[phil200tdi]

For effortless driving you need big torque. 20 years ago that was delivered by big v8's and v12s, now though you get the equivalent torque with a 6cyl diesel so for most there is no pay off of a petrol over diesel. Only a petrol head appreciates the noise of a v8!

I when looking to change my last car (c320cdi) I knew I couldn't go for an NA petrol - they just do not deliver when you want them to - low to mid range... Thought I'd get a diesel again but I was seduced by the noise and power delivery of the 335i... Best of both worlds! Fairly economical 35mpg and same tax as a big diesel at £245pa. Cheaper to insure than the Merc as well. Most people just don't get it.

My parents have done 25000 miles in 6 years in their ford focus tdci. They are gonna replace it with another diesel!!!

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

For effortless driving you need big torque. :

Not strictly true, you need enough torque matched to the right gear ratios.

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by evanevan

Yes thats my point. The larger petrol engines are not economically viable anymore. I call that a sad day.

About Diesels:

I had the pleasure of a brand new 335d msport as a courtesy car for 6 weeks earlier this year-huge and regal permformance making it probably one of the most relevent cars on the road today but:

Not as refined or classy as the my 330i. It was faster full stop but tell me you don't fell a sinking felling when your'e waiting for your cheeseburger at Mcd's and you hear that tractor reverberating back into the cockpit.
My point is both technolgies have their finer points but as the previous poster pointed out a truly large 8 or 10 cylinder petrol engine is probably the last word in real quality driving

I'm still wondering who did the V6 conversion on your 330i?

[RAR]

For me it, buying my 330i was based on a few things.

One of my previous cars was a Vectra V6 GSI and the growl of the V6 was such a pleasurable thing and I'd always had a longing to own something that could match that sound or better it.

I knew I wanted to experience the drive and ownership of a BMW, even though I checked out a few Audi's.

The other point I based my purchase on might seem a little shallow or stupid to some but for me I like to be different to the main stream, even if just a little bit. I couldn't help but notice that pretty much every BMW that I saw on the road had a 320d badge on the back (I know, because they're brilliant for many reasons) and if I was buying a car to keep running costs to a minimum then I probably would have got one too. Also quite a few of the 330d's, 335i's but never really saw any 330i's. When I saw the my 330i with all the trimmings at a decent price I was quite surprised

I've done 5000 miles in the last 4 months (I only live 12 miles from work ) and yes I'm in the petrol station quite a bit but in my head it's like paying rent/morgage payments - it has to be done! I have to say I do enjoy putting petrol in, that feeling of knowing that I've got all that driving ahead of me

I sometimes think that when a 320d owner pulls up next to me a tiny little bit of them wishes their wilder side had taken over on the decision making when they see my 330i badge but then again, they might not. Hehehe

Life is for living, enjoy what you can, when you can!

[BGM]

i am contemplating binning off my oil burner for an s3

this thread is not helping! :O

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by Diseasel

Your exactly right!

But i have been in one on many occasions and this is my point..

There just arent the roads in the UK for the V8. Some lucky few might live near some roads but if you live near any city or town then you really have to go out of your way to find them.

Even the motorways have variable speeds limits now!

But the new M3 is going to have torque on tap and this will make for fun lower down the range and more accessible

This may be my future car

I disagree with this on so many levels.

What engine is in the car makes very little difference, it is how the power is delivered that make it special.

Torque on tap at any revs is what makes a car fucking boring!!!

I went from an M3 to a mapped 335i that would get to 60 in nearly half a second quicker, but once the novelty of 'press the throttle and go' had worn off that was it, I was looking at autotrader again. I bought another M3.

I am just hoping the new turbo'd M cars will feel like M cars and not like a big fucking diesel.

I could go out for a 100 mile drive around the coast roads and stick to the NSL in the M3 and have a hoot, a real sense of reward when you drive it, the tuned 335i was quick, but not rewarding in any sense whatsoever.


I also find a nice 3 litre NA petrol far nicer to cruise in too, just a very linear power up to 4000 odd rpm, none of this whack in the back while the turbo kicks in.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not a diesel hater, I have an Brabus E320cdi estate as my main car and a BMW X1 s18d as my second car and they are fine, but when I get back in a nice NA petrol v6 or straight 6 I suddenly start thinking 'hmmmmm?'

[oab e90 330i se]

Well, I have to say. I love my 330i...I drive 40 miles to work round trip. I have a choice of the Motorway (which has no speed traps anymore) or some pretty cool country lanes.
I got 42mpg out of it cruising on the motorway in commuting traffic last night. Then this morning I was on 26mpg after giving it some serious wellie. Whilst its fun game counting the mpg counter, I much prefer the feeling of watching how quickly I get thrown to 60mph or powering round a roundabout listening to the engine.
.... So somebody tell me - If I need about 32 litres a week to cover my 200 mile a week commute thats about 30mpg. How many more beers a week would I be able to afford If I owned a 60mpg diesel???

Offsetting the tax as well, I work it out to be about 7 beers a week.

So....the real sad truth is that driving has become a game of counting the mpg's and 7 beers a week. Well I drink to much anyway.

At this rate I think I might go back to the M5 forum!

[DrunkenMonkey]

Diseeeasel = FX1

[New_m3]

I've had the e92 m3 for 4 years and I find it great. Around town it’s quite happy to sit at 1500 revs in 6th gear and 30mph. And if you drop a few cogs it pulls like a freight train.

It is true that there aren't many roads that you can use all of its power on. Your going 75 by the time you reach the rev limiter in 2nd gear and in 3rd – no idea, never hit it! But 420hp does give effortless overtaking.

The only things I don't like is averaging 20mpg, high road tax and insurance. However if you can afford it, I wouldn't compromise.

[Falmouthboy]

We run a 330d and a 130i. We love them both for different reasons. Neither is a company car (the dominence of which in E9x circles is the main reason soooo many are 320 & 318 Diesels).

But at heart I'm a Petrol Head - and while can afford to run the 130 I will. We don't have kids, or a dog, or go on expensive holidays.

Our cars are more than 'transport' they are an indulgence and a hobby - that also happens to take us from A to B. For others the 'status' of their car is more important than how it drives so long as its - 'posh'. Then there are those who want a car for A to B big enough to suit their family needs. All 3 of these used to have no choice but a big petrol engine. These days this is only an issue for those like me in the first category - there may be fewer of us - but we will always be there.

[Kerr]

I think not too far into the future we are going to see the petrol v. diesel costs swing a fair amount more.

Remembering a few years back diesel was quite a bit cheaper than petrol. Now diesel costs a bit more.

The reason for this is during the refining process you only get so much of diesel and petrol during refining.

The UK can easily cover petrol demands but already has to buy diesel from other countries.

However more and more countries are getting into diesel cars and that's going to increase demands in their country and leave less for export and force the value of the diesel up.

There will come the point where there is going to be an oversupply of petrol just to meet diesel demands.

It's not going to happen tomorrow but with the demands for petrol falling and diesel going through the roof it should hopefully have the desired effect on prices.

That's what I hope anyway!

[pjs]

Depreciation is usually a much larger cost than the the difference between the fuel.

[Kerr]

Sorry first post never appeared when I posted. Is now. Odd

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Kerr

I think not too far into the future we are going to see the petrol v. diesel costs swing a fair amount more.

Remembering a few years back diesel was quite a bit cheaper than petrol. Now diesel costs a bit more.

The reason for this is during the refining process you only get so much of diesel and petrol during refining.

Is that the reason? I thought you got more of the heavier fractions (i.e. diesel, kerosene, napthalene, fuel oil) from crude oil, and refineries needed to crack some of them to get down to the lighter fractions (petrol, LPG). Am I just woefully out of date?

Or is it that actually the base diesel fraction is sold as fuel oil, and there's so many homes burning it for heating (unlike petrol) that demand exceeds supply?

Confused.

[Kerr]

After a quick google search I got this simple chart.


http://www.energyinst.org.uk/educati...yton/page7.htm

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Kerr

After a quick google search I got this simple chart.
http://www.energyinst.org.uk/educati...yton/page7.htm

Ah, OK, almost all the fuel is cracked rather than distilled straight from crude. I see...

[willhollin]

Roughly twice as much petrol is produced compared to diesel fuel when crude is processed.

[Reggie-g75]

I wanted an M3, the head said go for the 335d, then I thought f#ck it, life's too short to drive yet another frigging diesel so I split the difference and went 335i.

If I didn't have nine points no NCD then it would have been an M3 and I do look at them lustfully. However I do love my 335i and can put up with 300 miles to the tank compared to the 600 from my old 520.

[Swiller]

Love my 330i.
The fuel that goes in it is worth every penny.
There's a few older 335i owners that have driven my 330i and prefer it.
A very similar personality to a mk1 gti and I loved that car.
Tried to sell it for house deposit. But wouldn't let it go for silly money.
So it stays.
Vroooooommmmm vrooooomm.

[gangzoom]

Bumped into my mate who's recently bought a M3....find me a diesel engine that can sound 1/10 as good and I'll go and trade in my 335i for a 320D....Personally I love the fact people are buying into diesel so much, the farster the new M5 depreciate the sooner I'll be driving one

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by Diseasel

Now you understand why the 330i engine has been dropped from every model.

Just doesnt sell like it used to......

This is not entirely true.... http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/pricesand...calSpec&isPGA=

Clearly BMW still make this powerplant and clearly its still in demand and people are buying it.

[stupot]

I agree with the OP, I think that cars with big petrol engines with low mpg and expensive road tax are going to become a very niche choice.

I am aware that this might make me sound mad and I will probably be one of the only people to think this way, but for 90% of the time a 320d is more relevant than an M3.

I know everyone gets different MPG depending on many variables; my M3 does 18mpg average. My wife had a E92 320d MSport auto and it averaged 38mpg. That’s a big difference for the 10% of drives when you can give it some, given that to most people they both look like nice 3 series coupes.

Would I buy another M3, in all honesty, probably not. Would I buy another 320d, in the right spec, yes I would.