BMW 318d M Sport Business Edition

Soldato
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Looking around for a economical car to replace my Volvo S40 T5 as I'm doing a 100 mile round commute these days, but pretty good on the speed front. It's not stop/start, straight up the A3 from Portsmouth etc. so nice and easy.

Looking at Touring E91 BMW 318d any owner comments etc?

Looking at 2009 / 2010 etc.
 
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The 318d is a terrible variant - it existed purely to offer lower company car tax. It does nothing the 320d doesn't do better - the fuel economy and running costs are identical - but is noticeably less powerful.

Unless you are finding a bargain of a 318d then I wouldn't bother. I'd rather have a better car from a 'lesser' manufacturer than a 318d.

pretty good on the speed front

So not a 318d then. I once did 1500 miles in one and it needed me to shift down on dual carriageways to maintain cruising speed on hills..

Make sure you read up on the 2 litre diesel engine in both 320d and 318d. There are some quite scary and worryingly common issues - the most serious of which is camchain failure on the N47 variants (2007 onwards IIRC).
 
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Soldato
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[TW]Fox;24418069 said:
The 318d is a terrible variant - it existed purely to offer lower company car. It does nothing the 320d doesn't do better - the fuel economy and running costs are identical - but is noticeably less powerful.

Unless you are finding a bargain of a 318d then I wouldn't bother. I'd rather have a better car from a 'lesser' manufacturer than a 318d.

Certainly a helpful info! Bit like the Volvo V40 D3 and D4 etc.

It'll be 500 miles a week purely for work, then prob 500 miles a month for social etc.

Cheers

http://www.approved.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk...BVVgzMjA3MEEzODUyOTg=&btp=1x24-price_ASC|list

http://www.approved.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk...BVVgzMjBYMEEzODg3NjI=&btp=1x24-price_ASC|list

http://www.approved.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk...BVVQzMjAzMEE5Mzg0MTM=&btp=1x24-price_ASC|list
 
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Caporegime
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Dunno where the 20k value came from?!?

I bought my 2011 320d last year for 16k with 20k on the clock. As has already been said its a much better engine. If you're going to be doing long trips I'd avoid the m-sport. The suspension is widely accepted as being a bit on the firm side. Uncomfortably so. Insurance is also slightly higher.The ES tends to be favoured and more widely available and so cheaper. Only difference is people tend to prefer the looks of the m-sport as the body kit looks more sporty and interior has slightly different trim and seats. If you go for a higher spec you'll get leather as standard though.
 
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Whatever you do, DO NOT spend £20k on an E91!!

The E90 is an old car - it's been superceded and has been around for almost 8 years. It is not a £20k car anymore and doesn't feel like inside or out. If you want an E91, spend £10k on one.

If you want to spend £20k, buy something else. You can pretty much buy an F31 320d for that.

http://www.approved.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk...9@adm-xx,00.html?ch=_V0JBM0szMjA2MEYxOTQyMjY=

Don't get hung up on M Sport. You'll end up in a worse car.

To be honest I have to ask, is this really the right way to achieve what you want? You want something more economical than your S40 T5 but all you are doing with this budget is turning fuel cost into depreciation cost - and then some! 25k a year in a £20k car is going to see you dumping thousands and thousands of pounds in depreciation over the next 3 years. Something presumably you won't be doing with your T5.

This is likely going to cost you quite a lot more than your T5 ownership cost wise.
 
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Caporegime
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The ones he linked to are around that price..

Agree with the M Sport actually. Seems pointless for motorways, unless you want to play Sales Rep Top Trumps..

Yeah. I get the ones he linked to are that price but it's a hell of a price increase from something mentioned in the original scope!

Meant se not es in my last post. Had a quick peruse on autotrader and for 20k these were some three year old 335s available!
 
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[TW]Fox;24418069 said:
Make sure you read up on the 2 litre diesel engine in both 320d and 318d. There are some quite scary and worryingly common issues - the most serious of which is camchain failure on the N47 variants (2007 onwards IIRC).


Indeed... And the next episode of Watchdog should be interesting
;)

Totally Agree about the 318d, I wouldnt touch anything below a 320d.
 

Ev0

Ev0

Soldato
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I had an 11plate 318d for about 6months and going against the grain here I never had an issue with it.

Certainly never had to change down on dual carriageways to maintain cruising speed!

Used it twice a week to do a 200 mile round trip and always got good fuel consumption figures.

I'm not doubting the 320d is a better car as its more powerful without much if any hit on the consumption, but I really didn't have any issues with how the 318d drove at all (well other than just generally being a dirty diesel :) ).

Yeah it was no rocket ship, but performed absolutely fine day to day driving.

Wild I spend my own money to buy one? Probably not as the better engines both petrol and diesel can be had for little more.
 
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Ev0

Ev0

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Nope as my edit said (before I'd refreshed and seen your comment :) ) I wouldn't buy one no, and it was by no means a 'free' company car but it still worked out cheaper taking up the company lease and associated tax rather than using the Impreza for the trip lol.

Annoyingly I can't remember the figures now but think it was around 350/370 a month net affect on the salary to have it. Pauper spec es as well just to make things better, but weirdly the person who initially took out the lease specced it up with enough options I'd have thought it would have made more sense to just go for a better trim level in the first place!

But I had no issues with the engine being woefully underpowered, certainly hitting telegraph hill my wife or I never had any issues needing to change down or anything (wife used it the days I didn't need it).
 
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I can't remember what the issue was now with it but I was on the A35 and I distinctly remember having to change down just to continue up the hill. I think somebody pulled out on me and then moved out of the way and it simply wouldn't accelerate from 65ish to 70ish on the hill without a shift out of 6th.

It just felt like such a 'It has a BMW badge and low car tax, what more do you want' sort of car.
 

Ev0

Ev0

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[TW]Fox;24420603 said:
It just felt like such a 'It has a BMW badge and low car tax, what more do you want' sort of car.

It did feel a bit like that, I ended up with one as my criteria was I needed something ASAP and this was the most reasonably priced thing available on our reallocation/returned cars list that had a short time left on the lease so wouldn't be stuck with something for 3 years!

In a way we miss the car a little as it was nice and comfy for just long slogs.

Similar situation in the job I got after that in that needed a car for an infrequent commute, I did things properly though and bought the s2000 for the 300 mile a week trip :)

Which funnily enough is largely the A35 (Devon to portsmouth) with the 318d it was pretty much M5 door to door the whole trip for that job (to Bristol).
 
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Caporegime
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[TW]Fox;24420603 said:
I can't remember what the issue was now with it but I was on the A35 and I distinctly remember having to change down just to continue up the hill. I think somebody pulled out on me and then moved out of the way and it simply wouldn't accelerate from 65ish to 70ish on the hill without a shift out of 6th.

It just felt like such a 'It has a BMW badge and low car tax, what more do you want' sort of car.
The need to drop out of 6th is hardly a surprise is it?
It's a 318d at the end of the day, hardly blessed with huge torque output and a 6th gear is probably a bit pointless on such a car - put there to obtain MPG figures perhaps?

As for your assessment of what it felt like, I'd imagine that's precisely the market it's aimed at....
 
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The need to drop out of 6th is hardly a surprise is it?

The need to ever downshift on a simple Motorway/Dual carriageway run is unacceptable. That's the sort of thing you do in small capacity hatchbacks.

As for your assessment of what it felt like, I'd imagine that's precisely the market it's aimed at....

Exactly, therefore its only right we try and convince somebody with £20,000 in his pocket not to purchase one :p
 
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[TW]Fox;24420939 said:
The need to ever downshift on a simple Motorway/Dual carriageway run is unacceptable. That's the sort of thing you do in small capacity hatchbacks.

Just out of interest fox, were you driving a pre -LCI 318d or an LCI 318d?

The later has an extra 20 odd horses under the bonnet, so I'd expect it to manage a little better in that situation. Not saying I would want a 318d though :D
 
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If the 318d fits your needs go for it and if it feels to slow get it remapped to almost 320d performance? Made such a difference to my 120d.
 
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