BMW 330d Touring (E46) | Shed of the Week

[1974foggy]

alorotom said:

Fine in its day, sadly the store of the council estate now.

This one looks in decent fettle so will be a shame to see it end up drifting around abandoned sofas and trampolines, full of weeks old McDonald's wrappers and squads of filthy and obnoxious kids

Wow. How to win friends and influence people! Bit snobby dont you think?

Had a 330d from new, one of the first in the UK (Y reg) and it was a fantastic car, some of the in gear acceleration times bettered the M3 in road tests and lowest mpg was around the 37mpg mark (average). It seems to run out of puff quick through the gears but that was due to the low down torque, the fact it was quick and the fact I was used to the petrol in line 6.

The only issues later down the line were corrosion to the bonnet edge and wheel arches, but bits of it did feel cheap.
A well maintained one is great it this price.

[helix402]

Here’s mine:

[mmm-five]

Luke-c11fi said:

The engine seems to get stronger and stronger as the miles go up while returning 45mpg (Computers figure) but I normally get 550 miles from a tank and that's with a heavy foot!

I get a similar OBC reading, but tank-to-tank it's actually closer to 37mpg (this is on the later M57TU engine, and a 5-speed GM autobox) - and the last 150 miles of range drops by about 2 miles per 1 mile travelled. Manual would get a couple of MPG more.

It's a comfy drive for my weekly commute, and spectating trips to the 'Ring (take the Z4MC when intending on doing a lap or two). Will still do 140mph indicated and about

Edited by mmm-five on Monday 23 December 12:26

[Rob 131 Sport]

For my 30th Birthday I bought in 2003 an E46 330i Sport Auto in Imola Red with Beige Leather and Dark Wood Trim Inserts. The registration number was BV51TWZ (I see the car is currently on SORN).

Preceding it was an E46 318i and prior to that a E36 325i Coupé. I absolutely loved the look and drive of my 330i Sport and remember my 2 year old son giggling and holding his stomach if I accelerated hard. I wouldn’t of even considered a diesel at the time.

The ride was acceptably firm if you were in the front with the Sport’s seat. However on one occasion my Dad was driving and with my pregnant wife in the passenger seat I endured the firm crashey ride of the rear bench. It was replaced after 3 Years with an Ex Demonstrator E90 320i, a car I never really got on with.

I can see the 330 (Diesel and Petrol) in Sport Trim becoming very sought after.

[smn159]

I picked up a 330i touring from eBay back in the Spring as a stop gap following the death of my V70... £1800 and just over 100k miles



Still in daily use and no thoughts of replacing it yet

[Pistotter]

Merry Christmas Shed and wishing you come across some better inlet flaps than this old clunker.... However you can always get good tunes out of an old fiddle... Spare a thought for Mrs Shed

[SS427 Camaro]

I will soon be taking over one of my sons 2004 330d M Sport manual coupe. He has moved to central London for work and the poor thing has barely been used for the last 3 months, but @ least it’s not been driven through all of this crap weather !
He really does want an M3 and plans on treating himself to a really good one, in a year or 2, when he is earning more.
We bought the 330d together 2 years ago, paying very little for it. Its previous enthusiast mechanic owner had spent a fortune on it, but had fancied a change. It came with a huge pile of invoices but sadly no service book.
It’s grey with black leather - one of my favourite E46 colours, plus it’s a desirable Non sunroof & face lift car ( i loathed the sun roof in my old / much missed carbon black 53 plate M3 ( BT53VWE Where are you now ? )
I Really want a red interior for it ( same as I fitted in my M3 from black ) but they are hard to find. As far as I know, it’s not been modified, anyone have any suggestions to “ perk it up a bit power wise “ ?

[helix402]

Decent remap will perk it up.