BMW 120D vs A Class 200 Sport vs VW Scirocco GT

radar19

radar19

radar19

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All cars are about the £27K mark. I've driven both the VW and the Merc and both seemed solid (apart of the god awful auto box on the A class). I've got the 1 series to test on Friday.

I'm wondering if any of you lot have had experience with living with these cars and would share said wisdom?
 
This may not help you since I don't have a 120d, but I do have an F21 125i.

I'm replying because of your comment about the automatic gearbox in the A class. My car is a manual, and I strongly urge you to test a 120d with the sport automatic gearbox. It's an 8 speed box that everyone seems to love.

I have really grown to hate my manual gearbox. It's notchy, and the clutch is an absolute pig. It's not easy to drive smoothly, and it's really taking the fun out of the car for me.

The Scirocco is far too old now to be included in this line up.
 
thewanted said:
This may not help you since I don't have a 120d, but I do have an F21 125i.

I'm replying because of your comment about the automatic gearbox in the A class. My car is a manual, and I strongly urge you to test a 120d with the sport automatic gearbox. It's an 8 speed box that everyone seems to love.

I have really grown to hate my manual gearbox. It's notchy, and the clutch is an absolute pig. It's not easy to drive smoothly, and it's really taking the fun out of the car for me.

The Scirocco is far too old now to be included in this line up.
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Isn't the 125i higher than a 120d? Thats good to know, I don't know what spec the demo model is though. I'd ideally like to try both, I have a Ford at the moment and the gearbox on that is about as notchy as they come.
 
"Higher" in what respect? Performance? If so, yeah. That won't make any difference to your choice of transmission though. I am sorely tempted to start shopping around for something else, solely based on how awful I find the manual gearbox.
 
thewanted said:
"Higher" in what respect? Performance? If so, yeah. That won't make any difference to your choice of transmission though. I am sorely tempted to start shopping around for something else, solely based on how awful I find the manual gearbox.
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That puts a new spin on things. The auto box in the Merc is rubbish but the manual in the Beamer is crap. Interesting.
 
Quite surprised the box in the merc is rubbish, that's one of the things they normally get spot on.

Also hasn't the scirocco now been revised and based on the mk7 golf?

Edit - to answer my own question no, it won't get that platform for at least a year
 
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rodenal said:
Quite surprised the box in the merc is rubbish, that's one of the things they normally get spot on.

Also hasn't the scirocco now been revised and based on the mk7 golf?
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Well, when I was testing it, I was trying to get on a roadabout so I planted my foot and it took about 3-5 seconds to make up its mind what gear it wanted.

I really like the Scirocco but it doesn't come in purple.
 
They just facelifted it, which I thought moved it onto the mqb mk7 golf platform. It doesn't, so the car is still based on a mk5 golf.

Nice car for say £10-12k, not for your money though
 
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The BMW has a fantastic engine and a reasonable interior. The merc does nothing well and the interior is cheap and nasty feeling. But the BMW is ugly as sin, I mean really ugly, so I would get the A3 instead, better inside and out but loses out in the handling stakes, but not by much.

Forget the scirocco, as said above, its just too old.
 
Tinders said:
The BMW has a fantastic engine and a reasonable interior. The merc does nothing well and the interior is cheap and nasty feeling. But the BMW is ugly as sin, I mean really ugly, so I would get the A3 instead, better inside and out but loses out in the handling stakes, but not by much.

Forget the scirocco, as said above, its just too old.
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The A3 is too expensive.
 
If you decide to go with the 120d, send Tony at Coopers Tunbridge Wells a PM on the babybmw forums (link). He's the sales manager.

Tony has been providing people with outstanding quotes that not many dealers are able to match.
 
thewanted said:
If you decide to go with the 120d, send Tony at Coopers Tunbridge Wells a PM on the babybmw forums (link). He's the sales manager.

Tony has been providing people with outstanding quotes that not many dealers are able to match.
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Thats a bit of a mission to get to from Lincoln.
 
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