Monday 4th July 2005

BMW prices 3-Series Touring

Estate version starts at £24,540 -- plus options

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Yours for under £25k without options

BMW has been announced prices for its new 3-Series Touring. The estate version of the premium saloon goes on sale on 17 September 2005.

The Munich-based company reckoned that the new Touring offers greater performance, economy, interior space and comfort than the outgoing model, and a raft of enhancements for increased practicality.

Load space is now 460 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,385 litres with the 60:40 split seats folded. This represents a 25 and 40-litre increase over its predecessor respectively, said BMW. The cars include a split opening tailgate, a boot cover that automatically lifts clear for easy access and two luggage straps plus a net and umbrella holder.

Initially a 320d Touring and a 325i Touring will be launched but 320i, 330i and 330d engine variants arrive later in autumn 2005. All engine variants are mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard or a six-speed automatic as an option. Prices for the 320i, 330i and 330d will be announced at a later date.

• BMW 320d ES Touring - £24,540
• BMW 320d SE Touring - £25,570
• BMW 325i SE Touring - £26,340

[toppstuff]

Nice car, but crikey its overpriced.

You can get a Mondeo with all the toys, top of the range, from a car supermarket for £10k or so.

Its no doubt lovely, but 2 or 3 times the price lovely? I think not for what is, ultimately, a daily tool .

[rlk500]

Personally I think it's 'orrible, but maybe I am biased as I have an e46 tourer. But you are right, it's a bit too expensive, coupled to the fact that I suspect it will be falling apart after 18 months.

[cotty]

need to lose the roof rails

[DaveR]

rlk500 said:

Personally I think it's 'orrible, but maybe I am biased as I have an e46 tourer. But you are right, it's a bit too expensive, coupled to the fact that I suspect it will be falling apart after 18 months.

Is your E46 tourer falling apart? Why do you suppose this one will?

[rlk500]

Not totally but, chocolate wishbones x 2, plastic window regulators x 2, radio packed up x 1, intelligent wipers that packed up and are not very intelligent.........I expect there will be more to follow......

The legendary build quality is just that, a legend....IMO.

[cotty]

Should have got an E30n then

[DaveR]

Rupert - What do the plastic window regulators do?

Just to spite my use of the smiley(!) my driver's side window has taken to making the odd clonking noise now and again whilst raising, but it still gets to the top and stops. How much of a job is it to get the interior of the door off and replace the offending items if I'm heading for the same issue?

Not sure about the choc suspension arms. I've replaced my front ones as the ball joints were worn and it's easier to replace the whole thing. I also used GSF items which my local indie couldn't believe when he saw them (identical to BMW OEM items). The castings were fine though. On a 4 year old (at the time) car with more than 60k on the clock, I put the ball joints' demise down to reasonable wear and tear.

[rlk500]

Ahhh yes, that is the sound of impending doom.......They will be breaking soon leaving the window halfway up or down (depending on your point of view...) Apparantly, not too bad a job to do, you will need a torx screwdriver to do it, but really why are they making parts that get so much work out of plastic........

ps I've got an E30 M3, needless to say I track day the sh*t out of it and it's bullet proof......