I was chatting to Riggers last week about the
new BMW 640i he drove recently
in Germany, and before long we had the good old CAP and Glass's books out and were scouring the classifieds to see if the imminent influx of F12 6-series cars has opened up the opportunity for some good used E63 bargains on the secondhand market.
It's a bit of a tough task, because of course the new 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six is just that - new - so a direct comparison isn't possible. The 316bhp of the new 630i compares closely to the 329bhp of the old 645i, but BMW stopped making those in 2005 so the next best comparison is with the 367bhp 650i.
BMW 650i
is at a dealer in Swindon and is showing a very low mileage of just 17,001. At £31,949 it's above the recommended CAP/Glass retail guide price, but the dealer could always argue that the low mileage could account for this. Besides, having spoken to them I reckon that an actual sale price of sub-30k is realistic. If you did land this one for under 30k you'd be getting a main-dealer-serviced 650i for half of the retail cost of a new 640i. Of course, the 640i is the new F12 model, but a 50 per cent discount after two years and 17,000 miles for an E63 650i isn't too shabby...
It's also come to my attention that various BMW Approved Used dealers are offering (additional) 1-year BMW warranties with their cars for limited periods, so there's also a good chance that you could get one thrown-in for good measure.
Mind you, I still wouldn't rule out the possibility of a good deal on a new 640i. According to CAP and Glass's, new retail sales are poor right now with franchise dealers said to be focusing on not losing too much money rather than outright profit.
Also, take into account the fact that the cars which lease and rental companies move into the used market appear to be getting younger and younger, and the scope could be widening for a brand new bargain. Although having said that BMW aren't exactly famous for their generosity on new stuff... (and you'll have to wait until Mid-October before the car goes on sale anyway - Riggers).
Of course, the 650i isn't to everybody's taste. So how about this 2005 Aston Martin V8 Vantage for an alternative used coupe? I know this isn't a direct comparison, and you'd need to find just a few grand more, but an angel weeping on your shoulder would be a less pleasant sound than the noise that these things make, and this one is a one-owner, 44,000-mile car with full history...and in black with an 'Iron Ore Red' interior. Tempting, isn't it?
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