BMW X3 2.0D or 3.0i

[beemarman]

Hi,

I'm so undecided. I'm looking to buy an X3 for my other half but I'm undecided on which model to go for. She does about 5k miles a year so not a lot of miles.

I'm currently looking at two cars. One a 2.0D and the other is a 3.0 petrol.

X3 2.0D spec:
Bluetooth
Manual
Leather
Sports
PDC front and rear.
£11,500

X3 3.0i
Auto
Leather
Sat Nav Bluetooth
Electric heated seats
Folding Mirrors
£10,500

I know the oil burner is a wiser option and having an M6 myself it might be better, as don't like the idea of having 2 cars that do less than 20mpg in town. Most of her driving would be in town.

She currently has a Renault Megane 1.6. My heart says go for the oil burner but my head is saying go for the 3.0 petrol.

What do you guys think?

[BlueProp]

With that mileage it has to be the petrol. I see the 3.0i is an auto, the 2.0D is manual, so there's a personal preference there. For me it would be auto if it was town driving.

I can't see the 2.0D doing much more than mid 30s with town driving, the 3.0i probably low 20s.

[beemarman]

My heart is saying go for the petrol, after my calculation it would cost me £80 per month extra for the petrol and £35 per month for the oil burner against her current car

[Fox-]

She does 5000 miles a year, buy her a V8 X5.

Failing that, I guess it has to be the 3.0i X3.

[lamb jiblets]

BlueProp said:

With that mileage it has to be the petrol. I see the 3.0i is an auto, the 2.0D is manual, so there's a personal preference there. For me it would be auto if it was town driving.

I can't see the 2.0D doing much more than mid 30s with town driving, the 3.0i probably low 20s.

on our 2.0d were getting and indicated 37mpg av around town without driving like a vicar, and 49mpg on a motorway.
But that said if your doing 5K a year thats not much saving, but boy will you lose out when you sell a 3L petrol.

[Fox-]

lamb jiblets said:

But that said if your doing 5K a year thats not much saving, but boy will you lose out when you sell a 3L petrol.

I doubt it, they have got to the stage now where you wont loose a shedload more on one than the other.

[cerb4.5lee]

I would defo go for the petrol if thats all the mileage that will be covered in a year.

I generally prefer petrol all the way....unless you do mega mileage & our 330d sounds lousy compared to the v8s!

But you do get a nice linear feel with diesels especially mated to the autobox.

Good luck with your search they are both nice motors.

[NIIKME]

If this is not a done deal yet, I would suggest the diesel. The newest 2d suits us very well indeed. I had always been a petrol man but there's something about that initial pulling away torque provided by the diesel that makes it feel right. As has already been said selling on will be easier aswell. Fully loaded for a trip to France and back it was simply faultless! Watch out for wheels mind you.....ours has 19s and there is so little tyre choice that 4 are going to cost me the same as on the m3.....what a joke.

[Fox-]

NIIKME said:

If this is not a done deal yet, I would suggest the diesel. The newest 2d suits us very well indeed. I had always been a petrol man but there's something about that initial pulling away torque provided by the diesel that makes it feel right.

The 3.0 is better than the 2.0d in every possible way bar fuel economy. I'd take your point, sort of, if we were discussing the 3.0d but to get to that 'initial pulling away' torque you need to get past the dead zone of no power that exists between tickover and about 1500rpm, by which time the 3.0i is gone.

[NIIKME]

Fox- said:

NIIKME said:

If this is not a done deal yet, I would suggest the diesel. The newest 2d suits us very well indeed. I had always been a petrol man but there's something about that initial pulling away torque provided by the diesel that makes it feel right.

The 3.0 is better than the 2.0d in every possible way bar fuel economy. I'd take your point, sort of, if we were discussing the 3.0d but to get to that 'initial pulling away' torque you need to get past the dead zone of no power that exists between tickover and about 1500rpm, by which time the 3.0i is gone.

Yea maybe.........compared to my 330 at the time I really couldn't feel any difference to 60. Mpgs better yes.