I'm sure I've come to the wrong place for help...
Discussion
...but here goes.
Now, for those of you who saw my last "what car" thread, you'll know that three months ago I bought an Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo. This, to the rational part of my mind, is the perfect car for my needs. It's genuinely real-world quick, has a submlime ride / handling balance, looks discreetly purposeful, is rare and yet is also averaging 48 mpg despite being driven in a "spirited" manner over most of the 25k a year that I cover. It also feels "special" enough that I don't miss being able to run two cars (due to space / time limitations), but I can also fit the wife / kids in when I need to.
I have never driven a car that has elicited such interest / nice comments from fellow road users.
So... why do I feel like I want to change it already? I continually find myself thinking about buying other cars, doing loads of "man maths" to justify changing a £30k car after three months of ownership, and browsing the classifieds thinking "oh, I could *just* about get away with running that"....
Therefore I, Bob Fossil, am a car-w
e who is appeaing to the good readers of PH to talk me down from this precipice. Please can you tell me that I don't need to change my car, that a Cayman S is for gheyers... that an M3 Saloon would deliver crippling running costs, that an Alpina B3S cabriolet would be a flamboyant waste of money... that I don't NEED a Focus RS in my life... and that doing 25k a year in an R26.R would send me insane.
I promise a virtual (or real if you're close enough)
to he who speaks the most sense...
...and thanks!
BTW "sensible" advice may actually mean giving me the best justification to buy a new car... I think I'm beyond help
Now, for those of you who saw my last "what car" thread, you'll know that three months ago I bought an Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo. This, to the rational part of my mind, is the perfect car for my needs. It's genuinely real-world quick, has a submlime ride / handling balance, looks discreetly purposeful, is rare and yet is also averaging 48 mpg despite being driven in a "spirited" manner over most of the 25k a year that I cover. It also feels "special" enough that I don't miss being able to run two cars (due to space / time limitations), but I can also fit the wife / kids in when I need to.
I have never driven a car that has elicited such interest / nice comments from fellow road users.
So... why do I feel like I want to change it already? I continually find myself thinking about buying other cars, doing loads of "man maths" to justify changing a £30k car after three months of ownership, and browsing the classifieds thinking "oh, I could *just* about get away with running that"....
Therefore I, Bob Fossil, am a car-w
e who is appeaing to the good readers of PH to talk me down from this precipice. Please can you tell me that I don't need to change my car, that a Cayman S is for gheyers... that an M3 Saloon would deliver crippling running costs, that an Alpina B3S cabriolet would be a flamboyant waste of money... that I don't NEED a Focus RS in my life... and that doing 25k a year in an R26.R would send me insane.I promise a virtual (or real if you're close enough)
to he who speaks the most sense......and thanks!
BTW "sensible" advice may actually mean giving me the best justification to buy a new car... I think I'm beyond help
Bob, if I may call you that, you will only get one shot at this life and if you have a hankering for something else already, then so be it. If you can honestly afford to change and can justify that change for some reason, however tenuous it might seem to others, then do it.
Like that fat chinaman said:
'Man with dick in biscuit barrel, fking crackers. Man with dick in fire, fking grate.'
Like that fat chinaman said:
'Man with dick in biscuit barrel, f
king crackers. Man with dick in fire, fking grate.'Bob,
You are officially nuts. None of those you have suggested is any better than your D3. We all think about different cars (its not cheating if its in your head) but then reality kicks and especially for 25K a year what you have is sublime.
If image is important only those that know, know what you have and will appreciate it all the more. To the others its a 3 series and there's value in that anonymity. You say its quick and good to drive which it will be and it delivers economy the rest can only hope for.
It will also hold its value better than all the rest and it costs half what some will to tax each year.
You don't say anything against it at all.
Keep it, do the miles, enjoy it and in a couple of years replace it with the newest version. When the miles drop then you have a better argument to change it.
You are officially nuts. None of those you have suggested is any better than your D3. We all think about different cars (its not cheating if its in your head) but then reality kicks and especially for 25K a year what you have is sublime.
If image is important only those that know, know what you have and will appreciate it all the more. To the others its a 3 series and there's value in that anonymity. You say its quick and good to drive which it will be and it delivers economy the rest can only hope for.
It will also hold its value better than all the rest and it costs half what some will to tax each year.
You don't say anything against it at all.
Keep it, do the miles, enjoy it and in a couple of years replace it with the newest version. When the miles drop then you have a better argument to change it.
Bob Fossil said:
I bought an Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo. This, to the rational part of my mind, is the perfect car for my needs. It's genuinely real-world quick, has a submlime ride / handling balance, looks discreetly purposeful, is rare and yet is also averaging 48 mpg despite being driven in a "spirited" manner over most of the 25k a year that I cover.
The reason I would love a D3amongst many other cars
Buzzkill said:
If your not willing to spend well over 4500 pounds in fuel alone then I'd count the e46/e90 m3 out.
I was using my E46 M3 for the weekend warrior run every weekend, covered over 10000 miles in 6 months while all my mates were running crappy diesels saving money, and I loved every minute of it.Edited by Buzzkill on Wednesday 28th July 23:01
I think if you can afford a 30 grand motor you can afford to stick a few quid more in the tank, and in return you get a bigger smile on your face, and to me That is what its all about.
Bob, I would recommend an M5, as 500BHP in a luxury saloon is a necessity for 25000 miles a year, Or keep what you have;)
In true PH style I'm going to recommend an MX5 to go with it. The Mx5 will remind you how comfortable and luxurious the Alpina is, while also providing an escape to the more raw, involving driving that a comfortable, luxurious sedan can't give.
ETA: I just re-read the post where it says you don't want to run two cars... maybe you could convince yourself the MX5 is a lawnmower or something instead? Or 'buy it for your wife'.
ETA: I just re-read the post where it says you don't want to run two cars... maybe you could convince yourself the MX5 is a lawnmower or something instead? Or 'buy it for your wife'.
Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 29th July 07:26
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