Audi A4 TFSI VS BMW 330i M Sport
Discussion
Im in the market for a new car and have finally narrowed it down to 2 cars after thinking about buying hot hatched i have decided to go for abit more practically and space.
The 2 cars are a bmw e92 coupe 330i auto 2009 and a Audi a4 2.0 tfsi manual or auto front wheel drive as quattro autos are out of my budget currently.
Anyone have any key details on these cars regarding drivability, common issues, pros and cons etc.
I know the bmw is know for hpfp, coil packs, injectors and so on.
Not to fimiliar with the audi 2.0 B8 engine and furthet advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
The 2 cars are a bmw e92 coupe 330i auto 2009 and a Audi a4 2.0 tfsi manual or auto front wheel drive as quattro autos are out of my budget currently.
Anyone have any key details on these cars regarding drivability, common issues, pros and cons etc.
I know the bmw is know for hpfp, coil packs, injectors and so on.
Not to fimiliar with the audi 2.0 B8 engine and furthet advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
Make sure injectors have been upgraded to the last revision Index 11, hopefully before the cylinder liners suffering damage by the leaky ones (petrol washing the bores thinning the oil) - resulting in extreme oil consumption like. Also NOx sensors tend to fail - solved with NOx emulators.Earlier port injection N52 engine is less problematic and would be my pick - but sadly no facelifted E9x has it.
I ran an E90 330 (N52 engine) for three years and thought it was a great car. It was really reliable with only one minor issue with VANOS actuators which cost just under £300 to fix. Aside from that it was just consumables and servicing which weren’t too bad.
It was the auto which I didn’t mind. It’s not a patch on the latest ZF8, but it worked well enough hanging on until the redline in sport mode. I think it looked great in Le Mans blue with Dakota lemon leather. The interior feels it’s age a bit nice but was nice enough and well made. The engine is a peach, not fast compared to modern stuff but quick enough and makes a lovely noise (I added the M Performance carbon air intake which sounded lovely).
It was the auto which I didn’t mind. It’s not a patch on the latest ZF8, but it worked well enough hanging on until the redline in sport mode. I think it looked great in Le Mans blue with Dakota lemon leather. The interior feels it’s age a bit nice but was nice enough and well made. The engine is a peach, not fast compared to modern stuff but quick enough and makes a lovely noise (I added the M Performance carbon air intake which sounded lovely).
I had a E90 330i(N52) auto for four years and it was completely faultless in my ownership, and I even escaped the water pump failing(common problem on these).
I would have preferred a manual if I'm honest because the auto in these feels ancient, but it did turn the car into a lovely cruiser with it having the auto. I really liked the hydraulic steering and it drove very nicely indeed.
The engine is very smooth and free revving(hence why I think it would suit the manual better), but it is very muted in the cabin for what is a lovely straight six engine. As an all round car I do think that they're great(although I recommend the E90 330d auto that I had even more and I thought that was an even better package).
I would have preferred a manual if I'm honest because the auto in these feels ancient, but it did turn the car into a lovely cruiser with it having the auto. I really liked the hydraulic steering and it drove very nicely indeed.
The engine is very smooth and free revving(hence why I think it would suit the manual better), but it is very muted in the cabin for what is a lovely straight six engine. As an all round car I do think that they're great(although I recommend the E90 330d auto that I had even more and I thought that was an even better package).
blade7 said:
rayyan171 said:
2.0TFSI has bad oil burn, something to do with piston rings.
AFAIK it's B8 models that had the oil usage issue, my B7 doesn't need topping up between oil changes. I'd buy the BMW over the FWD Audi though.Avoid the B8 2.0 TFSI 211ps. Known for high oil consumption due to a design fault with the piston rings and timing chains going due to tensioner.
Upshot is though quite a few have had remedial work done by Audi which involves engine rebuild using new pistons. The chain tensioner can also be replaced for a newer part.
Upshot is though quite a few have had remedial work done by Audi which involves engine rebuild using new pistons. The chain tensioner can also be replaced for a newer part.
I'd had a Z4 with the 3 litre N52 engine for nearly 4 years last year when I went looking for a 3 Series daily, and having read about injector, HPFP and coking up issues deliberately didn't look at any with the N53 engine.
So I ended up with an E91 325i on 132K miles and it's been great - apart from the inevitable electric water pump dying!
The other bonus with the N52 engines is they come with hydraulic PAS which is so much better than the EPAS on my Z4 - I assume the N53s may come with EPAS?
Now E9*s are getting older I'd avoid the N53 engines, but I'd still take a straight 6 BMW over a TFSI Audi!
Good luck.
So I ended up with an E91 325i on 132K miles and it's been great - apart from the inevitable electric water pump dying!
The other bonus with the N52 engines is they come with hydraulic PAS which is so much better than the EPAS on my Z4 - I assume the N53s may come with EPAS?
Now E9*s are getting older I'd avoid the N53 engines, but I'd still take a straight 6 BMW over a TFSI Audi!
Good luck.
How much are you looking to spend is one question? The cars you've mentioned range from £5k up to £10k for that year and those models. So may help in a search.
I've just bought a 2009 B8 a4 - Quattro in auto, though mine is the 3.2 not the 2.0tfsi.
And. I have previously owned 1 x 130i, 1 x 330ci and 1x 330i. So to compare.
The Audi will be a nice place to be inside if you get the right spec. It feels a better put together interior and the kit feels more up to date than the BMW. Those the console can be quite busy with buttons for each element, where as the BMW has it all on a dial in the system itself. However, the AUDI set up i think wins here.
In terms of comfort. If you get the s-line a4 the seats are nice and comfortable but i think the bmw seats wins here for the fact they are a bit more bolstered and have a more sport feel to them without being proper buckets.
Drive wise. Well, the BMW's are inclined towards being the drivers car. RWD and more focused. The b8 i have is still good don't get me wrong, but would need more suspension work to be more of a "drivers" car. The quattro is heavy and the auto is perfectly fine but not what i would consider sharp or driver focussed. Its a lovely drive and it wafts along in the audi and you can get to high speeds without noticing but the BMW is more engaging in comparison. Just not what i wanted at this point in my life with 2 kids in the back and a knackered back. So the b8 suspension is softer, easier to live with day to day and the car quieter. The 3.2 does however make a nicer growl than the straight 6 IMHO. Its a very nice sounding engine. But the 2.0 tfsi not so much, that is just bog 2.0ltr sound, nothing special.
I'd probably say practicality wise the a4 is more on par with the 330i saloon not the 330i coupe for rear space and boot room but in my old 330 coupe the boot was large, surprisingly so. I have an avant a4 so that isn't a fair comparison but i know the saloon perhaps is on a par, very little in it.
The earlier 330i engines are more reliable (n52) than the later (n53) in my opinion. Less likely to eat injectors and have issues with cylinders/pistons etc going out. Though many will have been sorted i think by now - be careful what engine it is in the car and then check the maintenance. Likewise the piston and tensioner issues on the A4.
All in all. The Audi is a nice placer to be than the BMW but not as dynamic. The a4 is comfier and the 330i a better drivers car.
It will come down to budget and what you are after from the car as to what choice you make.
Audi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
BMW
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I've just bought a 2009 B8 a4 - Quattro in auto, though mine is the 3.2 not the 2.0tfsi.
And. I have previously owned 1 x 130i, 1 x 330ci and 1x 330i. So to compare.
The Audi will be a nice place to be inside if you get the right spec. It feels a better put together interior and the kit feels more up to date than the BMW. Those the console can be quite busy with buttons for each element, where as the BMW has it all on a dial in the system itself. However, the AUDI set up i think wins here.
In terms of comfort. If you get the s-line a4 the seats are nice and comfortable but i think the bmw seats wins here for the fact they are a bit more bolstered and have a more sport feel to them without being proper buckets.
Drive wise. Well, the BMW's are inclined towards being the drivers car. RWD and more focused. The b8 i have is still good don't get me wrong, but would need more suspension work to be more of a "drivers" car. The quattro is heavy and the auto is perfectly fine but not what i would consider sharp or driver focussed. Its a lovely drive and it wafts along in the audi and you can get to high speeds without noticing but the BMW is more engaging in comparison. Just not what i wanted at this point in my life with 2 kids in the back and a knackered back. So the b8 suspension is softer, easier to live with day to day and the car quieter. The 3.2 does however make a nicer growl than the straight 6 IMHO. Its a very nice sounding engine. But the 2.0 tfsi not so much, that is just bog 2.0ltr sound, nothing special.
I'd probably say practicality wise the a4 is more on par with the 330i saloon not the 330i coupe for rear space and boot room but in my old 330 coupe the boot was large, surprisingly so. I have an avant a4 so that isn't a fair comparison but i know the saloon perhaps is on a par, very little in it.
The earlier 330i engines are more reliable (n52) than the later (n53) in my opinion. Less likely to eat injectors and have issues with cylinders/pistons etc going out. Though many will have been sorted i think by now - be careful what engine it is in the car and then check the maintenance. Likewise the piston and tensioner issues on the A4.
All in all. The Audi is a nice placer to be than the BMW but not as dynamic. The a4 is comfier and the 330i a better drivers car.
It will come down to budget and what you are after from the car as to what choice you make.
Audi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
BMW
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I do think there is a lot of scaremongering around the n53 and most of the problems are (realtively) simple fixes and most should be sorted now.
I ran a n53 330i e92 for a couple of years, did a lot of miles in it and never had a single problem. Maybe I was lucky, but it served me well and never let me down.
I now have a n52 330i e91 and think it's great. I do feel a little less on edge running the n52 and I think it has a deeper exhaust note which I do like, but i think the n53 felt a bit more lively and revvier.
To be honest, there's hardly anything in it between the n52 and n53 performance and economy wise, and as long as you get a good one, I wouldn't be too scared of the n53.
I ran a n53 330i e92 for a couple of years, did a lot of miles in it and never had a single problem. Maybe I was lucky, but it served me well and never let me down.
I now have a n52 330i e91 and think it's great. I do feel a little less on edge running the n52 and I think it has a deeper exhaust note which I do like, but i think the n53 felt a bit more lively and revvier.
To be honest, there's hardly anything in it between the n52 and n53 performance and economy wise, and as long as you get a good one, I wouldn't be too scared of the n53.
nitrodave said:
I do think there is a lot of scaremongering around the n53 and most of the problems are (realtively) simple fixes and most should be sorted now.
I ran a n53 330i e92 for a couple of years, did a lot of miles in it and never had a single problem. Maybe I was lucky, but it served me well and never let me down.
I now have a n52 330i e91 and think it's great. I do feel a little less on edge running the n52 and I think it has a deeper exhaust note which I do like, but i think the n53 felt a bit more lively and revvier.
To be honest, there's hardly anything in it between the n52 and n53 performance and economy wise, and as long as you get a good one, I wouldn't be too scared of the n53.
Well I'm glad your N53 behaved, but was even more glad my 123d with the N47 engine of doom lasted 80+K miles! But that doesn't mean they all will.I ran a n53 330i e92 for a couple of years, did a lot of miles in it and never had a single problem. Maybe I was lucky, but it served me well and never let me down.
I now have a n52 330i e91 and think it's great. I do feel a little less on edge running the n52 and I think it has a deeper exhaust note which I do like, but i think the n53 felt a bit more lively and revvier.
To be honest, there's hardly anything in it between the n52 and n53 performance and economy wise, and as long as you get a good one, I wouldn't be too scared of the n53.
I picked up N52 number 4 last month - an E90 330i. While there may not be much difference in the performance, I'd go N52 just for the hydraulic PAS!
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