E90 LCI 330i or Pre-LCI 330d?

E90 LCI 330i or Pre-LCI 330d?

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TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Wednesday 4th September 2013
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I'm currently trying to sell my E46 330cd, which is proving to be harder than I anticipated.

I want an E90,and it has to be below £8k. My recent research has uncovered the 57 plate onwards 330i as a real possibility. I do about 20k a year, and the quoted figures are fairly close to my 204bhp E46.

But then there's the 330d.My budget won't touch an LCI with sub 100k on the clock, so it would be pre facelift. Other than better economy and more receptive to remapping, would there be any merit in going for the diesel?

If I'm honest, while a decent car, the current 330cd just doesn't have any character. And that's with Bilstein suspension, uprated anti roll bars and new bushes etc.

Very interested in people's views.

Edited by TroubledSoul on Thursday 5th September 08:58

pattyg

1,329 posts

226 months

Thursday 5th September 2013
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I'd be amazed you can get an LCI 330i for £8k to be honest.

TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Thursday 5th September 2013
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I've seen a couple so far, but they are quite rare.

Phateuk

751 posts

136 months

Thursday 5th September 2013
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I've found LCI 330i's to be fairly rare in general, let alone under £8k frown

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th September 2013
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Sub 100k for £8k e90 Msport I6 hmm

The 330i LCI wasn't a big seller in the first instance so few and far between used especially at the bottom of the market price range.

If you waited for 6-9 months I'd suggest there is better chance as the prices will have decreased with the F30 putting more pressure on the E90. Though conversely your E46 cd 330d will decrease in value too.

Swoxy

2,799 posts

209 months

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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TroubledSoul said:
If I'm honest, while a decent car, the current 330cd just doesn't have any character. And that's with Bilstein suspension, uprated anti roll bars and new bushes etc.
If you find the E46 coupe doesn't have any character you may fall asleep in the E90!!

Get the petrol.

Also, be careful, 2007 saw the Efficient Dynamics upgrades come to the cars, MY09 (sept 2008 build) saw the LCI (facelift) arrive, two quite different things.

I think the 330i is a gem, the 330d is OK but a bit souless. I prefer the 330i over the 335i, the 335i feels like a diesel to drive, just a slightly nicer sound. Gets pretty boring pretty quickly, doesn't matter what gear you're in you press the throttle and go, the NA 330i has to be worked and is a joy when you get it right.


TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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Wait, so did the 272bhp 330i engine come in a pre-LCI form then? A pre-LCI car but with the Efficient Dynamics stuff?

This is getting quite frustrating. The stuff I really want all seems to be just a short stretch out of reach.

Have to keep hoping the stuff I have seen stays available until my current car sells!

gizlaroc said:
TroubledSoul said:
If I'm honest, while a decent car, the current 330cd just doesn't have any character. And that's with Bilstein suspension, uprated anti roll bars and new bushes etc.
If you find the E46 coupe doesn't have any character you may fall asleep in the E90!!

Get the petrol.

Also, be careful, 2007 saw the Efficient Dynamics upgrades come to the cars, MY09 (sept 2008 build) saw the LCI (facelift) arrive, two quite different things.

I think the 330i is a gem, the 330d is OK but a bit souless. I prefer the 330i over the 335i, the 335i feels like a diesel to drive, just a slightly nicer sound. Gets pretty boring pretty quickly, doesn't matter what gear you're in you press the throttle and go, the NA 330i has to be worked and is a joy when you get it right.
So, should I take it that the E90 isn't as good a drive as the E46? I have read differently to be honest, and I would upgrade as usual to uprated sports shocks like Koni FSD or Bilstein B12 and some Eibach springs. That's a staple of my cars smile It's actually the engine that has little character, rather than the chassis, which is great.

Edited by TroubledSoul on Friday 6th September 12:06

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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TroubledSoul said:
So, should I take it that the E90 isn't as good a drive as the E46? I have read differently to be honest, and I would upgrade as usual to uprated sports shocks like Koni FSD or Bilstein B12 and some Eibach springs. That's a staple of my cars smile It's actually the engine that has little character, rather than the chassis, which is great.
I found the E46 more raw, more excting, where as the E90 was a bit too civilised.
But I went from an M3 to a 335i, so probably not a fair comparison.

The M-Sport comes with Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs as standard, and haven't heard that many reports of people saying other combos are much better. Birds did a suspension set that has been praised, so maybe look into that?


TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Friday 6th September 2013
quotequote all
It's looking a lot like I may have to settle for an SE if I go 330d as there's not much about under £8k. Especially not if I want iDrive etc.

Is iDrive worthwhile? I know everyone says the LCI iDrive is miles better than the pre.

As a result, I will likely upgrade the shocks and probably fit a sport steering wheel. Even if I got an M-Sport, it's going to have 90k on it and need new shocks anyway.

Swervin_Mervin

4,429 posts

237 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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Why do you want a LCI 330i ver a pre-LCI one?

pattyg

1,329 posts

226 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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TroubledSoul said:
I've seen a couple so far, but they are quite rare.
Any links? I am a little sceptical tbh.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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Swervin_Mervin said:
Why do you want a LCI 330i ver a pre-LCI one?
Looks better, better economy, much better idrive and cheaper to run as far better mpg.

I would take an SE LCI over the pre LCI M-Sport too.

Swervin_Mervin

4,429 posts

237 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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How much better is the economy? And I'm talking real-world, not BMW quoted figures wink

And what about LCI reliability issues?

For info I went pre-LCI without idrive and I love it. The engine is a cracker. And the economy's not bad either.

I'd be surprised if you could get a decent LCI though for under £8k that hasn't been to the moon and back.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Friday 6th September 2013
quotequote all
TroubledSoul said:
It's looking a lot like I may have to settle for an SE if I go 330d as there's not much about under £8k. Especially not if I want iDrive etc.

Is iDrive worthwhile? I know everyone says the LCI iDrive is miles better than the pre.

As a result, I will likely upgrade the shocks and probably fit a sport steering wheel. Even if I got an M-Sport, it's going to have 90k on it and need new shocks anyway.
So you cannot stretch to a M sport but then want to change steering wheels and upgrade the shocks.... Why on earth would you want to do that?
You can buy an E46 M3 from £5k vs ping what your suggesting will ruin its valid as hardly anyone wants to buy a modified car especially when the airbag has been messed with.

Buy the right car in the first place cheaper to do so and no need to kill residual value

Don't want to sound rude but from your comment it sounds like you want to Barry up an E90 Msport

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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Swervin_Mervin said:
How much better is the economy? And I'm talking real-world, not BMW quoted figures wink

And what about LCI reliability issues?

For info I went pre-LCI without idrive and I love it. The engine is a cracker. And the economy's not bad either.

I'd be surprised if you could get a decent LCI though for under £8k that hasn't been to the moon and back.
I used to get around 26mpg from my 335i and most 330i users said they got the same, then when the 330i came with direct injection and 272bhp I had one for a week and managed 34mpg that week, first two days I did 480 miles on a tank and saw 38mpg.
It is considerably better.

Same with the 330d though when they started using the newer ZF 'box, pre LCI around 34 average for most, and then post LCI 40+ for those that swapped.

I was doing 40k miles a year at the time, so 26 to 34 was a big jump.

Reliability? Not sure, couple of people have had issues with the later 3 litre Di engine, so now it is the most unreliable thing ever because of tinternet.


I am talking Autos of course. I would own a petrol six with a manual 'box, but wouldn't even consider a BMW diesel manual, made that mistake with the wides X1, not my bag at all.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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Welshbeef said:
So you cannot stretch to a M sport but then want to change steering wheels and upgrade the shocks.... Why on earth would you want to do that?
That does sound madness.
It comes with Bilsteins and Eibachs anyway, better to spend the money just buying an M-Sport in the first place.

TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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OK, firstly, WTF? Barry an M-Sport?! Are you insane?

Whichever car I buy, it is going to be touching 100k. If it hasn't had replacement shocks in its recent past then it will need them. It will also need new bushes, new track rod ends, new steering rack ends and new top mounts.

Those knocking replacing these items are probably those who sell their cars with "FULL SERVICE HISTORY, NO EXPENSE SPARED" written in the ads, despite the fact that all they have ever spent money on is servicing, brakes and tyres!

If I get an E90 I am going to refresh its suspension. Whether it's an M-Sport or an SE I will still want to use the same type of replacement items, so where is the issue there?

It makes absolutely no financial sense to pay extra for an M-Sport purely on the basis of it coming with some different worn out suspension.

Now, as it is, I would much prefer the M-Sport as I prefer the trim and bodywork, but it's certainly not a deal breaker for me.

Anyway, moving on from that, it seems that I made a mistake regarding the LCI 330i's. The ones I have seen are 57 plate cars, so have the newer engine but are not LCI cars. I didn't realise initially that these two things occurred separately.

TroubledSoul

Original Poster:

4,589 posts

193 months

Friday 6th September 2013
quotequote all
gizlaroc said:
That does sound madness.
It comes with Bilsteins and Eibachs anyway, better to spend the money just buying an M-Sport in the first place.
As per my previous post, if they have done 90k then they're junk in my experience.

Swervin_Mervin

4,429 posts

237 months

Saturday 7th September 2013
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Personally I think you can get 99% of what you're after with a pre-LCI car on lower mileage.

I'm getting high 20s mpg with mine so not far short of the later unit, especially important when factoring in the extra purchase cost of the LCI.