Talk to me about E90/91 BMWs...

timbob

timbob

timbob

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27 Nov 2002
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As title really... I've decided my next car will be a BMW, almost certainly an estate. My mileage has plummeted to 12k recently, my new job is only 10 miles from home and I intend to keep the car for a number of years, so I'm looking at petrol. I don't want the expense of a diesel, I miss driving a petrol engine, and the short journeys won't be the best for a diesel.

I had thought about looking for a 320i, but have read some bad things on the 4 cylinder engine. Having looked into the 325i, discovering that they too are available in my budget, and having checked insurance quotes (under £300!), I think I've decided... I think ill be looking about 56/57 plate, budget is £10,000.

What say the forums? Anything to look out for in particular? Is this the worst idea in history!?
 
Any particular reason why? A well looked after 50-60,000 mile car would be a nice refined place to be and should see me well for a number of years without major trouble.
 
Yes, I reckon I'll be looking for a 325i, either SE or M Sport - the insurance difference is negligible. Almost certainly looking at an estate (which means E91 doesn't it?)
 
timbob said:
Any particular reason why? A well looked after 50-60,000 mile car would be a nice refined place to be and should see me well for a number of years without major trouble.
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An old BMW isn't really my idea of something that will 'see you well for a number of years without major trouble'. If you are looking at sub 60k mile cars I'd be very tempted by the £40ish a month BMW comprehensive warranty.

Personally I wouldnt want to be buying a 56 plate E90 for £10k - IMHO it's not that great a car and the earlier ones look horribly dated, have a bland interior and even the iDrive fitted models all have the old, dated version of iDrive. Not somewhere to sink £10k. I would want an LCI model with Professional Navigation and Xenon's if I was to buy an E91 and I'm not sure your budget will get you that.

I'd rather have a Skoda Superb.
 
Whilst that 3 series does look nice (if a little over budget, obviously), it doesn't really match with my priorities...

Nav doesn't bother me in the slightest. I never use it, ever - so that's not even a consideration.

Not sure what the deal with iDrive is - will I use it? Does it really matter that if a car I bought had it, it would have the dated version rather than the up to date version? Given that I've never been a car snob (I spent 160,000 miles in a T plate 1.4 Civic, and consider my current 61 plate Skoda Fabia a luxurious place to be)...

Xenons - not fussed. OK they do look subjectively better, but not having them is nothing close to a deal breaker on the grounds that the front of the car looks cheap without them.

Bland interior... See my context above. An E90/91 BMW would be by far an away the best/nicest/most-"premium" car anyone in my family owns. I've ridden in a base spec E90 (a friend works for BMW/MINI) and considered it to be rather bloomin' lovely car. I'd be more than happy with it.

The only point you raised which has concerned me was the reliability. I've discounted diesel on the grounds of expense to buy and potential for big bills. Do the petrol cars have similar problems waiting in the wings? I've seen reports that the 4 cylinder engine in the 320i has problems, but most people recommend 6 cylinder for smoothness and reliability...

Are there any major/common problems in taking a 325i let's say from 6 years old and 60,000 miles to 12 years and 150,000 miles?
 
We have a 2006 E91 330i SE which we've owned for 2 years now. Some thoughts:
- Is the 325 a lot cheaper than the 330? Fuel consumption will be very similar
- newer F30s do have a better interior, but I don't remember being impressed by the first one I sat in at launch, we're they improved?
- ours is well loaded with leather and sports seats, still a rather nice place to be
- fuel consumption is not fun. Circa 20mpg in town, 30 on a run
- get the pre LCI and you can have the non-direct injected N52(?), which is less economical and powerful, but acknowledged to be more reliable. Ours had been perfect
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
We have a 2006 E91 330i SE which we've owned for 2 years now. Some thoughts:
- Is the 325 a lot cheaper than the 330? Fuel consumption will be very similar
- newer F30s do have a better interior, but I don't remember being impressed by the first one I sat in at launch, we're they improved?
- ours is well loaded with leather and sports seats, still a rather nice place to be
- fuel consumption is not fun. Circa 20mpg in town, 30 on a run
- get the pre LCI and you can have the non-direct injected N52(?), which is less economical and powerful, but acknowledged to be more reliable. Ours had been perfect
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Nice info, thanks :)

There's not a lot of choice (if any) with 330i's in my price range, and having managed to justify to myself that it's worth upping my initial 320i decision to a 325i, I'm going to stick with that!

I'm happy with the fuel consumption tbh. I don't do many miles anymore. Work is an easy 10 mile cruise away - no traffic/roundabouts etc. Happy to pay the premium on fuel for a nice car :)

Was the LCI when the 325 became a detuned 3 litre unit, rather than a genuine 2.5? I have read those engines are more reliable - which fits nicely with my thoughts/budget etc.
 
timbob said:
Whilst that 3 series does look nice (if a little over budget, obviously), it doesn't really match with my priorities...

Nav doesn't bother me in the slightest. I never use it, ever - so that's not even a consideration.

Not sure what the deal with iDrive is - will I use it? Does it really matter that if a car I bought had it, it would have the dated version rather than the up to date version? Given that I've never been a car snob (I spent 160,000 miles in a T plate 1.4 Civic, and consider my current 61 plate Skoda Fabia a luxurious place to be)...

Xenons - not fussed. OK they do look subjectively better, but not having them is nothing close to a deal breaker on the grounds that the front of the car looks cheap without them.

Bland interior... See my context above. An E90/91 BMW would be by far an away the best/nicest/most-"premium" car anyone in my family owns. I've ridden in a base spec E90 (a friend works for BMW/MINI) and considered it to be rather bloomin' lovely car. I'd be more than happy with it.
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The thing is, to me, most of that is the point in paying a pile more cash for an E90. If you are not interested in infotainment systems, a really nice interior, a front end that doesn't look deliberately cheapened to make you buy the better lights (Exactly what they did) etc etc then why pay big money for an old E90 anyway? I'm not sure I understand the rationale.

I completely understand how much of that stuff might not be something you care about but honestly there are many better cars for under £10k than an old 3 Series which I'd be looking at instead if I didn't want the things that make a modern BMW... a modern BMW.

I'd perhaps even suggest an even older BMW because frankly the only thing that, to me, makes an E91 even worth bothering with over the older stuff is the modern tech. If you ignore the tech aspects of the car it's arguable that the E46 Touring is a better car anyway. And lots cheaper. You'd easily get a very nice 330i Sport Touring for considerably under your budget.

The E90/E60 generations trade quality for technological wonder.

The only point you raised which has concerned me was the reliability. I've discounted diesel on the grounds of expense to buy and potential for big bills. Do the petrol cars have similar problems waiting in the wings? I've seen reports that the 4 cylinder engine in the 320i has problems, but most people recommend 6 cylinder for smoothness and reliability...

Are there any major/common problems in taking a 325i let's say from 6 years old and 60,000 miles to 12 years and 150,000 miles?
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Not major issues, no - just niggling ones which add up to a lot over the period of ownership.
 
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timbob said:
Was the LCI when the 325 became a detuned 3 litre unit, rather than a genuine 2.5? I have read those engines are more reliable - which fits nicely with my thoughts/budget etc.
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No, it was before the LCI, for the 2008 model year. LCI cars are 2009 model year. The previous engine is an N52. This is a generally pretty reliable engine, though not much more economical than the M54 before it in the previous 3 Series. It wsa replaced in 2007 by the N53 - a far more economical engine. It is a stratified direct injection engine which can deliver excellent fuel economy but sadly suffers from reliability woes as a result of its more complex fuel delivery system.

If you are going to pay for a BMW warranty - £40-£50 a month on an E90 with under 60k miles - then get the newer, more modern engine. It's more efficient. If you want to go it alone, get the older engine.
 
I would go with the E90 over the E46 personally, I've owned both and while the inside of the E46 always felt more like a real BMW overall the E90 is the better car, as well as the fact the E46 cars are ageing now so will probably need a lot of money spent on them sooner rather than later. A 6 year old E90 may also throw a big bill at you but if you do as advised and get one with less than 60k miles on the clock and take out the warranty that should cover most of the bills.
 
Don't fancy a warranty if I'm honest - the only car I ever had with a warranty is my current one, and I've just paid to get some work done to it as the wait (without a working car) before they could fix it under warranty, and the fact that they wouldn't fix half the problem anyway meant I decided just to shell out and get it fixed down the village garage.

So, N52 engine seems like a plan. That fits nicely with my budget etc.

I will take a look at the E46s and see what's available - that is a nice idea.
 
I'm scared when I read bout 6 year old BMW's throwing big bills at people, going for less than 60 k miles and taking out a warranty.

1. Warranties are usually a waste of money, like most insurance polices (they are a type of insurance after all). Instead, buy a car you can afford to run and/or save up separately for repairs/servicing. COmpanies make money out of peoples fear factor, ie, oh, what if my engine goes bang. Like the bookies, the premiums you pay for a warranty are in favour of the house.
2. Aren't newer cars supposed to be better and last longer? I've owned some old BMW's that were actualy very reliable and needed few repairs (20years old!). 6 years is not really old, and neither is 60k miles, sorry. Again people are led to believe they have to buy new. 60k miles around the streets of London,sure, it could have issues, but 60 k average use including lots of motorway miles, no. A mate has a 170k mile E46 and has owned it for years and has spent very little on repairs.
3.In the 1980's Mercs for example had a lifespan of 20+ years.
 
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