330CI... Any good?

[KingRichard]

I have been considering my next 'proper' car for quite a while.

I sold my Mini Cooper S and now need to get out of my Dagenham Dustbin interim chariot...

I've been considering a S2 Lotus Elise, and also had a look at a couple of low end Boxsters (Not impressed).

The main reason I'm having second thoughts is that I'm an IFA that visits my clients at home. I'm worried a flash 2 seat sports car will give the image of a flash intent on bleeding them dry! (I'm not, honest )

Trouble is, I look after clients in two very different areas. One is a low income ex council estate, and t'other is an area full of £600k+ houses and porsche's on the drive where a nice car looks professional and I feel on a back foot turning up in a 2 grand Mondeo.

So it seems a nice 3 series would be the answer. Is the 330 petrol as good as the diesel that my boss has in his touring? Thats a great long distance car (I occasionally run out up and down the country with work).

I've seen a great looking 330CI M Sport in the classifieds, it's unfortunately in scotland (I'm in Kent) but wondered if these are a bit rare as I haven't seen another on the net (They all seem to have fake wood and brown leather



Anyway, whats your opinion of them? Would I be better off with a nice 325 or 328?

Budget up to £15k but if less thats a bonus... (Has to be an E46)

Edited because I can't spell

Edited by KingRichard on Monday 26th June 11:12

[vee]

Certainly not rare - you get more 330ci Sports than you do SEs.
Great car imo - mine goes to York and back to London on a single tank and I get out feeling fresh at the end of the day.
£15k will get you a pre facelift version (up to 03 reg).

[KingRichard]

vee said:

Certainly not rare - you get more 330ci Sports than you do SEs.
Great car imo - mine goes to York and back to London on a single tank and I get out feeling fresh at the end of the day.
£15k will get you a pre facelift version (up to 03 reg).

No, I meant the M sport, with the lush deep seats and aluminium trim, MV alloys etc... unless these are just options I need to look for

Cheers for the reply anyway

[vee]

KingRichard said:

No, I meant the M sport, with the lush deep seats and aluminium trim, MV alloys etc... unless these are just options I need to look for

Cheers for the reply anyway

Strictly speaking it's a 'Sport' unless its one of the new 3 series (impossible as the coupe isn't out yet and certainly won't be £15k).
Owners of old 'sport' models are calling them 'M sport' because that's what BMW now calls its sport versions. They're also selling the SE version as a 'sport'.

A 'sport' includes 'lush' sports seats, aluminium cube interior trim, MV spoke alloys, m-tech bodykit and various other 'm' bits such are door sills & gear knob (on manual). Note that the original wheels are wider rear (255) than the front (225).

Like I say, they're not rare, there are thousands of them around.

You might want to do a bit of research so you don't get sold a 'M sport' thats really an SE !

[Dino D]

vee said:

KingRichard said:

No, I meant the M sport, with the lush deep seats and aluminium trim, MV alloys etc... unless these are just options I need to look for

Cheers for the reply anyway

Strictly speaking it's a 'Sport' unless its one of the new 3 series (impossible as the coupe isn't out yet and certainly won't be £15k).
Owners of old 'sport' models are calling them 'M sport' because that's what BMW now calls its sport versions. They're also selling the SE version as a 'sport'.

A 'sport' includes 'lush' sports seats, aluminium cube interior trim, MV spoke alloys, m-tech bodykit and various other 'm' bits such are door sills & gear knob (on manual). Note that the original wheels are wider rear (255) than the front (225).

Like I say, they're not rare, there are thousands of them around.

You might want to do a bit of research so you don't get sold a 'M sport' thats really an SE !

What he said. See my profile. My saloon is a sport but it has M badges on the sterring, gearknob and door sills but it is not called 'M' sport, just sport. It has the 18 alloys (wider at rear), Sport seats, bassy sport exhaust, rock hard suspension etc. I have the BMW Brochure for the coupe and in there is simply called sport. There are loads of these cars in the South East, especially Kent and Surrey where they seem to be popular sugar mommies who are tired of the Rangie. You certainly don't need to go to Scotland for a car as common as 3 series sport.

These are fantastic cars but I went for the saloon. I've had coupes in the past but it so nice to have rear doors-easier to hook the suit jacket up and shorter doors for easy opening.
Plus saloon is not percieved as 'posh' as coupe?

Defo go for the 330i. The D is great but you if not so concerned with economy its worth it. I get fantastic consumption 30+ on motorway runs. Worst consumption ever was 20mpg over 130 miles of absolutely foot flat driving, bouncing off the limiter in most gears whilst trying to keep up with a 911 turbo!Overall consumption for 4k miles has been 25,9mpg and I generally drive it hard. The D may have torque but I have always lausted after owning a BMW straight six...they just sound sooo good, especially through the Dartford tunnel wth loud pedal floored!

Go on the BMW website and have a dealer post you the brochure for the coupe to check all the specs. Better yet, if you are in Kent pop in to Coopers and look-they always have stock. For cheaper but decent cars check out Big Motor World near sevenoaks-they always have loads of stock. I don't know the website add but search for BMW 3 series in Kent and you will see some of there ads and link through to their site.

Good luck hunting!

[l33]

Go for it!!!
I have just got rid of my 225bhp Audi TT and moved to a 330ci Clubsport (practically the same as the M-Sport but BMW chavved it up a bit).
I love it.
The 6 cylinder engine is as sweet as a nut.
£50 of fuel is giving me about 370 miles, so economy aint too bad.
Mine is a 2002 model which I picked for £15k. Well worth the money IMHO.

Go for SATNAV, heated seats and the Harman Kardan sound system if you want a good resale further down the line.

GO FOR IT!!!

http://forum.bmwcarmagazine.com/forum

The link above is full of very helpful guys.

[Dino D]

l33 said:

£50 of fuel is giving me about 370 miles, so economy aint too bad.

How do you do that???
I think the best I have ever got is 360 miles on £54.

[vee]

Dino D said:

l33 said:

£50 of fuel is giving me about 370 miles, so economy aint too bad.

How do you do that???
I think the best I have ever got is 360 miles on £54.

Must be sitting on te motorway for a large proportion of the time.
My 330 manual gives 420 to a tank all motorway.
All driving around town results in 290.

IMO you have to do a LOT of mileage these days to recover the premium you pay for a diesel, and if you do that much then the car will depreciate like a stone leaving even less premium between the petrol and diesel.

I ran the numbers for myself based on 20k business miles in a 3 year old 330d and 330i. Cost Difference came down to a few hundred pounds insurance.

[968ant]

I used to have a 330i club sport and I now have an m3 smg, in my opinion the club sport was the better all round car wether you are on the motorway or on a country lane it doesn't matter, it was the comfiest and I think best bmw I have ever owned. I have to agree to go for satnav,tv, harmon cardon if you can, but generally I just don't think you can go far wrong with a 330i whatever the variant.

Ant.

[nice noise]

If it's any help, I'm an IFA and I had a 330CI and it didn't cause me any problems with clients (either of them!). Great car, great engine. Just do it!

[Garrett]

I'd try test driving the 330ci and the 330d, the d has a very impressive torquey engine, see which you like best.

Don't test drive the Elise though, or you'll want to buy one!

[ScoobyD]

Go for it I say! I was very close to getting a 330d Sport saloon. Fantastic car. Great performance (especially with a remap!) and good mpg with it!

Thing is my heart's always wanted to own a 330 Sport convertible and I looked at one today I'm tempted to go for. There's no better way to appreciate that sweet straight 6 than with the roof down!

[baz1985]

Dan you get around!