spudgun

right guys n gals, i am writing this as a scooby owner, so no bitchin about this post ok? if you dont like bmw's, dont read it..if yer tempted...read on....

today i finally picked up my 330ci sport auto. its topaz blue. when i arrived at the dealership, princess' first words when she saw it was " wow, its feckin gorgeous!" ( she'd never seen one before)
this car has cost me just over 29k. the my00 i owned cost me nearly 27k ( i got all the prodrive kit).
i have to say that seeing as both cars are in a similar price bracket, i feel a fool that i ever spent that much money on a uk scooby. this beemer eats it for breakfast in just about every area, and needs no upgrading or modding.
the beemers nearly as quick, handles just as well ( in the dry anyway ), is better built by a mile. the interior is absolutely gorgeous. i am going out for a drive tonight, its THAT much fun...and guess what, i will be able to see where im going, coz its got xenon headlights
now, its only been a day, but this feels like the most COMPLETE car ive ever owned. were you the P1 owner in ipswich who gave my car a good long look as you drove by? and then proceeded into the jaguar dealership? tut tut
so, there you have it. i still love scoobys, we drive our my95 into work every other day. BUT, if you fancy a change, perhaps want something a bit more understated, or are simply sick of looking at an interior that is inexcusable, you should definately try a 330ci sport coupe auto.
and as ive said before, the guys at cooperbmw ipswich are light years ahead of any subaru dealers ive dealt with.
so my flame suit is on,i expect a healthy debate, and i await the my scooby is better than your car barage

Gastro

Spudgun,

As a matter of interest - why on earth did you buy an auto...........???
I think you'll tire of that with time...

Good luck to ya' !

Gastro

spudgun

gastro
i bought an auto after test driving both manual and auto versions. i have always had a problem with the offset of bmw peddles, so i tried an auto.
the auto is great! ive never had one before, but i will never buy another manual again! it has a manual mode if you wanna change yourself, but i cant be ar5ed
the auto box has a sport mode, which gives you an extra 1500rpm in every gear. this is the mode ive been using today
when you press the accelerator all the way down, the car drops down a gear, it feels like turbo boost, and by god it shifts!!
if youve never tried an auto, take a 330 auto out, its great fun.
incidentally, they reckon that the new m3 smg is better option than the manual version..its certainly the one ive already got my name down for

Bajie

Good for you Spudgun!
I actually like the BMW coupe and really like the M3.
Like you I have a UK scoob which worked out very expensive with all the Prodrive modifications.
The only thing I don't like about the M3 is the rear view mirror
Unfortunately, not enough room for two high performance cars in the garage though
Flash the scoobs you see, then look for yourself in the "Was it you" section.

spudgun

bajie, why dont you like the rear view mirror, or am i missing a joke
as is say, the m3 smg will be my next car, unless subaru pull their finger out and make a car that MAKES me buy it. i saw a my01 today. nice colour( blue of course) shame about the car. it looked stupid, sorry but its mho.
cmon subaru, make the new scooby look great. put a decent interior in, and THEN ask 24.5k, and an extra 1.7k for ppp
is it me, or does anyone else find the uk300 a p1ss take? well over the odds for a wrx with a few twiddly bits on? it still looks a dog. sort it out subaru, and ill spend another fortune with you, if not, hello m3 18 months from now

spudgun

just back from a nighttime drive. its been a long time since ive done this! ive just realised i wasnt putting my foot all the way down! when u put your foot down, theres a slight resistance near fully depressed, press beyond this, and....engage mr la forge!!
turned the xenons on for the first time...daylight! i have not enjoyed driving this much in a long time, if ever. i have dubious music tastes, but listening to my old pet shop boys cd, suburbia comes on, turn it up full blast using the steering wheel volume controls, and it was heaven!
even had thumbs up from nova boys, but they probably thought it was an m3
if id gone ahead with the leather retrim on my old my00, it would have cost the same in total as this car. therefore , competing on a price point of view, there is no contest.
i think scoobys are the nearest ive ever found to a machine being almost 'alive'. but its a car i need, one thats suitable for ALL occasions, and this time, maybe, i think ive got it right
however, being as bad as chins , you never know!

ajw

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by spudgun:
<B>right guys n gals, i am writing this as a scooby owner, so no bitchin about this post ok? if you dont like bmw's, dont read it..if yer tempted...read on....

today i finally picked up my 330ci sport auto. its topaz blue. when i arrived at the dealership, princess' first words when she saw it was " wow, its feckin gorgeous!" ( she'd never seen one before)
this car has cost me just over 29k. the my00 i owned cost me nearly 27k ( i got all the prodrive kit).
i have to say that seeing as both cars are in a similar price bracket, i feel a fool that i ever spent that much money on a uk scooby. this beemer eats it for breakfast in just about every area, and needs no upgrading or modding.
the beemers nearly as quick, handles just as well ( in the dry anyway ), is better built by a mile. the interior is absolutely gorgeous. i am going out for a drive tonight, its THAT much fun...and guess what, i will be able to see where im going, coz its got xenon headlights
now, its only been a day, but this feels like the most COMPLETE car ive ever owned. were you the P1 owner in ipswich who gave my car a good long look as you drove by? and then proceeded into the jaguar dealership? tut tut
so, there you have it. i still love scoobys, we drive our my95 into work every other day. BUT, if you fancy a change, perhaps want something a bit more understated, or are simply sick of looking at an interior that is inexcusable, you should definately try a 330ci sport coupe auto.
and as ive said before, the guys at cooperbmw ipswich are light years ahead of any subaru dealers ive dealt with.
so my flame suit is on,i expect a healthy debate, and i await the my scooby is better than your car barage

[/quote]

spudgun

your point being, ajw?

Bajie

Spudgun
I don't like the shape of the mirror.
Though I do like the auto dimming feature.
Funnily enough, I think the New Age Impreza is a better car in the flesh than in pictures. It still hasn't grown on me as the shape change is so dramatic.
But then, BMW bodyshells have a 7-10yr lifespan too. They just seem to be a bit easier on the eye nowadays.

MarkWRX

spudgun,
330ci is a great motor, surprised bout the auto though, but then I havent driven one.
I do think they look great and would consider one, the main problem is the old chestnut of the BMW image and being associated with it. I think this mostly belong to the 318/320 brigade, as more high spec BMs seem to be better driven, but weve all experienced too many BM drivers with too much attitude (bad driving).
Congrats on purchase of a fine car anyway.

Mark

spudgun

markwrx
at the risk of sounding like a salesman for bmw in this thread( im not by the way ), forget any preconceptions about auto cars. at no point today have i reached for the gearstick. i have always driven manuals, this is my first auto. it is staggeringly good. the way i think of it is this. when i play racing video games, i always choose auto gearbox option. that way i can concentrate on braking and accelerating and going round corners. the gear box in this 330 does everything for you. you will not find yourself stuck in the wrong gear. test drive one, what have you to lose? it would be interesting hearing another scooby drivers opinion
when you want to reverse into a parking space, you dont even need to press the accelerator, it inches you back gently. when your on a steepish hill, just press the brake once, take your foot off, and it will hold you there.
this car has completely opened my eyes

MarkWRX

Spud, youve got me thinkin, but its hard enough deciding which scooby I want without throwing beemers into the equation

Tom Evans

Spudgun,

Congrats on buying your new car. Hope you continue to enjoy it.

Saw pic of UK300 in the News of the World and will admit that it's a joke. Says it was designed by Pete Stevens...I did not know this. What was he on at the time is what I want to know. Reckon it may look better in the flesh, however.

Mike Rutherford says that it could give the Porsche 911 a run for its money...how?? Porsche has looks and build quality, etc.

Mike Rutherford says that the UK300 is "certain to become a collector's item". He's having a bubble bath - I can't see this happening.

Cheers,
Tom

P.S. Does the 330ci have the four tailpipes, like the new M3? That is, I think the only thing I'm not too keen on, as I think they are too central - prefer them nearer the edge of the car, if you see what I mean?

[This message has been edited by Tom Evans (edited 27 May 2001).]

Tiggs

i test drove a 330 coupe auto before getting a MY01, the BMW was the best car i have ever driven and the auto box was a must, superb. i will own one at some point, no doubt.

BUT, i tested the MY01 in the pouring rain and got out of it amazed at how it did the things it did. it was, for me, the more fun car- when im over 30 maybe the bmw will have a chance.

also the i had a job spotting the 330 in the dealers against the 318s, at least with the scoob you know what it is. ugly doesnt matter, its a car. what matters to me is that people notice it for being a scoob. no one sees mike tyson and says "what a hansome chap" but they dont give him a slap.

tiggs

spudgun

330 has twin tailpipes on one side of car.
i aint an old fart, im only 32, but this car feels right for me.
as for standing out in the crowd? i dont want to from the front its similar to an m3, it has a deeper front spoiler i think, yet its all very understated. i had a big prodrive wing , P1 alloys, lowered suspension on my my00. i might aswell painted a huge target on it and say come and get me. the minute i put all that stuff on my scoob, i got constantly harrassed. i got sick of it in the end.
the good thing is we still have our my95, with big spoilers etc, but if we aint in the mood, we leave it at home.
as for being exclusive? i have hardly seen another 3 series coupe all weekend, let alone a 330. i have seen quite a few scoobys today though. i dread to think who will be driving these cars in a few years time (i.e nova boys). i think a lot of the enthusiasts will move on to something else perhaps. i dunno, maybe im getting old?
or smarter?

ozzy

Well I'm only 27, but your right about the nova-boys. Now that you can get an older Scooby for £6K or less, there's not a lot stopping them. Insurance maybe, but most of them haven't heard of that anyway

I was a bit worried myself about getting harrassed, but I've not had any bother in the two years of ownership. I did catch someone "looking" at the car in the wee small hours one night not long after I bought it. A friendly word in his ear sorted that though

Other than that I've not had any problems. I've not had any boy racers try to provoke me into racing them or hassle when I've had the family with me. To be honest all I've gotten is compliments. My younger brother hangs about with the local nova-boys, so maybe that helps as well as living in a small community.

I think your right. It's the smart thing to do if you get hassle and anyway you can always get a bike if you need some excitement

Stefan

RussP

Yup. They're triffic cars.

But totally lack ANY passion or involvement.

Just one more Bimmer, goes well, looks nice, never flashes you out of a side road.

But as long as you enjoy it, good luck

Rus

AnthonyJ

Interesting to read the comments on this thread. I have a Possum'd 98 WRX and an E36 M3 SMG convertible so I thought I'd chuck my two cents in on the BMW versus Impreza debate. I warn you this will get long and boring and it is slightly off topic! I hope some of you find it interesting though...

Comparing the two cars is very very difficult because they deliver the thrills and spills in very different ways. Bear in mind that I'm not an expert driver - these thoughts reflect my feelings on the two cars when making "good progress" on normal roads. Also, consider that I am driving the slowest M3 Evo (convertible + SMG) against what is a quick example of the Impreza (both cars are run on SUL)...

I've driven the new 330 and think it is a wonderful car especially for the money (automatic is very nice), but although it probably improves on the M3 in terms of handling (especially on the edge), it is definitely not as fast on the straight bits as either the M3 or the WRX. Below, I've tried to break down my thoughts into separate areas of car ownership in order to try and choose in my own mind which I'd rather have if I had to get rid of one of them...


Comfort
-------
M3 beats Scooby by a mile. Better interior, more gadgets, quieter, less rattly, trip computer, fantastic stereo etc, etc.


Economy
-------

OK - a dirty word in this company(!), but I mention it merely because of how impressive the M3 is. On a long motorway run, the car returns 32mpg which is pretty impressive for a 3.2. I seem to get about 26mpg out of the WRX under similar situations (it has gone up a little since the Possum). Average MPG on a good thrash about very rarely dips below 23-24 on the M3 (how do they do it?!), whereas I can easily get the Subaru down to mid teens.


Dry Grip
--------

I think (bearing in mind I have no scientific proof) that the M3 will outcorner the scooby on longer, higher speed bends (i.e. dual carriageway types) where its wider tyres and greater weight help. Apart from that, Scooby wins everywhere else because it can always put more power down while going round the twists and it has less of a battle with inertia through the chicanes and tighter bends...

There is a big roundabout near where I live that the Subaru will go round at 60 (albeit with some complaints from the tyres!) and where you can adjust the line purely on the throttle - the car feels well planted and totally under control. I tried the same test in the BMW and couldn't get above 50 - the car was understeering badly which was scrubbing the speed and I wasn't confident enough to push any harder.


Wet Grip
--------

Why are you even asking?! Under the circumstances, the M3 does a pretty good job, but you end up with understeer followed by pretty viscious oversteer. Since I've changed to 17" S-02s on the scooby I haven't really found its new limits! For me, the Scooby eats M3 in terms of confidence, control and forgiveness. I imagine the better drivers would probably have more fun with the M3 - it does seem to reward skill a lot more than the "point and squirt" attitude of the Scooby. Personally I like the "point and squirt" feel of the Impreza - it flatters me into thinking that I am the worlds greatest driver without ever scaring me or leading me into trouble.

Using the roundabout test as described above, I find that the wet road has very little effect on the Subaru's fantastic grip - probably knocking the speed down to about 55mph, whereas I don't feel safe enough in the BMW to try pushing above 40. Perhaps this is purely a confidence thing or my inability to read the car correctly. Also bear in mind that these are public roads and although I do my tests in the middle of the night when there isn't any traffic about, I need to consider my limits as well as the cars. Maybe a race track would allow me to reveal hidden depths in the BMW, but on a wet road it just doesn't inspire confidence like the Subaru - perhaps that is a good thing?!!


Brakes
------

Tricky one this. The M3 has excellent brakes and a fantastic pedal feel. Worked hard, the brakes deliver without fail. Having driven many varieties of Scoobies (but not the 22B), I'd say that the standard BMW brakes are better (and certainly more fade resistant) than the standard Subaru jobs (especially the original 2-pots I had - what a joke!). However, I now have AP 4-pots on the WRX which feel better and better the more I drive the car (I reckon it took them over 2,000 miles before they really bedded in properly). The Impreza now has a better pedal feel than the BM and seems to stop slightly quicker. Conversely, the BM feels more planted when doing the classic "oh my god, some idiot has just pulled out 50 yards ahead of me on this single lane A road" anchor up - very stable and controllable whereas perhaps the Impreza is now a bit "overbraked" at the front. I have never felt either of them fade during normal road driving (the original Impreza brakes certainly did fade!). Both stop very well in the wet, staying nicely balanced and composed and giving you the best oppotrunity to use the ABS if necessary. I'm particularly impressed with the way that both can shed a lot of speed round bends (not that I'd ever recommend it!) without doing anything stupid.


Acceleration / Top Speed
------------------------

Scooby is much quicker from standstill (even against SMG's launch control) and is quicker in a gear for gear comparison (especially when you consider the M3 has an extra gear). However, catch the M3 near the top of its rev range and it is very rapid (it has the same kind of addictive feel as the scooby at 3.5k rpm!). The BM also pulls strongly and smoothly from anywhere above 2.5k rpm with no discernable lag. I also love the way you can floor it at 60 and watch the gearbox change from 6th to 3rd!
In real-terms, once they are both moving, I don't think there is such a big difference, but the M3 _feels_ a lot slower probably because it is smoother and more refined! The Possum gives the Impreza a much better pull near the top of the rev range than it used to have - I imagine the a standard M3 would reel a standard 280bhp Impreza in at the top of its revs in each gear but would lose the advantage as it changed up (especially with the SMG which is quite slow at changing). With the modifications however, the Impreza would leap ahead from standstill and then continue to pull away consistently. Top-speed wise I think they would probably be reasonably evenly matched (largely because the M3 is limited at 155mph) but I would imagine that the BMW would get there first becuase of the reduced load imposed by 2wd as opposed to 4wd (I'm not sure what the drag is like on both cars).


General Handling
----------------

Scooby changes direction and is much more nimble than M3, although within limits (i.e. big dry roads) the BMW is surprisingly chuckable - let's face it, the M3 is not a bad handling car!. I would imagine that the scooby is better due to its lower weight (1300kg vs 1600kg) and the fact that the M3 is a convertible which blunts its responses. M3 coupes are more rigid but still have quite numb steering and lack the initial bite that the Impreza has. When making serious progress on twisty roads, the BMW cannot compete - the Impreza can brake later and get on the power earlier and harder than the M3.


Running Costs
-------------

Almost identical. BMW is slightly cheaper on petrol, but costs more to service. BMW has been 100% mechanically reliable whereas the WRX blew its turbo at 30k (_before_ I did any tuning I hasten to add!). In practise, both cars are very reliable and, disregarding the unfortunate (and rare) turbo incident, the Scooby works out a bit cheaper overall due to the lower insurance costs (even for a modded car).


Other factors
-------------

Exhaust note - don't make me choose one over the other! They both sound great!

Headlights - personally I think the M3 has pretty lousy headlights as well, although not quite as awful as the Impreza's. I haven't got Xenon lights in my M3 though.

Conclusion?
-----------

Other than the fact that I'm very lucky to own two such incredible cars, I don't really feel qualified to come up with any real verdicts about these two cars. I know that in the summer I choose the BMW more for top-down cruising, but in the winter it is always the Subaru. It comes down to this:

Sun Shining or long runs with no prospects of fun on the way or on arrival = M3. Most other times = Subaru.

Even without considering the fact that the BMW costs almost 50% more than the Impreza (including the mods), if I had to choose one it would be the WRX. Sure, I'd miss doors that go thud (and the hyrdaulic struts under the bonnet), that great interior and the excellent ergonomics, but I'd soon forget all about that when I found a nice bit of empty twisting tarmac! Smile therapy - Impreza Style! Yeah OK the interior is pretty nasty, but you should be looking out of the windscreen anyway! I also prefer the Impreza's seats and the fact that it is a proper 4 door car.

Perhaps if I was to compare a non-modded Subaru to the M3 then I might feel differently (especially in the braking department), but I don't think that is really fair. I could buy a WRX, mod it and have change for a spare car with the money I'd have to spend on an M3, and if anything, the running and insurance costs would still be lower. Furthermore, if I was to compare a non-SMG M3 Evo Coupe with the Impreza I'd be even more inclined to choose the Subaru over the M3. I've driven them too and, while more focused than my choice of M3, I'd be throwing away my favourite M3 driving moments for nothing! After all, you certainly one area in which the M3 excels is cruising along with the top down, letting the car do all of the gear changing while you concentrate on the steering and listen to that delicious exhaust note.

Hmmm. That says it all really doesn't it! I have just described the M3 as the ultimate summer cruise machine but the Impreza as the car that makes me grin from ear to ear. I suppose that in the end, although the M3 and the 330 are very fine cars, they aren't quite raw enough to ever deliver the magical feeling you sometimes get behind the wheel of an Impreza at full throttle! Perhaps it says more about me than the cars! Maybe the 330 actually makes a better case for itself than the M3 by offering a more rounded package at a considerably lower cost.

I'm hoping to get a go in the new M3 SMG as soon as it is available at a dealer near me. From what I have heard, BMW might have just closed the gap quite significantly - the engine is more powerful, the SMG is better and the car is more chuckable with the extra electronics on board (the E36 M3 doesn't have all the stability stuff - just an LSD).

OK - flame suit on. Have I managed to upset everyone or am I just going to get lynched by lovers of fast BMWs?!!? Anyone have any other thoughts or opinions?!

AJbaseBloke

Anthony]

You may get a bit of a toasting from those of us who aren't able to sample the delights of both as you do!!

I have yet to taste the new 330 or M3, but I can say that the previous M3 was nice nice enough (loooong test drive).

Fingers still crossed you'll get the STi or B4 to help the cause in the UK. Can't say the interior will beat the beemer, but as you rightly say, the "smile therapy" helps! And in the B4, the McIntosh audio can smooth the pain of traffic quite nicely!!

Cheers.

Chins

Spudgun

Youve got too many threads on this topic. To answer some of your points, although some answers refer to your other posts.

1. Your comparing your second hand 330 vs your old brand new Scooby. New vs New its 32k vs nearly 27k. As you know the deprecation on a MY00. 6 months old Scooby vs 6 month old 330 the difference would be approx £7,000. So quite substantial.

2. Dealer wise we been here too many times. Ive got a crap/arrogant BMW dealer, and youve had the same with the Scooby dealer.

3. Exclusivity of the Scooby vs BMW. Living in Bucks I see approx 10 BMW Coupe on my 7 miles journey to work. On saturday I saw 3 new shape convertibles. You say in another thread that you never see a MY01. Given the fact that the car has been out for 6 months, and there are only a 1000 out there its hardly suprising. The published figures show they have sold more WRX in this time than the old turbo in the same period last year. Bear in mind there are approx 20-30,000 old shapes out there. Its not every day of the week most people see a P1 which has sold similar numbers. Also bear in mind that with the sport seat **** up a lot of buyers have waited for the bucket seats.

4. MY01 - Some of this goes into one of your other threads, but models evolve.

When the E46 was released the top of the range was a 328. There was no Sport variant. Everything was an extra. Its only in the last year that the better value for money sport was released. The salon always had a sport suspension and sport steering wheel option. If you want a power upgrade, then BMW GB will not sanction it. Now its time to facelift the 3 series and sort out the steering and suspension. On two occasions Ive looked at buying the 330, and think its a great car. Overpriced in releation to the S3 which Ive chosen both times. Paying 29k for a car and not having full leather and Xenons std is a joke. The M3 is the first 3 series Ive REALLY wanted. One that doesnt look like all the 318's, one with enough power thrill. Please also remember BMW dealers will give you a discount off list and all the supermarkets sell them as well.

The new WRX will evolve as well. Sure if you dont like the basic shape, then there is not a lot IM can do about it. However the UK300 is a good first step. Yes I agree its a tad pricey, £1,000 too much. But can you get a discount ?. If its going to be the flop some suggest then I guess it will. IM are one of the only importers in the country that offer ECU upgrades for the car. Go buy any other Turbo charged car and ask the importer what you can do to increase power ?. Buy a Ralliart Upgraded and you lose you Mitsubishi warranty. At least the cost is a more reasonable £1600 on the UK300. A lot of people on here have stated in the past that they like their car to look like the WRC. Now if the WRC car suddenly turns up with a spoiler similar to the UK300 what will people say.

Just like BMW have taken 3/4 years to release the M3. Should IM release the car to end all cars so soon in the lifecycle ?. With emmision regulations, you might find Subaru increase the CC of the WRX. Combine that with a sequential 6 speed ?

But **** what do I know. I only changed light bulbs on the ship, whilst you stuck needles in peoples *****.

Car wise my S3 has an option to go back in 3 weeks. I have an option on the UK300, but could equally buy a 330 whilst I wait for the M3. So my post is from a neutral camp !

Jonathan

GaryC

I can back up Spudguns findings. I swapped a MY99+ppp+toys for a BMW.

I went for the 330d as I do upward of 35k miles a year, and got royally shafted on residual value on the scoob (almost 50% in 16months ).

Got a 'touring' as I think it looks the best body style of the range (M3 excluded ) and wanted to be different.

..and I too went for the steptronic/auto box and agree, having had the cogs shifted for me, I will never go for a manual in anything over than a ***** out sports car again. Does officially take the edge off the performance, but by the time you have taken 'overtaking instant kickdown' against 'manually dropping a gear' the difference is peanuts - PLUS with 290lb/ft of torque from just over 1500rpm, you seldom need to change a gear

I found myself nodding as I read everything Spudgun said above - even though I had told him most of it when he was in his quandry Given the amount of time I spend satin the car either in traffic, or just 'normally' getting from A-B the Beemer is far more suited. For the 5% of the time you can 'give it some', yes the Scoob would be quicker (but not that much ) and be far more fun but these times are deminishing thanks to Fatty Two jags, New Labia and the Tax collectors disguised in Police uniforms It pained me to realise, but the move to a Beemer was a no-brainer for me

My Impreza was (and somewhere is) a fabulous car. I will probably never own another car like it But as an everyday commuting/workhorse car it was extremely compromised, and rediculously expensive (cost me over 17k per year ). As a ***** out sunday afternoon blast/track sports car it is more suited, but is still an expensive and compromised car compared to cars that are designed for the purpose and with the 'Kev-Nova-Boy's' increasing interest and ability to get into the car (legally or otherwise ) It just compounded the reasons for wanting to move on. I still love them, and am still heavily involved with the scooby community, but for me, times have moved on

Don't get me wrong, - if you only do 10/12k per year, don't plan on changing it for a few years and want a car that is fast, fun, and noticebale, the Impreza is still about THE car to have. If I fell into that catagory, I would still have the sound of a rumbling, SS enhanced boxer-four, instead of a smooth-6 in my garage


....BUT with 45mpg+ (600 miles per tank ) I am making/saving 500ukp per month add in a no 'mods' requirement, comparative glacial depreciation, longer service intervals, less maintenance, far fewer tyres/brake pads etc etc I will be able to get a Caterham 'for the weekend' within a year on the savings alone


Sheesh..I can talk, must be the effect of the pipe and slippers

[This message has been edited by GaryC (edited 28 May 2001).]

john banks

Good on ya Spudgun. Enjoy your machine. Having a 6 month old MY00, I have been looking for a smooth cruiser which still has decent performance/handling. Not wanting to spend £30k on another car (I've nearly paid off my mortgage 20 years early and want to keep it that way). So a new 3 was out of the question although having tried a 328i a year ago my ideal would be 330 petrol manual or 330 diesel auto. Don't laugh the next bit is serious - I recently tried a Pug 406 Coupe 3.0 V6 and then a similar saloon. It was fabulous for the money second-hand. Very respectable performance (0-60 & 30-70 around 7, 0-100 around 19) - I suppose similar to 325i. Reasonable insurance (16 - 2 less than coupe). And the ride and refinement I would say are approaching 3-series standards. Handling not quite so good, but very respectable indeed. Equipment excellent - leather, climate, CD autochanger, cruise etc etc. Obviously not like the image/interior/residuals/economy/reliability/build of the BMWs, but IT ONLY COST ME £7000 with 34000 miles and less stone chips than my Scoob, and a year's warranty. Swapped out of similar mileage 1.4 Fiesta for £2650. I have to say it comes pretty close and I am delighted. OK, it's a repmobile, but I'm happy anyway - I would leave it anywhere and not be paranoid like the Scoob. I'm not expecting more than 25mpg though. Poor man's BMW?

Hunk

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Tiggs:
[Bwhat matters to me is that people notice it for being a scoob. no one sees mike tyson and says "what a hansome chap" but they dont give him a slap.

tiggs[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Haha, perfect!

ozzy

Spudgun,

I couldn't agree with you more. BMW's have always been better value for money than a high spec Scooby. The build quality, interior and looks have always been damn fine. One of the blokes I used to work with never owned anything else. I've driven his 328i and M3 and they were both fantastic cars. You really felt like the car was worth the huge amount of money you'd spent on it.

Maybe it's just me, but the main reason I haven't bought one was simply that there's so many of them about. It just didn't look different enough from the cars I see every day.

After spending over 8yrs driving into Glasgow every day, I've lost count of the number of beemers I've seen. But when it comes to Scoobies, I'm lucky if I see 3 or 4 all week!!! Sometimes I never see one. That was one of the main reasons for buying one at the time - oh and there was some talk of performance

Perhaps with the Scooby still being a little exclusive here, it's one of the benefits living in central Scotland

What's it like in your area?

Stefan

WREXY

If any Scooby owners like automatic tranny's perhaps you could order one from Subaru Australia, as it was an option on the WRX's there. And I believe it is still an option on the MY01 WRX Wagon.

DT

Spudgun,
How does the insurance compare?

MattOz

Spudgun,

Nice to hear that you're enjoying the Beemer. Have to say that I'm still more than chuffed with mine. OK, so I have a 330D Sport, as opposed to the 330i, but it's still the DB's!

I'm more than happy with everything about the car, especially the fuel economy, servicing costs, lack of heavy depreciation etc. I'm happy to leave it places that the STI would have disappeared from.

I'm going to enquire as to whether the latest steering rack for the E46 3 series can be retro-fitted, as I believe that this restores the feel, and makes it an even better drivers car than it currently is. Fingers crossed that it can.

Hope you remain as happy with it as I am with mine.

Matt

Stevie

Glad you are happy with the car,

Personally, I have spent the last 3.5 years in German cars after my first Impreza and am now happy to be back in a MY01. I will never buy German again. OK, maybe a Merc 400 GD but we will probably never get it here! All I had with German cars was problems. This, btw, is my opinion.

One question though, why are 2 door 3 series cars called coupes? I know the dimensions are marginally different to the rep version but it is hardly a coupe, is it? More, 2 door saloon.

spudgun

ok guys im back after a break..
chins, your reply had the tone of a man whose going for a uk300
its nice to read the posts made. i thought i'd get a load of abuse, but it seems others are in a similar position to me.
just a few more opinions now ive had the 330 for a couple of days.
i drove down my favourite back road yesterday, and did it just as quickly as i ever did in the scoob. in the wet i wouldnt try it, but in the dry, yeah!
i cannot fault this car. not once have i reached for the gear stick, its had me in a more appropriate gear than i ever would. i aint the greatest driver, i'm the first to admit, but this is the greatest car ive owned. the way i see it, its like driving a luxurious video game, i just press the peddle and off i go. parking is a doddle, dont need to use a handbrake on a hill etc.
as for looks? sure its understated, thats why i wanted one interestingly EVERY mate of mine has said they think the 330 looks better than the scoob, and that includes a 19 year old gary boy who works for me. not one person dislikes it, and thats the truth.
when i look at it from the window, it sounds sad, but i feel ive achieved something. whereas with the scoob i was always looking to see if someone was gonna nick it
i still enjoy our my95, but if i had to choose, it would be the 330 without a moments hesitation.
i aint trying to put a downer on scooby ownership, but with the awful bug eye the current shape, i cant see me buying another scooby for some time.
CHINS, it dont matter what u buy next mate, you KNOW youll have summat else in 6 months
if your gonna get an m3, then buy something that wont depreciate as much in the meantime, but then you and i are daft enough about cars not to care about such things, so get the uk300, it sounds like you want one. just learn as i have that mods arent worth anything

SteveB

iTrader: (1)

Spudgun,

All I can say is you obviously can't drive ! if you can't make the scoob go faster than the BM

With regard to depreciation - Was offered £11k for my MY97(nearly four years old!)against new car. Whats that, 60% residual ! No BM would compete.

At the end of the day, Men drive Scoobs, girls drive BMW's ??


Steve.