15 years of BMWs
Discussion
I just realised today is the 15th anniversary of collecting my 1st BMW!
Prior to that for some reason I had always preferred Mercs for some reason.
Anyway in 2003 I got a good deal on an X plate Seat Leon Cupra ex-company car from my employer, but then in late 2004 I got a new job role that was likely to involve some business mileage and came with the option of a company car or a monthly car allowance. There was nothing I fancied on the company car list, so I was looking at the car allowance (and an interest free loan)!
Based on the experience the OH had when she bought a new Mini in 2003 from our local Sytner dealership BMW came onto the radar, and as I was used to hatches I fancied an E46 320td Compact as it would also work for business miles.
Sadly by that time BMW had stopped building them so if I wanted a new one it would have to be one that had already been built, and there was very little to choose from.
So between Xmas and the New Year I went to Scotthall in Emsworth to look at an AUC 04 plate 320td SE, and put a deposit on it.
Then I picked it up on 5 January 2005.
It came with the 5 year Service Pack and I did 43K miles in it with no issues at all.
But in early 2007 I got an invite to test drive a facelift 120d and thought it was just so much better! Then BMW launched the 123d that seemed even better still!
So in the Christmas break in 2007 I found an AUC 57 plate 123d SE Dynamic (the only used 123d at the time) and went to look at it.
And left a deposit on it!
So I drove the 320td to the dealership on 5 January 2008 and drove home in the 123d that had less than 20 miles on the clock (I assume it was a pre-reg car).
I thought it was great - with the SE Dynamic spec it came with the M-Sport seats with the electric side bolsters, M-Sport suspension but 17" wheels and more subtle styling.
I bought a 5 year Service Pack for it and had no issues apart from needing a new AGM battery after 4 years and a starter motor after 6 years - I think stop/start played a big part in their demise. At 81K miles it was still on all of its original brake pads and discs - even the original wiper blades!
Anyway by 2014 I had read about N47 engine cam-chain issues - this was before BMW began the "Quality Enhancement" programme, and I wasn't doing business miles any more.
Prior to that for some reason I had always preferred Mercs for some reason.
Anyway in 2003 I got a good deal on an X plate Seat Leon Cupra ex-company car from my employer, but then in late 2004 I got a new job role that was likely to involve some business mileage and came with the option of a company car or a monthly car allowance. There was nothing I fancied on the company car list, so I was looking at the car allowance (and an interest free loan)!
Based on the experience the OH had when she bought a new Mini in 2003 from our local Sytner dealership BMW came onto the radar, and as I was used to hatches I fancied an E46 320td Compact as it would also work for business miles.
Sadly by that time BMW had stopped building them so if I wanted a new one it would have to be one that had already been built, and there was very little to choose from.
So between Xmas and the New Year I went to Scotthall in Emsworth to look at an AUC 04 plate 320td SE, and put a deposit on it.
Then I picked it up on 5 January 2005.
It came with the 5 year Service Pack and I did 43K miles in it with no issues at all.
But in early 2007 I got an invite to test drive a facelift 120d and thought it was just so much better! Then BMW launched the 123d that seemed even better still!
So in the Christmas break in 2007 I found an AUC 57 plate 123d SE Dynamic (the only used 123d at the time) and went to look at it.
And left a deposit on it!
So I drove the 320td to the dealership on 5 January 2008 and drove home in the 123d that had less than 20 miles on the clock (I assume it was a pre-reg car).
I thought it was great - with the SE Dynamic spec it came with the M-Sport seats with the electric side bolsters, M-Sport suspension but 17" wheels and more subtle styling.
I bought a 5 year Service Pack for it and had no issues apart from needing a new AGM battery after 4 years and a starter motor after 6 years - I think stop/start played a big part in their demise. At 81K miles it was still on all of its original brake pads and discs - even the original wiper blades!
Anyway by 2014 I had read about N47 engine cam-chain issues - this was before BMW began the "Quality Enhancement" programme, and I wasn't doing business miles any more.
And in 2014 I was able to take a work-place pension early so used a bit of the lump sum to buy a car I had always wanted - so on 12 June 2014 I collected a Z4 3.0Si Coupe.
That is when I realised how good an N/A straight 6 petrol BMW with a manual gearbox could be. But I needed something "sensible" for elderly parent taxi duties so I got a Mazda 323f 1.5i.
While it was very practical, it was a "white goods" car - not exciting in any way.
So in December 2014 I spotted an advert for an E46 325ti Sport on a Saturday morning and viewed it in the afternoon. Put a deposit on it and sold the Mazda!
Which made me realise that is what I should have bought back in 2005 - regardless of business use costs.
Still I got there in the end!
Mind you I had a few issues with it - the radiator bowed and leaked within a few months of getting it and a power steering pipe split. But I forgave it those issues because it just drove so well.
Then towards the end of 2015 my job went a bit pear-shaped because we got a new manager who had some daft ideas and I gave in my notice and left.
And in December the electric water pump on my E86 died - which gave me an £800 bill.
I got a bit disillusioned with it so when someone was looking for one in April 2016 I replied and ended up taking a deposit on it. But I took it out for one last drive, and that is when I realised what I was giving up.
So my Ruby Black one went on 10 May 2016 and my Montego Blue one was collected on 12 May 2016.
That is when I realised how good an N/A straight 6 petrol BMW with a manual gearbox could be. But I needed something "sensible" for elderly parent taxi duties so I got a Mazda 323f 1.5i.
While it was very practical, it was a "white goods" car - not exciting in any way.
So in December 2014 I spotted an advert for an E46 325ti Sport on a Saturday morning and viewed it in the afternoon. Put a deposit on it and sold the Mazda!
Which made me realise that is what I should have bought back in 2005 - regardless of business use costs.
Still I got there in the end!
Mind you I had a few issues with it - the radiator bowed and leaked within a few months of getting it and a power steering pipe split. But I forgave it those issues because it just drove so well.
Then towards the end of 2015 my job went a bit pear-shaped because we got a new manager who had some daft ideas and I gave in my notice and left.
And in December the electric water pump on my E86 died - which gave me an £800 bill.
I got a bit disillusioned with it so when someone was looking for one in April 2016 I replied and ended up taking a deposit on it. But I took it out for one last drive, and that is when I realised what I was giving up.
So my Ruby Black one went on 10 May 2016 and my Montego Blue one was collected on 12 May 2016.
Anyway by 2018 my 325ti was getting a bit leggy and I decided a Touring might be more practical, so I replaced it with an E91 325i.
It was leggy, with 132K miles on it when I got it but it had full BMW SH and drove really well - until the electric water pump died at 135K miles.
But this time the bill was more like £500 as my Indy wasn't buying the pumps from BMW any more!
Still as good as it was it never felt as lively as my 325ti and in April 2019 I talked myself into an E90 330i, mainly because 130is and E91 330is were out of budget and I found an E90 330i with the split/fold rear seats, glass sunroof and a DAB radio!
But in 2019 for different reasons I drove a couple of Z4M Coupes, so just before Christmas the inevitable happened and now I've got one of those to go with the 330i.
So now all I need is a buyer for my Montego Blue 3.0Si Coupe!
Sorry this went on a bit, but hopefully someone found it interesting.
It was leggy, with 132K miles on it when I got it but it had full BMW SH and drove really well - until the electric water pump died at 135K miles.
But this time the bill was more like £500 as my Indy wasn't buying the pumps from BMW any more!
Still as good as it was it never felt as lively as my 325ti and in April 2019 I talked myself into an E90 330i, mainly because 130is and E91 330is were out of budget and I found an E90 330i with the split/fold rear seats, glass sunroof and a DAB radio!
But in 2019 for different reasons I drove a couple of Z4M Coupes, so just before Christmas the inevitable happened and now I've got one of those to go with the 330i.
So now all I need is a buyer for my Montego Blue 3.0Si Coupe!
Sorry this went on a bit, but hopefully someone found it interesting.
ITP said:
I’m not really drawn to the more recent ones though, don’t know why as they are good cars.
Funny you say that as I feel much the same way about the later ones. I think they are too "digital" for my liking - what with turbo engines, flappy-paddle gearboxes, piped sound and "fake" pops and bangs. I suppose it's an age thing!
To be honest I would have preferred E46s to my E90 & E91 as I think they look much better, but finding rust-free ones is getting nigh on impossible.
Looks like I'll need to make the current pair last!
cerb4.5lee said:
Court_S said:
My E90 was the bad car depreciation wise; £1,500 we lost over three years. Admittedly it was pretty old when I bought it, but still I reckon that’s petty good.
That is really good and mine worked out at £6k over the 4 years I had it. All this talk about them is making me miss it a fair bit! Strangely since 2014 when I've been running older ones that I have enjoyed much more depreciation has been measured in hundreds rather than thousands.
Anyway it's good to see I'm not the only serial BMW owner.
I'm glad I started this now - even if only to find I'm not the only one who has this BMW affliction!
I've taken my Z4MC to RBM in Hampshire and we've got the spacers removed and the coil-overs wound a bit higher so it will now go over speed-bumps without grounding! It was just a bit too "stanced" for my liking (I'm old BTW)!
So it now sits like this.
Like others have said, I really wouldn't want any newer BMW than this and my E90 330i (N52 engine). I don't want turbos, flappy-paddles, fake pops and bangs, piped sound or tech - I find changing stations on the radio hard enough in my Z4 because it has Sat Nav.
:
Weekendrebuild said:
Only a youngster but 8 years of BMW’s for me
Current collection
E30 m3 in pieces at the mo
E60 m5
E63m6
E46m3
E46 compact m3
Well you're certainly making up for the short time with your current collection! I loved my 325ti Compact but always felt it could have been even better as a 330i - it must be amazing with an S54 in it. Current collection
E30 m3 in pieces at the mo
E60 m5
E63m6
E46m3
E46 compact m3
Edited by Weekendrebuild on Sunday 9th February 20:48
I've taken my Z4MC to RBM in Hampshire and we've got the spacers removed and the coil-overs wound a bit higher so it will now go over speed-bumps without grounding! It was just a bit too "stanced" for my liking (I'm old BTW)!
So it now sits like this.
Like others have said, I really wouldn't want any newer BMW than this and my E90 330i (N52 engine). I don't want turbos, flappy-paddles, fake pops and bangs, piped sound or tech - I find changing stations on the radio hard enough in my Z4 because it has Sat Nav.
: survivalist said:
Tell me about it, I wish I'd managed to find a Z4M without Sat Nav - it was pretty dated in 2008 and today feels positively archaic. Luckily the rest of the car makes up for it.
I know - I bought mine despite the Sat Nav! Mainly because it was up for a good price just a week before Christmas and it had 19" CSL Reps, H & R coil-overs just a few months old, PowerFlow back-boxes, Imola Red Nappa leather heated seats, MFSW, parking sensors and cup-holders. 
I think I'm only missing Bluetooth (and I'm too old to care) and power-fold mirrors!
Drove it over to my mate's place today and I just can't stop smiling every time I get in it. There was an article in this month's Modern Classics magazine comparing it to a Cayman S and Nissan 370Z with a pretty favourable conclusion.
Oh and by way of an update I sold my 3.0Si Coupe on Saturday, so I'm solvent again!
DJMC said:
Is that the first Z4 or the second? I had the second version (the one with the metal roof) on an extended test drive but it did nothing for me other than make me look like a cock (mirroring the car itself).
Quite like the look of the first version (maybe not the droopy headlamps), which I'm guessing is the better, but have never driven one.
Sorry, I didn't post the full description. Quite like the look of the first version (maybe not the droopy headlamps), which I'm guessing is the better, but have never driven one.
Z4s went on sale in 2003, but that was just the E85 Roadster.
In early 2006 there was a facelift and that is when the E86 Coupe went on sale alongside the facelift E85, but all 3 of mine have been E86s.
cerb4.5lee said:
Agree completely and It was a missed opportunity from BMW for me. It could have been an excellent halo model for sure.
Definitely - an S65 from the E9* M cars or better still the V10 from the E60 M5 would have been fantastic in the i8 shell. I really wouldn't have wanted to own an i8 and have to confess it had a 1,500cc 3 cylinder engine regardless of the Turbo and hybrid assistance.
BigBear9 said:
I found it interesting. I’ve been doing a chronicle of my cars myself, it’s satisfying and terrifying in equal measure to look at the back catalogue. You have a few less howlers on your list than I do!
Best of luck selling the blue Z4 if you haven’t already.
Thanks. Best of luck selling the blue Z4 if you haven’t already.
My howlers all happened many years ago, and much as I would love to do a complete car history I don't have photos of the dogs I owned in my youth!
The blue Z4 went in early February - I thought I had sold it a bit too cheap, but in March I was just relieved I had sold it.
Well I would have changed the thread title if I could as I'm now into 17 years of BMWs.
I still have the same two but have done far fewer miles than I expected for obvious reasons sadly.
My 330i has had new rear shock absorbers, an oil service and a new oil filter housing gasket - but it seems to have a leak from the cam-cover gasket now that will need attention.
But my Z4M Coupe almost deserves a Readers Car thread!
Anyway after getting the spacers off, raising the ride height as far as it would go and sorting a leaking headlight washer to keep fluid in the reservoir so the screen-washers worked it was time for a slightly overdue Inspection 2 service carried out by a BMW Indy in April 2020 who opened his doors after 15 years at Sytner a few months before I bought my car.
So valve clearances checked when cold, and 5 shims required (so it was time)!
Fresh transmission fluid due looking at what came out!
New oil in the diff after this got drained.
And the cam-chain tensioner was sticking and leaking.
Anyway that resulted in a 4 figure bill, but I kept fretting over the "crank-rod bearing shells" - or big end shells to anyone non BMW!
And as it was going to be a keeper for peace of mind I got them replaced in August 2020. Looking back I should got them done in April - could have saved the cost of an oil filter and some Castrol 10W60!
Anyway at 78K miles the old shells looked like this - nearly another £1K..
But given how they looked I was glad I had them done. And as mine had 7 previous keepers it seemed likely one or more would have ragged it before it was properly up to temperature, especially as the first was probably someone at BMW UK where the 1,000 mile running-in service was done.
10W60 oil is like treacle at ambient temperature!
Then some aesthetics! Nearly half the Z4s I've seen have some sort of CSL Replica wheels so I bought a set of OE 224s, and got them refurbed with new tyres.
And splashed out silly money on a pair of "Aero" sill covers that are NLA from BMW.
So after all the messing with ride heights, different wheels, etc. I got a 4 wheel alignment to E46 M3 CSL settings in November and it
drives so much better! Way less understeer and more playful at the rear.
But that involved both track-rod ends being replaced as the originals were seized solid!
Apologies to anyone who has dozed off.
I still have the same two but have done far fewer miles than I expected for obvious reasons sadly.
My 330i has had new rear shock absorbers, an oil service and a new oil filter housing gasket - but it seems to have a leak from the cam-cover gasket now that will need attention.
But my Z4M Coupe almost deserves a Readers Car thread!
Anyway after getting the spacers off, raising the ride height as far as it would go and sorting a leaking headlight washer to keep fluid in the reservoir so the screen-washers worked it was time for a slightly overdue Inspection 2 service carried out by a BMW Indy in April 2020 who opened his doors after 15 years at Sytner a few months before I bought my car.
So valve clearances checked when cold, and 5 shims required (so it was time)!
Fresh transmission fluid due looking at what came out!
New oil in the diff after this got drained.
And the cam-chain tensioner was sticking and leaking.
Anyway that resulted in a 4 figure bill, but I kept fretting over the "crank-rod bearing shells" - or big end shells to anyone non BMW!
And as it was going to be a keeper for peace of mind I got them replaced in August 2020. Looking back I should got them done in April - could have saved the cost of an oil filter and some Castrol 10W60!
Anyway at 78K miles the old shells looked like this - nearly another £1K..
But given how they looked I was glad I had them done. And as mine had 7 previous keepers it seemed likely one or more would have ragged it before it was properly up to temperature, especially as the first was probably someone at BMW UK where the 1,000 mile running-in service was done.
10W60 oil is like treacle at ambient temperature!
Then some aesthetics! Nearly half the Z4s I've seen have some sort of CSL Replica wheels so I bought a set of OE 224s, and got them refurbed with new tyres.
And splashed out silly money on a pair of "Aero" sill covers that are NLA from BMW.
So after all the messing with ride heights, different wheels, etc. I got a 4 wheel alignment to E46 M3 CSL settings in November and it
drives so much better! Way less understeer and more playful at the rear.
But that involved both track-rod ends being replaced as the originals were seized solid!
Apologies to anyone who has dozed off.
Edited by Mr Tidy on Sunday 16th January 01:26
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