running costs difference - 4 or 6 cyl?

[quigonjay]

hi
pretty much decided on an e46 3 series to replace my crappy old rover diesel
want either the 01> facelft saloon/estate or <03 pre facelft coupe
what i cant decide on though is wether to get the 318i/318 ci (140hp model) or a 325i

was going to look at this before it sold but dont have the money untill the end of jan, beautiful car imho (just inside my budget of 5k)

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/819331.htm

although this will be my daily driver it will be a 2nd car to me as i only had the rover due to not being able to run my mr2 (modified turbo model) all the time due to fuel costs and the heavy/uprated clutch being a nightmare in traffic

the rover was more 'needs must' than 'want cheap' but now i can afford to spend a little more on a daly driver and with the 3 series and i can get a sporty (ish) rear drive chassis and reasonable running costs
running costs will be the decider on which model i get

according to parkers the 318 averages 38mpg and the 325 31mpg
what are you guys getting out of yours?
will be doing about 10k miles a year with about 2/3-3/4 of that spent at 70 on the motorways
i guess fuel costs will the main factor as the extra road tax and slight ins increase will be less than £100 extra combined
does anyone happen to know if the road tax on the 325 would have shot up this year if it wasnt for the planned increases being scrapped?

also is there any major differences in the way the 325 drives comapred to the 318? ie sportier suspension/seats etc? any extra goodies on the 325's?

i would be prepared to spend an extra 'few' hundred pounds a year running a 325 but not more than 500
anyone have experience with both?

thanks guys
Jay

[Fox-]

It's worth knowing that all the 6 cylinder ones cost the same to run - so a 330i is no more thirsty or expensive to maintain than a 325i.

[peterh2]

Fox- said:

It's worth knowing that all the 6 cylinder ones cost the same to run - so a 330i is no more thirsty or expensive to maintain than a 325i.

Totally agree - go for either the 328i or 330i the costs will be the same as the 325i but you will get more power!

[eliot]

And to through another spanner in the works - the wifes e36 325 does almost the same MPG around town as my 540 V8.

[Fox-]

eliot said:

And to through another spanner in the works - the wifes e36 325 does almost the same MPG around town as my 540 V8.

That is very much the exception rather than the rule.

[Fox-]

328i will be prefacelift for sure, though. And they look a bit horrid.

[vaffanculo!]

I've got a 2001 530, which gets 30mpg. Those figures given above seem pretty believable as mine's a heavier car.

[gizlaroc]

quigonjay said:

according to parkers the 318 averages 38mpg and the 325 31mpg
what are you guys getting out of yours?

That's absolute tosh!

I would reckon on 26mpg for a 325i or 330i, 24mpg for the 328i and 31mpg for the 318i.

[Ment-Al]

I loved my 318Ci (2.0 facelift coupe) and the computer told me I was averaging about 32 mpg. My 6 pot Z4 is averaging 30.7 mpg.

Go for the 6 pot, smoother, more refined, easier to drive - but the 318 is by no means a poor car.

[Fox-]

gizlaroc said:

quigonjay said:

according to parkers the 318 averages 38mpg and the 325 31mpg
what are you guys getting out of yours?

That's absolute tosh!

I would reckon on 26mpg for a 325i or 330i, 24mpg for the 328i and 31mpg for the 318i.

Rather than 'reckoning' why not leave the fuel economy stuff to people who actually own them.

Thanks.

[Ment-Al]

Fox- said:

gizlaroc said:

quigonjay said:

according to parkers the 318 averages 38mpg and the 325 31mpg
what are you guys getting out of yours?

That's absolute tosh!

I would reckon on 26mpg for a 325i or 330i, 24mpg for the 328i and 31mpg for the 318i.

Rather than 'reckoning' why not leave the fuel economy stuff to people who actually own them.

Thanks.

Hehe...

My experience would suggest that 38mpg for the 318 was a bit high and that 31 for the 325 was about right.

Although I don't like hanging around when getting up to speed so the smaller the engine the more I would need to work it. Easy driving, it may be achievable but I wouldnt say average.

[chrisx666]

I averaged 30 when I had my 2001 325i. My old 1.8T Golf did 35 over the same mixed commute as a comparison.

I had to replace the central locking ECU on the 325 though, which cost me as much as 3 months worth of fuel..

[quigonjay]

chrisx666 said:

I had to replace the central locking ECU on the 325 though, which cost me as much as 3 months worth of fuel..

hopefully something like this i would be able to do myself (p/t mechanic)
would try and fix most problems myself before giving it to someone

thansk for all the info so far guys
looking like the difference is going to be mnimal then

[pixor]

6 pot all the way. It sounds better, is smoother and pulls better.

Edited by pixor on Wednesday 7th January 23:54

[richyb]

All those extra spark plugs are going to add up.

[quigonjay]

might go and have a look at this, just down the road from me, no leather interior though (top of page 5 on stocklist, 325 ci)
does it seem reasonably priced?


http://www.arranmotors.co.uk/GetDealer.do?did=2765...

[quigonjay]

this one seems a bit dodgy - facelift front end on Y reg, cut and shut?

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

[Ment-Al]

quigonjay said:

this one seems a bit dodgy - facelift front end on Y reg, cut and shut?

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

More than likely just been updated... i know a few that did it.

[Ment-Al]

quigonjay said:

looking like the difference is going to be minimal then

[quigonjay]

Ment-Al said:

quigonjay said:

looking like the difference is going to be minimal then

i assume by that smilie you say otherwise?