Kid in sweet shop needs Diesel suggestions

[Cottis]

Standard S2 I assume. Blimey, if its as quick as mine, I will get shot of the S2 ha ha.

Bit more research. The 6speed 204bhp E46 330d (post 03) manual does have swirl flaps whereas the previous 184bhp Manual Derv does not. Accepted mods are updated vortex breather and remove swirl flaps and blank off followed by a remap for best results and future proofing. Think I would look on Bimmer forums for the right one rather than having to undertake this work as would assume most owners wont have a clue about it.

Other than that, the reviews are really very good. The odd blown turbo which is fair enough but we all know about that ha. Many examples passing 250k miles which is where mine would get to for the amount of time I intend on keeping the next car I buy. Probably the wrong place to be saying the hunt for a BMW starts now but I promise to keep the S2.

[SE_30]

Another vote for the 530d sport. This was mine and the only issue I had in owning it over 8 years was the inline fuel pump and a broken coil spring. Other than that ultra-reliable. Super smooth retuned great mpg for the size of it and went like the clappers with a good remap. Sold it 3 years ago for 4750 with FSH and 115k on clock.

[GazzaG60]

330d is a rocket. Probly s2 quick.

[GazzaG60]

mine was like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E39-53...item2ecfa719a5

[GazzaG60]

mine was auto best second best (spo I thought at the time)choice I ever made. loved it. ultra smooth never missed a beat

[GazzaG60]

102k fsh folding rear seat etc. was an import though but rhd
5s r cheaper than 3s

flaps are on e6x models not 39. its a scaremonger thing in general I think. a520d in the newer cars is good too.

[Cottis]

Just watch out for the models with the inlet flap things that fall off and go throught the turbo, My brother-in-law had a beautiful low mileage car which was written off due to this fault.

Are the swirl flaps just on Autos? Read somewhere that Manuals dont have them? Not sure though. I would be after a manual. Not a fan of autos

[Cottis]

Bit pricey. I paid 4700 5 yrs ago fora msport 5 speed auto
That's a 2 k max car imo

What mileage when you bought it, that sounds very good for 5yrs ago. The 330d coupes I have been looking at have been about that price for around 100k milers.

Stuff like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-BMW-3...item4d192eaa33

Must admit, I am really starting to sway towards the BMW after reading a lot of reviews etc. I can walk to work in the winter or even cry off right?

[newsh]

Just watch out for the models with the inlet flap things that fall off and go throught the turbo, My brother-in-law had a beautiful low mileage car which was written off due to this fault.

[Cottis]

Seen this?

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70491

Looks like a lot of car for the money. If I am being honest, I have spent a lot of today looking at E46 330D Coupes. They are lovely and I am convincing myself that I could walk to work in the snow (really dont wanna use the S2 in snow for fear of other fools running in to me) The 5 series is unnecessarily big for me and the looks of the 330 is more up my street. Ideally would want one a little newer than 2003 with 100k max on the clock.

Think it will be more reliable long term than the PD engined A4 TDIQ, more fun to drive, better to look at and faster and don't require cambelt changes. Not much worse on economy either.

I am useless with choices. Soooo indecisive.

[GazzaG60]

Bit pricey. I paid 4700 5 yrs ago fora msport 5 speed auto
That's a 2 k max car imo

[newsh]

Seen this?

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70491

[Ross]

The Skodas look like a fab deal! I'm replacing the RS6 & my Golf PD 130 with a new dag dag. Missus will drive it mostly so something no bigger than the C5 '6, ideally a bit shorter, which basically left me choosing between B8 A4 or F30 3-series... I want something under warranty and with a bit of poke, it kept escalating till i ended up with a 335d! Got 20% off RRP but still madsively blew budget

My experience is positive with the bimmer, drove my brothers E39 530d quite a bit. Set of winters to swop over will get it thru bad weather. Though personally i would use the S2 for that! Have a set of winters on my old alloys for the RS2. It could barely make boost on summer rubber in 2nd, 1bar on winters on the same carpark half an hour later

[vonbeck]

i was looking for a run around myself before christmas and like you looked at all the usual suspects only difference is i wanted a petrol looked at A4 s line 2.0tfsi quattros bmw 325/330 ended up with a 2010 skoda octavia VRS hatch brilliant car same car as golf gti engine is 2.0ltr tsi,220 bhp bags of kit, boot is HUGE and getting 40-45mpg on a run can`t fault it getting it chipped when warrenty runs out

I've had 3 BMWs all with straight-six engines. I drive one currently too (as well as an Audi 80), a 3 series coupe. All were 10-14 years old at the time of purchase.

They have all had semi-auto boxes with tiptronic. They NEVER go wrong. Ever. (Maybe I have been fortunate).

Compare that to the number of old Audi A4 and A6's with knackered gearboxes you see on fleabay (I personally would be very wary of buying an Audi at 14 years old with a tiptronic box).

That's just one example. They never really go wrong (at least for me anyway). They also have timing chains not belts. The last Audi I owned - the timing belt snapped.

The only downside is the fuel consumption but that's a good trade-off for me if it means I don't have to keep putting my hand in my pocket on repairs. Oh, and the build quality of the E46 coupe is FAR superior to the B5 A4.