New user looking for guidance re buying a E90

[budd]

Hi Firstly this is my first post, I'm looking at buying a E90 BMW 3 series ( more specific the E93 convertible), so I'm after a little bit of guidance. My first thought is the 330d, reasonable fuel consumption with enough go. So I'm specifically interested in that at the moment, but the car will primarily be used for my wife who works locally, of course it will be used by myself at other times and for longer journeys but its main job will be ferrying my wife the short distance to work. I'm aware constant short trips aren't ideal for any car but particularly diesels which tend to get gummed up so this is slightly concerning and maybe a petrol would be preferable in this respect. Also given the regular short distance work fuel consumption possibly isn't a top priority, but if I do go petrol then I'd want a straight 6, my wife wouldn't care what engine is in it but I do like the smoothness and power of a larger engine. So that's a little background what I'm after really is an overview of the E90/93, know/common issues problems, potential issues, engine comparison and engine specific problems and so on, what do I need to pay attention to and what models (if any) to absolutely avoid. Any advice would be most welcome, also if anyone could point to a E90 buying guide that would brilliant.

[Greydog]

Hi Mark

Welcome to the Forum

As with any used car History History History plus something I learned to look at 10+ years ago is the MOT history you can learn a lot about how it has been maintained by the advisories list and work required. Make sure everything works as it should and I mean everything if all good then ENJOY

My brother inlaw runs 530d Touring he is now on his 4th he has a business based in the Netherlands and commutes via the tunnel all his cars have run to around 250k before change all have been ECU Tuned so he can surprise the odd Porker driver on the autobahns. His current car is a 535d well over 300bhp and 600+nm of torque make it's mid range acceleration quite something while still returning mid 40's on a run better if he isn't driving.

So there is my experience of the BMW 3.0d. As for short journeys even newer petrol engines now have DPF technology to help emissions which , one of my sons is a tree surgeon so most of his work is local and towing a chipper. His Toyota pickup has the 2.2d engine (he is on his 2nd) this one started to loose performance, off to the Dealer EGR cleaned and back to normal for a few weeks then it started again the service manager at the dealers told "needs an Italian Tune up" what that said my son and where do I have to go? The guy laughed and said take it out a couple of times a month and rag it for 20 mins minimum to make sure the DPF regeneration is started. He has had no more issues in the last 3 years.

Bit of a ramble but I hope it helps

Dave

 

[budd]

Thanks for the response, yes even the petrol engines now have DPF which also is a potential issue with mainly short journeys, we currently have an Alfa GT which is a 1.9 diesel it's done around 175K and the constant short journeys cause it to loose performance in the same way you describe your sons pickup, the engine management light comes on and at this point it requires the same 'Italian tune up procedure', the black smoke it omits is something too behold and quite startling, but so far it seems to do the job performance is restored and the light goes off. But I think it only a matter of time before the situation can't be sorted by a good thrashing, hence a new(er) car  is called for.