BMW E46

Tommy B

Tommy B

Tommy B

Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
8,024
Location
The Place To Be
Does anyone know of a resource which provides detailed performance figures (especially insurance group ratings) for these cars?

I've tried Google but without much luck. Basically, I need to know what I'd be looking at to insure myself as the named driver, taking in to account the fact I've only had my license for about a year.

Obviously I can't go and buy the faster variants as the insurance will be ridiculous, so I was hoping someone could give me the low down on the range. Which ever model I pick, I can budget for £2,000 insurance per year.

Cheers,

Tom
 
I've finally beat the insurance companies. Adding my mum knocked about a grand off, and adding my dad (doctor) knocked another £500 off. That's with myself (18 year old, passed my test 1 year 1 month ago) as the named driver!!

Insurance on a Mini Cooper S (2002) or an E46 BMW was about £2k and £1.5k respectively. I'm really excited now as I might be able to pick up a Cooper S for about £7,500 and insure it for under £10k total.

Things that made a massive difference; putting Pass Plus (which I've done) instead of a normal UK-Full license, and also putting occupation as "Uni, Living Away"
 
Tommy B said:
I've finally beat the insurance companies. Adding my mum knocked about a grand off, and adding my dad (doctor) knocked another £500 off. That's with myself (18 year old, passed my test 1 year 1 month ago) as the named driver!!

Insurance on a Mini Cooper S (2002) or an E46 BMW was about £2k and £1.5k respectively. I'm really excited now as I might be able to pick up a Cooper S for about £7,500 and insure it for under £10k total.

Things that made a massive difference; putting Pass Plus (which I've done) instead of a normal UK-Full license, and also putting occupation as "Uni, Living Away"
Click to expand...
Having recently driven an E46 BMW and a MINI Cooper back-to-back, I can say get the E46. Getting in the BMW after the MINI felt wonderful. Considering the MINI was a 2007 and the BMW 6.5 years old with nearly 100,000 miles under it's belt, I believe that's testament to something!
 
PMKeates said:
Having recently driven an E46 BMW and a MINI Cooper back-to-back, I can say get the E46. Getting in the BMW after the MINI felt wonderful. Considering the MINI was a 2007 and the BMW 6.5 years old with nearly 100,000 miles under it's belt, I believe that's testament to something!
Click to expand...

I'm just worried the BMW will be slow. Some of the E46s do 0-60 in over 9 seconds, and a lot of the sellers seem to be clueless as to the engine size. I'm sure the BMW is awesome, but the Cooper is more of a young person's car and the engine sound alone is probably enough to win me over. I need to stop dreaming though as I won't be getting any cars until August. Might even leave it to Christmas when I come back from uni.

You won't get a Cooper S for £7500 unfortunately
Click to expand...

Not from Mini, but they come up in places like Pistonheads now and again. There's a really nice silver one on there atm going for £7650 or something like that.
 
Tommy B said:
I'm just worried the BMW will be slow. Some of the E46s do 0-60 in over 9 seconds, and a lot of the sellers seem to be clueless as to the engine size. I'm sure the BMW is awesome, but the Cooper is more of a young person's car and the engine sound alone is probably enough to win me over. I need to stop dreaming though as I won't be getting any cars until August. Might even leave it to Christmas when I come back from uni.
Click to expand...
The BMW will be faster than the Cooper S if you get a 325i or better. It should be really easy to work out what engine it has from it's model designation (Most sellers will advertise one as a 320, 323, 325 etc. rather than "3 series"). If not, then a quick free online check of the registration will be reveal it. I won't deny that the Cooper was a lot of fun and has the apperance of a car suited to younger people (Not so sure on your engine sound comment!), but it felt a bit TYCO RC after I got back in to the BM! :p
 
Considering he has only been driving a year, a powerful rear wheel drive car aint the best idea :p

Go for the mini, bimmers are for boring old men :p its too grown up, its a car you should buy when you are 35.
 
wohoo said:
Considering he has only been driving a year, a powerful rear wheel drive car aint the best idea :p

Go for the mini, bimmers are for boring old men :p its too grown up, its a car you should buy when you are 35.
Click to expand...
I got my car after less than 1.5 years driving, involvement in multiple accidents and a taste for driving too fast - yet have survived nearly a year with it! :D
 
wohoo said:
Considering he has only been driving a year, a powerful rear wheel drive car aint the best idea :p

Go for the mini, bimmers are for boring old men :p its too grown up, its a car you should buy when you are 35.
Click to expand...

I'd only properly been driving for a year before I got my 330d. A powerful RWD car and immaturity is the perfect combo ;)

 
wohoo said:
Considering he has only been driving a year, a powerful rear wheel drive car aint the best idea :p

Go for the mini, bimmers are for boring old men :p its too grown up, its a car you should buy when you are 35.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought.

Half of me thinks a BMW 3 series at 19 would be awesome, the other half thinks a Cooper S would be awesome instead.

If I can get my hands on a CS, then that will be, but I will definitely pick the 3 series over a Cooper.
 
PMKeates said:
The BMW will be faster than the Cooper S if you get a 325i or better. It should be really easy to work out what engine it has from it's model designation (Most sellers will advertise one as a 320, 323, 325 etc. rather than "3 series"). If not, then a quick free online check of the registration will be reveal it. I won't deny that the Cooper was a lot of fun and has the apperance of a car suited to younger people (Not so sure on your engine sound comment!), but it felt a bit TYCO RC after I got back in to the BM! :p
Click to expand...

What are they like besides 0-60 times?

Would a 323i (I doubt I will have enough to insure myself on anything faster) still provide a fun driving experience, with safe and rapid overtaking?

I'm just worried the BMW is designed with an old, careful driver in mind, not a young 'race every damn thing on the road' little git :D
 
Tommy B said:
I'm just worried the BMW is designed with an old, careful driver in mind
Click to expand...

No, it's not. Given the typical BMW driver thats probably the opposite of who it is designed for - they are designed with the driver in mind.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom