 2-3 tanks before it gets back to where it should be when adding 98ron, but only a few litres of 95 Ron and it will retard the timing immediately.

Edited by gizlaroc on Friday 13th April 09:33

[Mr Tidy]

My E46 325ti sounded much better than my E91 325i (N52 engine) does - the E91 is so muted! But my Z4C sounds much better than either of them, probably because it has a non-standard exhaust with a very small rear silencer!

Economy wise, I had my 325ti for over 3 years and 23K miles, and got the OBC up to 34.9 mpg. Yesterday my E91 was showing 36.2 mpg! Whereas my Z4C is on a "dismal" 33.6 mpg - because I can't help chasing the red-line when I'm in that!

Seeing as I don't work anymore, none of them does a commute and most of their mileage is outside of rush hours on Motorways and dual-carriageway A roads at steady (even if not quite legal) speeds!

But I think anything over 30 mpg as an average with a straight 6 petrol is pretty good - my old V6 Fords never got near that, and were much less powerful!

[Patrick Bateman]

They're certainly more efficient than Porsche's flat 6.

My Boxster (2.7, 240bhp) would average 26mpg at best and on a long motorway run taking it easy you'd struggle to see much more than 30mpg, even sitting at 60 didn't help much.

[JakeT]

ferrisbueller said:

Patrick Bateman said:

Mid-30's on the motorway at a push?

I could average 31mpg easily in my e46 330Ci across a tank without sitting at 60 everywhere. I'd imagine an N52 car could do better than mid-30's on the motorway if you wanted it to.

My M54 can be staggeringly good on juice - think over 40mpg. N52 best is high 30s.

I was going to say the older engines seem really quite efficient. Over 400 miles some of which really weren't going for efficient driving produced the following from my 328ci shed. The computer is accurate to about 0.5 MPG too. I am surprised an n52/3 can't better it though. Is the E90 all that much heavier than an E46?

[bmwmike]

JakeT said:

I was going to say the older engines seem really quite efficient. Over 400 miles some of which really weren't going for efficient driving produced the following from my 328ci shed. The computer is accurate to about 0.5 MPG too. I am surprised an n52/3 can't better it though. Is the E90 all that much heavier than an E46?

My n53 in my auto f10 uses marginally less fuel than my m52tub25 engine in my old manual 323i. However the n53 is putting out 100bhp more, is pulling I guess 300kg more weight, and accelerates much more quickly. By marginally i mean really nothing in it. Not sure I ever got 39mpg except after driving an already hot engine at 50mph though.

The problem is not one of efficiency but ever increasing vehicle sizes IMO.

Edited by bmwmike on Friday 13th April 10:13

[ExVantagemech..]

325i E91, Average around town 27.5mpg, on a longer run can see near 40 but needs to be tickled rather than floored. Pretty much the same as my old K24 Accord to be fair.
Could do better if I removed the 3 bike racks off the roof as well.....

[2 GKC]

bmwmike said:

My n53 in my auto f10 uses marginally less fuel than my m52tub25 engine in my old manual 323i. However the n53 is putting out 100bhp more, is pulling I guess 300kg more weight, and accelerates much more quickly. By marginally i mean really nothing in it. Not sure I ever got 39mpg except after driving an already hot engine at 50mph though.

The problem is not one of efficiency but ever increasing vehicle sizes IMO.

Edited by bmwmike on Friday 13th April 10:13

I have same car on 180k miles. I couldn't get that unless doing a constant 60 mph on the motorway. Fantastic engine though

[lord trumpton]

Just a quick one for the beards....

On my E91 the very most rear quarter glass (triangle shape) that is at right angles to the tailgate - there is an orange line pattern similar to the orane lines on the heated rear screen. What are these orange lines?

Is it for an aerial or something?

[redandwhite]

interesting thread - looking at an E91 330 as my next. Whats a 'beard'? (in the context of this thread)

[Mike335i]

redandwhite said:

interesting thread - looking at an E91 330 as my next. Whats a 'beard'? (in the context of this thread)

Something to stroke?

[PTF]

Patrick Bateman said:

They're certainly more efficient than Porsche's flat 6.

My Boxster (2.7, 240bhp) would average 26mpg at best and on a long motorway run taking it easy you'd struggle to see much more than 30mpg, even sitting at 60 didn't help much.

Interesting.

I've got a Boxster 986 3.2 and regularly see mid-30s on a run. Average so far is 31mpg in a mix of driving and a fair bit of hooning.

It's very similar on fuel to my 130i