Advice on 330D Purchase

JodyD

///Member
Hi Guys

Im sure that somebody sometime must of asked this but I have
a good deal on a 2002 330D for 75k,

I have heard some story's
that after 130km the motor gives problems how true is this?

The car is in a perfect condition and moves really well

Advise will be appreciated


 

Clownshoe

Active member
One word: swirl flaps
I think the X5 has the same engine. Apart from swirl flaps on the e46, vibration dampener (service item with 150,000km life it seems) there is not much to go wrong. Turbos can go, fact of life with a Td. If someone had it from new and did the warm up and cool down and proper service it should last forever. If Nigel Mansel used it to do express parcel delivery and firmly believed that the red service light was not a worry for 6 months then the turbo may not last. If it is an automatic then the turbo would have had an easier life. Some people seem to think that high revs = power. Auto box shifts down low like its supposed to.

Other issues: MAF. Sticky injectors.

Other e46 issues with suspension.

Very good car and would be my pick of the e46s.
 

Kish2604

Administrator
Staff member
I had an 01 330d Manual for 50k Kms and other than the pre delivery fuel pump failing the car was a beast... It all depends how the car was kept...
 

JodyD

///Member
Clownshoe said:
One word: swirl flaps
I think the X5 has the same engine. Apart from swirl flaps on the e46, vibration dampener (service item with 150,000km life it seems) there is not much to go wrong. Turbos can go, fact of life with a Td. If someone had it from new and did the warm up and cool down and proper service it should last forever. If Nigel Mansel used it to do express parcel delivery and firmly believed that the red service light was not a worry for 6 months then the turbo may not last. If it is an automatic then the turbo would have had an easier life. Some people seem to think that high revs = power. Auto box shifts down low like its supposed to.

Other issues: MAF. Sticky injectors.

Other e46 issues with suspension.

Very good car and would be my pick of the e46s.


awesome (big smile) the car is an auto so turbo should be good, swirl flap as u said will get that checked before delivery suspension was done about a month back


Kish2604 said:
I had an 01 330d Manual for 50k Kms and other than the pre delivery fuel pump failing the car was a beast... It all depends how the car was kept...

Thank you Kish, The only problem the car looks very well looked after but the truth is not many sellers will tell the truth they all will say the car is well looked after. So my plan is to read all the replys and check if there are faults.

I have been burnt once, Trying to play it safe this time
 

Nuts4wheels

New member
These are lucky packet buys. Best to buy from a fanatic like I did. Service history! Watch for injectors, control arms, turbo. If the car has been decatted, your chances of having a better turbo are good. Cats stuff up the turbo and manifolds. 75k for 2002 in my opinion is abit high, but I suppose you can judge the price on the condition of the car. Private buy for that year should go for about 65-70k. Mine is 2004 and I paid 92k. However mine has all the bells and whistles and is a msport and in pristine cond. My 2c worth
 

Nikhil

Honorary ///Member
Exactly and to add on what's being said, get the car on a ramp and insepct the mountings for damage aswell, look for boost leaks the common places are the intercooler and the charge pipe from the turbo to the intercooler.but if everything checks out you will love the car! Everytime I jump into mine it makes me smile
 

RAArmstrong

///Member
Swirl Flaps are a pretty big issue, if you get the car, get rid of them ASAP!!

The Auto Gearboxes are known to be prone to failure, however this can be a bit hit and miss, from what I've read some fail at pretty low mileage, some seem to last alot longer!

The engine itself is a very good engine!
 

JodyD

///Member
thank you guys so much This all really helps me a lot and makes the choice
so much easier, now just one last thing is I was told everyone here uses
a really good mac at the corner on William Nicole and republic but I must be
bling I could not seem to see the shop anyone has a number to call them up maybe he could have a look at the car and pick up the small faults if there are,
 

RAArmstrong

///Member
Nuts4wheels said:
Apparently gizmo is the guy to send your car to. I have heard some good things

:+1: After reading the thread on Osiris' (your?) car when he did the gearbox swap, I'm hugely impressed with his workmanship
 

P1000

///Member
If it is an auto, think long and hard about it, and keep at least 30k in the bank for the repair bill.

What is the mileage on her?

That engine is a rock as long as you get the swirl flaps out. Mine (530d with the same engine) sits on 300kkm...

If it is an auto, I would rather save 30k more and wait for a very clean 6 speed manual (only 2004/2005 models are 6 speed) to come along.
 

Clownshoe

Active member
I did not know the auto boxes were an issue!! So did some googling and came across this gem:

Been a few threads recently about autobox failure on these cars (as well as X5 and 525d/530d) and this is the bit that goes wrong - numbers 3 and 4 in this diagram......


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...38&hg=24&fg=15


This is the oil pressure regulator for the main valve body, and if it fails, oil pressure to the forward clutches drops and the drive clutches burn out. the gearbox starts to act up, brings on a warning light and expires after an attempt to drive it.
These regulators are about £60 new and an hour for a specialist to change. It involves dropping the sump and the valve body so is only DIY for the most skilled DIY mechanics Some folk bang on and on about changing the oil, but this is what really fails in these boxes. Well worth doing if you want to avoid a £1500 gearbox rebuild.

Number 4 is VERY important - it's the pressure regulator for the torque converter lock up clutch. If this fails, the TC lock up clutch burns out, bits of the clutch lining swim around the gearbox and destroy it in short order - replacing it is a no brainer and is more important than the main one.

You learn something new everyday. I will have this job done ASAP. I love preventative maintenance.
 

JodyD

///Member
P1000 said:
If it is an auto, think long and hard about it, and keep at least 30k in the bank for the repair bill.

What is the mileage on her?

That engine is a rock as long as you get the swirl flaps out. Mine (530d with the same engine) sits on 300kkm...

If it is an auto, I would rather save 30k more and wait for a very clean 6 speed manual (only 2004/2005 models are 6 speed) to come along.

Thank you guys after reading all this deff going to put a hold on this 330D.

For a word if I am going to pay 75k for the car another 5k to remove the swirl flap and service then keep an extra of +- R30k
for emergency I might as well just start looking our for a good E90
which I do love

what's your take on this?

I am sure a good deal will come for an E90


Nuts4wheels said:
Apparently gizmo is the guy to send your car to. I have heard some good things

That's what I have heard would you have his contact details?


Clownshoe said:
I did not know the auto boxes were an issue!! So did some googling and came across this gem:

Been a few threads recently about autobox failure on these cars (as well as X5 and 525d/530d) and this is the bit that goes wrong - numbers 3 and 4 in this diagram......


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...38&hg=24&fg=15


This is the oil pressure regulator for the main valve body, and if it fails, oil pressure to the forward clutches drops and the drive clutches burn out. the gearbox starts to act up, brings on a warning light and expires after an attempt to drive it.
These regulators are about £60 new and an hour for a specialist to change. It involves dropping the sump and the valve body so is only DIY for the most skilled DIY mechanics Some folk bang on and on about changing the oil, but this is what really fails in these boxes. Well worth doing if you want to avoid a £1500 gearbox rebuild.

Number 4 is VERY important - it's the pressure regulator for the torque converter lock up clutch. If this fails, the TC lock up clutch burns out, bits of the clutch lining swim around the gearbox and destroy it in short order - replacing it is a no brainer and is more important than the main one.

You learn something new everyday. I will have this job done ASAP. I love preventative maintenance.


Now that is some interesting I have to agree with you we learn new things every day
 

P1000

///Member
Clownshoe said:
I did not know the auto boxes were an issue!! So did some googling and came across this gem:

Been a few threads recently about autobox failure on these cars (as well as X5 and 525d/530d) and this is the bit that goes wrong - numbers 3 and 4 in this diagram......


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...38&hg=24&fg=15


This is the oil pressure regulator for the main valve body, and if it fails, oil pressure to the forward clutches drops and the drive clutches burn out. the gearbox starts to act up, brings on a warning light and expires after an attempt to drive it.
These regulators are about £60 new and an hour for a specialist to change. It involves dropping the sump and the valve body so is only DIY for the most skilled DIY mechanics Some folk bang on and on about changing the oil, but this is what really fails in these boxes. Well worth doing if you want to avoid a £1500 gearbox rebuild.

Number 4 is VERY important - it's the pressure regulator for the torque converter lock up clutch. If this fails, the TC lock up clutch burns out, bits of the clutch lining swim around the gearbox and destroy it in short order - replacing it is a no brainer and is more important than the main one.

You learn something new everyday. I will have this job done ASAP. I love preventative maintenance.

Here is the fixed link http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DL82&mospid=47545&btnr=24_0938&hg=24&fg=15

That is an old wives tale (number 4), in VERY few cases that solves the problem, even if you have the only problem it can cure - loss of reverse at low pressure. I replaced mine when I changed my oil ~25kkm back, and my TCC went a couple of thousand k's ago. The solenoid I took out was pristine. The real issue is not the valve itself, but rather the bore in the valve body that wears out. In america, you can have the Sonnax kits installed - new hardened sleeves and pistons. It costs around $700 for all the parts, IIRC, and then it is better than new, but you have to couple that with the cost of a gearbox rebuild (35k), then you come up to a figure that does not make sense. So just search for a six speed manual.

http://www.sonnax.com/publications/...-isolating-concerns-re-loss-of-reverse-or-tcc
 
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