BMW and M Power Owners

Robbo said:
Someone has asked me for advice - I don't know much about the X cars, but what would people go for if they had to pick between a 2011 X5 (LCI) or a 2013 X3?

With roughly the same spec (X5 is better spec to start with anyway), the X5 comes in cheaper and seems/looks a better car, is it? Is the X3 just a poor X5?
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This is more.complex than it looks as a 2011 X5 is an old gen E60 based car whereas a 2013 X3 is a fresh current gen car.
 
[TW]Fox;28643810 said:
This is more.complex than it looks as a 2011 X5 is an old gen E60 based car whereas a 2013 X3 is a fresh current gen car.
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Yeah, this is what I thought. The old X5 isn't a particularly bad car though, is it? Would the more up to date X3 be better (assuming things like spec are as equal as they can be)?
 
For me I'd have to go for the X5. But that is a space related thing only. If the guy doesn't need the space, then the more up to date X3 would likely be the better buy.
 
almoststew1990 said:
It's a 2003 330ci manual. I'll be taking it in for the inspection soon so will see what it says. I don't need to drive anywhere this weekend.

On a side note, quote for inspection 2 with OEM parts (apparently just a different box?) Is 315 all in.
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I tried the guy opposite, Bartley, who can do it for £295 all in including the diagnostics and will provide a courtesy car which is nice. But the main thing is he offered to do the diagnostics part today, for free / as part on the Inspection 2, to look at the engine light to see what's up / peace of mind and if it is an atypical part that's gone bust he can order a replacement in time for the Inpection 2.

Go common sense!!
 
panthro said:
5 Series GT - apart from the dividing looks (they are very ugly!) what's bad about them? They seem like very good value now, especially a 2010 530d SE, which can be picked up for around £15k with plenty of options.


This made me LOL.
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I would say nothing's wrong with them at all, just as you point out the looks are very marmite. It's a lot of car for the money when you compare it to other 5ers.
 
panthro said:
5 Series GT - apart from the dividing looks (they are very ugly!) what's bad about them? They seem like very good value now, especially a 2010 530d SE, which can be picked up for around £15k with plenty of options.
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There is nothing wrong with them at all that you can't immediately see when looking at it. If you are not put off by how it looks then you'll find a fantastic value, well built, well specified car that represents better value for money than the conventional 5 Series. It is also more practical than the Saloon as the rear tailgate is split and can be used as both a saloon or a hatchback, giving a more reversible loadbay.

The only credible 'downsides' if you can call them that is that it's heavier than a regular 530d and therefore is a bit slower and a bit more thirsty.
 
After small research with potential problems that possibly could go wrong with my Z4, Any things I should look/hear when it comes to the Vanos? The car is on 87k right now and unsure if its ever been sorted previously.

Cheers.
 
I'm looking to buy a car in the coming months. I really like the look of Z3s and they seem to be relatively cheap. I've seen a few 2.8s up for £3-4k, with anywhere between 75-100k on the clock. I know they're pretty old but I just like the look of them and I fancy a car like this before kids come along, and I can't afford an S2000.
 
ScarySquirrel said:
I'm looking to buy a car in the coming months. I really like the look of Z3s and they seem to be relatively cheap. I've seen a few 2.8s up for £3-4k, with anywhere between 75-100k on the clock. I know they're pretty old but I just like the look of them and I fancy a car like this before kids come along, and I can't afford an S2000.
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They are really not that great and I'm amazed they still cost £4k.

I'd find another £500-£1k and buy a 2003 Z4 instead.
 
Yeah they feel , very old now and are actually a total bugger to maneouvre at low speed due to the flared wings - an early z4 for not massively more would be a much better car
 
Havana_UK said:
I did about 27K / year for four years in an E91 and can confirm that it was perfectly comfortable for this, however a 5 series will of course be even more comfortable. The only thing you can do is try them both and then make your decision on an objective basis.
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Well I did try both out today, got a mixture of a bit of motorways, twisties and a little in traffic too. The garage only had 435d xdrive and 535d available but for my purposes they are close enough. Note I am a totally average driver so neither were driven anywhere near their limits (although I did get the back end of the 5 to slip a little booting it out of a junction before the TC caught it) and I make no claim to have any depth of experience to base my opinions on. I currently have a Mk4 Mondeo so both are leaps ahead in terms of build quality and performance.

I went out in the 4 first, it felt perfectly well put together and I would be more than happy with one. It was reasonably chuckable around the twisties and was also quite happy cruising on the motorway. I can't quite understand why its got a mechanical handbrake still but not really a problem. I didn't notice too much wind noise as I had read is a widespread complaint, and the guy who came out on the drive with me specifically asked my opinion of it so they are clearly aware. However I suspect its one of those things that slowly starts to bug you over time. This model had the Harman/Kardon speaker package that was a noticeable improvement on the standard package in the 5.

Then we went out in the 5 and did exactly the same route. It was quite a bit more comfortable and I felt much higher up in the cockpit (plus - better visibility, minus - felt a bit more like driving a bus). I can see it is the better car for munching miles, but was not quite as much fun as the 4 on the back roads. It is a flippin big car though, to be honest was hoping for something a little smaller. I had kind of hoped I wouldn't get on with it and it would make my decision easier, but it really was very comfy and effortless to drive. I did also like the auto hold handbrake, that was a nice touch that isn't available on the 4.

One thing that was a revelation on both was the automatic gearbox. First time I've driven an auto and I'm a convert to it. It was silky smooth in both cars, with a nice response when you put your foot down especially in sport.

So now I have a dilemma. The 5 is clearly more comfortable and is the 'head' choice for my usage, but I do prefer the look of the 4GC and the differences in the interior were not that noticeable to me. As such my heart says go for the 4GC. My concern is over time I start to wish for the comfort of the 5 over the style of the 4. Cannot make my mind up!
 
Brok said:
So now I have a dilemma. The 5 is clearly more comfortable and is the 'head' choice for my usage, but I do prefer the look of the 4GC and the differences in the interior were not that noticeable to me. As such my heart says go for the 4GC. My concern is over time I start to wish for the comfort of the 5 over the style of the 4. Cannot make my mind up!
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Sounds like you want a 6GC! You can get cracking discounts on them!

:D
 
So after a bit more thought and research it does appear a 17 year old BMW Z3 would be a bit of a bad choice. I just love the shape of them :(

It seems an MX-5 Mk II would be a cheaper and better altrnative, I just can't stand how they look unfortunately. Perhaps I'll just another Clio 182, at least I know what to look for in them.
 
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