BMW 3 series....fox...info... help

Cosmic182

Cosmic182

Cosmic182

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Joined
25 Jul 2006
Posts
3,137
morning


just after a little information regarding Bmw 3 series, 318i ES saloon, looking for one between 06 and 07 plate, its a day to day car and would be used virtually everyday, just wondering what there like to run / keep on the road, ie, servicing MOT's, as my last car was an RX8 and wasnt very friendly on the pocket, also my mum wouldnt drive that, this she would feel comforatble in, how much would you say the price differs in the 2?? is the BM a lot cheaper to run? around in the same margin? im a bit of a n00b when it comes to this and would greatly appreciate some of your beamer knowledge.

TIA tho :)
 
Cosmic182 said:
morning


just after a little information regarding Bmw 3 series, 318i ES saloon, looking for one between 06 and 07 plate, its a day to day car and would be used virtually everyday, just wondering what there like to run / keep on the road, ie, servicing MOT's, as my last car was an RX8 and wasnt very friendly on the pocket, also my mum wouldnt drive that, this she would feel comforatble in, how much would you say the price differs in the 2?? is the BM a lot cheaper to run? around in the same margin? im a bit of a n00b when it comes to this and would greatly appreciate some of your beamer knowledge.

TIA tho :)
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I can't see a 318iES being more expensive to run than an RX8! - Your mum will like driving it also (my mum loves hers!) ;)
 
Isn't a steering wheel an optional extra on an ES? ;) Will the next thread be asking for any audio casettes for you to play on it (that said, my 330i sport has a cassette deck behind the sat nav).

Get a slightly older car, better spec, better experience, IMHO.
 
msm722 said:
A bottom end BMW is still a good car by most standards.
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Depends on your definition of "good" I suppose. I'd lable it as an expensive badge, with little or no redeeming features that set the 3-series apart from its rivals.

Might as well buy a lexus.
 
paradigm said:
Depends on your definition of "good" I suppose. I'd lable it as an expensive badge, with little or no redeeming features that set the 3-series apart from its rivals.

Might as well buy a lexus.
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A Bottom end BMW is at least going to be well built & RWD, something that many Fords & Vauxhalls are not, quite a redeeming feature. ;) - I take your point though. :)

O/T Why do I read "Lexus" but don't see a "Prestige Marque" in my mind??? - BMW, Merc, Audi Sure (all German I know) fit the Bill, perhaps its because the German cars have "Heritage" where Lexus is a Brand?
 
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R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
A Bottom end BMW is at least going to be well built & RWD, something that many Fords & Vauxhalls are not, quite a redeeming feature. ;) - I take your point though. :)

O/T Why do I read "Lexus" but don't see a "Prestige Marque" in my mind??? - BMW, Merc, Audi Sure (all German I know) fit the Bill, perhaps its because the German cars have "Heritage" where Lexus is a Brand?
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Why would you pay £thousands extra for RWD when the car only has 140bhp?

I guess Lexus is a brand, but the quality,reliability and customer service is certainly as good as if not better than the main marques.
 
jamoor said:
I guess Lexus is a brand, but the quality,reliability and customer service is certainly as good as if not better than the main marques.
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I agree that the reliability might be as good, and that the customer service might be close (find a decent BMW dealer and they are actually superb, very accomodating, bend over backwards, etc etc), but quality? I'm afraid not.

I quite like the lexus IS (both the 220 and the old 200), but I wouldn't say the quality is anywhere near as good.
 
paradigm said:
I agree that the reliability might be as good, and that the customer service might be close (find a decent BMW dealer and they are actually superb, very accomodating, bend over backwards, etc etc), but quality? I'm afraid not.

I quite like the lexus IS (both the 220 and the old 200), but I wouldn't say the quality is anywhere near as good.
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I have never sat in an IS, but I have driven an LS and Sat in a few GS and 99% of it is as good as if not better than BMW, Merc, Audi.
 
paradigm said:
Depends on your definition of "good" I suppose. I'd lable it as an expensive badge, with little or no redeeming features that set the 3-series apart from its rivals.

Might as well buy a lexus.
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Rubbish, how can you say this? What sets the 3 series apart from its rivals is the driving experience, an ES will feel exactly the same to drive as an SE. The only difference I can immediately think of is the lack of climate control and rear electric windows. Climate is junk in the e46 anyway, only advantage is the pretty digital display to make it look posher. Most ES don't have colour coded handles, some do though, and at the same time quite a few SE's don't have it.
 
[TW]Fox;12565601 said:
The current stuff is jamoor but the previous generation of each of their current cars was rather like a posh Toyota.
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The LS has always been pretty decent, but I think some of the other models are actually starting to compete now too.
 
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