|
I am considering buying the BMW diesel, possibly N or P reg. Does anybody have any comments on the quality of the engine?
|
These require/d a 5000mile service interval, quite short for busy people to have forgotten over the years.
The waterpumps have plastic impellers which come off leading to sudden overheating and possible further damage.
On high mileage manual cars, the crankshaft front bearing can gain excessive play.
They were somewhat benchmark diesel engines in their hayday, and are still very good, but if anything does go wrong, they are quite expensive and complex.
|
I had a P-reg 325tds manual
Not quite sure where this 5000 mile service interval comes from. I went by the service indicator and serviced at about 10-12000 miles.
I had from new and had to sadly change for something bigger at 88k miles. Apart from needing a MAF sensor nothing went wrong with the car.
I really enjoyed driving it and would recommend it to anyone, although I am not sure about the td (non-inter-cooled engine). Personally I wouldn't bother with a td but would go for the tds.
(I think that 1997 P 325tds has traction control as standard).
|
CM,
What sort or mpg did you get out of the 325 ?
|
I have a fairly hefty right foot and liked to redline (I am now a lot more mature!!!). I used to get about 34mpg doing my usual commute between Alton/London. I am sure that with more areful driving that 40 should be achievable. I seem to remember that the urban/extra figure quoted was about 38mpg
To be honest it was not the most fuel efficient car in the world but then considering that it had a straight 6 it isn't too bad and when compared to a 325i it was about 30%+ better
|
I have an Omega with the same engine, the service intervals are 5000 miles, (there is no service indicator in this car) and it is on the Range Rover 2.5TS too.
Maybe the extra weight of this car or exhaust gas recirculation on later models makes them require more oil changes.
|
Unless I'm very much mistaken, this engine had indirect injection and the oil would therefore get sooty quite quickly. 5000 miles between oil changes seems about right to me.
|
Why would indirect injection make it get me quickly?
Sorry, I'll get my coat!
|
|
|
|
I do not know about the TD engine but the TDS I think was direct injection. Anyway, I cannot recall the oil getting sooty quickly.
|
My "unless I'm very much mistaken" bit was just my way of trying not too sound pompous (I know, I know!) and I can assure you that both the 325TD and 325TDS were indirect injection. The difference was that the TDS was intercooled.
I can't argue about the rate of sooting on that particular engine compared with other engines of the day, however an IDI engine will normally be dirtier than a common-rail DI engine and it was that comparison that I had in mind.
|
|
|
|
|
![2016 BMW 5 Series Touring 520d [190] M Sport 5dr Step Auto](http://images.honestjohn.co.uk/imagecache/url/crop/90x60/https/assets.heycar.co.uk/t_default-export/f_auto/application_assets/vehicles/pictures/dfd538f496e27d10d0cbb63f243829c2/cc98d0a2ebeaa5887a48bad594cc7ad9.jpg)
