3 different cars ~ £1k. Which do I buy today?

[kiwifraser]

2001 BMW 3 SERIES 325i SE. 140k miles.


2002 SAAB 9-3 AERO COUPE. 108k miles.


SAAB 9-3 AERO 210 BHP 2003. 126k miles.


All are very local to me, well looked after, good condition bodywork, 12 months MOT, FSH and receipts to back up any work done.

NB: Saab's are leather, BMW is cloth.

[M3Charlie]

The BMW all day long, parts will be easier to get for it if anything brakes

[Johnboy Mac]

For a grand! The '02 9-3 Aero just might get my vote.

Edited by Johnboy Mac on Sunday 29th April 12:00

[Rob P]

9-3 saloon if you do motorway miles, BMW if you are on twisties most of the time.

[rix]

The BMW, love that engine in that car. Bargain!

[Rovinghawk]

M3Charlie said:

The BMW all day long, parts will be easier to get for it if anything brakes

Saab parts are easily available if anything 'brakes'.

They're generally GM parts and therefore a lot cheaper than the BMW equivalent.

RH

[m44kts]

9-3 looks the most interesting of the trio.

[J4CKO]

I have had both the Saabs, I kind of prefered the earlier one in a lot of ways even though the new one is a lot more competent, repair wise the earlier Saab is a bit simpler, the later one has more complex electrics, everything needs coding for the car.

I think the earlier 9-3 as a coupe looks stunning, they are all decent cars, the BMW the most complete as a package and the best to drive but at a grand all three if they have issues are potentially expensive to put right, so my advice would be to go and see them all and buy the best one, make cheeky bids and see what happens, buyers market for old petrol cars.

The later Aero looks very cheap, I sold mine for £2750 plus a Bora, so about £3300, but it had only done 58k and had a remap.

Check tyres and brakes, easy on these to end up needing £500s worth of new tyres, same on brakes if you send it in, watch out for budget tyres, 200 odd bhp through the front on the Saabs just doesnt work with crap tyres, especially the earlier ones, my 150 LPT couldnt put its power down on Dunlops, sure the BMW's are sensitive to tyres as well.

[GravelBen]

BMW for me from those options.

[heebeegeetee]

At £1k you need to buy on condition. Pretty much everything else is irrelevant, imo.

[g3org3y]

GravelBen said:

BMW for me from those options.

+1

[interloper]

Having driven examples of all three, I would go for the three series. If the choice of Saab was an older proper 900 or 9000/95 then I would be more torn on the matter but the later models are rather bland.

[liller]

it's mad what you can get for a grand!

Id take the '02 plate Saab as my first choice followed by the BMW

[rumple]

Rovinghawk said:

Saab parts are easily available if anything 'brakes'.

They're generally GM parts and therefore a lot cheaper than the BMW equivalent.

RH

I briefly owned a god awful corsa, that was the wifes, parts on that were dearer than the e36 328 i ran, i am talking main dealers as well, same with the wifes current focus, my 330ci is consistently as cheap to maintain, bmw's are very cheap to run if you know where to go, and not many parts are interchangable with the saab, honest opinion, i wouldnt have any of them

[Tonberry]

2003 Aero purely because the 3 Series is a 325i and I would feel a little short changed (even if it is only a grand).

[kiwifraser]

Hmmm... Poll is pretty even, so I'm not much further ahead on a decision. Condition on viewing will make the decision easier I hope.

[redgriff500]

g3org3y said:

GravelBen said:

BMW for me from those options.

+1

+2

But I'd actually buy an E36 328

[fozzymandeus]

Can't make a decision without knowing the gearboxes.

So instead, buy an Alfa 156.

[kiwifraser]

fozzymandeus said:

Can't make a decision without knowing the gearboxes.

So instead, buy an Alfa 156.

All MANUAL

[soad]

Must say, I rather like the look of that Saab Coupe.