Which BMW F31 Tourer

A

Austin

Member
 Huddersfield
So whilst grimly still trying to hold on to my MC, I still need to buy a practical wagon for the pending bundle of joy. After checking out various other vehicles I am back at BMW and looking between the 320D M Sport or the 330D M Sport Touring

Does anyone have experience of both engines, as my heart is saying 330D just for the the extra Bhp, but on paper there doesn't seem to be a huge amount in it, so would the 320D be sufficient with lower running costs. Then the final curve ball is should I go x-drive as I live on top of a mountain (well a small hill) in West Yorkshire.

Budget will be around £18k
 
330D is almost no compromise, 5.5 to 60 bags and bags of power and still easily get 50+ MPG.

The 320D is ok just lacks the get up and go especially with the extra weight of the touring and really its not that much more frugal when you are in the 50s anyway.

One of my best mates has one and im continuously impressed with it. I bought a clubman JCW because I didnt want to copy and I wanted something a bit different but the 330D is a better car, bigger, quicker and far more frugal. Struggle to get more than 30 out of the mini.

My main problem with 3 series is every man and his dog has one and the interiors are excellent but boring and a bit too grown up. Product of its own success. Excellent but everywhere.

Another thing to mention is that the gen 1 is a bit woolly compared to the gen 2. For the first time BMW caved and put softer suspension on the 3 and made it handle uncharacteristically of the 3 series before. They were bashed on launch for being a bit boat like, the facelift was improved but the E9X is still known to be a better handling car. Not that your likely to be thrashing an estate around.

Another thing to mention is that the adaptive suspension has the same issues as the Z in that they fail and cost a lot to replace.
 
Thanks Tom, another tick for my preferred option, I just need to get the wife past it not being manual.

We took a Clubman S out for a test drive at the weekend as that was our preferred choice and went straight to Mothercare to see if a pram would fit in the boot. Needless to say we are no longer looking at a Clubman and are now back at BMW, trying to avoid buying a Chelsea tractor.
 
We've had both engines in the same model vehicle - although it was an F25 X3 rather than a 3-series Touring, and both with the 8-speed auto box - my wife never wanted an automatic but she says now that she'd never go back to a manual for a daily driver.

The best way to describe the 20d is 'adequate', it has enough grunt to get you off the line and move you along at a fair clip, keeping up with town or motorway traffic is no problem although acceleration when overtaking (say 60-80mph) can be a bit lethargic if you don't use the kickdown. The mpg on the diesels seems to improve as the engines loosen up and we initially got around 48mpg on a run but this was up to around 54mpg by the time we got rid of it (both on a similar run to visit family in Yorkshire)

We changed our 20d after 2 years (c. 22k miles) and replaced it with a 30d - no matter what the specs say the difference is like chalk & cheese... economy is a bit worse, we've only seen around 44 mpg on a long run but we've just hit 10k miles and the mpg in the 20d improved noticeably from around the 15k mile mark.

Just drive both and you'll see which one suits you...

And I should add - the X3 beats a 3er Touring as a practical car....
 
Thanks Perry

Test drove a few variants at the weekend and like you say the 2.0 was 'adequate' and in all honesty, impressive for a 2.0, but the difference to the 3.0D is quite obvious in real terms. So decision made, I am now officially hunting for a 330 / 335 Tourer and the Z will go to a new home. :cry:
 
The 3.0 is the sweet spot really the 35 doesnt offer that much more apart from the type of buyer my spend a bit more on spec.
 
We bought a new 330d MSport X drive Auto Touring last year. It is an absolute joy to drive, one of my all time favourite cars and I have had a few. It is a big lazy engine with oodles of power. Ours is grey and the look is really understated. You should see the faces of the boy racers when you leave them at the lights. Easily does 50 to the gallon and 70 mph brings up only 1500 revs. Go on spoil yourself I don’t think you will regret it. The only downside is if you are buying new, with a few extras the price will exceed £40000 so you will end up paying extra tax for 5 years.
 
IRD said:
We bought a new 330d MSport X drive Auto Touring last year. It is an absolute joy to drive, one of my all time favourite cars and I have had a few. It is a big lazy engine with oodles of power. Ours is grey and the look is really understated. You should see the faces of the boy racers when you leave them at the lights. Easily does 50 to the gallon and 70 mph brings up only 1500 revs. Go on spoil yourself I don’t think you will regret it. The only downside is if you are buying new, with a few extras the price will exceed £40000 so you will end up paying extra tax for 5 years.
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I have to say I enjoyed the test drive that much it is softening the blow of losing the Z and like you said, its understated, but quick. We will be looking around 12-18 months old to avoid the initial big drop/. It will be either the 330/335 X-Drive Msport once the right one comes along.
 
Austin said:
IRD said:
We bought a new 330d MSport X drive Auto Touring last year. It is an absolute joy to drive, one of my all time favourite cars and I have had a few. It is a big lazy engine with oodles of power. Ours is grey and the look is really understated. You should see the faces of the boy racers when you leave them at the lights. Easily does 50 to the gallon and 70 mph brings up only 1500 revs. Go on spoil yourself I don’t think you will regret it. The only downside is if you are buying new, with a few extras the price will exceed £40000 so you will end up paying extra tax for 5 years.
Click to expand...

I have to say I enjoyed the test drive that much it is softening the blow of losing the Z and like you said, its understated, but quick. We will be looking around 12-18 months old to avoid the initial big drop/. It will be either the 330/335 X-Drive Msport once the right one comes along.
Click to expand...
We were very lucky with the deal we got. Like you we started by looking at year old vehicles. Then we discovered BMW were giving big discounts on new cars. In addition if you took out any finance they would give you £5000, even if you paid it back after one month. So you only paid the interest. In the end we got £10000 off the price of a new car so it was a no brainer good luck with your search.
 
Great news OP - my BMW Indy told me years back to avoid any BMW with less than 6 cylinders!

So when I bought an E91 Touring earlier this year I found a 325i as I just don't do enough miles to justify a diesel.

But a 330d should at least provide you with some entertainment after your Z. :)
 
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