BMW 330e

It only has a four cylinder engine, that's a reason not to buy one over the 330d. In the real world I bet the 330d will do more mpg for most drivers. I'm also sceptical that for long distance drivers it will be any more economical than the 330i (which also sadly has only a piddly little four cylinder engine these days).

That said, if it was well priced, it is a credible alternative to the 320d for low mileage buyers. For low mileage and mostly urban motorists, this car could work, especially for people who do short distance driving - they should be able to get very good mpg (though of course I wouldn't expect them to get 140 odd mpg as claimed).

What is the price of a 330e? I had a look on BMW's site and the model isn't listed (or at least I couldn't find it).

The 330d is the model to go for in the 3 series, sensible motor tax (only €270 a year), a proper silky smooth six cylinder engine and a shedload of performance. It's not expensive at all for the performance (and engine) you're getting, the premium they charge for the 530d over a 520d is a heck of a lot higher than the one charged for a 330d over a 320d.

carsfan wrote: »

Its on the January 2016 price list pdf on the website not on the configurator yet.from memory price ranges from about 41k for se up to 45 for m sport.

Finally managed to track it down!

I think I'm going to have to eat my words somewhat about it not rating besides a 330d, €45k for an M Sport is an absolute steal! A 318d M Sport auto (and I'm sorry but if you're buying a diesel then it simply has to be automatic) is almost €4,000 dearer but only has 148 bhp to this car's 248 bhp. A 330d M Sport is almost €12k dearer than a 330e M Sport, that's a LOT of money for the same model just different engine, though a 330d is a fair bit faster than a 330e. On the petrol side of things a 330e is a fraction cheaper than even a 320i with a manual gearbox is about €7,000 cheaper than a 330i.

If you were interested in the SE model, then it gets better, because a 330e SE is actually cheaper than even the 316d SE automatic!

At those prices there's an awful lot to like about it, assuming it drives as well (or almost as well) as the standard car, the thing about plug in hybrids is they tend to be very heavy so it's likely that the car doesn't handle or ride as well as the standard 330i or 330d.

Four cylinder engine or not, it deserves serious consideration for anyone buying a 3 series, you're getting something with a lot more power than a conventional petrol or diesel 3 series for the same money and lower car tax, and if you use it right, far better mpg also. Plus, it may not be a six cylinder but it's still going to be far more refined than a 320d or other four pot diesel.

It's something of a bargain at those prices and the €170 motor tax will ensure plenty of demand for it second-hand also. It will be fascinating to see how many people buy it, it could sell very well at those prices even in conservative Ireland, you'd have to assume people spending over €40k on their new car are more clued in than the average buyer who just wants whatever has the lowest list price and ticks the relevant low car tax and diesel boxes.

carsfan wrote: »

On paper it looks like a good buy compared to regular 3 series but I would like to drive it to see what the real world experience is.
I wouldn't expect it to be as good as a 330d but it is substantially cheaper.

I've no doubt it's not as good as a 330d, the six cylinder engine makes a huge difference plus the 330e is very heavy (1735 kg unladen vs 1525 kg for a 320d auto and even the 330d auto is 1615 kg) and thus may not quite be the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' to drive either, however the €12k saving simply cannot be ignored. The 330d is definitely better but I wonder if it's €12k better? Probably not I suspect . I'd certainly take the 330e over any of the four cylinder diesels in the range, sure it's cheaper than an equivalent 316d automatic and that only has 114 bhp! I think I'd have it over the petrols as well, well I'm certainly not going to buy a 3 series with a three cylinder engine while the 330e is actually slightly cheaper than even a manual 320i and a lot cheaper than the 330i. The 340i is definitely the best 3 series petrol (only non-M model with a straight six) but sadly it doesn't make sense in a country like Ireland.

mickdw wrote: »

Tempting option to be honest.
Any 5 series version? So much nicer than the typical 20d
Im stunned at the pricing of that.
Maybe now is the time. Government grants and no serious taxes on electricity yet.

No, but I would expect there will be when the G30 comes out at the end of the year.

Worth noting that the X5 xDrive40e is cheaper than the X5 xDrive25d, and only a small bit more expensive than the sDrive25d M Sport (due to the quirks of our VRT system, the sDrive25d SE is a lot cheaper than any other model as it is in VRT band B, whereas the sDrive25d M Sport and all xDrive25ds are in band C).

Compared to an xDrive40d the xDrive40e is almost €15k cheaper, and even compared to the xDrive30d, it is about €10k cheaper.

carsfan wrote: »

VRT really is a curse alright and skews the prices when one model jumps into the next band. Can't see it changing anytime soon however.
The rebates on the 330e however are what make it a bargain(relative I know still a 40k+ car) but I wonder about resale in a few years.
Will the tech be old hat by then or will plug in hybrids be the norm by then and so more common?

I'm just doing some quick sums. I'm doing about 1000 miles per month on petrol, short runs mostly. I figure if I could get 20 miles each day on EV only, that would wipe out over half my current petrol costs with an esb cost of only 22 quid per month.
The problem with that Is I wouldnt get anywhere on EV only as I'm pretty sure I would be calling on engine and battery for performance most of the time.
It would need an extended test drive to see if it's a runner tbh.

While the price looks great and the headline figures for 0-60 look equally as impressive I would imagine the extra 200 kgs or so of weight would make a big difference to driving dynamics.
Another big issue I see is that the vast majority of 3 series drivers are company car drivers and have little or no interest in fuel economy figures as we don't pay for our petrol or diesel. Another negative is three hours recharge time and a max range well short of a regular 3 series.
I drive a 520D company car and it's a nice place to sit but it's dull as dishwater so I'm looking for something a bit more fun and faster so when I saw the price of the 330e and the performance figures I was very interested but after 10 minutes research I've lost interest again.

This is an interesting car indeed. The OTR price is basically €52,000 for the M-Sport model, the SEAI grant and VRT relief bring it down to €45,000.

This kind of car would actually suit me perfectly, my average trip is probably 5-10 miles tops and I waste about €60 a week on frig all miles; I could eliminate fuel bills completely.

I'd have €5000 a year in saved fuel and tax to stick towards repayments, certainly an option.

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I'm down at the dealer on Wednesday, gonna make some inquiries. I specced one up there to the €53k mark and its a very tasty vehicle. Dunno if I could live with the size of a 3, but they're bigger than ever these days.

How did you spec it up? I can see it in the price list but not the configurator.

Just did the maths one one.

Specced up to €51,000 OTR.

- Deposit of €15,240.
- 36 monthly payments of €470 (which turn into €54 payments when you consider my current €5000 tax and fuel bill)
- Trade up after 3 years for a new model or different model entirely
- Or €22,000 takes it home

I'd be charging at work and yes, assuming zero petrol. Can't see it being more than a few hundred for petrol to be honest, per year.

Can also knock off a further €1000 a year for tyres, servicing and NCTing my current yoke.

AND way cheaper insurance, probably €500 a year less.

Well I suppose I can't comment on the petrol usage as I haven't lived with one yet. But 90% of my annual mileage takes place within a 5 mile radius and i'd only do 100-150 miles a week. A daily charge would have me running petrol free nearly all year round.

Plus, my driving is about to come less again when I move house, i'll be less than 2 miles from work.

That's good news about the handling. Apparently adaptive dampers aren't an option which makes sense somewhat considering the weight.