130i... can I justify it?
Discussion
lewisf182 said:
OP you are in the exact position i was when i was 23 and finished uni. I also did a finance degree and am always calculating and using spreadsheets to try quantify the costs. The 130i ticked most boxes as they are pretty dam reliable, fun, rare, one of the last big engined n/a hot hatches and imo looks pretty nice when cleaned up.
I calculated and calculated and checked out loads of other cars, but in the end i just wanted a fun, great sounding and fast car so went for the 130i. Financed it over 3 years so that i could manage the cost every month without it attecting other parts of my life.
In other words, just get it bought, it will be everything you think it will be! Oh, and they hold their value incredibly well which massively appealed to me, i bought for £7k in dec 2013 and reckon its worth about 6.5 now even after 10k miles on top.
BUT saying all that, i wish i'd just gone for the z4 roadster i always wanted while i had the chance, no kids etc. if your wanting ti be sensible just get a £4k z4 3.0... Best of both worlds.
Hmmm... see I'm not sure that it wouldn't affect different parts of my life just to own the car. I'm not sure I would suit a little convertible, just not me somehow. But saying that I can imagine it would be very enjoyable to own. Any idea about reliability problems with them off the top of your head? That's one of the main things about the 130i, because I know they're relatively low maintenance, bullet proof engine and hold their value well so actual running cost are surprisingly low.I calculated and calculated and checked out loads of other cars, but in the end i just wanted a fun, great sounding and fast car so went for the 130i. Financed it over 3 years so that i could manage the cost every month without it attecting other parts of my life.
In other words, just get it bought, it will be everything you think it will be! Oh, and they hold their value incredibly well which massively appealed to me, i bought for £7k in dec 2013 and reckon its worth about 6.5 now even after 10k miles on top.
BUT saying all that, i wish i'd just gone for the z4 roadster i always wanted while i had the chance, no kids etc. if your wanting ti be sensible just get a £4k z4 3.0... Best of both worlds.
PaulGT3 said:
Buy a manual 325ti for £2-3k, marmite looks and a n/a straight 6 in a small hatchback so very similar to a 130i in that respect. Not as good, but better than the diesel seat option!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-325-Ti-Sport-/151597...
Something like that one looks reasonable.
See I have thought about these a lot, I would always have that niggling feeling that it wasn't exactly what I wanted though. I don't plan on running lots of similar cars so after that it's unlikely I would go with the 130i and then would have just missed out on owning one.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-325-Ti-Sport-/151597...
Something like that one looks reasonable.
MC Bodge said:
Fuel and insurance probably won't push the total costs higher though.
Buy a car that you won't mind jumpimg a humpback bridge in or sliding about on a dirty track.
This is why I've said about the Ibiza, nothing I can think of comes close to it in a performance sense for that sort of money but also the reliability and running costs. At the end of the day running costs are your biggest enemy as it's money you'll never see again. Whereas if you get a car that's going to hold it's value and be cheap to run (i.e. the Ibiza) then you're on to a winner really if saving money is your main goal.Buy a car that you won't mind jumpimg a humpback bridge in or sliding about on a dirty track.
Vaud said:
Buy a cheaper car, still fun (e.g. the 328), spend your increased spare money each month on holidays, road trips, maybe some driver coaching, track days, etc.
You're right, this is something I need to consider. I was planning a few road trips this year. SoupAnxiety said:
Just to chime in... take the plunge! BMW big sixes are always special and no turbos make for something that feels "proper". I went for an E92 330i and the engine is a cracker. It's the N53 but I've been out in an N52 330i and the 130i would be worth it for the sound alone! Life is too short and you'll kick yourself if you wait and struggle to find the right one / get bitten by depreciation. Although your 130i might have problems *anything* you buy might. Better to put your money into something you love.
You're definitely the devil on my shoulder!!!!Mr Tidy said:
Well I looked at your car history and sorry, but a 130i is a bit more special than any Toyota in the last decade (GT86 excepted, but it is short of power).
I would rather tell my grand kids I owned a RWD hatch with a N/A 3 litre straight6 than have to admit to having bought Japanese white goods.
We only get one go, there is no action replay!
So OP if it is what you want JUST GO FOR IT!
I have the N52 engine in my Z4Coupe and it is terrific. Service intervals seem to be 2 years or 16,000 miles and no cam-belt so the servicing is not too major other than consumables like brakes and tyres.
As someone said earlier if you want to spend less then a 325ti Compact is the natural predecessor of the 130i - still RWD with a N/A straight 6, but "only" 192 bhp.
I bought my Z4 last June and had a cheap 1996 Mazda 323 as a daily driver - after 6 months I got a 325ti to replace it because I always seemed to reach for the Z4 key when I had the Mazda (bit too Japanese white goods) whereas the 325ti is still a nice place to be and has the right soundtrack and some performance!
Now I am the wrong side of 50 it is good to look back on buying a Rover V8 when I was 20 even if the upper suspension mount at the rear did pull out of the inner wing, the inner sills were rotten, etc.
You tend to regret things you didn't do not what you did.
I am one of those people who worries about looking back and regretting things I didn't do, I'm 22 and I'm doing that already!I would rather tell my grand kids I owned a RWD hatch with a N/A 3 litre straight6 than have to admit to having bought Japanese white goods.
We only get one go, there is no action replay!
So OP if it is what you want JUST GO FOR IT!
I have the N52 engine in my Z4Coupe and it is terrific. Service intervals seem to be 2 years or 16,000 miles and no cam-belt so the servicing is not too major other than consumables like brakes and tyres.
As someone said earlier if you want to spend less then a 325ti Compact is the natural predecessor of the 130i - still RWD with a N/A straight 6, but "only" 192 bhp.
I bought my Z4 last June and had a cheap 1996 Mazda 323 as a daily driver - after 6 months I got a 325ti to replace it because I always seemed to reach for the Z4 key when I had the Mazda (bit too Japanese white goods) whereas the 325ti is still a nice place to be and has the right soundtrack and some performance!
Now I am the wrong side of 50 it is good to look back on buying a Rover V8 when I was 20 even if the upper suspension mount at the rear did pull out of the inner wing, the inner sills were rotten, etc.
You tend to regret things you didn't do not what you did.
Colonial said:
Don't do it.
Ignore everything in life that gives you pleasure, save money for a first home.
Buy a house, promise yourself you will buy something nice when you get it. Then start saving money to get a bigger and better house.
Await with glee a diesel Astra as a company car and talk about how quick it really is. Continue to save a bigger house.
Have some money set aside, promise yourself a nice car you'll enjoy. Send your kids to private school instead.
Kids leave home. Promise yourself you'll buy a nice you'll enjoy. Retire. Buy a beige Honda Jazz. Look back at your beige life, your beige wife and your beige lounge suite and slowly cry yourself to sleep over just boring and tedious you became.
Oh how Trainspotting comes to mind....Ignore everything in life that gives you pleasure, save money for a first home.
Buy a house, promise yourself you will buy something nice when you get it. Then start saving money to get a bigger and better house.
Await with glee a diesel Astra as a company car and talk about how quick it really is. Continue to save a bigger house.
Have some money set aside, promise yourself a nice car you'll enjoy. Send your kids to private school instead.
Kids leave home. Promise yourself you'll buy a nice you'll enjoy. Retire. Buy a beige Honda Jazz. Look back at your beige life, your beige wife and your beige lounge suite and slowly cry yourself to sleep over just boring and tedious you became.
22Rgt said:
First car with no experience means the 130i will going backwards through a hedge/wall somewhere.A s
tty Ka or \Corsa being dented/smashed by a learner driver isnt so bad and will save a fortune in getting from A-B..
Comments like this make me chuckle... you know very little about me to be making those sorts of judgementstty Ka or \Corsa being dented/smashed by a learner driver isnt so bad and will save a fortune in getting from A-B..yonex said:
Jabosoc said:
Buy a DC2 Integra with your cash. Make sure it's a solid one and you'll never lose any money on it, plus they're a darn sight more exciting than a 1 Series.
I've had both, they both have their strengths 
Z4 is similar to 130i, pretty damn reliable. It'd be hard to pick a more reliable engine tbh. The z4 does suffer with springs snapping but its relatively cheap £40, the roadster does have a problem with the roof mechanisms breaking from water ingress but its not as big an issue and costs less to fix these days than it use to. Thats about it tbh from my months of research looking into them before getting the 130.
I was originally going to go 335i possibly even e46 m3/ z4m but i just couldnt stomach the extra costs and depreciation theyd have, and decided the 130 at £7k offered 90% if not more Than that of the fun offered by those cars too. Factored in that servicing may be more than say a civic type r but then a type r will depreciate to £2k one day, and i cant ever see 130i's going to that level tbh.
Like i said though if i did it again i'd go for the z4si... Now i've got my 130 i dont really want to change though.
I was originally going to go 335i possibly even e46 m3/ z4m but i just couldnt stomach the extra costs and depreciation theyd have, and decided the 130 at £7k offered 90% if not more Than that of the fun offered by those cars too. Factored in that servicing may be more than say a civic type r but then a type r will depreciate to £2k one day, and i cant ever see 130i's going to that level tbh.
Like i said though if i did it again i'd go for the z4si... Now i've got my 130 i dont really want to change though.
I originally looked for a 130 with a 7k plus budget, ended up paying just over 5k for one with higher mileage and it has been utterly fantastic, it makes me smile every day. Worth looking at a few, you may get a bargain. I've currently also got an 8p S3, had M3s and all sorts of cars in the past and the 130 really doesn't disappoint. Life is too short.
Life is too short.I'm not saying don't buy one - if it's your hobby by all means indulge it, but I'd maybe give yourself a few months to see how your living costs actually pan out before committing yourself to finance on a car - if buying the 'dream' car leaves you penniless you'll end up loathing it.
Personally I think an older 6 pot 3 series a good shout. All are cheap to buy, have nice engines and a decent chassis and as long as you don't buy a nail the running costs will be similar to the 130i, although factor in a bit more maintenance on the older car. I own a 130i, but have driven an E46 330i and owned an E46 320d. I love the 130i, but as standard I personally think the 330i has a nicer chassis- the standard M sport suspension on the 130i is hopeless on rough roads and badly damped. However the 130i feels much quicker than the extra 30bhp would suggest, possibly due to the revvier engine and much louder exhaust note. Basically the 330 is super smooth whereas the 130i is a bit more raw. Don't kid yourself thinking the 130i will be cheaper to fuel - it has much shorter gearing than the 3 series which means in the real world it's worse (I average about 29mpg, never really see much over 32mpg on a run, maybe 35 if I drive like a nun - a late 6 speed 330i will do that easily).
If you want to stick with a hatch you could get the often overlooked predecessor to the 130i, the 325ti - bit of an ugly duckling but supposedly a hoot to drive. Or, (and I know it's a completely different car) if you want cheap thrills and can deal with the shopping car driving position and cheap interior, a Clio 182 would be my choice - certainly much more entertaining than a diesel Ibiza.
Personally I think an older 6 pot 3 series a good shout. All are cheap to buy, have nice engines and a decent chassis and as long as you don't buy a nail the running costs will be similar to the 130i, although factor in a bit more maintenance on the older car. I own a 130i, but have driven an E46 330i and owned an E46 320d. I love the 130i, but as standard I personally think the 330i has a nicer chassis- the standard M sport suspension on the 130i is hopeless on rough roads and badly damped. However the 130i feels much quicker than the extra 30bhp would suggest, possibly due to the revvier engine and much louder exhaust note. Basically the 330 is super smooth whereas the 130i is a bit more raw. Don't kid yourself thinking the 130i will be cheaper to fuel - it has much shorter gearing than the 3 series which means in the real world it's worse (I average about 29mpg, never really see much over 32mpg on a run, maybe 35 if I drive like a nun - a late 6 speed 330i will do that easily).
If you want to stick with a hatch you could get the often overlooked predecessor to the 130i, the 325ti - bit of an ugly duckling but supposedly a hoot to drive. Or, (and I know it's a completely different car) if you want cheap thrills and can deal with the shopping car driving position and cheap interior, a Clio 182 would be my choice - certainly much more entertaining than a diesel Ibiza.
OP how about a nice 330ci sport?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
I spent a fortune on a nearly new 325ci sport when I was your age. With hindsight I wished I hadn't as it forced me to watch the pennies too closely.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
I spent a fortune on a nearly new 325ci sport when I was your age. With hindsight I wished I hadn't as it forced me to watch the pennies too closely.
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