Need a car this weekend!!

[junglie]

Good evening,

My far better looking half handed back her PCP Audi A3 today. It has served her well but not needed now. She is away for 6 months next year so seems pointless paying for something that just sits on the drive.

We now need a ‘new’ car quite swiftly! Some context:

Up to £6500
Sat nav
DAB (nice to have)

Looking for the following if anyone is looking to sell:

Lexus IS250 SE-L
BMW 125i (N52 3.0)
BMW 130i
E9X 325i / 330i

I know a long shot but if, like me, you are always teetering on the edge of changing cars every 5 mins then do let me know. We have money ready to go but not car!

Thanks.

[LGriffiths88]

130i. Great handling car. Cracking engine.

[junglie]

They are great cars.

Only driven one quite some time ago and it was great.

Do you have one knocking around by any chance?

[ZX10R NIN]

IS250 F Sport comes with the LSD

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009264...

SE L

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

335i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009113...

325i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011236...

[LGriffiths88]

junglie said:

They are great cars.

Only driven one quite some time ago and it was great.

Do you have one knocking around by any chance?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008202718269?sort=price-desc&include-delivery-option=on&fuel-type=Petrol&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&model=1%20SERIES&advertising-location=at_cars&price-to=6500&radius=1500&make=BMW&postcode=ll115fs&page=1

125i convertible
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010255...

[Saleen836]

Surely paying upto £6.5k for a car is also pointless when it will sit on the drive for 6 months of next year?
Would a £1-2k banger not suffice to tide over till departure or is it a case of OH wouldn't be seen dead....?

[nunpuncher]

None of those will have DAB or sat nav that's of much use. Does your other half really need something with 6 cylinders and a keeping up with the Jones badge? If not then spend slightly less on something Japanese or Korean that will probably be newer and therefore more modern and undoubtedly more likely to start and run without issue after sitting for 6 months.

[defblade]

nunpuncher said:

None of those will have DAB or sat nav that's of much use.

Phone holder and Waze for sat nav. DAB marked as not essential and would probably be able to stream from the phone one way or another if not in the car already.
Cheapest tidy-ish boring Japanese car you can find in the local area is the answer in my book.

[aka_kerrly]

Saleen836 said:

Surely paying upto £6.5k for a car is also pointless when it will sit on the drive for 6 months of next year?
Would a £1-2k banger not suffice to tide over till departure or is it a case of OH wouldn't be seen dead....?

But what would the neighbours/work colleagues think when one day she turns up in a <3 year old Audi and the next day a 15 year old car (regardless of how good it is).

I agree in principle though ,spending £6k on a car to sit around for months doesn't seem that clever but then we don't know if £6k is 1% of the OP's bank balance....

£6k still gets an awful lot of Audi A3 if that's your thing, I'd want an 07/08 S3 but imagine many will be perfectly happy with the 2.0 TSFI in 2 or 4 wheel drive

[nunpuncher]

aka_kerrly said:

But what would the neighbours/work colleagues think when one day she turns up in a <3 year old Audi and the next day a 15 year old car (regardless of how good it is).

I agree in principle though ,spending £6k on a car to sit around for months doesn't seem that clever but then we don't know if £6k is 1% of the OP's bank balance....

£6k still gets an awful lot of Audi A3 if that's your thing, I'd want an 07/08 S3 but imagine many will be perfectly happy with the 2.0 TSFI in 2 or 4 wheel drive

I went from a brand new golf R to a 16 year old mini. Turns out nobody pays that much attention or gives a flying fk what i drive.

In fact. I could be on to something here. Get a post 09 cooper or cooper s. Hold value pretty well, a bit BMW without being full bmwguy, good fun to drive, the women love them and they do that thing where they are classless and acceptable everywhere.

Edited by nunpuncher on Wednesday 2nd December 23:48

[PushedDover]

£5k Barge Thread surely ?

[gizlaroc]

nunpuncher said:

None of those will have DAB or sat nav that's of much use. Does your other half really need something with 6 cylinders and a keeping up with the Jones badge? If not then spend slightly less on something Japanese or Korean that will probably be newer and therefore more modern and undoubtedly more likely to start and run without issue after sitting for 6 months.

All the BMWs will have, if not the oem DAB can be retrofitted for around £50.

I have done it loads of times.

[ArsE82]

gizlaroc said:

nunpuncher said:

None of those will have DAB or sat nav that's of much use. Does your other half really need something with 6 cylinders and a keeping up with the Jones badge? If not then spend slightly less on something Japanese or Korean that will probably be newer and therefore more modern and undoubtedly more likely to start and run without issue after sitting for 6 months.

All the BMWs will have, if not the oem DAB can be retrofitted for around £50.

I have done it loads of times.

£50? Including the hardware and coding?

[chrisch77]

ArsE82 said:

£50? Including the hardware and coding?

I too have done the DAB retro fit in E9x BMWs and R56 MINI. But.... the add on DAB module is only for the older ‘CCC’ generation of audio/nav system and is only DAB standard not the newer DAB+. This means BBC stations are still there but many digital only stations (such as Radio X, Fun Kids) ceased to be available a year or so ago.

Installation is easy if you use the existing Cd changer preparation wiring and use an aftermarket aerial (such as an amplified stick on window type).

I’ve just taken the retro fitted OEM module out of the wife’s Clubman and replaced it with a hideous Pure Highway add on device.

[nunpuncher]

gizlaroc said:

All the BMWs will have, if not the oem DAB can be retrofitted for around £50.

I have done it loads of times.

None of the E generation BMWs had DAB as standard. Even the F series I bought in 2012 it was an option rather than standard. I think they stopped trying to get folk to pay for it in MY13 cars.

[gizlaroc]

nunpuncher said:

None of the E generation BMWs had DAB as standard. Even the F series I bought in 2012 it was an option rather than standard. I think they stopped trying to get folk to pay for it in MY13 cars.

No, they were an option.

My E61 535d had it, our 120d from 2005 also had it.

You can buy the DAB module from eBay for around £30, a DAB aerial for £15 with Fakra connector and then plug it into the MOST connector in the rear that is there for CD changer on all UK cars.

You can then download the software for nothing and use any k can cable (£10) to add it to the VO.
Reboot the stereo and you will now have DAB.

[Mr Tidy]

My current E90 330i got fitted with a DAB tuner by the previous owner, which would be great if I didn't live in a black-hole in terms of reception.

For weekends I have an E86 Z4 that has Sat-Nav and I really wouldn't bother! It's pitiful even compared to my 2000 ish Garmin.

If you do go for an E9* 3 Series I'd cross the 325i off the list - I had an E91 for a year until I replaced it with an E90 330i which is just so much better!

Edited by Mr Tidy on Saturday 5th December 00:58