I wish i could part with money a bit easier.

[Wafflesmk2]

Been looking for a new car for ages now, and finally decided on a 3 series (e90).

Im after a 330d M Sport with Xenons and iDrive. I set my budget at about £10k, but wanted one with low miles. Impossible. Everything had 90k+ miles on as a minimum, most being 130K upwards.

In reality, my budget could be a realistic £18k, but that would hurt a lot.

I set my budget up to about £14k and found several decent examples, all up to spec with less than 50k on the clock.

But i always think about my lovely bank balance being demolished and close the web browser tabs.

I then end up doing the same thing the following day

[r1ch]

You're not alone mate! I do that most days too.

[martin84]

I'm the same. I blame age, the fact im closer to 30 now than to 20 means im becoming annoyingly sensible. I value the nice bank balance. I could buy a £12k car tomorrow but i wouldnt, i'd come home with a £900 shed (like i did).

[Fastdruid]

Think of it this way, a 100k modern diesel could easily cost you 4k+ in things going pop/breaking so it's better to get a lower mileage one.

Of course the downside of a lower mileage one is that unless its newer it's probably done town mileage and the DMF and DPF will be about to die.

[Buster73]

Wafflesmk2 said:

Been looking for a new car for ages now, and finally decided on a 3 series (e90).

Im after a 330d M Sport with Xenons and iDrive. I set my budget at about £10k, but wanted one with low miles. Impossible. Everything had 90k+ miles on as a minimum, most being 130K upwards.

In reality, my budget could be a realistic £18k, but that would hurt a lot.

I set my budget up to about £14k and found several decent examples, all up to spec with less than 50k on the clock.

But i always think about my lovely bank balance being demolished and close the web browser tabs.

I then end up doing the same thing the following day

Just sold mine to wbac , couldn't get anyone to even come and look at it.

[benzito]

for 15k you could have an e60 m5, keep the 3k cash in the bank and hey presto! the m5 will depreciate by maybe only 2k over 2 years whilst any newer e90 3 non-M 3 series will depreciate by 5k+ in the same time,

on a seperate note, 15k for a 55 plate 500bhp M5 - unbelievable value!

[cailean]

martin84 said:

I'm the same. I blame age, the fact im closer to 30 now than to 20 means im becoming annoyingly sensible. I value the nice bank balance. I could buy a £12k car tomorrow but i wouldnt

Wait until you get nearer to 40...you get even smarter and less likely to waste money, at least I have.

[martin84]

cailean said:

Wait until you get nearer to 40...you get even smarter and less likely to waste money, at least I have.

It gets worse from here? I'll be on a fking bicycle by then at this rate.

[Orbin]

Buster73 said:

Just sold mine to wbac , couldn't get anyone to even come and look at it.

that doesn't sound good. would you mind sharing the spec and what you had it advertised at? i heard the private market was bad but thought you could easily sell a car like yours.

[Wafflesmk2]

Orbin said:

Buster73 said:

Just sold mine to wbac , couldn't get anyone to even come and look at it.

that doesn't sound good. would you mind sharing the spec and what you had it advertised at? i heard the private market was bad but thought you could easily sell a car like yours.

Totally this^

I'll rage if it was what i was looking for.

[Buster73]

330d SE
One owner 34.5k miles
Full history
Immaculate
Silver/ black leather
Auto
18"upgrade alloys
Privacy glass
Heated memory seats
3 very good tyres (less than 6k)
1 brand new tyre due to puncture
Mot December 12
Tax may 12

A genuine good car.

First offer was £10 k for px
Up to £11k
Took £11.8 nett off wbac.

Advertised on here and AT

One phone call in 3 weeks.

[martin84]

Buster73 said:

330d SE
One owner 34.5k miles
Full history
Immaculate
Silver/ black leather
Auto
18"upgrade alloys
Privacy glass
Heated memory seats
3 very good tyres (less than 6k)
1 brand new tyre due to puncture
Mot December 12
Tax may 12

A genuine good car.

First offer was £10 k for px
Up to £11k
Took £11.8 nett off wbac.

Advertised on here and AT

One phone call in 3 weeks.

That sounds like a really nice motor. What year is it?

[Wafflesmk2]

Buster73 said:

330d SE
One owner 34.5k miles
Full history
Immaculate
Silver/ black leather
Auto
18"upgrade alloys
Privacy glass
Heated memory seats
3 very good tyres (less than 6k)
1 brand new tyre due to puncture
Mot December 12
Tax may 12

A genuine good car.

First offer was £10 k for px
Up to £11k
Took £11.8 nett off wbac.

Advertised on here and AT

One phone call in 3 weeks.

Crikey, that is a shame

I've spent about 6 hours in the last two days looking for the spec i want, even at the increased budget, and cant find one anywhere :/

[Matt UK]

OP, think you are suffering from "search drift..."

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[SSBB]

I think it's easier to part with money for a car if you are financing it as it just becomes a monthly outgoing.

I wonder how much harder it would be if everyone had to pay for new cars in £10 notes (even if just supplied by a finance company or bank)? Maybe less people would be blowing £20k on a new Astra? It would certainly make me think twice about what cars are worth to me if I could see an actual pile of cash in front of me.

[SSBB]

[SSBB]

[SSBB]

Edited by SSBB on Tuesday 6th March 14:52

[SSBB]

Edited by SSBB on Tuesday 6th March 14:52

[Matt UK]

SSBB, sorry, you'll have to say that again