Beamer - What you think?

Culchie

Hi Folks,

Just got a new job that means I need to get a second car, as the missus needs our nice Audi (bitch !) for work as well.

So, I just have a few quid to spend on a second car, but I don't want to buy a flipping Micra or similar, as I'm not 18 or 80 years of age either.

I was thinking of a 1991-1994 BMW 316, (no more than 1.8 engine)
I have up to €4k ....want something to indulge me.

Any suggestions? .... Nothing too sensible please, I'm not my dad ...yet !

Thanks

Seth Brundle

You have pretty much chosen the car yourself by saying you want an E36 316i. However, I would suggest going for as new a model as you can within that age range. Also try and get all the extras possible (may be difficult).
Avoid tarted up cars for obvious reasons.

Culchie

Any suggestions on a reliable dealer/trader?

All the main dealers only carry stock of 3 and 4 year old cars, way over my budget?

Seth Brundle

For something that age your best bet is to get a copy of autotrader or buy & sell and view cars. If one looks quite good then go back with a mechanic.
Have a look @ http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw_e36.html for some common problems.
If your budget can stretch then why not go for the 318is?

unkel

kbannon wrote:

If your budget can stretch then why not go for the 318is?

Second that. Plenty of well cared for looking ones around. Good looks, good drive and 140bhp out of a 1.8 engine. And the G/F would be jealous of your car again, the way it should be

bazz26

If your budget can stretch you could get a nice E36 coupe like the ones below:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=211069&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%26nbsp%3BBMW%20318%2C%20Year%3A%201993%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=13433130&CFTOKEN=12688744

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=180441

Or as an alternative and can stretch to a 2.0, look at the old 5 series:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=209775

Or a nice E Class:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=174231

Also if you like the Audi why not look at another A4:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=193983
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=161646

ds20prefecture

Culchie wrote:

I was thinking of a 1991-1994 BMW 316, (no more than 1.8 engine)
I have up to €4k ....want something to indulge me.

Any suggestions? .... Nothing too sensible please, I'm not my dad ...yet !

Thanks

Alfa 156 1.8 - 144bhp, great looks, great noise, great handling. Good buy second hand but make sure the timing chain has been done and it's had a full service history. 155 will be cheaper but with more approximate build quality.

BMWs are better made and handle a bit better, but if you get a good Alfa you won't regret it. I did 45000 flawless miles in a 2.0 156. My brother did 80000 in a 1.8 - he had to replace the engine @ 45000, but that happens to most cars when you run them underwater!

Also: why not look for a 518? They're a better car than the 3 in almost every respect, and don't scream "I am Onan the barbarian!" quite so loudly. You might struggle to get one for 4k, though.

Other alternatives:
VW Corrado
Toyota MR2 Mk1

DukeDredd

It never ceases to amaze me that people on this forum keep advising people with a small budget for a car to go for an old luxury car. What are these people with the small budget going to do when parts need replacing? What this person should be advised to do is to go for a decent reliable second hand car like a honda accord or similar, epecially since it's a second family car. Don't try to tell me that a '93 E Class or '94 5 Series are going to run like clockwork...

Culchie

Thanks Duke,

But it isn't a family car, it's going to be mine.....all mine.

I don't want it getting knicked either, so I appreciate the suggestions so far, I seem to be on the right track, although I'm going to stick to the 1.6, 1.8 area, because of tax and insurance (I have to keep the Audi A6 on the road as well, the wife's great at driving, but not so good at fuelling up etc...you get my drift?)

Thanks Lads....keep the ideas coming

Seth Brundle

I agree with you Duke but at the same time you must remember that a newer car can also go wrong and with more electric gizmos on board, things can be much more costly to repair!
@ds20prefecture - there aren't too many E34 518i cars around and therefore picking up a decent one would be tricky.

bazz26

DukeDredd wrote:

It never ceases to amaze me that people on this forum keep advising people with a small budget for a car to go for an old luxury car. What are these people with the small budget going to do when parts need replacing? What this person should be advised to do is to go for a decent reliable second hand car like a honda accord or similar, epecially since it's a second family car. Don't try to tell me that a '93 E Class or '94 5 Series are going to run like clockwork...

Any 10+ year old car is not going to be running like clockwork, even Hondas. Granted they are less expensive to repair than a Merc, and I know the Accord is ultra reliable as I had one a couple of years ago. But lets face it, on a budget of €4k your talking about generally 10 year old cars anyway. A 10 year old 316i may be no more reliable than an E-Class Merc and the cost of repairs to both cars may not be a far apart as you think.

Anyhow he doesn't need a 2.0 so it doesn't really matter.

unkel

DukeDredd wrote:

It never ceases to amaze me that people on this forum keep advising people with a small budget for a car to go for an old luxury car

Culchie wants a BMW with an engine of no more than 1.8 and within a budget of €4k, hinting at a 3-series. Of course you are looking at a 10+ year old car

And what's wrong with other posters suggestions? An open mind is a good thing when considering your next car. It is also worthwile to investigate how much extra a 2.0 liter would be to run (tax, insurance, etc.) compared to a 1.8. Depending on the circumstances, it might not be much of a difference

I didn't hear anyone suggesting a '86 S-Class or a '88 750i did you? Those are old luxury cars

DukeDredd

Agreed Unkel but i all i'm pointing out is that whenever someone asks for advice on a car with a small budget people always seem to point them in the direction of early-mid 90's big luxury models that can be extremely expensive to run.

ds20prefecture

Culchie wrote:

Thanks Duke,

But it isn't a family car, it's going to be mine.....all mine.

I don't want it getting knicked either, so I appreciate the suggestions so far, I seem to be on the right track, although I'm going to stick to the 1.6, 1.8 area, because of tax and insurance (I have to keep the Audi A6 on the road as well, the wife's great at driving, but not so good at fuelling up etc...you get my drift?)

Thanks Lads....keep the ideas coming

Sounds like you need a classic. Low tax and insurance.

Here's some links
http://www.novaweb.fr/detail.php?id=125453 - Mk1 Golf GTI
http://www.novaweb.fr/detail.php?id=126277 - A Corrado
http://www.novaweb.fr/detail.php?id=126360 - XJ6
http://www.novaweb.fr/detail.php?id=4761 - BMW 2002tii
http://www.novaweb.fr/detail.php?id=124424 - Style Style Style

landser

ds20prefecture wrote:

Alfa 156 1.8 - 144bhp, great looks, great noise, great handling. Good buy second hand but make sure the timing chain has been done and it's had a full service history. 155 will be cheaper but with more approximate build quality.

BMWs are better made and handle a bit better, but if you get a good Alfa you won't regret it. I did 45000 flawless miles in a 2.0 156. My brother did 80000 in a 1.8 - he had to replace the engine @ 45000, but that happens to most cars when you run them underwater!

Also: why not look for a 518? They're a better car than the 3 in almost every respect, and don't scream "I am Onan the barbarian!" quite so loudly. You might struggle to get one for 4k, though.

Other alternatives:
VW Corrado
Toyota MR2 Mk1

agree with al the above. i had a 525i and now have a 156 1.8ts. the latter is not as good a build, but ii has converted me to alfa's. beautiful car, pokey and relaible. fsh is essential though

if you buy the bmw, make sure you have enough money to run it. parts and servicing aren't cheap. and if you're going to drive it hard, ecpect frequent visits to the petrol station

stratos

here we go again. I don't know if your dublin based. There is a garage opposite lidl in finglas has wide variety of 3 series. not a dealer so prices should be better. I have no experience of this place though. On the question of old beemers and I know many people here will disagree with me. I have owned a good number and i have bought them cheaply in iffy looking back street garages but hey the prices were good. They are a mixed bag you can be lucky and unlucky . However nothing serious has ever gone wrong 2 were well over 100k. It's the niggles though these cars were pretty high strung in their day 10 years on stuff breaks. electric windows jam door handles come off sensors begin to fail. I have owned other 10 yr old cars gave less problems. I have actually found older bmw parts not too expensive. but at the end of the day if your gonna buy a 10 yr old propellor, you will be buying lots of small parts. However I refuse refuse to drive a front wheel drive car. So in my mind the bmw fits the bill very well. to sum up owning a 10 yr old bmw is a bit like having a squirrel down your pants. for the most part it's pleasurable, now and again it bites!!

unkel

stratos wrote:

to sum up owning a 10 yr old bmw is a bit like having a squirrel down your pants. for the most part it's pleasurable, now and again it bites!!

ROFLAO

The 3-series is one of the, if not the hardest driven / abused cars around. Get yourself an abused 10 year old one and you'll be crying

Having said that, all BMWs are very well built. Get yourself a well looked after / well serviced one and it will go on for a long, long time. Mine's just passed 120k miles and it feels and drives like a car only a couple of years old. It will be 8.5 years old soon...

lomb

if u can push another grand, u can buy an 1995 xj sport 3.2
much more reliable than bmw or mercedes, and fairly cheap to run, fuel consumption not too bad, and depreciation is near zero.

Slutmonkey57b

And remember, with the beamer you get a free "invisible wang" headband. You won't see it but everyone else on the road will.

528i

lomb wrote:

if u can push another grand, u can buy an 1995 xj sport 3.2
much more reliable than bmw or mercedes, and fairly cheap to run, fuel consumption not too bad, and depreciation is near zero.

You're obviously joking ? If there's an even more unreliable & money sapping heap of shyte on any forecourt, I cant think of it.

I realise you're after a sub 2.0l car, but used Audi A8's (2.8l) make huge sense at the moment given their colossal depreciation, but ultimately, to command the required respect on the open road, nothing short of a bmw will do.

lomb

528i wrote:

You're obviously joking ? If there's an even more unreliable & money sapping heap of shyte on any forecourt, I cant think of it.

I realise you're after a sub 2.0l car, but used Audi A8's (2.8l) make huge sense at the moment given their colossal depreciation, but ultimately, to command the required respect on the open road, nothing short of a bmw will do.

A8s are very very unreliable avoid them at all costs thats why uk trade values for these are so low. even the trade is afraid of them. do a search and u will see this. the new x300 jaguar post 95 is more reliable than a bmw or mercedes and is capable of intergalacatic mileage reliably.

Interceptor

The 316i is definitely the most underpowered, uninteresting car I have ever driven. Sorry, I take that back - the Hyundai Accent is but only by a very short margin. If you want a BMW, save your money and get a good one - a ten year old three series will bring heartache and pain. And if you want indulgence, it will need to be a five, six or seven series with a big engine (I'd recommend you ditch the missus and the Audi, and get an 850i but don't listen to me).

You don't want a Micra (who does?) but if you want fun/indulgence, it won't be a 316i. If on the other hand you want a practical, fun car which is only ever going to carry one person then steer away from the smaller-engined versions of family saloons (Laguna/156/Mondeo etc) and go for a smaller car with a larger engine and some performance. '95 Civic 1.5vti or Golf Gti for example - any hot hatch that hasn't been messed with.

'c

*sticks tongue in cheek*....

528i

I find that particularly offensive and would like it removed immediately !

(your recommendation of an alfa over the bmw)

Slutmonkey57b

528i wrote:

...but ultimately, to command the required respect on the open road, nothing short of a bmw will do.

Yep, that's what the BMW drivers of the world get.. respect. Nobody thinks BMW drivers are ****.

camarobill

respect on the open road,

528i

I take it neither of you acknowledge the driver of a bmw with a thumbs-up or quick blip of the headlights when he overtakes

you're in the minority then.

camarobill

528i wrote:

I take it neither of you acknowledge the driver of a bmw with a thumbs-up or quick blip of the headlights when he overtakes

you're in the minority then.

:eek: in the bus lane u mean thats undertake :cool:

DukeDredd

528i wrote:

I take it neither of you acknowledge the driver of a bmw with a thumbs-up or quick blip of the headlights when he overtakes

you're in the minority then.

What for? To make him feel good about himself?

528i

:rolleyes:

peasant

How about one of these then?
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=search&MakeID=26&xMakeID=26&ColourID=&xColourID=&ModelID=&xModelID=&Doors=&BodyID=&Engine_Min=&Year_Min=&Engine_Max=&Year_Max=&Price_Min=1000&Price_Min_integer=Minimum+price+entered+was+not+an+integer.&CountyID=&xCountyID=&Price_Max=4000&Price_Max_integer=Maximum+price+entered+was+not+an+integer.&BusinessID=&xBusinessID=&FuelID=&SortBy=MakeAsc&MaxRows=100&InsertPeriod=&ResultFormat=&submit=Find+%3E%3E

comfy, roomy AND NO SLOUCH EITHER

eljono

What about an Opel Calibra instead of a base, underpowered 3-series coupe?

I think though if I was in your shoes I'd buy an old 406 petrol. They are a very comfortable car with good driving dynamics and personally, I think quite good looking. I know you said you wouldn't like bigger than a 1.8 (which the 406 comes in) but the 2.0 is a lovely car to drive and can be picked up very reasonably. They will more than likely also have a very good spec. I imagine if you're driving an A6 you wouldn't like to go back to a spec starven car so maybe this could be one to consider?