What car to replace BMW E90 330i ?
Discussion
This has been a great car, but I fancy a change and I can't keep it forever - it's over 100k miles and approaching 15 years. I'm struggling to think what to replace it with - many options feel like a downgrade, further from what I want, or more money than I want to spend.
It's a manual M-Sport pre-LCI saloon, so I have to accept that it's the last of its kind in many ways. Adjusting for inflation, I paid £8500 for it 5 years ago. I was hoping to spend about the same again or perhaps £10k for something equivalent on age/mileage/performance/quality. But I don't see anything out there (what's changed?).
Kicking off the man maths, depreciation is more important than cash outlay. So put the budget at £14-15k made up of sale value and £10k-and-a-bit cash. As long as it's something I like and doesn't lose value too quickly, max £2-2.5k a year. That amount doesn't get anything on a lease.
Looking at up to 5 years old, 50-60k-ish mileage. Not for daily use, but needs to be practical, comfortable and reliable for 5k a year of long trips, plus 3k of general use and weekend drives.
I've drawn up some good and bad things based on my current car and others I've driven recently. I realise I can't have them all.
The options I see at the moment are:
It's a manual M-Sport pre-LCI saloon, so I have to accept that it's the last of its kind in many ways. Adjusting for inflation, I paid £8500 for it 5 years ago. I was hoping to spend about the same again or perhaps £10k for something equivalent on age/mileage/performance/quality. But I don't see anything out there (what's changed?).
Kicking off the man maths, depreciation is more important than cash outlay. So put the budget at £14-15k made up of sale value and £10k-and-a-bit cash. As long as it's something I like and doesn't lose value too quickly, max £2-2.5k a year. That amount doesn't get anything on a lease.
Looking at up to 5 years old, 50-60k-ish mileage. Not for daily use, but needs to be practical, comfortable and reliable for 5k a year of long trips, plus 3k of general use and weekend drives.
I've drawn up some good and bad things based on my current car and others I've driven recently. I realise I can't have them all.
- Must-haves: decent performance (220bhp+, 300Nm+), good brakes, good handling for B roads, Golf-sized boot.
- Nice to haves: RWD, revs well, good engine sound, improved comfort on poor roads, slightly better economy, dimming wing mirrors, Bluetooth phone/music.
- Negotiable: Manual transmission, hatchback.
- Rather not: too fast to enjoy (faster than 330i), dated model, too common, looks too racy or too base-model-like, black wheels, silver or red paint, screen that sticks up like an iPad on the centre console, French, thief magnet (visible driveway on large but nice housing estate)
- Must not: over-sensitive traction/stability/ABS, low ground clearance (lower than 330i), too long/wide/heavy (than 330i), black or white paint, road/exhaust noise at motorway speed.
- Audi A3 or TT - boring an expensive. S3s too expensive or old/high-mileage.
- BMW 1 series coupes are old, 125i hatch is plain/common, M135/235i cost too much to run and a mechanical liability as they age, 228i is a small coupe but as big as the E90 outside... and prices don't make sense next to the M135/235i, 328i/428i series are large boring and expensive.
- Ford Fiesta/Focus ST are a step down, don't like the looks, and become a chav car as they age.
- Honda Civic Type-R character doesn't suit, and don't like the looks.
- Mercedes A250 doesn't look great, too many A180s around, uninvolving to drive.
- Mini Cooper S can't deal with the way it looks.
- Seat Leon Cupra looks haven't aged well, a step down.
- Skoda Octavia vRS - doesn't appeal.
- Vauxhall Astra / Insignia VXR - just no.
- VW Golf - GTIs are common/uninspiring but might do, Rs are out of budget. Sciroccos don't appeal. Polo GTI is small.
- Impracticals: Audi TT, BMW Z4, Mazda MX5, Nissan 370Z, Toyota GT86 / Subaru BRZ
- Frenchs: Renault Clio/Megane RS, 308 GTi
The options I see at the moment are:
- Keep the 330i another year or two, hope for no big bills, enjoy the last of its kind while I can
- M135i, you only live once and it won't ruin me
- 125i or 228i, compromise is needed
- Leon or Golf, perhaps the default answer
MrModo said:
You’ve really put some thought into that list, I agree with most of them
Are M135`s really that expensive to run? I’m looking around and starting to see half decent ones around 15k
I’ve had a 235i for nearly three years, and it’s been remarkably cheap to run, IMO. It does a fair bit less than 30mpg, that’s true. But I only do around 12k a year. In the 34 months I’ve had it it’s had one service (under £300) at 22 months, with the next service due in 10k miles according to the CBS indicator. Are M135`s really that expensive to run? I’m looking around and starting to see half decent ones around 15k
It does need an MOT and brake fluid change next month, so say £200. It’s had a set of new tyres - the rears at around 20k and the fronts at 25k. £400 or so. I have had a set of winter wheels / tyres on it mind you, but assuming I get what I paid for them the tyres for those were another £400 (and still have loads of tread).
So at most I reckon running costs excluding fuel are £1,300 for 36k miles, or less than 4p a mile. And the only addition cost of keeping it another 10k miles is probably a set of front pads. But it might make it to 42k miles without
Fuel is probably 20p a mile, but doing 40mpg would only reduce that by 5p... From memory the VED is £270 a year, so another 2p a mile. So I reckon, including fuel, it’ll have cost around 26p a mile to a full run it for 36k miles. Plus the depreciation...
personally id be looking at a GT86. how about a 911 of some sort, don't know which model would suit or specifically how much they cost to run, but if Id be looking at them too if I could.
how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
browna said:
personally id be looking at a GT86. how about a 911 of some sort, don't know which model would suit or specifically how much they cost to run, but if Id be looking at them too if I could.
how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
The GT86 has half the torque he wants. how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
Based on your extensive research, I’d suggest keeping it. Give Kevin Bird a few £k to completely overhaul the suspension & put an LSD on it.
With 100k of use, yours will likely be a bit saggy, and that will fix it all right up, giving you a new car feeling, while being the same car you know & love.
Everyone I know who has had it done has raved about it - I was going to get my 335d done, but it went for a Z4 instead. There’s a few on here had it done, again, mainly nothing but praise for it.
If you want to make it feel a bit more special, get a seat trimmer to redo the seat with new foam, maybe bolsters repaired, depending on how they look, and then get a professional to valet/ceramic coat the car. That’s another £1k+, but will enhance the feel-good factor no end.
With 100k of use, yours will likely be a bit saggy, and that will fix it all right up, giving you a new car feeling, while being the same car you know & love.
Everyone I know who has had it done has raved about it - I was going to get my 335d done, but it went for a Z4 instead. There’s a few on here had it done, again, mainly nothing but praise for it.
If you want to make it feel a bit more special, get a seat trimmer to redo the seat with new foam, maybe bolsters repaired, depending on how they look, and then get a professional to valet/ceramic coat the car. That’s another £1k+, but will enhance the feel-good factor no end.
Thanks folks 
911s at this price are from 2002 with 80k on the clock, way too risky.
I don't have the space for two cars, and the longer trips are partly for the driving so a separate cruiser doesn't suit.
MrModo said:
Are M135`s really that expensive to run? I’m looking around and starting to see half decent ones around 15k
More expensive than what I have now for sure, and more costly to fix when something goes wrong. There are a lot of these around, they'll be just as expensive to run when they're worth £8k so I'm not sure how that bodes for ease of selling and resale value down the line. I think they're probably too fast to enjoy as well.browna said:
personally id be looking at a GT86. how about a 911 of some sort, don't know which model would suit or specifically how much they cost to run, but if Id be looking at them too if I could.
how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
GT86 doesn't meet the criteria - performance and practicality to start with. Feels like a downgrade too.how about a reliable comfy cruiser for long trips and something small and silly for the weekend. which is what im planning to do next, but on a much smaller budget. lol
911s at this price are from 2002 with 80k on the clock, way too risky.
I don't have the space for two cars, and the longer trips are partly for the driving so a separate cruiser doesn't suit.
Prinny said:
Based on your extensive research, I’d suggest keeping it. Give Kevin Bird a few £k to completely overhaul the suspension & put an LSD on it.
With 100k of use, yours will likely be a bit saggy, and that will fix it all right up, giving you a new car feeling, while being the same car you know & love.
Everyone I know who has had it done has raved about it - I was going to get my 335d done, but it went for a Z4 instead. There’s a few on here had it done, again, mainly nothing but praise for it.
If you want to make it feel a bit more special, get a seat trimmer to redo the seat with new foam, maybe bolsters repaired, depending on how they look, and then get a professional to valet/ceramic coat the car. That’s another £1k+, but will enhance the feel-good factor no end.
Interesting idea. With a resale value of £3.5-4k though, it's hard to justify spending even 10% of the value on a pro paint treatment. Suspension work won't do anything for mechanicals longevity and reliability.With 100k of use, yours will likely be a bit saggy, and that will fix it all right up, giving you a new car feeling, while being the same car you know & love.
Everyone I know who has had it done has raved about it - I was going to get my 335d done, but it went for a Z4 instead. There’s a few on here had it done, again, mainly nothing but praise for it.
If you want to make it feel a bit more special, get a seat trimmer to redo the seat with new foam, maybe bolsters repaired, depending on how they look, and then get a professional to valet/ceramic coat the car. That’s another £1k+, but will enhance the feel-good factor no end.
I replaced my E90 330i with a Mini Cooper S...it isn't very practical but it is most certainly fun! I can also recommend the 370Z because I recently picked one up...that is also fun but not very practical!
A M235i would be in with a shout for me, reasonably practical and quick too. A good all round car I reckon.
A M235i would be in with a shout for me, reasonably practical and quick too. A good all round car I reckon.
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