sorry me again - still looking for car advice

[danj3000]

danlightbulb said:

E46 could be an option, I haven't looked at one in the flesh yet. How does it compare in size to the Mondeo hatchback? I take it the Mondeo estate would be bigger (its bigger than most other cars anyway), but I don't necessarily need the biggest estate possible just to carry kids stuff, flatpack furniture and bikes.

The spannering is something I'm keen to do, within reason. I've done my own brake discs before now, and simple stuff like intakes, audio as well (subs and speakers replaced in my old Astra when I was 20 lol). I take one look in my Mondeo TDCi engine bay and I'm put off going anywhere near it. No experience getting underneath cars.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 11th October 21:09

The E46 is a little smaller than the Mondeo but it's by no means a small car, I have one in Touring form and it's fine for the family and transporting odds and sods when needed.

Most of the known weaknesses with the M54 engine in both the E46 and E39 are relatively straight forward to sort, or at least the vast majority of it can be attacked with a standard socket set and spanners.

You'd certainly have a little more choice in your budget if you looked at E46's.

Or go all out and get an E39 540i Touring!

[danlightbulb]

danj3000 said:

You'd certainly have a little more choice in your budget if you looked at E46's.

Or go all out and get an E39 540i Touring!

Not so sure tbh. I just looked on AT for an E46 tourer in 330i flavour, up to £5k, and there are 10. Most of them SE, 2 sports. All with higher mileage than the E39 i test drove.

[jas xjr]

What kind of annual mileage do you do? Is diesel the only option ?

[danlightbulb]

I do 12k normally. I've had a diesel for 9 years I don't really want another.

[TheAngryDog]

confused_buyer said:

danlightbulb said:

Ah I see. I understand that I'll get low mpg if I'm flooring it everywhere. I won't drive like that though normally. I'll drive very sedately normally. I want to own a nice powerful motor but I don't intend to floor it everywhere like an 18 year old in a renault 5 gt turbo.

My 30mpg requirement is for normal sedate driving.

If you want over 30mpg out of a 530i you'll need to only drive it downhill and keep the engine plumbed into your central heating system so it never gets cold!

All of the cars you have listed struggle to 30mpg in real world driving, some to 25mpg. Honest, they do, particularly if there is more than just you in it with the possible exception of a V50 T5 manual but they'll still do 22mpg driven enthusiastically.

You say that, but i have managed 26mpg from my E39 on the motorway and town driving over 293 miles. That's an M5 as well, and I wasn't exactly driving miss Daisy, so a 530i should nail 30mpg.

[Ghost91]

As someone who has owned 5 Saabs, I certainly would not call a Saab Turbo a 4 pot thrasher.

[Willy Nilly]

danj3000 said:

Willy Nilly said:

You haven't got enough money though, just keep the car you have and look after it. At your price point you are quite likely to get a nail that will need a load of money spending on it.

It's no big deal not being able to afford a particular car or type of car, it is a bit silly to buy something you can't really afford though. Besides, as you drive around very few people care about what you are driving.

Nonsense. So you're saying £3-5k is not enough to get a car that you'll have a bit of interest in, enjoy driving and it fulfil some practical duties?

OP, would an E46 Touring be a little small for your use compared to the E39? If you're handy with a spanner then that will certainly save a bit of money as invariably a few bits and pieces will need doing but the BMW's are nicely engineered so good to work on.

I can vouch for the M54 6 pot, very nice motor and certainly adds a little more interest compared to most other engines.

I have done about 65 hours driving in the last 7 day, no machine I have ever used has got better as it got older. The least risk is new, or me the sweet spots between reliability and price is buying late used at about 3 years old.

The OP has mentioned kids and 12,000 miles a year, he needs a reliable family wagon, no matter what he wants and being "handy with spanners" will get old quickly. My manager had an early E46 new as a company car, it got to the stage where he wouldn't take it further than the edge of town it was so unreliable. I doubt that series of cars got better with age.

The OP may well get a decent car for 5 grand, but there is quite a good chance he will also end up spending a pile of money on consumables or worse before he starts

[Ghost91]

I'd almost be inclined to opt for bangernomics and enjoy each car till it dies. Probably cheaper than buying an old 5 series that wants all the suspension refreshed etc, and still get some fun and enjoyment out of it.

Why not keep your diesel for work and family duties and have a toy? If it breaks it can stay at home until you can be bothered or afford to fix it then!

[Farmer Geddon]

I recently bought a 540. I made sure I had a grand left over and I've needed every penny of it, new suspension components, rubber bits, little bit of rust, among other things. Now I've spent the just incase fund sorting it it hopefully won't give me any problems for a while yet.

[danlightbulb]

Ghost91 said:

I'd almost be inclined to opt for bangernomics and enjoy each car till it dies. Probably cheaper than buying an old 5 series that wants all the suspension refreshed etc, and still get some fun and enjoyment out of it.

This would indeed be the cheapest option. Therefore given my Mondeo is still going, keeping that would be the cheapest option until it goes bang. But that doesn't get me a car I can enjoy owning.

Ghost91 said:

Why not keep your diesel for work and family duties and have a toy? If it breaks it can stay at home until you can be bothered or afford to fix it then!

Considered it, but two lots of insurance and tax makes it too expensive to do this. Plus I don't want to have a car I hardly drive. I want to drive and enjoy having a nice car.


Those saying the 530i would be too unreliable, I get it, but what else is there of the same quality? Even for 10k budget what else is there?

[The101]

Keep diesel mondeo

Buy old merc with lovely big engine

Insure on a classic policy

Win win.

/thread

[danlightbulb]

what sort of car/age should i be looking at?

[moustache]

HustleRussell said:

danlightbulb said:

Saab 9-5 estate. Fast yes, good space yes, look ok, but they are 4 cyl turbos. I really wanted a six, for that extra refinement, not a small block thrasher.

Thar speaks a man who has never driven a Saab.

My thoughts exactly.

2.3 16v turbo. My Aero is pushing out 275bhp, it's no small block thrasher! Lots of torque low down.

[The101]

If you like old mercs, the W124 era would suit you great as they did some lovely estates with nice engines, and are renowned for being some of the best built cars of all time. And old enough to insure on a classic policy for peanuts through footman james or the like.

They aren't to everyone's taste though I know.

[danlightbulb]

The101 said:

If you like old mercs, the W124 era would suit you great as they did some lovely estates with nice engines, and are renowned for being some of the best built cars of all time. And old enough to insure on a classic policy for peanuts through footman james or the like.

They aren't to everyone's taste though I know.

That's E class right? I just looked on AT for E class estates, sorted by age and only one car older than 1999. A 1994 2.0litre.

I did previously look at having a 4x4 as a second car. It was a 1996 P reg Jeep Cherokee 4 litre. Too new for classic car policies (I tried several places).

Any other older cars I could consider? Its a good idea, and something Ive considered before, but I don't know what cars I can get. An E class is probably not the style of car I'd really be interested in though.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 11th October 23:26

[ferrariF50lover]

Why have we so many people on here just now asking for cars (any car, don't care what) with totally arbitrary horsepower figures?

200bhp in and of itself is meaningless. Stop focusing on pure horsepower numbers and start finding cars you like. Once you've found one you like, drive a couple and see which one has the combination of power and economy that you are looking for. You'll be much happier overall.

[danlightbulb]

ferrariF50lover said:

Why have we so many people on here just now asking for cars (any car, don't care what) with totally arbitrary horsepower figures?

200bhp in and of itself is meaningless. Stop focusing on pure horsepower numbers and start finding cars you like. Once you've found one you like, drive a couple and see which one has the combination of power and economy that you are looking for. You'll be much happier overall.

I wouldn't say my preferred choice is arbitrary. I like the BMW because it has premium feel, a nice traditional super saloon look about it with sharp but refined 90's styling (the best era for sharp cars imo), the smooth straight 6, RWD. All the right reasons. And I'm told the 3 litre 6 is the pick of the engines. It is an informed choice despite the to-ing and fro-ing. The MPG is a bit lower than I'd like yes, but there does not seem to be any equivalent car that will get into the 30's reliably.

It seems to be the only car (and yes I need to try the Saab), that fits my criteria. But I'm told I'm going to be spending lots on repairs and that is a risk. My criteria aren't going to change, and I won't be happy settling for something less, so I'd rather just stick with my current car in that case and forget the whole endeavour.

There just aren't many cars out there that are going to match a BMW for style and that feel. I can't afford newer mercs and the older ones arent styled as well as the older BMWs. Ford, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo - all mid range cars with no special look or feel about them. Don't even mention french cars. Where is the choice? That's why I keep coming back to the same cars, to be put off again because of the reliability risk.

Edited by danlightbulb on Monday 12th October 00:39

[anonymous-user]

Just accept that a ten to fifteen year old car within your budget will be a reliability lottery. You might get lucky, you might not. It's unlikely to actually strand you anywhere but things will need replacing.

Asking for validation of your choice and dismissing every alternative isn't going to get you anywhere. You've clearly decided it needs to be a BMW straight six and I completely understand your desire to have a car that you actually want.

If you really do want a late, low mileage sport spec 530 or 330 touring with all the common reliability issues addressed then they are out there. You'll have to be patient, willing to travel and also willing to blow the budget.

Basically you've got to compromise some of your requirements to get what you want.

[ZX10R NIN]

Hi Dan I had a giggle when I saw yet another what car thread you say you can now stratch to 10K?

If so here's a C350 estate well within the 10k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Low mileage E280 estate
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

4WD E350
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

How about a C32 AMG estate within the original 5k budget
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

330 M Sport
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

325 M Sport low miles
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

A4 3.1 S Line
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Or just go for it & get an S4 spend the extra on fuel
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Lovely 2.8T Saab
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

this ones within the original budget
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Now get out there & test drive a few lol

[HustleRussell]

danlightbulb said:

Any other older cars I could consider? Its a good idea, and something Ive considered before

I got an E34 5-series



A 20 year old car is going to need care and attention though.

Autotrader is not the place to look for old cars like this either.