E91 330i Sport Touring - Good Idea?

[Mr Tidy]

I've got a Z4 Coupe for entertainment, but also need something vaguely sensible for elderly parent hospital appointments, etc.

So I've had a 325ti Compact for 3 years which had a service, Insp I and an MOT a few weeks ago. In my ownership it's also had a cooling system refresh, another service and one of the PAS pipes replaced. It's currently on 102K miles and drives great, but is going to need front discs, pads, flexi hoses and maybe calipers as well as rear trailing arm bushes in the next year or so.

Which made me think about a change, and I've seen a E91 330i Sport Touring that I like the look of which is also pretty local. The only downside it is has done nearly 130K miles, but it's said to have had new brakes all round (going by it's MOT history it must have as it failed last month with brake issues).

Anyway it's a 55 plate so has the N52 engine, and I know how good that is as my Z4 has the same one - but I also know about the electronic water pump so realise it can have issues!

But a Touring has a certain appeal for when I need to transport a wheelchair or walking frame (or a set of wheels)!

I'd be happy with an E46 330i Touring but they just don't seem to come up - I'm sure an M54 engine is cheaper to maintain, but E46s do have rust problems these days (we found a 54 plate 325i Touring 18 months ago after he became a dad, but it has bubbly arches)!

I'd consider an E46 or E90 Saloon, but none of them seem to have the split/fold rear seat option. Is a Coupe any good for loading a set of wheels in as they all have the split/fold as standard?

The biggest downside with the E91 330i is it will cost more than twice what I might get for my 325ti, so I could just save the money for getting that fixed next year. After all is a 12 year old car going to be a huge improvement over a 15 year old one?

Any input from anyone who has owned any of the alternatives would be much appreciated - thanks!

(The E91 straight 6 bearding thread hasn't helped)!

[Mr Tidy]

tomic said:

The blue one? Get it bought!

Maybe.

Thanks though!

[Mr Tidy]

Kev_Mk3 said:

I have a e91.


The boot isnt that big. Example I got 4 18" wheels for a friend and had to have the back seats down or I wouldnt get them in as the load area room isnt large at all. Got to my friend for him to take the wheels in his mk5 astra estate. All 4 wheels stood up across the boot with room either side and seats up. His boot is huge compared to mine.

I know what you mean about the boot not being huge - I bought a set of 4 wheels for my Z4 and the guy I bought them from had them in the boot of his Seat Leon Estate with his rear seats up!

I suppose if it means seats down in an E91 it's not really any easier than in my Compact.

Thanks for the replies everyone - maybe it's time for a rethink!

[Mr Tidy]

CaptainMorgan said:

Raffels makes a good point, my partner has a E90 and her Nonna struggles to get in and out of it, front or rear. In fact, to be honest I struggle to get my arse in and out most of the time, they're quite low, certainly no easier than my Compact.

My mother is 95, so struggles a bit with any car! But as she is only just over 5 feet tall she can manage the Compact OK (but the Z4 wouldn't be an option).

She'd probably find anything high a bigger problem TBH.

[Mr Tidy]

Mr Whippy said:

Latest model Golf estate, or Seat equivalent.

Old people don't like rock hard BMW sport ride, plus rft.

Even a nice smooth car ride can start to feel like hell so if this car is for elderly duty I'd focus on ride/access/size of boot over it being a rwd NA BMW.

To be fair I do about 7,500 miles a year in my Compact, and Mum is probably only in it for a few hundred of those so I figure my preference for RWD takes some priority!

And my Compact is a Sport, but not on RFTS luckily! Plus she must be used to it as my nephew has an E46 325i Sport Touring and my sister has a Mini Cooper on RFTs - she only gets a break in my niece's Corsa!

But she is a bit of a badge snob, so would probably prefer to live with a firm ride in a BMW than a smooth ride in a Ford!

[Mr Tidy]

Mr Whippy said:

Roger that. I got the idea you had another fun car and so this was mainly for increasing amounts of OAP duty as time passed.

I'd just go 330 petrol then.

But finding them is a pita. I'd been keeping an eye out for a 330i (saloon) within say 70 miles for about 5 years and never saw one that I even wanted to go see.
I even pestered the PH guys about better filtering for the E9x so I could scan the classifieds more easily.

A shame really as I'd still want one now but they're even harder to find nice examples.

So much time passed I just went to an F30 haha.

Edited by Mr Whippy on Wednesday 13th December 21:49

Thanks!

The problem is most trips with Mum are less than a 10 mile roundtrip with her in the car, but I live about 35 miles away from her!

So if she needs to go anywhere I can't take the Z4, but I don't want to spend my 65-70 mile trip in something miserably dull (I tried that when I bought a 1996 Mazda 323 to go with my Z4 - it lasted 6 months).

So it looks like I'm back on the 330i trail - and as you know manual Tourings are like rocking horse poo. They fitted the split/fold seats to every E46 and E90 except the Saloons, and so few seem to have them.

Until then the Compact isn't a bad compromise.