Anyone know anything about the current shape 3 series - what they drive like, fuel economy, all the usual stuff?

I was quite surprised to see that 330s have dropped below

 

Is this a car that's going to be carrying around a small child Mark?

If it is you'd want the SE not M Sport. And even then I can't help thinking you might want something with softer suspension. I've not driven the E90, but I've driven SE and M Sport variants of E36 and E46 saloons and coupes. The ride tends to be hard.

You might be better off with a 5 series, if you're looking at a german. Not sure on s/h prices but they ride better than the 3 series equivalents. I don't think M Sport variants of BMW's suit the UK's crap roads.

 

The link is to an SE model, Mark. I didn't have the M Sport model in mind for precisely the reason you mentioned.

3 series is already pushing the limit of size as it is - anything bigger and SWMBO won't be comfortable driving it - so 5 series is out.

 

Think about boot access size too - how easy is it to fit a push chair in one?

It may be fine, but worth checking. . . .

 

Our E46 is fine for the pushchair / pram.

However, I've heard that the E90s on run-flats have very painful ride quality - to the extent that owners are changing the tyres to normal ones (is there a word for non-run-flats yet?).

Worth bearing in mind..

 

Mark

The denzil is a good motor - a friend has the E90 3.0d. 40 mpg on a run and never less than mid 30s.

Don't know about the petrols.

You might find the Touring version most suited with all the paraphernalia you'll get used to carting around!

 

I should try clicking the link really shouldn't I.

Make sure it has the media pack, which this one does: sat nav, bluetooth phone pre and CD multichanger IIRC.

Have you been in one? The rear seat size is woeful considering how big the car is IMHO. However that probably won't be an issue for you for 10 years.

Some engines are the same, some are new. The new 3.0 engine in the 530i is a lovely engine, can get reasonable mpg as long as you're not too heavy with the right foot. Don't know if the E90 uses the old 3.0 petrol or the new lighter 3.0. the fact that it says 272 implies its the new one. Sounds lovely. You should try an auto with it. The manuals are ok, but an auto seems to suit the nature of the engine, at least in the 530i.

As you can tell, I'm putting this together from E46 knowelege crossed with new 530i knowlege. The 530i weighs about the same as the 330i!

Go out and test drive some. There'll be plenty in a BMW dealer I suspect.

 

If my M3 is anything to go buy..........the boot is substantial, infact I find the whole car quite roomy. I really rate the 3 series and would certainly consider a diesel and also an auto. That looks like a nice motor. Even my M3 does 30+mpg on the motorway.

 

E90 3 litre petrol (265bhp = 272hp IIRC) 330i is a good car.

It's a fairly new engine, introduced to replace the old 231bhp engine. It likes to be revved and in the 1 series I thought it was very good.

The 325i is not bad either and uses a 218bhp 'detuned' version of the same 3 litre engine. But for the money, it makes more sense to go for the 330i.

To be honest, I don't think you can go wrong with an early 05 plate 330i SE. It's been overshadowed by the 335i now, but it's a great engine a quite frugal considering it's a 3 litre. I would reckon for a around 25mpg on normal driving and probably 30mpg+ on the motorway - manual not automatic.

I would try the Sat Nav before committing. We have it on our 335d because the wife likes it, but I really hate it and have not bothered with it in my 135i. You can live without it, and it will only add about

 

Nope - other than idly looking at them when I see them in the supermarket car park, I have no experience whatsoever of 3 series Beemers.

Rear seats aren't a huge issue - they will mainly accommodate LL Junior alone, although I suppose it would be handy to have a reasonably amount of space so as to be able to cart adults around should the need arise. I suspect that two adults and a child seat is going to be something of a squeeze though!

I may have to go and have a look at one at the weekend and see what the boot and rear seats are like. I can't see boot space being too much of a problem though - we bought one of those travel system thingies, so the seat goes into the car and just the wheels, which fold up quite small, have to be accommodated in the boot.