My new car

Steedie · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:16

Yay!!

Well I'm so excited

This morning I went out to an OcUK competitor for a USB hub, but on the way, saw a rather nice car and decided to stop and have a look

I loved it as soon as I saw it, it wasn't what I was originally saving for but I just loved it, asked for a test drive and again, was just so impressed. Although I'm only going from a 1.3 Fiesta, it was still very impressive and just felt effortless getting up to speed

So I sat down, toyed with the idea, and then thought, you know what, I'm having this car

So Monday I pick up this..

A BMW 120d

Now I know I'll probably get slated for it, but I absolutely love it, and remember, I've only been driving a year so didn't want anything so fast I'll kill myself in it. This for me is just right I think

Are there anythings I should know about owning one? Obviously because it was an impulse buy, I've not had much time to research

Monday is so far away!

Gaygle · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:20

It should be a massive step up from your Fiesta, but don't you think it would have been far better to maybe put a deposit on it (if you loved it that much), gone away and done some research, then made an informed decision as to if you wanted to buy it? BTW What options has it got?

How much did you get it for, if you don't mind me asking? I'm assuming about 9k?

ci_newman · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:20

Impulse buy = fail.. You have no idea whether you've paid above / below market value nor any of the flaws to look out for.

Plus - I hate 120d's with an unhealthy unreasonable passion

[TW]Fox · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:22

Wait... you just impulse bought that? After having driven nothing but a Fiesta 1.3?

You could have got into a Kia and thought it was awesome after a Fiesta 1.3. This doesnt seem like a very well thought purchase at all.

The original E87's were not high quality cars really. The LCI models are much better.

Steedie · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:22

I paid 9k for it, which looking at AutoTrader and Pistonheads doesn't seem all that bad

It's a 2005 model

I know impulse buying is always a bad thing, but that's just how I've always been, I just hope this isn't the purchase I live to regret

Can I ask why you hate them newman?

EDIT - Fox, I know I know, but I have wanted a BMW for yonks. I did actually want a 3 series, but started leaning towards the 1 series because of insurance. So it's not like I didn't even have the thought of buying one in mind before I looked at it

Janesy B · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:24

What's the spec?

jamief · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:26

It just looks the wrong shape :/

peterattheboro · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:26

I hope this doesn't backfire for you

antijoke · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:26

Oh. Impulse buys can be baaaaad.

Where did you buy this car from? Doesn't look like a dealer pic.

Gaygle · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:26

So when someone asks you "what made you buy the car?" you're only response will be "Because i've wanted a BMW for yonks and i drove past one and wanted it"?

Steedie · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:27

Comfort pack, rain sensor, auto-headlights, climate control, cruise control, iPod connection, bluetooth

By the way some of those things are probably standard but I don't know which

[TW]Fox · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:27

Steedie said:
EDIT - Fox, I know I know, but I have wanted a BMW for yonks. I did actually want a 3 series, but started leaning towards the 1 series because of insurance. So it's not like I didn't even have the thought of buying one in mind before I looked at it

And this is where we start to find the issues

I was about to post but decided not to as I assumed I'd get hassle for talking about 'big cars' that in my opinion at this budget a previous generation 3 Series is a better buy than a 1 Series. This is easily a big enough budget for a really good 320d Sport with leather, possibly Bi-Xenons, etc etc or depending on your annual mileage a 3 with a more BMWlike engine.

You are 23 - insurance on any of these is not a huge issue and if it is a huge issue what are you going to do when something breaks (The M47B20 is not the worlds most reliable engine, infact it has an almighty great design flaw where the swirlflaps around the intake manifold break down, are ingested by the engine which normally then writes the engine off), it needs a service or those £100+ a corner runflat tyres need replacing?

The 1 Series started off as a sort of cheapo BMW for people who wanted a badge. It's taken revisions for it to become a genuinelly decent stab at a small hatch. The first 1 I drove was a 2006 and I hated it - recently driving the LCI 2009 models a bit more demonstrates its now the car it should have been in the first place.

Steedie · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:28

Gaygle said:
So when someone asks you "what made you buy the car?" you're only response will be "Because i've wanted a BMW for yonks and i drove past one and wanted it"?

Unfortunately yes, but then I could have looked for months and still ended up buying this first car.

I know I was silly, but at the end of the day, I wanted one, it wasn't too overpriced (if at all from what I can see looking around), it felt right driving it so I got it

By the way the Fiesta isn't the only car I've ever driven

[TW]Fox · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:29

Steedie said:
Unfortunately yes, but then I could have looked for months and still ended up buying this first car.

But then if you had ended up buying it you'd have done so knowing without a shadow of a doubt it was the best car for you. Currently, you don't know this.

it felt right driving it so I got it

Out of interest which other BMW's had you driven previously?

Hutchy · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:30

Looking good Steedie! Now you need to get some new BMW wheels for it.

Steedie · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:30

[TW]Fox;15309929 said:
Out of interest which other BMW's had you driven previously?

Oh sorry, I meant I've driven other cars other than my Fiesta, but this is my first BMW

Thanks Hutchy - My first positive comment yet haha

Dup · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:32

Hmmm... I've impulse bought all my cars, but the MX-5 is a £1500 "need a car now!", the CTR was bought from a trusted family friend & Honda dealer and my 206 was a big mistake and preceded both those purchases

I'm one who knows what he wants and does the research on that marque or model but i've not really driven any other car when in the position to buy, just what I wanted and usually the first I've gone to see.

I hope this works out for you, even just for 12 months and you sell it on. I really hate the wheels though, they look like an after thought compared to a sleek looking car.

[TW]Fox · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:32

Steedie said:
Oh sorry, I meant I've driven other cars other than my Fiesta, but this is my first BMW

So really then you've no idea if it felt right as you've nothing to compare it to, as you would have had had you test driven several others first. You might even have developed a preference based on presumably something other than just how it looks

Janesy B · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:32

A very poor buy by all accounts. Some things make ideal impulse buys, cars are not one of these things. Unless you have millions in the bank.

And those wheels, OMG I would prefer steelies to those.

Skalaberg · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:33

Well m8ty..the car looks nice...your happy with it..therefore I am pleased for you. Enjoy it and ignore all these doom mongering negative so and so's.