E90 320i questions

[Remy89]

Hi All

Have just got myself a new job and looking to upgrade my 56 plate Seat Ibiza to a 3 series. I was initially interested in the 318i but I understand it can have some issues and the 320i is a better choice. A little confused though as have read that this engine is an I6 but Wikipedia says it's an I4, am I missing something?! Also, what sort of economy could I expect with this engine? Is the auto box nice and responsive and does it have paddles? Although ideally I'd like a manual.

Obviously M Sport and leather would be awfully nice. The cloth option on M Sport cars I'm seeing a lot of looks like alcantara, is it?

Thanks Guys!

[BlitzE34]

Its a 4cyl N46 valvetronic and its and unreliable rubbish. Timing chain, oil leaks, eccentric shaft wear etc.

[Remy89]

BlitzE34 said:

Its a 4cyl N46 valvetronic and its and unreliable rubbish. Timing chain, oil leaks, eccentric shaft wear etc.

Right, so if the 320 is rubbish then which engine isn't? Are Beemers really that great then if they can't make a reliable engine?

[Smuler]

The six cylinder engines are great. I had my first drive in E90 on the weekend M sport and manual and i was impressed. Why not go for 325i or 330i.

[jayemm89]

Hi Remy

I am not sure of your budget or circumstance but I would also say that BMW's sixes are generally much better than their fours - particularly of that era.

It may be worth considering an e46, as the 20i of that generation WAS a 2.0l six. I am guessing insurance could be a consideration but if not you could have a 330i e46 for the price of a 320i e90 quite easily, and many prefer the earlier car. A lot prefer the later one of course, but pound-for-pound you will obviously get more from an e46 in terms of spec etc..

Either of them will hopefully be a leap up from your SEAT and expect to become hooked

[jayemm89]

Remy

I meant to mention, as far as I am aware the auto boxes don't come with paddles - SMG boxes do but not many non-M cars ever had that.

[cerb4.5lee]

If insurance or running costs don't determine your purchase too much I highly recommend the E90 330i & I love mine the engine is a belter, servicing isn't too eye watering either & I get between 25 to 30 mpg, its the perfect all rounder for me...well it would be if it didn't have the auto gearbox!

I must admit the economy impresses me with the 320i & the running costs do seem appealing but every time they are mentioned on here everyone raises the engine issues but in fairness we used to have a E90 330d & you read plenty of issues regards DPF & turbos but we did over 150k miles in it & not one thing went wrong with it.

[romee2000]

cerb4.5lee said:

If insurance or running costs don't determine your purchase too much I highly recommend the E90 330i & I love mine the engine is a belter, servicing isn't too eye watering either & I get between 25 to 30 mpg, its the perfect all rounder for me...well it would be if it didn't have the auto gearbox!

I must admit the economy impresses me with the 320i & the running costs do seem appealing but every time they are mentioned on here everyone raises the engine issues but in fairness we used to have a E90 330d & you read plenty of issues regards DPF & turbos but we did over 150k miles in it & not one thing went wrong with it.

+1

Would highly recommend the 330i engnine (N53). Some people experience coil issues with them and if it has a BMW service history, chances are these would have been done under warranty. They do command a premium over a 325i but would be easier to sell for more money due to them being far far more rare compared to the 325i which every tom dick or harry has. Avoid the 4 cylinders if you can as they are crap.

[nickfrog]

Not sure how many doors/space you need but consider a 125i M Sport.

[lilwashu]

I have a 2008 320i Efficient Dynamics model which has 170bhp over the earlier 150bhp engine. The car is plenty fast enough for what it is (wife's runabout) and doesn't really feel underpowered in any circumstances if you just want to drive around. I have the manual gearbox in mine, we have driven to Germany last year and the French Alps this year and it is a nice place to be.

I have had it for 4 months/4000 miles and so far a Nox sensor has failed needing replacement (thankfully under warranty). We have a 2 year BMW warranty on it so I will see how it goes over that period and get rid at the end if things break too much.

Combined fuel consumption is around 34MPG.

If I wanted a E9x 3 series for myself it would have been the 335i but they come with their own set of problems.

[romee2000]

to be fair, which modern car does not come with its own set of problems? At least these are not catching fire unlike some of the more expensive offerings from Germany or Italy...

[anonymous-user]

Wait what? In my book the 320 stands for 3 series, 2.0L which is an inline 6. The 4 cyl turbo is called IS isnt it? And its a 318? Am I missing something ?

[SebringMan]

romee2000 said:

to be fair, which modern car does not come with its own set of problems? At least these are not catching fire unlike some of the more expensive offerings from Germany or Italy...

Some are worse than others. And problems going back and forth to the garage can make even new lease deals look fine. That's why they heeded the warnings. HPFPs, Injectors, timing chains etc. aren't exactly cheap fixes. The 6 pots generally suffer less issues.

[Elliot2000]

WaifuRacer said:

Wait what? In my book the 320 stands for 3 series, 2.0L which is an inline 6. The 4 cyl turbo is called IS isnt it? And its a 318? Am I missing something ?

Missing lots it would seem. They never made a 4 cylinder turbo on a 3 series except for the latest model and it was pretty much the only choice as a 1.6 or 2.0 size in different states of tube on each. The Only 6 cylinder is turbocharged in the 335 and 340,

E90’s had 316, 318 and 320 as a na 4cylinder, everything above was 6 cylinder

E46 were 316 and 318 4 cylinder, 320 and above were 6 cylinders. No turbo models and their was on the facelift saloon 320 became a 4cylinder but not the coupe or convertible

[rayyan171]

The E46 generation had a 2.0l Inline 6 up to 2000, after which was a 2.2l Inline 6 up to 2005. This was in the 320i/320ci. The E90 generation had a 2.0l inline 4 cylinder, which was more unreliable, used from 2005 onwards (55 plate).

Considering the size of the engine, for peace of mind I would recommend a 325i, an early E90 model. It's the 2.5 straight 6 and is the smallest reliable engine. If you're going for an E46 model, the 320i is fine.

Edit: would you consider upgrading to a Seat Ibiza Cupra? They're considerably faster than all the 3 series that you are considering.

[aka_kerrly]

nickfrog said:

Not sure how many doors/space you need but consider a 125i M Sport.

THIS is a very good shout. Budget dependent there are some very good looking 125i coupes an 130I hatchbacks that are well worth considering .

Regarding the 4cylinder vs 6 debate, if it's a post 1992 BMW it NEEDS to have at least 6 cylinders to be "proper", the 4 cylinders really don't cut it and seem to have so many inherent problems that any difference in fuel an servicing costs is marginal & I6 + manual will be a far more desirable car come resale.