320d with 100k miles a bad idea?

JimmyCrackCorn

Been looking at 320Ds as an alternative to Mondeo

Are they a good alternative to a Mondeo planning on running it for 4 years at @ 10-15k miles a year.

bazz26

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Been looking at 320Ds as an alternative to Mondeo

Are they a good alternative to a Mondeo planning on running it for 4 years at @ 10-15k miles a year.

Both cars are well capable of this mileage and beyond if properly maintained. At that mileage though components begin to come to the natural end of their life and need replacing. When you take into account the total cost of ownership which includes purchase price, parts, servicing, etc I'd imagine the Mondeo would have a lower cost of ownership over the 3 Series.

Eoin

There could be some big service items that will needed soon. Coolant system, clutch, DMF etc all needed to be done on my old one at about 105K or so.

JimmyCrackCorn

Yep looks like ill stick with the 75k mile Mondeo rather than a budget stretcher high mileage BMW or a Accord.

Barr

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Been looking at 320Ds as an alternative to Mondeo

Are they a good alternative to a Mondeo planning on running it for 4 years at @ 10-15k miles a year.

What year is it ?

bmw535d

The BMW may be more expensive. But Christ wouldn't you rather pay more to drive a BMW than a ford?

EPM

bmw535d wrote: »

The BMW may be more expensive. But Christ wouldn't you rather pay more to drive a BMW than a ford?

Oh dear...not a bog standard 3 series no...

mickdw

BMW .... dmf, manifold, cat, turbo, swirl flap destroying engine. All seem to happen at between 120 & 150k miles

Eoin

bmw535d wrote: »

The BMW may be more expensive. But Christ wouldn't you rather pay more to drive a BMW than a ford?

It's these sweeping statements that don't really help the reputation of BMW owners. One of the recent Mondeos (the one the Jag X-Type is based on) was pretty much a class topper and a definite contender.

bmw535d

mickdw wrote: »

BMW .... dmf, manifold, cat, turbo, swirl flap destroying engine. All seem to happen at between 120 & 150k miles

apart from swirl flap failure, all those things can break in any car and all usually do around that millage, thats the usual life of these parts in modern diesel's. swirl flaps cost 88stg to sort out if you take them out before they break. some dealers are now even doing this as good will.

mickdw

bmw535d wrote: »

apart from swirl flap failure, all those things can break in any car and all usually do around that millage, thats the usual life of these parts in modern diesel's. swirl flaps cost 88stg to sort out if you take them out before they break. some dealers are now even doing this as good will.

Its just with the bmws, its like flicking a switch when you hit that mileage. everything seems to fail & they prove very uneconomical to run. The manifolds are a common failure on the bmw more than any other car. The swirl flaps can be blanked off(Ive seen the blanks for £6 each) but that only makes the issue more annoying when someone ends up with a scrap engine because they most likely never knew anything about swirl flaps.

bmw535d

mickdw wrote: »

Its just with the bmws, its like flicking a switch when you hit that mileage. everything seems to fail & they prove very uneconomical to run. The manifolds are a common failure on the bmw more than any other car. The swirl flaps can be blanked off(Ive seen the blanks for £6 each) but that only makes the issue more annoying when someone ends up with a scrap engine because they most likely never knew anything about swirl flaps.

seriously every other car never has any problems..its just with BMW, they must program everything to fail so that you go buy a new one,thus they make more money, you've worked it all out only BMW's dude.and 6 pound blanking caps annoy you because people's engines fail.jeez

back to my main point.unless its an st mondeo or something they dont come close to a nice msport 320d or 330d,apart from 316i's and 318i's anything is better than them lol

coolbeans

mickdw wrote: »

Its just with the bmws, its like flicking a switch when you hit that mileage. everything seems to fail & they prove very uneconomical to run. The manifolds are a common failure on the bmw more than any other car. The swirl flaps can be blanked off(Ive seen the blanks for £6 each) but that only makes the issue more annoying when someone ends up with a scrap engine because they most likely never knew anything about swirl flaps.

Gotta say I agree with you there Mick. Both of my mechanics say the same thing, they just seem to die unless you put serious bucks into them. There's a 320d outside with 117,000 miles on it and even though it's been very well serviced there are terminal noises coming from the big end. I hear it all the time from mechanics, there's just no lasting in the diesels in particular unless they are cosseted like a baby and even then I'd still be worried. Lovely car to drive though. Among the best which probably makes it worth it...to some.

JimmyCrackCorn

Ok so being scared off a little here was going to up the budget and aim for 70-80k miles 320d.

I'm aware of issues like

• Swirl flaps
• turbo failures (im convinced its the silly service intervals)
• Breather getting blocked

Big end failure is scary cant find any other history of big end issues.

I was thinking of a 320d se with leather or ill retro fit leather if not present

Most of the servicing and diagnostics i can do myself anyway saving me the 140 an hour. Im getting mixed reports of them being fine to will instantly die at 100k.

bladespin

bmw535d wrote: »

The BMW may be more expensive. But Christ wouldn't you rather pay more to drive a BMW than a ford?

No, of course not, what would be the point of that?

Cionád

bladespin wrote: »

No, of course not, what would be the point of that?

This guy sees the point...

djimi

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Yep looks like ill stick with the 75k mile Mondeo rather than a budget stretcher high mileage BMW or a Accord.

I think if it were me Id go with the Accord tbh!

whosaid

Is it all 320d's that give
this trouble with the swirl flaps and turbo or just the older models? Was looking at a 05, might stay clear if these problems havnt been sorted.

Eoin

whosaid wrote: »

Is it all 320d's that give
this trouble with the swirl flaps and turbo or just the older models? Was looking at a 05, might stay clear if these problems havnt been sorted.

It was primarily the 02-04 version I think. The earlier 136bhp was OK, and the 150bhp version was updated at the end of 04.

bmw535d

eoin wrote: »

It was primarily the 02-04 version I think. The earlier 136bhp was OK, and the 150bhp version was updated at the end of 04.

+1

JimmyCrackCorn

Can someone confirm That the 05 update of the 320d had the turbo issues and flaps issues resolved?

Also how do i verify its an 05 and not a late registered model.

Been offered an 83k mile 05 320d M at 8k ish

Very tempted

macjohn

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Can someone confirm That the 05 update of the 320d had the turbo issues and flaps issues resolved?

Also how do i verify its an 05 and not a late registered model.

Been offered an 83k mile 05 320d M at 8k ish

Very tempted

they changed to the new model (new shape) on 05. It moved from the e46 model to the e90 model (very similiar to the new ones that are being sold other than a mid life facelift)
Pictures of e46 -
http://www.google.ie/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&gs_rfai=&q=picture%20of%20e46%20salloon

pictures of e90 - http://www.google.ie/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=picture+of+e90+saloon&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=&gs_rfai=

at 8k ish (ish ?????) more likely to be the older e46 model.
but if it is a full m sport great car and probably better than a basic spec e90.
Lot of enthusiasts prefer the e46, put at this stage I would prefer to get the e90 rather than the older model if you are just getting into bmw

edit: its was the e46 150bhp that had turbo problems, it you get a e46 just make sure the crankcase breather valve is changed.

L-M

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

Can someone confirm That the 05 update of the 320d had the turbo issues and flaps issues resolved?

Someone asked the same thing on bmw-driver.net recently enough, I don't think they got a straight answer though.

I had a 320d with 101k miles on it for the last two days. It was the basic spec, with a sunroof. Lovely car to drive, plenty of power in 3rd and 4th. Bit smokey on a start up with a rough idle, but one tap of the accelerator and that was gone.

And with reference to the Mondeo vs. 320d comments (and I know the way boardsies are), but by christ I wouldn't pick a diesel 01-06 Mondeo over any other car, especially not a 320d, irrelevant to the spec. Horrible cars with that genuinely 'Ford, analog clock' feel about them.

macjohn

I missed the word "update"

The e90 hasn't suffered any of the turbo problems associated with the e46 model (reference bmwland - a uk site, if looking at it note that it seems to be less of an enthusiasts site and more people with problems)

Also OP - from your original post, would you be closer to 10k a year or 15k? (large range). Some claims that big diesel engines are not suitable for small mileage and pottering around is what causes build up in engines and turbos etc to go (for all high hp diesel engines, not just bmws) They are more suited for longer spins. 10k probably a bit low in fairness to jutify a diesel engine.

JimmyCrackCorn

Its an 05 e46

Iv googled and found the turbo was updated in 2003 but no hard source on the information.

The daft service intervals on these cars is a little scary. Turbo bearings really dont like bad oil.

ANSWER:
http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f3/bmw-e46-diesel-info-including-swirl-flaps-t5537/