BMW 335i
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 0
From: Notts & Bristol wanderer
Heh, I like that one Nick! It's like Blur's album: "Modern Cars Are Rubbish."
I don't subscribe to that view myself, but my colleague does, so it's nice to have a modern BMW fan and a classic fan on the mag.
Not that I dislike classic BMs, though... love the CSL Batmobile and old E9 coupes, E30 M3 Sport Evo is one of the finest cars ever built and I'd probably kill for a drive of an E28 M5, the only M5 I've not yet driven...
I don't subscribe to that view myself, but my colleague does, so it's nice to have a modern BMW fan and a classic fan on the mag.
Not that I dislike classic BMs, though... love the CSL Batmobile and old E9 coupes, E30 M3 Sport Evo is one of the finest cars ever built and I'd probably kill for a drive of an E28 M5, the only M5 I've not yet driven...
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,824
Likes: 0
From: West Coast
Originally Posted by gaddafi,Sep 21 2006, 10:41 AM
the 'right time to buy' always interests me when talking about secondhand cars
this scenario as much as any other
there does come a point when a performance car (if not a classic), ceases to make much sense for anyone who isn't on the tightest of budgets
the E36 M3 coupe is rapidly becoming a case in point
most are high milers and maintenance is starting to be skimped, they look a little dated and they will be similar to the 335i in performance - but they are cheap
but in three years time, when there are stacks of s/h 335is on the market (and E46 M3s), you won't be able to give them away (convertibles excepted)
at the same time, I still can't see that a three year old 335i is going to be more desirable (to any petrolhead) than a five/six year old E46 M3 (which will still be cheaper)
the E46 will be helped by its styling and its reputation - two areas that let down the E36
all imo of course
unfortunately for the 335i - its window of fame will be small - the 328i and 330i were hailed as exceptional in their day too
what price a 328i today?
this scenario as much as any other
there does come a point when a performance car (if not a classic), ceases to make much sense for anyone who isn't on the tightest of budgets
the E36 M3 coupe is rapidly becoming a case in point
most are high milers and maintenance is starting to be skimped, they look a little dated and they will be similar to the 335i in performance - but they are cheap
but in three years time, when there are stacks of s/h 335is on the market (and E46 M3s), you won't be able to give them away (convertibles excepted)
at the same time, I still can't see that a three year old 335i is going to be more desirable (to any petrolhead) than a five/six year old E46 M3 (which will still be cheaper)
the E46 will be helped by its styling and its reputation - two areas that let down the E36
all imo of course
unfortunately for the 335i - its window of fame will be small - the 328i and 330i were hailed as exceptional in their day too
what price a 328i today?
As far as I'm concerned it's a car which only really worked with its target 1st time buyers. Second hand the car makes very little sense, as most people are looking to spend half what the car was worth, because they didn't have enough to buy it new. But the irony is it will be even more expensive to own that it would have been when it had a warranty as new.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 0
From: Notts & Bristol wanderer
Originally Posted by dreamer,Sep 21 2006, 11:34 AM
Pics and MPG ?
? Sorry! Mpg, well BMW claims 29.7mpg... in reality, driving it on British roads, I'd say 25-26mpg is more likely, which is pretty good. I drove it, er... quite quickly back across France 
and managed 23.5mpg, so even thrashing it you get fairly good returns.
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 23,305
Likes: 832
From: Nottingham
Originally Posted by Bada Bing!,Sep 21 2006, 11:38 AM
Unless BMW reduce their servicing costs for the E46 M3 engined cars, I can't see them ever being desirable with cost-conscious buyers. Even when they get to the 10k mark to buy, the service costs will be crippling, as will any engine problems.
As far as I'm concerned it's a car which only really worked with its target 1st time buyers. Second hand the car makes very little sense, as most people are looking to spend half what the car was worth, because they didn't have enough to buy it new. But the irony is it will be even more expensive to own that it would have been when it had a warranty as new.
As far as I'm concerned it's a car which only really worked with its target 1st time buyers. Second hand the car makes very little sense, as most people are looking to spend half what the car was worth, because they didn't have enough to buy it new. But the irony is it will be even more expensive to own that it would have been when it had a warranty as new.
just ask Kiwi-s2000
if you can find a good specialist i'd bet you could keep one on the road pretty cheaply..
as an example a mate had a shed of a 911 years ago and it broke the gearbox and cost him about 25% of the car's value to fix..
wasn't even quick
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,824
Likes: 0
From: West Coast
I wouldn't say so though, mate. An S2K doesn't cost a lot of money to run or service, and very little goes wrong with it, although admittedly I wouldn't call it high performance.A 911 is cheaper to run and service than an E46 M3, though. In fact a 996 911 and the NSX are two notable exceptions to the rule that performance cars are expensive to run. Service costs for both cars are excellent, and the warranty for the 911 is a bargain.
I was looking at buying a 40k 911, but wouldn't have touched a 20k M3 despite the performance of the two cars being very similar. The M was just ridiculous to run. And the peace of mind of a warranty came at nearly 3 times the cost of a 911 one on the M3 with a
I was looking at buying a 40k 911, but wouldn't have touched a 20k M3 despite the performance of the two cars being very similar. The M was just ridiculous to run. And the peace of mind of a warranty came at nearly 3 times the cost of a 911 one on the M3 with a
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 23,305
Likes: 832
From: Nottingham
Originally Posted by Bada Bing!,Sep 21 2006, 10:21 PM
In fact a 996 911 and the NSX are two notable exceptions to the rule that performance cars are expensive to run.
there's a guy here running an 02 M3.. i'll have to track him down and quiz him on costs.. when it comes to 911's i only like the really fast ones. the turbo basically. and they're pricey.
all these cars run through my head as an S replacement once i've finished the house.. it'll be a while yet but M3 depreciation is sharp so that alone attracts. you'll get an 03/04 for ballpark 20k.. a similar age 911 will cost best part of double that.
hmm.. i could put the 20k in the bank for servicing
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,824
Likes: 0
From: West Coast
Originally Posted by Nottm_S2,Sep 22 2006, 09:24 AM
hmm.. i could put the 20k in the bank for servicing
When I was looking, my 40k was coming from a finance company so I had bugger all to put away for servicing/emergencies.
Hence why a 28k car with very low service costs made sense.
