Schnitzer SC 330i Touring?

Schnitzer SC 330i Touring?

Author
Discussion

scobbo

Original Poster:

72 posts

225 months

Tuesday 5th September 2006
quotequote all
I have recently disposed of my Maserati 3200 owing to a new addition to the family. I am looking for a practical performance related family car and am considering a 2003 330i SC Touring. I have some reservations though and perhaps you guys could advise me:
1) Is the performance advantage worth the extra money? WIll the car hold onto the extra value?
2) Are Schnitzer conversions reliable?
3) Are the running costs significantly higher? I have just extricated myself from one supercar relationship and don't want to get into another one! I imagine things like exhausts will cost a fortune.
4) Insurance....?

Perhaps I would be better off with a 530D Sport?

Robertb

1,501 posts

239 months

Tuesday 5th September 2006
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I did have a test-drive in a Schnitzer 330 SC Coupe...

I was impressed, but the conversion was very expensive- nearly £9k if memory serves. For that you got a sophisticated s/c, an exhaust and a ECU chip. It put out around 300bhp, so felt fast but not M3 fast by any stretch. The advantage of course is that you could get an auto Touring done and I'm sure more tweakage would liberate more power.

I don't suppose maintenance would be anything like supercar stylee, but things like insurance may be tricky. IMO residuals will be the same, maybe worse than a standard car.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking at an Audi S4 (v8) Avant, or an old RS4 (cos they do look cool!). Rare as hen's teeth (8 imported I think), but how about an Alpina B3S Touring? Or more common (relatively), an Alpina B10 4.6 or 4.8 Touring... depends on how concerned you are about fuel usage.

droptheclutch

2,604 posts

226 months

Wednesday 6th September 2006
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Robertb said:
I did have a test-drive in a Schnitzer 330 SC Coupe...


C'mon, Rob, how about the ride in the black Sport Touring? ;-)

Sure, no SC fitted (at the moment), but a nice dose of extra power over standard...

Robertb

1,501 posts

239 months

Friday 8th September 2006
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I remember your Touring well Jason! For the money, the West upgrades do a great job and make the car feel very usefully quicker...cool

Made my standard car feel very asthmatic.

scobbo

Original Poster:

72 posts

225 months

Monday 25th September 2006
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Test drove it today. It is awesome. But still wary about the Schnitzer conversion. There have already been four keepers so its previous owners didn't like it for some reason. No one here had any ownership experience of the Schnitzer conversion?

gwatson

2,507 posts

242 months

Wednesday 27th September 2006
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I know (from Z4um) who had one, well a Coupe. The dealer bought it back off him after six months because he was having so many problems with the SC. I can put you in touch if you like?

Graeme

scobbo

Original Poster:

72 posts

225 months

Thursday 28th September 2006
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Yes please...

scobbo

Original Poster:

72 posts

225 months

Thursday 28th September 2006
quotequote all
I have just established its service history with BMW... it needed a new supercharger after 19000 miles. This confirms my worries. I think I will give it a wide birth!

Robertb

1,501 posts

239 months

Thursday 28th September 2006
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I also know that the Schnitzer system was offered as a main dealer fit upgrade for a while. I asked about it a few months ago and they said they'd dropped it.

To be fair it looked a very thorough good quality job.

gwatson

2,507 posts

242 months

Thursday 28th September 2006
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May even be the same car? Search for this memeber on www.z4um.com and drop him a private mail "hollpe"

"It was the super charger that gave up first! BMW ended up buying the car back.... but that is another story!"

www.z4um.com/viewtopic.php?t=22608&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

scoobz

6,578 posts

249 months

Thursday 28th September 2006
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Robertb said:
I also know that the Schnitzer system was offered as a main dealer fit upgrade for a while. I asked about it a few months ago and they said they'd dropped it.

To be fair it looked a very thorough good quality job.


we had one a 330ci, it spent more time in the shop than the techs