Looking at estate variants.
Won’t be doing too many miles, so not fussed on petrol or diesel, but would like the most reliable engine / transmission combo.
330 would be nice.
What’s good and what should be avoided.

I had a 330 and a few mates have had them, they are excellent engines although can be fairly heavy on oil mine used to use about a litre every 2000 miles but it’s quite common. They make a great noise too.

I have a saloon E46 316i SE which has a 1.8 petrol N42 engine and manual gearbox. I am the second owner having bought it March 2007 with 63000 miles. Today it made it past the 150000 miles mark. I have done the servicing myself and have had to change the alternator about 30000 miles ago, both camshaft sensors (common fault) and (yesterday) crankshaft sensor (common fault). I love it to drive, and if I need to replace it I would get another E46, probably 320d estate though. It has its niggles, such as the rear light clusters need modifying as the ground terminals aren’t man enough. I hope this helps.

I’ve had quite a few 330s, diesel and petrol. Petrol sounds lovely and is smooth as silk but felt a bit gutless after my remapped 330d. Get an auto in either. If you get a petrol disconnect the rubber exhaust flap tube and it sounds much nicer at low revs, that was the first thing I did whenever I got a 330i (these things are important don’t you know!).

Thanks guys. Auto confirmed – and I do quite fancy the sound of the petrol!
Back to autotrader. 🙂

I have had a 320d touring (2004) now for past 5 years. Not done big miles (about 5K per year) but has proven to be 100 percent reliable. When I first got it there was a big deal on the forums about swirl flap failures and blocked breather filters destroying turbos. I removed my flaps and fitted the upgraded filter and have not thought about it since. Get about 45 mpg pottering about mid Wales and about 55 on a run. I may have had a remap 😀 so when the mood takes me (which is most of the time) she has plenty of poke too. In my ownereship I have fitted a new centre cat (£70) and a pair of front wishbone bushes (£20 a piece). I also bought a set of winter tyres and find the car will go anywhere in the snow, provided you load the boot with a few bags of sheep feed!

It is a 6 speed manual BTW and I have not heard of any issues with that transmission

I have been debating changing for a taller model soon (my wife moans that it is too low to get into) so if you were interested I could see what it is worth?

Welshfarmer – possibly interested. You could email me if you had a price in mind, but I suspect yours may be over my budget. stw.geoffj@me.com

330i Auto, 69k with pretty much every optional extra…

Do it!

Here’s a couple of my old 330’s. Like Daffys, my 330d had every option. Cracking car. Wish I still had it now… 😥

[URL=http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/loddrik1/media/b8a069e2578ad71f8eb78e52a675f228_zps35c95f28.jpg.html][/URL]

work in costco loddrik or that end of town? or just hang round car parks?

Just lurk around toysRus… 😉

might want to tint your windows then boss 8)

330 saloon here. Other than wear and tear it’s had a new rad cap yesterday, in 11 years that’s it. Cruises beautifully, lots of fun.

Welsh farmer I’m also interested in a touring so please drop me an email if Geoffj doesn’t want it.

In which case mine would be for sale for approx £2k…. 🙂

I’ve owned several straight six petrols and they’ve all been faultless. Do 200k+ easily if you look after them.

Just bought a twin turbo straight six 335i Touring and love it. 😀

Perhaps the one that Patrick Snijers has in his M3?

Off to look at a 330i SE Touring in the morning. Full M sport kit and apparently cosseted like a baby with all the wheel arches done and a recent ATF change. *VERY* excited 😀

I’m in the market for a new wagon and currently looking for a 330d.

I’ve always had manual cars and much prefer then over autos, though this is making the search tricky as the majority are auto.

Above people have recommended the auto over the manual – what’s the reason behind this?

I’m looking for a post ’03 6 speed, 204bhp variant.

Above people have recommended the auto over the manual – what’s the reason behind this?

I’ve assumed that it’s to avoid DMF / clutch issues of very high torque engines.

I had a 330Ci M Sport. Fabulous engine noise, 270bhp. Loved it

Daffy – Member

330i Auto, 69k with pretty much every optional extra…

Are yours torque converter type auto or dual clutch?

🙂

I have a 320d currently on 208k miles. Running like a charm.

Touch wood.

get the petrol 🙂

Had an E46 320d touring auto 2005.

DO NOT BUY THIS ENGINE GEARBOX COMBO!
The box has a characteristic vibration (BMW’s words to me) that drove me mad on the motorway and elsewhere. It doesn’t fail so they don’t fix it grrr. Chat on bimmerforums about it.

A mechanic I know swears the petrols are good for 250k miles no problems, the diesels he felt got ropey after 100k.
Would buy another but not the combo I had.

6 pot petrol over diesel every time. Especially on your annual mileage.

My 320d has 145k on the clocks but has just cost me a turbo and cat. I’d be wary about going anywhere near a 320d with more than 100k that was still on its original turbo as they’re notorious for going pop

Funny thing is, the 535 M Sport diesel with the twin turbo engine is a fabulous car with almost M5 performance at a fraction of the cost. Pulls like a train, delivers very good economy and is a very very underrated car.

What sort of milage do you need to do to make the diesel cost effective?

Hadge – Member
Funny thing is, the 535 M Sport diesel with the twin turbo engine is a fabulous car with almost M5 performance at a fraction of the cost. Pulls like a train, delivers very good economy and is a very very underrated car.

Mine averaged 28.6mpg over 35k miles, needed serviced twice as often (as my older e46 petrol) and ate rear tyres like they were Oreo cookies.

Overall, and when considering repairs/depreciation, the 535d was costing me 3* more per year than my current e46.

It’s a torque converter.

What sort of milage do you need to do to make the diesel cost effective?

It depends on how much cheaper the petrol version of the car costs. In January I got a 2006 E91 330I M-Sport with virtually every option ticked. I do no more than 8k a year and with the 330D costing at least 3k more than I paid for the 330I, thats a LONG time before the diesel works out cheaper with my mileage. Plus theres the scary stuff like turbos and stuff on the diesels.

Bought! 330i SE With M Sport interior. Just proud of 100k on the clock, FSH etc – and for less than even a budget FS bike 🙂

Let’s see some pics!!!!

Can I ask what you paid? we are considering selling our 330i touring, albeit poverty SE spec, so would appreciate a realworld price guide, rather than the optimistic prices advertised for! thanks!

Daffy – Member

Hadge – Member

Mine averaged 28.6mpg over 35k miles, needed serviced twice as often (as my older e46 petrol) and ate rear tyres like they were Oreo cookies.

Overall, and when considering repairs/depreciation, the 535d was costing me 3* more per year than my current e46.

Fuel consumption is good at 28.5mpg which is almost similar to my Corolla urban usage. 😀

5 series are heavier and more solid I guess.

Daffy – Member

It’s a torque converter.

I like torque converter and for me I think I will choose petrol over diesel if I were to get one.

But I am a Toyota man … 😆

Its a 2000 (y reg) SE spec with 107k on the clock. I’m paying £1,600 for it – in Glasgow.

Just need to sort a bluetooth stereo out now.

Nice!

Liking that a lot. I’m a big fan of high spec historied cars reaching the bottom of their depreciation curve with tens of thousands of miles still left in them.

Bargain. Looks real tidy, enjoy

Very smart, thanks 🙂