What new (to me) car.....

What new (to me) car.....

Author
Discussion

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
Currently stuck for ideas on what to change the ageing BMW E36 328i Sport to...
Had it about 6 years as the daily (although daily is a bit of a stretch as I cycle to work) but it's slowly crumbling away and displaying an ever increasing array of warning lights. frown
It only does about 4000 miles a year on 'family ' duties as it's the most practical car in the fleet, so I'm not interested in fuel economy in the slightest, the bigger the petrol engine the better.
The obvious choice is an E46 330Ci Sport or maybe a touring, saloon is out unless it has the rare folding seat option, I need to transport a push bike in it on a regular basis.
Although rear wheel drive would be nice I could lower myself to front wheel drive, and haven't ruled out 4 wheel drive.
After watching the BTCC at the weekend BMW 1 Series had a brief appeal but it would appear no one bought one with a proper engine.
Quite like the MINI Cooper S, but it's a bit 'camp', budget is ideally less than £5k
Currently running out of ideas and can't find a 330 or MINI in a spec I like, anything 'interesting' I've overlooked?

........or do I use the cash as deposit and the first few months payments on a new euro box like everyone else on the street. rolleyes

BE57 TOY

2,628 posts

146 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
£5k has got to be 3 series land surely. Or focus ST? Or Astra VXR? Or an old S3?

judas

5,963 posts

258 months

Monday 25th August 2014
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How about a nice E38 750iL? biggrin

But seriously, don't go the eurobox route, you'll hate it (and yourself).

Edited by judas on Monday 25th August 20:59

Matt UK

17,649 posts

199 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
BMW e39 540i Touring would fit the bill?

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
BE57 TOY said:
£5k has got to be 3 series land surely. Or focus ST? Or Astra VXR? Or an old S3?
Astra is 3 door only, if the OP has family I would suggest this would be a royal PITA.

However, a Vectra VXR would work - got some grunt, big enough for family duties and so on..

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
judas said:
How about a nice E38 750iL? biggrin
Do the rear seats fold down?......but saying that I imagine my bike would fit in the back seats. hehe

judas said:
But seriously, don't go the eurobox route, you'll hate it (and yourself).]
//M235i is very temping though.... smile

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
Crafty_ said:
Astra is 3 door only, if the OP has family I would suggest this would be a royal PITA.
Actually prefer 3 door/coupe as it gives the lad less to play with in the back and he's perfectly capable of getting in the back of the current 3 series. wink

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
Ah, fair enough!

Have a look at an astra if hatches are your thing, bit smaller than the BMW though.

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
We'll kick started the search for a replacement by actually putting the E36 328i Sport coupe up for sale, and quite a few buyers lined up to view it over the weekend which is going to make me have to pull my finger out and decide/find a replacement, really can't see beyond a 330ci at the moment.....

jonah35

3,940 posts

156 months

Friday 19th September 2014
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A nice, well cared for e36 m3. It wont depreciate and will be way better plus if only doing small mileage it will suit you.

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Friday 19th September 2014
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Really don't need the performance/running costs of the M3 although in some sort of weird man maths logic I've been looking at E46 M3's. rofl

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
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raceboy said:
Crafty_ said:
Astra is 3 door only, if the OP has family I would suggest this would be a royal PITA.
Actually prefer 3 door/coupe as it gives the lad less to play with in the back and he's perfectly capable of getting in the back of the current 3 series. wink
325ti would take about half your budget - nearly 330 performance below a ton thanks to less weight and gearing and will take a bike no worries leaving you 3 seats. I find it a bit more fun than a Cooper S. Looks of it aren't for everyone though

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
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No the E36 Compact wasn't too bad looking but the E46 era compact had a face only a mother could love....

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
quotequote all
raceboy said:
No the E36 Compact wasn't too bad looking but the E46 era compact had a face only a mother could love....
Very true.

If you like drivers' cars though they're a great steer for 2-3k. From the seat they're like a wieldy 330i that's been on a diet

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
quotequote all
I guess the one place you can't see the front end is sat in it. hehe

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
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raceboy said:
I guess the one place you can't see the front end is sat in it. hehe
Quite correct - I thought I'd mention it as you'd briefly considered the clownshoe in your OP

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
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I've got a 3 door Focus ST, and can get my mountain bike in the back quite easily. Would probably be easier with a 5 door one though.


nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Saturday 20th September 2014
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I would stretch the budget a little to a 130i. Go and test drive one first, you may agree, or not.

raceboy

Original Poster:

13,081 posts

279 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Well the s*** just got real, the 328i has just driven off into the night so I need a new car sharpish rotate
But in a spectacular twist the replacement appears to be Boxster shaped. banghead
......but now the Mrs needs a new car... rolleyes