[NFS]

My 330i is going to be a year old in September 07.

I've always had company cars and in the past choosing a new one was easy. Just look down the list for the one that's quickest and best fun to drive. I also knew I would have to keep them for 2-3 years unless I got a new job.

Now though I have opted out of all that and have pretty much freedom to do what I want. This also means that my car does not necessarily have to me our main family motor.

I keep thinking about what to do next and essentially have several options which are sending me round in circles. I'm definitely going to keep the 330i until March 08. Options are:

1. Keep the 330i until 2 or 3 years old

2. Swap it for something semi-practical which is smaller but fun:

a. Focus ST3
b. Golf GTi
c. Civic Type R
d. Astra VXR

This would mean I could get my wife a used 320d. Downside is though that I'm not sure what I gain. These cars sound fun, but ultimately are probably less satisfying that the 330i.

3. Upgrade to 335i or 335d

This is going to cost me some money. On the plus side I could get the USB interface. I need to test drive them both, but at the moment would prefer the i. Question is - are they going to be 'better enough' than my 330i to justify the cost to change?

4. Sell the 330i and buy a lotus exige plus a 2.0 litre honda accord (or similar) for longer journeys. I like this option but my wife would kill me.

In summary, I suppose I can't think of anything better for the money with 4 seats.

Part of me wants to buy a new car - because I can - but I seem to have the best option available at the moment.

Advice welcome !

[dxb335d]

hi needforspeed

i would really consider every single avenue very carefully, it was cause so much hassle if you jump for one and find it aint the right dicision for you!!


when you say you have 'opted out'..? opted out of what?? Job?


i personally would upgrade to a 335i/d as there great cars, and would provide more enjoyment and satisfaction inmy opinion than the above mentioned less-well built in my opinion cars.

But then again i think the 330i is a great car, just seriously consider everything!


Good luck with it

Carl

[Z4 Beemer]

Option 2 - I would rule out the Golf GTi as its been around for a while, although is it getting a facelift soon? I think the same is true of the Focus (facelift next year?) VXR is a wild car, but at the end of the day its a Vauxhall I think therefore my money would be on the Civic Type R

Option 3 - if you prefer the i but are worried the difference between your own car and the 335i is not going to be significant enough, the simple.... get a new M3


Audi A5?

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

Option 2 - I would rule out the Golf GTi as its been around for a while, although is it getting a facelift soon? I think the same is true of the Focus (facelift next year?) VXR is a wild car, but at the end of the day its a Vauxhall I think therefore my money would be on the Civic Type R

Option 3 - if you prefer the i but are worried the difference between your own car and the 335i is not going to be significant enough, the simple.... get a new M3


Audi A5?

i would have thought the 335i would feel a new beast compared to an 330i, even with only 30 odd HP more

if not go for a 335d and a re-map? woudl be insane:rocks:


civic type-R is quite slow. You would definately notice the lack of performance coming from your 330i

Carl

[silverbmwz3]

The problem with cars, and the reason people are prepared to effectively waste so much money on them (they are a rapidly depreciating 'asset' after all) is the "I'm bored now and want a new one factor"....helped along by forums and shiny new car launches.

i) I wouldn't even CONSIDER changing a car I drive frequently from a Beemer (or at least the one you currently have) to any of the 4 you mention. The style/image, build quality, ride, experience at the dealer etc. etc. would all be reduced IMHO and for what? How much more fun are they and how often would you experience it vs. any downsides?

ii) I can't imagine you considering 335d - it has always come across that you would consider it a downgrade from the 330i 335i maybe, but in reality would you want to take the hit on doing that just to get a bit more zip and an ipod connection?

I think you are suffering from what many of us do between 6 months and 3 years of buying a new car - looking round for another one!!!!

The problem is you already have the ultimate driving machine so where do you go from that?

How about buying a VX220 or something like that to keep in the garage and you and your wife alternate between 330i and VX220 as the drive requires? Then you get your fun go-cart (you seem to be looking for something perhaps even more fun and fast than you have) but you keep the 330i that you've already taken a hit on depreciation wise for a bit longer to get some more use out of it. Then in 1-2 years all bets are off and time to reconsider the whole shooting match?

I guess you could change beemers annually and some people seem to but you have to keep taking the biggest depreciation hits, but I've never got my head round when is a good time to change.... probably 5/6 years when you've had some benefit of the not-quite-so-rapidly depreciating and paid off the loan years!!!

[dxb335d]

Why would it be a downgrade from a 330i to a 335d?

[Z4 Beemer]

I think the answer might be something to do with the d at the end??

[andy69]

IMHO I think you would be mad to downsize to one of those, I am sure you would regret it. Im so glad I came back to BMW believe me.

Only other car that I fancy would be the A5.....

[dxb335d]

fair enough if you see it like that, im sure the general non bmw driving public wouldn't see it that way tho.. its a better model of car

[silverbmwz3]

Why would it be a downgrade from a 330i to a 335d?

I didn't say it would be.....I implied that I expected NFS to see it that way.... with one tongue firmly in cheek and a wink of the eye. NFS is always first in with the "I wouldn't have one" type responses to "Shall I get a diesel or petrol" or more specifically "335i vs 335d" so I was playfully referring to that.

To be honest, having had one for a couple of months or so and done about 1.5k in it I can see arguments for both sides. I miss full manual control and the sound and performance of the petrol but I like not having to fill up every few hundred miles and not having to mess about with gears on more routine journeys. Horses for courses and pros and cons etc.etc. Let's decide NOT to turn this into an i vs d thread.... although we are short of those :-p

I'm also in the middle of a situation where my in-laws have gone from beemer -> Honda Accord -> New honda civic with i-shift (which I believe is clutchless manual and not really automatic)...... and they hate the civic and that is a horrible situation to be in and doesn't always (as in their case) come out from even a morning/day's test drive. Their civic rides worse than my wife's Ford Focus (which is actually easier to steer and a smoother ride than my M Sport in several ways). I've seen how dissapointing and upsetting a wrong purchase can be for really, if they were honest, little other reason than a change. To be honest the Accord was actually an increase in reliability and features and ride over their last E46 beemer and so to go from that to Civic was their "downfall".

[Z4 Beemer]

Originally Posted by silverbmwz3

Horses for courses and pros and cons etc.etc.

Exactly! ... and each to their own.

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

2. Swap it for something semi-practical which is smaller but fun:

a. Focus ST3

These cars sound fun, but ultimately are probably less satisfying that the 330i.

3. Upgrade to 335i or 335d

Sorry NFS, you did ask me the other day what I thought of the ST3 (having just sold mine) and I forgot to respond. My experience was that it was a great car for what it was, fast and furious. However, it was a Ford and it wasn't a BMW. It therefore lacked the quality feel. Trust me, in the last 2.5 years I have had an E60 530i SE, Ford mondeo ST TDCI, E91 320d M sport, Ford Focus ST3 and now back to an E92 335d. You will miss the Beemer and the others on your list will not come up to the mark. You got it in one when you said that.

Originally Posted by silverbmwz3

The problem with cars, and the reason people are prepared to effectively waste so much money on them (they are a rapidly depreciating 'asset' after all) is the "I'm bored now and want a new one factor"....helped along by forums and shiny new car launches.

i) I wouldn't even CONSIDER changing a car I drive frequently from a Beemer (or at least the one you currently have) to any of the 4 you mention. The style/image, build quality, ride, experience at the dealer etc. etc. would all be reduced IMHO and for what? How much more fun are they and how often would you experience it vs. any downsides?

ii) I can't imagine you considering 335d - it has always come across that you would consider it a downgrade from the 330i 335i maybe, but in reality would you want to take the hit on doing that just to get a bit more zip and an ipod connection?

I think you are suffering from what many of us do between 6 months and 3 years of buying a new car - looking round for another one!!!!

Silverbmwz3 you are spot on. That is why I have spend (wasted - discuss???) £17.5K on car depreciation in 30 months . (Please dont tell me wife cos that is probably her luxury kitchen and a Ladies Rolex ) My latest theory is that I am spending 40K on a top of the range car that should tick all of my boxes for a couple of years - hopefully I will not be tempted to do something silly and sell within 2 years when I get 'bored'! I have told my dealer friend that if I am on the phone within 2 years talking about changing he is to slam it down on me!

Bottom line NFS, stay with BMW even if you upgrade to a 'better' model.

[Z4 Beemer]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

fair enough if you see it like that, im sure the general non bmw driving public wouldn't see it that way tho.. its a better model of car

Better in what way?

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by andy69

Only other car that I fancy would be the A5.....

HERESY........... !!!

[andy69]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

HERESY........... !!!

Come on you have to admit it is a nice looking car, better than the E92

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by andy69

Come on you have to admit it is a nice looking car, better than the E92

If I were the moderator I'd bar you two!

[Z4 Beemer]

Originally Posted by andy69

Come on you have to admit it is a nice looking car, better than the E92

Hmmm, not sure about the A5 myself. Why did they not just call it the A4 coupe?

[silverbmwz3]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

Silverbmwz3 you are spot on. That is why I have spend (wasted - discuss???) £17.5K on car depreciation in 30 months . (Please dont tell me wife cos that is probably her luxury kitchen and a Ladies Rolex ) My latest theory is that I am spending 40K on a top of the range car that should tick all of my boxes for a couple of years - hopefully I will not be tempted to do something silly and sell within 2 years when I get 'bored'! I have told my dealer friend that if I am on the phone within 2 years talking about changing he is to slam it down on me!

To be honest that doesn't sound as bad as I'd expect given all the cars you've gone through in that time and the biggest hit presumably being when you drive it away from the dealer (if they were new). I'd expect to lose about 17k on my 335d maybe (or maybe nearer 20k - dunno) over 3 years (36 months) so to have changed cars as many times as you have and "only" lost 17.5k in 30 months doesn't seem all that bad!

Over the past 6 or 7 years I've probably spent (in depreciation and the cost to change of my latest car included) 40-60k (can't be too bothered to work it out as it will depress me) on cars. If I'd bought and kept one car and put the rest into property or the stock market I'd be laughing now. They are luxury items but over time my appetite to easily fork out for them has dropped as I realise the opportunity cost of what I could have bought instead.

[andy69]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

If I were the moderator I'd bar you two!

Nice one Pete

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by silverbmwz3

To be honest that doesn't sound as bad as I'd expect given all the cars you've gone through in that time and the biggest hit presumably being when you drive it away from the dealer (if they were new). I'd expect to lose about 17k on my 335d maybe (or maybe nearer 20k - dunno) over 3 years (36 months) so to have changed cars as many times as you have and "only" lost 17.5k in 30 months doesn't seem all that bad!

Just to clarify:
E60 530i SE bought Jan 05 (3 months old) £29,500 sold Dec 05 £22000. (8000 miles added)
Mondeo ST TDCI est bought Feb 06 (one year old) £14,000 (it had DVD nav + huge number of options) sold Sept 06 £12,000 (2,500 miles added)
E91 320d M sport bought Sep 06 (brand new) £27790 sold may 07 £21,500 (12K added)
Ford Focus ST3 bought 11 May 07 (brand new) £15720 sold 29 Jun 07 £16,000.

So bizarrely the BMWs lost me more money than Fords, is there a moral there....??? Let's not bother

Edit.......Sorry my Maths is crap - I lost £15700. So wife has no room for complaint!

The other thing to factor in is that in all that time I have taxed a car once (mondeo), never bought any tyres and only had to pay for one service - the E60 (£135)

[Z4 Beemer]

If you went BMW --> Ford --> BMW -- Ford - did you sell the BMW's to Ford dealers?

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

If you went BMW --> Ford --> BMW -- Ford - did you sell the BMW's to Ford dealers?

Always used the same BMW dealer (Bateman BMW South Lakes) - highly recommended. They bought both of my Fords from me, or at least they underwrote them with one of their regular traders. the Focus is here:

http://users.autoexposure.co.uk/clas...7989709_1a.jpg

the E60 was bought from me for cash (by one of the Coopers BMW garages I think), when I ordered a Merc ML 320 CDI (subsequently cancelled it). and the 320d was brought off me for cash by Bateman BMW and they kept the equity as deposit on the next Beemer whilst I had my ST3