BMW 330 Convertible Cars

Ride Around in Style With a BMW 330 Convertible

Manufactured from 2001 to 2013 as part of the BMW 3 Series, 330 convertibles like the E46 330ci convertible and the E93 330i convertible were high-end models produced by the German automaker. For the 13 years of their existence, BMW's 330 convertibles went through important changes, while always keeping their signature style. Thanks to eBay's listings and our information, you can be ready to go on the hunt for the right 330 convertible for you.

Here are some important features of the BMW 330 convertible that span all of the car's production generations:

• Engine: Petrol versions of the 330 convertible use a six-cylinder, inline-six, 3.0-litre engine. Diesel versions use a BMW B57, six-cylinder, inline-six, 30.0-litre diesel engine.
• Horsepower: Horsepower can range from 225 to 268 for petrol engine versions and from 181 to 241 for diesel versions.
• Layout: All versions of 330 convertibles have FR layouts, meaning that they are rear-wheel-drive cars with their engines in the front).
• Transmission: All versions have either five-speed or six-speed manual transmissions, with options for equivalent automatic transmissions.
• Brakes: They have front and rear disc brakes.

As part of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 330 convertibles appeared in various forms throughout some of the generations of this line of cars. Here is a brief description of each of the relevant generations and the 330 convertible models within each:

• Fourth generation (2000 to 2006): Convertibles from this generation are usually named with the E46 prefix to indicate their placement in production. Petrol engine models from this generation use the BMW M54 engine and come with 228 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission, with options for a 235-horsepower engine and/or a five-speed automatic transmission. Diesel engine versions use a BMW M57 diesel engine with 181 horsepower, with an option for a 201-horsepower engine also available. You can also choose here between having a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
• Fifth generation (2004 to 2013): Convertibles from this generation are marked by the E93 prefix in their model names. Petrol engine versions use either the BMW N52 or N53 engine, the former providing 255 horsepower and the latter providing 268. The diesel engine version, the E93 330d, uses a BMW N57 inline-six, turbo-diesel engine that generates 228 horsepower, with an option available to boost it to 241. The E93 convertible's windows are also 30% larger than those of the E46.

Here are a few things that are worth bearing in mind as you browse through the eBay listings in search of the right BMW 330 convertible:

• Generally, cars with lower mileage will be more expensive than cars with higher mileage, and cars from newer model years will be more expensive than cars from older model years.
• Versions of the car with automatic transmissions may cost you more than versions that have manual transmissions.
• Each generation of new and preowned BMW 330 convertibles has multiple engine options, with the greater horsepower options generally being the more expensive.