Discussion
Its time to sell my 2006 R53 Jcw, sadly, as the 26-28mpg is way to low for the mileage I do!
Anybody have any recommendations/Ideas on what car I could get next? Ill list some factors that'd have to be met;
-€10,000/£7,000 budget
-40mpg or better as I do about 20k motorway miles a year, a lot of 200mile trips!
-Diesel obviously preferred. But if a nice petrol could get good mpg I'd consider
-Something different, dont really like saloons, usually dont like common cars! I know I could get a real nice golf but I just find them boring (To look at anyway never drove one).
-Would like something powerful, coming from the mini it is 210bhp
-Car would have to be as reliable as possible obviously.
-High spec, not a fan of lowest spec'd cars, like a bmw without msport kit for example.
I few cars I have seen that I'd fancy are;
-3 series coupes/estates, preferably the n57 ones as the stories about the n47 turn me off.
-1 series coupe, again n47 turns me off
-A5 coupe or A4 avant
-CR-Z Just seen this looks quite nice!
Anyone have any other options they'd recommend? Thanks!
Anybody have any recommendations/Ideas on what car I could get next? Ill list some factors that'd have to be met;
-€10,000/£7,000 budget
-40mpg or better as I do about 20k motorway miles a year, a lot of 200mile trips!
-Diesel obviously preferred. But if a nice petrol could get good mpg I'd consider
-Something different, dont really like saloons, usually dont like common cars! I know I could get a real nice golf but I just find them boring (To look at anyway never drove one).
-Would like something powerful, coming from the mini it is 210bhp
-Car would have to be as reliable as possible obviously.
-High spec, not a fan of lowest spec'd cars, like a bmw without msport kit for example.
I few cars I have seen that I'd fancy are;
-3 series coupes/estates, preferably the n57 ones as the stories about the n47 turn me off.
-1 series coupe, again n47 turns me off
-A5 coupe or A4 avant
-CR-Z Just seen this looks quite nice!
Anyone have any other options they'd recommend? Thanks!
CJ1 said:
If you like your Mini why not just get a newer one? For that budget you can get a new shape 2014- F56 Cooper S with the 2.0 B48 BMW engine. 200bhp and I regularly average 47MPG on my 20 mile commute (80mph).
Edit: Whoops just read €10,000! Not £... out of budget then.
As much as I like my Mini, I cant get another, this one is my 6th!! Had 2 classic ones then two 1.6d ones, an r56 and 55, I just wanted more power from them!Edit: Whoops just read €10,000! Not £... out of budget then.
Of the options you've mentioned I'd go for a 3 Series with the N57 using my practical head!
But I had a 123d for over 6 years, and with the benefit of hindsight I now realise I should have just gone with my heart and got a 130i.
After nearly a decade of BMW 4 cylinder turbo-diesels I've discovered straight 6 N/A petrol BMWs!
And as we are only here once we might as well enjoy it - so I'd add 130i to your list!
But I had a 123d for over 6 years, and with the benefit of hindsight I now realise I should have just gone with my heart and got a 130i.
After nearly a decade of BMW 4 cylinder turbo-diesels I've discovered straight 6 N/A petrol BMWs!
And as we are only here once we might as well enjoy it - so I'd add 130i to your list!
Mr Tidy said:
Of the options you've mentioned I'd go for a 3 Series with the N57 using my practical head!
But I had a 123d for over 6 years, and with the benefit of hindsight I now realise I should have just gone with my heart and got a 130i.
After nearly a decade of BMW 4 cylinder turbo-diesels I've discovered straight 6 N/A petrol BMWs!
And as we are only here once we might as well enjoy it - so I'd add 130i to your list!
Was the 123d reliable for you? If im going for a 1 series it will have to be a 123dBut I had a 123d for over 6 years, and with the benefit of hindsight I now realise I should have just gone with my heart and got a 130i.
After nearly a decade of BMW 4 cylinder turbo-diesels I've discovered straight 6 N/A petrol BMWs!
And as we are only here once we might as well enjoy it - so I'd add 130i to your list!
Would love a 130i, I dream of getting a 135i coupe
But with taxing a 130i in Ireland would be over 1k year, and petrol is harder to get insured in (Well for me at 20) 
Plus I doubt the mpg would be any higher than my mini?My 123d was very good overall.
The only non-routine items it needed were an AGM battery (that needed to be coded to the car) after 4 and a bit years. With coding it cost just over £250 - although BMW had quoted £300+!
Then at 6 years it needed a starter motor which cost £600 fitted at a main agent - sadly I couldn't really shop around.
But if you got the stop/start coded out, or just turned it off every time you used the car I suspect those parts might last a bit longer!
It averaged 48.7 mpg over the 80+K miles I had it.
But now I don't commute any more my Z4 Coupe with the same engine as a 130i is showing 33.6 mpg on the OBC.
It's a price I'm happy to pay, but I can understand why you might not see it that way with your tax regime.
The only non-routine items it needed were an AGM battery (that needed to be coded to the car) after 4 and a bit years. With coding it cost just over £250 - although BMW had quoted £300+!
Then at 6 years it needed a starter motor which cost £600 fitted at a main agent - sadly I couldn't really shop around.
But if you got the stop/start coded out, or just turned it off every time you used the car I suspect those parts might last a bit longer!
It averaged 48.7 mpg over the 80+K miles I had it.
But now I don't commute any more my Z4 Coupe with the same engine as a 130i is showing 33.6 mpg on the OBC.
It's a price I'm happy to pay, but I can understand why you might not see it that way with your tax regime.
Your budget makes it difficult to find a nicely specced low mileage BMW, I say low mileage as it will have a lot to do with reliability. The E90 3 Series mostly have poor specs unless it a late model which means you have to up your budget.
I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
Chestrockwell said:
Your budget makes it difficult to find a nicely specced low mileage BMW, I say low mileage as it will have a lot to do with reliability. The E90 3 Series mostly have poor specs unless it a late model which means you have to up your budget.
I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
Maybe, but most E46s are getting pretty crusty these days (which is the main reason I sold mine)!I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
No rot issues on my 2006 E91 so far - but only time will tell.
Chestrockwell said:
Your budget makes it difficult to find a nicely specced low mileage BMW, I say low mileage as it will have a lot to do with reliability. The E90 3 Series mostly have poor specs unless it a late model which means you have to up your budget.
I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
Generally from what I have seen in that budget doesn’t seem too bad, about 100k miles, msport, heated seats, cruise control and parking sensors. That’s all isn’t really need, I know the I drive would be nice but I don’t mind not having it!I say, for 7k, you’re not going to be able to get much, 7k would be the bottom of the market for what you’re after.
Why not go for a tidy E46 3 series, won’t need to spend more than 3-3.5k. 325i/30i could return low to mid 30’s on the motorway and whatever money is left over from the same price, you can count that in with the fuel you’re saving
I bought the mini off the same principle, it’s cheaper than what I’m looking at so I’ll spend that on fuel, bad idea in my opinion that was spent a long time ago!
I do like the e46s but it’s harder to insure an older car, and again tax would be well over 1k with them! Whereas a 325d is inly €390
You Mention the CR-Z, I had one for 2-3 years and it was a lovely car to have. The car won't rub on pure battery for a spell like most hybrids, it's only there to help the little 1.5l engine get going. But it's enough to win the odd traffic light grand prix. Plus it handled well and the gearbox is brilliant.
They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
oisinmurray said:
Generally from what I have seen in that budget doesn’t seem too bad, about 100k miles, msport, heated seats, cruise control and parking sensors. That’s all isn’t really need, I know the I drive would be nice but I don’t mind not having it!
I bought the mini off the same principle, it’s cheaper than what I’m looking at so I’ll spend that on fuel, bad idea in my opinion that was spent a long time ago!
I do like the e46s but it’s harder to insure an older car, and again tax would be well over 1k with them! Whereas a 325d is inly €390
True but with 20k miles per annum, buying a 100k miler for 7 grand means you’ll be on 160k miles in 3 years and that 7 grand is suddenly 2 grand, so 5 k lost in 3 years and that’s without spending any money on the car which is impossible. I bought the mini off the same principle, it’s cheaper than what I’m looking at so I’ll spend that on fuel, bad idea in my opinion that was spent a long time ago!
I do like the e46s but it’s harder to insure an older car, and again tax would be well over 1k with them! Whereas a 325d is inly €390
Mr Tidy said:
Maybe, but most E46s are getting pretty crusty these days (which is the main reason I sold mine)!
No rot issues on my 2006 E91 so far - but only time will tell.
I had 2 and my brother had 3, all had a few bubbly arches but no visible rust like the same era of Merc’s, at the time the most expensive we bought was 3 grand and I think in that price range, I expected them to be a little rough around the edges and that didn’t bother me. No rot issues on my 2006 E91 so far - but only time will tell.
Chestrockwell said:
True but with 20k miles per annum, buying a 100k miler for 7 grand means you’ll be on 160k miles in 3 years and that 7 grand is suddenly 2 grand, so 5 k lost in 3 years and that’s without spending any money on the car which is impossible.
Hmm I don’t know if I’ll own it long enough for it to drop down to 2k! Haven’t owned a car for longer than 6/7 months so far 😂 I do see where your coming from tho!Tomthespesh said:
You Mention the CR-Z, I had one for 2-3 years and it was a lovely car to have. The car won't rub on pure battery for a spell like most hybrids, it's only there to help the little 1.5l engine get going. But it's enough to win the odd traffic light grand prix. Plus it handled well and the gearbox is brilliant.
They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
I do like the idea of the Crz, it would definitely be something different! Are they “quick” per say?They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
And with regard to comfort, the back seats look basically unusable looking at pictures?
oisinmurray said:
Tomthespesh said:
You Mention the CR-Z, I had one for 2-3 years and it was a lovely car to have. The car won't rub on pure battery for a spell like most hybrids, it's only there to help the little 1.5l engine get going. But it's enough to win the odd traffic light grand prix. Plus it handled well and the gearbox is brilliant.
They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
I do like the idea of the Crz, it would definitely be something different! Are they “quick” per say?They are cheap to run too, easily got around 45mpg on motorway runs and put it in "Eco" mode and cruise control and it will nudge 50mpg if you keep it to around 70mph. Plus with it only being a Jazz engine servicing is fairly cheap too, but they have expensive spark plugs (if Honda service it anyway they quoted me over £100 to change them).
I put 30k miles on mine and had no faults, but see if you can get a half decent test drive. I thought it was comfy for long trips, my girlfriend disagrees.
And with regard to comfort, the back seats look basically unusable looking at pictures?
And yeah the back seats are basically unusable I think LHD models just had storage bins instead. At most I had 1 person in the back as they had to put their legs across the back otherwise there was literally no room. I'm 5"9 and I think there was less than 3 inches between the drivers seat and rear seat. But I think both are Isofix so great for kids!
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