The lack of bigger engines cars is such a shame.
Discussion
A semi-ranted frustration post.
Spent ages looking for a 3-series touring, with Nav, xenons and a 3.0 engine. Diesel or Petrol, not bothered. Searching for 6 months, not found anything with a good balance of age/mileage/condition/price.
Searching on the authorised BMW site now and it's pathetic.
Bearing in mind, this is the official BMW UK approved used car search.
3 Series estates with a 3.0 engine, across the whole of the UK..... 117.
And there's a lot of s
t in this 117 too. 325i SE's with less optional extras than a Dacia Sandero.
I narrowed it further, and searched for the 335 only. Number of 335's for sale by authorised dealers for the whole of the UK.... 10.
As a final test, I searched for the pathetic engines. 316/318/320. Number for sale: 648.
I know that because it's a touring, it's much more niche, but it's a small sign of how pathetic this obsession with £20 road tax and 60mpg has become. It's annoying, because if anyone, it's BMW who I would have expected to push the bigger engine than anyone else. All this tree hugging, green economy bks is more suited for companies like Nissan, Toyota or Peugeot. It's equally annoying, considering how economic the BMW 3.0 engines actually are, considering the figures they chuck out.
Calling it early, give it 5-10 years and those 3.0 engines will be near enough none existent.
Spent ages looking for a 3-series touring, with Nav, xenons and a 3.0 engine. Diesel or Petrol, not bothered. Searching for 6 months, not found anything with a good balance of age/mileage/condition/price.
Searching on the authorised BMW site now and it's pathetic.
Bearing in mind, this is the official BMW UK approved used car search.
3 Series estates with a 3.0 engine, across the whole of the UK..... 117.
And there's a lot of s
t in this 117 too. 325i SE's with less optional extras than a Dacia Sandero.I narrowed it further, and searched for the 335 only. Number of 335's for sale by authorised dealers for the whole of the UK.... 10.
As a final test, I searched for the pathetic engines. 316/318/320. Number for sale: 648.
I know that because it's a touring, it's much more niche, but it's a small sign of how pathetic this obsession with £20 road tax and 60mpg has become. It's annoying, because if anyone, it's BMW who I would have expected to push the bigger engine than anyone else. All this tree hugging, green economy b
ks is more suited for companies like Nissan, Toyota or Peugeot. It's equally annoying, considering how economic the BMW 3.0 engines actually are, considering the figures they chuck out.Calling it early, give it 5-10 years and those 3.0 engines will be near enough none existent.
I'm with you. I'm toying with the idea of an E92 335i in the future but I like to check on prices and what's out there from time to time. I nornally have to use the nationwide search to get a short list of cars that are in budget and the right spec. If I filter further for mileage, colour, etc. then I normally get no hits. If I want a diesel and/or a smaller enginer then I could be on for hours clicking at all the cars.
If you want to do something about it, buy a new one and spec a big engine. 
It may be a frustration for used buyers, but the fact is that cars like the 320d are a no brainer for the new car buyer - not only do you get performance that is 'quick' for the vast majority of motorists (0-60 in 8ish secs?) but you get the far, far better fuel economy and lower road tax in comparison to, say, an E30 320i/325i from 25 years ago.
But, you're right, it is such a shame.
I like big petrol engines. They are going to be come so rare that it will actually keep their values up more than in the past (hence you not being able to find one at a price you like).
It may be a frustration for used buyers, but the fact is that cars like the 320d are a no brainer for the new car buyer - not only do you get performance that is 'quick' for the vast majority of motorists (0-60 in 8ish secs?) but you get the far, far better fuel economy and lower road tax in comparison to, say, an E30 320i/325i from 25 years ago.
But, you're right, it is such a shame.
I like big petrol engines. They are going to be come so rare that it will actually keep their values up more than in the past (hence you not being able to find one at a price you like).I was think similar in more generic terms. Give it 5-10 years I wonder how many large family saloons or estates will be available in the second hand market with a petrol engine?
The amount of new BMW, Audi, Merc cars I have seen on the road with a petrol engines I could count on 1 hand.
The amount of new BMW, Audi, Merc cars I have seen on the road with a petrol engines I could count on 1 hand.
Toaster Pilot said:
Better buy a new one to keep the numbers up then! 
Trust me, if I had £30,000 to burn, I would.Im not convinced bargains are to be had either. There's so few of them, surely the rarity drives the price up, as the seller knows that people will pay more for what they want because there's no real alternative?
Im seeing 7 year old basic spec M Sport 330d's going for 13 grand.
I spent months looking for the right big engined estate and plumped for the rare C55 AMG. I'm a low mile driver and biking more so fuel is less of an issue. I chose to buy the C55 out right, I could have financed a C63 but reckon I'm getting 80% of the car for 50% of the price?
I'm very happy with the car but wish I'd had more choice as I paid top dollar for a decent example and obviously more on the market would have helped in the negotiation. You do get alot of car for your money if you go big engined. I do about 4k miles but anyone doing less than 6/7k could easily man maths themselves into a big un. My only regret is not V8ing myself earlier
I'm very happy with the car but wish I'd had more choice as I paid top dollar for a decent example and obviously more on the market would have helped in the negotiation. You do get alot of car for your money if you go big engined. I do about 4k miles but anyone doing less than 6/7k could easily man maths themselves into a big un. My only regret is not V8ing myself earlier
We probably do 30k per year between our cars. Excluding our MG which is off the road anyway none of our engines are smaller than 3.0 litres and our next car will be our biggest engine yet.
Fuel costs have dropped a bit recently and VED isn't that much in the grand scheme of motoring costs. We enjoy our cars and would prefer big engines so just get them. I've never had a 60mpg car so don't know what I'm missing. It would need to be a huge saving to actually notice a difference I think. Even going from 25mpg to 40mpg would just mean one tank of fuel less a month for each car. That's less than the cost of a meal out with the wife and children.
If you're on bangernomics that may be a lot of money but spending £40k+ on an executive diesel to save money marks you out as a bit of a douche by my thinking.
Fuel costs have dropped a bit recently and VED isn't that much in the grand scheme of motoring costs. We enjoy our cars and would prefer big engines so just get them. I've never had a 60mpg car so don't know what I'm missing. It would need to be a huge saving to actually notice a difference I think. Even going from 25mpg to 40mpg would just mean one tank of fuel less a month for each car. That's less than the cost of a meal out with the wife and children.
If you're on bangernomics that may be a lot of money but spending £40k+ on an executive diesel to save money marks you out as a bit of a douche by my thinking.
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