Where would you go next...

Leonard Hofstadter

MarkN wrote: »

Rental is €150 weekdays or €200 for a weekend which is actually fair enough. Monthly is €5 on the lowest package and you can cancel anytime you like.

Worth noting you can't hire any cars unless you get the 2 for 1 package, which is about €17 a month. You also cannot hire anything until the free trial is over.

bazz26

Leonard Hofstadter wrote: »

Worth noting you can't hire any cars unless you get the 2 for 1 package, which is about €17 a month. You also cannot hire anything until the free trial is over.

That's interesting as I'm on the basic service and replace package for 4.90 per month and they emailed me with the offer.

Maybe they were pushing me to upgrade my package then?

Leonard Hofstadter

Not sure, but it's what the website says:

https://www.bmw-first.ie/fleet

What are the requirements for renting from the BMW FIRST Experience Fleet?

To rent from the BMW FIRST Experience Fleet customers must have an active subscription to the 2 in 1 subscription plan.

It's literally the only reason I subscribed for the 2 in 1, otherwise I would have gone for just the maintenance one, no harm to be able to get genuine BMW parts for a fair bit less.

bazz26

On further reading their terms and conditions it states:

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTING FROM THE BMW FIRST EXPERIENCE FLEET?
To rent from the BMW FIRST Experience Fleet customers must have an active subscription to any subscription plan. The
minimum driver´s age is 25 years. Additionally, the renter’s driving license must have been held continuously [in Ireland]
for at least five years. There must be at least 3 months validity remaining on your licence at the time of rental. The renter
must have a full Irish driving license and has not been convicted of an offence under the Road Traffic Act in the last 5 years.
For all BMW M models (including M Performance) or one of the models with a designation higher than 35i/d the renter
must agree to and sign the “Additional conditions for high-performance vehicles and M automobiles” form prior to using
the service.

Taken from here and updated in December 2018:
https://www.bmw-first.ie/media/.../experience-fleet-rental-agreement-20190214.pdf

carsfan2

I just watched your Porsche Panamera video Mark.
Very nice car and you seemed very taken with it. Is it not very big to hustle on country roads?
Certainly looks like a very substantial car.
Presume you got it from Porsche centre?
Ask for a 911 next?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

carsfan2 wrote: »

I just watched your Porsche Panamera video Mark.
Very nice car and you seemed very taken with it. Is it not very big to hustle on country roads?
Certainly looks like a very substantial car.
Presume you got it from Porsche centre?
Ask for a 911 next?

Link please for the vid...cheers

Mickiemcfist

Leona Stale Gnat wrote: »

Link please for the vid...cheers

Just search on youtube for nobby on cars

MarkN

Cheers CarsFan - it belongs to a friend of mine but he volunteered it up so I didn't say no! Hoping to do some stuff with Harford Motors soon and he would have some heavy metal so could get some nice vids from that.

Panamera a truly lovely machine, obviously it had a lot of spec but I'm sure standard they're decent too. A wide car for sure, it didn't feel any bigger than a 640 though to be honest. Lotto car money for me sadly though!

carsfan2

@Digiman, any thoughts on the X3 m40i and your experience of the rental?

hooch-85

Great video Mark, I know someone who has a V8 Turbo ordered, the lucky bastid. Can't wait for a spin in it though!

MarkN

Thanks a lot. Yeah, I've no doubt purists can't cope with a hybrid, 4 door Porsche but Jesus if that's the type of car you need then you'll struggle to find something else as all round as a Panamera.

supue

Huge Panamera fan here, within my circle of friends it's always a split vote in terms of shape. You're either into these or not, personally I just think they're stunning. I'd wondered when I read this thread first why it took so long to come up.

I change my mind on car choices constantly - was considering going down the classic route and would still love to, however I'd love to have one of these in the next couple of years when second-hand prices come down a considerable bit. Otherwise I could see myself go for a nice six series gran-coupe.

Great video once more, when you consider all the shots and camera angles, can appreciate the amount of work you put into these. Although, my OCD-self can't see past the number of unread messages on your screen!

MarkN

Thank you for saying so, yes they do take a lot of time to edit. Then I've the dilemma of how short and snappy to keep them but for something like this it's a bit of a story so you can go a bit longer. I'm hoping if enough people I know see the unread messages they'll get the hint!

My main issue with the Panamera now would be after being in a second generation one the older model is naturally going to feel and look dated for the price required to buy one. I wouldn't be into a diesel one at all! My wife had my head wrecked going on about having a car like that sitting on the driveway at night too, you'd want a garage or high gates that keep a car like that out of visibility I think. That and it's also hard for me to justify any sort of a decent car as long as I'm doing these videos because I generally have a different car each week.

supue

Video length is about right, it ultimately boils down to the quality of the content for the viewer. You're giving an overview of a particular car and your experiences over a couple of days, which after a house is one of the biggest purchases a consumer can have. I'd expect most people appreciate the more thorough reviews.

Production quality is very high, from drone footage, to drive-bys, following car footage, I find them great. Anyone can stick up a few go-pros and fly through them, I prefer your style of what you'd expect from a TV production. Speaking of which, I hope you've reached out to the tv teams in Montrose and Ballymount about potentially taking it to the big screen?

digiman

carsfan2 wrote: »

@Digiman, any thoughts on the X3 m40i and your experience of the rental?

So far very good, will write a more detailed reply once I had her back on Monday.

carsfan2

digiman wrote: »

So far very good, will write a more detailed reply once I had her back on Monday.

Apologies thought you had it last weekend.

Casati

My wife had my head wrecked going on about having a car like that sitting on the driveway at night too, you'd want a garage or high gates that keep a car like that out of visibility I think. That and it's also hard for me to justify any sort of a decent car as long as I'm doing these videos because I generally have a different car each week.[/quote]

If I had the budget the potential crime element would put me off one of these big time, I know of a lad with the hybrid who had the cables to his electric gates cut to attempt to get access to his car, worrying about that would take the good out of it

supue

Completely unaware of this, is this still that common? Does likelihood of trackers on higher-end cars not deter would-be thieves?

Casati

supue wrote: »

Completely unaware of this, is this still that common? Does likelihood of trackers on higher-end cars not deter would-be thieves?

Apparently easy to jam a tracker. Cars like this can be loaded into a container and subsequently stripped with parts sold globally.

You also have the other element who have no interest in the car itself, but presume because of its presence that the owner must have a lot of other stuff worth breaking in for

btkm8unsl0w5r4

MarkN wrote: »

My wife had my head wrecked going on about having a car like that sitting on the driveway at night too, you'd want a garage or high gates that keep a car like that out of visibility I think.

Depends on where you live TBH. Even Porsche center Ireland dont bother taking in the panamera's at night.

ambro25

'Afternoon

I found this thread after searching for posts about Jaguar's XE.

I'm looking at an S (3.0 s/c), 2016, 4100kms (dealership show queen, no prior owner), with a manufacturer 3 year warranty.

Not a brand I considered (was looking to stay with Merc or maybe stray with Audi), nor a car I considered (was looking at either a superhatch, like an AMG A class or Audi S3, or a size up in Merc saloons, like an 2.5+ E class). Was looking for petrol in any case.

I've had a good test drive, it's sound, being sold as an 'approved' by a main JLR dealer, I like it very much, but...I dunno.

There doesn't seem to be much owner feedback for these (that model specifically) on t'Internet, so I might as well ping you kind people for opines, good and bad?

MarkN

I work with someone who is on his second one (2013 and now 2016) and loves them, never had any issues either. An older man image type of car, some will say it's a Mondeo in fancy clothes, performance wise unless you go for the tastier sport models, they're just ok, I've driven the first one he had and certainly would find a 5 series more enjoyable to drive. Interiors are nice though, plenty of luxury touches. Was it really a dealer demo for 3 years? Seems long!

Leona Stale Gnat

Leona Stale Gnat wrote: »

Depends on where you live TBH. Even Porsche center Ireland dont bother taking in the panamera's at night.

No doubt ...... however folk will travel if they are interested in procuring a car like that via theft.
I would imagine Porsche centre Ireland have security over and above your average domestic residence which would be a deterrent in itself
Also Porsche centre Ireland wouldn't have the wife/husband and kids there at night either.

ambro25

Thanks MarkN.

Well, the sleeper aspect ("older man type") appeals to me, considering it's the unruly version (3litre V6 supercharged, 340 horses, all to the rear), plus it's the right size for us (family of 3). And I'm in my mid40s

I don't like my cars 'too' large (E class would be the top end in that respect), and SUVs are completely out (I'd make the one exception for a Macan, but that is still too muchly atm).

I've been driving RWD exclusively for the last 7 years, and the handling didn't disappoint or worry me during the test drive.

And yes, it's only ever been registered to JLR Benelux (I'm on the continent), since late 2016. The Belgian car tax rules might have had something to do with how long it's been there (I don't think it's unusual? I nearly bought a brand new Impreza STI spec-D in Sheffield in 2008 at list minus 35, Monty's couldn't shift it for love or money at the time: Mr Sensible here talked himself out of it...so perhaps I'm looking to not repeat that this time around LOL!)

MarkN

If you’ve all that power too then why not?! Especially if the slightly understated vibe works too. It sounds like a nice example.

James Bond Junior

I've driven the 3.0d version. Nice car but I wouldn't be tempted over a 5 or an E. It doesn't do the sportiness of the 5 but doesn't have the comfy character of an E.

What about a S90 T8? Twin engine, 320bhp PHEV.

ambro25

James Bond Junior wrote: »

I've driven the 3.0d version. Nice car but I wouldn't be tempted over a 5 or an E. It doesn't do the sportiness of the 5 but doesn't have the comfy character of an E.

What about a S90 T8? Twin engine, 320bhp PHEV.

Volvo's out on principle. Had the horror story of horror stories with a V50 'Friday car', with more Gremlins in it than all the movies combined, and swore never to do Volvo again. A shame considering their comfort and ergonomics. But thanks for the suggestion.

Beemers, I'd have to look at an M series for the same package, and it's quite a price differential, even for second hand. More so than Audi S series. S3s are ten a penny here, but anything else -S is rare as rocking horse poo.

Merc E is a contender, and obviously that wouldn't be a sports/chuckable kind of car...but do I really want to upgrade size and waftiness, instead of buying something a bit special while I'm still young enough to enjoy it? I don't want another C, I can go up or down in size, but nothing else much appeals (bar the new A class AMG).

I'd have gone back to Subaru in a heartbeat, but they stopped making good looking cars (eye of the beholder and all that) around 2009.

bazz26

Mercedes CLS 63 AMG or maybe a Lexus GS F?

bazz26

digiman wrote: »

So far very good, will write a more detailed reply once I had her back on Monday.

Any update digiman, I'd be interested to hear how your experience with the X3 M40i went?

carsfan2

Had a look at new 3 series.
Looks like a very nice update and much more of a smaller 5 series in terms of quality than the last model.
But the prices are mad. You’re in a 5 for a couple of grand more which surely makes more sense.
I see a big ad from Colm Quinn in the paper today where he seems to have a whole pile of them available in stock and the cheapest is over 47k. They are at 2.9% apr though which is cheap in Ireland for a new model.