Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

carl,

I'll only be keeping the car for a max 12 months and sure you can find early 330Ci's for reasonable money but thats got 65,000 miles on the clock, I'll be moving mine on when it hits 50,000. I doubt its going to half its value in 12 months even with 50k on the clock.

I also am not sure that everyone is going to want diesel's as after I worked out how much I'd save a year on fuel with the diesel, the savings dont match the initial extra outlay of roughly £2500. Fair enough, over 2 or 3 years you'd have made that back but to actually have made a saving, you'd need the car for over 3 years and thats based on an annual mileage of 26,000 miles. Now that diesel is the same price as premium unleaded, its not that great to be honest.

On another note, I just asked my local dealer which out of the 2 cars they would rather take as a trade in in 12 months time (bear in mind neither cars are from this dealership), both the sales exec and sales manager said the one with the imola would be their choice on the forecourt!

Here are the 2 cars:





(the red doesnt look as bright on my PC as it did on my laptop!)





Anyway, I'm going to see which one I can get the best deal on before I make my mind up

MattOz

Jay,

They both look good, but the one with Imola leather is the one to have. A bit different, and it's got heated seats too! Not sure about auto box, but if it suits you...LOL

Bottom line is try both and see which one is the better drive and which dealer offers the best deal.

Matt

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Cheers Matt

I drove one with the autobox at the weekend and one with the manual last night and I cant believe Im saying this but the auto felt much nicer the manual box wasnt very smooth at all, really quite notchy. The auto in sport mode is certainly liveable with and on the plus side its made it much easier to find a car now that Im prepared to consider one with an auto.

As for the leather, I think its probably going come down to which one I can get the best deal on... the money's better in my pocket than theirs

Jeff

MattOz

Jeff,

To be honest, there's a greater demand for the auto box on 330's, so come resale time it'll be better for you. Certainly agree with the money being better in your pocket than theirs! Haggle Haggle Haggle is the name of the game. There are plenty of good cars out there to choose from and dealers know it.

Good Luck

Matt

Dream Weaver

Jeff, how did you find the MV alloys for tramlining etc?

I'm a bit concerned with ours now as I would class it as "dangerous" on busy country roads. Went up to Harrogate on Sunday and a few times we nearly got thrown into oncoming traffic/lorries.

May take it in to BMW to get it checked out.

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Matt

Yeah although Im trying to buy one of the above through my local dealer as they've been pretty good so far (the complete opposite of Williams BMW - in Manchester where I work) but he did say that he doubts he be able to give me as much discount as if it was one of their cars, so we'll see....

Simon

I took the diesel on a really narrow twisty bumpy country lane as per your recommendation and I know what you mean, the suspension didnt feel particularly at home on the bumpy surface, that said, it didnt feel life threatening LOL

I had 18's and rock solid coilovers on the Type R and that tramlined a fair bit so to be honest it didnt really worry me too much and at the end of the day, its not really intended to be hooned around tight bump country lanes. As for rutted roads, it didnt feel any worse than Anna's 172 Cup, which tramlines really badly on heavily rutted roads like the inside lane on Mways etc

Jeff

Dream Weaver

Didn't know Anna had a 172 now, what happened to the Ibiza?

rfowler

car looks amzing.. how much u spending

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

She hated it (and to be fair it couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding) so I sold it on Fleabay (she didnt lose much on it at all) to some lads from London then went down to Essex to pick up a 172 with 19k on the clock for £6k

Anyway, she's now looking at getting an ex demo Cooper S in Jan/Feb.

rfowler - 19k

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Just bought it

Pick it up Thursday/Friday

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Can you show me where you can find these 4 year old 330CI Sports for under £10k - I might buy one. I can't find any anywhere?

The one I sold was a coupe not a convertable and it made a lot more than £10k at four years old with 60K on the clock - and that was through Autotrader.

Rannoch

carl

BMW : BMW 330 Ci SPORT AUTO (5 years old, high mileage, £9.5k)
BMW : BMW 330ci M Sport - manual (5 years old, £11.5k)
BMW : 330ci 2001 Y reg (5 years old, high mileage, £9.5k)
BMW : BMW 330ci Sport (Manual) (5 years old, high mileage, £10.5k)
BMW : 2002 330 ci M Sport Manual (4 years old, £11.9k)

There aren't actually many 4-year old ones for sale. I think people must dump them after the servicing pack has expired.

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

carl,

lets be honest, the cars you've listed arent quite of the same calibre are they...? So theres not much point trying to say that you can pick up the same car (as for example the type this thread relates to) for half the price is there?

Apples & pears ?

Jeff

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

Got to agree with Jeff, the car he has purchased is light years ahead of any of the cars in the pics Carl. Jeff she is a stunner!

Banny

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Carl,

There are loads of 4 year old 330s for sale - its just that none of them are under £10k. Certainly not 'a lot' as you claim. You have been caught with your pants down on this one mate so just cough up that you were milking the bull

Rannoch

PS The servicing pack usually runs out after three years. After that it gets very expensive and usually not worth it (£800 plus a year).

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Cheers Banny

Just rung the dealer to confirm I can pick it up (its not a her yet ) on Friday and they asked how I was getting there so I said train and they've offered to send a driver to the train station to pick me from the station saving me an 11 mile taxi journey

Jeff

carl

Ours is 5 years/60k miles.

rfowler

so how much would a 318 or 320 coupe in a W plate cost?
It might be time to sale the scooby and settle down with a bmw...

carl

I'm not saying coz apparently I'm always wrong
But get the straight 6 and not the 4. I think the 320 is a straight 6.

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Going off carls pricing, you'll probably pick one up for a tenner

rfowler

i'll have one then...

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Carl,

I would love it if you were right cos at the prices you quote I would buy another one as I loved the one I had

Still reckon most service packs are three years as most company car leases are three years and private buyers don't usually buy the service pack unless it is part of a deal.

Rannoch

ScoobyJawa

Nice one Jeff Good choice IMHO!!!

Similar to you I pick my 3.0 BM up on at the weekend - only mines a Z4!

carl

They changed it around 2 years ago I think. It used to be 3 years (can't remember how many miles) then it became 5 years/60k miles. Good for residuals if you can sell it after 3 years still under warranty and with the servicing pack.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info - still thought most service packs are three years as it is separate from the warranty.

Nevertheless - if the change came about two years ago then most three year old cars will still be on the three year warranty/service pack so your argument still falls down

And remember mine was sold around it's fourth birthday with 60k miles, no leather, manual, no extra toys, no warranty or service pack for £15.5k through Autotrader so plenty of price competition!

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

Cheers matey

Z4 - ya big tart (says me thats just bought a car with red leather )

Which engine have you gone for?

We'll have to start a new thread "Show Us Your New Beemer"

Jeff

ScoobyJawa

Yeah - early midlife crisis I think LOL @ the red leather, mines "old mans beige"

Its the 3.0i 231bhp version as the cars a 2003, fully loaded with options which is nice

lucylastic

Hope you're very happy with her I've had my 330Ci M Sport Convertible for almost a year now, and never been happier with a car, not a single niggle (apart from my hair getting a bit knotty when I've got the roof down ) The colour of mine rivals yours too I reckon - "Techno Violet" on the outside, with purple and black leather inside. (I am a girl though )

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

SJ,

Very Nice

You say that its 231bhp because its a 2003, whats the relevance between the two?

BTW - Did you go for the manual or auto box?

Jay_bee

iTrader: (1)

LOL @ "not a single niggle (apart from my hair getting a bit knotty when I've got the roof down )"



Actually, I always wanted the previous shape M3 in Techno Violet with cream leather. I dont think I've seen an E46 in that colour. Yours sounds like a proper poseur mobile

Jeff