How hard can it be to find a 330d...

Type_R

Type_R

Type_R

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...the search began for a 330d M sport (for me, but to be driven by the Mrs on the weekdays to work) and so far the BMW experience has been...well not much better than the VW buying experience.

In 2004 I went to BMW in Solihull and had a superb experience test driving a Mini Cooper S, with a knowledgable salesman and no pressure tactics.

Today it was slightly different. Sytner Solihull were friendly and found out all the details I wanted and I suppose helped as much as they could. They had no 330 d's in house but searched around for some and found one in Birmingham BMW. They offered me tea and coffee and took my details, probably the sign of someone who wants to sell me a car! But I noted they had a 325d and a 335d yet didn't want to take me out in them because 'you won't get a feel of the car you want to buy.'

Birmingham BMW were terrible. No-one came to us even after walking around the showroom for 10 mins. When I went and asked myself about the 330d they said they didn't have any, when clearly there was one parked out front. When I mentioned this they acknowledged that they had one but they could not take me on a test drive 'because a test drive is by appointment only.' They offered to show me the car they had by sitting in it and starting it up! Didn't want my details and told me 'we have just spent £1m on car stock so we won't be getting any more in for a while!'

The car at Birmingham BMW was an 06 plate, blue, auto, poverty spec, 30k for £16,850. I wasn't impressed.

So I'm hoping OCUK can help me find a decent BMW!!

These are the essentials:

330d M sport saloon
Auto box (flappy paddles will be a very nice bonus)
Xenons
Post facelift would be nice (i.e. up to 2 years old)
Up to 25000 miles
Up to £28k (+/- some £££)

Anything else will be a bonus. Also if there are any decent BMW dealerships around Bham or London I would be interested!
 
Have you looked on the BMW used car site? That will have all the cars at all the BMW dealers throughout the country. I found most salesmen were unable to used this (either they were lazy or stupid) and I ended up finding cars before them.
 
So whats the budget, why look at old 06 plate's for £16k if you've got £30k?

If I had £30k I'd be buying an F10 520d instead of an E90, if I were you.
 
[TW]Fox;19388295 said:
So whats the budget, why look at old 06 plate's for £16k if you've got £30k?

If I had £30k I'd be buying an F10 520d instead of an E90, if I were you.
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Because some people work hard for their money and wish to spend as little as they can! If I wanted a 520d I'd be looking for one!

Back on topic, I went to look at this £16k heap of nothingness because I wanted to test drive a 330d M sport, which they didn't have in Solihull. So to clarify, yes I can spend up to £28k but would prefer to spend less (is this a difficult concept to grasp, or am I missing something?).
 
Type_R said:
Because some people work hard for their money and wish to spend as little as they can! If I wanted a 520d I'd be looking for one!

Back on topic, I went to look at this £16k heap of nothingness because I wanted to test drive a 330d M sport, which they didn't have in Solihull. So to clarify, yes I can spend up to £28k but would prefer to spend less (is this a difficult concept to grasp, or am I missing something?).
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Wow, that was a hostile response. Was just trying to understand the situation to offer better advice (looking at the 16k one confused me, a bottom of the market old example won't really tell you much about one thats worth twice as much) - I know a bit about these cars having studied the E9x market intensely for over a year and a current 330d is quite different to an 06. The F10 suggestion was serious - it's a considerably better car than the E90, which goes out of production this year.


Good luck with your search :rolleyes:
 
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The engine in the LCI models is considerably better. The pre LCI engine is alright, for a diesel, I guess, but the post LCI model is a big improvement.
 
[TW]Fox;19389027 said:
The engine in the LCI models is considerably better. The pre LCI engine is alright, for a diesel, I guess, but the post LCI model is a big improvement.
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Sorry Fox didn't mean for it to be hostile, must have been the mood DHL Express left me in, apologies for that.

I know you know loads about the E9x series, I was hoping post facelift in 2009 (on the saloon), I think the facelift for coupes happened in 2010. Plus that gives me a year of BMW warranty if anything does turn out to be amiss.

Regardless, is there a way of finding out if a dealership (within striking distance) had a 330d to test drive (perhaps by appt if they insist!).

This car will be doing 20,000 miles/year hence the derv!

Didn't mean to confuse you Coldfused, but even my MK5 GTi has Xenons, 18"s, Cruise control, Rear airbags, Luxury pack (inc folding mirrors), leather, heated front seats etc... hence poverty spec!
 
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A quick crash course on E9x.

Facelifts:

Saloon and Touring facelift is cars built after September 2008. Facelift cars benefit from, amongst other things:

a) Styling improvements which, whilst small on paper, make a big difference to the appearance of the car. New front and rear lights with LED indicators, new bonnet, new front and rear bumper. Sadly, new stupid enormous EU-mandated wingmirrors as well
b) CIC iDrive. CIC is the latest generation of iDrive and is significantly better than the older version. It now uses a HDD drive for music and maps, meaning its quicker, more responsive and together with a newer higher resolution screen has a much better interface as well.
c) New engine in the 330d. The 330d abandoned the 10 year old M57 engine in favour of the all-new N57 engine at the facelift. This is the same engine you'll find fitted to newer cars like the F10 5 Series. Whilst it only offers small powergains on paper - up from 231bhp to 245bhp, on the road it is a noticeably more urgent powerplant, it's more refined, it sounds better and it's more economical. It's just better, full stop.

If you buy a saloon, the Visability Package is essential. It gives you Xenon headlights. Non vis pack fitted cars have halogen reflector lenses. They look crap - even with the lights off. Looks far more modern and more sharp wtih the proper projector lenses you get with the Visability pack. Xenons are standard on Coupe.

The Coupe LCI was March 2010. Coupe LCI brought very few improvements - effectively just front and rear lights, and bumpers on the SE version. The other improvements, ie iDrive and the new diesel engine, also appeared in the Coupe at the same time as the Saloon, September 08 production date. Note, thats September 08 PRODUCTION date. For one reason or another, probably a load of unsold stock kicking around, most 58 plate Coupe's were built before September 08 despite being registered sometimes many months after and therefore do NOT have the new engine or the new version of iDrive.

Do not rule out a 330i if you can find one - though this might prove hard - even with 20k miles a year because it's very economical. Staggeringly it isn't a million miles off the economy of the older 330d, it's quite easily capable of 40mpg+ on a long run even without driving like me. They are properly rare, though - the engine was eventually dropped from Saloon and Touring in early 2010, though remains in Coupe and Cabrio.

It is absolutely essential you run these cars with the BMW warranty. You can purchase this at any time you want - even if the warranty has expired (Which it wont have on any of the cars you are looking at). It costs £500 a year for the top level of cover with BMW Emergency Service and zero excess. Renew it every year - it's invaluable.

Personally I think you should spend nearer £20k than £30k. £30k is a big amount to spend on a car which ceases production (The E90 does - the E91 carries on until early next year, the Coupe keeps going until late 2012 and the E93 wont cease until 2013) in October. They are great cars, but they are cars which were fundamentally released 6 years ago, so it's somewhere I'd caution against sinking £30k. £20-£25k should give you a reasonable selection of 330d's - I've seen AUC LCI 330d's with Nav for under £25k.

If your budget is nearer £30k, test drive an F10 even if you think you don't want one. It is a mindblowingly good car. It is better than the E90 in virtually every conceiveable way. Better built, better equpped, more modern inside and out, its just a better car. Even the 520d is worth a test drive - sure it has a 4 pot engine and 4 pots suck - but it's 184bhp and available for around £20k for a year old example.

Drive one before sinking £30k into an E90.
 
Thanks for all the info Fox. Priceless stuff there. I'm afraid the 5-series is just a little bit too big to be driving around in and out of London, especially for the Mrs.

£25k shall be my budget cap for a LCI 330d/330i, Auto, Xenons & Navigation. I'd be surprised if I spot one on AUC as they really do seem rare. I guess people buy them and hold on to them.
 
Type_R said:
No xenons but otherwise spot on :)
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Have a play round with the filters on the site as there are plenty of cars on there. You can normally narrow it down a bit so you are only left with 20 or so cars. Also put the budget filter up a bit from you £25k as you should always be able to knock around 7.5~10% off those prices if you go to do a deal :)
 
Type_R said:
Because some people work hard for their money and wish to spend as little as they can! If I wanted a 520d I'd be looking for one!

Back on topic, I went to look at this £16k heap of nothingness because I wanted to test drive a 330d M sport, which they didn't have in Solihull. So to clarify, yes I can spend up to £28k but would prefer to spend less (is this a difficult concept to grasp, or am I missing something?).
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Bit harsh, he was only trying to offer his opinion.
 
I think if it was just for me I would definitely been more interested in a 335d but as the Mrs will be driving it daily, I think a 330d is potentially a better option.
 
I wouldn't spend £30k on an E90 either. I'm with fox, go for the 520d its not that much bigger but a better car.

I had a 320d E90 and got rid of it 8months ago. Its a nice well built car and the M Sport seats are the most comfortable I've sat in but the overall ride is so bloody hard it peed me right off. The boot is also not very useable and was filled by a push chair and not a lot else.
 
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