3 series convertible - Experience?

Punter · Post by **Punter** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:09 am

My mate is looking to buy a late plate 330/335 convertible. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, thoughts, buying tips (apart from the obvious stuff). Any info greatly appreciated. I'm just lucky, I don't need the extra Seats! Woo hoo!

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 5:37 pm

Punter wrote:My mate is looking to buy a late plate 330/335 convertible. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, thoughts, buying tips (apart from the obvious stuff). Any info greatly appreciated. I'm just lucky, I don't need the extra Seats! Woo hoo!

"andysat" has a E93 but not sure which engine , , the 330i will be NA i assume as opposed to the 335 being a twin turbo so totally different prospects in the way performance is delivered , later ones i think were available as uprated 335is

sammyz · Post by **sammyz** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:24 pm

My ma t e has a e93 M3 convertible. Had it 6 years and he's had no problems aside from throttle actuators needed replacing. He's done 70k and its a fabulous car. Before that he had a 335I which was also an excellent car.

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:30 pm

Have owned an e93 320d m sport for the past 4 years and although i havent put that many miles on it ive found it nothing short of exceptional.
Was looking at larger petrol engines, coming from a long line of 6 cyl bmw's but this one surprised with both the poke, economy as well as the looks. Maybe something to consider?

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patriot66 · Post by **patriot66** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:45 pm

Chris_D wrote:Have owned an e93 320d m sport for the past 4 years and although i havent put that many miles on it ive found it nothing short of exceptional.
Was looking at larger petrol engines, coming from a long line of 6 cyl bmw's but this one surprised with both the poke, economy as well as the looks. Maybe something to consider?
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg

Very nice looking car you have there Chris ! I am also seriously thinking of acquiring one of these as a daily driver. I fancy a 6 cylinder petrol but will take a test drive in a diesel and see how I feel. Think they look superb in a good colour and with the right rims and goodies on.

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Mon Jan 09, 2017 1:36 pm

patriot66 wrote:
Chris_D wrote:Have owned an e93 320d m sport for the past 4 years and although i havent put that many miles on it ive found it nothing short of exceptional.
Was looking at larger petrol engines, coming from a long line of 6 cyl bmw's but this one surprised with both the poke, economy as well as the looks. Maybe something to consider?
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
Very nice looking car you have there Chris ! I am also seriously thinking of acquiring one of these as a daily driver. I fancy a 6 cylinder petrol but will take a test drive in a diesel and see how I feel. Think they look superb in a good colour and with the right rims and goodies on.

Ta lar

It doesnt have so many toys- just the stufff u need; msport suspension, aircon, nice set of alloys. Has the bluetooth prep and multifunction wheel too which is handy.
You can make me an offer if u like as I'm looking to offload it to fund a coupe purchase..

goldbcfc · Post by **goldbcfc** » Mon Jan 09, 2017 6:24 pm

longest car i ever owned was E46 330ci convertible 5yrs should never of sold it but Ive had 4 convertible bmw's since love them. e93 are very good prices now but must be very heavy car with that roof

stevo///m3 · Post by **stevo///m3** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:56 pm

Chris_D wrote:
patriot66 wrote:
Chris_D wrote:Have owned an e93 320d m sport for the past 4 years and although i havent put that many miles on it ive found it nothing short of exceptional.
Was looking at larger petrol engines, coming from a long line of 6 cyl bmw's but this one surprised with both the poke, economy as well as the looks. Maybe something to consider?
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
Very nice looking car you have there Chris ! I am also seriously thinking of acquiring one of these as a daily driver. I fancy a 6 cylinder petrol but will take a test drive in a diesel and see how I feel. Think they look superb in a good colour and with the right rims and goodies on.
Ta lar
It doesnt have so many toys- just the stufff u need; msport suspension, aircon, nice set of alloys. Has the bluetooth prep and multifunction wheel too which is handy.
You can make me an offer if u like as I'm looking to offload it to fund a coupe purchase..

Warning for future Forumites... a good 6 months or a year on here and your next meeting is with Taz as he welcomes you to the exclusive club...

Stevo

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:12 pm

stevo///m3 wrote:
Chris_D wrote:
patriot66 wrote:
Very nice looking car you have there Chris ! I am also seriously thinking of acquiring one of these as a daily driver. I fancy a 6 cylinder petrol but will take a test drive in a diesel and see how I feel. Think they look superb in a good colour and with the right rims and goodies on.
Ta lar
It doesnt have so many toys- just the stufff u need; msport suspension, aircon, nice set of alloys. Has the bluetooth prep and multifunction wheel too which is handy.
You can make me an offer if u like as I'm looking to offload it to fund a coupe purchase..
Warning for future Forumites... a good 6 months or a year on here and your next meeting is with Taz as he welcomes you to the exclusive club...
Stevo

Is there a welcoming party with cake, jelly, clowns and pole dancers?

stevo///m3 · Post by **stevo///m3** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:27 pm

Chris_D wrote:
stevo///m3 wrote:
Chris_D wrote: Ta lar
It doesnt have so many toys- just the stufff u need; msport suspension, aircon, nice set of alloys. Has the bluetooth prep and multifunction wheel too which is handy.
You can make me an offer if u like as I'm looking to offload it to fund a coupe purchase..
Warning for future Forumites... a good 6 months or a year on here and your next meeting is with Taz as he welcomes you to the exclusive club...
Stevo
Is there a welcoming party with cake, jelly, clowns and pole dancers?

Depending on his predisposition for the particular day and how many press-ups he's done, almost anything is possible lad, as long as it's an E86, you should be good to go. I've heard he'll make exceptions and do a Dutch visit for hardcore followers...

Stevo

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:56 pm

stevo///m3 wrote:
Chris_D wrote:
stevo///m3 wrote:
Warning for future Forumites... a good 6 months or a year on here and your next meeting is with Taz as he welcomes you to the exclusive club...
Stevo
Is there a welcoming party with cake, jelly, clowns and pole dancers?
Depending on his predisposition for the particular day and how many press-ups he's done, almost anything is possible lad, as long as it's an E86, you should be good to go. I've heard he'll make exceptions and do a Dutch visit for hardcore followers...
Stevo

VRSteve · Post by **VRSteve** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:08 pm

mr wilks wrote:
Punter wrote:My mate is looking to buy a late plate 330/335 convertible. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, thoughts, buying tips (apart from the obvious stuff). Any info greatly appreciated. I'm just lucky, I don't need the extra Seats! Woo hoo!
"andysat" has a E93 but not sure which engine , , the 330i will be NA i assume as opposed to the 335 being a twin turbo so totally different prospects in the way performance is delivered , later ones i think were available as uprated 335is

Single turbo on the 330, twin on the 335i.

Punter · Post by **Punter** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:26 pm

Thanks guys, really helpful. Why does it always have to include pole dancers?

jamie_z4 · Post by **jamie_z4** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:48 pm

VRSteve wrote:
mr wilks wrote:
Punter wrote:My mate is looking to buy a late plate 330/335 convertible. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, thoughts, buying tips (apart from the obvious stuff). Any info greatly appreciated. I'm just lucky, I don't need the extra Seats! Woo hoo!
"andysat" has a E93 but not sure which engine , , the 330i will be NA i assume as opposed to the 335 being a twin turbo so totally different prospects in the way performance is delivered , later ones i think were available as uprated 335is
Single turbo on the 330, twin on the 335i.

no. The 330 is N/A & 335i is twin scroll single turbo on the later N55 & N54 is twin turbo on earlier cars.

jimmybell · Post by **jimmybell** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:54 pm

jamie_z4 wrote:
VRSteve wrote:
mr wilks wrote:
"andysat" has a E93 but not sure which engine , , the 330i will be NA i assume as opposed to the 335 being a twin turbo so totally different prospects in the way performance is delivered , later ones i think were available as uprated 335is
Single turbo on the 330, twin on the 335i.
no. The 330 is N/A & 335i is twin scroll single turbo on the later N55 & N54 is twin turbo on earlier cars.

this is correct.

There are reasons you may want the single turbo vs the twin turbos. 100% do your research here - wastegate rattle is the known 'big cost item' to fix, a friend had it and took many many many months to get BMW to fix it under warranty.

A simple google highlights issues: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... e%20rattle

Aside from that, and general BMW ownership costs (it maybe cheap now, but it wasn't when new... and servicing/maint/ownership costs are a proportion of the new value not the current value), it's a GREAT way to get lots of speed and relative luxury for not that much money. JB4 chip tune gives you a tonne more HP too, i think something like +80bhp is common for around £500 for the JB4. Traction issues follow, though.

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