The luxury executive compact is almost ubiquitous today. At every junction and street corner you will see either an A4, C Class or a 3 Series with drivers from all sorts of backgrounds. It’s no longer the domain of executives but it still remains the hallmark of knowing that you have arrived, that you can now enjoy the finer things in life. Buying one new can still leave a dent in the bank account, especially for a fully optioned one but due to the aforementioned ubiquity, this can work well for you in the used market. As a used buy, things start to make more sense as you factor in the depreciation suffered by the first owner.
With the increasing popularity of diesel cars in Australia, the Germans are increasingly bringing in more options to the table. In Europe, diesel sales account for 80% of the market. This makes sense as diesel is actually cheaper than petrol (as it should be since it costs less to distil than petrol), but here in Australia, due to the higher cost of diesel, the economy advantage of the diesel might not make as much sense here.
Diesels are also noisier and smellier. But by gosh the torque they produce can be surprising to those not familiar with it. Suddenly the clickaty-clack of the diesel engine begins to fade away and you smile every time you think about the shove you’re getting while still being more economical than a comparable petrol powered car. The advancement of the diesel engine and turbo technology has made the refinement acceptable to most. In fact, at a constant highway speed, the diesel can actually be quieter than the petrol car due to the lower revs needed. So will the petrol car go the way of the dinosaur?
Although diesels have made strong headway in the last decade or so, engineers have not completely forgotten about the petrol engine. If you compare the official consumption figures of a 320i (8l/100km) against the 320d (6.7l/100km), the gap is actually not that wide. The 320i 4 cylinder engine is a gem of an engine, the refinement levels are high and you’d be hard press to tell that it’s not a 4 cylinder. You get the mid-range torque in the diesel, but you get the instant response of the petrol as well as a wider rev range. The difference lies in the turbo delivery of the diesel engine. Diesel engines rely on turbo chargers to boost the inherently less powerful nature of diesel. However, with the added turbo charger, you get the increased complexity come repair time. Also, servicing costs more on a comparable diesel car.
With the 320i being plentiful on the market, you’ll likely find a low mileage, one owner car with full log book maintenance for a surprisingly low outlay. Unless you really need the mid-range torque of the 320d and cover high mileages per year, go for the petrol and you’d save on the running costs as well enjoy the petrol refinement. Also, don’t forget to compare the Touring. It has the practicality of a wagon body while at the same time being less common than the sedan. You will not be able to tell from behind the wheel that there’s a great big cargo space behind. If you prefer a sedan, try a Lexus IS250 before deciding. You get true V6 refinement while getting more equipment than the BMW. Don’t forget the Japanese are the kings of reliability and what that means as an owner.
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