2005/6 C220 CDI Estate Auto/2001 E46 BMW 330i Touring Auto dilemma.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi to you all out there,well as the heading suggests - I am in a bit of a dilemma as to which of my two cars I will keep.

The 116,000 miles C220 CDI an Avantgarde is a factory ordered (at point of sale) car with the OM 646 with the MO10 uprated170bhp engine and the 722.6 gearbox and sports pack BilsteinB16ndampers with leather upholstery and a load of extras - at build stage,including front sports seats and 17" Adherez alloy wheels.

The 138,000 miles 330I E46 Touring Auto also has sports seats and is fully trimmed in red leather including door cards etc and runs on 18" MV1 Alloy wheels.

Both cars are Metallic Silver

One will most likely be going in the next few months once Covid 19 is no longer the threat that it has been - BUT which !!

 

[Blobcat]

Which puts a smile on your face when you drive it?

 

[MBDevotee]

If both were written off by a fire.... which would you miss most, or seek to replace.

Which one makes you happiest I guess

 

[JBell]

Sell both and buy one of these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010094806653?postcode=tq12lr&aggregatedTrim=C350%20CDI&sort=price-desc&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&body-type=Estate&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=C%20CLASS&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

You will have the luxury and economy of the Merc and more power than the Bimmer

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Which puts a smile on your face when you drive it?

Hi Blobcat. A difficult one to answer as they both do but in slightly different ways.
The Merc does not feel quite as solid as the Beemer and in truth by comparison it feels & sounds on less than perfect surfaces like an up-market car derived van.

Some years ago it was my 1997 Volvo V70 T5 CD Auto that did that every time and that continued until I eventually sold it on at 240,000+ miles.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

If both were written off by a fire.... which would you miss most, or seek to replace.

Which one makes you happiest I guess

Hi MBD. As per my response to Blobcat. That said they are both older cars with plenty of life left in them and both with documented history and both with a measure of uncertainty when it comes to being priced off of the road when it comes to VED charges and fuel taxes etc.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Sell both and buy one of these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010094806653?postcode=tq12lr&aggregatedTrim=C350%20CDI&sort=price-desc&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&body-type=Estate&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=C%20CLASS&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

You will have the luxury and economy of the Merc and more power than the Bimmer

Hi JB. Yes,very nice but outrageous when it comes down to Insurance, Tyres and all on fixed income/State Pension.
I was not a Government Minister before I retired prematurely in 2007 !!
Yes the VED is low at currently £205 per annum but the 32.9 mpg Urban driving fuel figure must surely be a day dreamers figure.

Is the V6 as reliable as the 4 cyl unit in the C220CDI ?

 

[MBDevotee]

I don't know that 32.9 is daydreamers.

I know one guy getting 78mpg out of a 250CDi - so I reckon late 40's low 50's on a good long run and mid 30's in town should be realistic?

 

[MBDevotee]

Although one thing I do note.....

In one of your responses you said a couple of negatives about the Merc, yet nothing negative about the Beemer.... so perhaps that one is your preferred motor?

 

[Wighty]

Which one will last the longest and be cheapest to run and upkeep ?

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

I don't know that 32.9 is daydreamers.

I know one guy getting 78mpg out of a 250CDi - so I reckon late 40's low 50's on a good long run and mid 30's in town should be realistic?

Hi again MBD. I would bet my boots that that was not a real world (calculated figure on brim to brim fill-ups).
My Volvo old 1997 V70 T5 CD Auto would show 96mpg on the OBC going downhill with a tailwind and my foot off of the 'Go' pedal BUT the reality of it was that I could average 24mpg real world driving over 1000 miles if I was not overly heavy on the go juice.

 

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Which one will last the longest and be cheapest to run and upkeep ?

Hi Wighty. In the greater scheme of things and with currently available figures (my own) there is not a lot to choose between them both.
They are both capable of monster mileage a both capable of longevity and service with correct and proper service schedules being adhered to.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

No contest IMO petrol IL6 every time!

As diesel is now considered the devil’s fuel VED will soon reflect this, which is why I’m gradually migrating to petrol. MB lost a customer when I bought my 4 series if I could have bought an equivalent IL6 from them it would have clinched the deal albeit S/H of course.

The best engines I’ve owned have been the IL6 (M103) petrol in the S124, IL6 (613) diesel in the S210 and IL6 (N55) petrol in the 4 series BMW. MB have a very long history of producing excellent IL6 engines but this was interrupted when they merged with Chrysler in favour of V engines, since the de-merger they’ve started production again thankfully

 

[JBell]

Hi JB. Yes,very nice but outrageous when it comes down to Insurance, Tyres and all on fixed income/State Pension.
I was not a Government Minister before I retired prematurely in 2007 !!
Yes the VED is low at currently £205 per annum but the 32.9 mpg Urban driving fuel figure must surely be a day dreamers figure.

Is the V6 as reliable as the 4 cyl unit in the C220CDI ?

I pay £320 fully comp

Tyres are the same sizes as your BMW

I get 30+ easily urban and over 40 on a run.

V6 is superb, only issue is Oil intercooler seals