Help needed on change of car.

[MiniMrMan]

So, I am looking at changing my car.
I am looking at spending no more that 10k.
I have been looking at 330i, 530i, 330d and a 530d. (all M-sport models)
Now I dont do that many miles, around 10k a year, but if i got a petrol i may consider converting to lpg to reduce cost further. Hs anyone got a 330i/530i on lpg?
I use the car for going to work everyday, and will be using it for towing a car trailer on some weekends. Does a 'normal' non swan neck tow bar fit to both?
As far as MPG goes, i am aware how many miles you can get from a 3L deisel, however i have quite a heavy right foot and tend to get very low mpg out of every car. What is the worst mpg that anyone has had from a 330d or 530d? Is a 5 a lot more expencive to run than a 3?
Thanks, Andy.

[Fox-]

LPG wont save you enough to make it worthwhile especially with 10k.

[LocoBlade]

Agreed, an LPG conversion is what, £2k, so even if you save ~50p a litre on fuel, you'd have to buy about 4000L of LPG before you broke even, about 3 years of motoring at 10k/30mpg.

[MiniMrMan]

I see your point but i have had string of deisel cars and i am a little fed up of the narrow power band and not hearing a nice noise when you are giving it death down a back road.
A petrol 330 is cheaper to buy than a 330d so that would go towards the cost of converting to lpg? or thats how my twisted mind works!

[SJobson]

You won't get much, if anything, back when you sell the car with an LPG conversion - people seem to want them on bigger V8s really.

And it'll take you at least 3 years to recoup the outlay, so why bother doing it at all? Just buy the petrol car; 10,000 miles at 25mpg and 85p/litre is just over £1,500.

[LocoBlade]

SJobson said:

And it'll take you at least 3 years to recoup the outlay, so why bother doing it at all? Just buy the petrol car; 10,000 miles at 25mpg and 85p/litre is just over £1,500.

Yup, and obviously if you're comparing against LPG they aren't fuelled for free, so from that £1500 outlay you can subtract 10,000 miles at 25mpg on LPG at say 40p/litre, so its only actually cost around £700 more to run the petrol for a year over LPG equivalent.

[matt uk]

...and although cheaper per litre, you will get less mpg on LPG...

[scott10005]

in my experience's lpg fitted to the petrol m54 engine's have caused a few running issues,might just be caused by poor fitment though.

[MiniMrMan]

Ok, Itake your point. my heart says petrol but my head says the oil burner.

What about running costs between a 330d and a 530d. as the 5 is a bigger and heavier car does it go through brakes tyres....quicker?

[Fox-]

Your head should not say oil burner with 10k miles a year. We have both a 530i and a 530d and with the fuel price differential and added complexity of the 530d the 530d is no cheaper to run than the 530i, really. The 530i is also cheaper to buy.

[Vee]

MiniMrMan said:

Ok, Itake your point. my heart says petrol but my head says the oil burner.

Why ? Petrol is one of the less significant costs to consider, especially doing only 10k pa.

Fox- said:

Your head should not say oil burner with 10k miles a year. We have both a 530i and a 530d and with the fuel price differential and added complexity of the 530d the 530d is no cheaper to run than the 530i, really. The 530i is also cheaper to buy.

Is right in many people's experience.

Edited by Vee on Monday 19th January 13:48

[SJobson]

Just to make the point, diesel at 40mpg and 95p/litre would cost nearly £1,100 over 10k miles. Is that enough of a saving each year to make it worthwhile?

[StuB]

Like Fox said .... and you wont get significanly more economy from a diesel unless you do long, top gear biased trips to work.

Sounds like you want to try the petrol for your daily commute.

I'd also suggest you find out what you're towing weight requirement is, as the diesels do have a higher limit that the petrol's and the 5 is higher than the 3 AFAIK. If it's a heavier load, you'll also wish you had a diesel's torque every time you come to an incline!

[MiniMrMan]

I think i am edging towards a 530i.
My drive to work is mainly made up of small counrty lanes, lots of on off driving which tends to play havoc with the mpg, and wears tyres and brakes a lot quicker than you would expect.
I am only pulling a mini (620kg) on a trailer (250kg?) so not really an issue i wouldnt have thought?
Im only thinking non petrol as i had a 3L Omega when the fuel prices decided to go sky high, just dont want to be caught with me pants down if the fuel prices go up again.

Also want a manual, is this recomended in a 5 series? Will a standard tow bar fit without cutting big hole in rear bumper (m-sport)?

[StuB]

MiniMrMan said:

Will a standard tow bar fit without cutting big hole in rear bumper (m-sport)?

Have a search on autotrader, at an Msport with a towbar and look at the pics! My E60 SE had to have a small bumper cut for the removable Westfalia bar.

I think Petrol and manual's work just fine and can be a lot of fun when you hoon it, but the auto's are very good and were quite popular. You'd suffer with lower consumption with an auto every time.

Buy a car on condition and buy one with the bits you want already fitted would be my advice - plenty of 5'ers about!

[Fox-]

MiniMrMan said:

Im only thinking non petrol as i had a 3L Omega when the fuel prices decided to go sky high, just dont want to be caught with me pants down if the fuel prices go up again.

If? When. They will rise again. But in the Summer I paid 132.9p a litre to fill the 530d but 'only' 118.9p a litre to fill the 530i..

[matt uk]

Diesel will keep edging out a gap vs petrol prices.
When petrol becomes really expensive again, diesel will be fking expensive.