2nd car - BMW 320d - opinions? things to look out for before we get it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CIV...?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a28ab1b1b&_uhb=1
seen this, like it! but my main problem is, getting a swap. as i say, cars constantly in use, so I cant sell and wait really, I know the car is worth over 2k with both sets of wheels but finding someone who would buy it right away is difficult.
I like the civic, but I'd like other recommendations too, so I've got a few comparitives.
thanks
 
squarehead94 said:
well in petrol form, first few off the top of my head would be a vxr. but crap viewing angles out of the screen, not to mention stupid insurance (6-7k a year) means thats no go. down from that would be maybe an sri. probably similar insurance prices.

then I'd say fabia vrs (also vrs tdi) these are particularly good as they can be mapped quite well, and can become very powerful beasty hatchbacks, with the right mods. but id probably be happy with it standard.

then id say a golf. tdi forms are pretty good, but these are similar to bmw, expensive, hold their value well. nice cars though. not a fan myself of the classic mk2, dont like the look. like the newer ones. (02ish on)

I quite like the 05 astra. the hatchback one. but i know insurance are hot on them, I'd happily get one of those.

What you guys also have to take in to account, is your probably much older than me, drove longer than me. Insurance prices now, 2500 is CHEAP, I live in a grade B postcode area, cheapest i got was 2500 in december, cheapest now is 2200 on my car. its just not worth cancelling my insurance for the sake of 300 quid to go elsewhere. Aviva give me everything I need.
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I wouldn't say £2500 is particularly cheap for a grade B postcode, I'm 18 and my postcode is one of the worst, yet I pay less than that on a 2.0 Mazda 3.
You say you want something cooler than the fiesta: nothing wrong with that, but I'd think carefully as to whether it's worth the extra expenditure.

I've got a volvo 850 as well as the mazda, which is possibly the least cool car you can buy, and yet whenever I go out with my friends at uni, they always want a ride in the volvo. You'd think they'd prefer a modern hatchback with big alloys and a bose stereo, but a big old rattly car which makes a loud noise and goes fast is apparently much cooler!

get what you want rather than what you think other people want, and you might be surprised.
 
Nobody is going to swap cars with you. You'll need to sell it and manage for a few days - everyone else does. Either that or trade in at a dealer but you pay more for the privilege
 
as i say now i can get it for around 2k, 2.2k with all the bells and whistles the current policy im on has, its not worth cancelling the current insurance to save 200 quid really. its 224 a month, with parents on, deduct their insurance cost, about 300-400 a year, im really only paying about 1900 a year.
 
^ Not sure it's a good idea to post personal details like that on a public forum... :/ Just a heads up. Identity theft can be a nasty thing...
 
I wouldn't even be having this discussion with myself.

My criteria for a car that's primary use is to get me to work is "is it likely to start every morning" secondary criteria "does everything important work".

If the answer is yes to both of those, you don't need to be thinking about a new car for commuting .
 
cheechm said:
Living in a grade B postcode, driving a Fiesta and £2500 is cheap? I was only in your position two years ago, but I was paying £1,500 on a Yaris. Here's what I think you should do:

1) Buy something cheap to repair and something that isn't too quick
2) Save lots of money on insurance
3) Build your no claims
4) In a year or two be able to afford something you want (with all the saved insurance money)
5) Not have to splash out over £2k on insuring the damn thing
6) ??????
7) PROFIT
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This is some of the best advice that has been given to you in the thread, and most people have repeated it in their own words.

You're a freshly qualified driver, so unless you use spare banknotes to stuff your pillows, accept that you've got a year or two of driving an unspectacular car, and be realistic about it. If you have to spend a significant portion of the car's value on insurance, then don't set yourself up with running costs that are likely to rocket too.

I haven't really seen much discussion on the topic of maintenance, although a couple of people have mention it. Car ownership costs aren't just insurance and fuel. Here's a checklist...

1) Car purchase
2) Insurance
3) Tax
4) Fuel
5) Tyres (probably around 18 months)
6) MOT/Service - Say £200 for labour and basic parts
7) MOT/Service emergent work - On an older car, (personally), be grateful for £100, ensure you can cover up to £400 (i.e. clutch territory, probably the most you'd do on a potential short term car without serious consideration)
8) Breakdown?
 
squarehead94 said:
What you guys also have to take in to account, is your probably much older than me, drove longer than me. Insurance prices now, 2500 is CHEAP, I live in a grade B postcode area, cheapest i got was 2500 in december, cheapest now is 2200 on my car. its just not worth cancelling my insurance for the sake of 300 quid to go elsewhere. Aviva give me everything I need.
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2500 isn't cheap at all, especially for a grade B postcode. Am paying £1k a year on a 150BHP Mazda 3 with a grade F postcode at 18 years old, so you must seriously be doing something wrong....


Seriously keep the Fiesta, the 1.25 is a great engine and for the budget you have you won't get anything that wont be a dog and constantly throw huge bills. Plus a very inexperienced driver + RWD + £50 tyres will end very very badly and you could end up losing the car you love so much and then being shafted even more by insurance premiums for the next 5 years, just ask geekman and he will tell you how bad having a claim (even non fault) is for an inexperienced driver.


Surprised nobody has recommended the OP to get a Corsa C with a phat exhaust and riding low on some epic rimz y0.
 
despise corsa's.
and you could well have a years NCB. third party too ill bet, Im fully comp, with breakdown, courtesy car 28 day cover, windscreen cover, key cover, contents covered, protected no claims (for my parents, not me), honestly, Im not making this up, on confused.com, comparethemarket, and on individual sites im looking at at very least 1.8k with nothing on, I wouldnt bother with TPFT myself. Fully comp is worth it to me.

and I think £300 maintenance yearly is pretty good, for just basic parts, I'd consider that affordable. I do have 12k in savings but dont want to touch it, its in an ISA so I dont want to lose the interest by breaking into it. I've found I can live pretty well with what I'm earning, and Im starting saving this month. Gonna keep the fiesta I think but my next car may be a newish 320d, 09 or something, low mileage, or a civic, similar.

And Voxination - who're you insured with? Id like to try a quote. with the same car, see what turns up. thanks
 
Fully comp with a protected NCB, 1 years experience, 2 years NCB, £500 voluntary excess, 7k mileage a year. Even so the year before when I just got the car was £1.6k.

I'm with Admiral (Multicar) go direct to them for the best offer, in my experience the Admiral group is the best you're going to get without having a GPS tracker, comparison websites are a load of tosh for new drivers.

Keep the Fez, save up the cash, buy something actually nice in a year or two, then any minor bumps you'll inevitably have as a new driver will be done in a cheaper car that's easier to fix (been there done that).
 
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squarehead94 said:
despise corsa's.
and you could well have a years NCB. third party too ill bet, Im fully comp, with breakdown, courtesy car 28 day cover, windscreen cover, key cover, contents covered, protected no claims (for my parents, not me),
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Protected no claims? You can't get this without NCB. So its not included on your policy unless its in your parents name.
 
I sound really old saying this.

But every year for the past 13 years nearly we have a thread like this, and almost always someone asks us for advice, doesn't like what we say and ignores it, and then goes on to regret it.

You've asked for an opinion, it's been given, why argue with it, either take it on board or ignore it and stop posting.
 
Shock as someone in motors wants to live beyond there means.

Shock as op tells loads of fibs too.
 
Why, are you planning on having an accident? That sort of premium on a low value car makes no sense at all. Just pocket the difference for 3 years, your insurance will be lower, you'll have some savings, and you can buy something nice :).
 
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