[no golf clubs]

Ok, last September I picked up a 2009 (59) E92 330D Highline auto, Titanium Silver, with Professional Nav, full leather and electric seats, mirrors, BMW online etc.

Love the car, but I now due to work commitments do not do anything other than a daily commute of 12 miles round trip. I have already experienced issues where the fan is not consistently blowing, BMW say that the car is not getting a full charge and needs longer journeys.

I am not sure if this is piffle or not, I have also experienced one of the infamous cracked alloys and had a fight with them to replace the tyre (which I am sure they screwed up taking it off the rim).

The car is due an MOT in September and Road tax at £170 is due at the end of this month. Fairly sure that a time and distance service will be forthcoming soon. I would also be considering extending BMWs warranty or a third party too.

Concerned about the journeys I do and potential issue with turbos, swirlflaps or whatever.

Ok, with the above in mind I can move to a 318i Msport plus Coupe, Brand New preregistered in June 2012. º 19" M Double Spoke light alloy wheels

º Dakota leather upholstery
º Exterior mirror caps in Black
º BMW Business Media Pack
> Bluetooth telephone prep
> BMW Business Advanced Navigation
> USB Audio Interface
> Voice Control
º M rear spolier
º Rear bumper with high performance diffuser

Basically I can change cars for just about the same monthly I am on at present.

Things I would miss.
1) Auto
2) Big Nav Screen
3) Power POWER POWER
4) ecomomies of diesel on long journeys (which I dont do much now).

AM I totally insane to change?

I like the idea of a full 3year warranty AND I like the idea of 2 years servicing thrown in, have to say the peace of mind and a new car is making me really consider it.....

What would you do?

Stick or Flick?

[dxb335d]

No chance would I change a 330d for a gutless 318i. You are BONKERS even considering it.

Just slap a warranty on yours,

[Hotcoupe]

Your biggest problem will be the DPF,with a journey of 6mls in the morning and 6mls in the evening it's doubtful whether you'll ever get the DPF to regenerate,which in time will cause a problem with it possibly failing prematurely.

I'm not sure I'd chop to a 318i though,but certainly a petrol car would be far better in your circumstances.

[xenon]

dxb335d believes power is everything so he would only ever give you one answer. The 318 is not really "gutless" at 143bhp - I can remember when the Astra GTE 16v (which the Daily Mail called "irresponsibly powerful" had less than that, so it's all relative.

However, I agree in this case - I wouldn't swap either.

incidentally - I do a similar (low) mileage in mine and I've thought about the DPF but then thought "who gives a shit, it's under warranty".

[dxb335d]

Astra GTE weighed what...?! 950kg.... A 318i is over 1500kg...

[snoopin]

Originally Posted by no golf clubs

Ok, last September I picked up a 2009 (59) E92 330D Highline auto, Titanium Silver, with Professional Nav, full leather and electric seats, mirrors, BMW online etc.

Love the car, but I now due to work commitments do not do anything other than a daily commute of 12 miles round trip. I have already experienced issues where the fan is not consistently blowing, BMW say that the car is not getting a full charge and needs longer journeys.

I am not sure if this is piffle or not, I have also experienced one of the infamous cracked alloys and had a fight with them to replace the tyre (which I am sure they screwed up taking it off the rim).

The car is due an MOT in September and Road tax at £170 is due at the end of this month. Fairly sure that a time and distance service will be forthcoming soon. I would also be considering extending BMWs warranty or a third party too.

Concerned about the journeys I do and potential issue with turbos, swirlflaps or whatever.

Ok, with the above in mind I can move to a 318i Msport plus Coupe, Brand New preregistered in June 2012. º 19" M Double Spoke light alloy wheels

º Dakota leather upholstery
º Exterior mirror caps in Black
º BMW Business Media Pack
> Bluetooth telephone prep
> BMW Business Advanced Navigation
> USB Audio Interface
> Voice Control
º M rear spolier
º Rear bumper with high performance diffuser

Basically I can change cars for just about the same monthly I am on at present.

Things I would miss.
1) Auto
2) Big Nav Screen
3) Power POWER POWER
4) ecomomies of diesel on long journeys (which I dont do much now).

AM I totally insane to change?

I like the idea of a full 3year warranty AND I like the idea of 2 years servicing thrown in, have to say the peace of mind and a new car is making me really consider it.....

What would you do?

Stick or Flick?

swap it....

think new car...... think 3 year warranty..... think cheap car tax.... think b@ll@cks to all the 318i haters..

[shrink]

how about something in between like a 325i.

My 325i is surprisingly economical on shorter journeys (certainly no worse than a 330D) and doesnt have the same issues with lots of short journeys.

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by xenon

incidentally - I do a similar (low) mileage in mine and I've thought about the DPF but then thought "who gives a shit, it's under warranty".

Not if you are running a BMW Extended Warranty beyond 3 years old

[no golf clubs]

Thanks guys

I think to be honest I may well swap, new is good in my book and I am not in any position these days to get the best out of the 330D.

I am out of warranty next month, so if the DPF goes after that it is big bucks.

3 tyres are on the way towards needing replaced too.....

So, thinking ahead this years costs...

1) MOT £55
2) Service £???
3) renew warranty £450?
4) Tyres £!!!!
5) Road tax £170

But...the loss of sheer power may make me feel as if a bit of me has died.

Will save on servicing, insurance, road tax and give me peace of mind re the flakey alloys and DPF etc.

I did take it for a test drive, it is acceptable in terms of pulling power for my daily driver, however there is a MASSIVE difference from the 330D which goes like a bat out of hell by comparison.

I will miss the 3D maps, but tbh I rarely need SAT nav and in my iphone have a better and more current navigation system anyway.

White/ Black dakota
White/ Red dakota
Silverstone/ Black dakota

are all available, waiting on final figures (asked them to sharpen up their pencils) and I will decide after a good sleep on it.

[AlanQS]

You won't have quite 3 years warranty since the clock started ticking in June.

On an age point of view, you will never have turbo or DPF problems in the future, but my car is four and a half now and I do less daily mileage than you and, touch wood, have had no problems with the DPF (yet).

And I completely accept that the power and the response between 330d and 318i are worlds apart but you are doing 6 mile trip - does it really matter!

(Well yes, it does, ... just not so much anymore.)

[sheps]

I would want to see significant savings on monthlies to consider such a drastic change.

New or not, in isolation a 318i is not a quick car, but pegged against a 330d it will feel like someone has removed the engine and replaced it with a hamster wheel. And the hamster is on its last legs.

[dxb335d]

LOLOLOLOO

[xenon]

Originally Posted by m@rk

Not if you are running a BMW Extended Warranty beyond 3 years old

but I'm not

[mistryn]

Without sounding rude have you driven a 318? Maybe test drive one to see if its something you can live with.

I personally would not want to change as I would miss the power/low down torque but hey thats me. When mine went into the dealer I was given a 118D as a courtsey car and drove it out of the dealership. I thought this aint to bad and quite frugal on the juice drivng about in town. once I got onto a dual carriage way/m'way how I wanted my car back, there was just no low down grunt

[AWBimmer]

"Hamster on its last legs".. LMFAO!

[wheelie good]

Stop fannying about and get the car swapped





















As you do not do many miles get a M5 instead

[DarkAnt335i]

F30 320i? Seem to be doing some good low monthly deals on those. Relatively high power better mpg that the e90 318i etc etc

If not test drive the 318i and see if you can live with it.

I COULD easily live with our 118d but i would never do it out of choice.

Or like wheelie said, get something fun and non diesel... your not exactly going to notice the MPG

[phil200tdi]

Cycle to work!

Get a weekend car - porsche, M car etc.

[dxb335d]

I can't really see how you cannot want to keep the 330d, unless your trying to keep up with the Jones' next door and need that 12 plate.

[Subzero2003]

you are absolutely mental for even considering this. Like, absolutely insane. Swapping to a crap 318i so you don't have to pay £170 road tax and a warranty? What planet are you on!?

This makes absolutely no financial sense OR common sense.

Just...wow

[xs2man]

I can see exactly why he would change. It is a consideration every time I change a car, (which is too often over the last few years).

I always take into consideration tyre costs, servicing costs, and any other costs over the next few months at least, if not over the next year.

What the OP is looking at here is 3 new tyres, so that'll be damn near £800 with manufacturer spec tyres. Add the road tax, and you not much change off a grand.

Extend the warranty, and throw in a MOT and your knocking on £1500. Then there is what might be a couple services coming up. They will be a few hundred quid anyway. So probably looking at the thick end of nearly £2k needing spent on his motor. Not including any unexpected expenditure.

So he can save this £2k, and keep the same payments, and not have these bills, and have a very nearly new motor. With the miles he does, he will unlikely need to spend anything on the car for next 3 years.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I'm fed up of cars with no boost now. No easy power upgrade. Maybe a 318d or 320d I would consider though. Not the petrol.

[dxb335d]

But the depreciation on the new one will be massive.