Discussion
Having never owned a BMW before I am interested to find out which BMW PHers would recommend to me. This is a slightly different way of asking.....what car?
I have a 22 mile (each way) daily commute which is a mix of fast 'A' roads and the last 6 miles are a cracking 'B' road. This will be the main part of my commute and therefore the majority of my driving.
I have always considered a BMW yet find myself pulled towards a Lotus Elise but every day I park up next to a 3.0l Z4 and just think it would be so nice to have the creature comforts a Lotus can not supply and the driving experience of a true roaster.
I have a 22 mile (each way) daily commute which is a mix of fast 'A' roads and the last 6 miles are a cracking 'B' road. This will be the main part of my commute and therefore the majority of my driving.
I have always considered a BMW yet find myself pulled towards a Lotus Elise but every day I park up next to a 3.0l Z4 and just think it would be so nice to have the creature comforts a Lotus can not supply and the driving experience of a true roaster.
riwiho said:
find out which BMW PHers would recommend to me. This is a slightly different way of asking.....what car?
A few requirements might help.1. Budget ?
2. 2/4 seat
3. Petrol / diesel
4. Expected number of passengers.
5. Fashionable/sensible ?
6. Miles per year ?
The result could be anything from a 118 to an M5 Touring
to a ten year old 318.
riwiho said:
I have always considered a BMW yet find myself pulled towards a Lotus Elise but every day I park up next to a 3.0l Z4 and just think it would be so nice to have the creature comforts a Lotus can not supply and the driving experience of a true roaster.
I'm actually swapping from a BMW to an Elise in September owing to my company relocating so close to where I live that I can walk to work and will only need a fun car for weekends. Funnily enough though I dreamt last night that I had a Z4!dcb said:
riwiho said:
find out which BMW PHers would recommend to me. This is a slightly different way of asking.....what car?
A few requirements might help.1. Budget ?
2. 2/4 seat
3. Petrol / diesel
4. Expected number of passengers.
5. Fashionable/sensible ?
6. Miles per year ?
The result could be anything from a 118 to an M5 Touring
to a ten year old 318.
2. Not fussed (fun is the only requirement)
3. Good economy. I have been use to a 306 Dturbo which returns 700 miles+ from a tank so I have to take a drop sometime
5. It has to be capable of 14k per year and reliable as hell. I don’t want to have to fork out for some v.expensive parts when I could have just gone for a high powered diesel. On the other side to this I would like the best thing going both looks and ability wise.
6. see number 5
Contrary to popular belief, the 3.0i likes a drink. I know, I've got one, and I drive it pretty tamely most of the time. Even on long runs I struggle to break 30mpg.
The 3.0i is nice in that it comes with a lot of the nice options as standard, and it's good in the top-trumps steaks (you know, "my 0-62 is quicker than yours!" ). But in terms of power, unless you've got wanton disregard for speed limits (and thus your license/freedom) or like to track it a lot (and thus replace consumables a lot), it's a bit much really. Below 80mph you wouldn't really notice the difference between a 3.0i and a 2.5i, and a 2.2i would be pretty close.
To put it another way, my friend used to have an Audi TT 180PS which was (on average) comparable to the 2.2i in performance terms. I enjoyed driving the TT just as much as my 3.0i because, whilst it isn't absolutely as quick, you can use the engine and gearbox fully and really drive it a lot more without hitting grossly inappropriate speeds.
The only downside of the 2.2i is that it lacks the Sport button, which is fitted to the 2.5i and 3.0i. When it's activated it makes the steering more direct and heavier, and makes throttle response a lot more savage. As a result when it's not activated it makes the car a lot more docile for cruising or urban driving. I'm not sure what the deal is with the setup of the 2.2i, but I'd suspect it's a halfway house between Sport and non-Sport on the bigger sixes.
The 3.0i is nice in that it comes with a lot of the nice options as standard, and it's good in the top-trumps steaks (you know, "my 0-62 is quicker than yours!" ). But in terms of power, unless you've got wanton disregard for speed limits (and thus your license/freedom) or like to track it a lot (and thus replace consumables a lot), it's a bit much really. Below 80mph you wouldn't really notice the difference between a 3.0i and a 2.5i, and a 2.2i would be pretty close.
To put it another way, my friend used to have an Audi TT 180PS which was (on average) comparable to the 2.2i in performance terms. I enjoyed driving the TT just as much as my 3.0i because, whilst it isn't absolutely as quick, you can use the engine and gearbox fully and really drive it a lot more without hitting grossly inappropriate speeds.
The only downside of the 2.2i is that it lacks the Sport button, which is fitted to the 2.5i and 3.0i. When it's activated it makes the steering more direct and heavier, and makes throttle response a lot more savage. As a result when it's not activated it makes the car a lot more docile for cruising or urban driving. I'm not sure what the deal is with the setup of the 2.2i, but I'd suspect it's a halfway house between Sport and non-Sport on the bigger sixes.
Edited by Andrew D on Wednesday 20th June 16:35
riwiho said:
1. Not alot more than 15k
2. Not fussed (fun is the only requirement)
3. Good economy. I have been use to a 306 Dturbo which returns 700 miles+ from a tank so I have to take a drop sometime
5. It has to be capable of 14k per year and reliable as hell. I don’t want to have to fork out for some v.expensive parts when I could have just gone for a high powered diesel. On the other side to this I would like the best thing going both looks and ability wise.
6. see number 5
If #5 is the number one requirement, why mess about with2. Not fussed (fun is the only requirement)
3. Good economy. I have been use to a 306 Dturbo which returns 700 miles+ from a tank so I have to take a drop sometime
5. It has to be capable of 14k per year and reliable as hell. I don’t want to have to fork out for some v.expensive parts when I could have just gone for a high powered diesel. On the other side to this I would like the best thing going both looks and ability wise.
6. see number 5
something German i.e. 2nd most reliable cars in the world.
Get something Japanese for even more reliability.
An MX5 or S2000 perhaps ?
Try a 320d, then try a 330 and decide where you
want to be on the price/performance scale.
Try a one series if you want something smaller.
Even a Z4 if you have no mates / wife / kids / gf
or it's a second car.
Anything over about three liters is IMHO just a way
of paying more tax for very little usable benefit.
MX5. More fun than a Z4 (the Z4 is VERY good, but so refined that it takes away some of the grin factor). The S2000 is raving mad and brilliant, but a LOT more expensive than an MX5. If you're insistent on the performance, stuff a supercharger on the MX. Creates a psuedo TVR, but without the horrible reliability and electrical problems.
The Elise is ace, but far from comfortable for long journey (IMO).
The Elise is ace, but far from comfortable for long journey (IMO).
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