330d - sport vs 'normal' version - worth the extra?

[da_murphster]

I'm after a 330d estate and really was after the sport version for the look, the seats and the suspension. (many years ago i briefly had a 330d sport saloon)

I've got a budget of upto £7.5 (max - but really would rather spend significanlty less)

The market seems to have completely dried up of sport tourers and the ones that are now around seem to be £2k more than a while back!

If I 'lowered my sights' to a normal 330d would I regret it? Are they still a decent drive or are they very soft? Are the seats as unsuportive as they look?

Are there any particular models/options that are worth hunting for.

As an example there are no 330d sport estate under £6k within 100m of me but there are several 330d SE, leather, harmaon kardon etc from about £3800.

[gizlaroc]

The only thing I think you really miss are the sport seats, however, you could buy a complete E46 interior from ebay for £5-800 and swap it out, doesn't even matter if it is for a saloon if you get the same colour, just swap the front seats, then sell your leather se interior for a saloon on again for £400, meaning it has cost you around £2-400 to get a sports interior in the car.

Sport steering wheel is also nice, as long as you get the later, 2002 I think, se wheel with the round aitbag then you can put a sport or M3 wheel on for £50-100.

Body kit?? Well you can get a new one fitted and sprayed for £1000 if you really felt the need. Maybe be different and put and Alpina lip on the front for £200? or and M3 front on for £400?

I love the sports, but I would not pay over 50% more for one.

Have you looked at 330i's as well?? I have had both and there is only around 15% in it mpg wise, and with petrol around 10% cheaper it really is not worth going diesel imho, more to go wrong, heavier up front, short rev range and the petrol sound is divine.
Don't write them off.

[Zead]

I think if you have your eye on a sport, and you already know the differences, an SE will always make you wonder, what if? Seats are fab on a sport, awful, IMO, on an SE. The bodykit makes the sport tourer, the SE looks pedestrian in comparison. The suspension is slightly lower, and firmer and slightly different geometry to suit. It goes round corners slightly better. The 18"s fill the arches more and give the car a stance the SE just doesn't achieve on 17"s. All these things add up, but only if you care, and I think you do. Be patient, the only reason there are not more Sport Tourers, is their poor owners cant bear to take an £8k hit in 18 months, so they are hanging on to them

z

[benny.c]

gizlaroc said:

Have you looked at 330i's as well?? I have had both and there is only around 15% in it mpg wise, and with petrol around 10% cheaper it really is not worth going diesel imho, more to go wrong, heavier up front, short rev range and the petrol sound is divine.
Don't write them off.

I'd agree with that. Unless you are doing mega mileage the savings aren't that great, especially when you figure in the extra cost of the car in the first place. What you need is a lovely Imola Red 330i sport touring

[da_murphster]

Quick search on 330i tourer - no cheaper than 330d! There are no sports within 100m of me.

I've done my sums of petrol vs diesel and its only beneficial if the initial buying price is lower....which, at the moment, its not.

It does seem as though the entire market has dried up of these - there were loads a few weeks ago.

Might just have to admit defeat and look elsewhere.....any 330d/i sports tourer owners looking for an easy sale get in touch!

[benny.c]

[cough] check my profile

Edited by benny.c on Monday 11th May 18:21

[chrisx666]

Re. the comments above, the seats in my old E46 325iSE nearly put me off the brand for good - terrible. The optional sports seats in my 645 are fantastic though..

[da_murphster]

benny.c][cough said:

check my profile

Edited by benny.c on Monday 11th May 18:21

Lovely looking car but I've done my sums and I cannot justify a 330i unless its initial purchase price is significantly lower than I had budgeted for the 330d.....mainly coz my girlfriemd would kill me!

[gizlaroc]

da_murphster said:

benny.c][cough said:

check my profile

Edited by benny.c on Monday 11th May 18:21

Lovely looking car but I've done my sums and I cannot justify a 330i unless its initial purchase price is significantly lower than I had budgeted for the 330d.....mainly coz my girlfriemd would kill me!

You have done your sums wrong then.

I have had both cars and there was just over 10% difference between the 330i and 330d consumption wise, diesel is also 10% more expensive, so right now I reckon overall the petrol is the cheaper car to run and maintain.

[MattOz]

In mixed driving, my 330i averaged 30mpg and my 330d averaged 42mpg. With the difference in purchase cost between the two and the current cost of fuel there is very little in it, even at 12mpg difference. Try both and see which one you prefer.

Matt

[da_murphster]

If the 330i was significantly cheaper than the 330d I would agree. But its not!

I've done some swatting - I'm fully aware this is rough and ready but it does look at fuel prices vs comsumption etc...

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rN19kP7EB1s...

(Hope that works as I cannot access Google docs at work)

Also worth considering that rightly or wrongly when the mileages stack up I would probably have no problem selling a 330d (theres one on AT for £4k with 170k) but would have problems selling with a high mileage 330i - I cannot afford to loose lots on this car.

[anonymous-user]

Well i've got a 330d, and, next time, i'd get the 330i!!

i've done 72k miles in 3 years, and including the new turbo & inlet manifold (£1800 without fitting !) it would have been cheaper to have a 330i. (i get 37 mpg ave over the 3 years so far)

Only thing is, i needed the fully 1800kg towing mass to drag my rally car and trailer around, (petrol only is listed at 1600kg) so i was stuck with the derv.

330d does have effortless day to day performance, particularly the 3rd gear overtaking ability, were i recon it might even be a bit quicker than my M3.

drive both, then decide

[da_murphster]

I understand that when driven hard the mpg drops significantly on the 330d (and the 330i!) but the attraction is the 70mph cruise on the motorway 100miles each day that my girlfriend does - having owned a 330d a while back I know that you can get decent mpg (when I owned own it was in Germany - there was no such thing as 70mph on a motorway!)

A 330i (my mate had an identical one ot mine but 330i) used to drink fuel no matter what!

intersting ref running costs - I though that bar the swirl bits the 330d where pretty reliable?

[christer]

da_murphster said:

If the 330i was significantly cheaper than the 330d I would agree. But its not!

I've done some swatting - I'm fully aware this is rough and ready but it does look at fuel prices vs comsumption etc...

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rN19kP7EB1s...

(Hope that works as I cannot access Google docs at work)

Also worth considering that rightly or wrongly when the mileages stack up I would probably have no problem selling a 330d (theres one on AT for £4k with 170k) but would have problems selling with a high mileage 330i - I cannot afford to loose lots on this car.

By your own figures, a 330i will cost around £32 more per month. It is likely in 45k miles that the diesel will cost more to run.

I am not sure wha to say other than I think you are making much too big a deal out of this. The time you have spent already is costing money. £30-50 difference either way each month? What if youget a £1000 maintenance bill? If you are making such a big deal because money is very very tight then I udl recommend that you cycle or use a motorbike.

This reminds of one summer when some friends suggested to go to Orlando and Miami for a 2 week vacation. They wanted to save £55 on a £700 airfare with a 7 hour stopover each way in NY....I didn't share their view. There is definitely a value attached to our free time which some forget^^

[da_murphster]

christer said:

By your own figures, a 330i will cost around £32 more per month. It is likely in 45k miles that the diesel will cost more to run.

I am not sure wha to say other than I think you are making much too big a deal out of this. The time you have spent already is costing money. £30-50 difference either way each month? What if youget a £1000 maintenance bill? If you are making such a big deal because money is very very tight then I udl recommend that you cycle or use a motorbike.

This reminds of one summer when some friends suggested to go to Orlando and Miami for a 2 week vacation. They wanted to save £55 on a £700 airfare with a 7 hour stopover each way in NY....I didn't share their view. There is definitely a value attached to our free time which some forget^^

I'm using the forum to bounce ideas around - thats what they are for - I'm not making a big deal just like to swat and think about things!

FWIW my girlfriend constantly has a go at me for the same thing!! I like to think things through and be able to justify and be comfortable with my ideas and purchases.

BTW I do cycle to work!

This car is to me my 'sensible' car to allow me to get more time to sort and play with my TVR - it needs to offer me an enjoyable journey when I need more seats or to shift loads, not cost a bomb to run and, importantly, be easy to run.

This is not costing me money...just my employer.....

[christer]

da_murphster said:

FWIW my girlfriend constantly has a go at me for the same thing!!

This is not costing me money...just my employer.....

She has a point.


Well, right now - but I bet you spend a lot of time outside of work as well, hence your GF's point.

All I am saying is that in the grand scheme of things, this is a very small matter indeed. You could buy a Golf TDI and it blows up in 2 months time, bye bye £4K, but at least it would cost £40 per month less than an S3....^^

The forums allow you to bounce ideas, waste time, save money thorugh advice or whatever you want to do - but it allows us to also give our opinion which you are free to ignore so you can think about it some more. Good luck with whatever you decide - those cars will probaby be £2500 to buy by that time