Pick a car from this list

I think the current 3 is like the older 5, so buy a 5 as it's better at being a 5 than a 3, unless it's and older 3 then the 3 is better than the 5.

There, simple.
 
The 530i. The 535d is a spectacular car and the performance is exceptional. However there's no getting away from the diesel engine. Yes it's a very good diesel engine however my cousin had one for quite a while and the noise it makes just doesn't go with the car. The car is a sleek, executive car but when you turn the key and fire it up it sounds like tractor (slight exeggaration, but know what I mean). If you don't have an issue with the sound then I would definitely go for the 535d, no doubt.

Also experienced a 330i on a number of occassions and there's nothing bad I can say about the car. The power delivery seemed effortless, but I prefer the 5-series over the E92. Something a bit more special about it. Can't really put my finger on what.
 
Being serious for a moment, I do find it harder these days on here, but I think the E60 5 series is one of the poorer BMW's saloons for sometime. Its leather was poor, its fit poor and generally it didn't feel like the E39 did when it was released, that was simply the best car on the world the E60 was simply one of them. I have driven a few of late, various flavours and they never really impress me but get in a 535d with a nice set of wheels, ideally in black and it looks great and goes really well. They are excellent value right now and you get one hell of a barm stormer for the money.

The 3 series is a great car but it's gone bigger, wider, less sharp much as the E46 did over the E36, but perhaps more so. Reality is you won't go wrong with any of them and you can over analyse these things and end up with nothing. Drive em all and make your call, you will know which works for you and all will be nice, but I suspect the 3 will simply feel more modern and take it over the E60, as the 335i will over the 330i.
 
You pretty much sum up exactly where my head is at the moment Housey. The E92 feels more fresh, and with 3ish year old cars you want them to feel current for as long as possible. The E60 is already discontinued.

That said the LCI has made HUGE improvements on the fit, finish and interior quality. The leather seems pretty nice.

Everything points to the E92 as being the right choice - it will depreciate less, it actually DOES look fantastic, the fact it's a bit bigger suits my tastes anyway. But then you realise that... it's a BMW 3 Series. Just like the 913 320d's you see every single day.
 
I think those 5s will look fresh for a while yet, good e39s still look good now after all.
 
335i for me. I'm not a fan of the E60 - the looks just don't tick my boxes.

But the E92 is a gorgeous beast, and as for the whole 330i vs 335i - who wouldn't take the extra performance? ;)
 
For about 2 seconds, I considered buying a new 520d when Mr BMW offered me one at LOADS off to get shot. I drove it and it was simply bobbins and slow but the thing that really put me off was how poor the interior looked and felt. Getting into an F10 just after simply reaffirmed that and I guess being a 2010 car that E60 was an LCI.
 
Yes, it would have been LCI.

Crucially, and its a deal breaker if it isnt there, the E92 has... FELT LINED DOOR BINS. The E90 doesnt.
 
Felt is low rent and the lint sticks like hell. Carpet or don't bother.

335i, for the performance personally. Quite handsome as well. I'm sure that helped.
 
Fett said:
Felt is low rent and the lint sticks like hell. Carpet or don't bother.
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My E39 has carpet. It's great.

Even the E60 doesn't. Not properly. The E90 is just bare plastic. People think I'm stupid for caring but in my car I can get in, chuck my phone in the doorbin and... it goes thunk and is safe from damage or scratches. Chuck anything in the door bin of an E90 and it makes a horrible noise as it impacts the stupid cheap plastic.

What I really want is a 2007 E39 535i (twin turbo) Sport with idrive.
 
You know what bothers me with the 335i's motor; when you rev it standing still it sounds so empty, as if it's just too easy to bother making a drama about. Only sounds good when you're tonking along. It seems to be the same for any modern (EURO3+) large displacement motor. Even my Alfa, though I can get a couple of pops on the over-run if I get it just right.
 
What is the sort of price difference between a 3 and 5 of the spec you're after? I'm guessing there will be more choice of 3 series to buy?
 
Duke said:
What is the sort of price difference between a 3 and 5 of the spec you're after? I'm guessing there will be more choice of 3 series to buy?
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I think its all much of a muchness price and availability wise except the 535d which is more expensive. Whilst there are 1,000,000 3 Series, sadly 990,000 of them are 2 litre diesels.
 
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