BMW 3 / 4 Series Advice Please

[Sisu9]

Looking to buy a petrol F30 or a 4 Series Gran Coupe. Considering a 328, 335 or a 430. I don't want a hybrid so the 330 is out. My budget won't stretch beyond the 335 and that would be a high mileage example. Don't mind whether it's XDrive, auto or manual.

Any advice much appreciated.

[MitchT]

Sisu9 said:

I don't want a hybrid so the 330 is out.

330i isn't hybrid. The 330e is the one you need to avoid.

[Sisu9]

Ah ok, I had overlooked that as most of the 330's for sale seem to be 330e's where I am.

[The Conflated Outlier]

Avoid the 428i with the awful N20 engine. Lots of expensive problems.

430i's have the B48 and that's a good engine. 435i's are fast but you'll probably find the 430i is fast enough. That engine with the 8 speed ZF automatic is a superb powertrain.

[Sisu9]

So a nice 430i sounds like a good bet. Looking at a 2017. F36 Gran Coupe 430i A xDrive Edition Sport with about 120,009 miles on it.

[numtumfutunch]

Id avoid xDrive as tyres are your limiting factor for grip - especially in winter - and the ride height is higher with resulting crap handling.
Having said that there are plenty of decent after market kits to make it better which SH cars may have

And while Im at it the 335d is a one trick pony - well two tricks if you count sensational acceleration and 50mpg - but is just boring. Weird TBH but once you tire of wasting most things from the traffic lights its pretty soulless

My qualifications for the above are driving a 335d Touring for 2y

Cheers

[Sisu9]

AWD in the winter may be a slight advantage for me living in Finland, but you're right, it's totally about the tyres. The car would actually be a replacement for an A5 3.0TDI Quattro Coupe which also has plenty of pace but minimal soul. Child and dog mean I also now need back doors.

Never had a BMW so quite set on one, despite a Golf R gently tapping on my shoulder.

[Hippea]

Shame you can't stretch to a *40i, the B58 is a cracking engine

[Sisu9]

340i/440i are almost double the money where I live.

[Pica-Pica]

numtumfutunch said:

Id avoid xDrive as tyres are your limiting factor for grip - especially in winter - and the ride height is higher with resulting crap handling.
Having said that there are plenty of decent after market kits to make it better which SH cars may have

And while Im at it the 335d is a one trick pony - well two tricks if you count sensational acceleration and 50mpg - but is just boring. Weird TBH but once you tire of wasting most things from the traffic lights its pretty soulless

My qualifications for the above are driving a 335d Touring for 2y

Cheers

Still love my 335d. The ‘standard’ ride height helps on farm tracks. The saloon with folding rear seats has coped with everything I need it for.

[Magnum 475]

The Conflated Outlier said:

Avoid the 428i with the awful N20 engine. Lots of expensive problems.

430i's have the B48 and that's a good engine. 435i's are fast but you'll probably find the 430i is fast enough. That engine with the 8 speed ZF automatic is a superb powertrain.

Not so sure about the B48. See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Mrs Magnum also has. B48 in her 220i. 70k on it now, and if I get 2000 miles out of a litre of oil, it's doing well.

[Sisu9]

Crikey, looks like it has to be a 335i or even a G20 with a smaller engine.

Edited by Sisu9 on Wednesday 6th November 14:58

[Shooter McGavin]

Sisu9 said:

AWD in the winter may be a slight advantage for me living in Finland, but you're right, it's totally about the tyres. The car would actually be a replacement for an A5 3.0TDI Quattro Coupe which also has plenty of pace but minimal soul. Child and dog mean I also now need back doors.

Never had a BMW so quite set on one, despite a Golf R gently tapping on my shoulder.

My friend found his 2WD 3 Series Touring was dreadful in the small amount of snow we get in the UK.

Coming from a Quattro I would be inclined to go X-Drive, in Finland.

[danb79]

Sisu9 said:

Looking to buy a petrol F30 or a 4 Series Gran Coupe. Considering a 328, 335 or a 430. I don't want a hybrid so the 330 is out. My budget won't stretch beyond the 335 and that would be a high mileage example. Don't mind whether it's XDrive, auto or manual.

Any advice much appreciated.

I test drove a 328i saloon before settling on our F31 325D M Sport RWD; both were superb cars. If I could have found a 328i touring with a decent spec I'd have absolutely gone for that... But none were about

The 328i went very well IMO and sounded good too

Yes they can have issues; but so can the N47s, N57s etc etc etc...

It's all about due diligence IMO and ensuring that whichever you go for; has been serviced/maintained well, looked after and has paperwork/receipts/invoices to back it up, not just iDrive updates!

Our F31 has been brilliant in winter in the Highlands of Scotland, even on its Goodyear Vector all-season tyres; it coped with the snow very well indeed. As have all my BMWs that have all been RWD and on winter tyres generally...

It's not the car; it's the tyres that make the difference...

[sortedcossie]

4 year owner of a 66 plate F31 335d - cracking all rounder. Huge options spec on mine helps.

Got a mate with an F30 335i and that too is a nice place to rack up the miles in.

[Monkeylegend]

Magnum 475 said:

Not so sure about the B48. See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Mrs Magnum also has. B48 in her 220i. 70k on it now, and if I get 2000 miles out of a litre of oil, it's doing well.

I have the B48 in my 2015 528i which has done 53k miles and it only gets new oil when serviced, never had to top up in between.

[Magnum 475]

Monkeylegend said:

Magnum 475 said:

Not so sure about the B48. See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Mrs Magnum also has. B48 in her 220i. 70k on it now, and if I get 2000 miles out of a litre of oil, it's doing well.

I have the B48 in my 2015 528i which has done 53k miles and it only gets new oil when serviced, never had to top up in between.

Mrs Magnum's 220i was like that until about 60k.....

Are you sure it's a B48 though? '28i' is usually the older engine, with '30i' being the B48.

[Monkeylegend]

Magnum 475 said:

Monkeylegend said:

Magnum 475 said:

Not so sure about the B48. See here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Mrs Magnum also has. B48 in her 220i. 70k on it now, and if I get 2000 miles out of a litre of oil, it's doing well.

I have the B48 in my 2015 528i which has done 53k miles and it only gets new oil when serviced, never had to top up in between.

Mrs Magnum's 220i was like that until about 60k.....

Are you sure it's a B48 though? '28i' is usually the older engine, with '30i' being the B48.

Definitely the B48, one of the later cars.