First BMW - F06 640i GC - long distance purchase
Discussion
I've been looking at changing up my cars for a little while. 8 years ago I had a wife and a labrador and an imminently arriving first kid; so I bought the ultimate dad wagon - a skoda superb estate. It has been absolutely great; hasn't skipped a beat and over the last 8 years has handled two kids, a labrador, a double buggy, countless IKEA trips, many tip runs, house moves etc etc.
It is just incredibly dull!
So, now the kids have grown up a bit and swivel car seats are a thing of the past, I can now look at getting something new. Given that a 12 year old diesel skoda estate on over 100k miles is worth less than a packet of crisps, I've decided I'm going to keep hold of it for a while as the dog car/tip car/mountain bike car. We'll see if it gets used - if not I'll sell it and enjoy a lovely packet of McCoys!
So, that brings me to what to buy? Naturally a 640i Gran Coupe.... I still need a car with four doors, need to be able to get the kids in etc, but I want something vaguely interesting too. I've had a few estates over the years so was keen to move away from those back into saloon(ish) shaped cars. I've looked at a bunch of cars (Maserati QP/Ghibli S, Alfa Giulia T, Jag XFS, Audi S7) but for some reason the 6 series GC just stood out to me as great value for money, decent looking for the car type and fast enough to be significantly more fun than a Skoda Superb!
I'm off to collect it on Saturday, but that's where the fun comes in. I live on the M4 corridor and the car is in Inverness. So, having never seen the car in the flesh, never driven it, I've done the sensible thing - put a deposit down with the seller and booked a one way flight to Inverness on Saturday!
The plan is to head down the A82 to Glasgow, stop off at Cairn Lodge for some high quality service-station food(!) before hooking up with the normal M74 / M6 route south. I'll stop off in Preston on Saturday, enjoy the delights of a Premier Inn for the night and then continue on, on Sunday morning. Hopefully this will mean that Saturday afternoon can be spent driving down through some beautiful scenery, getting to know the car, before the boring motorway schlep kicks in.
I will keep this thread live through Saturday/Sunday on the way down to track how I'm getting on. I've not added any photos yet out of respect for the current owner, but will spam you all once I'm the legal owner!
It is just incredibly dull!
So, now the kids have grown up a bit and swivel car seats are a thing of the past, I can now look at getting something new. Given that a 12 year old diesel skoda estate on over 100k miles is worth less than a packet of crisps, I've decided I'm going to keep hold of it for a while as the dog car/tip car/mountain bike car. We'll see if it gets used - if not I'll sell it and enjoy a lovely packet of McCoys!
So, that brings me to what to buy? Naturally a 640i Gran Coupe.... I still need a car with four doors, need to be able to get the kids in etc, but I want something vaguely interesting too. I've had a few estates over the years so was keen to move away from those back into saloon(ish) shaped cars. I've looked at a bunch of cars (Maserati QP/Ghibli S, Alfa Giulia T, Jag XFS, Audi S7) but for some reason the 6 series GC just stood out to me as great value for money, decent looking for the car type and fast enough to be significantly more fun than a Skoda Superb!
I'm off to collect it on Saturday, but that's where the fun comes in. I live on the M4 corridor and the car is in Inverness. So, having never seen the car in the flesh, never driven it, I've done the sensible thing - put a deposit down with the seller and booked a one way flight to Inverness on Saturday!
The plan is to head down the A82 to Glasgow, stop off at Cairn Lodge for some high quality service-station food(!) before hooking up with the normal M74 / M6 route south. I'll stop off in Preston on Saturday, enjoy the delights of a Premier Inn for the night and then continue on, on Sunday morning. Hopefully this will mean that Saturday afternoon can be spent driving down through some beautiful scenery, getting to know the car, before the boring motorway schlep kicks in.
I will keep this thread live through Saturday/Sunday on the way down to track how I'm getting on. I've not added any photos yet out of respect for the current owner, but will spam you all once I'm the legal owner!
Sounds a superb road trip and a good excuse too 
Fantastic car; its the one I really wanted to go for after selling my F01 and then Japanese import E39 540i Sport; alas budget wasn't stretching enough for the ones I'd seen then settled on my current F31 touring
On your journey back; stop off at Dunkeld and have a spot of lunch at Palmerstons (it's a lovely cafe and they do great butties/soups/cakes)
My folks have property there, so we're up to there & back (Preston) a lot...
The drive back will be great; going to be a cold & dry weekend (make sure you've got de-icer FYI); the A9 is a superb road through some fantastic scenery; If Dunkeld is too far, then House of Bruar is a good call or make it to Abington/Annandale services if you can
Be good to see some pictures too
Fantastic car; its the one I really wanted to go for after selling my F01 and then Japanese import E39 540i Sport; alas budget wasn't stretching enough for the ones I'd seen then settled on my current F31 touring
On your journey back; stop off at Dunkeld and have a spot of lunch at Palmerstons (it's a lovely cafe and they do great butties/soups/cakes)
My folks have property there, so we're up to there & back (Preston) a lot...The drive back will be great; going to be a cold & dry weekend (make sure you've got de-icer FYI); the A9 is a superb road through some fantastic scenery; If Dunkeld is too far, then House of Bruar is a good call or make it to Abington/Annandale services if you can
Be good to see some pictures too
Congratulations OP, sounds like a great way to get the know the car.
I'm from the north west and if you can, I recommend one of the smart pubs / hotels in Forest of Bowland on your way down, instead of the Premier Inn.
Forest of Bowland is basically just to the east of the M6 as you drive down from Lancaster to Preston, and has some really nice country pubs...
Enjoy the trip!
I'm from the north west and if you can, I recommend one of the smart pubs / hotels in Forest of Bowland on your way down, instead of the Premier Inn.
Forest of Bowland is basically just to the east of the M6 as you drive down from Lancaster to Preston, and has some really nice country pubs...
Enjoy the trip!
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm open to all of it!
Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
Jeenyus161 said:
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm open to all of it!
Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
Yup; some fantastic roads in that area Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
Spent many a weekend B road hooning in Japanese import Honda's when I was younger 
Jeenyus161 said:
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm open to all of it!
Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
The B862 out of Fort Augustus is well worth a look then, it takes you back into Inverness but has some amazing views on the way.Yeah I won't be shy about adding in some photos once I take ownership - I'm planning on stopping off at Loch Ness on the way down - buy some tourist tat for the kids and hopefully find a couple of nice roads on that section.
BlueJ - I just Google'd the area you suggested and....wow!
If you’re buying from Invernesss, make sure you take in the Old Military Road (if the weather isn’t too bad).
That was one of the stand out roads when I did the NC500 last year.
Nice car purchase too. I really like that era six; it’s a handsome beast and the B58 is a very impressive engine having owned and M140i.
That was one of the stand out roads when I did the NC500 last year.
Nice car purchase too. I really like that era six; it’s a handsome beast and the B58 is a very impressive engine having owned and M140i.
Mr Happy said:
The B862 out of Fort Augustus is well worth a look then, it takes you back into Inverness but has some amazing views on the way.
I've just had a look at that and it does look great - I can then still loop back onto the A82 and head down to Glasgow that way - thanks for the tip!Court_S said:
If you’re buying from Invernesss, make sure you take in the Old Military Road (if the weather isn’t too bad).
That was one of the stand out roads when I did the NC500 last year.
Nice car purchase too. I really like that era six; it’s a handsome beast and the B58 is a very impressive engine having owned and M140i.
That looks like a great day! Am I right in thinking that's the road right by the airport? If so, I'll ask the cab driver nicely...!That was one of the stand out roads when I did the NC500 last year.
Nice car purchase too. I really like that era six; it’s a handsome beast and the B58 is a very impressive engine having owned and M140i.
I'm heading straight south once I pick the car up, I'd love to spend a week up there driving some of these incredible roads, but my wife is already being pretty tolerant of my idiocy (this will be car #4 on the drive....) so I can't take the p1ss too much!
Collection day is here!
It is a glorious (if chilly) start to the day with -2 showing as my lovely wife drives me down the motorway to Heathrow.
All is well right now. The current owner is picking me up in the car from the airport. Funds are all ready to go and I'm mega excited. Christmas day will be lovely, but new car day happens less often, so... more exciting...!
It is a glorious (if chilly) start to the day with -2 showing as my lovely wife drives me down the motorway to Heathrow.
All is well right now. The current owner is picking me up in the car from the airport. Funds are all ready to go and I'm mega excited. Christmas day will be lovely, but new car day happens less often, so... more exciting...!
Lovely stuff Interstellar - as much as I respect a clean car, the road grime photo always is my preference
Straight through security without even showing my passport. Boarding pass on my phone made some other travellers look at me like I was from space! Haha.
Is this how people without kids always travel? It is so easy!
Straight through security without even showing my passport. Boarding pass on my phone made some other travellers look at me like I was from space! Haha.
Is this how people without kids always travel? It is so easy!
Jeenyus161 said:
Collection day is here!
It is a glorious (if chilly) start to the day with -2 showing as my lovely wife drives me down the motorway to Heathrow.
All is well right now. The current owner is picking me up in the car from the airport. Funds are all ready to go and I'm mega excited. Christmas day will be lovely, but new car day happens less often, so... more exciting...!
Exciting! It is a glorious (if chilly) start to the day with -2 showing as my lovely wife drives me down the motorway to Heathrow.
All is well right now. The current owner is picking me up in the car from the airport. Funds are all ready to go and I'm mega excited. Christmas day will be lovely, but new car day happens less often, so... more exciting...!
It's been a hard frost here as well; it'll be much colder up there, drive carefully/safely back... Have you sussed out the route you'll be taking yet?
It's fantastic scenery down from the Highlands until you get to Shap really
Yeah super exciting!
Mostly I'll be following the A82 down to Glasgow. It is a bit slower than down the A9, but hopefully a bit more scenic and quieter.
I might start out on the B852 as suggested above, but that is time/weather dependent.
Yes I hear it has been cold, so I'll just be enjoying the view (while it's still light out) and then just settle into a motorway slog down to Preston.
Mostly I'll be following the A82 down to Glasgow. It is a bit slower than down the A9, but hopefully a bit more scenic and quieter.
I might start out on the B852 as suggested above, but that is time/weather dependent.
Yes I hear it has been cold, so I'll just be enjoying the view (while it's still light out) and then just settle into a motorway slog down to Preston.
Jeenyus161 said:
Yeah super exciting!
Mostly I'll be following the A82 down to Glasgow. It is a bit slower than down the A9, but hopefully a bit more scenic and quieter.
I might start out on the B852 as suggested above, but that is time/weather dependent.
Yes I hear it has been cold, so I'll just be enjoying the view (while it's still light out) and then just settle into a motorway slog down to Preston.
Yup; it's literally all down hill to Preston Mostly I'll be following the A82 down to Glasgow. It is a bit slower than down the A9, but hopefully a bit more scenic and quieter.
I might start out on the B852 as suggested above, but that is time/weather dependent.
Yes I hear it has been cold, so I'll just be enjoying the view (while it's still light out) and then just settle into a motorway slog down to Preston.
We always go up to the Highlands on a Sunday as traffic is very quiet; takes about 4.5 hours with a break at Abington or Annandale Water; but when we set off home; we generally get it done is just under 4 hours in one slog; as said, it's all downhill
The A9s a decent road; its scenic enough; but it's a sod if you get stuck behind a lorry(s) or tractor etc - but it opens up more towards House of Bruar etc
Sorry to keep you waiting interstellar - car acquired!
The guy I bought it off was so friendly. He came and met me at the airport and then we headed into town so that we could have a proper walk around it ("airport car parks aren't free you know" - insert your own jokes/comments here!)
Then, having had a proper walk around the car and a quick drive, money was transferred. Next stop was off for him to pick up his Z4 (where the photo above was taken)
I don't have the obligatory petrol pump photo yet, as we did that en route to his Z4 and it just seemed an odd time to do it.
So, I'm sat in Cairn Lodge services, 2.5 hours left to go to Preston. I ended up coming down the A82 and was lucky with traffic. What a road!
The guy I bought it off was so friendly. He came and met me at the airport and then we headed into town so that we could have a proper walk around it ("airport car parks aren't free you know" - insert your own jokes/comments here!)
Then, having had a proper walk around the car and a quick drive, money was transferred. Next stop was off for him to pick up his Z4 (where the photo above was taken)
I don't have the obligatory petrol pump photo yet, as we did that en route to his Z4 and it just seemed an odd time to do it.
So, I'm sat in Cairn Lodge services, 2.5 hours left to go to Preston. I ended up coming down the A82 and was lucky with traffic. What a road!
I think I'd been driving less than 15 minutes at this point!
The weather/road/new car combo was too good, so didn't want to stop too often, but, when the scenery is this good, you kind of have to!
I think the car is fantastic. Vague muscle car feel to it, albeit in a more refined environment. It is laughable how quickly it gathers speed and I'm much more of a fan of the HUD than I thought I'd be.
Like most people on PH, there are a couple of things I want to sort out - the bodywork/wheels both need some attention. I had been made aware of both before travelling though.
Radio silence again now from me until Preston!
The weather/road/new car combo was too good, so didn't want to stop too often, but, when the scenery is this good, you kind of have to!
I think the car is fantastic. Vague muscle car feel to it, albeit in a more refined environment. It is laughable how quickly it gathers speed and I'm much more of a fan of the HUD than I thought I'd be.
Like most people on PH, there are a couple of things I want to sort out - the bodywork/wheels both need some attention. I had been made aware of both before travelling though.
Radio silence again now from me until Preston!
Jeenyus161 said:
I think I'd been driving less than 15 minutes at this point!
The weather/road/new car combo was too good, so didn't want to stop too often, but, when the scenery is this good, you kind of have to!
I think the car is fantastic. Vague muscle car feel to it, albeit in a more refined environment. It is laughable how quickly it gathers speed and I'm much more of a fan of the HUD than I thought I'd be.
Like most people on PH, there are a couple of things I want to sort out - the bodywork/wheels both need some attention. I had been made aware of both before travelling though.
Radio silence again now from me until Preston!
That's lovely The weather/road/new car combo was too good, so didn't want to stop too often, but, when the scenery is this good, you kind of have to!
I think the car is fantastic. Vague muscle car feel to it, albeit in a more refined environment. It is laughable how quickly it gathers speed and I'm much more of a fan of the HUD than I thought I'd be.
Like most people on PH, there are a couple of things I want to sort out - the bodywork/wheels both need some attention. I had been made aware of both before travelling though.
Radio silence again now from me until Preston!
Safe journey; it's gotten cold and frosty here FYI
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