Matteeboy

A recurring brake issue on the BM (335d SE Touring, 56 plate, 46k miles) is making us think of a possible next car and for the first time in years (having added up all costs over the four years we've had it) we might look at PCP or similar.

The BM is pretty quick, very innocuous (the car must NOT look flashy), good on fuel (400 miles per tank), easy to drive quickly BUT the brake thing is proving annoying - we've spent £700++ for it NOT to be sorted and no one knows what's up.

We have the Cali for space and it does most things; we have two young kids and a labrador (small one!) but the kids are old enough (nearly 2 and 4) that we don't need to lug loads of crud around.

BMW M135i 5 door - the reviews are outstanding, it's very quick (320bhp, 0-60 in 4.9 for the auto, turbo'd six cylinder 3.0) , the smaller size would be handy for parking and our Cornish lanes but it IS a it of a minger. But it might just be too small?
Audi S4 Avant - 4WD, a much bigger car but still very quick (335bhp, supercharged V6 3.0), pretty luxurious, more to buy but a lot of car for the money, nearly new ones seem to be pretty reasonable.
Golf R 5 door - older mk6 shape (the mk7 is now out) but still rapid, 4WD, looks nice but put off by it having a four pot engine. It's a VW ;-)

Sadly a 911 or GT-R are not anywhere near being in budget ;-)

It would have to have 18s, not 19s

Any input anyone?

I'm nervous that we could spend loads more money trying to get the brakes sorted but get no more p/x.

drb5

iTrader: (4)

I don't think i could see by the M135i tbh.

I seen on PH, there was a couple delivery miles vehicles with options for around 29k. How can you knock that back??

Matteeboy

The BM is my choice too TBH but the missus who shares the car decisions isn't quite there yet - I did make headway last night though and I've made the first call.

A bu99er trying to get a test drive in one though!

drb5

iTrader: (4)

From what i've seen/read, i doubt a test drive would sway my mind at all!

Estoril blue looks perfect on it.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

So you have an unfixable problem with the brakes on a BMW that is barely run in and you want to buy another one .... yep that's sensible

Matteeboy

Actually no. It started at 35k miles and has been persistent since.

Just like you were spouting on about branding an SL55 as a dodgy purchasing idea because other Mercs fall to bits, you now do EXACTLY the same with the BM - the M135i has completely different (Brembo) brakes anyway.

Research shows this is a very unusual case - almost a one off in fact. They work fine, they just rumble under sustained braking.

When mocking, try and do it with a wee bit of intellect...

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

I know, that's exactly why I wrote it If you post like a cretin I will treat you like one when the opportunity arises. Ta da!

Now, now put the toys back in your pram and write us another long post about how idyllic your surfer dude camper van BMW 2.4 kids lifestyle is as personally I just can't get enough of hearing about it

Matteeboy

Or I could just be a persistently belligerent old fart that enjoys nothing more than some vacuous trolling.

But that would be silly.

Now step back and consider what your post says about yourself; it's a thread about choosing a car; I ask here because some folk are extremely well informed. However you bring up some utterly irrelevant tosh about lifestyle. What does that say about you? That may require some thought; a tricky concept in F1 World.

Back on topic; £29k does sound rather good. Off to check those ads out!

richs2891

mm so looking at petrol based cars then - Ok it does not look like you have done the miles in the BMW to really justify a diesel, but do you not think your going to get a shock with the mpg on a M135i ? Mid 20's from your other post on the subject and supposed engine issues with the 35 engine ?
Dont get the issue with a 4 pot engine ?

Richard

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Yes some are extremely well informed, just not you ... not about Mercs anyway

Matteeboy

They have the same "official" combined mpg (more or less) or mid 30s. Most of our driving is country road which doesn't seem to affect petrols too much (unlike urban driving). I can take a hit TBH.

Still only in the early stages but as good as the diesel is (been doing a few "home" acceleration vids for a laugh- it's getting great times even in the wet!), I do need to go back to petrol next. I miss the rev range, the sound but most of all the throttle response. That's the S4's trump card; being supercharged - fantastic response but it's not as quick as the M135i and it's quite big.

Rich - I just don't really like 4 pots. Our van is one but the engine is very much secondary. Bi-turbo, 180bhp but I just don't like the sound of them or the amount they need ragging. I like easy 6 pot power. If I could afford it, I'm sure I'd like V8 power even more!

Matteeboy

From the man that's seem to deny a massively well known issue with a brand...

Merc build quality has been average at best since the early 90s. Before that, it was the best.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

QED

Jimpreza

Matt - does it bother you that the engine note in the Beamer is played through the speakers like in the M5?

zip106

A little out of budget?
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/c...-tronic/801247

Or something like -
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/c...-saloon/997848

ScoobyDoo555

My preference would be the Audi as the q-car of the 3. Then the Golf R.

Had both an S4 Avant and a golf mk5 GTI. (Mk6 is basically a facelifted 5 with a modded engine)

The 135i is by all accounts a great car, but BY ***, it's a butt-ugly beast.

However, under no circumstances get a Porsche -they're sh1te

Matteeboy

The Alpina is waaaay out of budget. The M3 is not a hatch or estate - needed as we have a dog (and I don't like saloons and not sure about most faux coupes).

Jim - a little but it's not a deal breaker.

Scooby - yep they are ugly. Which the S4 Avant isn't. Hmmm...

Jimpreza

RS6 V10

I think I'd go for the Audi or VW as I find the 1 series hatch awful to look at. I'd have a 335i/d over all them though.

Matteeboy

We're looking at something newer - the current F30's best effort is the 330d which is pokey but not man enough. It's also massive; too big really. And has slightly dodgy (electric) steering.

Hmmm...

Maybe I'll get a Renault Scenic.







...only joking!

LMC

Scirocco r , rs or golf r for me with the potential of tuning if you got bored.
The bm is a quality bit of kit but looks HIDEOUS.

bighead

iTrader: (1)

Audi RS4 avante....no need to look further , unless BMW to a M3 estate!

zip106

http://www.xtreme-uk.net/performance...ail.asp?id=349

Matteeboy

Naah. The cars I've listed are all quick but sensible money to run. We also need fairly good range for occasional meetings in London.
The current BM ticks most boxes; easy to drive quickly, comfy thanks to sensible tyres and shocks, still fun on backroads.

Don't want to pick up an old mega car and be faced with dire range and astronomical bills. Also like having something under warranty so newish.

SPIDERWRX

how much in total is the PCP on the m135 going to cost over 3 years?

how much is your 335d going to cost over the next 3 years?

i would not go from a 335i/335d to a m135.

Get a remap done on your 335d mate, you will forget about the m135

Matteeboy

It's still not decided. Plus I got 6s to 60 yesterday in terrible conditions and no proper launch start. It seems to be getting quicker...

But I am hankering after petrol soon.

Will see what the numbers are like when the sales guy gets back to me...

SPEN555

Sod the labrador

BMW are doing 0% finance on the M3.

I just specced one up with DCT and Competition Pack along with other bits of crap taking the value to £62k.

Deposit can be as low as £8k. If you put down £17k it's only £333 per month and after 3 years give it back or hand over £25k.

Simples.

Matteeboy

Nope; fuel range is cr4p, it's too blingy, needs too much effort to drive quickly, too firm for long distance work trips. And we like our poor mutt! Lovely cars for sure but not for us.

However we did get 0% on a car that wasn't on a 0% list a while back. Wonder if that would extend to the M135i? They're currently doing 4.9% on PCP which isn't bad but the numbers must add up for use as a work tool.

We've used the camper as a mobile office a few times - even "interviewed" people for media training! It's smart enough to be used this way luckily. Not a fake flower or hippy kit in sight ;-)

Tidgy

m5 estate?

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/c...ng-2007/906532

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/c...ro-2007/860441

Graz

The running costs put me off the M5 or the Audi equivalent though you really have to compare with the RS6 as the RS4 is a bit on the small side (i.e. 3 series not 5 series). That said I'll probably be moaning about mine anyway after a few sets of tyres, brake pads, discs, etc. So long as nothing major goes wrong though I'll give serious consideration to extending the warranty when he approved used one is up. As I do 40 miles a day commuting and didn't really want the hassle of running two cars the 535d had to be the way to go, great performance and it is possible to get 40mpg out of it, though only through restraint