Replacing an M140i?
Discussion
Happy Sunday, hoping to get some different perspectives and suggestions on what to look around for.
I have been stuck in a bit of a rut with my M140i for the past year or so, I have owned it for 4.5 years and done 40k with it. Nothing major has gone wrong with it and its still got the BMW assured warranty on it that I pay for each month, however I don't know if its boredom or just being fed up of paying out excessive amounts for insurance due to them being crashed and nicked on a regular basis but I keep looking at what to replace it with and every car I look into seems to have a major issue (or more, looking at you Land Rovers) so I give up looking for a few weeks then start again.
I know that was a bit of waffle but I hope others can sympathise!
My criteria at a minimum seems to be;
Hatch, Estate or SUV (I have a greyhound, he fits in the M140i boot fine but if we get a second I need more space)
Some straight line performance for overtakes but doesn't need to be on par with the M140i as I don't really use the performance on offer anyways
Not an EV or Hybrid, I will be owning it outright and don't fancy the increased risks with the batteries out of warranty
Less than £20k
I do mostly motorway driving, its rare that I would take the car out just for a drive
Something a bit interesting, a Tiguan on paper would fit the bill but test driving one it was just a bit boring?
I have considered getting something like a Cayman for ~£10k and then something a bit more dull like a 520d but then its the additional running costs of two cars over the one. Most long journeys are with the dog and wife but if I do regularly drive on my own so having the two would give the option of giving the second car a long run if I am on my own.
So far I have looked into (but not test driven);
Cayenne TDV8 - Sadly euro5 only in budget and the tdv6 are usually quite low spec and they have transfer box issues on both engine models?
L322/L405 FFRR TDV8 - The list of things that are "known problems" is quite high and also they're euro5
E90 M3 - Different from the above, dog can go on back seats but even though the running costs are comfortably manageable I am concerned that I'd get my wallet rinsed on a regular basis and not sure if its worth the jump in running costs over the M140i?
Freelander 2 & Cayman - Euro5 only again on the FL2 and we do go to places that have ULEZ
F31 335d - I had a F31 330dx before the M140i but the fuel economy was sat around 40mpg no matter how it was driven, which isn't much more than the M140i
F31 340i - None in budget and I'm wary that I would be looking at the cheaper cars on the market and potentially a moneypit
GR Yaris - Would need to look at financing one but maybe a bit small for my needs?
F40 M135i - Same as the Yaris, but maybe a good compromise?
As you can tell, its a bit of a varied selection but nothing seems to be jumping out at me. I'm also a bit wary about going to see dealers because I don't want to waste their time going to look at cars I may not be buying but then don't know how to test drive anything.
Suggestions are welcome!
I have been stuck in a bit of a rut with my M140i for the past year or so, I have owned it for 4.5 years and done 40k with it. Nothing major has gone wrong with it and its still got the BMW assured warranty on it that I pay for each month, however I don't know if its boredom or just being fed up of paying out excessive amounts for insurance due to them being crashed and nicked on a regular basis but I keep looking at what to replace it with and every car I look into seems to have a major issue (or more, looking at you Land Rovers) so I give up looking for a few weeks then start again.
I know that was a bit of waffle but I hope others can sympathise!
My criteria at a minimum seems to be;
Hatch, Estate or SUV (I have a greyhound, he fits in the M140i boot fine but if we get a second I need more space)
Some straight line performance for overtakes but doesn't need to be on par with the M140i as I don't really use the performance on offer anyways
Not an EV or Hybrid, I will be owning it outright and don't fancy the increased risks with the batteries out of warranty
Less than £20k
I do mostly motorway driving, its rare that I would take the car out just for a drive
Something a bit interesting, a Tiguan on paper would fit the bill but test driving one it was just a bit boring?
I have considered getting something like a Cayman for ~£10k and then something a bit more dull like a 520d but then its the additional running costs of two cars over the one. Most long journeys are with the dog and wife but if I do regularly drive on my own so having the two would give the option of giving the second car a long run if I am on my own.
So far I have looked into (but not test driven);
Cayenne TDV8 - Sadly euro5 only in budget and the tdv6 are usually quite low spec and they have transfer box issues on both engine models?
L322/L405 FFRR TDV8 - The list of things that are "known problems" is quite high and also they're euro5
E90 M3 - Different from the above, dog can go on back seats but even though the running costs are comfortably manageable I am concerned that I'd get my wallet rinsed on a regular basis and not sure if its worth the jump in running costs over the M140i?
Freelander 2 & Cayman - Euro5 only again on the FL2 and we do go to places that have ULEZ
F31 335d - I had a F31 330dx before the M140i but the fuel economy was sat around 40mpg no matter how it was driven, which isn't much more than the M140i
F31 340i - None in budget and I'm wary that I would be looking at the cheaper cars on the market and potentially a moneypit
GR Yaris - Would need to look at financing one but maybe a bit small for my needs?
F40 M135i - Same as the Yaris, but maybe a good compromise?
As you can tell, its a bit of a varied selection but nothing seems to be jumping out at me. I'm also a bit wary about going to see dealers because I don't want to waste their time going to look at cars I may not be buying but then don't know how to test drive anything.
Suggestions are welcome!
My hunch is the M140 is just as good as the others you gave mentioned and it isn’t a paper comparison - you simply want a change and that’s fine - we’re all like that. The Tiguans etc unless with the Golf R engine would be pointless. With the R engine it could be fine. If it is driving dynamics you’re after get a cayman and a cheap daily. The Yaris will be annoying on the motorway and its service intervals. The E92 too old. How about an M2? Dynamically much better than the 140 (but still nowhere near a Porsche.). An m4 is possibly better value.
Billy_Whizzzz said:
My hunch is the M140 is just as good as the others you gave mentioned and it isn t a paper comparison - you simply want a change and that s fine - we re all like that. The Tiguans etc unless with the Golf R engine would be pointless. With the R engine it could be fine. If it is driving dynamics you re after get a cayman and a cheap daily. The Yaris will be annoying on the motorway and its service intervals. The E92 too old. How about an M2? Dynamically much better than the 140 (but still nowhere near a Porsche.). An m4 is possibly better value.
I did forget to add, the M140i is modified with LSD, suspension etc RR thread here - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...I would love an M2 or M4, both are in budget for a nice one (not fussed about a comp) but I need something that can fit the dog as my wife only has an original countryman so although he fits, its not really the best for him on longer trips so if I change it needs to be something he can still travel in (as well as luggage etc if needed.
RS Q3 - bit biased as I own one but it's a fun daily with a reasonable boot space. Then again if you don't need the performance/AWD then a Golf GTi is as practical. I quite like the new 123 x-drive - looks sensible and fun (without the insurance worries) - but they are still new and not much less than 30k.
The increased battery risk thing is completely made up. At 10k a year Vs 30 mpg you'd be saving 2k a year on fuel so you could put that in a pot.
Assuming you don't want to do that then how much insurance are you saving if you're going to be swapping for another performance car?
Because if it's only say £200 cheaper then you could be looking at a 10 year payback.
I'd be tempted to stick if that was your main bugbear.
Assuming you don't want to do that then how much insurance are you saving if you're going to be swapping for another performance car?
Because if it's only say £200 cheaper then you could be looking at a 10 year payback.
I'd be tempted to stick if that was your main bugbear.
The insurance cost is just one of the reasons I keep looking at changing, when it’s £200 for a 911 or £700+ for the m140i.
My biggest bugbear is that the car isn’t really good at anything particular, in a straight line it’s plenty quick but the handling just isn’t what I’d expect from a “hot hatch” that’s had thousands spent on upgrading the handling. I can fit the dog in at the moment but wouldn’t mind giving him a bit more space and if we go away, the car is packed to the roof with stuff because it’s not quite big enough.
I’m also really disappointed with the build quality, I have had to get the roof resprayed once due to paint issues, lacquer on the bonnet is now starting to go and BMW aren’t interested so it’s thousands just to keep ontop of it.
As negative as that all sounds, aside from a set of tyres each year and servicing, the car hasn’t really cost me much in regards to repairs (other than bodywork) and realistically it’s a lot of performance for not a lot of outlay and we have coped fine so far, potentially a roof box could help with the space issues and there’s always more i can do to try and improve how it drives. This is why I have struggled to find a replacement.
I did look at an s3/golf but the boot isn’t really much bigger than I have already which would mean I’m still struggling for space, plus insurance is quite high. I figured if I’m going to get rinsed for insurance and running costs, it might as well be for something a bit special.
My biggest bugbear is that the car isn’t really good at anything particular, in a straight line it’s plenty quick but the handling just isn’t what I’d expect from a “hot hatch” that’s had thousands spent on upgrading the handling. I can fit the dog in at the moment but wouldn’t mind giving him a bit more space and if we go away, the car is packed to the roof with stuff because it’s not quite big enough.
I’m also really disappointed with the build quality, I have had to get the roof resprayed once due to paint issues, lacquer on the bonnet is now starting to go and BMW aren’t interested so it’s thousands just to keep ontop of it.
As negative as that all sounds, aside from a set of tyres each year and servicing, the car hasn’t really cost me much in regards to repairs (other than bodywork) and realistically it’s a lot of performance for not a lot of outlay and we have coped fine so far, potentially a roof box could help with the space issues and there’s always more i can do to try and improve how it drives. This is why I have struggled to find a replacement.
I did look at an s3/golf but the boot isn’t really much bigger than I have already which would mean I’m still struggling for space, plus insurance is quite high. I figured if I’m going to get rinsed for insurance and running costs, it might as well be for something a bit special.
PistonbrokePaul said:
The insurance cost is just one of the reasons I keep looking at changing, when it s £200 for a 911 or £700+ for the m140i.
My biggest bugbear is that the car isn t really good at anything particular, in a straight line it s plenty quick but the handling just isn t what I d expect from a hot hatch that s had thousands spent on upgrading the handling. I can fit the dog in at the moment but wouldn t mind giving him a bit more space and if we go away, the car is packed to the roof with stuff because it s not quite big enough.
I m also really disappointed with the build quality, I have had to get the roof resprayed once due to paint issues, lacquer on the bonnet is now starting to go and BMW aren t interested so it s thousands just to keep ontop of it.
As negative as that all sounds, aside from a set of tyres each year and servicing, the car hasn t really cost me much in regards to repairs (other than bodywork) and realistically it s a lot of performance for not a lot of outlay and we have coped fine so far, potentially a roof box could help with the space issues and there s always more i can do to try and improve how it drives. This is why I have struggled to find a replacement.
I did look at an s3/golf but the boot isn t really much bigger than I have already which would mean I m still struggling for space, plus insurance is quite high. I figured if I m going to get rinsed for insurance and running costs, it might as well be for something a bit special.
Had mine seven years and haven’t had to do anything to it. Insurance is under £300 (might be my age!hMy biggest bugbear is that the car isn t really good at anything particular, in a straight line it s plenty quick but the handling just isn t what I d expect from a hot hatch that s had thousands spent on upgrading the handling. I can fit the dog in at the moment but wouldn t mind giving him a bit more space and if we go away, the car is packed to the roof with stuff because it s not quite big enough.
I m also really disappointed with the build quality, I have had to get the roof resprayed once due to paint issues, lacquer on the bonnet is now starting to go and BMW aren t interested so it s thousands just to keep ontop of it.
As negative as that all sounds, aside from a set of tyres each year and servicing, the car hasn t really cost me much in regards to repairs (other than bodywork) and realistically it s a lot of performance for not a lot of outlay and we have coped fine so far, potentially a roof box could help with the space issues and there s always more i can do to try and improve how it drives. This is why I have struggled to find a replacement.
I did look at an s3/golf but the boot isn t really much bigger than I have already which would mean I m still struggling for space, plus insurance is quite high. I figured if I m going to get rinsed for insurance and running costs, it might as well be for something a bit special.
I did look and test drive a cupra estate but the roofline means the dog can’t stand up in the back (which is bizarre considering he’s fine in the m140i) so I’ve not considered its stablemate siblings for the same reason.
The Yaris was a bit of a curveball, totally impractical and wouldn’t fit the dog in but might’ve helped me persuade my wife into upgrading her car instead
X3 is a bit out of budget, I had a look around at an x3 20d at the weekend and liked the size but when looking for the quicker versions it suddenly became significantly more than the £20k budget and the dealer was saying finance rates are 12%?!? Madness.
JCW clubman is a great shout but same issue as the cupra, roofline too low for the dog. I test drove a couple of them, having had loads of minis in the past and loved it but when trying to get the dog into the boot, he really struggled. Plus, it’s not really much bigger than the m140i.
I really appreciate the ideas though, been watching Clarksons farm and might just have to get an l322 and the local Indy specialist on speed dial haha
The Yaris was a bit of a curveball, totally impractical and wouldn’t fit the dog in but might’ve helped me persuade my wife into upgrading her car instead
X3 is a bit out of budget, I had a look around at an x3 20d at the weekend and liked the size but when looking for the quicker versions it suddenly became significantly more than the £20k budget and the dealer was saying finance rates are 12%?!? Madness.
JCW clubman is a great shout but same issue as the cupra, roofline too low for the dog. I test drove a couple of them, having had loads of minis in the past and loved it but when trying to get the dog into the boot, he really struggled. Plus, it’s not really much bigger than the m140i.
I really appreciate the ideas though, been watching Clarksons farm and might just have to get an l322 and the local Indy specialist on speed dial haha
This might sound silly just have you pressed the traction control button once?
That activates the dynamic traction mode which I feel transforms the car from feeling like just about any ordinary car to how a RWD car should feel, I was quite surprised the first time I tried it.
Also how important is handling really? In the real world most driving is pretty boring...
That activates the dynamic traction mode which I feel transforms the car from feeling like just about any ordinary car to how a RWD car should feel, I was quite surprised the first time I tried it.
Also how important is handling really? In the real world most driving is pretty boring...
the-photographer said:
I test drove a 190bhp diesel version a while back and found it was a nice overall package and I could see why they were popular but it felt like it would be a bit of a downgrade from the M140i. I might try and find a petrol version and see if that drives any better though, can you get them with over 200bhp or are they all the 180bhp variant? rotaryjam said:
This might sound silly just have you pressed the traction control button once?
That activates the dynamic traction mode which I feel transforms the car from feeling like just about any ordinary car to how a RWD car should feel, I was quite surprised the first time I tried it.
Also how important is handling really? In the real world most driving is pretty boring...
I have driven it in sport+ reasonably regularly, but I keep comparing it to previously owned JCW mini's which felt much more fun on twisty roads with better steering feel. A lot of people seem to think I am talking sThat activates the dynamic traction mode which I feel transforms the car from feeling like just about any ordinary car to how a RWD car should feel, I was quite surprised the first time I tried it.
Also how important is handling really? In the real world most driving is pretty boring...
te (highly likely) but although I have had a few rwd cars over the years, this is the most performance orientated one so it could be a layer 8 issue and me not being able to drive it properly could be the issue...otolith said:
Doesn't sound as if it's what you want anyway, but EVs pretty much all come with an 8 year battery warranty now.
Honestly, I would like to have an EV and regularly consider getting an i4 M50 through work but as I prefer owning my car myself I can't quite stretch to a brand new one that I would be happy with and would be doing EV's a disservice by getting one I am not happy with from day 1.PistonbrokePaul said:
the-photographer said:
I test drove a 190bhp diesel version a while back and found it was a nice overall package and I could see why they were popular but it felt like it would be a bit of a downgrade from the M140i. I might try and find a petrol version and see if that drives any better though, can you get them with over 200bhp or are they all the 180bhp variant? Also look at the equivalent Q3, or a smaller number of Karoq's on the market with 190PS
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