G00ner

This wins every time -

_Tim_

G00ner wins!

I'd give my left nut for one. In white. In fact I think if we'd bought our 535d a year later it would probably have been one of those instead since the used values took a huge knock.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Actually that sounds like the right answer!

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Im not bored with mine.

hades

Whilst the older 3 series weren't big, and the 5 series is undoubtably bigger, I also find it rather difficult to accept that the 3 Touring is small/cramped in E91 guise. I'm about 6', and I'm very comfortable in the back of my wife's 320d with the front seat set where I drive from (wife has fairly long legs and drives with the seat in the same place as me). We were looking this summer for a family estate to replace her MX-5 (baby due soon), and quickly narrowed it down to A4 Avant versus 3 series touring (about 3 years old in either case). Part of what swung it was that the 3 was noticably roomier, nicer to drive, and we thought it was better built too.

Never tried economy with setting our cruise up at 90 - will save that for foreign holidays with the baby next year - but 50 on a run at normal UK motorway speeds seems the norm. At 60mph, it's more like 60mpg. With "only" 163bhp (pre ED engine), it's not properly quick, or in twin turbo 3L territory, but still more than ample for everyday use.

hodgy0_2

BMW do have an uncanny knack of making, even the larger cars (5 & 7 series); drive really "small".

Compared to say the equivalent Jag -- which drives like an oil tanker

zero260

There is a huge difference in size interior wise between the 5 and the 3 for sure, thats one of the reasons I stick with the 5 for the extra room.

Last week I picked up my new M-sport 5 series tourer in white with the 19's on, Its great on the motorway, its like parting of the waves when someone spots a white 5 series in their rear view mirror, especially when I put on my high vis work top. Get places very quickly.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

That looks like a car that a Henry would drive.

Blue aint my colour.

austinwrx

Can't believe this nonsense is still going !!!

I could do with a bigger family car- it'll prob be a legacy estate. good value and superb reliability- compared to german cars.... of which I've had lots of and they just haven't been 100% faultless like my impreza.

of course I couldn't possibly buy a legacy without knowing how fast it is on a track.

because that really matters in day to day driving.

Matteeboy

So Austin, will you be buying a quick Legacy? And if so, why?

The cars we have been talking about are quick estate cars - one is big, the other is quite compact. If owners don't care at all about how fast they are, why didn't they get a 20d version?

I can't believe how irrelevant some of the points on this thread are. The OP is choosing between a 335i and a 535d Touring. Both quick, both practical, both great cars. If he wanted a massive family car, he'd be looking at a giant 4x4 or similar.

Yet suddenly it's all about the odd inch of boot space and legroom. People don't buy these cars primarily for mega space - that's what MPVs and V70s are for. If you can't fit your gear into a 3 series Touring, you clearly need a roofbox and a trailer. Or maybe a slower, more spacious car. And a caravan. And a beige cardigan. And elbow patches.

Why are quick estates so popular then? Nothing to do with then being fast?

No of course not. It's about the size of the cupholders.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Again I cant argue with that.

_Tim_

lol you really do live in some parallel universe mattee.

Just because you have a fast car, does not mean you have to drive it like your hair is on fire everywhere. Or ram it's 0.1 second advantage down the throat of every passing individual who dared to buy something different.

Your poor family must love having their heads smacked into the side windows on every trip.

MattW

I have to say upon realising that I failed to spec the storage pack whch adds rear cup holders, the first thing I checked when i saw mine was the place they were normally fitted. Was mightily relieved to see they are were standard!

Matteeboy

Rear cupholders are usually an EXTRA?!! My god!!!

Got two in our middle foldey downey rear seat armresty thing.

Just Autoglym leather creamed mine - it smell bl00dy lovely - if any of you horseride - smells just like saddle cream!

hodgy0_2

it might have to be a wig

MattW

I thought they were but obviously not!

_Tim_

lol. can pubes grow on someones head? Could be possible in some cases I think.

G00ner

A Spec B Tourer for less than £8k has to be a bargain -

Subaru : 2005 SUBARU LEGACY 3.0 R SPEC B SPORT TOURER WARRANTY

I lost £8k in depreciation in 6 months on my Spec B!

Dream Weaver

It's because most people buy an estate as a second family car and not their main car so the key things become space, safety, reliability, comfort etc.

We are fine with our Civic hatch 90% of the time, but it's that 10% where you struggle for whatever reason and you would prefer a bigger car - we recently went to the coast with my wifes parents and my son. We had to move our son's car seats into the middle of the back seats and seat two adults either side of him. It worked fine and everyone had just enough room but I kept getting a knee in my back whilst driving along!!

Same when going on holiday down South or down through France, we always seem to need just a bit more space.

As for reasons for buying, we will probably go for a 320d or a 520d as we don't need the extra power/running costs but I understand why people would want power with space, they aren't mutually exclusive.

Matteeboy

We occasionally take the Jimny out - big rear facing child seat + baby, dog, all our kit and me and Mrs Matt in it - TBH you can fit in anything if you try. More than 50 miles would kill us but it's fine for nipping out in.
The 3er Touring is more than big enough for us and also has tonnes of handy storage spaces - one area that the larger (inside) Astra Estate fell down in - it didn't even have proper cup holder and NO storage compartments in the boot. The 3er has built in dog guard, split tailgate (makes a great playpen!), elastic for securing bottles (of wine...!), a waterproof area under the boot floor for wet stuff, electric power supply in the boot, handy little netting area (for surf wax,roof straps, etc) and loads of lashing eyes - very well thought out.

Jimpreza

He has more hair than you mate.

Matteeboy

My numberplate has more hair than me.

He's got even more hair now (exactly the same as my barnet at that age)!

Here's the two of us to compare- I'm trying to attract a passing plane with my shiny slap, the little one is looking in a rockpool trying to see if daddy's hair might have fallen into the water.



I give it an hour before the abuse hits and I have to take this pic off...

hodgy0_2

is that Polzeath mattee?


and proof -- you can do without big cars, always room for one more

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Lol, is that a Suzuki watch-a-ma-call-it?

LOL

hodgy0_2

thats the one

Matteeboy

It's Praa (clamping central!) in September this year.

hodgy0_2

it does look like Polzy with Atlantic Terrace on your right

Matteeboy

Polzey doesn't have the crumbling sandy cliff on the left (all rocks at Polzey) or the worst clampers this side of London.

It was flat that day (swam out to the point at the South end of the beach instead) but when it works there (big swell and light northerlies) it REALLY works - makes Polzeath look tame in comparison.

Nicked from the net but this is an example:





Back to the thread title - either cars gets you here fine but either car is likely to get clamped!

dpb

Mother mus be a beauty queen


There - is that good enough

Matteeboy