Happen to drive a Honda jazz, at 45mph in a nsl too?
What would you get? ~£20k & low mileage
- Thread starter Trifid
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Are BMW cars bad for reliability ?
well, they score less than japanese cars in reliability surveys...if you believe those
i had a '06 e90 320i from 2012 to 2017, and currently own a '13 f32 428i
the only thing that has gone wrong was the AC motor on the e90...but at 9ish years old when the motor went, it was to be expected; i sold it because the 3rd gear on the autobox appeared to be slipping and it would have cost more than the car was worth to get it fixed if/when it went...so PXed it for my current f32.
not had any major issues on either car besides these...
but n=1, so ymmv
i had a '06 e90 320i from 2012 to 2017, and currently own a '13 f32 428i
the only thing that has gone wrong was the AC motor on the e90...but at 9ish years old when the motor went, it was to be expected; i sold it because the 3rd gear on the autobox appeared to be slipping and it would have cost more than the car was worth to get it fixed if/when it went...so PXed it for my current f32.
not had any major issues on either car besides these...
but n=1, so ymmv
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I'd say that's how I would sum up the BMW ownership. New is new, but the older the BMW the more expensive it is to keep it running.
The more over engineered the car, more things to go wrong, and believe, they will, eventually.
For example the air suspension. Excellent, but requires maintenance and replacement after some time. And despite you being able to buy a car which was 70k few years ago, maintenance and parts would be, unless going for second hand parts, parts for a 70k car.
The best bet still up to 3 years old, full service, and lowish miles if possible. Ideally a car which suffered the up to 60% depreciation only because of it's age, but not old/abused enough to require few grand on repairs. Reason I wouldn't, ever, buy a second hand Fiesta/Focus ST. Not all drivers, sure, but the majority....
What's the joy to drive a M badge 116i, the S-Line badge 1.0 A3 or the AMG Line 118?Happen to drive a Honda jazz, at 45mph in a nsl too?
Unless you're considering proper M series or at least the model just before them, fine, but a 3 cylinder, "Vauxhall Combo steering wheel" 1 Series is anything but a driver's car. Same for the Z4. A roadster, but many try hard to believe it's a sports car, specially equipped with the 2.0l engine. Or the SLK/SLC.
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haha true true
I have to say it, the Z4 is never going to be a sports car, but I got a ton of compliments on my e89 Z4 when I had it and it was a hoot to drive. No way will I let someone put the Z4** in the same category as an m-badge 116i.
It deserves better than that!**Straight 6 models only
Soldato
Yes you read my mind. Definitely check out the mk3 TTS. They have dropped in price over last two years and become very affordable. A lot of car for the money.
Meets all the criteria and is fast, relatively comfortable and modern. Very practical car too.
If considering in one make sure to look for a car with the tech pack, and sound pack (for Sat nav and Bang & Olufsen sound). Also the digital climate control option.
Pricey services, pretty poor reliability and probably terrible depreciation. Lexus, Volvo?
I was planning to keep the car until petrol becomes undriveable or is dead. Reliability is a red line, but just needs to be reasonable. £708 for the 10 year service from Jaguar is a joke!
Soldato
Sounds like you need a bottom of the barrel 1.3 Mercedes CLA *thumbs up*
Soldato
Oh yeah, no wait, my suggestion still stands
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Edit: never mind misread the post lol
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Current owner of a Z4 35is here, abit of info below:
Firstly the Z4 35is is more of a GT cruiser with fantastic straight line speed, rather than a "sports car" per say like a Porsche Boxster for example. It has the N54 engine out of the 1M, and the DCT out of the E92 M3, they can make circa 440bhp with a couple of basic bolt-ons and a tune (Downpipes, Intercooler, Tune) and the aftermarket community for the N54 is huge. The car can be tuned for as little as £300 with an android application that has some fantastic OTS maps done by wedge performance in germany. Oh and the exhaust note is intoxicating, lovely burbles on over run. Once tuned the car rips pretty hard, and if down the line you want more than 440bhp there are lots of tuning options for the N54.
The folding hard top is really nice, and makes it a great car to drive with the roof up or down, with lots of power when you want it, and looks fantastic too. Fuel economy is pretty bad, depending on how you drive it, could probably get around 30mpg on the motorway driving carefully, regular driving expect circa 15 - 20mpg.
They are great cars but they do have a few niggles, some of which are common for the N54, I have listed the common ones below:
Injectors -> Old injector versions prone to failure, circa £700 for a set of 6 if you shop around. Parts only
High Pressure Fuel Pump -> Seems to be a common failure on the N54, circa £700 - £900. Parts only
Valve Cover -> Plastic POS that cracks and leaks oil, circa £400, parts only
Turbos / Wastegates -> Wastegate rattle is common, turbos are generally pretty solid. Not to sure on prices on these
Adaptive Shocks -> Prone to leaking / failure, circa £500 a corner, parts only
DCT Sump Leaks -> Another common fault, not sure on price once again
Other than that they are pretty much solid, a BMW warranty can be obtained if the above worries you. I believe it is circa £500 per annum fully comprehensive provided the car has less than 60k miles and has full service history from VAT registered garages with official BMW parts used (with invoices as evidence).
I would avoid buying from a dealer as the mark ups they seem to put on the 35is are huge, I have seen 2014 cars up for sale privately at £18k, to then appear at a dealer at £24k a few weeks later. There are not many around, so you may have to look around for a little while due to rarity, but my oh my are they a great car, beautiful interior too.
If you have any questions feel free to ask, happy to take you out for a spin / give you an in depth tour of the car if you are near by!
Neighbours just got a black fiat 124 spyder convertible .. now thats a pretty car, same dna as the original.... an investment ?
eg https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908101000642
eg https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908101000642