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Hi all,
I am in the market, maybe, for a practical, almost cheap enough to be disposable, new enough to be reliable, estate car. Good for towing, house renovations etc.
So a Peugeot 406 estate? There aren't any! My sub minute ebay search showed up none for sale!
Could I try and tie it into a mid life crisis?
So a Beemer? I went through a few E30s when they were in the few hundred quid banger stage.
Long story short, I think a E90/91 touring would fit the bill, but why not have some fun with it, so a 330d, M57 engine.
But would an auto or manual be better? I don't really like autos, but with a diesel would it be better to keep it in the torque curve?
I would usually choose a manual, I like driving, and banging through the gears or whatever, and daily drive a 306 dturbo, but I feel this would be a different beast.
Do they suit autos better? My mum had an Audi a4 diesel manual, and as soon as it came on power it was time to change up!
Sorry for the long winded, not particularly retro post, but I want it to be good to drive, and I would rather have a proper manual than shift an auto in manual mode, if that makes sense? But is the auto better suited to the m57?
All this is hypothetical at the moment, I need to sort out budget etc...
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The ones with the 6hp auto gearbox are great. Those are a new generation of gearbox that is a great improvement over the old ones. They shift quick and have lock up in all gears making them a lot more economical then before.
But they can be expensive to fix if they have problems. Flushing the gearbox and changing oil is a good idea to keep them in better condition.
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Thanks for that, but is the manual better?*
I think I'm going to have to test drive one.
Plus they all seem to have leather, which Mrs Generallee doesn't like (cold in winter, hot in summer)
*I know that is a very subjective/personal preference thing
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,192
Club RR Member Number: 170
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I should probably reply, since I own an E91 325d auto. This is in essence, a detuned 330d ; the engine is the same, but the injectors and map are different. Mine is one of the final iterations of the M57, with an alloy block, so an M57TU2. Some aren't so keen, but I've seen many with big miles, and compared to the iron blocked cars, they do drive alot nicer IMHO ; the weight difference up front really makes them lovely to drive. Mine also be a very late pre-LCI car has the paddle shifters on the wheel, which is a nice touch. The autos start off in second unless you boot them, or you manually shift it to start off in first. Handy for if you want a traffic light grand prix  . It's hard to call them a retro (but then I suppose they are dated now), but OTOH, they are not modern, albeit have alot of creature comforts. The oldest example will now be 19 years old, with mine being 15 years old. Mine is the last of the Pre-LCIs, to put some perspective on that. The good news is at this age, you can still get parts, and they are of a good quality. Some bits on my E46 M3 are now becoming NLA. On French and Ford stuff, that story is only worse for similar aged cars. Even B5.5 Passats are beginning to lack quality parts now. I would only go with an auto, but I've also gone soft, and prefer an auto for daily uses, and for lending out to my dad if he ever needs a car. The 6HP auto does suit the car. Mates of mine have owned 325ds and 330ds in manuals and like them. But those who wanted auto dailys went with the autos, the manuals or nothing folks bought the manuals. That said, it sounds like you prefer a manual, so I'd be tempted to say go with that. If you are used to Ford shift quality, the BMW ones aren't the best, but there are a number of ways you can improve them, including a shifter from a 545i, some better bushings, and a CDV delete. The Clutch Delay Valve is something BMW put in since the E36. BMW manual fans do prefer them to the autos however. I echo what giuliettaevo says about the 'boxes as well. If you want to know more about E91s, let me know. I've had mine for 2 years, and have done 20k in that time, with me maintaining it over that period. Regarding leather, get a car with working AC and heated seats. That will solve the issues. I love the heated seats on cold days. Christ, I am that soft, that I end up using them more often over the year (bar when it's hot obviously!) I would want to spend about £3k getting one however. Cheap ones, like any car, will be a moneypit. One day, I'll do a thread for mine, as it will probably help others on here (y). I wouldn't discount a 320d with an M47 either. Don't get me wrong, I much prefer a 325d/330d to one from a refinement, sound and pace stance, but like any car, I'd buy the best example you can afford (y). |
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Last Edit: Feb 4, 2024 19:55:29 GMT by ChasR
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I would only go with an auto, but I've also gone soft, and prefer an auto for daily uses, and for lending out to my dad if he ever needs a car. The 6HP auto does suit the car. Mates of mine have owned 325ds and 330ds in manuals and like them. But those who wanted auto dailys went with the autos, the manuals or nothing folks bought the manuals. That said, it sounds like you prefer a manual, so I'd be tempted to say go with that. If you are used to Ford shift quality, the BMW ones aren't the best, but there are a number of ways you can improve them, including a shifter from a 545i, some better bushings, and a CDV delete. The Clutch Delay Valve is something BMW put in since the E36. BMW manual fans do prefer them to the autos however. . Thank you for taking the time to reply. I take from that, that there is no right or wrong answer, both good, neither bad, personal preference. I am erring on the side of a manual, but if the right auto comes up at the right price I won't discount it. I have more thinking to do, there seem to be a good number of nice ones to choose from still, so I will ruminate for a week or two, then probably buy something awful for too much money😀 |
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andyborris
Posted a lot
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
Posts: 2,158
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"then probably buy something awful for too much money😀" That'll be the proper RR way!   |
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 I have been using a 530D Manual for the past 18 months as a daily and tow car. Bought it on 81,000 miles and they will do 250,000 when maintained. I have had it mapped for better torque for towing and it still pulls around 42mpg. Not failed on me yet. |
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,192
Club RR Member Number: 170
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I have been using a 530D Manual for the past 18 months as a daily and tow car. Bought it on 81,000 miles and they will do 250,000 when maintained. I have had it mapped for better torque for towing and it still pulls around 42mpg. Not failed on me yet. They will do more than that. I've seen one do 530,000 miles (MOT check Y272 BRW). OK it was a 525d but it's the same family of engine Sure, it needed a few things to get there, including: -A few injectors ; I don't think all were changed -A couple of turbos My dad's 535d did 191k with nothing touched on the engine bar the intercooler seals. The above were stock cars. I've seen a 535d fail on 170k, with it completely losing compression on the rearmost cylinder, but I have my suspicions as to why it did. |
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