BMW and M Power Owners
- Thread starter panthro
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Why would you take a like to the 18d though? It's simply a cheaper 20d, itself not exactly the stuff of dreams. I don't see why you would set out to buy a 18d variant of either of those cars, its something you end up with if a better deal pops up than the 20d. All show and no go, covered in bling bodykit and smart wheels but is a low power 4 pot diesel.
Vague question is vague as well, are we talking £4k 150k nails or brand new ripoffs on PCP or something in between?
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Something in between really, ie seen some on 60-70k miles for 7-8.5k
I had a sit in and look around and listen to the 318d m sport few weeks back, loved the look, feel, and have seen some good examples. Road tax is 30 a year cheaper than 320 variant? OK its a 4 pot diesel but my golf has a 2ltr engine 140, I'm fine with that.
I had a sit in and look around and listen to the 318d m sport few weeks back, loved the look, feel, and have seen some good examples. Road tax is 30 a year cheaper than 320 variant? OK its a 4 pot diesel but my golf has a 2ltr engine 140, I'm fine with that.
If you are buying an old BMW an expense as completely trivial as a £30 a year difference in road shouldnt even be on your radar, its just an irrelevant factor.
Well it would have been a bonus, £30 a year, I thought the 320D M Sports for some reason were £200+ a year tax, clearly not, but if it were it would have been a saving, better than nothing.
OK I am not looking for a 30k milage 2012 plate BMW, but I wouldnt say a 60-70k milage car on 2008 or 2009 reg is "old", people are buying 2002, 2004 plate E46's, so the "old" comments are kind of irrelevant.
Yep understand the golfs are lighter, you can see this by just looking at them
OK I am not looking for a 30k milage 2012 plate BMW, but I wouldnt say a 60-70k milage car on 2008 or 2009 reg is "old", people are buying 2002, 2004 plate E46's, so the "old" comments are kind of irrelevant.
Yep understand the golfs are lighter, you can see this by just looking at them
You won't be buying 2009 M sports with 70k miles for 7k, they will be likely to be circa 06 for that money hence my comment about age.
My point is that at this age they can become more trouble than they are worth if you just want low running costs. With this money buy a 330i, more reliable and just plain better. If fuelling a 330i is out of budget then imho so is fixing a 318d.
My point is that at this age they can become more trouble than they are worth if you just want low running costs. With this money buy a 330i, more reliable and just plain better. If fuelling a 330i is out of budget then imho so is fixing a 318d.
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[TW]Fox;27081337 said:
Understand where you are coming from, I can see that, but how is an older car that has probably the same milage that I buy all my diesel engines on, with the same "years old" from the current year, going to cause problems with them have things like regular service history, stamps, official BMW stamps what ever.
Surely just because its a BMW Diesel it doesnt get to a certain "age" x years (forgetting milage) and think, ok I am going to start going wrong now.
I recall people saying the same thing about my MK5 Golf that I bought 3-4 years ago on a 04 plate 70K on the clock and it hasnt missed a heartbeat, infact the only things I have had to get done are consumables, tyres, breadpads, disks, and on 146k now the ball joint on the right hand drivers side.
What problems might a what you would call older (2006, 2007) 318D or 320D with a buying milage of 60-70k on the clock run in to that will become disasterous to the wallet, as it sounds like engine problems if its that bad
If I were in your shoes I'd stretch the budget a little if possible, buy a petrol LCI example if your annual milage allows which are far nicer and one with under 60k on the clock - that way you could take advantage of the BMW insured comprehensive warranty for ~£40/month (IIRC it jumps to £80 if over 60k at the time of taking out the policy). That way if there are any problems (excluding normal service parts etc) drop it in to BMW and potentially avoid a hefty invoice.
EDIT: I'm assuming potential expensive problems the poster above was referring to with the diesel models would be turbos, DPFs etc.
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I really wouldnt spend £7k on a 3 Series, its just going to get you a pre facelift E90 which IMHO is the least decent 3 Series they made. I would either spend much less, and buy a tidy E46, more and buy a facelift E90 or better still, something else for £7k.
I fancy something different, and I am kind of bored with VW, so I know its still german, which I want to stick to if possible, was still looking around the VAG group, so ideally Audi, I dont really want another VW after owning 2, great cars, love the engines but im bored of them.
Audi will give me a slight change even though its still part of the VAG group. but it has better interior and exterior.
Skoda, maybe after seeing my mates, but still want something that bit more, BMW is the only thing else im really looking at.
E46 I would love again as I think the exterior can be stunning picking the right car, interior are older but classic and engines I have had mixed reviews from people, so I cant decide.
Still got my heart set on diesel, I dont know why I cant switch my mind to petrol, iv been driving diesels through the last 2 cars and 6+ years.
Audi will give me a slight change even though its still part of the VAG group. but it has better interior and exterior.
Skoda, maybe after seeing my mates, but still want something that bit more, BMW is the only thing else im really looking at.
E46 I would love again as I think the exterior can be stunning picking the right car, interior are older but classic and engines I have had mixed reviews from people, so I cant decide.
Still got my heart set on diesel, I dont know why I cant switch my mind to petrol, iv been driving diesels through the last 2 cars and 6+ years.
Why would you set your heart on diesel? Diesel is NEVER the choice of the heart - only the head, and the older the diesel is the less the head should tell you to go for it.
The petrol alternatives will be more enjoyable to drive, smoother, more refined, quieter and in the case of the 3 Series more reliable - the N52 engine in the pre LCI 330i is reliable and fairly economical, the M54 in the E46 is also reliable.
Plus they are considerably quicker than the low power diesels, too. You can buy a 3 litre petrol for similar money.
I drive a diesel, arguably one of the best diesel engines you can possibly buy, and still wasn't a 'heart' choice. The heart wanted the proper engine.
After the cars you've driven a proper petrol engine will be a revelation - the 4 pot diesels have lumpy power delivery, are not particularly quick, are not smooth and are not very refined. They also sound fairly unpleasant.
Go and test drive a 330i and you'll wonder why you EVER wanted a diesel.
The petrol alternatives will be more enjoyable to drive, smoother, more refined, quieter and in the case of the 3 Series more reliable - the N52 engine in the pre LCI 330i is reliable and fairly economical, the M54 in the E46 is also reliable.
Plus they are considerably quicker than the low power diesels, too. You can buy a 3 litre petrol for similar money.
I drive a diesel, arguably one of the best diesel engines you can possibly buy, and still wasn't a 'heart' choice. The heart wanted the proper engine.
After the cars you've driven a proper petrol engine will be a revelation - the 4 pot diesels have lumpy power delivery, are not particularly quick, are not smooth and are not very refined. They also sound fairly unpleasant.
Go and test drive a 330i and you'll wonder why you EVER wanted a diesel.
There you go again, assuming because you dislike diesels, then no-one else should either. Some people simply prefer the way a diesel drives.
That being said, I do agree that the 4 pot diesels aint very nice. I have been driving my mates brand new C250 CDI recently, and that little 4 pot isn't a nice drive at all. Sure, it's relatively fleet, and pretty economical, but smooth it is not.
That being said, I do agree that the 4 pot diesels aint very nice. I have been driving my mates brand new C250 CDI recently, and that little 4 pot isn't a nice drive at all. Sure, it's relatively fleet, and pretty economical, but smooth it is not.
Come off it, nobody genuinely prefers a 4 pot diesel to a powerful 6 pot petrol with 100bhp more
Exactly. Especially ones in 8 year old cars! Buying a 320d isn't a 'heart' choice.
It's an amazing engine, I agree. Every day I'm amazed by how smooth and powerful it is, how it hides the fact it's a diesel so wonderfully well and how it's so effortlessly quick when paired with that fantastic 8 speed box.
It still isn't a 535i, though
Though having had it for nearly 6 months now I do wonder whether I'd now want to move to a 535i even if one popped up. The 535i is unquestionably the better engine but weirdly although I don't care about fuel economy so much it's become ever so easy to justify driving to random places now I can get 50mpg on the way... Cologne in 2 months time
