ST220 vs ST TDci, and 530i vs 530d? Can't decide
Discussion
I've got a short list for my next car. I'm after something bigger and more refined than my current car which is a MK4 Golf GT Tdi.
I love the MPG that the Golf gives so naturally I started to consider either an e39 530d sport or Mondeo ST Tdci. The 530d would be my first choice but with a budget of about £6k I think it would have to be quite a leggy example. i think I'd get a better ST Tdci for that money.
But then I got thinking about the petrol alternatives for both cars. I've been trying get an idea of how much more expensive either the ST220 or 530i sport would be to run when compared to their diesel counterparts. I currently drive about 60 miles a day so rack up the mille a bit. I figure the ST220 or the 530i sport would both be considerably cheaper to buy so that could be offset against higher fule costs.
Anyway, I want to ask the PH collective what you would opt for? The e39 5 series would be my first choice but it seems I can get better (newer, lower miles) Mondeo for the same money. Would I seriously regret opting for the petrol model over the diesel given that I drive 60 miles a day?
Is there anyone out there that has had a a 530i and a 530d or the ST220 and ST Tdci? It would be good hear about you experiences.
Thanks
I love the MPG that the Golf gives so naturally I started to consider either an e39 530d sport or Mondeo ST Tdci. The 530d would be my first choice but with a budget of about £6k I think it would have to be quite a leggy example. i think I'd get a better ST Tdci for that money.
But then I got thinking about the petrol alternatives for both cars. I've been trying get an idea of how much more expensive either the ST220 or 530i sport would be to run when compared to their diesel counterparts. I currently drive about 60 miles a day so rack up the mille a bit. I figure the ST220 or the 530i sport would both be considerably cheaper to buy so that could be offset against higher fule costs.
Anyway, I want to ask the PH collective what you would opt for? The e39 5 series would be my first choice but it seems I can get better (newer, lower miles) Mondeo for the same money. Would I seriously regret opting for the petrol model over the diesel given that I drive 60 miles a day?
Is there anyone out there that has had a a 530i and a 530d or the ST220 and ST Tdci? It would be good hear about you experiences.
Thanks
The only reason I'd consider the ST TDCi is down to the economy. But at the same time, having read quite a few scare stories about the ST TDCi and 530d I'm starting to think if owning the derv alternatives will work out more costly in the long run?
I really like the Recaro interior that is standard on the ST220. I think it was only an option on the ST TDci and not very common at all. I've never actually heard an ST220. Does it have a V6 growl? I recently saw a V6 Vectra Gsi with an aftermarket air filter and the sound it made quite impressive!
I really like the Recaro interior that is standard on the ST220. I think it was only an option on the ST TDci and not very common at all. I've never actually heard an ST220. Does it have a V6 growl? I recently saw a V6 Vectra Gsi with an aftermarket air filter and the sound it made quite impressive!
Thanks Podie, I'll take a look at the clip at home as I don't have sound here. I had a quick look at your running costs. 16.2p a mile seems quite high 
I'm used to getting around 50mpg from the Golf so I I think the increase in running costs will be quite a shock to me! I'm still tempted by one though!
I'm used to getting around 50mpg from the Golf so I I think the increase in running costs will be quite a shock to me! I'm still tempted by one though! speedmachine said:
kambites said:
Think I'd go for the 530i, personally.
Is that instead of the ST220 or the 530d as well?I faced a similar choice just over a year ago. For me it was a toss up between £7k worth of ST220 or £7k worth of 3-series. In the end I went for the ST220 as I have a rule where I always try to avoid buying into the bottom of a market. My £7k ST was a nice example with low mileage, good condition, £1k sat nav option, etc. The same money would only have bought a high mileage, spartan 330i. I personally could not live with the fact that I was hanging onto the BMW ladder by the bottom rung.
So ST220 for your budget vs 330i or 530i is a no brainer for me. I would take the mondeo or, alternatively, save harder and buy a nicer BMW. Where you are slightly different is the mileage issue. I do 10-12k a year and have averaged around 27mpg. However, if you do a lot of town or stop/start driving you will struggle to better 22mpg in the V6. I am guessing at mixed driving you are looking at around 26mpg for your 60 mile commute and that is going to hike up your fuel costs. There might be some argument to say the ST TDCi makes more sense?
So ST220 for your budget vs 330i or 530i is a no brainer for me. I would take the mondeo or, alternatively, save harder and buy a nicer BMW. Where you are slightly different is the mileage issue. I do 10-12k a year and have averaged around 27mpg. However, if you do a lot of town or stop/start driving you will struggle to better 22mpg in the V6. I am guessing at mixed driving you are looking at around 26mpg for your 60 mile commute and that is going to hike up your fuel costs. There might be some argument to say the ST TDCi makes more sense?
If you do plan on picking up an E39, make sure you don't buy an automatic if the car has 100k or more on the clock and hasn't had the gearbox reconditioned. They have a habit of failing and it can cost upwards of 3k to recon/replace the box. Also have a look at the cooling system, if you do buy one then budget for a new radiator and fan at least. Other than that they're very good cars.
Wow, a thread made for me to ramble in!
Until about 2 months ago there was a 2002 530d in the family for many years. And in 2006, I went through the decision between buying an ST220 or a 530i, so hopefully my thoughts are useful to you.
Firstly ignore the ST TDCi because it has 4 cylinders. This means its for girls.
First, 530i Sport v ST220
The ST220 sounded better, at the time turned more heads, felt more sporty inside and was newer for the money. It also rattled a bit, had a cheap interior, and wasn't quite as quick as the 530i or as composed at speed.
The 530i didn't sound as good, sounded like nothing at all from outside, but was much better built, handled slightly better and was a bit quicker. And looked fantastic.
So I bought the 530i. And it's an absolutely brilliant car. Whatever you seem to do with it, it just does it brilliantly. Truely awesome.
However I still feel the Mondeo would probably be cheaper to run. E39's break quite a bit especially now they are all a billion years old, parts and servicing are more expensive, etc etc. It's NOT cheap to run - I spend 4 figures a year running mine - but oh its good.
So how does it compare to a 530d?
Ignore the bias from the diesel boys, I drove these two back to back for 4 years. My findings were as follows:
a) If you know what a gearbox is for, the 530i is the faster car.
b) The 530i sounds better
c) The 530d is about 7mpg economical in every given situation. On a Motorway run with the 530d doing 42mpg, the 530i does 35mpg. Around town when a 530i does 20mpg, the 530d does 27mpg. It was always about 7mpg - even when we drove both cars in convoy from one end of the country to the other at the same speed, it was still 7mpgish between them.
d) The 530i is just more fun to drive. The engine is fantastic.
e) The 530i does not have complex commonrail injection, turbochargers etc to break.
f) Instead the 530i has a cooling system that explodes.
Unless you do 20k a year, the 530i is the obvious no brainer. So much so that the 530d's eventual replacement was a petrol E60 not a diesel one.
Summary? I am glad I chose the 530i over the Mondeo but the Mondeo would have been noticeably cheaper to own without being hugely worse as a car. I love the 530i and could never go back to a Ford now, but had I chosen the Ford instead at the time I doubt I would have been dissapointed with it.
Until about 2 months ago there was a 2002 530d in the family for many years. And in 2006, I went through the decision between buying an ST220 or a 530i, so hopefully my thoughts are useful to you.
Firstly ignore the ST TDCi because it has 4 cylinders. This means its for girls.
First, 530i Sport v ST220
The ST220 sounded better, at the time turned more heads, felt more sporty inside and was newer for the money. It also rattled a bit, had a cheap interior, and wasn't quite as quick as the 530i or as composed at speed.
The 530i didn't sound as good, sounded like nothing at all from outside, but was much better built, handled slightly better and was a bit quicker. And looked fantastic.
So I bought the 530i. And it's an absolutely brilliant car. Whatever you seem to do with it, it just does it brilliantly. Truely awesome.
However I still feel the Mondeo would probably be cheaper to run. E39's break quite a bit especially now they are all a billion years old, parts and servicing are more expensive, etc etc. It's NOT cheap to run - I spend 4 figures a year running mine - but oh its good.
So how does it compare to a 530d?
Ignore the bias from the diesel boys, I drove these two back to back for 4 years. My findings were as follows:
a) If you know what a gearbox is for, the 530i is the faster car.
b) The 530i sounds better
c) The 530d is about 7mpg economical in every given situation. On a Motorway run with the 530d doing 42mpg, the 530i does 35mpg. Around town when a 530i does 20mpg, the 530d does 27mpg. It was always about 7mpg - even when we drove both cars in convoy from one end of the country to the other at the same speed, it was still 7mpgish between them.
d) The 530i is just more fun to drive. The engine is fantastic.
e) The 530i does not have complex commonrail injection, turbochargers etc to break.
f) Instead the 530i has a cooling system that explodes.
Unless you do 20k a year, the 530i is the obvious no brainer. So much so that the 530d's eventual replacement was a petrol E60 not a diesel one.
Summary? I am glad I chose the 530i over the Mondeo but the Mondeo would have been noticeably cheaper to own without being hugely worse as a car. I love the 530i and could never go back to a Ford now, but had I chosen the Ford instead at the time I doubt I would have been dissapointed with it.
Edited by Fox- on Tuesday 19th October 18:50
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