Heart (2007 BMW 335i Coupe) vs Head (2010 Mazda3 MPS)
Discussion
Evening, I'm hunting out new cars to replace my 2009 207, a bit of a present to myself for graduating (last year) with the grades I wanted. Not that I've managed to find a job within that area, but I'm employed none-the-less and it's time to reward myself.
I've lusted after the current shape Mazda3 MPS for a year or two, but slightly more recently, the E92 shape 3-series Coupes have placed themselves firmly in my radar.
I'm yet to drive a Mazda, but tried a Mk4 Golf R32 DSG and a 325i M-Sport Auto over the weekend and decided that I'd want the Golf's pace wrapped up in the BMW. 335i it is then.
Question is, realistically, what do we think will be the better prospect over say three years? Newish Mazda vs older BMW?
Ideally I'd like something newer than my 09, but whilst I can do that with the Mazda, the 3-series would be way over budget.
Both are around the same price, the Mazda can be had on a 2010 '10' with 25k on the clock and the BMW can be had on a 2007 '07' with sub 50k on.
MPG-wise we're probably talking about the same, as with servicing costs, though the Mazda needs looking at every 9,000mi, tax is an extra £200 for the German.
I'd imagine they'd both be worth roughly the same after 3 years?
Can anybody offer any real-world ownership experiences of either car, problems, costs etc would be great. Is the BMW likely to explode on me, or is the Mazda more likely to get all Godzilla on my wallet?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
I've lusted after the current shape Mazda3 MPS for a year or two, but slightly more recently, the E92 shape 3-series Coupes have placed themselves firmly in my radar.
I'm yet to drive a Mazda, but tried a Mk4 Golf R32 DSG and a 325i M-Sport Auto over the weekend and decided that I'd want the Golf's pace wrapped up in the BMW. 335i it is then.
Question is, realistically, what do we think will be the better prospect over say three years? Newish Mazda vs older BMW?
Ideally I'd like something newer than my 09, but whilst I can do that with the Mazda, the 3-series would be way over budget.
Both are around the same price, the Mazda can be had on a 2010 '10' with 25k on the clock and the BMW can be had on a 2007 '07' with sub 50k on.
MPG-wise we're probably talking about the same, as with servicing costs, though the Mazda needs looking at every 9,000mi, tax is an extra £200 for the German.
I'd imagine they'd both be worth roughly the same after 3 years?
Can anybody offer any real-world ownership experiences of either car, problems, costs etc would be great. Is the BMW likely to explode on me, or is the Mazda more likely to get all Godzilla on my wallet?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
A friend owned a 2008 MPS3, bought it on a whim, and kept it 4 months, he hated everything about the car within a month. I was only in it once and granted it was nippy but I was not a fan
335i is a cracking car, just be wary of abused examples and do your research on them before committing.
335i is a cracking car, just be wary of abused examples and do your research on them before committing.
The Mazda does nothing for me, therefore I'd have the BMW.
As a side note, if you want the pace of a Golf R32 in a BMW, why not consider a 330i? Post 2007 cars had circa 270bhp. Something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
As a side note, if you want the pace of a Golf R32 in a BMW, why not consider a 330i? Post 2007 cars had circa 270bhp. Something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
martin mrt said:
A friend owned a 2008 MPS3, bought it on a whim, and kept it 4 months, he hated everything about the car within a month. I was only in it once and granted it was nippy but I was not a fan
Similar to myself, ended up selling after 6 months and did a lot of research on them before buying rather than on a whim. The mk2 models are a massive step up in comparison to the mk1 MPS.martin mrt said:
A friend owned a 2008 MPS3, bought it on a whim, and kept it 4 months, he hated everything about the car within a month. I was only in it once and granted it was nippy but I was not a fan
335i is a cracking car, just be wary of abused examples and do your research on them before committing.
I've done so much research on the MPS, it seems like a clear cut winner on everything, but I'm worried it's going to disappoint on the drive, I need to get behind the wheel. Ideally I'd like a 3-dr, but they don't do one. B-Pillars tend to get in the way in 5-drs.335i is a cracking car, just be wary of abused examples and do your research on them before committing.
Done a fair bit of research on the BMW, spoken to an owner about his and an ex dealer etc, scouring the net, have found a nice one, decent spec, pretty much everything bar iDrive, hopefully I'll get to go and see it on Saturday.
Andurron said:
Congrats on the grades to begin with. 
I'd go for the Beemer as well. You seem to have enjoyed your 207, and switching to another hatch soon after might make you start instantly drawing conclusions and you may end up hating it. Take a saloon and enjoy it for what it is.
Thanks. It's not a bad little car, but I've never gelled with the clutch or gearbox or driving position, local dealer is utter wI'd go for the Beemer as well. You seem to have enjoyed your 207, and switching to another hatch soon after might make you start instantly drawing conclusions and you may end up hating it. Take a saloon and enjoy it for what it is.
k and it's had a few niggles. Parents are thinking of taking it off my hands as the £3,500 PX estimation I had from the 325i/R32 dealer doesn't seem much for it.Heathwood said:
The Mazda does nothing for me, therefore I'd have the BMW.
As a side note, if you want the pace of a Golf R32 in a BMW, why not consider a 330i? Post 2007 cars had circa 270bhp. Something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
It's nice, but I'd like to keep the miles as low as possible and buy an AUC from a main dealer. Got my eye on a 335i, haven't found much in the way of 330is...As a side note, if you want the pace of a Golf R32 in a BMW, why not consider a 330i? Post 2007 cars had circa 270bhp. Something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
SlowStig said:
Similar to myself, ended up selling after 6 months and did a lot of research on them before buying rather than on a whim. The mk2 models are a massive step up in comparison to the mk1 MPS.
What was it you didn't like? I'm unsure about the driving position and it being a 5-dr, the drive, along the lines of that power through the front..One thing I'm worried about is that the BMW was once a £40,000 car. I'm unsure how much more likely given its age, whether its any more likely to throw me a big bill than the Mazda... My old Mégane is always in the back of my head. It was about the same age as this 335i (6) when I bought it and it caused no end of grief, hence I got the much newer 207...
Just bought an 8 yr old e46 320Ci - best car I've ever owned, yet strangely one of the cheapest. Different class to a Mazda IMO.Waugh-terfall said:
One thing I'm worried about is that the BMW was once a £40,000 car. I'm unsure how much more likely given its age, whether its any more likely to throw me a big bill than the Mazda... My old Mégane is always in the back of my head. It was about the same age as this 335i (6) when I bought it and it caused no end of grief, hence I got the much newer 207...
Don't forget the BMW is just an upsold 318i; all the bits you can't see are cheap enough to make a 318i profitable. It won't be too bad, especially since the E90 is old enough to be in the aftermarket now. I still think you need to relax the mileage and AUC requirement otherwise you risk suffering heavy depreciation, since a lot of the price will be made up of dealer margin which is lost as soon as you drive out.
Between those two I'd take the BMW but as I admitted in the other thread don't really know too much about the Mazda.
A 10-plate LCI 325i E93 could be within reach - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
... but do try an A5!
(sorry)
Between those two I'd take the BMW but as I admitted in the other thread don't really know too much about the Mazda.
A 10-plate LCI 325i E93 could be within reach - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
... but do try an A5!
(sorry)My Mk1 MPS had over £1500 worth of warranty work done in the first month of ownership which put me off the car as it was on 28k and I didn't like the idea of forking out once the warranty expired.
The drive, steering was numb and power delivery was 3k-6k with not much below or above it. It did 25mpg and 30 on a run, no cruise control, no aux input on the stereo, stereo had BOSE speakers and amp but the head unit is a Clarion so sound quality suffers. It also had uncomfortable driving position, poor gearchange, the diffs whine on full lock(apparently down to the design of it), and the interior switches and stalks feel cheap.
As you can probably guess I am not a fan, after it I doubt I would buy another Mazda unless it was an MX5 track toy or something.
The drive, steering was numb and power delivery was 3k-6k with not much below or above it. It did 25mpg and 30 on a run, no cruise control, no aux input on the stereo, stereo had BOSE speakers and amp but the head unit is a Clarion so sound quality suffers. It also had uncomfortable driving position, poor gearchange, the diffs whine on full lock(apparently down to the design of it), and the interior switches and stalks feel cheap.
As you can probably guess I am not a fan, after it I doubt I would buy another Mazda unless it was an MX5 track toy or something.
Just worked out the basic running costs of the two cars over 3 years:
Depreciation
Fuel
Tax
Insurance
Tyres
Servicing
Brakes
As I suspected, the BMW is slightly more expensive to run across that period, but there's only 2p per mile in it between the two, and that's basically a £500 difference.
Depreciation
Fuel
Tax
Insurance
Tyres
Servicing
Brakes
As I suspected, the BMW is slightly more expensive to run across that period, but there's only 2p per mile in it between the two, and that's basically a £500 difference.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff