[lemonukas]

Originally Posted by bigbeemer

Why do diesel engines and auto kill you?? is this a bad combination?? i am buying a 320d auto and cannot wait for it.

Auto don't have clutch and diesel getting to complicated (tones of filters). I had car auto and diesel. One of filters get blocked cut engine power. From 60mph to 0mph in couple seconds. And vw gti behind. My missis was 5month pregnant in passenger seat. That scared shit of me. If was manual I can press clutch.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I assume you are talking of 'old' engines of the time. I was driving 'new' diesel models 45 years ago, they were rubbish. BMC 1.5 diesel anyone, or the BMC 2.2 diesel?

HighlandPete

Two cars come to mind. Back in 1986 ish one of my teachers had a Sierra diesel. In those days I used to study the back pages of What Car magazine so knew the performance figures. 0-60 was something like 16 seconds - we used to take micky out the teacher because of it... He claimed it could still do the ton. Then, in the 90s my flat mate at uni had an Astra diesel. I drove it. I've never driven a car since that has made me laugh out loud. It was so slow that I could hardly believe it. No feeling of acceleration what so ever, it was only that I could hear an awful racket and see trees moving that I knew the car was actually making any form if progress!

My first experience that things might be changing was in about 97 when I was working in a Renault dealer on a uni placement and every one was referring to the Megan diesel as a 'flying machine'. Ha ha.

[dopper99]

I remember back in 1995/96 when the company I worked for at the time got in hire cars for us to go to site.
I remember driving a Lagoona 2.2 non-turbo diesel - slow as hell but could eventually get up to some kind of decent motorway speed.
Then I remember driving turbo diesel Golfs and turbo diesel Citroen Xantias. Now they felt quite quick in comparison. Some of the first of the "quicker" earlier turbo diesels.

[CSMatt]

I've not even got my e90 yet but new job with 400miles per week mostly motorway means I need a derv now its just a case of 320d or 330d

[335tim]

Originally Posted by 335tim

M3 all day long of course, no question!

Im 34

Doh, realised I misread the question.

I bought a 335i over a d for the rev range and sound. Not to say I wouldnt have a D. They are both great cars.

[DarkAnt335i]

Im 27 and have own'ed' 3 diesels and 9 petrol cars.

The first diesel i bought i sold within 5 months as i hated it. The 2nd diesel i bought i sold within 6 months as i hated it.
Then i had a loan 320d 8 speed and a loan 2012 Golf GTD manual, which were both extremely good diesels, particularly the Golf with had a great little noise and super smooth changing manual. I completely agree that diesels are refined and smooth but they lack the finesse, excitement and zing of a petrol motor.

IMO 1 thing i have noticed is diesel seem to suit auto boxes more, generally.

On the other hand i have had fun in every petrol car (except the mondeo) i have owned. Modern turbo petrol cars are amazingly good road cars and give you relatively good economy with masses of power and low emissions. But you can beat an NA petrol motor. IMO turbo petrol cars are a happy medium between diesel and large NA.

We now have 1 petrol and 1 diesel car for 'sensible' reasons. Thats just it if i had unlimited funds i doubt i would ever own a diesel car, unless i could afford a diesel LMP1 car

[phil200tdi]

Originally Posted by CSMatt

I've not even got my e90 yet but new job with 400miles per week mostly motorway means I need a derv now its just a case of 320d or 330d

I do 20,000 miles a year in my 335i.

The more miles you do the more smiles you need!

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by Kerr

Reading comments about how diesel cars have moved forward in recent years, the same could be said for petrol too.

Engines are getting more and more powerful, more torque, less emissions and better fuel economy in many of the modern turbocharged petrol engines.

I said that - hence why I'm considering an M2 as next car

[MEGA]

I've driven a diesel without a turbo as my 320d turbo stopped working (completely blocked EGR) temporarily.

It was horrendous!!!! Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo slow. 1mph gained every second at the very most

[Richardoe92]

I'm 44, I currently have 2 diesels vw 2.0 gt, and 320d.
Never had one previously, but I love em, no way would I go back to petrol.
My choice? 335d coupe please.

[duke knooby]

Im 34, I started with minis, then back in 98 I went to a 205 diesel (plus the minis) cause I was doing bigger miles, and really liked it. Changed it for a 106 1.1 (loved it), and for the last decade a few 3 series... I always fancied an e46 330cd as the reviews were fantastic, after alot of trying I couldn't do a deal I was happy with, and ended up with one of the first 320i e92s... and loved it when it was running sweet.. Which was about 90% of the time.. changed it for a e92 325d. And I must confess, I actually find the 325d really very boring. So boring in fact that i managed to buy back my 106 after 9 years, and in the past 2 months since getting the 106 back, Ive driven the diesel once.

So in conclusion, I've nothing against diesels, really enjoyed my 205... just finding my e92 diesel experience rather boring... I tested a couple 335d e92s before going for the 325, but I found them very boring due to the gearbox.

[ade146]

Im 47 and have had many different cars mostly performance petrol with a smattering of diesel thrown in. Im currently in a mapped 330d and I love it. It has had its fair share of faults but it has been a bit of a hobby. I have an escort mk1 rally car plus an R1 when I really need a fix. I like the fact that most of the time I drive the BMW in a lazy fashion but it has a good turn of speed when I feel like it. I really dont mind the sound of the six pot diesel either. I commute about 500 miles every weekend so it suits at the moment. Nothing to do with my age I wouldnt think as my competition driving hasnt slowed that much.

[a11y]

Diesel made no sense for me: 5k miles p.a. and I just enjoy the sound of a 6-cyl (or more) petrol engine that revs properly. I couldn't have afforded the equivalent age 330d when I was buying my 330i anyway - higher-consumption of the petrol model benefitted me there.

I've previously owned a diesel "hot hatch" (Seat Ibiza Cupra TDI with 160ps/250lbft in a car weighing 1200kg) and enjoyed it, but it didn't ever have the wow factor of the Civic Type R or Clio 172 that preceded it. I quite enjoyed the way the Ibiza TDI delivered it's power, so much so that the other vehicle we own is my wife's Fabia vRS (130ps TDI) - I really enjoy driving the Fabia but couldn't have it as my only vehicle.

Ultimate 3-series for me (M3 excluded) would be manual 335i saloon. If M3 included then obviously M3, again saloon.

I'm 34 btw.

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by a11y

Diesel made no sense for me: 5k miles p.a. and I just enjoy the sound of a 6-cyl (or more) petrol engine that revs properly. I couldn't have afforded the equivalent age 330d when I was buying my 330i anyway - higher-consumption of the petrol model benefitted me there.

I've previously owned a diesel "hot hatch" (Seat Ibiza Cupra TDI with 160ps/250lbft in a car weighing 1200kg) and enjoyed it, but it didn't ever have the wow factor of the Civic Type R or Clio 172 that preceded it. I quite enjoyed the way the Ibiza TDI delivered it's power, so much so that the other vehicle we own is my wife's Fabia vRS (130ps TDI) - I really enjoy driving the Fabia but couldn't have it as my only vehicle.

Ultimate 3-series for me (M3 excluded) would be manual 335i saloon. If M3 included then obviously M3, again saloon.

I'm 34 btw.

Ah, the Civic Type R - I had one too. It was a fantastic car - the noise it made between 6 and 8 k revs was just awesome. I loved driving that car. I went straight from that to a Leon FR TDI which was about as far from the civic as you can get. Civic was all revs and no torque, and the Leon was the total opposite.

I liked the Leon, it was a really great car, and quick in the real world but for pure, raw fun the petrol Civic was hard to beat.

[Ascension335i]

I went from petrol cars when I started driving, to a couple of diesels whilst I was doing 300 miles a week driving to work.

Once I stopped doing the work run, I was back in petrol again for my next car and the couple since have been petrol as well.

So not to do with age, the sensible practical side of me just took over when I was racking up the miles.

And, excluding the M3, I am driving the E9x I would choose already now

[Triggster]

23 today and Ive owned 3 cars for myself plus another 4 vehicles and all have been diesel.

Although they cost a bit more to buy they hold there money better and I think, here in Northern Ireland they are easier to sell. However I wouldn't not rule out a 330i/335i and covert to LPG.

I don't do massive miles anymore either.

[parapaul]

If someone else was paying the running costs, I'd have the biggest diesel engine I could get, then tune the hell out of it.

Nothing's going to change the fact that all my driving is motorway and dual carriageway, with a few miles across town here and there to get from home to the main roads. I really like the low down torque of a big diesel engine, and I haven't found a petrol yet that gives the same feel. If I had a 20 mile drive along empty, country A and B roads each day, it would be a different answer.

[Lemans330i]

I'm 24 and have driven alot of different cars but only ever owned a petrol.

Started off in a fearsome fiat punto with a roaring 4 cyl 1.2 under the Bonnet maybe a full 90hp if you were lucky.

Then got a part time job and with the longer mileage from going to uni Moved into a 1.6 Astra. Which honestly seemed like a rocket ship at the time. I think it was probably the first car I fell in love with.

Finally got a good job where I didn't have a lot of outgoings and got an rx8. Which once again I loved. But the fuel economy was terrible for the 192hp it returned. But to this day is probably still the most balanced road car I've driven.

Then came a 320i for a year. The finally the 330i. I do probably about 13-18 thousand miles a year and figured it'll take years and thousands of litres of fuel make the diesel cheap. Assuming the dpf or turbo didn't die in that time. So I went for petrol. And honestly it's great.

The worst car I've ever driven was without a shadow if a doubt one of the works diesel Astra estates. If anyone has ever been in the service of HMG you'll know exactly what I mean when I say an MT car is ruined. It had an impressive 230,000 on the clock which for a 60 plate a year ago isn't too bad..... I I guess it's clutch had been used to change gear at least four times during that distance. Awful car..... But I have driven a friends mapped 320d and it's excellent. But I wouldn't swap it for my 330i ;-)

[phil200tdi]

Originally Posted by parapaul

If someone else was paying the running costs, I'd have the biggest diesel engine I could get, then tune the hell out of it.

Nothing's going to change the fact that all my driving is motorway and dual carriageway, with a few miles across town here and there to get from home to the main roads. I really like the low down torque of a big diesel engine, and I haven't found a petrol yet that gives the same feel. If I had a 20 mile drive along empty, country A and B roads each day, it would be a different answer.

Have a go in my 335i

510lb/ft at 2000rpm.

[Hotcoupe]

Age for me was/is an irrelevance.

I started buying diesel cars back in 2003,the difference in cost between petrol and diesel was the other way around,and diesel per litre was 10p ish cheaper than petrol.
I got a stonking car allowance + the full HMRC rate of return for the fuel,and driving a diesel made sense,and I actually made money + you got the torque that no petrol car could get anywhere near.

Now,whilst I'd miss the instantaneous shove in the back, and the snap of the neck in a big derv,diesel now for me at least makes no sense.

I'd go with a 335i,far,far more tuning potential than the 335D,which is constrained by the gearbox/drivetrain.
I've yet to see a big D get to, or exceed 400bhp, and without a huge injection of cash + someone coming up with a solution that's both sustainable and affordable,it won't be happening anytime soon.

You can't argue the big diesels case,when a 335i can crack 400bhp + with ease,match the big D in torque, and sound sublime,which a diesel will never ever do.

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

Have a go in my 335i

510lb/ft at 2000rpm.

This for me,proves the case,stonking performance Phil!

[PhilM]

29 here..

I've had allsorts...

E46 330d and 330i

ST220 - NA 3.0 V6 petrol

9-3 Saab - 2.8T V6 petrol

Megane F1 - 2.0T petrol

They've all got their places.. In a hot hatch a 2.0T petrol is perfect.

A 335i coupe manual will be lovely if it's to really 'drive'

For me I wanted something lazy with power in the excess and automatic (i drive for work) that I can just sit back and relax in.. 335d is perfect.

[DarkAnt335i]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

Have a go in my 335i

510lb/ft at 2000rpm.

WOW Huge power. My 335i felt brutal with 'only' 425 ft/lbs due to the power coming in so low down. How do you find it in wet conditions?

While i am a petrol fan a couple of things to consider

Modern High performance petrols often require 98RON+ which negates the petrol vs diesel fuel cost. Infact in my area V power is more than diesel by about 1-2ppl.

My last 3 petrols have always been run on Vpower.

Fuelling up every couple of days is no fun at all and for some reason Vpower pumps seem to run at half speed, so i feel like i waste about 6-8mins of my life every 2 days in a fuel station.

But then i put the key in wake up the engine and all is forgotten