E46 Touring opinions

tc20

Hi all,

another candidate to replace our family car - this time the E46 Touring model.
The criteria are as follows - petrol (as annual mileage is under 10k miles), must be auto, and max budget of €5k.
It'll be bought with the idea of holding onto it for the forseeable, so reliability and reasonable running costs are to the fore over such niceities as leather and toys (though they would be a bonus but not essential)
I'd most likely be looking at the more basic models, 316/318 with the 1.8 or 1.9 engine, so i know the lesser variants do come with spartan trim.
Are the sport or m-tech kitted models overly harsh riding? I'd favour comfort over stiffer handling tbh.

here's two examples on DD at the moment, but would i be better sourcing one of these from owners clubs/marque specific websites for more pampered versions?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4356579

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4443792

all opinions/testimonials welcome
thanks

00833827

I'm led to believe the boot space is not great for an estate car

- thats all i can offer really, i never had or drove one.

tc20

yeah they're not huge load luggers, but we dont have that need. i've ruled an equivalent A4 out on the basis if their Multitronic systems having a bad rep (awaits flaming from owners of galatic milaged Avants )

Idbatterim

do you have to have the touring? go with the 2L engine 318 I reckon, make sure you have the car checked prior to purchase... what about the below op, its a cracking car and far superior car and engine to the 3 series with the 4 cylinders...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4674975

Ps the guy looking for E4950 for that is a joke 02 touring is deluded. You have to put it up at E2950 to have any chance of shifting it I reckon...

tc20

@ idbatterim - unfortunately with the E39 you linked, superior car and all that it is, tax and fuel on a 2.2 is out of the question.
I like the look of the E46 touring, truth be told i prefer the E30 touring, but they're getting rare - again i might check out the owner club sites for this.
The links i posted to the E46 ads were just purely as examples, the price is way ott, though mileage is relatively low for the year.

Idbatterim

@ idbatterim - unfortunately with the E39 you linked, superior car and all that it is, tax and fuel on a 2.2 is out of the question.
I like the look of the E46 touring, truth be told i prefer the E30 touring, but they're getting rare - again i might check out the owner club sites for this.
The links i posted to the E46 ads were just purely as examples, the price is way ott, though mileage is relatively low for the year.

often the bm's over 2L are priced higher due to the lower tax and this differential in price. Ill like to the this thread from yesterday, I had exactly the same issues with my old 1.9L engine, then the newer valvetronic engine can be fairly soft as has been well documented (and my brother has experienced first hand). I have driven a 520 and the 318's, the 520's are totally different league & to my knowledge, have less issues than the 3 series, for a start no subframe issues and the 6 cylinder engines are far less problematic... An lpg conversion might be an option on the 6 cylinders. What car are you driving now?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056896559

166man

That first touring you linked is frightfully overpriced.
I think you'd also be surprised at how small the difference in fuel economy between the E39 and E46 really is.

comanche_cor

tc20 wrote: »

@ idbatterim - unfortunately with the E39 you linked, superior car and all that it is, tax and fuel on a 2.2 is out of the question.

The 520 linked is a much nicer place to be - plus the difference in price would pay for the differences in tax for a good few years. Not sure about fuel - but I reckon the difference would not be that much, you will need to do the maths there yourself but will depend on mileage.

The 520 listed has no mileage on the ad, so it probably has big mileage. Not a problem once properly cared for. If it isn't (i.e. has the cooling system had an over hall?) then you could be looking at large bills ... the same goes for the 318s you were looking at. You are getting into older cars at this stage - judge each car on its condition.

The problem you will face is that estates are not that common on this island unfortunately so beggars cannot be choosers. IMO judge each car on its condition and do the over all maths on the cost of ownership..

tc20

@ idbatterim - ouch that sounds like a tale of woe in the thread you linked. i didn't think the BM 4cyls were prone to such failures. I recently moved on my W123 280 Merc - it had been a daily driver for nearly 5 years, but circumstances have changed, and so must the daily wheels. I'm currently sharing Mrs tc20s Micra, but the plan is to replace that as well with a reliable, fairly economical family box that we can run into the ground over the next 10 years. All that points towards going Japanese, and not that i have a problem with that (an 03-09 Avensis is most likely candidate at present) but i'm sniffing to see what else could fall into the category. I know a 4-pot BMW in paddy spec is a completely different bag to an Avensis, but then again i've been entertaining thoughts of a Prius as well as another option :eek: - never thought i'd hear myself say that i must admit...go on, shoot me now

@ 166man - yea the €5k touring is off the wall, i merely out it up as an example of what i'm looking for. I 've always fancied the E39, and have driven a few, but the running costs put it off the list i'm afraid. Were there any 4pot E39s? i didn't think there were, petrol i mean

166man

tc20 wrote: »

@ 166man - yea the €5k touring is off the wall, i merely out it up as an example of what i'm looking for. I 've always fancied the E39, and have driven a few, but the running costs put it off the list i'm afraid. Were there any 4pot E39s? i didn't think there were, petrol i mean

The extra tax on the 2.2 is an extra €200 a year on top of the 2.0 in the 318 and it's so worth that tbh. You'll pick up a nice E39 for peanuts these days so the lower price will pay the tax for a few years. Add in that it's a vastly superior car and it's a winner for me anyhow.

A 318 auto was never going to be economical and I can't imagine a 520i being a whole heap less economical. Do the maths yourself, I think you might be surprised.:)