another "spec me a car" thread!

bazaarboy

bazaarboy

bazaarboy

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Joined
22 Jun 2009
Posts
822
Location
Norwich
budget 20-23k
i travel about 15k/yr
i'd like something sporty but with reasonable economy - so, maybe diesel
i like gadgets like mp3/flash drive friendly, inbuilt sat nav
does not need to be kid friendly!

your suggestions please gentlemen!
 
BMW 330i M Sport Coupe with Pro navigation and 6FL USB Interface.

Nearly 40mpg combined, 272bhp, USB flash functionality, quick, looks good, job done.

Whoa. I actually just recommended a BMW on OcUK. For the first time in ages.
 
[TW]Fox;17260953 said:
BMW 330i M Sport Coupe with Pro navigation and 6FL USB Interface.

Nearly 40mpg combined, 272bhp, USB flash functionality, quick, looks good, job done.

Whoa. I actually just recommended a BMW on OcUK. For the first time in ages.
Click to expand...

With the limited info in the op it's about as spot on a recommendation as anyone could give ;)

I'd have one if there weren't so damn many of them around (bmw's in general, maybe not that particular spec).
 
I'm going to recommend something different, to add some spice. How about a Jaguar XF ...you can get either a petrol 3.0 V6 (quite rare) or the 2.7 (much more common) twin turbo diesel for that budget. Plenty of gadgets, plenty of go, great looks and a stunningly good interior ...decent economy to. It's also comfortable and quite practical.
 
Thing is, the 220 isn't really all that sporty though, it's got the looks and a great chassis ...but not all that much ooomph. Certainly the Jag and the BMW leave it flailing like a lame duckling.

Probably not possible, but;
Expanding the budget to £28k will land you the newer and seemigly awsome 3.0 diesel Jaguar XF, that cracks 0-60 in 5.9 seconds apparently, enough to scare the **** out of the BMW petrol even ...and it does this with excellent economy and it is apparently superbly refined too. I find the pace of the 3.0 diesel scarcely believable, but that's what the figures say, I'm going to have to take a test drive some time.
 
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Moeks said:
Thing is, the 220 isn't really all that sporty though, it's got the looks and a great chassis ...but not all that much ooomph. Certainly the Jag and the BMW leave it flailing like a lame duckling.

Probably not possible, but;
Expanding the budget to £28k will land you the newer and seemigly awsome 3.0 diesel Jaguar XF, that cracks 0-60 in 5.9 seconds apparently, enough to scare the **** out of the BMW petrol even ...and it does this with excellent economy and it's superbly refined too.
Click to expand...

0-62 in 8 Secs so not bad considering it's a diesel and 30-70 is where's at.

Personally my choice of engine would be C320 CDI / C350 CDI.
 
At the moment we dont know his level of expection or experience so Maz's suggestion of a C220 is as valid as mine of a 330i M Sport. He could be one of those people who thinks a Golf diesel is a supercar, in which case, a C220 is a Veyron.
 
yup, similar dealer cars are about 2-4k more
I actually test drove two 335d before trying the 335i - performance wise they are very similar, so I was not set on one more than the other!
 
thanks :)
my advice would be to set yourselves up with all the best online search pages (I bookmarked autotrader, E&M, pistonheads and ebay with my search settings) and check say twice a day for any new listings and make sure you are prepared to travel for the right car...
I drove about 600 miles in pursuit of this one!
 
[TW]Fox;17260953 said:
BMW 330i M Sport Coupe with Pro navigation and 6FL USB Interface.

Nearly 40mpg combined, 272bhp, USB flash functionality, quick, looks good, job done.

Whoa. I actually just recommended a BMW on OcUK. For the first time in ages.
Click to expand...

40mpg, really? That's genuinely amazing for a proper 272hp engine, kind of negates the need for horrible diesel engines.
 
Clarkey said:
40mpg, really? That's genuinely amazing for a proper 272hp engine, kind of negates the need for horrible diesel engines.
Click to expand...

Indeed.

However everyone ignored - they didnt even bother requesting a test drive - and bought a 320d or a 330d instead. As a result, its no longer offered as an engine choice on the Saloon or Touring :(
 
[TW]Fox;17272456 said:
Indeed.

However everyone ignored - they didnt even bother requesting a test drive - and bought a 320d or a 330d instead. As a result, its no longer offered as an engine choice on the Saloon or Touring :(
Click to expand...

Apart from the OP :p

Around town and in normal driving conditions, ie. not at 60 in 6th (I admire anybody with the patience for this. Although the limit over here is nearer to 80), diesel wins hands down though.
 
mjt said:
Around town and in normal driving conditions, ie. not at 60 in 6th (I admire anybody with the patience for this. Although the limit over here is nearer to 80), diesel wins hands down though.
Click to expand...

Eh :confused:

Around town the diesel gets sub 30mpg just like the petrol one, besides, you dont exactly rack up big mileage driving at 10mph in city centre traffic? :confused:

The 39.something is a combined figure anyway.

Early indications seem to be that the 525i (With the N53 engine just like the 330i) is doing 15-20% better economy wise than my 530i, which itself is pretty good economy wise.
 
perhaps the 330i was a missed opportunity
everyone seem to want a diesel these days - I saw a 335d, very similar in other respects to the 335i I bought, that was £5k more...
I then checked Parkers "petrol vs diesel" calculator here
and although the diesel is more economical, the premium in price means I have to drive it 150,000 miles to break even!
 
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