Buying 330ci advice wanted

[RIZ]

Hi guys I'm sure this has been asked a million times but i am currently on the look out for a facelift 330ci. I have seen one on a 03 plate which I'll be viewing tomorrow but it has 149k on the clock. Would you consider this high?

Spec is good has the folding mirrors, xenons,heated seats and lumbar.

Car has good history various receipts first few stamps at bmw and there after at a normal garage. It currently has the traction control light on and a brake judder fault but it is priced fairly and I'm handy with the spanners so this shouldn't be a problem.

Is there anything else i should look out for apart from the normal rust,worn bushes etc?

Any help will be appreciated 

[alan53]

I bought mine at 180000 no problem good engines ask about oil use/ccv ,cooling system .

[bennno2005]

Rust is the main one. Mileage will be fine. Mines on 147k and is spot on.

Bushes wear with age as well as mileage don't forget and I've not heard of one of these engines wearing out yet.

[Dave330]

That's a lot of miles. That's more than 11k every year, for 13 years.

Do your checks thoroughly, and make sure that the common problems (likely to be more prevalent) like the cooling system have been addressed somewhere in the receipts. For a car doing this kind of mileage, I'd want a rock solid service history and evidence of it being done on the button - whether by BMW or an Indy (ideally someone reputable, but not compulsory).

Do you mind if I ask how much you're paying? While mileage isn't an indicator of condition, it has some correlation with expectation of future spend (more driving wears bits out - shock, horror). If it isn't a bargain, is there any reason why you're not looking at lower mileage cars?

[RIZ]

Thanks for your help guys all good valid points,

Dave330 it's just my budget really it's priced at £2500 but I'm hoping to get a few hundred off as long as it is what I'm looking for.

I am going to keep some money aside for essential maintenance as i believe any one i buy be it high or low mileage will require some sort of maintenance.

Forgot to mention it's a clubsport.

[Dave330]

Realistically, £2.5k isn't getting you a perfect car, so you're going to need to compromise somewhere. If you think the car looks and drives well, and it ticks the boxes with maintenance and care/attention, then go for it.

For my £2.5k, I'd be looking at a prefacelift non-Clubsport. You'd get a car with many fewer miles (I've bought two with ~100k for significantly less than this in the past 6 months) with plenty of toys (both had HK, heated black leather etc.). If your heart is set on a Clubsport, then mega-miles is the only way you'll be able to get into one.

Good luck.

[bennno2005]

32 minutes ago, Dave330 said:

That's a lot of miles. That's more than 11k every year, for 13 years.

Do you mind if I ask how much you're paying? While mileage isn't an indicator of condition, it has some correlation with expectation of future spend (more driving wears bits out - shock, horror). If it isn't a bargain, is there any reason why you're not looking at lower mileage cars?

Completely disagree with you. 

Low mileage cars means they've been stood around not doing anything for long periods of time, or been driven a few miles at a time round a town on a cold engine. Neither of which is a good thing.

High mileage usually means its been sat on the motorway, ticking over in top gear. Obviously the condition will corroborate this and there will be some high milers which haven't led such an easy life, but low mileage isn't a sell for me at all.

As an example mine's still on the original clutch with no issues at 147k. Many people have bought low mileage cars and had to replace it because they've been worn out from stop start town driving.

Buy on condition and history rather than mileage, the real thing that should put you off is rust.

[Dave330]

3 minutes ago, bennno2005 said:

Completely disagree with you. 

Low mileage cars means they've been stood around not doing anything for long periods of time, or been driven a few miles at a time round a town on a cold engine. Neither of which is a good thing.

High mileage usually means its been sat on the motorway, ticking over in top gear. Obviously the condition will corroborate this and there will be some high milers which haven't led such an easy life, but low mileage isn't a sell for me at all.

I think you might want to check your sums there. We're not talking about 20k a year here - that would be the kind of mileage you'd expect from a "ticking over in top gear" motorway car.

11k a year is perfectly feasible to do around town and on many short/medium journeys. It's only 200 miles a week average, which could mean as little as 20 miles a day (allowing for the occasional long journey), which could equate to a commute of less than 10 miles each way.

Until you're getting into the realms of 20k+ a year, you're not going to be getting a car that has spent its life "ticking over in top gear".

[bennno2005]

4 minutes ago, Dave330 said:

For my £2.5k, I'd be looking at a prefacelift non-Clubsport. You'd get a car with many fewer miles (I've bought two with ~100k for significantly less than this in the past 6 months) with plenty of toys (both had HK, heated black leather etc.). If your heart is set on a Clubsport, then mega-miles is the only way you'll be able to get into one.

Good luck.

Why does being sub - £100k matter? Do these suddenly explode after they hit 100k (that's a retorical question by the way)

Provided the condition is good I'd much rather the high mileage clubby than a run of the mill 330

Infact I sold my old clubby with less miles than the one I have now as this one's in better nick and has more options on it than any other E46 I've come across before.

Yes the first one had less than 100k on it but that didn't stop it needing two new wings, a rear arch repair and a new sill due to corrosion......

Rust will cost you 100x more to remedy than any of the mechanical niggles you're likely to experience on a higher mileage motor, niggles that are likely to appear on the lower mileage ones due to age anyway.

[bennno2005]

3 minutes ago, Dave330 said:

I think you might want to check your sums there. We're not talking about 20k a year here - that would be the kind of mileage you'd expect from a "ticking over in top gear" motorway car.

11k a year is perfectly feasible to do around town and on many short/medium journeys. It's only 200 miles a week average, which could mean as little as 20 miles a day (allowing for the occasional long journey), which could equate to a commute of less than 10 miles each way.

Until you're getting into the realms of 20k+ a year, you're not going to be getting a car that has spent its life "ticking over in top gear".

Yes but many high mileage cars will have done a lot of motorway in the first three years so a lot of the mileage is ticking over in top gear. That's why I said to check condition against it.

As an example mine had done 85k in the first 3 years, it then did 20k for the next few years, then got relegated to a second car. It doesn't drive any different than the one it replaced which was on 112k after I'd had it for a year but is in much better condition cosmetically. Yes it has spent some time around a town but the majority of the mileage on it has been sat up and down the motorway in 6th at 2-3k.

Mileage is just a number at the end of the day, its more important its been looked after and is in cosmetically good condition.

As I said before body work will set you back much more than sorting the mechnical niggles your likely to get with one of these regardless of mileage (bushes, cooling system etc etc)

[Dave330]

2 minutes ago, bennno2005 said:

Why does being sub - £100k matter? Do these suddenly explode after they hit 100k (that's a retorical question by the way)

Provided the condition is good I'd much rather the high mileage clubby than a run of the mill 330

Infact I sold my old clubby with less miles than the one I have now as this one's in better nick and has more options on it than any other E46 I've come across before.

Yes the first one had less than 100k on it but that didn't stop it needing two new wings, a rear arch repair and a new sill due to corrosion......

Rust will cost you 100x more to remedy than any of the mechanical niggles you're likely to experience on a higher mileage motor, niggles that are likely to appear on the lower mileage ones due to age anyway.

You seem really angry about something. If you take the time to read my post properly, you will notice that I didn't say that "sub-100k" mattered. You've gone off on a bit of an angry tangent there.

Not sure I agree about the "rust will cost you 100x more" hyperbole either. What about cooling system failure? What about subframe failure? Both cost mega-bucks to repair if it goes badly wrong.

As for the "clubby" vs "run of the mill" comment, you seem a bit blinkered.

You are driving a "run of the mill" 330. It just happens to have a gaudy spoiler, fake carbon and different alloys. You're driving the 330 equivalent of the 1980s dealer-special Nova "Spin" - all they did was change the wheels and lob some vinyls stickers on it. There's a good reason we're not seeing massive disparities in "clubby" pricing - it's because they simply aren't worth a significant premium, because they aren't that special.

Therefore, with a relatively meagre budget, you'd be a bit silly to limit yourself to looking for the Nova "Spin" only.

[bennno2005]

18 minutes ago, Dave330 said:

You seem really angry about something. If you take the time to read my post properly, you will notice that I didn't say that "sub-100k" mattered. You've gone off on a bit of an angry tangent there.

Not sure I agree about the "rust will cost you 100x more" hyperbole either. What about cooling system failure? What about subframe failure? Both cost mega-bucks to repair if it goes badly wrong.

As for the "clubby" vs "run of the mill" comment, you seem a bit blinkered.

You are driving a "run of the mill" 330. It just happens to have a gaudy spoiler, fake carbon and different alloys. You're driving the 330 equivalent of the 1980s dealer-special Nova "Spin" - all they did was change the wheels and lob some vinyls stickers on it. There's a good reason we're not seeing massive disparities in "clubby" pricing - it's because they simply aren't worth a significant premium, because they aren't that special.

Therefore, with a relatively meagre budget, you'd be a bit silly to limit yourself to looking for the Nova "Spin" only.

No, not angry I just think its a bit moronic people buying cars soley based on a number on the dash.

I didn't say the Clubsport is anything special it isn't any different to drive than a normal 330, I'm aware of that. I like it because its a nice colour and you don't see them everyday.

I wasn't specifically looking for a clubsport. The standard 330Ci is a good option too, provided you get a decent specced one in a good colour combo.

I was using the term run of the mill to describe the silver automatic ones with rusty arches that are regularly clogging up the lower end of the classifieds.

 

Edited July 5, 2016 by bennno2005

[RIZ]

I'm not limiting my self to a clubsport but i do want a facelift as i prefer the look, it just so happens this is a clubsport.

I'll take all comments on board and do all my checks and take it from there.

I'll update later on once I've viewed it to let you know if purchased or not.

[bennno2005]

30 minutes ago, RIZ said:

I'm not limiting my self to a clubsport but i do want a facelift as i prefer the look, it just so happens this is a clubsport.

I'll take all comments on board and do all my checks and take it from there.

I'll update later on once I've viewed it to let you know if purchased or not.

I prefer the look of the prefacelift, but the 6 speed box in the facelift is worthwhile. 

I think the one you are referring to is near me, my neighbor showed me an add on gumtree that sounded like the one you describe.

Good luck with it.

Edited July 5, 2016 by bennno2005

[Dave330]

36 minutes ago, RIZ said:

I'm not limiting my self to a clubsport but i do want a facelift as i prefer the look, it just so happens this is a clubsport.

I'll take all comments on board and do all my checks and take it from there.

I'll update later on once I've viewed it to let you know if purchased or not.

Good luck. As mentioned earlier, your budget doesn't really allow you to be super-picky (re: facelift/non-facelift), so at that price I'd be buying on condition rather than any particular spec.

[RIZ]

My budget is not dead set on 2500 im looking up to 3500 but that's absolute max, still there's not much out there but this seems reasonably priced so got to be worth a viewing at least.

[Dave330]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201606185045560

[Daz 330 Cs]

Wow, some bitterness here as soon as the word 'Clubsport' is mentioned. Yes they are a bit special, despite what you think Dave. To say it's the equivalent of a 'nova spin' from back in the day is quite frankly retarded. Funniest thing I've read in ages 

[Dave330]

12 minutes ago, Daz 330 Cs said:

Wow, some bitterness here as soon as the word 'Clubsport' is mentioned. Yes they are a bit special, despite what you think Dave. To say it's the equivalent of a 'nova spin' from back in the day is quite frankly retarded. Funniest thing I've read in ages 

That was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it's hardly "bitter" to be underwhelmed by the Clubsport - strange interpretation, or possibly "bitter" isn't quite the word you were looking for.

It's not particularly special, in the grand scheme of things - hence the market's position on prices for everything other than the exceptionally low-mileage examples. It wasn't even a limited edition - it was a trim level that could be specified from new. It's a common-or-garden 330 (a fairly average, but capable car in its own right), with some stick-on bits and some different wheels. 

You're right, it's absolutely nothing like a Nova "Spin". Which was a common-or-garden Nova, with some stick-on-bits and some different wheels. Completely different, as anyone can see...

Hint: If you read carefully, you'll see I'm not saying the "clubby" is equivalent to a Nova. Merely that it is only more 'special' than a boggo 330 in the same way that a "Spin" is more 'special' than a boggo Nova. Ironically, with more than 1,000 Clubsports having been made for the UK, the Nova "Spin" might even be rarer!

[Daz 330 Cs]

In your opinion it's not particularly special. In others, it is. 

You were quick to point out someone "seemed angry". I've read all the posts in the topic and I didn't see anything to suggest any anger. 

Maybe you've too much time on your hands ? 

[Dave330]

1 minute ago, Daz 330 Cs said:

1 minute ago, Daz 330 Cs said:

Maybe you've too much time on your hands ? 

27,890 posts

 

Outside of a small number of people (on this forum) the Clubsport is generally seen as a tarted up 330 with a garish spoiler.

The reason you can still buy them for practically the same money as a stock 330 after 10-14 years is that the market disagrees with those small number of people. You're always welcome to an opinion, but don't try and make it sound like it represents anything more than a tiny minority.

Next to the truly 'special' E46s (M3/B3/B3s), they offer practically no advantage over a standard 330.

[Daz 330 Cs]

I've been a member for more than 8 years. That's 96 months. If you're clever enough to do the maths, it's around 10 posts a day. Hardly a concern.

Generally your posts are a little bit patronising at times, someone makes a comment and you write an essay trying to shoot them down.  

Your posts above are case in point.  

 

 

[Dave330]

1 minute ago, Daz 330 Cs said:

I've been a member for more than 8 years. That's 96 months. If you're clever enough to do the maths

...

Generally your posts are a little bit patronising at times

Hoisted, by your own petard.

You might wish to take some of your own advice, old chap.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Dave330

[Daz 330 Cs]

Not at all. I'm just giving you a dose of your own medicine, old chap 

[Dave330]

15 minutes ago, Daz 330 Cs said:

Not at all. I'm just giving you a dose of your own medicine, old chap 

It's easy to see how you rack up those 10 posts a day with such quality input.