e90 330i vs 325d/330d for long journey use

[willmagrath]

Hi all,

I'm after an e90 6cyl (£5k budget) for use on the m4 between Berkshire and Bristol. Probably one trip a week (150-200miles a week) mainly sitting on the motorway.

I also have an old MX5 and a bicycle which will be used for the local stuff during the summer.

My question is, i'd love a 330i but the 325/330d seems to make much more sense to me for the motorway. What is everyone's opinion? Thanks

[willmagrath]

p.s. I've also worked out that the diesels will save about £400 in fuel a year

[Pistonheader101]

Isn’t diesel banned near Bristol?

[Sir_Dave]

willmagrath said:

p.s. I've also worked out that the diesels will save about £400 in fuel a year

A 330i will cost considerably less than a similar mileage 330d, plus have less to break (although the M57 is mega reliable) ...

[Swervin_Mervin]

willmagrath said:

p.s. I've also worked out that the diesels will save about £400 in fuel a year

How have you worked that out? On book figures for economy?

[helix402]

Pistonheader101 said:

Isn’t diesel banned near Bristol?

Will soon be banned in central Bristol.

[duff]

For that usage I don’t think there’s any substantial saving to be made with a diesel so I would just buy the best one you can find, petrol or diesel.

[willmagrath]

Swervin_Mervin said:

How have you worked that out? On book figures for economy?

200 miles a week. 30mpg for 330i and 40mpg for 330d.

£1.25 for petrol, £1.32 for diesel.

[RiccardoG]

No brainer for me, I'd go for the petrol car. Anything you save on fuel you will loose come resale of a diesel car in a few years time.

Plus, sounds nicer, and potentially less issues too (no turbo... etc).

[willmagrath]

RiccardoG said:

No brainer for me, I'd go for the petrol car. Anything you save on fuel you will loose come resale of a diesel car in a few years time.

Plus, sounds nicer, and potentially less issues too (no turbo... etc).

This is what i'm leaning towards now

[Mr Tidy]

I bought an early 330i with the N52 engine last year and have been really pleased with it.

On a clear Motorway run like that you ought to do significantly better than 30mpg, and for just once a week I'd happily live with that -different if you were doing it more often though.

And as good as the 6 cylinder diesels are, they're never going to be a refined as a petrol 6!

[SidewaysSi]

If you like smoking your tyres at low speeds and exiting everywhere sideways with ease, go 330d.

[Manmoths]

If you do go for a diesel, get an earlier pre-LCI with the M57. Or any 335d.

[Touring442]

The 325d was built with the 3.0 M57N until late 2009 so you'll get an LCI model. Given chain issues (even N57's) it's all I'd entertain tbh. They're a nice car and go very well. Petrols, with the various oil leaks, injectors, electric water pump etc are becoming a bit of a liability.

[Court_S]

I'd get the 330 too - the one I had was pretty economical on a long run, less so for short trips.

Mine was really reliable in the three years that I ran it for, but that was a couple of years ago.

[mike9009]

willmagrath said:

Hi all,

I'm after an e90 6cyl (£5k budget) for use on the m4 between Berkshire and Bristol. Probably one trip a week (150-200miles a week) mainly sitting on the motorway.

I also have an old MX5 and a bicycle which will be used for the local stuff during the summer.

My question is, i'd love a 330i but the 325/330d seems to make much more sense to me for the motorway. What is everyone's opinion? Thanks

I have an E92, 330i with the N53 engine. I was driving home from Cardiff to catch a ferry in Southampton this weekend. By some sedate driving, 65mph, along the M4 I got 47mpg. (I had missed the earlier ferry so had loads time)

I have grown to love the car, having found it far too competent for my liking when I first got to know it - it certainly is not an MX-5. Touch wood it has been pretty reliable in my three years ownership.....with only the ABS needing sorting so far.

A mate had an E46 330D which I could almost get similar mpg to on our similar commutes. The 330i mpg can be ruinous when cold or town driving (low 20s easily achievable) but for the type of journey you describe it should be okay.

Mike

[cerb4.5lee]

I find this quite a tough decision and I've had both a E90 330d and
E90 330i. The 330d feels so much more punchy than the 330i in everyday use, and economy wise the 330d was 14 mpg better on fuel than the 330i in my ownership.

However the 330d I had was only 3 months old back in 2006(whereas now everyone hates diesels), so I'm thinking that the 330i will be the better bet. Also on long runs driving like a saint you will get mid 30's mpg, but the 330d I had did just over 40 mpg no matter how you drove it.

Both are great all round cars though...so you can't really lose for me.