DRCraig
Well-known member
Hi all
I’ve subconsciously been looking for a decent F30 330d to eventually replace my 320d at some point — either pre-LCI or LCI. The problem is that prices don’t seem to be dropping much, and the condition of some of the cars I’ve come across is questionable. Finding a genuinely clean, well-maintained 330d at a reasonable price seems to be getting harder.
Recently, though, I’ve started noticing a few F30 330i’s popping up with the B48, and it’s got me seriously considering whether the 330i might actually be the smarter buy.
We know the B48 has a pretty good reputation for reliability, but I’d like to hear from people who have actually owned them for high mileage.
At what mileage would you still be comfortable buying a B48-powered F30 330i with the intention of using it as a daily driver? Would you be comfortable buying one at 150 000km if the service history and condition were good? And what changes once you get beyond 200 000 km?
Obviously, at that mileage I’d expect age-related issues to start becoming more relevant. Plastic cooling-system components, hoses, seals, mounts, pulleys, etc. aren’t going to last forever. So what are the typical B48 issues and maintenance items that start appearing at 200 000 km+? Is there anything particularly expensive that I should be budgeting for?
Then there’s the performance side.
I’m currently coming from a tuned 320d, so I’m used to having a lot of torque very low down. On paper, the 330i obviously has significantly more power and a much stronger top end, but I’m wondering how noticeable the loss of low-RPM torque actually is in real-world driving.
Would going from a tuned 320d to a 330i feel like a downgrade in the way the car responds at low RPM?
More specifically, what I’m interested in is everyday driving rather than 0–100 figures. Pulling out to overtake at 60–100 km/h, accelerating from 80–120 km/h, joining a highway, passing someone without necessarily dropping several gears, etc.
Would the 330i’s extra power make the overtaking ability night and day compared with a tuned 320d, or would the diesel’s low-down torque still make the 320d feel more effortless in those situations?
I know the 330i will ultimately be the faster car and should have a much better top end, but I’m trying to understand whether it feels faster on normal road driving, or whether I’d constantly be missing that diesel shove.
The 330i’s are even rarer than the 330d’s here, but the interesting thing is that they seem to be roughly R100k cheaper than comparable 330d’s. At that price difference, the 330i becomes very difficult to ignore — especially if the B48 is likely to be less troublesome as these cars age.
So, for those who have actually owned or driven both, I’d really appreciate some honest opinions.
Should I wait and save up a bit longer, the G20 pre-lci gets added to the equation.
Keen to hear your input.
Craig
I’ve subconsciously been looking for a decent F30 330d to eventually replace my 320d at some point — either pre-LCI or LCI. The problem is that prices don’t seem to be dropping much, and the condition of some of the cars I’ve come across is questionable. Finding a genuinely clean, well-maintained 330d at a reasonable price seems to be getting harder.
Recently, though, I’ve started noticing a few F30 330i’s popping up with the B48, and it’s got me seriously considering whether the 330i might actually be the smarter buy.
We know the B48 has a pretty good reputation for reliability, but I’d like to hear from people who have actually owned them for high mileage.
At what mileage would you still be comfortable buying a B48-powered F30 330i with the intention of using it as a daily driver? Would you be comfortable buying one at 150 000km if the service history and condition were good? And what changes once you get beyond 200 000 km?
Obviously, at that mileage I’d expect age-related issues to start becoming more relevant. Plastic cooling-system components, hoses, seals, mounts, pulleys, etc. aren’t going to last forever. So what are the typical B48 issues and maintenance items that start appearing at 200 000 km+? Is there anything particularly expensive that I should be budgeting for?
Then there’s the performance side.
I’m currently coming from a tuned 320d, so I’m used to having a lot of torque very low down. On paper, the 330i obviously has significantly more power and a much stronger top end, but I’m wondering how noticeable the loss of low-RPM torque actually is in real-world driving.
Would going from a tuned 320d to a 330i feel like a downgrade in the way the car responds at low RPM?
More specifically, what I’m interested in is everyday driving rather than 0–100 figures. Pulling out to overtake at 60–100 km/h, accelerating from 80–120 km/h, joining a highway, passing someone without necessarily dropping several gears, etc.
Would the 330i’s extra power make the overtaking ability night and day compared with a tuned 320d, or would the diesel’s low-down torque still make the 320d feel more effortless in those situations?
I know the 330i will ultimately be the faster car and should have a much better top end, but I’m trying to understand whether it feels faster on normal road driving, or whether I’d constantly be missing that diesel shove.
The 330i’s are even rarer than the 330d’s here, but the interesting thing is that they seem to be roughly R100k cheaper than comparable 330d’s. At that price difference, the 330i becomes very difficult to ignore — especially if the B48 is likely to be less troublesome as these cars age.
So, for those who have actually owned or driven both, I’d really appreciate some honest opinions.
Should I wait and save up a bit longer, the G20 pre-lci gets added to the equation.
Keen to hear your input.
Craig
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