E91 325i 0r E46 325i?

[Mr Tidy]

I've seen a nice E91 325i Touring advertised recently, but it has the N52 engine with silly electric water pump, etc.

Would you go for that or an E46 Touring with rust potential?

I'm struggling to decide, so thanks for any help you can offer!

[Mr Tidy]

Thanks everyone!

But I'm still not sure.

I've had an E46 325ti Sport Compact for 2 and a half years, but a 325i Touring would be so much more practical (my mother is 95 so better for wheelchairs, walking frames, etc.).

But I've also had a Z4 Coupe (E86) for 3 years as a toy! And the water pump died on my first.: (I use a great local BMW indy but an OEM pump was £500!

Which is why I am a bit undecided!

Seems to me an M54 may be cheaper to run, but an N52 may be better to drive - decisions, decisions.......!

[Mr Tidy]

MrGCC said:

also depends on what you are using the car for, if you want just a nice family daily then I would say both would be fine.

But if its going to get a lot of abuse and beaten but etc maybe the e46 as you loose less money over depreciation over an e91.

Just a thought really, as both cars are great but depends on the purchasing price of both too, individual cars and spec, e46 is a car so well known now that nearly everything is documented, e91 also but the e46 being a little old just means things are a little easier to replace and cheaper if things go wrong plus less electronically controlled stuff etc.

To be fair electronic complication is my main concern - £500 for an OEM water pump is kind of acceptable on my Z4C, but might be nearly 20% of the purchase price of an E91!

Still sitting on the fence just now!

[Mr Tidy]

helix402 said:

The E91 is likely to be cheaper to run. As I mentioned earlier, water pump is £248+approx £20 for antifreeze-if it fails. Ride will be better on an E46. (Maybe due to weight loss as metal falls off in brown lumps!)


The E91 isn't much more complicated electrically than the 46.

Ride will be better on an E46 because it doesn't have run-flats!

E91 is a bit more electronic than I would like - I know that as well as the water pump they have electric PAS, no dip-stick, no temperature gauge on E90 or E91 (but E92 and E93 do for some reason) and maybe other electrickery!

I got put off all this clever new electrical cr*p when I had a 123d for over 6 years and 80K miles - the only non-service items that failed were 2 rear number plate lights (you know, those super-duper new-fangled LED things that use no power and last forever), the battery and the starter motor - could those last 2 items possibly be anything to do with stop/start? And because of that feature it has an "AGM" battery that costs over £250 to replace because the OBD has to be told it has a new one!? The N47 cam-chain horror stories were the nail in the coffin for that one!

Looks like I'm talking myself into an E46 Touring - but as has been said that is IF I can find a good one!

Or maybe just stick with my 325ti Compact and live with a bit less practicality.

Many thanks for your input everyone. It's learning of other peoples' experiences and knowledge that make this forum such a good place to visit!

[Mr Tidy]

Swervin_Mervin said:

LCI cars have the ePAS, pre-LCI are hydraulic. These are the ones to go for imo, as well as having the N52 rather than N53 engine.

Had my '06 now for 4.5yrs, and gone from 57k to 103k in htat time. It's barely needed anything more than service parts, and has been one of the cheapest cars to own I've had. Not had the water pump done yet, but can't argue with what that costs given I've had nigh on 5yrs of trouble free motoring.

Thanks for putting me right about the steering - every day is a school day!

I would only contemplate a pre-LCI as I really don't like what I've read about the N53!

[Mr Tidy]

s m said:

Are you selling your 325ti Iain?

I'm still trying to decide to be honest, but if I am I'll PM you!