Can't decide on which one!

[clonmult]

Finally at a point to start seriously looking at cars (bit of money coming my way!).

Been considering all sorts - Vectra GSi Estate, Passat Estate, Audi A4/A6 Avant, etc.

But every time it always comes back to the same two basic choices - E46 Touring or an E39 touring. Budget is probably up to around £5k, and the choices seem endless.

So its down to :
E46 320d, 320i, 323, 328, 330, 330d touring. Preference is definitely for 6 cylinders, either petrol or diesel.

I'm not a fan of the wooden effect interior on the majority of E39 Tourings, so would want an E39 Touring Sport - was there ever such a model? I haven't seen one for sale in the price range within 30 miles of home.

Any suggestions? Which of the E46 will have the "best" combination of performance and economy? I'm erring toward the 330d being at the top of the list if I can find one ....

[ipwn]

E46 330d Auto sport 2004 , look at 33 mpg ish .

[okgo]

ipwn said:

E46 330d Auto sport 2004 , look at 33 mpg ish .

The petrol I would bet wouldn't be any less than 28 average, so on that basis, buy the petrol.

[coltonbob]

I've got a 330ci '05 model. Averages 26 - 27 mpg...

You'll do well to get a decent 330d for <£5k tho I think...

[Matthew_Eames]

was looking at the difference between the 330d and 330i

The diesel, although giving a few more MPG is not drastically different, add to that fuel being more expensive in the first place means it only makes sense if you do a lot of mines

they cost a significant amount more to buy and have turbo and inlet manifold problems which cost ££££ to solve, wiping out any savings you made via the diesel

the M54B30 lump seems pretty bulletproof (and running costs between the 6 pots are similar so go for the biggest) so that would be my choice, 330i touring (sport if possible)



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-W-Reg-BMW-330i-SE-Touri...

[VerySideways]

okgo said:

ipwn said:

E46 330d Auto sport 2004 , look at 33 mpg ish .

The petrol I would bet wouldn't be any less than 28 average, so on that basis, buy the petrol.

I've had both - buy the 330i Touring, either in SE or Sport. The seats are much better in the Sport.

[clonmult]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just with driving to work I'm doing around 20,000 per year, and we'll have a few jaunts up to Scotland each year - over 1000 miles on the round trip. The journey to work rarely gives me a chance to get over 60mph though.

What sort of economy can the 330i get at a steady 70-80mph cruise?

Although (and this is almost going to be heresy) I'm not actually discounting the 2 liter engined 318i. A few that I've seen are rated at around 140bhp - similar output to my old 318iS, and that definitely had a decent turn of speed.

eta - none of them have dual zone climate control!!! Had that on the E36, but have yet to see it on any E46!

Edited by clonmult on Thursday 12th March 14:16

[VerySideways]

6 speed manual 2004 330i gave me about 31mpg, 5 speed auto gave me about 29mpg, 330d auto gave me about 37mpg : all at 80mph cruise.

[clonmult]

VerySideways said:

6 speed manual 2004 330i gave me about 31mpg, 5 speed auto gave me about 29mpg, 330d auto gave me about 37mpg : all at 80mph cruise.

Shows me how ridiculously inefficient the current car (Laguna 1.8) is - doing an 80mph cruise it gets low 30s - about the same as the 318iS. Its only when/if I drop to a 60mph cruise that it jumps up to high 40s.

[VerySideways]

My current 130i 6 speed manual gives me a steady 39mpg at 80mph on cheap unleaded.

[mike325112]

Our 330d (manual 204hp) does 40mpg as a genuine average. On a motorway runs under cruise at 1.0leptons it did 45mpg last wknd.

[Vee]

ipwn said:

E46 330d Auto sport 2004 , look at 33 mpg ish .

For £5k

[ipwn]

Vee said:

ipwn said:

E46 330d Auto sport 2004 , look at 33 mpg ish .

For £5k

The post was merely too show what I was getting from my 330d from "performance and economy"

[clonmult]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I hadn't really thought of the weights - yup, the 318iS came in around 1350kg, and the E46 318i touring is around 1500kg. Thats seriously lardy!

Its a bit of a windup though - the majority of E46 tourings for sale within 30 miles of me on Autotrader are 320ds. With the occasional 320, 323, 328 or 330.

[dan101smith]

I've just gone through the same decision as you. I started off looking for an E39 Touring for circa £2k but found they were mostly sheds at that price.

So, I upped the budget and looked at a couple of 330i Tourings. What I discovered was that they actually aren't very big!

So, my £5k has just gone on an E39 530iA Sport Touring. Fully loaded, and not even the faintest hint of wood anywhere.

[clonmult]

dan101smith said:

I've just gone through the same decision as you. I started off looking for an E39 Touring for circa £2k but found they were mostly sheds at that price.

So, I upped the budget and looked at a couple of 330i Tourings. What I discovered was that they actually aren't very big!

So, my £5k has just gone on an E39 530iA Sport Touring. Fully loaded, and not even the faintest hint of wood anywhere.

I haven't seen one E39 Sport Touring for sale within 30 miles, its a total pain.

I realise that the E46 Touring isn't exactly huge, but its not particularly often that I'd have all 3 kids in the back, and just need the extra load space for the occasional jaunt up to Blackpool and Scotland (those will only be with 2 of the kids though).

Climate control, bit of poke, useful loading space, reasonable economy for the performance, smooth 6 cylinder engine .....

[LordGrover]

Maybe a daft question, but if you can't find what you want within 30 miles why not look further afield? I wouldn't think twice about going 100 miles for the right car.

[clonmult]

LordGrover said:

Maybe a daft question, but if you can't find what you want within 30 miles why not look further afield? I wouldn't think twice about going 100 miles for the right car.

I guess I don't mind pushing the search a little further, maybe 40 or 50 miles. I can search a little further on-line to see if its worthwhile, but a jaunt up to birmingham to look at a car that could turn out to be a dog would be a right royal pita.

[ipwn]

clonmult said:

LordGrover said:

Maybe a daft question, but if you can't find what you want within 30 miles why not look further afield? I wouldn't think twice about going 100 miles for the right car.

I guess I don't mind pushing the search a little further, maybe 40 or 50 miles. I can search a little further on-line to see if its worthwhile, but a jaunt up to birmingham to look at a car that could turn out to be a dog would be a right royal pita.

You must understand that the car doesn't come to you. You must go to it.

To find your/the perfect car you have to be WILLING to travel anywhere within UK.

Obviously you can tell if the car is worth seeing through the advert and possibly calling up the person to ask specific questions. If all of that is pukka then you can go and look at the car. Chances are it will be the car.

[dan101smith]

I found my Sport Touring through Autotrader. I'm in London, it's in Tamworth. A conversation with the seller confirmed it was worth going to look at.