Whats the highest mileage E46 330 petrol people have seen?
Discussion
Bought my E39 530i SE manual two years ago for £2000 with 144k on it. Now done 164k, and still hits 40 mpg on the motorway with cruise on. I'm confident its still worth £2000, especially given it only had a single advisory when it was last MOT'd, for a rear drop link. Best value for money car I have ever owned, having done a depreciation free 20,000 miles. Plus it looks and drives the part with factory sports seats, sports suspension and 18" inch wheels.
dhutch said:
Presumably the oil additive, not the brake pad lube!
Still, 244k is a long way. Presumably a reasonable amount of motorway miles? Auto box?
Daniel
Yes oil aditive, very happy with it and have been using it in engine, manual gearboxes and rear (non slip) diffs - I wasn't even aware of brake pad lube! Still, 244k is a long way. Presumably a reasonable amount of motorway miles? Auto box?
Daniel
It's a manual and sorely missing the 6th gear - the 5th is way too short for the motorway. It's driven both in town and motorway/A/B roads. Lots.
Other car is a 2000 E38 728i Auto currently at 270-ishk and equally happy munching miles - it has M52TU engine, very similar to the M54, bar the drive by wire throttle and low(er) friction piston rings. Slightly modified to let it breathe fully - manifold form M54B30, Simons eMaps tune and Beisans Vanos seals.
Zero issues with either of the engines/gearboxes/dirvetrains.
dmarkovina said:
dhutch said:
Presumably the oil additive, not the brake pad lube!
Still, 244k is a long way. Presumably a reasonable amount of motorway miles? Auto box?
Daniel
Yes oil aditive, very happy with it and have been using it in engine, manual gearboxes and rear (non slip) diffs - I wasn't even aware of brake pad lube! Still, 244k is a long way. Presumably a reasonable amount of motorway miles? Auto box?
Daniel
It's a manual and sorely missing the 6th gear - the 5th is way too short for the motorway. It's driven both in town and motorway/A/B roads. Lots.
Other car is a 2000 E38 728i Auto currently at 270-ishk and equally happy munching miles - it has M52TU engine, very similar to the M54, bar the drive by wire throttle and low(er) friction piston rings. Slightly modified to let it breathe fully - manifold form M54B30, Simons eMaps tune and Beisans Vanos seals.
Zero issues with either of the engines/gearboxes/dirvetrains.
sparks_E46 said:
Do you find the power of the 728i adequate?
After the mods were made it's night and day compared to the stock. Really pulls well - negligible difference between it and 735i and I prefer it to the V8 as it's so much more fun in the corners. Both E39 and e38 idle so smoothly and quietly that uninitiated passengers often think the engine is off...E39 is obviously nippier than the E38 die to lower weight and manual gearbox.dmarkovina said:
sparks_E46 said:
Do you find the power of the 728i adequate?
After the mods were made it's night and day compared to the stock. Really pulls well - negligible difference between it and 735i and I prefer it to the V8 as it's so much more fun in the corners. Both E39 and e38 idle so smoothly and quietly that uninitiated passengers often think the engine is off...E39 is obviously nippier than the E38 die to lower weight and manual gearbox.
Teddy Lop said:
Ours is 212. Doubt it'll be the engine that kills it, more likely cats or bodywork. Its the wrong kind of bill from being disposable, should probably shuffle it on.
But then if it's come that far.... expensive bills are still a lot less than paying monthly finance payments!Kettmark said:
Mine clicked over 231k today. Bought it with 34k on so nearing the magic 200k under my stewardship.
That's a 330i? Good work for sure. How many years have you had it, what's been done it it's time with you?Daniel
dhutch said:
That's a 330i? Good work for sure. How many years have you had it, what's been done it it's time with you?
Daniel
Yes a 330ci sport petrol auto. I've had it since September 2004.Daniel
Anything that's needed doing has been done at local indi. 29 stamps in the book.
Recently had airbag recall done at bm w dealer and technician said he couldn't believe how well it drove considering age and mileage.
dhutch said:
Teddy Lop said:
Ours is 212. Doubt it'll be the engine that kills it, more likely cats or bodywork. Its the wrong kind of bill from being disposable, should probably shuffle it on.
But then if it's come that far.... expensive bills are still a lot less than paying monthly finance payments!Teddy Lop said:
its in that difficult zone. Needs tidying up - rear arches and a couple of bits. Trouble is head says might be better buying a better car rather than putting the money into one that's essentially worthless due to the mileage - evan if it wears it well - when its a big bill away from walking away from. We like it and there's not really another car we'd prefer short of the m3 derivative.
I know that feeling well! I had my 52 plate E46 325ti serviced and MOT'd back in December 2017 and was told it would be needing all sorts of crusty parts replaced shortly - corroded brake pipes, a sticky front disc caliper, crusty flexible hoses, new pads, the list went on! It had only done 103K miles, but started it's life in the North of Scotland which may not have helped!
So I sold it last February and bought an 06 plate E91 325i with 132K miles which is very refined, but not nearly as much fun. Looking back I should have probably kept the E46 and spent less keeping it in good order than changing.
Still I'm trying another alternative now - I bought a 55 plate E90 330i last week that seems promising so far! Certainly significantly more grunt anyway - surprising how another 40 bhp makes such a difference.
About 9 years ago i bought a 328Ci with 217k miles that had just had its original clutch replaced!
I used it for a year and took it up to 228k miles before selling it.
M52tu and M54 engines can vary massively in oil consumption and having owned 9 BMW's with this engine ive experienced heavy consumption and good consumption.
The 328Ci in question barely used a drop between 5k mile oil changes, didn't have any leaks, still pulled like a champ and returned 28-30 mpg average. Gearbox and diff were quiet too!
I used it for a year and took it up to 228k miles before selling it.
M52tu and M54 engines can vary massively in oil consumption and having owned 9 BMW's with this engine ive experienced heavy consumption and good consumption.
The 328Ci in question barely used a drop between 5k mile oil changes, didn't have any leaks, still pulled like a champ and returned 28-30 mpg average. Gearbox and diff were quiet too!
Touring442 said:
Highest I've seen was an E39 523i manual on 340'000, a 1999 T plater. The M52TU was a better engine than the outwardly identical M54 which tends to use a lot of oil when it racks some miles up thanks to thinner low friction piston rings.
I've said it before as an E39 528i and later an E39 530i Sport owner, the earlier 2.8 was a superior engine. My old 2.8 was great. Never used a drop of oil between 10k changes. Charged to the limiter fairly regularly too.
The old 3.0 in dad's X5 is at 242,000 now. Nearing the quarter million mark. Needs a service now, but oil usage isnt' too bad for a high miler M54. A litre ever 2,500 miles usually.
The old 3.0 in dad's X5 is at 242,000 now. Nearing the quarter million mark. Needs a service now, but oil usage isnt' too bad for a high miler M54. A litre ever 2,500 miles usually.
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