BMW 520d to 330d, silly idea?

carsfan

Hi,
currently drive 2010 Bmw 520d auto(F10) which is a great car but a little boring as I have always enjoyed and been into cars
I don't really need the space of a 5series and am half thinking of changing next year to a new BMW 330d m sport auto as I think it would still be economical but more fun.
My query is would this be a disaster in a few years from a residual point of view?
When I got the 5 series there were very few around but now the world and his mother have one.
I think I can get a reasonable trade in as the dealers have told me they are quite sought after and they are keen to do business.
My other idea was to get a used 530d from the UK but this is still a big car.
What ar peoples opinions of this.


Please don't reply and tell me how stupid I am to be spending money changing cars etc as I know all this and also before anyone suggests it as they invariably do here , I have already driven the Skoda Superb!
It is a great car but not for me as don't need the space.

ian87

If you don't need the space and your a keen driver it's a no brainer.. Would you go the whole hog and get a 335d?

marcl

+1 on the 335d

TheBazman

Some great value on 335ds out there. That's what I'd definitely go for.

Leonard Hofstadter

marcl wrote: »

+1 on the 335d

335d is not available in the new F30 model, which presumably given that the OP has an F10, would be thinking of changing to.

OP, why not the new F30 ActiveHybrid3, has 340 bhp, has a straight six petrol and is in VRT band B, like the F30 330d?

ian87

A 335d might come available by next year when OP intends to change maybe? In the market for a 320d coupe myself, was offered a 335d instead by BMW dealer.. If only!
Would an active hybrid not turn be hit on residuals worse than a 330d?! Like its not going to be a daysul lad is it? Haha

Leonard Hofstadter

ian87 wrote: »

A 335d might come available by next year when OP intends to change maybe? In the market for a 320d coupe myself, was offered a 335d instead by BMW dealer.. If only!
Would an active hybrid not turn be hit on residuals worse than a 330d?! Like its not going to be a daysul lad is it? Haha

Yeah I suppose you'd be right about residuals on the hybrid, it's worth thinking about though all the same, I like the idea of a straight six petrol BMW that does a claimed 48 mpg very much, especially when there is 340 bhp under the bonnet:pac:! Also the hybrid is in band B for tax (€225 a year), a 335d is in band F, I can't see how a 335d would be more desirable than that even allowing for the Irish obsession with low car tax, although considering that the F30 330d is also in band B, that would obviously be more desirable second hand.

According to a good few internet forums, BMW are not making an F30 335d - the hybrid is the replacement for that car.

ian87

I don't know, hybrid just never sounds right to me.. Anyway the OP wanted to know about a 330ds residuals.. It would never be as strong as an f10 520d but wouldn't the trade off of having something different be worth it?
If I was in the position to be buying new i would go with the 330d and debadge it. A real sleeper of a car which would be worth every extra euro!

Leonard Hofstadter

ian87 wrote: »

I don't know, hybrid just never sounds right to me.. Anyway the OP wanted to know about a 330ds residuals.. It would never be as strong as an f10 520d but wouldn't the trade off of having something different be worth it?
If I was in the position to be buying new i would go with the 330d and debadge it. A real sleeper of a car which would be worth every extra euro!

I think if I was going for a fast 3 series, I'd go for the 335i myself if I was looking at the E90 generation.

Another point worth noting regarding the 330d is all LCI models use the disasterous N57 engine, which has the same dreaded timing chain problem that affects all 316d/318d/320d from September 2007 onwards. All 335ds have the older M57 engine, which does not have this problem:)! The 325d also does not have this problem until 2010 as it used the M57 engine until that point.

carsfan

I would be looking at the f30 model.
I test drove a 320d sport auto f30 today and thought it was pretty good, quicker than my car,grippier with better handling.
If you spec up a 320d to the same as a 520d it is more expensive which is a bit daft. The 330d comes with a higher spec including metallic and sport auto boxas standard making the purchase about 4000euro more than 320d. This does not seem too much for a smoother much quicker car.
The 3 series is obviously smaller and the interior doesn't feel as plush as the 5 with some of the fittings a bit low rent for the price.
Road tax at the moment is the same as the 520d and officially fuel consumption should not be far off it.
I would tend to change cars every two to three years as get bored with them.
Would have thought a nice 330d would be worth ok money still by then?

bazz26

Would a Jaguar XF be in budget?

166man

bazz26 wrote: »

Would a Jaguar XF be in budget?

I think the XF has aged really badly, even though I was very impressed when it came out.

carsfan

Not really interested in Jag XF.
looked at them before I bought 5 series. Don't really want another 5/ E class /Audi A6 type car.
I feel I don't need the space a full size exec. gives hence thinking of going from 5 to 3 series.

Leonard Hofstadter

carsfan wrote: »

I would be looking at the f30 model.
I test drove a 320d sport auto f30 today and thought it was pretty good, quicker than my car,grippier with better handling.
If you spec up a 320d to the same as a 520d it is more expensive which is a bit daft. The 330d comes with a higher spec including metallic and sport auto boxas standard making the purchase about 4000euro more than 320d. This does not seem too much for a smoother much quicker car.
The 3 series is obviously smaller and the interior doesn't feel as plush as the 5 with some of the fittings a bit low rent for the price.
Road tax at the moment is the same as the 520d and officially fuel consumption should not be far off it.
I would tend to change cars every two to three years as get bored with them.
Would have thought a nice 330d would be worth ok money still by then?

I'd say go for it, it's a relatively small amount for a much better and more interesting car. The premium for the 330d over the 320d is a lot smaller than the premium for the 530d over the 520d. Everyone will have the four cylinder model, they're not the same at all as the sixes:). I was going to say the ActiveHybrid3, but it's not worth the extra 10 grand - especially when it will be harder to sell on.

I'd also be going for the M Sport and getting the adaptive suspension option, along with the full black panel display, visibility pack (xenons, adaptive lights and headlight washers), reversing camera, PDC and lumbar support for driver and passenger.

Pdfile

get the 3 but make sure you get the sports pack if available, cause you know she might be a diesel but their nippy enough :cool:

carsfan

would def go m sport if buying and vis pack as have this on current car and is well worth it.
It is very easy to get carried away ticking option boxes however.
saw a couple of new model 3 series today on the road and not sure they looked that good esp not sure worth the money?

bazz26

Not gone on the F30 styling myself either, doubt I will be upgrading my E90 to one. The F10 seems better value to me if size is not an issue.

Leonard Hofstadter

bazz26 wrote: »

Not gone on the F30 styling myself either, doubt I will be upgrading my E90 to one. The F10 seems better value to me if size is not an issue.

I think it looks great in Sport or especially M Sport spec. For me these specs are a lot nicer looking than even the M Sport E90.

The F10 530d is at least €13,000 more expensive than the F10 520d (the M Sports are actually €15,000 more expensive because the M Sport models are in band C whereas the SE 530ds are in band B like the 520d SE).

By comparison, the F30 330d is only about €5,000 more than the F30 320d (when you add in the metallic paint and sports automatic gearbox, which the 330d has as standard), which is why I think the 330d is a really smart buy - it's well worth that kind of money for the all important extra two cylinders:)! It costs more to go from a 520d to a 525d than it does to go from a 320d to a 330d - and a 525d only has four cylinders nowadays as well.

The biggest drawback of the F30 for me is the fact that you have to go to a 330d before you can have six cylinders, at least with the E90 six cylinders started when you got to the 325 models. I know it's a sign of the times, but I really don't like this shift towards four cylinder models with BMW - God be with the days when a lowly 320i and 520i had six cylinders!