BMW 330d

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 17:21

Had a drive in a BMW 330d this afternoon and tbh im very very suprised. Its such an excellent drive :eek:

Its just a torque machine that never stops pulling, just put your foot gently on the gas and your up and going at a good pace. Maybe a lot of modern cars are like that but im used to driving cars that need a bit of welly.

The only thing i didnt like was the clutch, you couldnt feel it bite, you couldnt see the bonnet lift and i couldnt hear the engine at all so i was lifting off too quick and getting a jerky ride at first. But thats something you could easily get used too.

Very comfy too, i think it was lambs leather - i could deffo see myself driving one long term even though ive never really been a BMW fan.

NickXX · 7 Mar 2006 at 17:32

Meh, they're not that great. Although they do have more Torque than a Ferrari 360. :confused:

Adz · 7 Mar 2006 at 17:39

They're nice enough cars but I'd still have the 330i without a doubt and to hell with the fuel consumption!

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 17:56

Not cheap either, when we got onto the price - £38k with options

told him the older ones looked nicer anyways!!!

What is the Torque and BHP on these? think he said 238bhp today.

Fett · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:13

(repost of my old post when I just got it home)

330d Sport -The bits I love...

Cornering Brake Control (CBC)
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
Park Distance Control
Shortened gearshift
M leather steering wheel
Sports seats
Heated exterior mirrors and windscreen washer jets
High-gloss Shadow Line
M Aerodynamic bodystyling
18" light-alloy wheels M star spoke 193
Cruise Control with brake function
M Sports suspension
Manual gearbox - Six-speed
Interior and exterior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle function
Hi-Fi 10 loudspeaker system
Dakota leather
Bi-xenon lights for low-beam and high-beam headlights
Hill Start Assist

231 bhp
369 lb/ft (500Nm)
Top speed (mph) 155
Acceleration 0-62 mph (sec) 6.7
Combined (mpg) 43.5

Not exactly a rocketship up to 62, but once rolling, there is plenty of grunt.

50-75 mph in 4th is 5.0 seconds flat.

The 330i Sport does it in 6.6
The 540i Sport does it in 6.3
The M3 in 5.3 etc etc.

rG-tom · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:28

50-75 is faster than an m3

Tom.

TripleT · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:31

rG-tom said:
50-75 is faster than an m3

Tom.

In 4th gear....

Tax Evader · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:35

TripleT said:
In 4th gear....

Indeed... in an M3 you'd be in 2nd ideally.

Not tried the 330d yet but have tried the 535d - which was not great, compared to the 'hype' it gets. Mind, that was after the CSL. I suppose in it's own right it could be 'ok'. For an oiler.

Matt82 · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:40

great advice said:
Had a drive in a BMW 330d this afternoon and tbh im very very suprised. Its such an excellent drive

Its just a torque machine that never stops pulling, just put your foot gently on the gas and your up and going at a good pace. Maybe a lot of modern cars are like that but im used to driving cars that need a bit of welly.

The only thing i didnt like was the clutch, you couldnt feel it bite, you couldnt see the bonnet lift and i couldnt hear the engine at all so i was lifting off too quick and getting a jerky ride at first. But thats something you could easily get used too.

Very comfy too, i think it was lambs leather - i could deffo see myself driving one long term even though ive never really been a BMW fan.

quick question, what do you drive at the minute?

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:43

Matt82 said:
quick question, what do you drive at the minute?

Evo 8 FQ300 daily and an Evo 9 FQ300 for track days

Fett thats the model i drove today but i prefer the look of the older ones, someone recently bought a black one on here and it looked the dogs

Tax Evader · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:54

great advice said:
Evo 8 FQ300 daily and an Evo 9 FQ300 for track days

.... and you're talking about horrible oilers? :confused:

I'm going to give you the number of someone who can help, because I hate to see someone in your obviously distressed state. Help is out there - please don't give up

Now then, where's that number...

Matt82 · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:54

just wondered why you were suprised to like the BMW. if youre currently driving a pair of evos im sure a diesel BMW is slight change from your norm.

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:55

Now ive got the 9 running 500bhp for track days i dont need the 8 anymore, looking for something with more comfort, gadgets and class for my daily driver

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:56

Matt82 said:
just wondered why you were suprised to like the BMW. if youre currently driving a pair of evos im sure a diesel BMW is slight change from your norm.

I was suprised because i was expecting a tarted up taxi

what i got was something with lots of pull and excellent round holding

Oracle · 7 Mar 2006 at 18:59

Nick bought the Black E46 330d sport that you are referring to.

Although his engine is not as powerful as the new E90

E46 cam in 182bhp (390NM) an 212 (410NM) IIRC.

E90 is lovely, and you say that 0-62 in 6.7 seconds is hardly rocket ship. Compared to some (hot hatches), this car would wet all over them, plus I think you loose half a second with the gear change to thrid.

6.7 is hardly to be sniffed at when you think it weighs 1.5 tonne!

Re-mapped, this will see 270bhp and 600NM of torque.....thats a quick car by anyones book regardless of it being a Diesel!

Matt82 · 7 Mar 2006 at 19:00

when ive got out of 'sportier' cars back into german barges im usually taken back by the whole "disconnectedness" of the experiance.

ive got an E320cdi merc at the moment. its quickish, but you definately feel removed from whats going on, but then it takes on a whole different type of driver involvement to enjoy driving it reasonably quickly.

its going though, im looking for something a lot cheaper and a car to thrash at the weekends

Beepcake · 7 Mar 2006 at 19:29

Matt82 said:
when ive got out of 'sportier' cars back into german barges im usually taken back by the whole "disconnectedness" of the experiance.

ive got an E320cdi merc at the moment. its quickish, but you definately feel removed from whats going on, but then it takes on a whole different type of driver involvement to enjoy driving it reasonably quickly.

its going though, im looking for something a lot cheaper and a car to thrash at the weekends

You really can't compare a Merc and a BMW on driver involvment; they are, intentionally, completely different beasts.

Matt82 · 7 Mar 2006 at 19:33

you dont even know what spec merc it is, thats how valid your point it

my previous car to this was an A4 sport etc. it felt just as disconnected and remote as any BMW ive been in, bar an e30 325 (tweaked) and an e36 m3 evo (tweaked).

BMW are not the 'ultimate drivers machines' they market them as

great advice · 7 Mar 2006 at 19:35

Beepcake said:
You really can't compare a Merc and a BMW on driver involvment; they are, intentionally, completely different beasts.

Bit of a fanboy comment really :rolleyes:

Beepcake · 7 Mar 2006 at 19:53

I never said anything about BMW being the ultimate driving machine did I? Please take your teddies and place them securely back in the pram.

Mercs aren't big on driver feedback, even the AMGs, they are designed to be more 'closeting' as that's what most Merc drivers want. That's not an insult, it's just how they are, as most reviews will confirm. BMWs are a bit more involving (although hardly hardcore) and Audi generally play piggy in the middle.

I was just saying that just because an E class merc feels dead you can't tar all 'german barges' with the same brush; that's just silly.