BMW 330d Touring (E46) | Shed of the Week
Discussion
I have an 04 320d touring manual. Always loved it. Mine has 212k miles. Ive had new clutch and fly wheel, water pump, alternator and a turbo hose. Regular servicing. The performance is as it was when I bought it with 51k miles... Fact. You wiukd never feel disappointed by the performance. Mine has rust in some of the wheel arches but I still love driving. Packed and loaded down with garden waste or luggage and my golden retriever in the boot and it still performs. Had a broken coil spring in mot thus year and rusted brake lines all replaced... About £250...and on it goes. On original suspension and that u do feel a little but hardly terrible. On same battery when I bought it 10 years ago too. Won't part with it as from 06 onwards the engines do they brains in right 
had swirl flaps removed on mine. Great cars and if I saw a genunie low mileage I'd buy one again.
had swirl flaps removed on mine. Great cars and if I saw a genunie low mileage I'd buy one again. That has to be a real bargain for someone with a longish commute who maybe has kids and might want to chuck a bike in the boot from time to time!
I don't do any of those things, but I'm still drawn to it.
IMHO the E46 is the best looking 3 Series Touring, and as it's a facelift it'll have the 6-speed manual gearbox which will help for cruising and economy.
I'm amazed people have managed as much as 46mpg with them though - my first BMW was a facelift E46 320td that I bought in 2005 and in over 40K miles it only averaged just over 47mpg! Maybe that was due to how I drove it.
I think it is a great shed, so long as you don't need to drive into central London!
Thanks to Shed for keeping us entertained all year, and Merry Xmas to the Sheds.
I don't do any of those things, but I'm still drawn to it.
IMHO the E46 is the best looking 3 Series Touring, and as it's a facelift it'll have the 6-speed manual gearbox which will help for cruising and economy.
I'm amazed people have managed as much as 46mpg with them though - my first BMW was a facelift E46 320td that I bought in 2005 and in over 40K miles it only averaged just over 47mpg! Maybe that was due to how I drove it.
I think it is a great shed, so long as you don't need to drive into central London!
Thanks to Shed for keeping us entertained all year, and Merry Xmas to the Sheds.
Difficult to get enthusiastic about this. Not that it's a bad car, it isn't, rather I get the feeling you'd be throwing good money after bad. And it looks awfully tired.
They may be thin on the ground - although hardly 'rare' - I feel it's worth spending a bit more for a younger better example. Which is odd, as you could say that about any shed, but I feel here in particular it's more prevalent.
They may be thin on the ground - although hardly 'rare' - I feel it's worth spending a bit more for a younger better example. Which is odd, as you could say that about any shed, but I feel here in particular it's more prevalent.
tomic said:
SidewaysSi said:
Court_S said:
tomic said:
I remember being given some advise that if an old BMW is in Beds, Bucks or Brum you shouldn't go near it.
This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
What's wrong with Buckinghamshire?This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
My E90 was bought from a nice chap in Brum....turned out to be one of the best / most reliable second hand cars I've bought.
tholes. To be avoided.Anyone who lives there are on the breadline and short of a few brain cells. Certainly not people you want to be an old diesel estate from.
Worse still, you can't move for chavved up E30s drifting around roundabouts. Blacked out windows, lowered with large exhausts, usually one guy hanging an Uzi out of the window as he slides it with smoke pouring off the rear tyres
I would believe everything you read about those places on that site.
SidewaysSi said:
tomic said:
SidewaysSi said:
Court_S said:
tomic said:
I remember being given some advise that if an old BMW is in Beds, Bucks or Brum you shouldn't go near it.
This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
What's wrong with Buckinghamshire?This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
My E90 was bought from a nice chap in Brum....turned out to be one of the best / most reliable second hand cars I've bought.
tholes. To be avoided.Anyone who lives there are on the breadline and short of a few brain cells. Certainly not people you want to be an old diesel estate from.
Worse still, you can't move for chavved up E30s drifting around roundabouts. Blacked out windows, lowered with large exhausts, usually one guy hanging an Uzi out of the window as he slides it with smoke pouring off the rear tyres
I would believe everything you read about those places on that site.
tomic said:
I can only imagine bruv.
Innit!Anyway these old 330’s are still a good cheap all purpose do everything car - the review misses the main problem with these which is rust - sad to see Bmw make the E46 more of a rust box than the E36 but they did - front wings,
Rear arches, boot lid and door bottoms - none of it will affect an mot but they look a bit scruffy !
ajfspencer said:
Wow. I bought RN53WNM as an ex demo from BMW Cardiff in 2004 for £26k. Exact same spec - Black Sapphire and light yellow nappa leather.
Other then the aforementioned crap stereo, the car was a delight for 80k mikes and I see it’s still on the road approaching 200k miles.
Fond memories. Someone will enjoy this. A lot.
Not that it matters, and in fact could be seen as a plus due to the spec, a nearly new Bracknell registered car for sale at BMW in Cardiff is very unlikely to have been a demo. Much more likely to be an ex management scheme car. But, the upside is the likelihood of some decent options, and the first ‘keeper’ probably did less than 6k miles in it!!Other then the aforementioned crap stereo, the car was a delight for 80k mikes and I see it’s still on the road approaching 200k miles.
Fond memories. Someone will enjoy this. A lot.
Edited by ajfspencer on Friday 20th December 21:57
SidewaysSi said:
Court_S said:
tomic said:
I remember being given some advise that if an old BMW is in Beds, Bucks or Brum you shouldn't go near it.
This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
What's wrong with Buckinghamshire?This one is advertised as being in Buckinghamshire but is actually in Bedfordshire . Might give it a miss.
My E90 was bought from a nice chap in Brum....turned out to be one of the best / most reliable second hand cars I've bought.
tholes. To be avoided.Anyone who lives there are on the breadline and short of a few brain cells. Certainly not people you want to be an old diesel estate from.
Edited by humphra on Saturday 21st December 08:38
soad said:
No mention of a (superior?) 335d? Twin turbo too.
That’s a whole different game. Much newer, faster, less economical, much more expensive and auto only. My 2002 will have more torque than a 335d when I get round to fitting my 6 speed box (currently detuned to 550Nm).Edited by helix402 on Saturday 21st December 21:23
PSRG said:
ajfspencer said:
Wow. I bought RN53WNM as an ex demo from BMW Cardiff in 2004 for £26k. Exact same spec - Black Sapphire and light yellow nappa leather.
Other then the aforementioned crap stereo, the car was a delight for 80k mikes and I see it’s still on the road approaching 200k miles.
Fond memories. Someone will enjoy this. A lot.
Not that it matters, and in fact could be seen as a plus due to the spec, a nearly new Bracknell registered car for sale at BMW in Cardiff is very unlikely to have been a demo. Much more likely to be an ex management scheme car. But, the upside is the likelihood of some decent options, and the first ‘keeper’ probably did less than 6k miles in it!!Other then the aforementioned crap stereo, the car was a delight for 80k mikes and I see it’s still on the road approaching 200k miles.
Fond memories. Someone will enjoy this. A lot.
Edited by ajfspencer on Friday 20th December 21:57
g3org3y said:
But then you have to wear those terrible little gloves when filling up the car. 
Petrol FTW.
If you think about what people do with their hands forgetting to wash them afterwards diesel contamination is the least of your worries. I ALWAYS use the gloves or a paper towel. Petrol FTW.
Earl of Petrol said:
g3org3y said:
But then you have to wear those terrible little gloves when filling up the car.
Petrol FTW.
If you think about what people do with their hands forgetting to wash them afterwards diesel contamination is the least of your worries. I ALWAYS use the gloves or a paper towel. Petrol FTW.
GTEYE said:
Like all cars, they respond to how they have been looked after and maintained. Lets not forget these have been out of production for 15 years, and the earliest ones would be 22 years old. As such the difference between a good one and a bad one can be massive, and that applied when they were new. I've seen 3 year old cars that are completely hammered through neglect, and that applies to all brands,
If you don't think that almost 47mpg from a 3 litre from 15 years ago, no doubt well loaded down, is deeply impressive I'm not sure your expectations are realisticCurrently running a late model 330D as a daily driver, just over 201,000 miles on the clock.
Bodywork is not perfect but has not had any major mechanical problems. Swirl flaps taken out, Injectors have been refreshed and regular oil services carried out.
Just passed recent MOT needing two new rear shocks.
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!
Great car, want to keep but also want to get a Range Rover.......hmmmmm
Bodywork is not perfect but has not had any major mechanical problems. Swirl flaps taken out, Injectors have been refreshed and regular oil services carried out.
Just passed recent MOT needing two new rear shocks.
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!
Great car, want to keep but also want to get a Range Rover.......hmmmmm
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