should i get a 1 series?

[baz89]

Hi everyone,
I am new on here,been a lurker for a while checking out threads.
Anyway i am after some advice really, currently taking some driving lessons so narrowing down what car to get when i eventually pass (fingers crossed).

I am 26 years old been saving over the years for a "dream" first car, roughly about 10k excluding money for insurance. Question is it worth getting the 2011 plate bmw 118d or should i get something else? e.g vxr golf a3?

cheers

[nickpan]

Yes - assuming you can afford to maintain a full bmw service history and possibly even pay the £30ish a month for a BMW warranty as they can become unaffordable quite quickly when a major part goes wrong.

[baz89]

nickpan said:

Yes - assuming you can afford to maintain a full bmw service history and possibly even pay the £30ish a month for a BMW warranty as they can become unaffordable quite quickly when a major part goes wrong.

Does the warranty cover every fault that could happen? And also cover servicing?

Edited by baz89 on Sunday 1st March 08:56

[macp]

We had a 120d and it was a swift piece of kit and handled well but it was a firm ride on those run flats.I also used to feel like I was driving the wifes car but thats just me.

[loskie]

How much more would you need for a Fiesta ST?



oops I missed the bit about learning to drive.
Once you pass your test get a small cheap car for £3k to 5k. Run it for 2 to 3yrs and progress from there.

Edited by loskie on Sunday 1st March 17:17

[Crafty_]

Have you checked insurance ? sporty models (VXR/GTI) etc may be rather costly ?

Buy something for a couple of grand, keep for a year, then move on.

[Ilovejapcrap]

No

I'm sick of seeing them

[tim0409]

nickpan said:

Yes - assuming you can afford to maintain a full bmw service history and possibly even pay the £30ish a month for a BMW warranty as they can become unaffordable quite quickly when a major part goes wrong.

I wouldn't consider running a 2011 118d without a BMW (Mondial) warranty due to potential timing chain issues. I've had two and they are surprisingly good cars especially if you cover big miles. On both occasions the warranty cost circa £40pm and was worth its weight in gold. You are no longer required to maintain a BMW service history for the warranty so a good Indy will do.

[smashy]

When a main dealer service manager tells you he would never buy a car with an N47 Engine that tells you all you need to know.

its all very well saying get a warranty but when your doing 80 on the outside lane of a motorway ,power completely lost as the timing goes no warranty is going to get you out of that "difficulty"

[Gruber]

With respect, the 118d is not really a "dream" car. They're perfectly adequate commuter cars, but stretching yourself to buy a small diesel hatchback that has a lot of depreciating to do and has well known, serious reliability issues all just seems a bit bonkers to me.

If it were me, I'd buy something cheap for a year while you really learn to drive. Once you've got a bit of experience under your belt, you'll be much better able to go and test drive a few different cars and see what you like the feel of.

Edited by Gruber on Sunday 1st March 15:13

[baz89]

Gruber said:

With respect, the 118d is not really a "dream" car. They're perfectly adequate commuter cars, but stretching yourself to buy a small diesel hatchback that has a lot of depreciating to do and has well known, serious reliability issues all just seems a bit bonkers to me.

If it were me, I'd buy something cheap for a year while you really learn to drive. Once you've got a bit of experience under your belt, you'll be much better able to go and test drive a few different cars and see what you like the feel of.

Edited by Gruber on Sunday 1st March 15:13

Thanks everyone for the feedback. As Gruber has suggested i will get a decent run about maybe a corsa to get more driving experience then move on to something else.

[sixpistons]

baz89 said:

Thanks everyone for the feedback. As Gruber has suggested i will get a decent run about maybe a corsa to get more driving experience then move on to something else.

Do yourself a favour and don't buy a Corsa - the equivalent fiesta will be much better to drive.

[Mr Tidy]

FWIW Corsa is probably not a good choice - maybe try Ibiza FR or Cupra if proper PHer?
I had a 123d with the N47 engine that got past 80,000 miles with no cam-chain issue, but thought I was on borrowed time so sold it last year.
But saying that I doubt if more than 1 per cent of owners have an issue with it.
As Clint said, "do you feel lucky"?

[Mario149]

Left field suggestion for the OP: insurance permitting, in your position I'd be all over a Clio 182 with £5k in my pocket for insurance, servicing etc. If it's your first car, forget the premium brand thing, buy a car that's a hoot to drive that is still practical and reasonably well appointed. I've had a fair bit of exotica but Clio 172s are the only car I bought twice (first was when I was 24 and insurance was £525 fully comp back in 2006), and if I'd been sensible, would have bought a 3rd time rather than waste my money on a Mini Cooper S. A 182 is even better.

[Pit Pony]

Get this : http://autoste.com/topic/19569-please-save-my-sa...

£245 Deposit. £0 per month. No warranty. Scrap it if it breaks. Perfect 1st car.

[eztiger328]

In my opinion I'd keep the money in the bank and buy an old 'sensible' banger to build up the no claims for a couple of years before splashing out on a newish 118d. I suspect the insurance for a 118d with a driver with 0 years driving experience and 0 no claims will be horrendous.

When I got my license in 2004 after leaving University I went out and bought a 1989 1.4 volvo 340dl for £480 and insured it 3rd party (back in the days when 3rd party wasnt only a few quid cheaper than fully comp). It only lasted a couple of years but didn't cost me much in repairs and allowed me to build up a couple of years of NCB to get a reasonable insurance deal on a 93 320i coupe

EDIT: Ah I see Gruber beat me to it

Edited by eztiger328 on Friday 6th March 16:08

Edited by eztiger328 on Friday 6th March 16:13

[Fox-]

baz89 said:

I am 26 years old been saving over the years for a "dream" first car, roughly about 10k excluding money for insurance. Question is it worth getting the 2011 plate bmw 118d

No, it's not. A BMW 118d is not a 'dream' anything - it's simply an economical mid range hatchback. They have a place but that place is not on your drive after saving for years for a 'dream first car'. It's just a very ordinary car.

Instead, bin the idea of a 'dream first car' completely. Your first car has too many constraints to ever fit the criteria of 'dream'. Buy something half decent for about 2-3 grand. Drive it for 12-24 months. Then buy your 'dream' second car which, at 28 with 2 years NCB, can be something actually good thats worth saving for years in order to buy.