£13k to spend 335i 335d 1xx coupe or e46 m3?
Discussion
so,the time has come to change cars again and after the jump from quick-ish japanese cars last year into a lovely imola red 325ti i have decided to stay with BMW for now and i need some advice.
i have approximately £13k to spend. i've always like quick cars (the 325ti was a bit of a step back) but as i've got to the ripe old age of 33 i am now less about driving fast and more about noise!
my Ti has a lovely custom stainless exhaust and the 6 cylinder does sound nice through the rev range.
i have been looking through the PH classifieds and have narrowed my choice to these:
335d (mapped)
335i
e46 M3
1 series coupe (found one 135i for my budget and it was a dog!)
6 series
i think the 6 series image isnt really me just yet.
the 335d's ive seen all seem to be auto's and be touching 100k miles - am i right to be wary of 100k on a £13k car?
335i's are pretty rare
e46 M's are common and there are some nice ones for my budget but understandably, running costs are worth thinking about.
i like the look of the 1 series coupe. the ideal would be a nice 135 but they are out of budget (except one which is up for 11k and looks a bit rough) so i'm left with the 125i petrol and 120d - the performance figure on these are not great but that could be over looked if the drive is nice.
whatever i buy, it's a second car so wont be used a great deal. weekends and the odd drive out in the country mainly.
so many choices!
i know loads about the jap marques but very little about BMW so any/al advice you guys can give would be much appreciated!
(also open to other suggestions too)
Cheers
i have approximately £13k to spend. i've always like quick cars (the 325ti was a bit of a step back) but as i've got to the ripe old age of 33 i am now less about driving fast and more about noise!
my Ti has a lovely custom stainless exhaust and the 6 cylinder does sound nice through the rev range.
i have been looking through the PH classifieds and have narrowed my choice to these:
335d (mapped)
335i
e46 M3
1 series coupe (found one 135i for my budget and it was a dog!)
6 series
i think the 6 series image isnt really me just yet.
the 335d's ive seen all seem to be auto's and be touching 100k miles - am i right to be wary of 100k on a £13k car?
335i's are pretty rare
e46 M's are common and there are some nice ones for my budget but understandably, running costs are worth thinking about.
i like the look of the 1 series coupe. the ideal would be a nice 135 but they are out of budget (except one which is up for 11k and looks a bit rough) so i'm left with the 125i petrol and 120d - the performance figure on these are not great but that could be over looked if the drive is nice.
whatever i buy, it's a second car so wont be used a great deal. weekends and the odd drive out in the country mainly.
so many choices!
i know loads about the jap marques but very little about BMW so any/al advice you guys can give would be much appreciated!
(also open to other suggestions too)
Cheers
Little bit more but go back to Jap!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
Hi Pidsy,
What do you mean about the 6 series? I've just bought mine at 24 and the noise is just ooooh lovely
Anyway, I would go for an E46 M3. They are pretty reliable for what they are. You can buy a good one in your budget comfortable, make sure it has had a recent Insp. II and as you're not using it for a daily driver, you're good. They sound delicious!
Otherwise I'd vote 335i? I like the 1 series, but for me they are a little too small.
the noise from a 335i is quite nice too, from a turbocharged unit. I've been quite surprised when they've passed me or I've heard one pulling out of a road.
What do you mean about the 6 series? I've just bought mine at 24 and the noise is just ooooh lovely
Anyway, I would go for an E46 M3. They are pretty reliable for what they are. You can buy a good one in your budget comfortable, make sure it has had a recent Insp. II and as you're not using it for a daily driver, you're good. They sound delicious!
Otherwise I'd vote 335i? I like the 1 series, but for me they are a little too small.
the noise from a 335i is quite nice too, from a turbocharged unit. I've been quite surprised when they've passed me or I've heard one pulling out of a road.
i thought i'd get pulled up on my 6 series comment. i just meant that they seem a little "older" in driver image than the others. not in a bad way - but they are pretty barge-like and although i like the unusual look of them, im not sure i'm ready to waft around the roads just yet.
the auto only issue with the 335d would explain why i couldnt find any manual ones! makes sense.
e46 M3 - hmmm thats what i really wanted but the semi-sensible side of me is still in my mind.
thanks for thoughts so far!
off to classifieds...
the auto only issue with the 335d would explain why i couldnt find any manual ones! makes sense.
e46 M3 - hmmm thats what i really wanted but the semi-sensible side of me is still in my mind.
thanks for thoughts so far!
off to classifieds...
Type R Tom said:
Little bit more but go back to Jap!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
14k on a honda ? :s http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
335d is a superb motor, mapped they are just animals but also a great day to day car with enough torque to tear the tarmac off the road.
rossi1 said:
14k on a honda ? :s
335d is a superb motor, mapped they are just animals but also a great day to day car with enough torque to tear the tarmac off the road.
the auto only puts me off though. i have seen them with paddle shifts though.335d is a superb motor, mapped they are just animals but also a great day to day car with enough torque to tear the tarmac off the road.
you lot sound just like my head (and my mrs) - m3 is top so far.
rossi1 said:
Type R Tom said:
Little bit more but go back to Jap!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
14k on a honda ? :s http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
It's rare too!
(Sorry not what you wanted!)
335d is a superb motor, mapped they are just animals but also a great day to day car with enough torque to tear the tarmac off the road.
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
which lead to this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
Someone won it in a competition a promptly put it on the market. Most of the people on the civic forum were annoyed it didn’t go to a fan. It has changed hands a couple of times but is now at a bit more of a “reasonable” price. I've not driven either but I would guess it would be a much more fun weekend car than a diesel 3 series
Edited by Type R Tom on Friday 11th April 13:15
If it's any help I have had two of the cars you are considering.
I went from an E46 M3 into a 335i (albeit in Touring form with the arrival of kids etc, although TBH I think the touring is the best looking shape of all the E9X variants but that is just personal preference!)
As it sounds like you are swaying towards an M3 I would say they are indeed great cars. The engine in particular is an absolute masterpiece with a really frenzied power deliveryv and bags of character (it sounds great just on idle!) The driving experience is also great with a suspension set up that is taught yet forgiving enough to not be troubled by a bumpy B road.
The only thing for me though is that in my opinion these are now starting to feel like very dated machines. I am not one who of these who has to jump in on the latest version of this or that either but it just felt very dated. Depends if this would bother you or not? The 335i certainly feels like a big step on in terms of design and even this is now an old model. For me the ideal would be the more up to date design of the E9X series with all the 'specialness' of the M3, so an E90 M3 then but I realise this may not help you!
The 335i is a great car too although it is clear to tell it is more of a'cruiser' than a sports car. They are very rare in manual form but I am not dissapointed with the padel shift auto. It just about gives you enough control over gear changes.
I didn't consider a diesel as for me the very nature of the low revving engine put me off. Yes a 335d will be quick but you won't get that satisfaction of revving through wide rev range as you do in a petrol.
One final note on the M3, they do have the potential to cost you significant outlay just in routine maintenance. Individually the costs aren't too bad but the real problem comes when a few of them land together at once eg:
Inspection II service = £700
Full set of tyres (these cars deserve good rubber) = £800
Break discs and pads all round = £1,000
Then if you are due insurance and MOT etc you've got yourself a hefty bill!
Good luck if you do decide to go for an M3 although I imagine good, clean examples will be very hard to find (i know they were when I got mine back in 2010 - sheds everywhere just tarted up for an advert!).
I went from an E46 M3 into a 335i (albeit in Touring form with the arrival of kids etc, although TBH I think the touring is the best looking shape of all the E9X variants but that is just personal preference!)
As it sounds like you are swaying towards an M3 I would say they are indeed great cars. The engine in particular is an absolute masterpiece with a really frenzied power deliveryv and bags of character (it sounds great just on idle!) The driving experience is also great with a suspension set up that is taught yet forgiving enough to not be troubled by a bumpy B road.
The only thing for me though is that in my opinion these are now starting to feel like very dated machines. I am not one who of these who has to jump in on the latest version of this or that either but it just felt very dated. Depends if this would bother you or not? The 335i certainly feels like a big step on in terms of design and even this is now an old model. For me the ideal would be the more up to date design of the E9X series with all the 'specialness' of the M3, so an E90 M3 then but I realise this may not help you!
The 335i is a great car too although it is clear to tell it is more of a'cruiser' than a sports car. They are very rare in manual form but I am not dissapointed with the padel shift auto. It just about gives you enough control over gear changes.
I didn't consider a diesel as for me the very nature of the low revving engine put me off. Yes a 335d will be quick but you won't get that satisfaction of revving through wide rev range as you do in a petrol.
One final note on the M3, they do have the potential to cost you significant outlay just in routine maintenance. Individually the costs aren't too bad but the real problem comes when a few of them land together at once eg:
Inspection II service = £700
Full set of tyres (these cars deserve good rubber) = £800
Break discs and pads all round = £1,000
Then if you are due insurance and MOT etc you've got yourself a hefty bill!
Good luck if you do decide to go for an M3 although I imagine good, clean examples will be very hard to find (i know they were when I got mine back in 2010 - sheds everywhere just tarted up for an advert!).
The M3 does sound very special, I love them.
The 6 series is definitely a barge - I would happily hustle an M3 along B-roads around here but the 6 is a bit too big for that. It is a totally different thing.
Personally I got it because it had a much bigger boot than my 330 and that is what I needed. The V8 was just a sweetener
Of course the benefit is that because 6s are usually bought by sensible, boring company director types the insurance on one is only 2/3 that of an M3 for me, despite the 6 being more or less as fast and having a much larger engine (insurance companies usually go by engine size at my age, often regardless of performance).
The 6 series is definitely a barge - I would happily hustle an M3 along B-roads around here but the 6 is a bit too big for that. It is a totally different thing.
Personally I got it because it had a much bigger boot than my 330 and that is what I needed. The V8 was just a sweetener
Of course the benefit is that because 6s are usually bought by sensible, boring company director types the insurance on one is only 2/3 that of an M3 for me, despite the 6 being more or less as fast and having a much larger engine (insurance companies usually go by engine size at my age, often regardless of performance).
pidsy said:
the auto only puts me off though. i have seen them with paddle shifts though.
you lot sound just like my head (and my mrs) - m3 is top so far.
The paddles in the 335d are a waste of time, all you do with that car is leave it in 'D' and let the gearbox do its thingyou lot sound just like my head (and my mrs) - m3 is top so far.
As for mention of the E46 feeling dated, depends what you want it for. As a driving tool, it's a far better car than either of the E92s you mention. Remapping doesn't get you away from that point either IMO
jayemm89 - thx for the PM.
JTR32 - thanks for all your info. the general running costs dont worry me too much, but you are right, the list you mentioned would be pretty painful all in one go.
insurance isnt bad at all considering the machine in question.
you did bring up the issue of is the M3 being a bit long in the tooth - and i have the same feeling. there are so many here that have been chavved beyond belief that it has hurt the image. i'd want a good standard clean example which, as pointed out may be hard to find.
i'd chop my leg off for a V8 M3 but they are not at that price point, and to be honest, they wont be for a couple of years.
the e9x varients still look fresh and the twin tail pipes are a nice feature. the body and overall look is much more "today" than the M3.
thanks again guys.
JTR32 - thanks for all your info. the general running costs dont worry me too much, but you are right, the list you mentioned would be pretty painful all in one go.
insurance isnt bad at all considering the machine in question.
you did bring up the issue of is the M3 being a bit long in the tooth - and i have the same feeling. there are so many here that have been chavved beyond belief that it has hurt the image. i'd want a good standard clean example which, as pointed out may be hard to find.
i'd chop my leg off for a V8 M3 but they are not at that price point, and to be honest, they wont be for a couple of years.
the e9x varients still look fresh and the twin tail pipes are a nice feature. the body and overall look is much more "today" than the M3.
thanks again guys.
For a short while, I had my E46 330 and my 645 at the same time. The E46 DOES feel quite dated compared to the 645 (and by the same virtue, an E90) but not in a bad way. The whole car felt so much more alive - like several layers of crap between you and the road have been removed. It isn't a bad interior by any stretch and once that S54 is singing you'll forget about everything else anyway.
Let me know if the PM is of any interest.
Let me know if the PM is of any interest.
if its a weekend car then i reckon it needs to bring with it a sense of drama and occassion.... for that reason from your list it can only be the m3 (youre budget is enough to buy a very nice manual and have a slush fund ready) otherwise an alpina (if you can live with the switchtronic)
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