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BMW 3-Series E90 2008-2010

  • 13-02-2018 9:34pm
    #1
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭


    I'm thinking to buy (most likely import from UK) a BMW E90 3 series. I'll be going for a 143bhp 2.0l Petrol Automatic for LPG Conversion here. I must get a model with a port injection engine to be suitable for LPG. I also plan to get a lower emissions 155g model for €370 annual Motor Tax.

    I've imported cars before so know my way around the UK in terms of this. Alot of people are telling me I'm mad to buy a Petrol but I've only ever heard complete horror stories about Diesel BMW's with timing chain's cracking and turbo's blowing etc. I'm afraid of a Diesel BMW to be honest and the Petrol models can get up to 40+ mpg on Petrol which is 70mpg on LPG equivalent. My mileage is also only around 10,000mls per year as I don't have a long commute and my company vehicle is always available for that. I have been driving an older BMW for the last decade and a half and I cannot fault it in terms of reliability and its Petrol engine was bullet proof.

    Basically What I'm thinking is to rinse and repeat for another decades motoring.

    Input please?


Comments

  • #2
    George Dalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,728 ✭✭✭George Dalton


    The 4 cylinder petrols engines are worse than the diesels in those E90s.


  • #3
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    Go for a 325i. If you are going LPG why not?


  • #4
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭Doltanian


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    Go for a 325i. If you are going LPG why not?

    Motor Tax, €1,200 a year in this leftwing hellhole of a country. If I was in the US or Dubai it would be what I'd be after and there would be no need for LPG either.

    I'm thinking that the fuel and tax savings will be offset by unreliability issues in any Diesel car as they are expensive to repair especially Diesel BMW's.

    I often spend less than €20 on fuel as my mileage is low and often my distances are low too which could lead to blocked DPF etc if I went Diesel.


  • #5
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    Doltanian wrote: »
    Motor Tax, €1,200 a year in this leftwing hellhole of a country. If I was in the US or Dubai it would be what I'd be after and there would be no need for LPG either.

    I'm thinking that the fuel and tax savings will be offset by unreliability issues in any Diesel car as they are expensive to repair especially Diesel BMW's.

    I often spend less than €20 on fuel as my mileage is low and often my distances are low too which could lead to blocked DPF etc if I went Diesel.

    I get ya, hoping to go myself and it will be a 550i I will be getting.


  • #6
    Wailin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,439 ✭✭✭Wailin


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    I get ya, hoping to go myself and it will be a 550i I will be getting.

    What year?


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  • #7
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    Wailin wrote: »
    What year?

    The 550i or when I hope to go? Looking at the dondeal equivalent in the ME an an early F10 550i or a C63 AMG are within reach. Long way to go yet and a few hoops to jump first though.


  • #8
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭Doltanian


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    I get ya, hoping to go myself and it will be a 550i I will be getting.

    Petrol is under 2dirham a litre in Al Qusais when I was in Dubai last Autumn. The citations and penalties are a pain in the ass, my friend there ran up nearly €2,000 equivalent in violations last year.


  • #9
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    Did Dubai, didn't like it. Looking at other sandy climes.


  • #10
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭Doltanian


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    Did Dubai, didn't like it. Looking at other sandy climes.

    Same as that, I'm a home buddy but I fly away several times per year, my current car was parked 12 weeks last year alone due to I being abroad so much and using the company vehicle but I still managed to get an additional 16,000kms on the clock.


  • #11
    Skylinehead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    Doltanian wrote: »
    Motor Tax, €1,200 a year in this leftwing hellhole of a country. If I was in the US or Dubai it would be what I'd be after and there would be no need for LPG either.

    I'm thinking that the fuel and tax savings will be offset by unreliability issues in any Diesel car as they are expensive to repair especially Diesel BMW's.

    I often spend less than €20 on fuel as my mileage is low and often my distances are low too which could lead to blocked DPF etc if I went Diesel.

    It's €1089 pre 2008 for a 325, and €570 post-2008.


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  • #12
    aerofoiled
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭aerofoiled


    Doltanian wrote: »
    Motor Tax, €1,200 a year in this leftwing hellhole of a country. If I was in the US or Dubai it would be what I'd be after and there would be no need for LPG either.

    I'm thinking that the fuel and tax savings will be offset by unreliability issues in any Diesel car as they are expensive to repair especially Diesel BMW's.

    I often spend less than €20 on fuel as my mileage is low and often my distances are low too which could lead to blocked DPF etc if I went Diesel.

    LCI 325i (with 3.0 six) is €570 per year and is a peach of a car. Getting an average of 34mpg out of mine.
    Given your relatively low mileage, how long would it take you to recoup the cost of the LPG installation?


  • #13
    Doltanian
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,201 ✭✭✭Doltanian


    aerofoiled wrote: »
    LCI 325i (with 3.0 six) is €570 per year and is a peach of a car. Getting an average of 34mpg out of mine.
    Given your relatively low mileage, how long would it take you to recoup the cost of the LPG installation?

    I'm driving LPG over the last five years which has seen me recoup the installation several times over since then. Within 9-10 months it paid for itself and as Petrol creeps back up again the recoup time would be lower. Petrol was 179.9c/litre at the time of my Conversion in 2012 in a 30mpg car it saw my costs cut dramatically and the conversion rapidly recouped.

    Insurance costs would be prohibitively expensive too on anything bigger, I'd expect.


  • #14
    landmarkjohn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭landmarkjohn


    George Dalton wrote: »
    The 4 cylinder petrols engines are worse than the diesels in those E90s.

    Would be inclined to disagree on N47 diesel V N46, N43 petrol.... no experience of diesel but it is well documented. We have 2 petrol E90 in family fleet, a 2006 and a 2008 for 5 years and 2 years respectively.

    If you get a petrol replace 4 X coil and spark plugs straight away. No doubt the coil packs are a consumable but there doesn't seem to be a maintenance schedule for them so they get left until they fail suddenly and then it's a PITA.

    Only other thing we had fail on 2 of these E90 is wheel speed sensor/reluctor ring, very common fault but shouldn't leave you stranded, just turn off DTC until you get it repaired.


  • #15
    Leonard Hofstadter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,541 ✭✭✭Leonard Hofstadter


    landmarkjohn wrote: »
    Would be inclined to disagree on N47 diesel V N46, N43 petrol.... no experience of diesel but it is well documented. We have 2 petrol E90 in family fleet, a 2006 and a 2008 for 5 years and 2 years respectively.

    If you get a petrol replace 4 X coil and spark plugs straight away. No doubt the coil packs are a consumable but there doesn't seem to be a maintenance schedule for them so they get left until they fail suddenly and then it's a PITA.

    Only other thing we had fail on 2 of these E90 is wheel speed sensor/reluctor ring, very common fault but shouldn't leave you stranded, just turn off DTC until you get it repaired.

    Didn't BMW do an injector recall on the direct injection stuff ages ago (as far back as 2010)?

    As far as I know they did for the N53 (six cylinder engine) and they're now supposed to be fine for reliability (well for a BMW anyway).


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