New car time

beermonster

beermonster

beermonster

Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
3,164
Have been in somewhat of a dilemma on what to purchase next.

Originally was after an E39 M5 but now getting on a bit and probably prohibitively costly for a day to day car given its age.

Have looked at 530i 540i 740i but hard to find a decent sport in a nice colour combo and again getting old and will bring bills.

New e60 5s are out of budget and a pre LCI at £10k doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense given the supposedly shoddy build quality and poor interiors I keep hearing about.

This did catch my eye though and seems fairly well kitted out for the money

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...a6/make/audi/page/1/keywords/line/radius/1500

Budget is around £9k which leaves me a couple of £k for emergency problems.

Main points I want are petrol, 200bhp +, comfort leathers, cruise, climate etc, no EVOs or imprezzas.
 
An M5 is a super saloon, rapidly fast.

That Audi isn't.

Do you want simply a large reasonably fast saloon or something that can contend with sports and super cars?

beermonster said:
Main points I want are petrol, 200bhp +, comfort leathers, cruise, climate etc, no EVOs or imprezzas.
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That sounds like an ST220 to me or a 330i but they are different to that type of cars you are looking at really.
 
Peerzy said:
An M5 is a super saloon, rapidly fast.

That Audi isn't.

Do you want simply a large reasonably fast saloon or something that can contend with sports and super cars?



That sounds like an ST220 to me or a 330i but they are different to that type of cars you are looking at really.
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Was looking at M5s two years ago but I got my 300zx back on the road and have ran it as a daily, super saloons are not really on the agenda now my priorities and mileage has changed from 6k pa to around 12k.

Fast comfortable saloon is what i'm after ideally, have looked at the ST and does seem a viable bet, 330i again as in the 5 series just seem a tad too overpriced for what essentially a 10 old design, granted it is a good one, but I think I'd find it too small.
 
You could get a very nice Jag for that money, XJ or S Type.
 
beermonster said:
Originally was after an E39 M5 but now getting on a bit and probably prohibitively costly for a day to day car given its age.
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Running an M5 will be costly regardless of age. Sure they are getting on for 10yrs old, but they are very well specced and put together. If you bought a good one thats been well serviced and looked after, it probably wouldn't cost you much more than it would have done when it was 4-5 yrs old. This is obv my opinion, but I feel the costly parts can fail at anytime.

Budget is around £9k which leaves me a couple of £k for emergency problems.

Main points I want are petrol, 200bhp +, comfort leathers, cruise, climate etc, no EVOs or imprezzas.
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Looking at your budget I don't think M5s are a good choice for you anyway. Mark has mentioned the Jags already, so how about something different - a Lexus GS300/430 sport?

Obviously not as good to drive as the BMs but well built, comfortable and with the toys you mentioned.
 
naefeart said:
Running an M5 will be costly regardless of age. Sure they are getting on for 10yrs old, but they are very well specced and put together. If you bought a good one thats been well serviced and looked after, it probably wouldn't cost you much more than it would have done when it was 4-5 yrs old. This is obv my opinion, but I feel the costly parts can fail at anytime.



Looking at your budget I don't think M5s are a good choice for you anyway. Mark has mentioned the Jags already, so how about something different - a Lexus GS300/430 sport?

Obviously not as good to drive as the BMs but well built, comfortable and with the toys you mentioned.
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M5 is definately not on the list anymore, not keen on the Lexus GS have tried to like it but cannot. Same with Jags styling is not really doing it for me.
 
If a prefacelift e60 floats your boat, don't dismiss it because one or two people on the forum don't like the door handles or something - go have a look at one yourself!
 
iaind said:
If a prefacelift e60 floats your boat, don't dismiss it because one or two people on the forum don't like the door handles or something - go have a look at one yourself!
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+1

The interior although slightly updated uses the same materials pre and post LCI and build quality is the same although some people on here like to think the LCI was built differently. It won executive car of the year up to 2007 I believe, got to be worth having a look at.
 
Build quality is NOT the same, though. BMW themselves admit the LCI updates include a more premium feel in the interior. And it isnt just 'the door handles. It's the whole interior ambience and yes, the door cards make a big difference to this. As does the centre console area which was also improved. And if you dont care about interior ambience or build quality why pay the considerable price involved in buying an running a 5 Series? It's an executive saloon, you buy it because it drives brilliantly, is lovely inside, is fashioned from a lump of granite, etc.

The sooner all the pre LCI's die in the hands of the 'cheap beemer innit' brigade the better, it was a low point for BMW imho. I wonder if they'll even get that far before all the interior finishes peel off :rolleyes: Everything about the pre LCI model just smacks of cost cutting, even the fact they actually removed the CELIS LED rear lights from the E39 only to put them back on again for the E60 LCI :(

Subtle changes make all the difference. Everything about the facelift model makes it a better car even though on paper the differences are slight. On paper a pre facelift E39 for example has even less changes than the E60 LCI but every prefacelift E39 just looks like an ancient car now whereas the facelift models are just about hanging on - and even if you think they all look old you've gotta admit the facelift clung on for longer.

I honestly wish it was different and I'm honestly not expressing any bias. I love my 5 Series and I've love to be able to spend £10k an jump into a newer model thats just a better car but I can't, I've tried, it just isn't that great. The facelift is miles better, and I'd be happy to own one, but alas a decent LCI M Sport is pushing £20k :(

You know something is wrong when the E60 ends up pushing me into a 3 Series.

Thank god they got it spot on with the F10. Now thats a proper 5 Series.
 
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[TW]Fox;17632176 said:
BMW themselves admit the LCI updates include a more premium feel in the interior.
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I like the way you say 'admit' rather than 'claim' like it's some kind of secret or something bad :p

I'd hardly expect them to say anything other than quality improved with the facelift, it's just another thing to try and tempt more people into the newer car.
 
Sort of, but I've driven the pre LCI and thought 'This just isn't that great' and I've driven the LCI and thought 'Wow, this is much better. I'd like one of these if only it wasnt £20k for a previous generation, discontinued car'.
 
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