Replacing a BMW M535d - can't even get to a short list

[FastEdd11e]

I'll second the Maserati Ghibli S vote.

We've run one for 18 months, 20k miles and it's amazing.
The weak link is the stereo. It's not an amazing audio experience but it suffices.

[bodhi]

Belle427 said:

Watched a you tube video last night where a 440i was given some love ie nice suspension and a tune, may not have enough space for you though.

The Gran Coupe should fit the bill though. Bigger boot than the M140i and better looking than the 2 door Coupe imo. Plenty around in budget, and it has some more premium options available than the 1 Series (HUD, Individual Paint etc).

[skoff]

My criteria are definitely flexible - and subject to change at no notice which is why I am considering fwd hot hatches as a possibility... But I'm definitely drawn to the Ghibli and the XFS (and still the M140i dammit...) more than the others so far. The A45 is definitely out now - I'm pretty sure the gearbox would end up annoying me - I'm frequently driving round 10mph speed limited sites and it sounds like it's not happy doing stuff like that.

@ZX10R - Nairn is just up the road from me so that's a plus point for the Maserati - and oddly I kind of like things that they get criticised for (parts bin switches, slightly questionable ergonomics, etc) it seems to fit with them being Italian. I remember going for a passenger ride in a Ferrari 355 and thinking how cheap bits of the interior felt - then completely forgetting it all when the noise kicked in. The Ghibli certainly sounds special in the YouTube videos I watched last night.

@fasteddie - thanks for passing on your experiences on the Ghibli S - stereo sound quality in cars has never bothered me so as long as you can connect stuff to it and get the radio - that's good enough for me. How's it been reliability-wise? And if it has broken, how is for getting parts etc? I can put up with foibles and niggles, but having the thing off the road for weeks at a time would put me off.

@nordboy the XFS is up there now - seems to be a really well kept secret of a car - I had no idea they existed, and pretty good value - my only problem is going to be finding one close enough to take a look at (actually same problem for the Maserati) - I've set up an autotrader search alert.

@belle427 & bhodi - I think the 3/4 series platform would be plenty big enough especially if they had folding rear seats - and happy to compromise in the 4 doors thing for the right car - the question is the same though as with the M140i - will it feel like a step down and / or sufficiently different from the 5 coming from the same stable? Only I can answer that really I suppose. I find it interesting that nobody has suggested holding out for the M3 / M4.

So, I've managed to reduce the list by one... but added 2...

[skoff]

bodhi said:

The Gran Coupe should fit the bill though. Bigger boot than the M140i and better looking than the 2 door Coupe imo. Plenty around in budget, and it has some more premium options available than the 1 Series (HUD, Individual Paint etc).

Ok, I just looked at some ads for the 440i Gran Coupe and it really does fit the bill - and available 'approved used' in budget.

Dammit BMW - stop doing this! Just when I think I'm ready to turn my back on you, you go make a car that fits the bill and make it easy for me to go and buy one.

[bodhi]

From what I've heard the 4 Series is a bit of a step down in quality from the 5 Series, but nowhere near as much as the 1 Series. As mentioned they come with far more kit, and the 4 door version (the Gran Coupe) has folding rear seats and a hatchback, so is plenty practical.

Some of them are incredibly well kitted out too - a brief search threw up this sort of thing:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023042466...

If you can get one with the M Performance Power and Sound Kit, they're pushing 380bhp with plenty of noise options, from discreet ish to not discreet at all.

[ZX10R NIN]

skoff said:

My criteria are definitely flexible - and subject to change at no notice which is why I am considering fwd hot hatches as a possibility... But I'm definitely drawn to the Ghibli and the XFS (and still the M140i dammit...) more than the others so far. The A45 is definitely out now - I'm pretty sure the gearbox would end up annoying me - I'm frequently driving round 10mph speed limited sites and it sounds like it's not happy doing stuff like that.

@ZX10R - Nairn is just up the road from me so that's a plus point for the Maserati - and oddly I kind of like things that they get criticised for (parts bin switches, slightly questionable ergonomics, etc) it seems to fit with them being Italian. I remember going for a passenger ride in a Ferrari 355 and thinking how cheap bits of the interior felt - then completely forgetting it all when the noise kicked in. The Ghibli certainly sounds special in the YouTube videos I watched last night.

@fasteddie - thanks for passing on your experiences on the Ghibli S - stereo sound quality in cars has never bothered me so as long as you can connect stuff to it and get the radio - that's good enough for me. How's it been reliability-wise? And if it has broken, how is for getting parts etc? I can put up with foibles and niggles, but having the thing off the road for weeks at a time would put me off.

@nordboy the XFS is up there now - seems to be a really well kept secret of a car - I had no idea they existed, and pretty good value - my only problem is going to be finding one close enough to take a look at (actually same problem for the Maserati) - I've set up an autotrader search alert.


So, I've managed to reduce the list by one... but added 2...

They're called Bitz Garage.

The XF-S is a cracking car & one I'd take over the 440GC everytime, there's nothing wrong with the BMW but imo the Ghibli & XF are better.

As you say finding one near you may well prove to be the harder part.

[thewallboy]

skoff said:

Ok, I just looked at some ads for the 440i Gran Coupe and it really does fit the bill - and available 'approved used' in budget.

Dammit BMW - stop doing this! Just when I think I'm ready to turn my back on you, you go make a car that fits the bill and make it easy for me to go and buy one.

I have had mine for a year now and still love it. Its on a 67 plate and has 35k miles. I paid £24k, but it was poverty spec. Engine is so sweet and managed 45 mpg from Nottingham to Cheltenham last weekend. Such a great blend of performance and practicality.

[skoff]

FastEdd11e said:

I'll second the Maserati Ghibli S vote.

We've run one for 18 months, 20k miles and it's amazing.
The weak link is the stereo. It's not an amazing audio experience but it suffices.

I've got a few more questions about the Ghibli S - I've watched a few videos and there are a couple of things that might influence my decision. There's a lot I would forgive for that noise, which is glorious, but other things that will just make my life a pain that I need to consider.

First is speed bumps... I need to navigate some pretty severe speed bumps at my daughters school and at some of the sites I visit for my job. Is it really terrible? The 5 and the Monaro are 'ok' but I need to crawl over them, so if the Ghibli is seriously low then I might end up scraping the underside of the car a lot, I'm not sure that I should knowingly subject a car to that sort of treatment.

Second is range - I'm not too bothered about the cost of the fuel, but if the range on the tank is really bad, then that might be an issue for me. It does look like the economy on the car is fairly awful - I can live with that, but if the tank is tiny too, then trips down south are going to get annoying. Bear in mind that some of the best driving roads are heading across the Cairngorms on my longer journeys to the Central belt of Scotland, so I won't want to be hyper-miling, otherwise I might as well get another diesel.

Finally - What's the sweet spot for the car with options and manufacture year? I understand that there were some updates around 2016(?) is it worth holding out for a later car? Are there any must-have options that transform the ownership experience?

Thanks to everybody for replying to the thread so far, it's really helping my focus on what I will be looking for.

[ChrisH79]

I’d add a Kia Stinger GTS to your list. Ticks many boxes, mostly available still warrantied in budget and while 6k mile services are a pain they should be manageable

[Terzo123]

skoff said:

@Terzo123 - no argument about your C63 comparison to the Monaro (and mines not a VXR either so even less power) - though I wasn't really talking about outright performance - it's more about the way it makes you feel driving it. The C63 is clearly a different league of car, but I just wonder if it would just feel like the Monaro on steroids? I've not driven one, so have no frame of reference. The Monaro was the car that replaced my Cerbera, and whilst the Cerbera was much, much faster - it made me feel similar - just without the bills, and the feeling the thing was constantly plotting to kill me. I'm by no means ruling the C63 out - far from it - there's a 2010 estate up for sale near me that I'm considering taking a look at - but it's a 2010 car up for 21K - and I don't think it's got the LSD, which as ZX10R says is a desirable thing to have and would add to the price. Are they really that good?

Its all very subjective to be fair. The C63 is very clinical compared to the Monaro, but that doesnt necessarily mean its a better driving experience. The Monaro was great fun to drive at any speed, the reaction from other drivers/persons was always positive. It really stood out from the crowd.

The C63 is anonymous in comparison.

[ZX10R NIN]

skoff said:

I've got a few more questions about the Ghibli S - I've watched a few videos and there are a couple of things that might influence my decision. There's a lot I would forgive for that noise, which is glorious, but other things that will just make my life a pain that I need to consider.

First is speed bumps... I need to navigate some pretty severe speed bumps at my daughters school and at some of the sites I visit for my job. Is it really terrible? The 5 and the Monaro are 'ok' but I need to crawl over them, so if the Ghibli is seriously low then I might end up scraping the underside of the car a lot, I'm not sure that I should knowingly subject a car to that sort of treatment.

Second is range - I'm not too bothered about the cost of the fuel, but if the range on the tank is really bad, then that might be an issue for me. It does look like the economy on the car is fairly awful - I can live with that, but if the tank is tiny too, then trips down south are going to get annoying. Bear in mind that some of the best driving roads are heading across the Cairngorms on my longer journeys to the Central belt of Scotland, so I won't want to be hyper-miling, otherwise I might as well get another diesel.

Finally - What's the sweet spot for the car with options and manufacture year? I understand that there were some updates around 2016(?) is it worth holding out for a later car? Are there any must-have options that transform the ownership experience?

Thanks to everybody for replying to the thread so far, it's really helping my focus on what I will be looking for.

A later car will blow your budget wide open, the cars in your budget will be just fine, as for speed humps they're no better or worse than any other car, so you'll have drive over them in the same way you do now.

Tank range is okay if you had to go from Kirkaldy to London you'd have to stop once dependent on pace of course.

[MikeHo]

M4 F82 just has a boot so there's no way you'll get a bike in.
I've had one and it's way above a 140 in every way.

Like others I was going to say 440 gran coupe. I had one for 3 years, great car and is a 'hatch'.