A bit of advice...
Discussion
Hi guys,
Okay guys, right. This is my first post, so be gentle!
Im currently driving a 2014 14 BMW 125i M Sport Sport Auto. A great little car I might add, however, I do approx. 370 - 400 miles a week and the traffic in my commute is ensuring it only returns around 19mpg. I don't find that im driving it particularly hard, and the fuel is just pouring away although when I do give it a poke, its down to very low teens. I could effectively have bought a 118d and travelled faster! I have this car on PCP, only taken out in July. I put in £2k, and its costing £386pm with a GFV of £17k. My mate has said that he would like it for £19k at the end of the term if I still have it.
Anyway, potentially it could cost me £10,832 over the two years. Its cost per month is £386 + £440 fuel a month = £826 a month.
With work I have been offered a new Golf GTI on lease - arriving in Feb if I order, putting £1400 in, at £224 a month inc Road Tax and tyres paid for.
Now, Im 23. I earn around £2100 a month net, and Im looking at buying a house soon so the extra £160 a month could be helpful. What would you do? I know I'd be better getting a diesel, but Im just not a massive fan.
Ideally I could do with getting rid of the 125i M Sport and getting the GTI, I like the idea of just hooning around in it and handing the keys back but so far, the 125i has cost me £3158, and Im probably in negative equity!
I hope someone can steer me in the right direction?
Wilko
Okay guys, right. This is my first post, so be gentle!
Im currently driving a 2014 14 BMW 125i M Sport Sport Auto. A great little car I might add, however, I do approx. 370 - 400 miles a week and the traffic in my commute is ensuring it only returns around 19mpg. I don't find that im driving it particularly hard, and the fuel is just pouring away although when I do give it a poke, its down to very low teens. I could effectively have bought a 118d and travelled faster! I have this car on PCP, only taken out in July. I put in £2k, and its costing £386pm with a GFV of £17k. My mate has said that he would like it for £19k at the end of the term if I still have it.
Anyway, potentially it could cost me £10,832 over the two years. Its cost per month is £386 + £440 fuel a month = £826 a month.
With work I have been offered a new Golf GTI on lease - arriving in Feb if I order, putting £1400 in, at £224 a month inc Road Tax and tyres paid for.
Now, Im 23. I earn around £2100 a month net, and Im looking at buying a house soon so the extra £160 a month could be helpful. What would you do? I know I'd be better getting a diesel, but Im just not a massive fan.
Ideally I could do with getting rid of the 125i M Sport and getting the GTI, I like the idea of just hooning around in it and handing the keys back but so far, the 125i has cost me £3158, and Im probably in negative equity!
I hope someone can steer me in the right direction?
Wilko
Try posting on the BMW forum.
Even with traffic 19mpg is bad. My commute is half traffic and half motorway (which is sometimes very slow) and I return low 30s for a 2.0l Alfa. My previous daily was a 3.0Alfa and that got about 23mpg. The figures you're talking about are what 5.0 Griff owners get!
Even with traffic 19mpg is bad. My commute is half traffic and half motorway (which is sometimes very slow) and I return low 30s for a 2.0l Alfa. My previous daily was a 3.0Alfa and that got about 23mpg. The figures you're talking about are what 5.0 Griff owners get!
It's not worth it, to get out of that BMW contract will cost you quite a lot of money that you'll never see again which is pointless if you could put it towards a deposit instead.
If it's that bad, would buying a s
tter and running that instead for a commute not be a better option? A grands worth of cheap HDi to get you around, keep fuel costs down on the BMW and the miles off it as well?
If it's that bad, would buying a s
tter and running that instead for a commute not be a better option? A grands worth of cheap HDi to get you around, keep fuel costs down on the BMW and the miles off it as well? What sort of driving are you doing - mostly motorway? (I would have guessed based on the mileage)
you should be getting more than 19 mpg even if you are crawling along; holding a steady speed with a steady throttle means decent mpg in any vehicle (all relative, of course)
Anyway, i think you're going to loose a lot of money if you swap in for another car. can you buy a second car (second-hand) that is cheap and economical for commuting and save the bimmer for occasions?
you should be getting more than 19 mpg even if you are crawling along; holding a steady speed with a steady throttle means decent mpg in any vehicle (all relative, of course)
Anyway, i think you're going to loose a lot of money if you swap in for another car. can you buy a second car (second-hand) that is cheap and economical for commuting and save the bimmer for occasions?
Edited by thatdude on Thursday 9th October 13:45
thatdude said:
What sort of driving are you doing - mostly motorway? (I would have guessed based on the mileage)
you should be getting more than 19 mpg even if you are crawling along; holding a steady speed with a steady throttle means decent mpg in any vehicle
Agreed. I've never got as low as that even when stuck jams for a few hours and that's with a 4.2L V8.you should be getting more than 19 mpg even if you are crawling along; holding a steady speed with a steady throttle means decent mpg in any vehicle
Something is wrong....
Have you actually worked out the fuel consumption by brimming the tank and resetting the trip meter, or are you relying on the on-board computer?
If you are using the OBC, make sure it is set to read imperial gallons and not US gallons (no idea if the 1 series has this facility, but my E61 does)
If you are using the OBC, make sure it is set to read imperial gallons and not US gallons (no idea if the 1 series has this facility, but my E61 does)
Hi guys,
Thank you for your responses. Im very surprised at how quickly some of you have got back to me!
Yes it’s a 24 month PCP. This friend has bought cars off me in the past, because, im a little bit anal, so theyre always like new!
Well, my previous car was a MK5 GTI that was APR remapped. That was better on fuel than this 125i, and driving it in the same way would return an average of 27mpg to the tank. This will see 19mpg on a relatively soft journey. For instance, I did a 5 mile trip to asda, cold engine so driving soft, and it returned 18.5mpg.
Yes, I could drive the car softer, I always wait for it to warm up, and always cool it down at the end of every drive. I do drive it harder than average though (usually in Sport+), although, I don’t cane it. I sit it on the motorway at 75mph or so in Eco Pro. When I have caned it, Ive had it into single figures to the gallon. Im not concentrating on the fuel use really, more the monthly payments. I could reduce it by £160, and part of me thinks Im not 100% satisfied with this 125i for it to warrant over £800pm in total.
If I could lower the payments by £160 and the fuel use by £20pw, that's £240 a month saving.
Wilko
Thank you for your responses. Im very surprised at how quickly some of you have got back to me!
Yes it’s a 24 month PCP. This friend has bought cars off me in the past, because, im a little bit anal, so theyre always like new!
Well, my previous car was a MK5 GTI that was APR remapped. That was better on fuel than this 125i, and driving it in the same way would return an average of 27mpg to the tank. This will see 19mpg on a relatively soft journey. For instance, I did a 5 mile trip to asda, cold engine so driving soft, and it returned 18.5mpg.
Yes, I could drive the car softer, I always wait for it to warm up, and always cool it down at the end of every drive. I do drive it harder than average though (usually in Sport+), although, I don’t cane it. I sit it on the motorway at 75mph or so in Eco Pro. When I have caned it, Ive had it into single figures to the gallon. Im not concentrating on the fuel use really, more the monthly payments. I could reduce it by £160, and part of me thinks Im not 100% satisfied with this 125i for it to warrant over £800pm in total.
If I could lower the payments by £160 and the fuel use by £20pw, that's £240 a month saving.
Wilko
What mpg should the 125 return ? It is worth checking with BMW that it is runnign correctly.
I can't imagine the Golf would be anymore fuel efficient.
Also, the £1,400 paid up front (equivalent of £58 per month over 2 years) needs to be taken off your £160 per month notional saving.
That leaves you only £100 better off assuming you can get out of your PCP with no cost, whcih is doubtful given some of the responses here.
I can't imagine the Golf would be anymore fuel efficient.
Also, the £1,400 paid up front (equivalent of £58 per month over 2 years) needs to be taken off your £160 per month notional saving.
That leaves you only £100 better off assuming you can get out of your PCP with no cost, whcih is doubtful given some of the responses here.
Edited by Vee on Thursday 9th October 15:42
Check your brakes aren't binding and your tyres have air in them, sounds like you are using a lot more fuel than you should be. If it isn't anything obvious check if the car is warming up correctly (up to the middle of the temperature gauge within 5-10 miles / 10min or so)
3 series with the same engine and auto suggesting 24mpg town and 32mpg for faster flowing in the actual MPG wiki.
3 series with the same engine and auto suggesting 24mpg town and 32mpg for faster flowing in the actual MPG wiki.
Edited by Crusoe on Thursday 9th October 16:07
TA14 said:
Try posting on the BMW forum.
Even with traffic 19mpg is bad. My commute is half traffic and half motorway (which is sometimes very slow) and I return low 30s for a 2.0l Alfa. My previous daily was a 3.0Alfa and that got about 23mpg. The figures you're talking about are what 5.0 Griff owners get!
Indeed, they are considerably worse than the figures returned by my fourteen year old four litre Jaguar XJ!Even with traffic 19mpg is bad. My commute is half traffic and half motorway (which is sometimes very slow) and I return low 30s for a 2.0l Alfa. My previous daily was a 3.0Alfa and that got about 23mpg. The figures you're talking about are what 5.0 Griff owners get!
examine the small print in your pcp for a break clause. there is usually one at 50% of the contract so 12 months in your case.
taking the golf would be no better, and frankly 19mpg is really bad, you must be raping that little car..!!
best thing to do is speak to bmw finance to assess your options. Ask if you can move the pcp on to a third party (your mate that is keen) its possible they may allow this.
where there is a will, there is always a way..!!
taking the golf would be no better, and frankly 19mpg is really bad, you must be raping that little car..!!
best thing to do is speak to bmw finance to assess your options. Ask if you can move the pcp on to a third party (your mate that is keen) its possible they may allow this.
where there is a will, there is always a way..!!
BCM1976 said:
examine the small print in your pcp for a break clause. there is usually one at 50% of the contract so 12 months in your case.
taking the golf would be no better, and frankly 19mpg is really bad, you must be raping that little car..!!
best thing to do is speak to bmw finance to assess your options. Ask if you can move the pcp on to a third party (your mate that is keen) its possible they may allow this.
where there is a will, there is always a way..!!
The early termination is once 50% of the TOTAL cost has been paid back and on a 24 months term with only a small deposit, that is likely to be around month 20.taking the golf would be no better, and frankly 19mpg is really bad, you must be raping that little car..!!
best thing to do is speak to bmw finance to assess your options. Ask if you can move the pcp on to a third party (your mate that is keen) its possible they may allow this.
where there is a will, there is always a way..!!
BMW finance can do nothing. There is no facility for someone to take over a PCP agreement. The OP is in this car for the forseeable future. The only real option is for him to sell privately and settle the finance himself.
I can sell it privately even to WBAC and only be around £1k below what the finance settlement figure is.
But my point is, if I settle below by 1k. That's left for me 1k down, plus the £3544 payments (Inc deposit), so, so far the car will have cost me £4544.
Im trying to work out whether its worth staying put until the end of the agreement, or to get rid now, and get the GTI?
Wilko
But my point is, if I settle below by 1k. That's left for me 1k down, plus the £3544 payments (Inc deposit), so, so far the car will have cost me £4544.
Im trying to work out whether its worth staying put until the end of the agreement, or to get rid now, and get the GTI?
Wilko
Over 32k is a very good salary at 23, congratulations 
(in real life it is anyway, naturally on PH you're scraping along below the poverty line...
) To be spending so much of it on a 1 series you don't really like is a real shame.
Get rid of the BMW as quickly / cheaply as possible and get something cheap to run about in, then use your mountains of spare cash to buy something that earns that 19mpg
(in real life it is anyway, naturally on PH you're scraping along below the poverty line...) To be spending so much of it on a 1 series you don't really like is a real shame. Get rid of the BMW as quickly / cheaply as possible and get something cheap to run about in, then use your mountains of spare cash to buy something that earns that 19mpg
Wilkot said:
But my point is, if I settle below by 1k. That's left for me 1k down, plus the £3544 payments (Inc deposit), so, so far the car will have cost me £4544.
Well that's just one of the pitfalls of buying a new car and then changing your mind.To act like an echo to previous posters. Unless you are bumper to bumper, stop start, all the way for those 400miles, if it's getting a genuine 19mpg there is something wrong with it.
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