Running a car into the ground...

[Teddye4687]

In November 2010 I acquired a facelift BMW 318Ci MSport.

I've done a couple of tweaks over the years, replacing the broken OEM springs with ones which sit slightly lower, replacing the rotten exhaust with a 325 twin exhaust and refurbished the wheels, but other than that the car remains standard, and I really do enjoy it!

It came with all the gadgets and it's a pleasure to drive; by no means a petrolhead car. It's now at 165,000 miles and whilst it still looks great and is mechanically sound (Service Insp II yesterday advised a new radiator and N/S/R shock needs replacing which I'll do), I'm getting the itch to move on.

I want something equally as nice to drive and to serve as a workhorse, but have a few considerations:

1) Running costs/reliability - The BMW hasn't cost me much at all in terms of depreciation and general running. Tyres/Brakes/MOT/Servicing hasn't been a concern at all

2) Initial costs - I don't really want to spend any more than £8k.

3) Fuel - MPG isn't really a concern

4) Space - Whilst I love the idea of a boxster or Z4C, it wouldn't be practical for my surfing/riding and weekends away (unless there's somehow a compromise?!)

5) Perception - I like the perception my current car has where it's assumed to be worth more than it is, or that it's quicker than it actually is. It's a workhorse at the end of the day, but I like it to look good!

I'm struggling to find anything which meets this criteria. Do I keep the car a year longer and save an extra few grand to put down on a car in a years time, bite the bullet and increase my spending or are there cars I've not considered, or see this as a sound investment and simply run it into the ground and buy a weekend car with the cash I've put aside towards the new car?

[RichTBiscuit]

E46 M3

The answer to most questions

[The Nur]

Either that or E36 M3 and keep a few grand back to keep it mint. May as well stick with what you know and like.

[Teddye4687]

RichTBiscuit said:

E46 M3

The answer to most questions

Beautiful car, one I really do desire and ticks most, if not all of the boxes.

But.. The maintenance/running costs and potential pitfalls scare me.

My current E46 has staggered 18", so the tyres shouldn't be much different, but the brakes and servicing costs would be substantially more, possibly double? What's the going rate for one in good nick?

[aka_kerrly]

Sometimes it really is a case of better the devil you know.

If you are worried about the potential cost of a radiator and a shock you could just as easily spend a few thousand on a newer car that hits you with a similar size bill.

A BMW 330 Sport touring could be the answer....

[Teddye4687]

In terms of running costs:

I put aside £400 per month which should cover the following:

Insurance: £400 P/A
Servicing: £250 P/A
Tax: £200 P/A
MOT: £50 P/A
Breakdown: £50 P/A

So this leaves around £3750 per year to cover depreciation and other maintenance (things which can go wrong)

I'm keen to cover depreciation, as ultimately I'd like to be in the situation that in 2 years time I can purchase a car of equal quality/standards as I was two years previous, but need a comfortable buffer zone should there be any unexpected costs.

With those figures in mind, can you run an E46 M3 as a daily drive?

[SVX]

Unless you are wedded to BMWs - for your price point, I couldn't recommend a Subaru Legacy 3.0Rn highly enough. I've had mine since 2008 and in that time it has been utterly reliable.