E46 330ci to e36 328...
Discussion
Hi guys
I've currently got a very nice e46 330ci and due to trying to buy a flat with girlfriend I'm going to sell and downsize slightly..
My immediate thoughts are a 328 coupe as I can bank £2k and looks like I can still get a decent example?
Anyone been down this route? I really like the 330 but need to free up some cash bucks. Also considered 5 series and possibly an older 728.
So e36 328 am I going to be horribly disappointed?
I've currently got a very nice e46 330ci and due to trying to buy a flat with girlfriend I'm going to sell and downsize slightly..
My immediate thoughts are a 328 coupe as I can bank £2k and looks like I can still get a decent example?
Anyone been down this route? I really like the 330 but need to free up some cash bucks. Also considered 5 series and possibly an older 728.
So e36 328 am I going to be horribly disappointed?
I did figure it's gonna be fine...
Still get to keep the 6cy sound and rear wheel drive so I'll be a happy guy.
The 330 is a lovely car I just don't drive enough to justify keeping it when chance to actually own a flat is on the horizon... I commute on motorbike and live in London so mileage is minimal just like having a decent car when I do fancy driving..
One other question do the e36 rear seats drop down? I ride a lot of Bmx and need to be able to get bike in. Its fine in the 330 as I can drop the seats easily enough
Still get to keep the 6cy sound and rear wheel drive so I'll be a happy guy.
The 330 is a lovely car I just don't drive enough to justify keeping it when chance to actually own a flat is on the horizon... I commute on motorbike and live in London so mileage is minimal just like having a decent car when I do fancy driving..
One other question do the e36 rear seats drop down? I ride a lot of Bmx and need to be able to get bike in. Its fine in the 330 as I can drop the seats easily enough
Matbmx1 said:
I did figure it's gonna be fine...
Still get to keep the 6cy sound and rear wheel drive so I'll be a happy guy.
The 330 is a lovely car I just don't drive enough to justify keeping it when chance to actually own a flat is on the horizon... I commute on motorbike and live in London so mileage is minimal just like having a decent car when I do fancy driving..
One other question do the e36 rear seats drop down? I ride a lot of Bmx and need to be able to get bike in. Its fine in the 330 as I can drop the seats easily enough
Used to have a 330 and now have a 328. Other than the steering on the 330 ( now rectified on the 328 anyway plus my E36 has a LSD ) I don't think I missed anything about it particularly. Still get to keep the 6cy sound and rear wheel drive so I'll be a happy guy.
The 330 is a lovely car I just don't drive enough to justify keeping it when chance to actually own a flat is on the horizon... I commute on motorbike and live in London so mileage is minimal just like having a decent car when I do fancy driving..
One other question do the e36 rear seats drop down? I ride a lot of Bmx and need to be able to get bike in. Its fine in the 330 as I can drop the seats easily enough
E36 Coupe rear seats all fold ( as do some saloons if they have that option ).
I can get a Mongoose Logo 2010 spec in the back of my E36 328 saloon ( folding split rears ) - I should imagine a coupe would cope similarly. Or get a Saris rack if it doesn't
You'll probably end up getting less for your E46 than you think and then having to spend a bit on the E36 to get it up to scratch meaning the net benefit will be not a huge amount of cash.
If you had a £15k car I can see the point in downsizing but you might as well just keep what you've got?
If you had a £15k car I can see the point in downsizing but you might as well just keep what you've got?
Fox- said:
You'll probably end up getting less for your E46 than you think and then having to spend a bit on the E36 to get it up to scratch meaning the net benefit will be not a huge amount of cash.
If you had a £15k car I can see the point in downsizing but you might as well just keep what you've got?
This. If you had a £15k car I can see the point in downsizing but you might as well just keep what you've got?
I've had both, wouldn't go back to the 328i as the price difference isn't worth it. I felt the e46 jumped streets ahead of the e36. I'd struggle to go back ( well I sort of did buying a z3m coupe after the 330ci, but that's different altogether )
St John Smythe said:
The 328 will be more fun to drive without a doubt 
I'd agree with that - it does feel an older, more raw car though. I think Autocar said as much when they noted the E36 328 the best 3 series all-rounder a few years back.I'd also agree with the other observation that unless his 330 is worth a lot, the OP may not realize much cash from the deal.
older 328i sports had a LSD at some point bmw changed it to traction control
a 328i saloon would mean cheaper insurance over a sport
98 onward cars have slightly better fuel economy smoother engine and a broader powerband due to the addition of exhuast vanos (same as your 330) as opposed to inlet only on erlier cars.
a 328i saloon would mean cheaper insurance over a sport
98 onward cars have slightly better fuel economy smoother engine and a broader powerband due to the addition of exhuast vanos (same as your 330) as opposed to inlet only on erlier cars.
Jmk said:
older 328i sports had a LSD at some point bmw changed it to traction control
ASC+T was introduced in '96. 328i Sports with factory fitted LSD's are hens teeth rare these days.Jmk said:
98 onward cars have slightly better fuel economy smoother engine and a broader powerband due to the addition of exhuast vanos (same as your 330) as opposed to inlet only on erlier cars.
No E36 328i came with dual vanos, that was introduced with the E46 series which the OP is talking about moving away from (and there's no real point in moving from an E46 330i to an E46 328i).Thanks for the replys guys
Good to hear the Bmx will fit..
I know it's only going to raise a bit of cash but I'm bit broke due to investment in work equipment. Can cover a mortgage easily but the deposit is killing me....
Buying the flat will make my girlfriend very happy and that makes my life easier so I'll be happy as well.
Got lift home last night from a friend of a friend in a 323?? Coupe and seemed smaller and generally quite impressed only thing I didn't like was the dash seems very old ( I thought this 5/6 years ago when I considered an e36 then as well)
I'll pop the 330 up for sale see how it goes I'm not in a massive rush as it's a really nice car.
I had weird thoughts earlier about Clio 172's, Toyota surf hi lux's and old ford pickups so as you can see I'm pretty undecided in general think I just fancy a change and some money in the savings pot
Good to hear the Bmx will fit..
I know it's only going to raise a bit of cash but I'm bit broke due to investment in work equipment. Can cover a mortgage easily but the deposit is killing me....
Buying the flat will make my girlfriend very happy and that makes my life easier so I'll be happy as well.
Got lift home last night from a friend of a friend in a 323?? Coupe and seemed smaller and generally quite impressed only thing I didn't like was the dash seems very old ( I thought this 5/6 years ago when I considered an e36 then as well)
I'll pop the 330 up for sale see how it goes I'm not in a massive rush as it's a really nice car.
I had weird thoughts earlier about Clio 172's, Toyota surf hi lux's and old ford pickups so as you can see I'm pretty undecided in general think I just fancy a change and some money in the savings pot
Matbmx1 said:
only thing I didn't like was the dash seems very old ( I thought this 5/6 years ago when I considered an e36 then as well)
You have to remember the basic car is a 1991 layout so even the very last 2000 E36 has a dash that was designed 20 years ago!Having not had a newer car I don't find it a problem, there are days when I fancy an E30.....but I can't fit the bike in the boot.
In all honesty I think I could cope with it..
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
In all honesty I think I could cope with it..
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
In all honesty I think I could cope with it..
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
As an aside raceguy I had an e30 and as long as it's a 4door your fine for a bike on the back seat I used to fit mine in no worries with nothing taken off and that was with pegs so a race bike would be even easier. Think it was 1 wheel in footwell and pedal on the seat? Works a treat in saloon cars I did same for years with e30, 190e and an A4....
You know what I might try and find an e30 touring I live them
I used to have an E30 316i Lux, many years ago and even with the 2 door you can get a bike on the back seat but that's no good when the little one wants to sit there too. 
Recently raced the British Champs and that was a weekend away for the 3 of us, with the pedals off we even managed to get all our kit in and the bike in the coupe.
Every now & again I get tempted to swap for an E46 touring, it'd be the sensible thing to do, but doing the sensible thing has never been my strong point!
Recently raced the British Champs and that was a weekend away for the 3 of us, with the pedals off we even managed to get all our kit in and the bike in the coupe.
Every now & again I get tempted to swap for an E46 touring, it'd be the sensible thing to do, but doing the sensible thing has never been my strong point!
Sorry about triple post using the phone....
Im tempted by a touring in any shape to be honest... I think I like coupe,touring and saloon as 3rd choice.
Touring would be good as I need to tow a trailer sometimes for motorbike trackdays and would mean somewhere to sit while changing into leathers etc...
Think I'll go drive a 328 see what I think..
My coupe has bags of room in the back so im assuming the e36 has a fair bit as well. I've had 2 bikes and people but had to lose a front wheel off my mates bike.
Im tempted by a touring in any shape to be honest... I think I like coupe,touring and saloon as 3rd choice.
Touring would be good as I need to tow a trailer sometimes for motorbike trackdays and would mean somewhere to sit while changing into leathers etc...
Think I'll go drive a 328 see what I think..
My coupe has bags of room in the back so im assuming the e36 has a fair bit as well. I've had 2 bikes and people but had to lose a front wheel off my mates bike.
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