Auto or Manual e91 330d?
Auto or Manual e91 330d?
Author
Discussion

Tallerton12

Original Poster:

44 posts

35 months

Tuesday 8th April 2025
quotequote all
So i am looking at e91 330d at the moment but really unsure whether to get an auto or manual.

Manuals are a lot more common but i feel like an auto would be nicer to drive in a touring.

If anyone has either and could share their opinions i would appreciate it.

Thanks

AlwynMike

558 posts

110 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
quotequote all
I had 2 x 330d Tourings in E46 guise, so similar.
Manual gearbox is a bit agricultural in use - a long travel.
The Manual was noticeably more economical.
If you tow anything heavy, definitely Manual.

Liamjrhodes

381 posts

164 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
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Personally think the auto suits a torquey diesel engine much better.

OutInTheShed

13,052 posts

49 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
quotequote all
E91's are old cars now.
I would suggest buying the best you can find and not worrying about whether it's auto or manual.
If you had strong preferences you wouldn't be asking, either choice has pros and cons.
I generally prefer a manual personally.
But my limited experience of BMW manuals is that they don't have the sweetest clutch/gear change.

With a manual, I'd want to know if the clutch had been done as it's not a cheap game.

Be wary of rust advisories on the MOT history and body electrics gremlins.

LosingGrip

8,640 posts

182 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
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I had a manual 330D. Was alright.

I've now got a 320D which is an auto.

Id now always go for an auto. But I'm lazy.

255SNK

2,359 posts

216 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
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BMW's don't make a particularly nice to use Manual 'box so I'd always go Auto and the bigger capacity engines suit the Auto perfectly.

pb8g09

3,020 posts

92 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
quotequote all
255SNK said:
BMW's don't make a particularly nice to use Manual 'box so I'd always go Auto and the bigger capacity engines suit the Auto perfectly.
I’d agree with this.
I had a 330d F31 with the ZF8 and I wouldn’t have wanted it in a manual. The BMW beards often tempt me towards manuals but then I remember how notchy it was in my Z4.

ZX10R NIN

30,024 posts

148 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
quotequote all
Look for the best one you can find & if it happens to be auto all the better.

LordHaveMurci

12,325 posts

192 months

Wednesday 9th April 2025
quotequote all
Does the 330D use the ZF6 box?

It’s not the best box in the 330i, where ironically the auto is by far the most common sadly.