BMW 320d es.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Aye, an RS4 if I could afford it!

Yep me to.

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

what reg is the M3? my wife doesnt like rag tops but i love them must have room for at leest 4 and have 4 wheels and a BMW badge.

Prob too old for you...P reg, 1996..room for 4 tho, def 4 wheels too

Audi A6's are cheap...year 2000, 2.7 twin turbo, 230bhp 60k - £7495....

There are some 4.2 quattros available too...if you like spending money on tyres.!

TBH i looked at an A4 when i got the passat and its virtuly the same car but the VW had more goodies, sort of made up my mind on the BMW 3 series or a MERC i did test a jaguar x type 2.1 v6 which was a loverly car but wifey said it was too big.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

jaguar x type 2.1 v6 which was a loverly car but wifey said it was too big.

Boss had one of those, felt like driving a mondeo all the switch gear and every thing was the same and the spec wasnt as good as some of the Mondeo's I'd driven.

I just like the look and shape of the Audi's, Liz really needs an esate car for lugging all her TA kit about and I think the Estate diesel would suit our needs especially as when she does take the car to work its costing a bomb at the moment.

My boss had a Passat for a while it was the 130bhp diesel, drove really well I thought and it had loads of space in it.

We were talking about cars the other day and I've got a soft spot for Hot Hatches, I like the MK5 GTI, or a MKIV R32 Golf... but dont get me started

i do really like the 2 door coupe bmw but 4 doors is wise with the kids.

Been there, got the T shirt, wouldn't go back. Don't touch with a barge pole.

Almost all* 150 bhp 320d's manufactured 2001 to Nov 2003 blow turbo's. If you absolutely must have one, find and 04 or 54 plate and check that it was manufactured after Nov 03 when the ECU software was updated and garrett turbocharger changed.

Just check google for BMW 320d Turbo Failure
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...o+failure&meta=

Mine burnt the oil from the intercooler whilst ticking over in a parking space outside the BMW dealership and revv'ed until it blew itself to pieces whilst I stood on the pavement flabbergasted. I grabbed the key out of the ignition thru the open window but it made no difference, diesels don't need ignition they run on compression. I'd driven straight there because the car started smoking from the exhaust.

New turbo, intercooler, engine, 4 injectors, catalytic convertor and full exhaust system. Repair estimate £8400. 3 years and 80K miles old with full BMW service history. 1 week out of warranty. After much threatening BMW they paid most of it but it still cost me £1500 quid and it never ran right again. Eventually traded it in loosing a further 2 grand over what I would have got if I sold private in autotrader.

*Notice I said "Almost All". This is in the opinion both of Heathrow Engines and M3 BMW, a specialist reconditioned engine supplier and a specialist BMW garage. Before I knew if BMW would make any contribution I was looking for the cheapest way to repair the car. When I phoned....

Me: Do you have a 2.0 diesel engine for a BMW 3 series?
Him: What year?
Me: 2003, its the 150 bhp model
Him: Ah right, Ok, engine ate the turbo did it?
Me: Yes, how did you know, is it that common?
Him: Every 320d blows the turbo mate, maybe at 50 or 60 thousand maybe not 'til 150 thousand, but it WILL blow the turbo
Me: Do you have one then?
Him: Let me check....Yes, I have one in stock, but if you want it let me know because it will go quickly
Me: How quickly
Him: Usually about a week or two, then somebody else will be along with the same problem as you and it'll sell.

I work in an office of 55 people and we have had 4 people and 5 different cars with blown turbos. Three 320d's including mine, one X3 (same engine) and a 330d. One of the other 320d's took the engine with it as well.

In addition to this in three years I had warranty claims for

1. Noisy window seals, in garage about 4 times, squeaks right in your ear. Design fault, they can't fix it, just keep spraying with silicone.
2. Collapsed passenger seat mechanism
3. Broken rear heated windscreen twice due to water getting in the rear window seal and rusting the connections (touring model with flip up glass)
4. Air flow meter replaced due to loosing power at 2-3K revs, just where you are when you want to pull quick out of a junction.
5. Central locking faults on drivers door

All of these are known faults but BMW find it cheaper to repair the ones that fail within the warranty period, than to issue a recall and repair every car. In other countries they've been forced by the governments to recall the turbo failure on saftety grounds as if the car rev's uncontrollably whilst in gear the car turns into a lethal runaway train with 330 nm of torque!

Now I have a Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 130bhp Zetec, which I bought in Motorpoint for £10500 at 6 months old. The BMW new with the extras fitted cost £29000. The Mondeo has all the same toys, cruise control, climate control etc. Rides better (BMW suspension is very hard), service for 130 quid not 300 quid, and has been a better car all round than the BMW ever was.

mmm intresting, now i'm scared and my wife just said " bl@@dy keep the passat."

[Biker Biggles]

Sounds like good advice from your wife.Passat running well and a good car?
Why out it if so?

i just wanted a bmw and shes always complaining the VW is too big.