3 Series or 5 Series

Irishder

Looks like i am getting a new job and will have to do a daily commute from Waterford to carlow or Waterford to Wexford. Either way it looks like i need a comfortable diesel. really like BMW's and would love one with a leather interior. Id have about 9K to spend. Not too bothered about the year. Any suggestions would i be better off with a 3 or 5 series or should i be looking elsewhere? Volvo prehaps? Any ideas?

veetwin

With that mileage and that budget I'd be looking towards a Mondeo or Accord.

monflat

veetwin wrote: »

With that mileage and that budget I'd be looking towards a Mondeo or Accord.

Would you go for a 2009 Audi A3

Irishder

Veetwin thanks for the comment, yeah i like Mondeo's but why would you stay away from a BMW?

Supergurrier

Lol people mentioning a hatchback when the man wants an executive saloon.

Personally i would be leaning towards the 5 series, much nicer place to be 3 series especially the lower spec ones don't feel atall special.

veetwin

Because a €9K Mondeo could be very good whereas a €9K 5 series may be a moneypit. BTW I have a 5 series and I think they are a great car but many of the ones for €9k will have issues. At that budget condition and service history are very important.

Irishder

yeah i'm bald and 36 so my days of hot hatch's are well gone. Then again i will i be on my own most of the time in the car. I just want to be somewhere comfortable for the time i am behind the wheel. Am also flirting with the idea of a alfa 159... As ye can probably tell i have no idea what i want:)

veetwin

Irishder wrote: »

:)Am also flirting with the idea of a alfa 159...:)

Then thats what should buy..far nicer than any 3, 5, or Mondeo!

bazz26

If you want comfort then something like this would suit:


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=83429944

The Bishop Basher

The op asks about a 3 or 5 series and someone suggests a Mondeo ???

I wouldn't do this journey in anything but a 5 series. Mondeo is boring in every sense of the word. Accord is a nice car but no where near the 5 in terms of comfort and handling. The Alfa ticks a good few of the boxes but it still wouldn't have that sense of relaxation and comfort you get cruising in the motorway in a well specced 5.

Only other car I would consider would be an E class but with this choice you lose the fun element.

Big Nasty

Another +1 for the 5er from me.

heroics

What about an Audi A6. I have one that I use for commuting about 100Kms a day and love it. If not I would go for the 5 over the 3 series.

Only thing is if the engine size is a limiting factor for the OP it will be hard to find a 520D for <10K

George Dalton

I would go for the 5 series also. There is a big difference between the 2 in terms of comfort. Same goes for an A4 vs A6 and C Class vs E Class.

I wouldn't rule out an A6 either btw, one of our customers is selling his 2006 S-Line at the moment, it is a really nice car.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A6/2.0-TDI-/201308212625577/advert?channel=CARS

Irishder

I could up my budget to around 12K would that make a big difference in spec and reliability. As i said i dont really care about the year.

deandean

Yea I'd go for the 5er over the 3 series any day but it depends on your family circumstances too and how many passengers you're likely to have at weekends & evenings etc.

Beware, your budget is gonna have you looking right in the range of BMWs with the 2-litre diesel engines with the timing chain / crankshaft problem (2007 - 2010 IIRC).

If you can afford the tax, look seriously at a 530D.

dahamsta

veetwin wrote: »

Because a €9K Mondeo could be very good whereas a €9K 5 series may be a moneypit.

So could the Mondeo. At that age they'll all have problems coming up that need to be budgeted for.

I've had 3 BMW's (e34 525i, e38 740i, e39 520i, all >10 years old and they've all been surprisingly affordable to maintain. Sure, I had expensive one-offs on each of them, but they would have been just as likely on a Mundane, and they weren't half as expensive as I /thought/ they'd be. And I got to drive something fun, instead of something bland and boring.

Me, I'd take a 5er over a 3 any day. Wouldn't touch a 3 with a barge pole; excepting an M3 e30 of course.

Stallingrad

Another vote for the 5er. 3 series is good but has always been overrated, the 5 is in a different league.

naughtysmurf

Hope I'm not hijacking but what's the general opinion of the coupe, I'd be the only one in it 99% of the time, also interested in the 3 v 5 question, which ones to go for / avoid / issues etc

ants09

i have a 3 series and a 5 series abert not the new models

the 3 series is lovely to drive but the 5 series is in a league above it

the 3 series boot is big enought but you can fit a body in the 5 series plus your weekly shopping :pac::pac::pac:

the 3 series is comfortable but the 5 series is much better on long journeys and you get out and dont feel tired

the petrol/diesel tanks are bigger in the 5 series cost around 90 euro;s to fill me 3 series which is pertrol and over 100 euro's to fill me 5 series which is diesel

there is more back room in the 5 series

need more info please feel free to ask but i go for the 5 series anytime over the 3 series imo

ants09

naughtysmurf wrote: »

Hope I'm not hijacking but what's the general opinion of the coupe, I'd be the only one in it 99% of the time, also interested in the 3 v 5 question, which ones to go for / avoid / issues etc

5 series dont do coupe

whats your criteria in relation what you want, how many miles you drive etc

rocky

3 series is too cramped for me, 6'2'', so went for an E60...

naughtysmurf

ants09 wrote: »

5 series dont do coupe

whats your criteria in relation what you want, how many miles you drive etc

Good looks, reliable, reasonably economical to run, less than 10,000 miles / year, sounds like the missus

Irishder

if people could throw up a few links of good deisel 5 series for sale i would really appreciate it

ants09

naughtysmurf wrote: »

Good looks, reliable, reasonably economical to run, less than 10,000 miles / year, sounds like the missus

good looks - to me the 5 series is nice looking on the eye

reliable - to me both are reliable if you look after them

reasonable economical to run - to me the 3 series is more economical to run but my 3 series is a 2ltr and my s series is a 3 ltr

as said my 3 series takes around 90 euro's to fill and lasts around 450 miles
my 5 series which is diesel cost over 100 euro's to fill and last around 350 miles but wouldnt change it or swap it for the world

Irishder

http://www.adverts.ie/car/bmw/5-series/bmw/2600503


thoughts on this?

The Bishop Basher

TBH Irshder, it's an SE and I would immediately rule it out on that basis.

Completley down to personal taste of course but the M Sport is a lot better looking and if that's important to you, you may find you spend the next couple of years admiring all the M Sports out there and wishing you'd got one.

Idbatterim

http://www.adverts.ie/car/bmw/5-series/bmw/2600503


thoughts on this?

that looks very good, I wouldnt rule out a car just because it wasnt an msport, the SE will be cheaper and less harsh ride. Op how many miles a year will you be doing?

TBH Irshder, it's an SE and I would immediately rule it out on that basis.

Completley down to personal taste of course but the M Sport is a lot better looking and if that's important to you, you may find you spend the next couple of years admiring all the M Sports out there and wishing you'd got one.

agreed the m sport is better looking, most of this is from the different front bumper though, oem ones can be bought from ebay.co.uk for a pittance...

Irishder

Excuse my ignorance but is the SE and M sport spec levels? Whats the difference?

Idbatterim

I suppose you could call it a visual spec level, they just have different front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper usually. Also suspension is different, so car sits a bit lower, but this in turn gives it a harsher ride...

Supergurrier

That 520d looks about 2 grand overpriced to me

Stallingrad

Is your priority comfort or pose factor? The M Sport looks good but the SE is a more comfortable car. Doesnt the M Sport also have the anthracite headlining which feels like sitting in a cave?

The SE with the right wheels and colour is a handsome car.

Irishder

Comfort is top of my Priority, could be doing 100 miles a day, 5 days a week

Idbatterim

no way is the OP going to get a decent 520d thats an m sport for his budget. What are you currently driving op?

Irishder

00 vectra

ninty9er

BMW & Comfort in the same sentence?? Maybe a chauffeur driven 7 series L.

In your budget, a Volvo is probably the best thing, if you had a bit more cash I'd say get a Qashqai.

geraldishere

Irishder wrote: »

yeah i'm bald and 36 so my days of hot hatch's are well gone. Then again i will i be on my own most of the time in the car. I just want to be somewhere comfortable for the time i am behind the wheel. Am also flirting with the idea of a alfa 159... As ye can probably tell i have no idea what i want:)

stay away from alfas they are useless..Get an 05-08 nice Audi a4..

why did you not use minoxidil stacked with an DHT blocked to stop the hairloss??

Irishder

geraldishere only fools think they can fight nature!!!

geraldishere

Irishder wrote: »

geraldishere only fools think they can fight nature!!!

it works bro

geraldishere

ninty9er wrote: »

BMW & Comfort in the same sentence?? Maybe a chauffeur driven 7 series L.

In your budget, a Volvo is probably the best thing, if you had a bit more cash I'd say get a Qashqai.

LOL at Qashqai

Stallingrad

ninty9er wrote: »

BMW & Comfort in the same sentence?? Maybe a chauffeur driven 7 series L.

In your budget, a Volvo is probably the best thing, if you had a bit more cash I'd say get a Qashqai.

Are you on drugs?

The Bishop Basher

Stallingrad wrote: »

Is your priority comfort or pose factor? The M Sport looks good but the SE is a more comfortable car. Doesnt the M Sport also have the anthracite headlining which feels like sitting in a cave?

The SE with the right wheels and colour is a handsome car.

Nothing to do with pose factor. Most people want to have a car they like the look of.

The M Sport is every bit as comfortable a ride when on standard tyres. Run flats will make any ride harsh.

Irishder

geraldishere wrote: »

it works bro

Keep telling yourself that

Irishder

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4641125

how would this compare?

The Bishop Basher

Nice car. Reasonable tax. But there's a reason your budget will stretch to a 08. It's not half the car the 5 series is. Have you test driven a few of these options to get a feel for the difference in handling etc ?

pajo1981

If comfort is #1 priority, I wouldn't be so sure about the 5 series. They aren't the last word in comfort by a long shot.

The Bishop Basher

pajo1981 wrote: »

If comfort is #1 priority, I wouldn't be so sure about the 5 series. They aren't the last word in comfort by a long shot.

What would you consider to be more comfortable ?

ninty9er

Stallingrad wrote: »

Are you on drugs?

I rent cars for a living, as such I get an idea of what people think of them, the Qashqai gets a comfort pass from everyone, the E-Class is the only other thing in our fleet that gets that.

Never got the Qashqai myself, but our customers love it.

But as you ask, I'm on the Solpasinus alright, thanks for asking.