should i?

[adolf hamster]

should i try and do this swap (by buying the first car and selling the second privately)?

car to buy is an alfa 159 3.2 q4, so 3.2 v6, 4wd, 52k miles for ~£6k


car to sell is a BMW e90 325i, old man auto with cream leather finish trim spec, and a spare set of f30 msport alloys, 52k miles reckon i could get 5k for the car and maybe 500 for the wheels.


issue is, whilst i can afford to just out and buy the alfa, i can't afford to have the bmw sitting on the drive for months if it's hard to sell, and neither can i afford to let it go too cheap for the sake of a quick sale.

what are ocuk's thoughts? i'm a young petrolhead (hence why group 29 vs group 30 insurance is attractive) living in an area where rwd isn't such a good idea come winter time.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Go try driving the Alfa. My guess is that it'll "feel" a good deal more special than the E90.
A key question is whether you're comfortable with the probable increase in running costs.

If you are, and don't mind the potential additional risk (perceived or real, no idea), then why not?

 

[adolf hamster]

Go try driving the Alfa. My guess is that it'll "feel" a good deal more special than the E90.
A key question is whether you're comfortable with the probable increase in running costs.

If you are, and don't mind the potential additional risk (perceived or real, no idea), then why not?

i'm well aware of the tax and fuel implications of the alfa, the beamer sits at 30mpg and credit to it that's impressive for what it is.

the thing is, i thought i'd like to try the auto and it is nice, but i'm just not getting on with it, i guess my general feeling of the beamer is "well yes it's good, but it's meant to be"

 

[rodenal]

It's an odd car that Alfa, been a long long time since I was in one but it really didn't feel very quick, not sure if it's down to the q4 gubbins. Certainly not a patch on the older/lighter 147gta with the previous v6. Though it still sounded nearly as lovely as the old one

Cant do any harm to try it, probably quite a good car in its day but I can't help but feel than an e90 is a lot....well better tbh

 

[Witor]

Indeed. Whilst performance figures aren't that different, 3.2 v6 just ain't as good as the one found in the 156/147 gtas.

 

[adolf hamster]

It's an odd car that Alfa, been a long long time since I was in one but it really didn't feel very quick, not sure if it's down to the q4 gubbins. Certainly not a patch on the older/lighter 147gta with the previous v6. Though it still sounded nearly as lovely as the old one

Cant do any harm to try it, probably quite a good car in its day but I can't help but feel than an e90 is a lot....well better tbh

the e90 is old, it's 2005 (although nice enough specced and excellent condition for the age), the alfa is newer.

it is tricky, as i know where i stand with the beamer. i'd imagine the alfa will probably be a bit quicker than the beamer but it's the 4wd is what interests me, my driveway is so awkward if i go too slowly the beamer will spin at a certain point, and that's in the dry god knows how bad it'll be in winter.

 

[rebel rebel]

Buy it! How popular are the qtronic auto boxes? I've been casually keeping an eye out for a 3.2 Brera, and have seen hardly any that weren't manuals.

 

[adolf hamster]

Well, question answered, was going to see it and literally on the way got the message that itd been sold.

Time to get some new tyres for the 19's and press ahead with the radio conversion on the beamer, theres nowt else in ni is worth losing 1k to in a straight swap