Discussion
You would notice a difference in three areas:
The 330d is usefully quicker and less noticeably a turbo. It's not so much the amount of performance as the effortlessness of it.
The 330d sounds much, much better. The 330d has a different tone to a BMW petrol six but is still far from unpleasant.
You will notice it at the pumps. The 320d is at least 20% more economical. I used to get about 35mpg out of my 330d auto Touring. On the bright side it doesn't really drop that much even when you have been "enthusiastic"!
The 330d is usefully quicker and less noticeably a turbo. It's not so much the amount of performance as the effortlessness of it.
The 330d sounds much, much better. The 330d has a different tone to a BMW petrol six but is still far from unpleasant.
You will notice it at the pumps. The 320d is at least 20% more economical. I used to get about 35mpg out of my 330d auto Touring. On the bright side it doesn't really drop that much even when you have been "enthusiastic"!
3.0 manual 3.0 manual 3.0 manual! I've read the auto really ruins the 3.0ds fuel economy.
I think I remember Autocar magazine said the 320d was 'the best real world car you can buy'. Don't believe them unless you wish to be extremely disappointed as I was.
I drove a fully specced 150hp facelift touring version of a 320d for a couple of hours and did not really like it at all. Just felt like a boring rental car to me, which, as now the most popular 3-series model, it probably is.
Recently I have concluded that as said above, "there is no replacement for displacement". The old largeish turbo diesels are much more enjoyable than the newest small but high power diesels. They may make plenty of torque and nice hp figures, but at the end of the day drive no better (and always more noisily) than a similar capacity petrol.
A 2.0 four cylinder 3-series?
I wrote a review on one of the best diesels around, the Golf GTi 150 if you care to bore yourself with it: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=86&h=&t=120757
Russ
I think I remember Autocar magazine said the 320d was 'the best real world car you can buy'. Don't believe them unless you wish to be extremely disappointed as I was.
I drove a fully specced 150hp facelift touring version of a 320d for a couple of hours and did not really like it at all. Just felt like a boring rental car to me, which, as now the most popular 3-series model, it probably is.
Recently I have concluded that as said above, "there is no replacement for displacement". The old largeish turbo diesels are much more enjoyable than the newest small but high power diesels. They may make plenty of torque and nice hp figures, but at the end of the day drive no better (and always more noisily) than a similar capacity petrol.
A 2.0 four cylinder 3-series?
I wrote a review on one of the best diesels around, the Golf GTi 150 if you care to bore yourself with it: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=86&h=&t=120757
Russ
Thanks for that..I bought a 320d on saturday (sorry russ). We took it for a good thrash about for a bit, lots of different roads and it certinaly has enough entertainment to keep me interested through the winter.
I've spent a lot of time in a 2001 330 estate and to be honest the 320 does not feel very much slower, in real word conditions it will be an interesting change.
If I find I'm getting a little bored with it then I'll get it chipped, are the wire in yourself versions undetectable if removed? (if that makes sense, I mean can the bmw diagnostics see if they have been in there??).
I'll then move to a 330d if I like the whole BMW thing.
The other reason for the 320d was the fact that a 330d coupe was a lot more and there are few second hand ones about at the moment.
Thanks for comments so far.
D
I've spent a lot of time in a 2001 330 estate and to be honest the 320 does not feel very much slower, in real word conditions it will be an interesting change.
If I find I'm getting a little bored with it then I'll get it chipped, are the wire in yourself versions undetectable if removed? (if that makes sense, I mean can the bmw diagnostics see if they have been in there??).
I'll then move to a 330d if I like the whole BMW thing.
The other reason for the 320d was the fact that a 330d coupe was a lot more and there are few second hand ones about at the moment.
Thanks for comments so far.
D
Yeah nobody wants to sell their 330d Coupe !!
The 3.0d with tuning box - oh my goodness that would be good......... never mind !! 320 RULES
Pentoman? I used to have a 130 BHP golf GT TDi
I had a tuning box on it
Fast
but handling SUCKED... Ford Focus was ALOT better to drive....... suspension rolled.... golf was terrible
>> Edited by chris_freebie on Monday 13th September 19:09
The 3.0d with tuning box - oh my goodness that would be good......... never mind !! 320 RULES
Pentoman? I used to have a 130 BHP golf GT TDi
I had a tuning box on it
Fast
but handling SUCKED... Ford Focus was ALOT better to drive....... suspension rolled.... golf was terrible
>> Edited by chris_freebie on Monday 13th September 19:09
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