[Kres7787]

Hi people,

I'm about to join BMW family (currently within Volvo "family") but got a simple question about going with either 320i or 320d... My current C30 has 125 HP so 170/177HP with 320i/d is more then enough for me.

It will be either one or the other. So my situation is that I drive hardly more then 10k km per year, as I work at home. The price between 320i and 320d is 1,8k EUR so not a huge deal, but then again wouldn't hurt to leave that cash in the pocket.

I live in a city on the hill, so there are lots of ups and downs here. Hence diesel might be better in terms of power and gass consumption.

I only got 2 years of driving experience so I'd like to ask for your opinion?

Thank you for your time,

[Tuce]

Depending on the price of diesel versus gas fuel, diesel all the way - no question.

[Kres7787]

Thanks but why?

[HJV]

If I were you, I'd just test drive them back to back, and pick the one you prefer. There isn't a big difference between 320d vs. 320i in either performance (7 bhp is hardly noticeable) or cost (diesel costs more to buy, but uses less fuel).

Although if you're getting a coupé, I think it needs to have a bigger engine (ie. 325/330/335). I personally think that the coupé needs to have a decent engine to back up its sporty looks. But that's just my personal opinion - and of course, it'll be more expensive.

Are you in Zagreb, if I may ask?

[Kres7787]

No I'm in Rijeka Ah I see one of your locations is Zagreb

Can't really justify the expense of a bigger engine and I don't really need it as I don't drive too much. As I said I'm moving from 125HP to 170HP so pretty much all I need. Hm from 10s to 100km/h to 8s to 100km/h. Not awful

And bimmer bummer here is that they don't have ANY test 3 coupe's in Rijeka, and they say prolly not even in whole Croatia / Zagreb... Going to test 3 sedan next week though.

[Kroy]

I'd lean towards the 320d. A little more power, and better gas consumption. I also think disel engines are built to last (based not on personal experience so take with a grain of salt). Anyways, I hear 320d is just a tune away from a satisfying amount of torque.

[Tuce]

The 320d is rated at 258 lb/ft of torque. The i is 155. I think this would make a substantial difference in the day-to-day driving.

[- Paul -]

The D is the faster/more frugal car plus there has been LOADS of problems with the 320i

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136258

[anowlan]

What is the price of Premium Unleaded and Diesel in Croatia? I would think that would have a bearing. Are there tax advantages to driving diesel?
I'd drive them both and see, but for what it's worth I love my diesel, and the fuel economy with the smaller diesels would be even greater, I would think. That 320i engine is REALLY going to be working hard in that body.

[Kres7787]

First of all thanks for your thoughts. Well, at least so far, you're all for diesels... I hear ya for 320i issues. Only that is enough to go with diesel as of course no body wants to get a potentially defective car... Especially a BMW...

I guess I'm leaning toward Diesel then too! Should suck up those extra 1800 EUR.

The prices here:

Equipment in both:
Alarm, Chrome Lines, Inner & Exterior auto shading mirrors, Lower back "pillow" for front seats, Back parking assistent, Rain sensor and auto lights, auto AC, tempomat, BMW professional player, color + standard eq (xenon... etc; surprised that xenon was part of standard eq...)

320i = 46,204 EUR / 68,500 USD
320d = 48,065 EUR / 71,500 USD

Yeah don't forget that cars in EU are rudely more expensive then in USA. But hey we got free health insurence! I don't though. Cause of the company, but hence I'll get that car 15% cheaper then the price you see above.

Also after about 5 minutes talk with the sales guy I got 10% off the price. Didn't even asked him for a discount. So can probably increase that to 15% at least. So company and discount, I'm looking at 25-30% off that price. Not bad at all...

Absolutely no tax advantages of driving a diesel

[Kres7787]

Originally Posted by anowlan

What is the price of Premium Unleaded and Diesel in Croatia? I would think that would have a bearing. Are there tax advantages to driving diesel?
I'd drive them both and see, but for what it's worth I love my diesel, and the fuel economy with the smaller diesels would be even greater, I would think. That 320i engine is REALLY going to be working hard in that body.

You seriously think that it's going to work hard? I'm having quite solid time driving my C30 with 125HP and Volvo is about 1.3 Tons. I guess it's just what people are used to...

[Sorry for double post, I thought I could merge them together after I posted the second]

[HJV]

Originally Posted by anowlan

That 320i engine is REALLY going to be working hard in that body.

I wouldn't say "REALLY" hard, that's exaggerating. The 320i is 170 bhp.

It's not going to be a sports car, but 170 bhp will definitely do the job. There's even a 115 bhp variant of the 3-series. Bear in mind also that 320i is 70kg lighter than 320d.

[F104]

you guys are not comparing apples with apples. I've got the evolve tuned 320d and love it. But:
- a diesel has a longer diff ratio. All that matter to the car is rear wheel torque an any given gear ratio, not engine torque. It will be still higher than petrol, but far less than based on engine out only
- same for bhp, most people still don't seem to understand that bhp at 6000 rpm is not what moves a car
- a diesel is in principal the long distance / high load engine. Drive it in town conditions all day and it will be in EGR mode all the time, eating its own exhaust gasses, spending considerable time burning excess fuel to clean that DPF, etc. I'm still on the page that if you don't do at least 10 kmls/year then don't buy a diesel. I do now 25kmls/year, down from 35k.
- A diesel excels in 3th+gear pulls = motorway engine. Look at any road test for 40 to X mph accel. times.

cheers,

[Kres7787]

And I'm not buying it for the sporty engine but because I like how it looks. As stupid as it sounds. It's the best looking car IMO. Coincidentally it's also a high quality car and among the best in its class. From what people say. But still go to decide on those two...

[BMWBully]

I went for the 320i, manual gearbox, mainly because I don´t think a coupe should have a diesel engine..

If you have 125hp today, you´ll love the 170hp petrol, way fast enough + lighter than the diesel.. Very good mileage too! I have a 2010 MB C200TCDI with auto too, and so far I got the same mileage on both of them!

[cstavaru]

If you only buy it for looks, just get the 320i or the cheapest coupe. It will also sound better.

But if you want the most power in this price bracket, buy the 320d because it has a lot more torque and even better, a BMW-original Performance Power Kit is available for the 320d which ups the power from 177 to 197hp and the torque from 350Nm to 400Nm...the same torque as a 335i

[Kres7787]

Thanks again for your suggestions! I'm not even being called names for saying I'm buying it just for its looks... So far BMW is a disease and I believe I'm on the right spot to make it a comfortable disease.

One question that should be obvious to least experienced drivers, but not me. Since if you stop almost anywhere here you're under an angle, should 320d be much less prone to choking while starting uphill then 320i? Due to torque I believe the answer is obvious.

I've also test driven Audi A4 the other day and it has the electric break, which in my city is a dream come true. I didn't see that BMW has it? Forgot to ask... It was diesel. Wasn't bad at all. 143 HP. But don't like its looks heh... Night and day comparing to BMW 3 coupe.

How much more expensive service should I expect in a diesel engine VS a petrol?

But being that I'll be driving it far mostly in a city I'm going to be killing that diesel engine as F104 said...

[Kres7787]

Originally Posted by anowlan

What is the price of Premium Unleaded and Diesel in Croatia?

I've just realized that you were probably asking for the actual gas price. Not certain of the exact price but I believe it is about $2 per l of petrol (probably a little less) and diesel costs a little more.

[anowlan]

Originally Posted by Kres7787

I've just realized that you were probably asking for the actual gas price. Not certain of the exact price but I believe it is about $2 per l of petrol (probably a little less) and diesel costs a little more.

Yes that was what I was asking. And my point about the engine working hard was this. Before my 335i I drove a 99 Honda civic. The emissions controls strangled the fun out of the engine and made it very underpowered. Consequently, you had to drive it hard to keep up with traffic. The 335i was loafing to achieve the same speeds, and as a result used a very similar amount of fuel when compared to the civic. Three times the power, but only about 20% more thirsty. My point is that you'll probably be driving the 320i harder than the 320d to achieve the same feeling of forward progress and as a result the diesel may come closer to achieving the fuel economy number on the window sticker in the real world. I'm NOT claiming that the 320i couldn't handle being driven hard, but that if it was, it would be less likely to actually achieve the number on the window sticker. I was just watching a rerun of top gear where a BMW m3 got better fuel economy than a Toyota prius in ten laps around the racetrack at the same speed. The prius was being driven to it's maximum speed and got 17mpg. At a MATCHING speed the m3 was loafing and got 19mpg. That's my point. And when fuel is $8/gallon as it seems to be over there, I would think that would make a major difference on a monthly basis.

[Kres7787]

That's an interesting point and test by Top Gear.

My main concern is if I'm going to be busting the diesel in its "unnatural" environment, the city driving (hills city). Since 95% of my driving is just around the city. Since from what I heard so far, the better engine for that would be the petrol.

Don't know really... I should just try both i and d versions of sedans that they have. Since they don't have test coupes.

[bavarian19]

Based on those options, I would go D

[HJV]

Originally Posted by Kres7787

One question that should be obvious to least experienced drivers, but not me. Since if you stop almost anywhere here you're under an angle, should 320d be much less prone to choking while starting uphill then 320i? Due to torque I believe the answer is obvious.

I believe the manual transmission has a hill hold function that keeps it there for a second or two after you release the brake. Not 100% sure, though.