20yr old son wants a BMW 3 series... - Page 1 - Car Buying

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

After some advice, my 20yr old son has had his head turned by friends who have got rid of their 1st cars and moved onto bigger and better cars. He currently has a 2006 Fiesta which he hardly uses as he has access to a works van, it's been a great little run around but he is clearly embarrassed by it. He now wants to sell up and is talking of buying a 3 series BMW (or similar) for around 10-12k. I can't begrudge him doing this, he works hard, he has an apprenticeship with BT which he enjoys, he also pays us rent each month, so I do think why shouldn't he treat himself. Although being a Dad means that I do worry about him going from a little Fiesta to a 2.0 BMW (yes I know it only goes as fast as you push the pedal down, but you know what I mean!).

He had a prang in his 1st year of driving when he failed to notice a 90 degree bend on a country road and went head first into a tree, so he has a claim against him, I know that this will adversely effect his insurance. I know nothing about BMW's, I am a Ford man through and through, I can't convince him to look at the Focus ST line series which would be my choice for him, he is set on something German, therefore my question is, what should we be looking for?

The budget is 10-12k, I would like something below 40k miles, however he won't do more than 6k miles a year in it, therefore slightly higher mileage would be ok,. I think the main sticking point would be insurance! So what BMW 3 series are there out there that are reasonable for a 20yr old to insure??

Thanks for reading this if you got this far....

normalbloke

8,821 posts

248 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

G wagon, obviously. The tree will move out of the way next time. Or he might just scrape into a Unimog for that.

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

normalbloke said:

G wagon, obviously. The tree will move out of the way next time. Or he might just scrape into a Unimog for that.

If it was me, I'd stick him in an old 850 Volvo!

Stick some BTCC markings on it and it would look the nuts!

A500leroy

8,328 posts

147 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

id tell him to get some insurance quotes first, that 10k budget to buy a car may become a 6k one rapidly.

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

A500leroy said:

id tell him to get some insurance quotes first, that 10k budget to buy a car may become a 6k one rapidly.

He has had some quotes and although they are around the £1400-£2000 mark, it seemingly hasn't put him off! I walked away shaking my head at this point, but he seems dead set on it.

hungry_hog

2,892 posts

217 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

For the insurance to be anyway "reasonable" (less than the cost of a flat in Monaco) it's going to be a small engined model (318 or 320), therefore not that exciting.

Is there any way he can borrow or even hire a BMW for a short period? I guess its tough because of his age.
He may find the novelty wears off and he is stuck with a car that costs 4k to insure which is actually quite slow and dull with a blue propellor badge on the front.

Does he just want the badge? I'm not even sure the badge counts for much these days.

I own a F31 335i and even that tbh is nothing amazing. I actually think my old Cayenne DS is a better drive!
I shudder to think what the insurance would be on the 335 for a 20 year old.

DanielSan

19,990 posts

196 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

Sensible ish version of my answer - tell him to wait until after his 21st and he'll find his insurance comes down a lot. I looked at buying a Clio 172 when I was 20 and insurance was around 2500 quid, this was 12 years ago, just before I was supposed to get the car I lost my job so didn't have rne car. Ended up buying an EP3 Type R once I got a new job sorted and after trying a few quotes it came down from 2300 for the Civic to 1200quid once I was 21. By this point it was a 5 wee wait until my birthday so I got it as a 21st present to myself and saved a big chunk of cash on insurance for the sakes of waiting.

Less sensible answer - it's his cash to do as he pleases.

Nickbrapp

5,277 posts

159 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

An a class with a 1.5 Diesel engine? Or a 114i 1 series?

Both dog slow but have the badge that’s oh so important

anonymous-user

83 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

I wouldnt want a fairly recent/modern petrol (or diesel) 4 cylinder BMW for risk of timing chain issues. Plus, all the little other niggles recent BMWs seem to have.

What about Lexus IS? Once, you're done laughing, because I dont think many 20 year olds (here anyway, US may be a different story) lust after a Lexus, it isn't an obvious choice but would be more reliable than an E90 plus I think you should be able to get cheaper insurance - prove me wrong.

Otherwise, perhaps an A4? Fairly safe handling and should get him into trouble.

Radec

5,922 posts

76 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

Probably a 316 or 318 for half your budget you could get an E90 with about 40/50k then you have a bit left over for insurance or for your actual budget you can be in a F30 with the same engines.

Insurance wise best to get a few reg numbers off here or AutoT for cars that are for sale and put them through some price comparison websites.

It all depends but probably it's not going to be cheap.

V8 Stang

4,506 posts

212 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

The fiesta is probably faster than a 2.0 3 series!

I bought a E46 328CI when i was 19, i only parked it sideways in a field the once, after turning the TC off in the wet... biggrin

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

powerstruggle said:

I wouldnt want a fairly recent/modern petrol (or diesel) 4 cylinder BMW for risk of timing chain issues. Plus, all the little other niggles recent BMWs seem to have.

What about Lexus IS? Once, you're done laughing, because I dont think many 20 year olds (here anyway, US may be a different story) lust after a Lexus, it isn't an obvious choice but would be more reliable than an E90 plus I think you should be able to get cheaper insurance - prove me wrong.

Otherwise, perhaps an A4? Fairly safe handling and should get him into trouble.

Lexus is a sound shout, I'll put some feelers out on those, A4 isn't bad either, thanks

Wacky Racer

41,236 posts

276 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

powerstruggle said:

Otherwise, perhaps an A4? Fairly safe handling and should get him into trouble.

That's a recommendation?

ZX10R NIN

30,515 posts

154 months

Sunday 10th May 2020

83 months

Sunday 10th May 2020

Wacky Racer said:

powerstruggle said:

Otherwise, perhaps an A4? Fairly safe handling and should get him into trouble.

That's a recommendation?

Sorry 'shouldn't'

DazzaSport

209 posts

95 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

IMHO there is nothing 'special' about a cooking BMW.

He'd be better off looking for a Fiesta ST with that sort of money. Far more entertaining to drive than a boggo BMW.

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

DazzaSport said:

IMHO there is nothing 'special' about a cooking BMW.

He'd be better off looking for a Fiesta ST with that sort of money. Far more entertaining to drive than a boggo BMW.

Totally agree! However he is part of the Instagram generation where it appears it's all about the looks and the badge on the front of the car. I don't get it myself, I drive a 14yr old Mondeo ST220 and I love it. I have tried to talk him into something different, but it's a bit like banging your head against a brick wall sometimes

GT03ROB

14,019 posts

250 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

Had a very similar conversation with wife's son in February he was 19. He'd just swerved to avoid an ant, put his current car in a ditch and was on the lookout for something else. He'd become fixated on a 320. His sister was also just about to get rid of her Pug, so kept telling him best thing was to buy that off her & forget the BMW. Went through every single angle with him from you cannot afford it, to don't get something nice you'll be so upset when you put that in another ditch. In the end I just said its up to you but don't ask for any money to buy it or for the insurance.

In the end after I'd gone back to work, he obviously thought it all through & bought his sisters car. Don't think he was ever going to admit I was right!

Daggle74

Original Poster

104 posts

149 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks for those, I think that is the sort of thing he was looking for, time to do some insurance quotes.... eeek

MikeM6

6,016 posts

131 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 10th May 2020

Sinking £10k-12k into a car at that age is something that he will very likely regret later in life, especially if it isn't an exciting car.

It sounds dull and clichéd, but use the money to get on the property ladder instead. Means he can get out from under your hair too!

In that situation, if he must have a 'new' car, look at a Mk5 Golf GT (170hp) or something like that for a lot less money. Safer car to learn how handle a little power and much cheaper so he isn't stuck living with you for the next 3 years whilst he pays off a car. Insurance is more affordable