Cub's Bargain E90 330i SE

[Cub.]

Well, I can't drive a Micra daily all my life

HQ (aka the wife) has authorised a 'new' daily / workhorse. Needs to be;

- Between £9k to £12k
- Auto
- Diesel (I'll still use the Micra to dump at the train station car park) so it will mostly do long journeys
- No more than 60k miles
- Estate / Touring
- Comfortably sit 4 adults

So...at the moment, I can't see past a bmw 3 series, probably something identical to this;

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...5bg/transmission/automatic/usedcars?logcode=p

Am I missing a better option?

If I went down the BMW route, anything to look out for? Help please Daniel

 

[Mr R.]

V70 D5 SE.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...lynew,new/fuel-type/diesel/usedcars?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...lynew,new/fuel-type/diesel/usedcars?logcode=p

 

[Cub.]

V70 D5 SE.

I did look at these, and you know how much I like them Scott. Problem with them, is they are just too large for the Mrs. Honestly. She doesn't like driving big cars, hence the 3er...

 

[Mr R.]

I did look at these, and you know how much I like them Scott. Problem with them, is they are just too large for the Mrs. Honestly. She doesn't like driving big cars, hence the 3er...

I know mate.

Ill be in the same boat with Tania, the V70 will be to big.

 

[Knuckles]

Vel satis and a holiday.

 

[Bluebeard]

£9k-£12k is out of my working zone dude. No idea what's reliable/good/bad at that age i'm afraid mate.

BMW 3 series boots are tiny though so if you're buying an estate because you want to carry lots, there's a lot better out there!

Personally if I was you i'd go Merc. They drive so much nicer than the equivalent 3 series.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...6lj/transmission/automatic/usedcars?logcode=p

 

[Cub.]

That merc looks good. Mmm.

In truth, I've driven neither the BMW or the Merc, so I'll be booking test drives.

Lol Knuckles. Vel Satis...errrr, no

 

[Rob]

Errrr, why d'you want a diesel? Sounds like it's not going to do a million miles a month.. with inflated repair costs on some items, you'll surely be better of petrol?

 

[Bluebeard]

I've only ever collected/delivered them at work so i've not actually done 100 mile stints in them. But my Dad has had mercs since 2008, and my main customer at work sells a lot of them and he and his wife also have a pair of them. (The same as the one I linked) SO i've driven a fair few.

 

[Cub.]

@Rob - reckon it will do between 15k to 20k a year probably.

I don't mind a petrol tbh as the mileage probably doesn't warrant it.

@Daniel - what is the seating like for the 'larger' gent in the merc?

 

[Sir_Dave]

330d M Sport auto.
Tbh, there might as well be no other car in the market as i wouldnt consider anything else. Apart from the 330i M Sport of course.

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Mercedes c220cdi sports pack (amg) very reliable and blue efficiency will return upto 50mpg

 

[Cub.]

330d M Sport auto.
Tbh, there might as well be no other car in the market as i wouldnt consider anything else. Apart from the 330i M Sport of course.

How much harsher is the ride in the M Sport compared to the non-M Dave? I want it literally to waft up the motorway in. If I want to rattle my false teeth out I'd take the flamer

 

[...]

Well i will chuck a v60 in as an option

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...price-from/500/price-to/12000/page/1/usedcars

 

[Alan]

Miles are maybe more than what you want, but surely this would be perfect and it leaves more coin in the bank for charging the 172..

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...330i-(E46)-Sport-Touring-(Auto)-%A34-000-ovno

 

[McGherkin]

£9k-£12k is out of my working zone dude. No idea what's reliable/good/bad at that age i'm afraid mate.

BMW 3 series boots are tiny though so if you're buying an estate because you want to carry lots, there's a lot better out there!

Personally if I was you i'd go Merc. They drive so much nicer than the equivalent 3 series.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...6lj/transmission/automatic/usedcars?logcode=p

Man knows.

 

[Cub.]

Well i will chuck a v60 in as an option

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...price-from/500/price-to/12000/page/1/usedcars

Any known problems with these? I do like them, and the other half loves Lolvos.

 

[Mr R.]

Miles are maybe more than what you want, but surely this would be perfect and it leaves more coin in the bank for charging the 172..

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...330i-(E46)-Sport-Touring-(Auto)-%A34-000-ovno

Its already being done.

 

[Sir_Dave]

How much harsher is the ride in the M Sport compared to the non-M Dave? I want it literally to waft up the motorway in. If I want to rattle my false teeth out I'd take the flamer

With non-runflats, perfectly fine. There is a reason why 320d m sports are pretty much the stereotypical motorway mile muncher lol.

If i didnt have the 135i, id have probably bought one of these this week. So much want lol:

Diesel
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201408116530037?atmobcid=soc4

Petrol
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201409097258921?atmobcid=soc4

 

[Cub.]

Miles are maybe more than what you want, but surely this would be perfect and it leaves more coin in the bank for charging the 172..

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...330i-(E46)-Sport-Touring-(Auto)-%A34-000-ovno

I did think about an older car, and the budget is a max, so anything cheaper will be considered. I need it to last me 4 years, be reasonably hassle free and not too bad to punt on aswell though.

Oh, and I assume you haven't seen the updates on the flamer project thread

 

[Alan]

Its already being done.

The charging, brah' ?

 

[Mr R.]

The charging, brah' ?

Yeah bro.

 

[Alan]

I did think about an older car, and the budget is a max. I need it to last me 4 years, be reasonably hassle free and not too bad to punt on aswell though.

Oh, and I assume you haven't seen the updates on the flamer project thread

I've not.. Manz been busy, i'll have a gander x

 

[Djw John]

A clocked petrol saab?

All joking aside my one was half your budget, 66k and manual but an auto would cost similar. f**k diesel, f**k it hard.

 

[Cub.]

A clocked petrol saab?

All joking aside my one was half your budget, 66k and manual but an auto would cost similar. f**k diesel, f**k it hard.

Mrs has ruled these out i'm afraid. I wanted a 2.8 turbo one, but her female logic is 'her brother has one, and he has had nothing but trouble'.

Yeah, only because he has the mechanical knowledge of a cushion.

 

[Djw John]

Put a vauxhall badge on it....

 

[...]

Any known problems with these? I do like them, and the other half loves Lolvos.

Nope , and thats the nice sounding 5 cylinder i had before it was written off

Bigger boot than my mates 3 series ( i can get my golf clubs in mine he has to drop a seat amazingly)

Torquey as its a 5 pot

Mine was faultless and i do big miles plus good on fuel

We did the alps 4 adults plus all ski gear roof box on and it averaged just over 35mpg , i wont tell you what the average speed read

 

[Cub.]

Nope , and thats the nice sounding 5 cylinder i had before it was written off

Bigger boot than my mates 3 series ( i can get my golf clubs in mine he has to drop a seat amazingly)

Torquey as its a 5 pot

Mine was faultless and i do big miles plus good on fuel

Cheers, that's another one added to the test drive list

 

[Bluebeard]

Mercedes c220cdi sports pack (amg) very reliable and blue efficiency will return upto 50mpg

I'm glad someone else in here has some sense.

 

[cat171]

5 series diesel.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...0/bmw-535d-m-sport-touring-twin-turbo/2345553
Like this, but you want one with less mileage.

Or maybe a regular one?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...bmw-5-series-535d-m-sport-saloon-auto/2827040

 

[Mr R.]

To big for Mrs Cub dude.

 

[Hixle]

330d Touring. Has to be.

Although I love the Merc Dan posted a link to.

 

[cat171]

To big for Mrs Cub dude.

Ah poo, shame.

It has to be a 3 series then (Lukey boy is bang on it)

 

[Cub.]

Yeah, I can't stop going back to 3ers.

I'll test drive the 3 series, the Merc (as per Daniels link) and the Volvo (as per Harvs link).

 

[Marc.]

I'd be looking at Mercs, or a 3'er, as already said...

 

[Chip-mk1]

3 series

 

[Scrooge]

C220 amg spec, 57plate onwards. Family member had one for a while at it was really good, he really regrets selling it! Rob took some decent pics of it after I detailed it at some point.

 

[banther]

I liked my 320D - for however short a period I owned it (about 5/6 weeks).

Doesnt feel like a big car at all and the woman even drove it on three occasions without denting it.

Only issues as pointed out, the boot isnt anything special. I could fit more in the Mondeo I reckon. Oh, and it was very dull to drive, pokey enough but bland. Although for a wafter I don't think you can go wrong. Maybe go up to the 330D if its for occasional use. If you want to depress yourself, hop on the M4 and see quite how many 3er estates you can count - great fun for all the family. They're everywhere. Overall great car, just wish I could have justified keeping it.

 

[_Tom]

Mother has a E90 estate and Father has a C250 estate. The merc is nicer in about every aspect imo.

 

[Cub.]

Mmm. Some trusted votes for the Merc. Cheers chaps!