One year on...

[Herminator]

Thats the problem, I look at my Z4 and smile every time. Whilst I like the 1 series' somewhat akward looks, it's never going to be as good as the Z4.

It's a case of increase my finanace by a few £k but save well over £1k a year on running costs and the increased value of the car will offset the finance somewhat. But it would be simpler to keep my current car and not go messing with money.

If I was sensible I'd sell the Z4 and get a cheaper Seat Leon TDi. But I'm not sensible (otherwise I wouldn't have the Z ) and I'm not ready to go back to FWD understeer

So you'd borrow more and 'save' £1k a year. But you're getting more than £2k further into debt? I'm sorry, I just don't understand this whole borrow more and more culture. Sure, borrow money to buy a car, but why keep 'topping it up'? You have a car you love.

Every time you see a Z4 on the road you will sigh. Every time you hear the diesel clatter you will cringe. Every time you pull out to overtake, get halfway past, run out of revs, need to change gear, you will nearly die and wish you had a free revving petrol engine.

All IMHO.

I know what your saying, I'm also considering, what would I actualy owe if I came to sell either car at any point in the future. The Z4's depreciation from now on should be fairly steady and not too high, even if it's worth 6-7k in a couple years time, that would be fine with me. If it did get to that point though, I'd probably never sell as long as I had the garage space. I'll have to have a better look at 1 series depreciation, I wonder if the newer ED diesels will hold onto a bit of a premium as they fall into a more affordable price range.

I definetly want something with a good amount of power, I drive up the M1 every day, and cruising at motorway speeds in the Z4 is pleasurable, it's the traffic in Newcastle which can become a chore and the potholes The 118d is out of the window, a 123d would be the nicest choice but they're obviously more expensive.

I may well go for a test drive this weekend, then go for a good drive in my Z4. It's been a while since I properly enjoyed my Z4 and hopefully my brakes are just about bedded in
I think in reality I just need to rediscover some of the Z magic.

[csmith319]

130i or 135i coupe - kind of defeats the whole running costs thing, but then really so does changing cars!

I think the most cost effective thing you can do is to keep the same car for as long as possible. However - if you want to change cars for the sake of it, make sure you get something that will also be nice to drive - the 1 series would be with at least the 120d engine in it - but so much nicer with the straight 6.

My wife has a 320d with the latest engine - its nice and great on the motorway, but does not even come close to the Z4.

btw - you can get good 130i from 14K (yes you can go cheaper - but this is where the good stuff starts).

[ksher]

Before I bought my Z4 3 months ago, I also considered a 130i M Sport. It would be even quicker than Z (2.5i only). But from 523i Sport to 130i M Sport, it was like a 2 steps back. So I chose Z4 in the end. I still have no regret. Next move will be new Z4.

[Tref]

Don't take my input too negatively, I do see the point of a diesel for long commutes at motorway cruise altitude. Its just not something I'd get into debt for IYKWIM. If you're really needing a mile cruncher then get a 60,000 mile 520D and be done with it. Stick an MX5 in the garage for the weekend.

One more thing - unless you get a ragtop 1 series (which of course is the devils own work with a diesel engine) then you'll miss the open top evening drives home and weekend fun blasts with the top down and the girlfriend complaining about her hair

Since my last post I was just out 'n about. As I was walking through a carpark a new style 320D Coupe trundled past looking for a space. The engine was fully warmed through, and I'm sorry to say it sounded awful. I know they are quiet inside, but even so I thought the new BMW diesels had moved on from the VAG 1.9TDi stylee racket.

[Mr Whippy]

Fast diesel hatchbacks are bland, after a while.

Nothing like a decent free breathing 6 pot BMW engine to propel you along with no roof.

I honestly don't get why people buy 'normal' cars... so bloody boring for the money.

£10,000 for a Z4 feels like good value. £10,000 for a 1 series diesel would feel like I had been bum raped £5,000!

Dave

[easty027]

I dont understand peoples 'boners' for the 1 series ?. yes i dont mind them, but why ?. Always a backwards step in my opinion after a Z4. What about a 3 series instead ?.

[Sticks]

I bought a 120D M Sport as my sensible car after having an E46 330D. I knew it wouldn't be as smooth but I didn't think it would be that bad. After a succession of bits of trim falling off, which the stealer failed to put right, the ride was awful, even after ditching the rfts, paint flaked, I was so irritated by it I got rid. On paper, ideal for me, in practice, a huge disappointment. A friend's Golf 130TDi went better.

Have a look at what else you can get for the money too. Bet you'd get a lot of 3 Series for the same money, as was said. For the same price as my ex demo 3 month old 120d, medium spec, I got an 11 month old medium spec TT 3.2 Quattro. Granted, I've got to know the girls in the petrol station a bit better but so far nothing's fallen off and it's quite fun (thugh not as good as a Z4 IMO)

[Herminator]

Well I had a little drive today, down to Helmsley along the B1257...








.... WTF was I thinking!!! So much fun with the roof down and some nice twisty country roads, despite some of the slowest sunday drivers ever and a bus driver who tried to spit at me
There's no better car out there for the same money that offers so much. I've even curbed my appetite for a coupe, as it just wouldn't be the same without the roof down

Moment of madness over


P.S. Despite the police presence, bikers and slow drivers, the B1257 is a road that has to be included in any group meet in this area of the country

[Ian_Mac]

I think if you pulled hard enough you would managed to get the b*stard bus driver through the little hatch where you normally put your money. What a w*nker

[Herminator]

His attitude was astonishing, it was a small village where cars park on one side of the road, forcing you to drive on the other side for a while. I was simply following the car infront, there were virtualy no places to pull over without it being a tight squeeze. The bus driver was coming the other way and was at a point where there were no parked cars and could see us coming from about 100 meters away. All he had to do was slow down a touch but he just didn't want to, I just made it to the end of the row of parked cars and he had to hit the brakes and leave me a gap to squeeze through. I justured he was an idiot and he half climbed out his window to try and spit on me If I'd have had time, I'd have gotten the bus company and registration and rang them to ask if they thought it was appropriate for thier drivers to be spitting on the public.

[easty027]

sorry to hear about the bus driver incident, what a complete to$$er. He is just jealous because he has to sit in a sweaty cockpit in something that does 0-60 in about 4 hours......

[Tref]

Phew, glad you've decided not to leave for the dark (diseasel) side.

I know the bus driver does sound like he got a bit carried away and he does sound like a wally for doing so - esp since he's probably not even in a rush on a Sunday route, but my understanding from what you're saying it was his right of way. Of course there are many situations where you have to commit to a pass and then meet traffic which was not in sight at the start - we all have to work together in those situations.

However, nothing annoys me more than people who 'just follow the car in front past' when there is visibly traffic coming towards them (usually without even looking who they will cause to stop). I once made a housewife reverse back along a road in Binfield (Bracknell) because she just decided I wasn't there and it was her road. She got rather irate

[Herminator]

The bus was on the other side of a round'a'bout when I had started to drive past the parked cars, the car infront was litteraly just a couple meters infront, I'd been stuck behind it for a while. So really the bus wasn't even on the same road when we'd started.
I usualy try to give bus drivers and truckers extra consideration since I know it's more difficult for them, but there are still plenty of to$$ers out there

Still didn't stop me having some tyre squeeling fun earlier in the drive (with my mother in the passanger seat)

[Mr Whippy]

You can't sell so soon anyway!

Once I've done doing wheels/tyres/brakes and whatever else I will do to this car getting in all nice, I'll want to keep it years.

I think it is a keeper really. It does everything I imagined perfectly well and better. Maybe a tad quiet, but that can be resolved easily.

The only car I can imagine I could replace the Z4 with would be a Tamora, more of the same, just more hairy chested, but still practical and proper front engine/rwd 6 pot NA motor sports car ethos

Dave

[Tref]

The only car I can imagine I could replace the Z4 with would be a Tamora, more of the same, just more hairy chested, but still practical and proper front engine/rwd 6 pot NA motor sports car ethos

Dave

Ah yes, the most underestimated TVR. For some reason people think they are a lesser car than the T350/Tuscan/Sagaris. I can tell you that they are not. How to make passenger cry out loud in petrol induced fear...