Changing two cars for one that does it all(almost)

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Postby Kimosabe » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:14 am


Gareth wrote:
Kimosabe wrote:I find the 5 touring a bit big

Before ruling them out, it might be worth comparing dimensions with the other cars you mention, else you will be making a decision based on an impression rather than facts.

Kimosabe wrote:I haven't looked at the petrol models 325i etc but they sound thirsty.

Were the other cars you initially suggested all diesels? If not, why would you assume a BMW petrol would be significantly worse than any other comparable petrol engined car?


Any thoughts on the 328i saloon? Honest John thinks it's the one to go for as a good all rounder BMW. My only reservation on the 5 series touring, is the dimensions of my soon-to-be ex-front garden. It would certainly fill the space. But you're right, it's a perception thing and an Audi or 330d estate wouldn't be much smaller. I need to have a drive in some of these longer cars because i'm curious to find out more about how they handle compared to saloons. Again, it's probably nothing more than perception.
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Postby Kimosabe » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:17 am


Carbon Based wrote:Well, I think you know our approach to "practical yet fun" it's just how you pack 8)

But even then, I think you could continue to its logical conclusion:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?as_st=y ... th+trailer



:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'll run it by my live-in keeper of the sanity, from behind the sofa. :wink:
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Postby Kimosabe » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:23 am


IcedKiwi wrote:
Kimosabe wrote:I haven't looked at the petrol models 325i etc but they sound thirsty. Dunno...

You're in the Brighton area right? I've got an e91 LCI 330i touring if you fancy going for a drive sometime. Didn't manage a test drive in the 330d when I was looking, but the 320d didn't quite do it for me. Yes it was fairly brisk, but didn't have the excitement, pushed to the back of the seat that I was looking for in a 1 car does all.

Official mpg on my later DI version is 38mpg, which it will achieve (and exceed) on motorways, but I think the computer averages 29-30 mpg over my typical, not lots of motorways, use case.


Ahem! Hove.....hactually.... :wink: (the Hove thing is still a work in progress, because you can take the boy out of London but not the London out of the boy)

Now that is interesting. My thinking is somewhat behind when it comes to modern engines and I wouldn't have thought the 330i came anywhere close to those figures.

It's very kind of you to offer and I'll take you up on that. Drop me a line when you have time so that we can arrange things. I happen to be familiar with most purveyors of tea and cake in both East and West Sussexes.
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Postby Kimosabe » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:35 am


akirk wrote:you don't say whether you are looking at second-hand / new / leased / purchased / what budget... nor whether you need load carrying (i.e. estate / 4x4)

it is not impossible to enjoy one car... but you will always find some compromise...
I have just taken delivery of a Skoda Octavia Scout - it seems to handle remarkably well, has 4x4, oodles of space without being enormous, a brisk and punchy engine (despite being the lower powered c. 150 diesel) has no issues overtaking, pulls from a remarkably wide rev. range and is basically an audi with a skoda badge...

otherwise, my recommendation would be:
- new(ish) car as you distance cruiser / 4 doors / etc.
- classic car such as an MG / Triumph convertible with cheap insurance and no road tax = minimal cost second car which will probably go up in value... = almost free car


Okay, so.... i'm currently receiving offers via Carwow on new Golf Gtis of around the £26k mark with my spec, though if a used approved car had a few thousand on the clock and came with good spec, I wouldn't rule it out. The thing is with this Carwow, is that i'm looking at prices from franchised dealers today for new cars, that are lower than they are asking for their often lower specced used approved stock. I wasn't prepared for that yesterday.

Space/load carrying. It's not often that I take a fully loaded Freelander to the tip but I was grateful for it yesterday. Two trips wouldn't be out of the question, with a smaller car but that's why I was considering these estate cars as a potential solution to the fun/practicality equation.

I often find myself wanting more go from the MX5. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty good but I have always felt that Mazda could have worked a nice turbo into the 2.0 Sport. This is why I haven't gone down the classic car route....yet..... well that and the live-by-the-sea rust factor too. I've seen a Stag about Hove recently and they have always caught my eye... and ears. no idea how they handle though.
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Postby jont » Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:11 am


A 328i that's a 2l petrol turbo and not a straight 6 is just "wrong" :twisted:

Buy an S1 Elise for fun. They're holding/rising slowly in value. Parts are cheap, HGF is a well overstated problem (most will have been fixed by now anyway, just make sure it's been done by a decent specialist), and you'll still have £15-£20k in the pot for a normal car.
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Postby Kimosabe » Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:23 pm


And if I can shave around £1,500 from the car spend, I could reassign that to finally get my act together enough to be upto HPC course entry level with Andy Morrison. Now there's an idea..... the cogs may turn slowly but they still turn..... Happy days! :D
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Postby Garrison » Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:55 pm


Kimosabe wrote:Budget is going to be circa £25-30k absolute max, sell some guitars and the sofa. ... I have a SWMBO/ Director of finances/ Keeper of the receipts and two dogs....and occasionally two parents to consider, so smooth and quiet must be available too.

Based on your budget, usage and in the nearly-new arena, there are not that many good choice. I am sided with the 2-car suggestion here if you have the space. If you can only have one car and below £25k, I would go for a 2010 Porsche Cayenne or 2012 BMW X5, or 2011 Mercedes E63 for a bit more.
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Postby revian » Thu Jul 16, 2015 5:27 pm


BMW3... Look out for the N47 engines.... Mines one and has the lurking possibility of timing chain failure. Not millions of failures but enough to be concerned. Quick web search will reveal all.

318d... Smaller than 5 series is fine with me. Drive fine if not seat pushing. MPG consistently good - occasionally below 50 :wink: . Seats... Mine's standard and not enough flexibility or lumbar control.

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Postby Kimosabe » Fri Jul 17, 2015 5:38 pm


Garrison wrote:
Kimosabe wrote:Budget is going to be circa £25-30k absolute max, sell some guitars and the sofa. ... I have a SWMBO/ Director of finances/ Keeper of the receipts and two dogs....and occasionally two parents to consider, so smooth and quiet must be available too.

Based on your budget, usage and in the nearly-new arena, there are not that many good choice. I am sided with the 2-car suggestion here if you have the space. If you can only have one car and below £25k, I would go for a 2010 Porsche Cayenne or 2012 BMW X5, or 2011 Mercedes E63 for a bit more.


The 2 car thing works well and space isn't an issue. I am considering changing because my 59 Freelander has 60,000 miles on the clock and although it has been faultless, i'm thinking it's time to move it on while it's still worth something and explore other cars. ie just fancy a change. I sat as an observer in an X5 unmarked Police car a while ago, during some Police Advanced driver training and I was very impressed. I think it was a 3.0 that had been scaled up by BMW to act like a 4.0. It was much more of a car than my Freelander 2 in the way it handled and definitely high on my list of potential cars. Carwow will reveal all :wink:

As an aside, I had a chat with BBR GTi today, who offer some very good upgrade options for MX5s. The one i've got my eye on is their 'Super 200'. (http://www.bbrgti.com/product_details.p ... &model=531)

Keeping the cars I have, which would be no bother and obviously less expensive than changing them, would mean that I could upgrade the MX5 AND work towards the HPC course. Now there's a thing to think long and hard about. :D
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Postby Garrison » Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:11 pm


Kimosabe wrote:I sat as an observer in an X5 unmarked Police car a while ago, during some Police Advanced driver training and I was very impressed. I think it was a 3.0 that had been scaled up by BMW to act like a 4.0. It was much more of a car than my Freelander 2 in the way it handled and definitely high on my list of potential cars. Carwow will reveal all :wink:

The price I quoted for the X5 is for a x30d. BMW also does a x40d and a x50d.

We have been looking at a 7-seat x50d to replace our Range Rover L322 TDV8 and it is a serious piece of kit. 3-Litre diesel with with 381 bhp and 546 lb ft of torque, pushing a 2-tonne+ SUV which will do 0-60 in 5.4s, 155mph limited top speed and 199g CO2 / 37.7mpg.

Both the x40d and x30d are also 3-Litre and although both are slower at 306 bhp and 245 bhp respectively, these two are no more economical than the x50D at 198g CO2 / 37.7mpg and 195g CO2 / 38.2mpg respectively.
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Postby WhoseGeneration » Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:53 pm


Kimosabe wrote:Keeping the cars I have, which would be no bother and obviously less expensive than changing them, would mean that I could upgrade the MX5 AND work towards the HPC course. Now there's a thing to think long and hard about. :D


After all the mental turmoil, there's your answer, especially if that means you don't have to sell any guitars, because that is something you may well regret in your later years.
There's a saying, "better the devil you know".
Then, the Freelander carries on as "family and tip car", you have the fun of upgrading the MX5, which will sorta turn it into a "new" car, as the "me time" car. Perhaps you'll then take it on trackdays after HPC?
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Postby Mr Cholmondeley-Warner » Fri Jul 17, 2015 9:00 pm


I find it difficult to take seriously someone who runs a 59 car as their first car, is planning to buy a brand new X5, but still jibs at the sub £1000 cost of the HPC course and talks about "affording" it.

Personally, I can't help with one car. I deliberately went the other way 2 years ago because I couldn't think of one car that I could afford, that would do it "all". Good luck in your search.
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Postby Kimosabe » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:11 pm


WhoseGeneration wrote:
Kimosabe wrote:Keeping the cars I have, which would be no bother and obviously less expensive than changing them, would mean that I could upgrade the MX5 AND work towards the HPC course. Now there's a thing to think long and hard about. :D


After all the mental turmoil, there's your answer, especially if that means you don't have to sell any guitars, because that is something you may well regret in your later years.
There's a saying, "better the devil you know".
Then, the Freelander carries on as "family and tip car", you have the fun of upgrading the MX5, which will sorta turn it into a "new" car, as the "me time" car. Perhaps you'll then take it on trackdays after HPC?


Happy days! That does seem to be an answer after all :lol: :lol: . Guitars can stay. Sofas can stay :wink: . Cars can stay. HPC course is still on the agenda, as is the loft conversion, garage conversion, front garden conversion, bathrooms and kitchen, though not in that order..... thanks for following this and for your input, it's been a journey of more than one sort :wink:

There's a list of jobs to do and expenses to negotiate our way around and i've been trying to justify one of my favourite hobbies and do it in the most reasonable way, while staring at probable massive future expenditure for everything else we have going on.

As i've allowed my driving standards to 'vary' somewhat of late, I booked myself on a RoSPA experienced driver assessment drive, just so I know where I am (sort of). I think I know the answer but as we know, an informed second opinion often helps.

Just to be clear, I have never complained about the price of the HPC half day assessment or weekend entry course but I have mentioned that the £1,500 it would probably cost us for me to attend subject to being at a high enough standard, is hard earned and there are many other expenses on our agenda, so i'm juggling them all in my head and trying to squeeze as much out of what we have to work with as possible. I personally think the HPC course is excellent value, especially as some of the most trust of opinions I know on the subject have been discussing it recently and they all seem to agree with what I think.

I'nt life just peachy?

PS: Watch this space, as this could all turn into a Meteor Grey X5 4.0 at the drop of a hat :roll:
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Postby WhoseGeneration » Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:27 pm


Kimosabe wrote:
PS: Watch this space, as this could all turn into a Meteor Grey X5 4.0 at the drop of a hat :roll:


Come lie on my couch and let's discuss what you, internally, know are your true responsibilities rather than your egotistical desires. :)
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Postby jameslb101 » Mon Jul 20, 2015 12:04 am


I think Gareth hit the nail on the head first time round: a BMW is the way to go and a 3-series makes a great do-it-all car.

I preferred the drive of my E36 328i to my E46 325i - it was lighter and more involving but still a perfectly refined car when it needed to be. I'm currently running an E39 530i which is fantastic, but leans too far towards the barge end of the spectrum to be a good all-rounder.

Guessing you want something newer though, and for various reasons I'd steer clear of turbos, so perhaps an E90 330i? AFAIK they don't do an NA 6-pot in the F30.
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