Confession Time - Go with your heart!
Discussion
So back in late 2004 I got a promotion to a role that came with a company car, or car allowance and interest free car loan.
Nothing on the car list I wanted (not keen on a diesel Golf, A3, etc.) so I took the allowance!
Tried to look at a C-Class Sport Coupe at a dealer in Slough as there was supposed to be a promotion on them, but nobody was interested in talking to me.
Then I remembered the service the OH got when she bought a new Mini, so I went searching for a BMW Compact.
By then they weren't taking orders as the 1 Series had been released and the E90 was on the way, so it had to be used.
Found two on 04 plates in mystic Blue, a 320td SE and a 325ti SE. Looked at the mileage rates for business miles and decided I didn't want to subsidise my business travel so went and looked at the 320td. (That is where I started going wrong)! Probably got carried away as I had never owned anything as new, so I bought it! Collected it on 8 January 2005.
Fast forward to 2007 and the 1 Series facelift - I got an invite to test drive one at BMW in Bracknell, which I couldn't decline! (it was only 5 miles away).
Anyway I was seriously impressed with the 120d M-Sport I drove, and went home thinking I needed one.
Then while I was still trying to decide they released the 123d with a 2nd turbo - no more 120d for me then!
At home over Xmas 2007 I saw a pre-registered 123d for sale - being off work I went to see it. Picked it up on 8 January 2008, part-exing the 320td so that lasted 3 years to the day!
Loved the 123d - I'd never had a current plate car before, and it certainly went pretty well (albeit in a diesel way)!
Kept the 123d until 2014 when I took early retirement, so the business miles didn't apply and I had a bit of lump sum in my pocket. I had read the horror stories of the N47 engine cam-chain issues (mine was past 80K miles), had needed a new AGM battery and starter motor (probably a bonus feature of the stop/start) and decided I would buy the BMW I had always wanted. So I did!
June 2014 I collected a Z4 Coupe - a revelation! Why on earth had I spent nearly a decade and over 120,000 miles in 4 cylinder turbo-diesels when I could have had straight 6 petrol?
So in November 2014 I bought a 325ti Sport as a daily (better for elderly parent hospital taxi duty than a Z4)! I still have both now.
If only I had gone to see the 325ti back in late 2004 I'm sure I would have bought that instead of the 320td, especially as it had the Sport seats in beige half-leather instead of the flat charcoal cloth things I got in the 320td!
Still kicking myself, but at least I know I have got it right now!
The 123d may have been as quick as my 325ti, but it still sounded like a tractor compared to the silky smooth 6 cylinder petrol in that.
Regrets, I've had a few.......
BTW Sorry if anyone nodded off reading this - just my perspective.
If there is a lesson to be learnt, it is buy what you really want - being practical can always happen later.
Nothing on the car list I wanted (not keen on a diesel Golf, A3, etc.) so I took the allowance!
Tried to look at a C-Class Sport Coupe at a dealer in Slough as there was supposed to be a promotion on them, but nobody was interested in talking to me.
Then I remembered the service the OH got when she bought a new Mini, so I went searching for a BMW Compact.
By then they weren't taking orders as the 1 Series had been released and the E90 was on the way, so it had to be used.
Found two on 04 plates in mystic Blue, a 320td SE and a 325ti SE. Looked at the mileage rates for business miles and decided I didn't want to subsidise my business travel so went and looked at the 320td. (That is where I started going wrong)! Probably got carried away as I had never owned anything as new, so I bought it! Collected it on 8 January 2005.
Fast forward to 2007 and the 1 Series facelift - I got an invite to test drive one at BMW in Bracknell, which I couldn't decline! (it was only 5 miles away).
Anyway I was seriously impressed with the 120d M-Sport I drove, and went home thinking I needed one.Then while I was still trying to decide they released the 123d with a 2nd turbo - no more 120d for me then!
At home over Xmas 2007 I saw a pre-registered 123d for sale - being off work I went to see it. Picked it up on 8 January 2008, part-exing the 320td so that lasted 3 years to the day!
Loved the 123d - I'd never had a current plate car before, and it certainly went pretty well (albeit in a diesel way)!
Kept the 123d until 2014 when I took early retirement, so the business miles didn't apply and I had a bit of lump sum in my pocket. I had read the horror stories of the N47 engine cam-chain issues (mine was past 80K miles), had needed a new AGM battery and starter motor (probably a bonus feature of the stop/start) and decided I would buy the BMW I had always wanted. So I did!
June 2014 I collected a Z4 Coupe - a revelation! Why on earth had I spent nearly a decade and over 120,000 miles in 4 cylinder turbo-diesels when I could have had straight 6 petrol?
So in November 2014 I bought a 325ti Sport as a daily (better for elderly parent hospital taxi duty than a Z4)! I still have both now.
If only I had gone to see the 325ti back in late 2004 I'm sure I would have bought that instead of the 320td, especially as it had the Sport seats in beige half-leather instead of the flat charcoal cloth things I got in the 320td!
Still kicking myself, but at least I know I have got it right now!
The 123d may have been as quick as my 325ti, but it still sounded like a tractor compared to the silky smooth 6 cylinder petrol in that.
Regrets, I've had a few.......
BTW Sorry if anyone nodded off reading this - just my perspective.
If there is a lesson to be learnt, it is buy what you really want - being practical can always happen later.
Definitely agree with that, although sometimes you have to admit defeat!
I don't do big miles (generally 10-15k a year) but have never even considered a diesel, they just don't interest me. I'm not that worries about fuel consumption, and nothing I've owned over the last 10-15 years has got much more than 25mpg in mixed driving (sometimes low 20s around town).
I do wish that I'd bought more outlandish stuff when I was younger though. Most of it is middle tier stuff (over the last 10 years: Saab 900 T16S, MX-5, Saab 9000 2.3T, TVR S2, BMW 323 e36, BMW 330 Touring), nothing really quick, although the TVR was visceral as you would expect, and the two turbo Saabs felt quick and exciting due to the turbos. Funnily enough, the quickest on paper (330 Touring) is also probably one of the tamest - it's all very insulated and there is no drama. Great for what I bought it for (family stuff and longer drives) but ultimately not massively exciting.
Funnily enough I bought the TVR when my wife was pregnant to "get it out of my system" - with her blessing! Still got it 5 years on but I think this summer it will be going as I just don't use it - don't want to drive it for slow south London commutes, or longer work slogs as neither are fun, and outside of that it only has 2 seats so can't use for family stuff at the weekends. Only time to use it would be for the odd sunny summer morning early run, and to quote the meme "ain't nobody got time for that".
Wondering if I need something M flavoured to give me a bit of buzz. I am planning on hanging onto the 330 unless I am bored to tears with it in a few months - a Saab 9-5 Aero won't be nearly as good to drive but would give that push in the back that excites, my old Saab 900 T16S is a keeper, but I wonder whether an e46 M3 cab would be a good catch all. Will do anything required of it including work runs/family duties, but have the Touring for crap weather/winter... But then maybe that's too much e46... I had thought about a 3.0 Z4, but then that's 2 cars with an M54 3.0 engine. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
But, heigh ho, 1st world problems and all that! Buy the car you want!!
I don't do big miles (generally 10-15k a year) but have never even considered a diesel, they just don't interest me. I'm not that worries about fuel consumption, and nothing I've owned over the last 10-15 years has got much more than 25mpg in mixed driving (sometimes low 20s around town).
I do wish that I'd bought more outlandish stuff when I was younger though. Most of it is middle tier stuff (over the last 10 years: Saab 900 T16S, MX-5, Saab 9000 2.3T, TVR S2, BMW 323 e36, BMW 330 Touring), nothing really quick, although the TVR was visceral as you would expect, and the two turbo Saabs felt quick and exciting due to the turbos. Funnily enough, the quickest on paper (330 Touring) is also probably one of the tamest - it's all very insulated and there is no drama. Great for what I bought it for (family stuff and longer drives) but ultimately not massively exciting.
Funnily enough I bought the TVR when my wife was pregnant to "get it out of my system" - with her blessing! Still got it 5 years on but I think this summer it will be going as I just don't use it - don't want to drive it for slow south London commutes, or longer work slogs as neither are fun, and outside of that it only has 2 seats so can't use for family stuff at the weekends. Only time to use it would be for the odd sunny summer morning early run, and to quote the meme "ain't nobody got time for that".
Wondering if I need something M flavoured to give me a bit of buzz. I am planning on hanging onto the 330 unless I am bored to tears with it in a few months - a Saab 9-5 Aero won't be nearly as good to drive but would give that push in the back that excites, my old Saab 900 T16S is a keeper, but I wonder whether an e46 M3 cab would be a good catch all. Will do anything required of it including work runs/family duties, but have the Touring for crap weather/winter... But then maybe that's too much e46... I had thought about a 3.0 Z4, but then that's 2 cars with an M54 3.0 engine. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
But, heigh ho, 1st world problems and all that! Buy the car you want!!
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Monday 8th May 00:28
NiceCupOfTea said:
Definitely agree with that, although sometimes you have to admit defeat!
I don't do big miles (generally 10-15k a year) but have never even considered a diesel, they just don't interest me. I'm not that worries about fuel consumption, and nothing I've owned over the last 10-15 years has got much more than 25mpg in mixed driving (sometimes low 20s around town).
I do wish that I'd bought more outlandish stuff when I was younger though. Most of it is middle tier stuff (over the last 10 years: Saab 900 T16S, MX-5, Saab 9000 2.3T, TVR S2, BMW 323 e36, BMW 330 Touring), nothing really quick, although the TVR was visceral as you would expect, and the two turbo Saabs felt quick and exciting due to the turbos. Funnily enough, the quickest on paper (330 Touring) is also probably one of the tamest - it's all very insulated and there is no drama. Great for what I bought it for (family stuff and longer drives) but ultimately not massively exciting.
Funnily enough I bought the TVR when my wife was pregnant to "get it out of my system" - with her blessing! Still got it 5 years on but I think this summer it will be going as I just don't use it - don't want to drive it for slow south London commutes, or longer work slogs as neither are fun, and outside of that it only has 2 seats so can't use for family stuff at the weekends. Only time to use it would be for the odd sunny summer morning early run, and to quote the meme "ain't nobody got time for that".
Wondering if I need something M flavoured to give me a bit of buzz. I am planning on hanging onto the 330 unless I am bored to tears with it in a few months - a Saab 9-5 Aero won't be nearly as good to drive but would give that push in the back that excites, my old Saab 900 T16S is a keeper, but I wonder whether an e46 M3 cab would be a good catch all. Will do anything required of it including work runs/family duties, but have the Touring for crap weather/winter... But then maybe that's too much e46... I had thought about a 3.0 Z4, but then that's 2 cars with an M54 3.0 engine. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
But, heigh ho, 1st world problems and all that! Buy the car you want!!
I have also owned many Saabs and BMWs. I went from Saab to BMW because they are better built (than the 9-5s and 9-3s) and then back to Saab because I couldn't live without the wave of torque (an Abbott Racing 1991 2.3 9000 Carlsson - **** me). A good combination of the two is the 550i - Saab-like (but n/a) grunt in a superior chassis. The 550i is not exactly "exciting" but then neither is the 9-5 - based on your post I think you would probably enjoy the 550i, I used to live in South London and it does a slow commute very well whilst invariably also managing to be first away from the lights which is helpful.I don't do big miles (generally 10-15k a year) but have never even considered a diesel, they just don't interest me. I'm not that worries about fuel consumption, and nothing I've owned over the last 10-15 years has got much more than 25mpg in mixed driving (sometimes low 20s around town).
I do wish that I'd bought more outlandish stuff when I was younger though. Most of it is middle tier stuff (over the last 10 years: Saab 900 T16S, MX-5, Saab 9000 2.3T, TVR S2, BMW 323 e36, BMW 330 Touring), nothing really quick, although the TVR was visceral as you would expect, and the two turbo Saabs felt quick and exciting due to the turbos. Funnily enough, the quickest on paper (330 Touring) is also probably one of the tamest - it's all very insulated and there is no drama. Great for what I bought it for (family stuff and longer drives) but ultimately not massively exciting.
Funnily enough I bought the TVR when my wife was pregnant to "get it out of my system" - with her blessing! Still got it 5 years on but I think this summer it will be going as I just don't use it - don't want to drive it for slow south London commutes, or longer work slogs as neither are fun, and outside of that it only has 2 seats so can't use for family stuff at the weekends. Only time to use it would be for the odd sunny summer morning early run, and to quote the meme "ain't nobody got time for that".
Wondering if I need something M flavoured to give me a bit of buzz. I am planning on hanging onto the 330 unless I am bored to tears with it in a few months - a Saab 9-5 Aero won't be nearly as good to drive but would give that push in the back that excites, my old Saab 900 T16S is a keeper, but I wonder whether an e46 M3 cab would be a good catch all. Will do anything required of it including work runs/family duties, but have the Touring for crap weather/winter... But then maybe that's too much e46... I had thought about a 3.0 Z4, but then that's 2 cars with an M54 3.0 engine. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
But, heigh ho, 1st world problems and all that! Buy the car you want!!
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Monday 8th May 00:28
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