In need of some advice.

[MartinR86]

Morning chaps, right so I need some advice. Looking to get my first BMW.

I've been looking at the 335d (friend of mine has one) but he has has advised the the mpg isn't so great, so my question is I'd be doing a lot more shorter journeys than long journeys, would a 335d be a wise purchase or would a 330d or 320d be more suitable?

[MrCD]

Why not a 320 or another petrol variant?

Short trips are not the best for a diesel in general.

I similarly know someone who had a 435d and recall them saying fuel economy wasn't the best.

[MartinR86]

The only thing putting me off petrol is the road tax, although tbh I've not checked what it is on a 320i. Had a few people tell me the diesels are easier to service and part readily available to.compared to the petrol, not entirely sure how true that is though.

[RUSSELLM]

Xdrive or older ?

How many miles are your more frequent short journeys ?

[MartinR86]

It would be older, maybe around a 07 to 10.

Its basically a short trip into work 15 minutes depending on how busy it is and a 15-20 minute drive down a dual carriage way to my girlfriends.

I want something pokey a bit more, well a lot more fun than my corsa haha.

[Dinoboy]

Id go petrol with that commute.
My current 440i costs hardly any more to run than my previous 730d and I'm 90 miles round trip daily.

[craigjm]

MartinR86 said:

be doing a lot more shorter journeys than long journeys, would a 335d be a wise purchase or would a 330d or 320d be more suitable?

Short journeys = avoid diesel no matter what brand you are talking about

[MartinR86]

How many mpg are getting? With your 440i?

[RUSSELLM]

MartinR86 said:

It would be older, maybe around a 07 to 10.

Its basically a short trip into work 15 minutes depending on how busy it is and a 15-20 minute drive down a dual carriage way to my girlfriends.

I want something pokey a bit more, well a lot more fun than my corsa haha.

From my experience, the oil in the 3.0 diesel, won’t be getting near to it’s normal operating temperature in those times. Bar the odd hot day in the summer.

I’d be going small and turbo/supercharged.

Journey wise, my last Four diesels have been fine on the 13 mile journey to work, but I suspect your trips are shorter than that ?

[Dinoboy]

MartinR86 said:

How many mpg are getting? With your 440i?

In normal running about to shops etc daily around 36/37mpg.
Motorway commute 90 mile round trip around 41mpg but I've had it at 50mpg over the 90 miles being very careful. It's a fantastic engine/gearbox combination.

eta super unleaded fuel.

[Vee]

You will spend more repairing and maintaining the diesel than any fuel benefits you’ll gain.
The petrol 3.0 is the one to go for, the main problems being injectors and fuel pump. Look for one with warranty or evidence of those parts being replaced, or budget for them.
The 3.0 diesels at that age constantly have something needing yo be done, especially when you are doing low miles.
The petrol 2.0 has problems with camshafts I recall, lots of information in the web.

[Pica-Pica]

I have had a 335d for almost five years now. Fuel consumption is fine, 44+mpg overall, giving 520 miles a tank, or 600 miles if trying to save fuel and on a long trip (as I did in the fuel shortages last year). People tend to make the financial calculation on any diesel purchase. For me it is whether you want loads of torque. To be honest, I would not buy a 4 cylinder diesel, unless you only did long runs, and wanted the best economy.

[monty999]

320i touring here, motorway to manchester airport run about 80-90 miles returned 48 (by the on-board). Around town usually around early to mid 30's. Quite impressive for a 2ltr auto

[RUSSELLM]

Cold start and a trip to the local shop in my 335D, will be about 25mpg

Car’s average over 3 years is 36 mpg

Motorway journey’s are always over 40 mpg, best tank is 47 mpg

[MartinR86]

Sorry I've not replied everyone, was limited to 5 posts in my first 24 hours due to being a new member lol.

Thanks for all the advice, greatly appreciated. Looking at a 320i auto coupe, think that is going to be my most sensible option for now. Maybe ill upgrade to 335i further down the line.

[miniman]

I just returned my 420i - nice enough car but combination of low torque and 8-speed auto was poor, constantly having to rag it to get any response. 330d would be my pick, my E46 was ace and that was the earlier lower power one.

[stevemcs]

From the sounds of it you are looking ar the Eseries cars, not the F series, personally I would avoid the E92 320i it’s a ticking time bomb, the older 325/330i are good but still need money thrown at them. For me I always preferred the 30d over the 35d as it wasn’t much slower was better on fuel and didn’t feel so rough.

[nomis36]

My 2006 165,000 mile manual 330d hasn’t had any engine issues at all in the nearly 5 years of ownership and still returns 40mpg daily and 50 on a run. Manuals are better on fuel so will always be a bit better than 335d’s.
Best car I’ve ever owned.

[pills]

I'm getting about 33 mpg with my X3 335D but then it does get used for response work. I do find the oil is up to temp within about 4 miles / 10 minutes of driving (dash oil temp gauge).

[Mr Tidy]

I had a couple of manual BMW Z4 Coupes with the N52 engine so when I was looking for an E9* 3 Series I found an early 325i with the same N52 engine, which I replaced after a year with a 330i also with the N52 engine.

I specifically avoided the later N53 engined models because of what I had read about fuel pump and injector issues.

Between the 4 of them I did 38,000 miles and always averaged 30+ mpg (all manual).

When I started my search my local BMW Indy recommended 6 cylinders, preferably petrol if I didn't want to be visiting him too often. As his daily was a 530i I took his advice!