Decisions: ex-E32 and E85 owner looking for BMW

[motoroller]

I've recently decided to change the dull Passat for something a bit more lively. It needs to be practical and fun, hopefully economical enough after man maths, and reliable enough to get me to work every day.

Current choices are :
E34 with modifications (reliability would be the issue here),
E39 M5 (again reliability),
E36/46 M3 (but really dislike the image many current owners have put on this car, and should check what this has done to their insurance),
E89 Z4 35i,
E87 130i
E81 135i / E92 335i.

All of these would be in the region of £10k apart from the Z4 (15k+), and the E36 M3 / E87 130i which would be around £5k.

Based on all of this, I'm leaning towards the 130i (but it's slightly lacking in power and the interior is a bit dated).

Any thoughts from current owners or others having faced a similar dilemma?

[Smuler]

motoroller said:

I've recently decided to change the dull Passat for something a bit more lively. It needs to be practical and fun, hopefully economical enough after man maths, and reliable enough to get me to work every day.

Current choices are :
E34 with modifications (reliability would be the issue here),
E39 M5 (again reliability),
E36/46 M3 (but really dislike the image many current owners have put on this car, and should check what this has done to their insurance),
E89 Z4 35i,
E87 130i
E81 135i / E92 335i.

All of these would be in the region of £10k apart from the Z4 (15k+), and the E36 M3 / E87 130i which would be around £5k.

Based on all of this, I'm leaning towards the 130i (but it's slightly lacking in power and the interior is a bit dated).

Any thoughts from current owners or others having faced a similar dilemma?

I've owned 2 on your list, E92 335i and E46 M3 and my first thought is that if you could go £15k+ for a non M (e.g. you said the Z435i) you'd go to that for a E92 M3?

335i is a great daily, anything below a 35i engine on your list I'd personally not consider because they're not fast enough.

The point at which I found my 335i lost to my E46 M3 on fun, came on the lovely twisty B roads. The M3 with LSD, better chassis is simply a different league. Plus a n/A engine is so much nicer in those situations. Thing is, you've some resistance to the image of the older M's and I know what you mean.

However, the E92, which I don't think has that image, has the newness/tech you'd get in a 335i but for the fun factor, of course the chassis, LSD and that screaming V8.


They seem to be around, below 20k now. example from A/trader

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

If you're not going to take the car on too many B road blasts, then perhaps the M isn't necessary for you in which case I'd say any of the 35i cars would be great.

[motoroller]

Smuler said:

I've owned 2 on your list, E92 335i and E46 M3 and my first thought is that if you could go £15k+ for a non M (e.g. you said the Z435i) you'd go to that for a E92 M3?

335i is a great daily, anything below a 35i engine on your list I'd personally not consider because they're not fast enough.

The point at which I found my 335i lost to my E46 M3 on fun, came on the lovely twisty B roads. The M3 with LSD, better chassis is simply a different league. Plus a n/A engine is so much nicer in those situations. Thing is, you've some resistance to the image of the older M's and I know what you mean.

However, the E92, which I don't think has that image, has the newness/tech you'd get in a 335i but for the fun factor, of course the chassis, LSD and that screaming V8.


They seem to be around, below 20k now. example from A/trader

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

If you're not going to take the car on too many B road blasts, then perhaps the M isn't necessary for you in which case I'd say any of the 35i cars would be great.

It's all for the B-road blasts really. The E92 M3 is a fun proposition but I've heard horrors both from the running costs (MPG, insurance) and the maintenance (engine rebuild) costs. I'd like to keep it reasonable on running costs - but like you say there isn't much that will come close to an M.

[Smuler]

motoroller said:

It's all for the B-road blasts really. The E92 M3 is a fun proposition but I've heard horrors both from the running costs (MPG, insurance) and the maintenance (engine rebuild) costs. I'd like to keep it reasonable on running costs - but like you say there isn't much that will come close to an M.

Z4M was also missing from your list, e46 M3 engine, appreciating in value, cheaper if roadster and I'm not sure if they have the dreaded subframe issue of the E46 M3s? Finding a clean E46 M3 was a challenge, harder than finding a clean E92 M3.

I did look at E92 M3 as a single car , but suited me better to have the older E46 M3 as a weekend car and then run a cheaper daily. Throttle actuators were the only common (ish) problem I noted, mostly on earlier cars and many had them done. I ended up helping someone buy theirs and still have copies of the service books of quite a few which were considered. that was another issue, finding one with a decent service history and then factoring in it's current state of play (i.e. what might need doing) when deciding if price was reasonable.

[helix402]

335i.

[Herbs]

Z4M or 6 Series

[motoroller]

Herbs said:

Z4M or 6 Series

Would a manual 6 series be sporty at all? The long-distance comfort is appealing. They seem to be quite light cars compared to what I expected!

[Herbs]

motoroller said:

Herbs said:

Z4M or 6 Series

Would a manual 6 series be sporty at all? The long-distance comfort is appealing. They seem to be quite light cars compared to what I expected!

So long as you get one with active steering and dynamic drive then yes - it completely transforms the car although i wouldn't bother with teh manual box as it's not particularly suited to the character of the car, the auto box is very good though.