another "spec me a car" thread!

griffo_001 · 31 Aug 2010 at 08:39

Moeks said:
Thing is, the 220 isn't really all that sporty though, it's got the looks and a great chassis ...but not all that much ooomph. Certainly the Jag and the BMW leave it flailing like a lame duckling.

Probably not possible, but;
Expanding the budget to £28k will land you the newer and seemigly awsome 3.0 diesel Jaguar XF, that cracks 0-60 in 5.9 seconds apparently, enough to scare the **** out of the BMW petrol even ...and it does this with excellent economy and it is apparently superbly refined too. I find the pace of the 3.0 diesel scarcely believable, but that's what the figures say, I'm going to have to take a test drive some time.

5.9 to 60 makes it the S model, the regular 3.0D does it in 6.9. Feels very quick and effortless thanks to one of the best autos I've come accoss. The economy is floating between 35 and 40mpg dependant on usage which isn't as good as expected/hoped, but maybe that's just down to the driver

Never driven a 2.7D in any Jag so can't foment on that, but the 3.0D's are worth the money if you can afford one

DM · 31 Aug 2010 at 08:39

Very nice, lot of car for that money.

[FnG]magnolia · 31 Aug 2010 at 11:02

See, this is how spec me threads should go. OP gives a rough idea of what he wants, Motors chips in with a few ideas, OP then comes back 2 days later having bought a whole lot of awesome.

Yes, Flukester et al, I'm looking at you

[TW]Fox · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:02

bazaarboy said:
sorry for not replying sooner - but was I out car hunting!
I ended up buying this one:
my new ride

Wow, I got so caught up in crying about people buying crap diesels that I hadn't actually twigged - even when I said about 335d v i pricing - that you were the OP and you'd bought that!

Cracking car, congratulations. Dripping with spec as well. Brilliant

Make sure you've always got a cast iron warranty on it though - not sure it ticks the economy box but heck you've got 306bhp

DM · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:32

[TW]Fox;17274438 said:
Wow, I got so caught up in crying about people buying crap diesels that I hadn't actually twigged - even when I said about 335d v i pricing - that you were the OP and you'd bought that!

Cracking car, congratulations. Dripping with spec as well. Brilliant

Make sure you've always got a cast iron warranty on it though - not sure it ticks the economy box but heck you've got 306bhp

Stop holding back, get one bought after your holiday Fox

Dr House · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:40

bazaarboy said:
sorry for not replying sooner - but was I out car hunting!
I ended up buying this one:
my new ride

WTF, that is one amazing price for such a low mileage, high spec car.

Spend 1.2k and put a M-sport kit on it and you will have the perfect car!

Moeks · 31 Aug 2010 at 12:47

griffo_001 said:
5.9 to 60 makes it the S model, the regular 3.0D does it in 6.9. Feels very quick and effortless thanks to one of the best autos I've come accoss. The economy is floating between 35 and 40mpg dependant on usage which isn't as good as expected/hoped, but maybe that's just down to the driver

Never driven a 2.7D in any Jag so can't foment on that, but the 3.0D's are worth the money if you can afford one

Arhh right, you know I must admit, I did not know there were 2 different versions of the 3.0D, I assumed there was just one. The regular none S variety is still quicker though, quicker than my 3.0 V6 petrol (or the 3.5V8 I had for that matter) ...or indeed the one on the XF ...an impressive engine to say the least.

bazaarboy: nice car you've acquired in the end then

bazaarboy · 31 Aug 2010 at 18:57

Dr House said:
WTF, that is one amazing price for such a low mileage, high spec car.

Spend 1.2k and put a M-sport kit on it and you will have the perfect car!

I'd feel bad about changing much on the new car - because its pristine, although I have seen a nice kit - I think its called the "vision coupe" by autovogue

Linky: vision coupe

[TW]Fox · 31 Aug 2010 at 18:59

No no no no no no no.

If you want a kit, you've got two choices. The BMW Aerokit, or the BMW M Sport kit. The Aerokitted SE's look FANTASTIC.

bazaarboy · 31 Aug 2010 at 19:06

[TW]Fox;17277444 said:
No no no no no no no....

hmm you no likey vision coupe

tbh I cant say I feel compelled to make any changes, I like the stock look - even down to the 19" "230" style wheels which were on my checklist

DM · 31 Aug 2010 at 19:11

Cant say im a fan of that vision thing either.

It wont do you any favours when you come to sell the car either.

Dr House · 31 Aug 2010 at 20:42

[TW]Fox;17277444 said:
No no no no no no no.

If you want a kit, you've got two choices. The BMW Aerokit, or the BMW M Sport kit. The Aerokitted SE's look FANTASTIC.

The Aerokit is nice but I still like the M Sport kit (which is what I was referring to in my post)

The first one on the list, all the parts are OEM so it should not hurt the resale value.
http://www.mstyle.co.uk/acatalog/bmw_3_E92_E93_complete_bodykits.html

FYI M-Style are a bunch of cowboys and I would not shop with them again

EDIT: I find the autovogue to be a bit OTT and they do not just sell the body kit you have to have the full package which is something like 5k if I remember correctly.

mjt · 31 Aug 2010 at 21:50

I was going to say go with Hamann or Breyton.
But Hamann's stuff seems to be designed for the Gulf states and looks truly hideous, and Breyton only seem to do wheels these days..

I'd go with OE if you want a bodykit. Or ACS

squerble · 1 Sep 2010 at 10:35

That's a very, very tasty car. Great buy

bazaarboy · 3 Sep 2010 at 22:07

some pics of the car:

Moeks · 3 Sep 2010 at 23:17

Phwoar that's a nice looking E92. Lovely choice of colour and nice wheels too.

bazaarboy · 3 Sep 2010 at 23:33

only one annoying stone chip, just above the front left lights!
its about 4mm in size, where the paint has flaked right off

I asked chipsaway about it, and they dont want to go near it - not clear why though... :confused:

Maz · 3 Sep 2010 at 23:41

bazaarboy said:
only one annoying stone chip, just above the front left lights!
its about 4mm in size, where the paint has flaked right off

I asked chipsaway about it, and they dont want to go near it - not clear why though...

They won't do bonnets as it's near impossible to do a local repair on a bonnet in a metallic colour and get it right

It'll stand out more than the chip as the local paint repair area will be substantially bigger than the chip and it will look like it's been painted in a different shade of your colour car.

bazaarboy · 3 Sep 2010 at 23:44

Maz said:
They won't do bonnets as it's near impossible to do a local repair on a bonnet in a metallic colour and get it right

It'll stand out more than the chip as the local paint repair area will be substantially bigger than the chip and it will look like it's been painted in a different shade of your colour car.

hmm what about colour-matched kits like chipex? they seem to be confident in a good match, plus no sanding-down or spraying needed

Maz · 3 Sep 2010 at 23:48

bazaarboy said:
hmm what about colour-matched kits like chipex? they seem to be confident in a good match, plus no sanding-down or spraying needed

It's a different finish to what Chipsaway can achieve, Chipsaway can leave scuffs and scratches looking like factory finish,.

Chip ex - something I've neevr heard off but if it requires no sanding or spraying it sounds like a touch up to me which will only mask the chip but stand out a little bit less.