MINI to BMW to GOLF in a month
MINI to BMW to GOLF in a month
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jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,832 posts

215 months

Friday 10th January 2020
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So the car I had owned for about 5 years and had really enjoyed (R56 MINI Cooper S) was getting to the point where i thought it might throw a big bill. I had also become a dad and squeezing a toddler into a child seat in the back of a MINI was taking its toll on my back!

So after some consideration i decided on a BMW 320i with an auto 'box. My commute is looooong now and I thought it would be a comfortable commuter whilst still providing a bit of fun.

I ended up choosing this black 320i MSport xDrive from a BMW dealer, about 80k on the clock.





I was really enjoying this car, it was quick enough (just) drove well and the auto gearbox was great for the commute. The fact that i was only just getting over 30mpg when the claimed average was over 40 was a little concerning but then it became irrelevant when this happened







4 days after i bought the BMW, the driver behind me didn't stop in time and smashed into the back of me!

The car was written off due to structural damage to the chassis (doesn't look too bad does it!)

So I had to get another new car! I drove a few other 320i's, some 2Wd and some xDrive, but many in my price bracket didn't feel like they had been very well looked after. Then I came across a Mk6 Golf GTi. There were no pictures in the ad as it had just gone live, but it was from a VW dealer, so i thought it was worth a punt... Once I had seen it a pretty much new I was sold.

url]|https://thumbsnap.com/cOtZBmWP[/url]

Its a 210 with leather, NAV and a few other "nice to haves" and i really do like it! Condition is really good and it is definitely more fun then the BMW. It's more economical too which is a bonus!





It has the later tail/brake lights which really modernise the look of the car from the rear, and in black with the freshly refurbed grey alloys i think it looks really smart





So far I have only really done the (rather boring) commute and I haven't really had a chance to give it a B road blast! But first impressions are rather good![

Edited by jimmy156 on Friday 10th January 22:44

MJK 24

5,676 posts

264 months

Friday 10th January 2020
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Nice car.

Make sure it’s for the latest and greatest timing chain tensioner fitted before it commits hari-kari!

Alfa Pete

469 posts

254 months

Saturday 11th January 2020
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I have also had a 3 series, a Mini and a Golf fairly recently in my car history but I’ve gone the opposite route and ended up in a Mini.
I had a 2013 F30 320d as company car for a while and until very recently I had a mk7 GTD which was a brilliant all rounder.
I’m currently driving a 2018 Clubman Cooper SD which I’m enjoying very much.

martin mrt

3,883 posts

229 months

Saturday 11th January 2020
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Bad luck on the 320i but bonus getting into a mk6 GTI, I have a red one and it’s a great daily.

As previously mentioned, unless your car is a 2012 build year model get that tensioner changed, i had my chains and tensioner done last summer, it’s cheaper than a new engine.

The wheels look good in grey, are they the 18s as it’s hard to tell

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,832 posts

215 months

Sunday 12th January 2020
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Thanks all.

Car is a 2012 model, so I guess that means the later chain tensioner? I swear every car has a timing belt/chain scare storey associated with it. If you believed everything you read on the internet, my last 4 cars all had issues! (Alfa 156 ts, R56 MINI, 320i and the golf)

Wheels are 17’s, there are better wheels designs IMO but it looks smart enough to me!

martin mrt

3,883 posts

229 months

Sunday 12th January 2020
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jimmy156 said:
Thanks all.

Car is a 2012 model, so I guess that means the later chain tensioner? I swear every car has a timing belt/chain scare storey associated with it. If you believed everything you read on the internet, my last 4 cars all had issues! (Alfa 156 ts, R56 MINI, 320i and the golf)

Wheels are 17’s, there are better wheels designs IMO but it looks smart enough to me!
The chain/tensioner scaremongering on these is very real, chap at works wife had it happen to her and mine was on its way out too, hence replacement. As yours is a 2012 build it should be fine

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,832 posts

215 months

Tuesday 14th January 2020
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It’s a 12 plate car so I suppose it could have been MY11... when did the lights change to the later design? I have a years Vw warranty, which relieves the stress of this sort of thing for the moment!

Sensibleboy

1,168 posts

153 months

Tuesday 14th January 2020
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Theres a sticker on the plastic cover over the cam pulleys. It has a date saying when the engine was manufactured.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,832 posts

215 months

Tuesday 14th January 2020
quotequote all
Sensibleboy said:
Theres a sticker on the plastic cover over the cam pulleys. It has a date saying when the engine was manufactured.
Ah great thanks, I’ll have a look tomorrow when storm Brendan has fked off hehe