Comfy, 5 doors, but with a bit of poke. And leased?

Youstolemyname

Youstolemyname

Youstolemyname

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It's time to replace my current car (A3 3.2) in September. I have a few questions as it will literally be the second car I have ever bought having always been a company car driver!

1. Leasing- I quite like the idea of paying x amount a month and then not ever having to worry about anything other than fuel, tax and insurance. Is leasing a better option than buying with a bank loan and 'setting aside' the money to cover the servicing and a warranty? I am not precious about owning a brand new car so quite happy for someone else to pay the depreciation and then cover it with a warranty of some sort.

2. I want something with a similar sort of poke as my current car, but comfy. The A3 is very twitchy when you hit the throttle and jumpy on bumpy roads. A pal has a 640D Gran Coupe which is a lovely ride and shifts, obviously this is going to be a nicer place to be than my car though, but that's the type of experience I am going for, without spending 60k on a motor!

Budget wise I reckon around 400-450 a month can be spared just on the car- lease or loan+ warranty. I do under 10k miles a year and daily commute is 25 miles.

Any thoughts an both car and purchase option?
 
Youstolemyname said:
1. Leasing- I quite like the idea of paying x amount a month and then not ever having to worry about anything other than fuel, tax and insurance.
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Except this isnt how it works, you need to worry just as much about dents, marks and scrapes if not more than usual. It's not your car and you are expected to return it in good condition or you'll be billed for the damage. You can't not care about a lease car. You dont need to worry about breakdowns but thats because its got a warranty not because its a lease car. You've still got to put tyres on it, too.


Is leasing a better option than buying with a bank loan and 'setting aside' the money to cover the servicing and a warranty?
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Rarely is leasing more cost effective than buying a nearly new vehicle with a bank loan. The latter will be often much cheaper. There is the odd exception when a bargain lease pops up but these are not the norm.

A pal has a 640D Gran Coupe which is a lovely ride and shifts, obviously this is going to be a nicer place to be than my car though, but that's the type of experience I am going for, without spending 60k on a motor!
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Somebody has to buy a £60k motor for you to drive one though. That somebody will lose money on it. They will pass this loss over to you as part of your lease payments otherwise how do they make any profit?
 
330d/335d/335i is where my money would go.

should manage to get a decent example on your budget depending on how you finance it.

not a huge deal bigger than your A3, but similar power and much better fuel economy.

Many on here are scared of diesels though, so will say you nailed it with the 330i. 335i is obviously a petrol but with 2 "scary" turbos. Obviously none of that matters as your going to buying a warranty right?
 
xs2man said:
Many on here are scared of diesels though, so will say you nailed it with the 330i.
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Because he has - why buy a diesel unless you have no choice? There are sufficient 330i and 335i on the market that you don't need to buy a 330d unless you need one.
 
I buy diesels because I prefer the way they drive to be fair. Of course, I also do the mileage to justify diesels, but I can afford to run petrols if I so choose.

Don't get me wrong, I like petrols too. But the lazy torquiness of a nice, fast diesel suits my preferred driving style. I easily preferred my 335d over my S4 with similar power.

Not everyone prefers NA petrols.
 
xs2man said:
I buy diesels because I prefer the way they drive to be fair.
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There isnt really anything about a diesel that makes it drive better than the N54 in a 335i. It has all the low down waftability you like from a diesel but with the added advantage of not being a diesel. It is an absolutely superb engine.
 
[TW]Fox;26171550 said:
There isnt really anything about a diesel that makes it drive better than the N54 in a 335i. It has all the low down waftability you like from a diesel but with the added advantage of not being a diesel. It is an absolutely superb engine.
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If you consider a diesel engine to be a disadvantage of course.
 
xs2man said:
If you consider a diesel engine to be a disadvantage of course.
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Which, with no particular requirement for the fuel economy, it obviously is against a 335i. The only thing an x30d does better than an x35i is use less fuel.

Why would you want the diesel instead if you didn't need the economy? All the 'low down torque' is present because its twin turbocharged.

He does under 10k a year, the only reason to pick a diesel is if the sort of car he wants is only really available as a diesel. It doesn't seem this is the case, so why pick diesel?
 
[TW]Fox;26171580 said:
Which, with no particular requirement for the fuel economy, it obviously is against a 335i. The only thing an x30d does better than an x35i is use less fuel.

Why would you want the diesel instead if you didn't need the economy? All the 'low down torque' is present because its twin turbocharged.

He does under 10k a year, the only reason to pick a diesel is if the sort of car he wants is only really available as a diesel. It doesn't seem this is the case, so why pick diesel?
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Still a £400 fuel price difference per year. Cheaper tax (likely), insurance etc... Probably easier to sell also.

Just because he only does 10k per year, doesn't mean the diesel isn't still cheaper.

I'm not saying there is any reason not to pick the 335i, I'm just saying that not everyone prefers petrol, all other things being equal.
 
So a hastily googled shortlist:

330i/335i (probably favourite after owning a 3 series in the past)
C350/C200- not familiar with the crazy Merc range, seem to be loads of them!
A4 Avant 2.0T
Jag XF- Does this even come with an engine to deliver the A3 3.2-esque performance?

As you can tell my car knowledge is awful! Is there anything else I should be considering in the 'premium brand' range?
 
Audi S4. The 2.0T is okay, but it wont exactly be quick, not when compared to 335i's and C350's. £450 per month should get you, very close at least, to an S4. 3.0 Litre, supercharged motor. And they remap VERY well. Chris Harris remapped his, and it was only slightly beaten by an RS4 on a runway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KfMY96v_Gc
 
I would give a kidney for an RS4 in Sprint Blue but the noise of the thing puts me off. The S4, especially as an avant, seems a contender. The Mrs loves Audi Estates!
 
Youstolemyname said:
Jag XF- Does this even come with an engine to deliver the A3 3.2-esque performance?
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Wait, what?

Your A3 @1.5T producing 146bhp and making 0-60 in 6.3s
XF 3.0 V6 (base model) @1.75T doing 234bhp and making 0-60 in 7.9s
3.0 V6 supercharged (next worst petrol) - 335bhp & 0-60 5.7s
Perhaps the 5.0 V8 would be a better bet? - 379bhp & 0-60 5.5s

Maybe the supercharged 5.0 V8 can deliver the A3 performance? - 502bhp & 0-60 in 4.7s

Lol :p
 
miniyazz said:
Wait, what?

Your A3 @1.5T producing 146bhp and making 0-60 in 6.3s
XF 3.0 V6 (base model) @1.75T doing 234bhp and making 0-60 in 7.9s
3.0 V6 supercharged (next worst petrol) - 335bhp & 0-60 5.7s
Perhaps the 5.0 V8 would be a better bet? - 379bhp & 0-60 5.5s

Maybe the supercharged 5.0 V8 can deliver the A3 performance? - 502bhp & 0-60 in 4.7s

Lol :p
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Not forgetting the £400 per month fuel bill:)
 
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