[doughboy]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

You're talking about the 330d I assume! No way in hell did I EVER get more than 32mpg out of my 330i. Averaged 28 mpg most of the time as can be proven by various witnesses lol.

Maybe he means the N53? My N52 did about 28mpg (and the official combined was 31 i think), but the N53 combined jumped up to 37?

Originally Posted by NFS

The 330i is a quick car....but quick enough for most people.

Ragging the nuts of a car up to the redline is good fun in my opinion and the 330i is perfect for this.

In some ways I regret parting with mine.

Well said mate, I reckon the 330i is the best E90 they made and will go down as the most sort after model in time. Fabulous all round car, M sport suspension perfect on 06/07 cars too. Lightweight engine keeps the kerb weight well down for the power too.

The 335i is just no fun to take to the red line, so you just punt it around (at great speed) on the grunt between 2 and 5krpm, it just runs out of puff too soon whereas the 330i just took off at that point.

I do regret getting rid of mine quite often. The guy who bought it got a cracker.



OP - A picture of her for old times sake, buy one!!

[RichJ]

+1. Auto suits me well, but would be interested to try a manual. Shame the roads are so clogged up!

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Rich Jones

+1. Auto suits me well, but would be interested to try a manual. Shame the roads are so clogged up!

Dealer looked at me like I was from another planet when I didn't tick the auto box option. Manual 330i is great!

[ss134]

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Dealer looked at me like I was from another planet when I didn't tick the auto box option. Manual 330i is great!

+1 when i ordered my 335i manual!

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by NFS

The 330i is a quick car. Not as quick as a Cayman S or a 911 Turbo (Beemerbird ), but quick enough for most people.

Nor a S5 I'm afraid Simon.

Originally Posted by doughboy

Maybe he means the N53? My N52 did about 28mpg (and the official combined was 31 i think), but the N53 combined jumped up to 37?

Hmm would have to see that first hand tbh......I'd struggle to get those figures, just cannot possibly drive trying to achieve max mpg.

As I said it's a good car O/P should go for it.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

Nor a S5 I'm afraid Simon.

Nor a 335d either.

[raf555]

Originally Posted by Swiller

Ladies, let me explain...

330i is a sensational motor and moreso a complete bargain on a 55/06 plate.
Just sold mine about 2 months ago to a family member and will be buying it back v soon. never missed a car as much as that. Have been driving an 09 plate 330d off and on (the boss's) 09 plate. Its very very good, but doesnt satisfy me as much as the 330i. Why?

The exponential delivery of power and the sound is just sensational and the engines are getting a reputation for being bulletproof.

The 330d is not quicker, unmapped. In fact its the same performance to 60. My old engine N52 is the same performance as the boss's 09 330d to sixty. I could put nitro into a 330i and it will trounce a remapped 330d (potential power). My point is that being fast is not why most people buy cars, and not why most people ask for advice on here (carlos).

Second hand on a 55/06 plate-Its more expensive to buy the 330d and you would need to do about 50,000 miles to recoup the difference in price at todays fuel prices. Same miles, same spec etc.

When it comes to selling it 2-3 years on, you should get about the same, especially as the world is going eco mad. 330is will be sought after motors in a few years as they dont make em anymore.

Surely the only metric worth considering for most drivers (not going in a straight line at santa pod) is the hit on the wallet over a 2-3 year /40-50k ownership.

Some other facts:

I get 37.6mpg regularly on a long run, with plenty of foot down action the length of the m4. London to swansea costs about £33 at todays prices. If you go a bit more conservative (cruise locked at 80), 39mpg is what the computer says. Doing the same journey in a ford focus 2.0l c max, the mpg was about 4mpg worse.

If you look about, a 55 plate 330i with 50k on the clock should set you back between 10 and 14k depending on spec.

Completely sensational motoring for next to nothing on the wallet over 2 years. Sports seats are a must, then se or msport it doesnt really matter.

I WANT MY CAR BACK NOW lol

this reply in particular has tempted me even more!!

realistically im looking at a 320d and remapping but i seen a highly specced 55 plate 330i at a good price but the cost of fuel / running it is bothering me.... BUT if swiller is getting upto nearly 40mpg when crusing its making me think twice!!

just done a quick insurance quote on a comparison site and with me as a named driver and me old fella as policy holder im looking at £500 - £600 fully comp!!

[msport]

Go for the 330i I just picked up my 55 plate with only 33k msport lemans blue, black leather i drive bluetooth etc and it is awesome I am put off by the sludge pumps due to the problems later on in life and dont do the mileage to own one anyway petrol head at heart and just love the sound. I'm getting 35mpg if i take it easy or mid 20s booting her insurance was £360 and tax £245, you wont regret it these cars sublime.

[raf555]

Originally Posted by msport

Go for the 330i I just picked up my 55 plate with only 33k msport lemans blue, black leather i drive bluetooth etc and it is awesome I am put off by the sludge pumps due to the problems later on in life and dont do the mileage to own one anyway petrol head at heart and just love the sound. I'm getting 35mpg if i take it easy or mid 20s booting her insurance was £360 and tax £245, you wont regret it these cars sublime.

sweet 330 u got there, what sort of price u paid if u dont mind me askin?

who u insured with? whats ur age? NCB points?

[gIzzE]

I think the 330i and the 320si are the best non M 3 series of this generation.

I loved my 335i, it was a technical masterpiece, the way you could put your foot down in any gear at any revs and it still pulled like a train was very impressive, but ultimately very dull too. The 335i felt more like a diesel with slightly higher revs and a nicer sound.

The 330i on the other hand is what BMW is all about, a nice NA engine that revs properly and needs working, there is a sense of reward that the forced induction cars just can't deliver.

I love it!!

[msport]

Originally Posted by raf555

sweet 330 u got there, what sort of price u paid if u dont mind me askin?

who u insured with? whats ur age? NCB points?

thanks paid 12500 but she is mint looked at one for 10800 but was a proper dog lol.

Insured with A-plan bmw specialists im 38 with lots of ncb and live in kent if that makes a difference..

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Dealer looked at me like I was from another planet when I didn't tick the auto box option. Manual 330i is great!

Ditto

Originally Posted by ss134

+1 when i ordered my 335i manual!

Ditto

Come trade in they tell you that 'nobody wants manuals' so I put my 330i in the Autotrader and had floods of people specifically after a manual version as non of the dealers have any in!!

Originally Posted by gIzzE

I think the 330i and the 320si are the best non M 3 series of this generation.

I loved my 335i, it was a technical masterpiece........ but ultimately very dull too. The 335i felt more like a diesel with slightly higher revs and a nicer sound....

The 330i on the other hand is what BMW is all about, a nice NA engine that revs properly and needs working, there is a sense of reward that the forced induction cars just can't deliver.

I love it!!

Shall we start a 330i appreciation thread for people missing their old N/A motors?

I think that's why I feel I have to modify the 335i to try and add that something 'special' that the 330i already had, but I didn't appreciate fully at the time....

Could be time to buy a 130i trackday special when we move house next year and get a bit of space.

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Come trade in they tell you that 'nobody wants manuals' so I put my 330i in the Autotrader and had floods of people specifically after a manual version as non of the dealers have any in!!

And they will tell you it's the wrong colour, the wheels are just too round and the tyres are just too black. Muppets!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by doughboy

I think that's why I feel I have to modify the 335i to try and add that something 'special' that the 330i already had, but I didn't appreciate fully at the time....

I'm finding that any boredom with the 335i can soon be dealt with by doing one of the following:

1. Switching on DTC and ragging the nuts off the car.

This immediately reminds you that 300hp is quite a lot

2. Redlining the car in third.

The 330i punches hardest when chasing the redline in second. For the 335i it's third gear that does the trick. I find that the surge from 4000rpm to the redline makes the rest of the world go a 'bit blurry'

[willhollin]

Let's not forget the otter.

[Swiller]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

You're talking about the 330d I assume! No way in hell did I EVER get more than 32mpg out of my 330i. Averaged 28 mpg most of the time as can be proven by various witnesses lol.

No thats the 330i im talking about. Along a motorway thats what i got, m4 swansea to london. Used just over a third of a tank.
Did the journey most weeks in 2009. Round town fo course worse, but trounces a 2.0l c max on the same journey for mpg.
N52 engine

[beemerbird]

28 mpg mine averaged and that was it, not that it matters as I'm not anal about mpg doing about 11k miles p.a. - not worth worrying about. Got 24 mpg on a run to Grimsby t'other day in the S5.......bloody amazing, back to 19.8 now

That car did suffer with sulphur smells for some reason.....found giving it a good thrashin stopped it. Never enquired at the dealers about that........bought an E92 335d instead lol.

So O/P biting the bullet then.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by NFS

I'm finding that any boredom with the 335i can soon be dealt with by doing one of the following:

1. Switching on DTC and ragging the nuts off the car.

This immediately reminds you that 300hp is quite a lot

2. Redlining the car in third.

The 330i punches hardest when chasing the redline in second. For the 335i it's third gear that does the trick. I find that the surge from 4000rpm to the redline makes the rest of the world go a 'bit blurry'

The sedate nature of the 335i around town often makes you forget about the 300bhp on tap...

But you're right - the rush to the top of 3rd gear is my favourite 335i trick on a clear bit of road too, always brings a smile to your face.

Problem is it pretty similar in fourth too - then within seconds your well into triple figure licence losing territory and still pulling like a train.

Maybe the 335i isn't that bad after all

[bandos]

Hi 56 plate 330i auto is a great car.

I get 34MPG according to the computer.

The tax went up in April from £215 to £245 (another reason I won't vote for the current government! )

I find you have to work the engine to get the most from it though. It comes alive from about 3500/4000 RPM. (I am used to a diesel before BTW)

Personally I find the SE suspension hard enough. I'm glad I didn't get sports suspension.

Nice and quiet on the motorway with a great noise when you rag it.

[raf555]

is this fairly priced...

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk...icleRegLetter=

[NFS]

Originally Posted by raf555

is this fairly priced...

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk...icleRegLetter=

BMW 3 Series
330i M Sport
3.0 Petrol 4-door Saloon
6 Speed Manual
Rear Wheel Drive
Year: 2005 55
Mileage: 81,000

Estimated value of your car

Part-exchange Price:
Excellent condition: £9550
Average condition: £8610
Below average condition: £7570

Looks fair to me. It's a fairly early car, so there are not masses to choose from, plus it has leather and nav. Seller will be expecting offers of £10-10.5k.

[msport]

I looked at that car (autotrader only) when i was searching for one but was miles from me with a few more miles on the clock than I wanted, but looked reasonable priced. They are like hens teeth to find Luckily found mine only 60 miles away in exact spec I wanted le mans blue and black dakota with only 33000, feel i got a bargain at 12500 when you look at some dealers selling identical cars for 16 17 and 18 grand !!!! I know the girl I brought it off lost 6k in 11 months. and she had loads of phone calls after i'd brought it..

simon