Tell me about E46 330d's please

Six6siX

Six6siX

Six6siX

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I have explored some alternatives but still keep getting drawn to these and I am liking the look of these as a mile muncher. As I said in my previous thread I'm estimating ~20,000 miles / year.

I just need some more information besides the basics already mentioned (worn suspension, turbo etc) - what are the differences between the SE and the facelift? I have read some stories about poor gaskets and swirl flaps (?)

I am looking at the M-Sport trim variants, as I'm doing mainly motorway/A road commuting, is a higher mileage example something to look for to suggest similar use with previous owners?

Educate me please! :)
 
Ignore them is my honest answer, the 330i petrols are so damn economical if you drive them sensibly that they render the diesels neigh on useless when you factor injectors and potential turbo issues. The petrols are very very reliable, much smother, much quieter, and will likely require little spending on the actual mechanicals, unlike the 330d. At 20k/year the cost savings just will not be there with the diesel.

Paradigm will talk to you about high mileage injectors and costs to do with them on the diesel.
 
Even for high mileage I remain to be convinced an older 330d makes any sort of financial sense. They are worth buying if you really like them and really want one - infact you'll find it to be an absolutely fantastic car - but from a pure running costs perspective its fast approaching being a bit of a waste of time. Older BMW's cost money to keep running.

If you really want a BMW, then great, by all means consider a 330d, but if you are after an economical and hassle free way of covering 20k a year look elsewhere.

The saloon facelift was in November 2001 - so 51 plate onwards. As for the difference between SE and facelift, odd question, SE is a trim level and facelift is a model revision. The facelift added different front and rear lights and revised front and rear bumpers. The engine remained the same - 184bhp - until mid 2003, when it was upgraded to 204bhp.

Manual 184bhp variants do not have the swirl flaps on the manifold and are not affected by this issue. Most 330d's are now climbing in the mileage stakes and making their way through a sucession of less careful owners so you'll probably need to budget for some suspension work, etc etc.

They are almost all now too old to buy a genuine motorway mile car - the newest examples are now over 5 years old meaning you cant really do the 'buy a car from its first owner who did 30k a year' sort of thing. A 100k 330d is a 100k 330d not because its 'all motorway honest' but because frankly its getting on for being average mileage on a what, 7 year old car.

The issues specific to the engine on the 330d are the fact it is both turbocharged and has high pressure direct injection system, the injectors for which are both prone to failure as a car ages and quite expensive to buy. Pre-supply fuel pump can be iffy on the x30d's as well but its only a 400 quid job so no real big deal.

Tyres on a Sport (M Sport was introduced in late 2004 - it was a reband only, nothing changed, 90% of 330d's are Sport not M Sport) are 18" and will therefore set you back about 500-600 quid for a decent set of non-budget-pap. Expect to get through at least a set of rears a year, possibly more with your mileage.

Servicing is actually pretty reasonable.
 
Jez said:
Ignore them is my honest answer, the 330i petrols are so damn economical if you drive them sensibly that they render the diesels neigh on useless when you factor injectors and potential turbo issues. The petrols are very very reliable, much smother, much quieter, and will likely require little spending on the actual mechanicals, unlike the 330d. At 20k/year the cost savings just will not be there with the diesel.

Paradigm will talk to you about high mileage injectors and costs to do with them on the diesel.
Click to expand...

I had begun to think about the petrol variants, purely because, as you said, they don't have the issues that seem to be associated with the diesels.

Comparitavely, what sort of tank range/mpg could you expect from a 330i? Just to put it into some sort of perspective. And also, is there a great difference between the auto and manual boxes - both in terms of performance and in terms of reliability and economy?

[TW]Fox;16325044 said:
Even for high mileage I remain to be convinced an older 330d makes any sort of financial sense. They are worth buying if you really like them and really want one - infact you'll find it to be an absolutely fantastic car - but from a pure running costs perspective its fast approaching being a bit of a waste of time. Older BMW's cost money to keep running.

If you really want a BMW, then great, by all means consider a 330d, but if you are after an economical and hassle free way of covering 20k a year look elsewhere.

The saloon facelift was in November 2001 - so 51 plate onwards. As for the difference between SE and facelift, odd question, SE is a trim level and facelift is a model revision. The facelift added different front and rear lights and revised front and rear bumpers. The engine remained the same - 184bhp - until mid 2003, when it was upgraded to 204bhp.

Manual 184bhp variants do not have the swirl flaps on the manifold and are not affected by this issue. Most 330d's are now climbing in the mileage stakes and making their way through a sucession of less careful owners so you'll probably need to budget for some suspension work, etc etc.

The issues specific to the engine on the 330d are the fact it is both turbocharged and has high pressure direct injection system, the injectors for which are both prone to failure as a car ages and quite expensive to buy. Pre-supply fuel pump can be iffy on the x30d's as well but its only a 400 quid job so no real big deal.

Tyres on a Sport (M Sport was introduced in late 2004 - it was a reband only, nothing changed, 90% of 330d's are Sport not M Sport) are 18" and will therefore set you back about 500-600 quid for a decent set of non-budget-pap. Expect to get through at least a set of rears a year, possibly more with your mileage.

Servicing is actually pretty reasonable.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Fox.

The reason I seem to keep coming back to the BMW is that they seem to be the best specced and just seem to be what I am looking for really. That, and superficially, they look decent compared to other options! :p

Tyres and general servicing aren't too much of an issue cost wise - the Supra was about that, if not more for tyres and again prone to certain issues with age etc.


edit: in contrast, then if the petrol variant as Jez suggests is perhaps the way to look, then again, in sport trim what are the things to look for? (Insurance is about the same for the 330i and 330d surprisingly)
 
Have a search for '530i buying guide'. I did an absolutely massive guide to buying a 530i - and the 330i is virtually the same, the mechanicals are all the same etc etc.

Infact the only common issue a 330i has that a 530i doesnt is snapped suspension coils.
 
Found it, thanks. The only one that stands out is the cooling system issue - is that as common on the 3 series as it is on the 5's?

Any comments on the gearbox variants and what trim level to look for? I'm leaning towards a manual but unsure how the different trim levels rank against each other!
 
Gearbox is a subjective thing, personally i wouldn't give a manual a second thought but that is because i dont like manual gearboxes. They are both decent boxes, neither have any issues to speak of really.

The auto sacrifices economy to some extent but not really on a run as the final drive is very similar. Just get whichever you will be happiest driving. :)

Trim level you want a sport really, they look miles nicer, have loads of nice M-Tech touches. You sacrifice ride quality but then the ride quality even on the SE's is not a strong point of the car, so i would always just go for the sport variant.
 
SE v Sport is difficult.

Sport is, obviously, better. But it's also craved by idiots so you've more chance of a really nice SE for your money than a really nice Sport. But the Sport trim level really is much nicer..
 
Jez said:
Paradigm will talk to you about high mileage injectors and costs to do with them on the diesel.
Click to expand...


Actually, I won't. Mine (/touches wood) hasn't needed anything turbo or fueling related.

Infact, the only things that have gone wrong on mine would relate to petrol models too.

Mine will be in PH soon anyway ;)
 
New injectors from BMW are £290, can get them from about £170 though. Once one goes the rest will soon after, my 3rd will be replaced tomorrow or Monday.
 
paradigm said:
Actually, I won't. Mine (/touches wood) hasn't needed anything turbo or fueling related.

Infact, the only things that have gone wrong on mine would relate to petrol models too.

Mine will be in PH soon anyway ;)
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, it was Morba i was thinking of with the diesel bills :)
 
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