advice on buying a bmw

JAMES VTI S

I am coming to the end of the road with jap cars (not built for 6' 4" 100 kg guys)

i am looking at 1.6 or 1.8 (max, cause tax, mpg) and 3 series look nice
what are these cars like before i go any further

1. Reliability
2. Comfort (for the tall guy)
3. Fuel economy
4. Part's cost (brake pads, timing belt, ect)

Thanks

barney 20v

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

I am coming to the end of the road with jap cars (not built for 6' 4" 100 kg guys)

i am looking at 1.6 or 1.8 (max, cause tax, mpg) and 3 series look nice
what are these cars like before i go any further

1. Reliability
2. Comfort (for the tall guy)
3. Fuel economy
4. Part's cost (brake pads, timing belt, ect)

Thanks

More to jap cars than Hondas.... I.m 6'3 and fit perfectly in my Subaru;)
Interested to see what others think re 3 series as well though !

Mar4ix

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

1. Fuel economy
2. Part's cost (brake pads, timing belt, ect)

Thanks

If you ask those questions, you should find bigger jap car :pac:

rebel.ranter

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

i am looking at 1.6 or 1.8 (max, cause tax, mpg) and 3 series look nice
what are these cars like before i go any further

If you ask those questions you'll get something really dull unless you go back to the e36 318iS of the late 1990s. Or a 1 Series. What's your budget for the car?

Alanstrainor

Budget? Petrol, diesel?

biko

It's hard to say in general but generally, great cars and great engines.
Can you find some ads on donedeal for us to decide on?
Buying new or used?

JAMES VTI S

Budget 2.5k

biko

Anything here take your fancy?
http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Ireland/?filter(model)=316&filter(make)=BMW

anthony4335

At that kind of money you will be hard pressed to find a good one. Try a ford Mondeo of Skoda Octavia.

JAMES VTI S

biko wrote: »

Anything here take your fancy?
http://cars.donedeal.ie/find/cars/for-sale/Ireland/?filter(model)=316&filter(make)=BMW

01 - 318 CI - http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4344093

JohnBoy26

biko wrote: »

It's hard to say in general but generally, great cars and great engines.
Can you find some ads on donedeal for us to decide on?
Buying new or used?

Really?? From subframe issues to overheating engines, I wouldn't go as far as to say they are great cars imo. Imo They are very overrated.

Frankie Lee

For that type of money stay wise and get a Honda Accord, would be superior than the 3 series of that vintage in reliability, comfort and fuel efficiency.
A Mazda 6 would be a good choice too.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4513752


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4513908


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4416016

JAMES VTI S

the whole reason i want a bmw is for comfort/room ... i drive an mx5 ... im 6ft 4 ... german people are not small

Frankie Lee

The E46 3 series is not an exceptionally comfortable or spacious car and are generally poor all round unless they have a decent sized engine in them.

JAMES VTI S

really ?

Burning Eclipse

Frankie Lee wrote: »

The E46 3 series is not an exceptionally comfortable or spacious car and are generally poor all round unless they have a decent sized engine in them.

I agree and disagree (as an owner for all of 3 days). My car is exceptionally comfortable imo, but not particularly spacious. I'm only 5'11, would not like to be 5" taller sitting in the drivers seat.

Am interested to hear how the car is poor all round as I have a 1.8 engine... What should I be on the look out for? Best be prepared.

To the OP... smallest engine in the E46 was 1.9 petrol until the last 2 years of production, so probably out of your budget tbh, unless you're willing to look at 1.9L engine.

JAMES VTI S

1.9 is a weird liter usual 1.6/8 .. anyway id like 1.8 which model

Mar4ix

op, wouldnt you consider get one of these ? my work mate (over 6 foot also) driving good few years, no any serious problems. very happy with it. linky to -> toyota RAV-4

I know , it is hard change people mind, if want buy bmw, buy it. make sure it has some service history, no accidents. BMW a must be serviced properly, following books... according years/mileage ... i mean, if books say at 100k miles water pump has to be changed, change .. no need wait, until it will fail, and wreck engine. .. just an example.

Tea 1000

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

the whole reason i want a bmw is for comfort/room ... i drive an mx5 ... im 6ft 4 ... german people are not small

In fairness, an MX5 is a small car because it's a 2 seater roadster, not because it's a Japanese car. A Mazda 6 is much bigger than a 3 series and more comfortable too. The Japs make big cars too... Lexus LS600h for example!

JAMES VTI S

You have me thinking with that RAV .... Hrv/crv ?

dgt

OP try an Impreza, I used to have one and found it no problem to fit in

keithsfleet

One of the biggies with bmw's is the cooling system. They tend to run warmer than most other engines normally do but haven't really designed much room for error on that.
A biggie is checking to see if its been run overheated, coolant and oil quality is a tell tale for this but also visually checking along the engine head for leaks.
If its around 70ish mile mark you are going to want to check the water pump and cooling system in general, lots of lovely plastic to perish from the heat.
IIRC they are all timing chains, listening to the engine will give any signs of stretching.
After that its the usual with any car, rust, suspension, gearbox etc etc.

I've had 323 328 and m3 all e36s and never had any notable trouble except from the cooling system.
Very reliable IMO.
I'm not as tall as you but at 6foot1 and a shade over 15 stone in the shoulders and arms I found them comfortable enough.
Very responsive car that handles great in the dry and a ball of fun in the wet.

Henry Ford III

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

the whole reason i want a bmw is for comfort/room ... i drive an mx5 ... im 6ft 4 ... german people are not small

A 5 series might be a better idea?

Mar4ix

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

You have me thinking with that RAV .... Hrv/crv ?

keep away from HRV .... nice cars, but lot of little things keep broken, which will make disappoint in car., never heard anything wrong about CRV though, but.. personally my choice would be RAV. .. you may try those to drive, and will see, what you like.

JohnBoy26

Mar4ix wrote: »

keep away from HRV .... nice cars, but lot of little things keep broken, which will make disappoint in car., never heard anything wrong about CRV though, but.. personally my choice would be RAV. .. you may try those to drive, and will see, what you like.

I know someone who has a 00 crv with well over 200k miles up, and not once has it gone wrong apart from burning a drop of oil. This jeep doesn't get any great care either.


Tbh the rav4 can have there issues aswell but you would be safe enough with either of the two jeeps.

Matt Simis

Henry Ford III wrote: »

A 5 series might be a better idea?

Yeah a 525i would be a much nicer car and "gets the point" of a BMW. Bottom engine 3 series.. not so much.

keithsfleet

Both are Japanese brands known for reliability.
All cars have known faults, just a matter of knowing what they are and keeping an eye out for them.
TBH id prefer a car that has had history of gadgets failing or interior being of substandard than that of a car that has had gearboxs compared to chocolatey treats or cam shafts like that of hob knobs.

Sorry for the edible comparisons but lunch feels like it two days ago...

keithsfleet

Matt Simis wrote: »

Yeah a 525i would be a much nicer car and "gets the point" of a BMW. Bottom engine 3 series.. not so much.

OP is looking for a maximum of a 1.8

Matt Simis

keithsfleet wrote: »

OP is looking for a maximum of a 1.8

Yeah, he is doing it wrong though. Get something else then IMO.

JAMES VTI S

>Im poor<cant afford tax on a big engine, cant afford mpg on a big litter, the car would be outside parked up

1.8/1.6 bmw just for room/comfort maybe some skids and a drive through or two

the 5 series is NICE but 2.0 min ?

Alanstrainor

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

>Im poor<cant afford tax on a big engine, cant afford mpg on a big litter, the car would be outside parked up

1.8/1.6 bmw just for room/comfort maybe some skids and a drive through or two

the 5 series is NICE but 2.0 min ?

More like 2.2

There was a 2 litre model, not too sure if it was ever sold here though.

JAMES VTI S

E1000 yearly