[Taxboy]

I'm getting more and more confused. Thinking of replacing my E39 520i SE auto with an E90. Budget is £18k

I wanted to get a bit more low down oomph and extra mpg but didn't want to lose the smoothness & a 6 cylinder diesel seemed to appeal so initial research led to a 330D auto. However my indie suggests that unless I'm doing a shed load of miles diesel may not be the best way to go - higher servicing costs & more expensive to repair (especially if the turbo goes).

This got me thinking and initially the obvious would be to look for a 330 petrol auto but this seems to offer higher running costs (increased insurance & not much more mpg than I'm getting now) so is the 325 petrol E90 a good compromise or does it fall between 2 stools i.e. not especially cheap in the running costs but no great increase in power ?

I tend to keep my cars for a long while so longevity is important, which is making me wary about the diesel. A mate suggested get the diesel whack on a warranty until its no longer covered & then flog it, which may be one way to go, although I'd be happier picking the right car and sticking with it (I imported the E39 in 2001 from new !!)

So any thoughts please or alternative suggestions. I know I've got to drive the options myself but I dont want to (and haven't got the time) turn into one of those Saturday morning tyre kickers who've driven every model in the range but keep their wallets firmly shut

[Sir_Pigley]

18k should get you into a reasonable 330d with an Approved Warranty. I can't see what the problem is: go for it!

[pjs]

Save £4k

Buy mine, check out the classifieds

[Jamese93]

I have a 325i auto e92 - latest high-line M-spot model. 325i pretty good but I think if you've driven diesels for some time you'd miss some of the real low down grunt. 325i is good when singing on the revs though. Can't really fault, but the loaner 330i e92 I had for a while whilst waiting for this one was pretty decent - potential to really rip the tyres on full throttle. Diesel is always the question of the the price versus the miles you'll cover!

[ss134]

Originally Posted by Taxboy

I'm getting more and more confused. Thinking of replacing my E39 520i SE auto with an E90. Budget is £18k

I wanted to get a bit more low down oomph and extra mpg but didn't want to lose the smoothness & a 6 cylinder diesel seemed to appeal so initial research led to a 330D auto. However my indie suggests that unless I'm doing a shed load of miles diesel may not be the best way to go - higher servicing costs & more expensive to repair (especially if the turbo goes).

This got me thinking and initially the obvious would be to look for a 330 petrol auto but this seems to offer higher running costs (increased insurance & not much more mpg than I'm getting now) so is the 325 petrol E90 a good compromise or does it fall between 2 stools i.e. not especially cheap in the running costs but no great increase in power ?

I tend to keep my cars for a long while so longevity is important, which is making me wary about the diesel. A mate suggested get the diesel whack on a warranty until its no longer covered & then flog it, which may be one way to go, although I'd be happier picking the right car and sticking with it (I imported the E39 in 2001 from new !!)

So any thoughts please or alternative suggestions. I know I've got to drive the options myself but I dont want to (and haven't got the time) turn into one of those Saturday morning tyre kickers who've driven every model in the range but keep their wallets firmly shut

I'm suprised you havent considered a 2006 model 335i. You can pick up a model for just over your budget if you search. It seems to be the perfect car for you combining the torque (400nm at only1400 rpm) and the smoothness youre looking for. The N54 engine won World Engine of the Year in 2007+2008. Mine returns around 25mpg which is actually better than my mates 130i.
My advice is to read a few online reviews on the 335i and see what you think.

[MIKEYBMW1]

Originally Posted by ss134

I'm suprised you havent considered a 2006 model 335i. You can pick up a model for just over your budget if you search. It seems to be the perfect car for you combining the torque (400nm at only1400 rpm) and the smoothness youre looking for. The N54 engine won World Engine of the Year in 2007+2008. Mine returns around 25mpg which is actually better than my mates 130i.
My advice is to read a few online reviews on the 335i and see what you think.

Agreed 335i is a fantastic car and a bargain for around £19k upwards.

[Taxboy]

Thanks for the replies - I think that the 335 is out of the equation due to running costs, cracking car that it is.

I'm still a little nervy over the diesel though - I've heard that the repair costs can get a little on the steep side as you edge towards 100k miles - is this really the case ?

[davyk31]

We have had several 530D, 525D and 320D at work all ran to nearly 100k miles with absolutely no issues.

[creepy coupe]

Now diesel is the same price as petrol, they make even more sense, a year ago I'd have said you need to be doing 20k plus miles pa to justify the extra, not so now.

They are more expensive to buy, but hold better residuals. the big question is will you like driving a derv burner?

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Taxboy

Thanks for the replies - I think that the 335 is out of the equation due to running costs, cracking car that it is.

I sold my 2006 E90 330i and bought a new 335i Tourer this march.

There is no discernable difference in running costs, they both average 25 to 26 mpg, but the 335i insurance was £50 more.

The 335i road tax is the same as the 330i was (£215)

The servicing schedule and tyre sizes are indentical too. And the engine and transmission is bombproof with people running 400bhp+ tunes for many thousands of miles without fault.

Might be worth a second look...

[ss134]

Originally Posted by doughboy

I sold my 2006 E90 330i and bought a new 335i Tourer this march.

There is no discernable difference in running costs, they both average 25 to 26 mpg, but the 335i insurance was £50 more.

The 335i road tax is the same as the 330i was (£215)

The servicing schedule and tyre sizes are indentical too. And the engine and transmission is bombproof with people running 400bhp+ tunes for many thousands of miles without fault.

Might be worth a second look...

+1 Totally agree

[Dr Dave]

Looks like the 335i is the sensible choice!

[ss134]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Now diesel is the same price as petrol, they make even more sense, a year ago I'd have said you need to be doing 20k plus miles pa to justify the extra, not so now.

They are more expensive to buy, but hold better residuals. the big question is will you like driving a derv burner?

Are you sure theyre holding better residuals??? Glass's guide this month shows that a 335i saloon is losing approx £250 per month at the moment and the same specced 335d is losing £550!
As more and more diesels are bought in comparison to petrol cars there is a vast choice on the second hand market which in certain cars is harming the residuals.

Of course this can change but residual values are driven by lots of factors and not just mpg or type of engine.