Dilema and BMW advice

I don't think its extortionate although my browsing has been for coupes/saloons/estates rather than convertibles. I expect the latter to be more expensive in the run up to summer?

I've not seen one with that interior and I suspect you'll need to see it in person.
Tanzanite blue is a lovely colour and still offered by BM, my local dealer has a brand new M3 estate in that colour.
It'll look a bit doomy on a dull winter day but its great in the sun.

Runflats aren't awful from memory but I've been running my 430d on Michelin Sport 4s for the last 3 years or so.
Tyre places don't like runflats though!

As a principle, it makes sense to replace a car(s) you don’t use much with one you would, although letting the 928 go can’t be easy.

That’s a good spec, just a shame it’s missing adaptive suspension and the leather is too much for me, but better than one of the standard ones. Tanzanite blue is a fantastic colour but apparently it’s quite soft so easy to get swirls and takes a lot of looking after. It does look expensive though, I’d hold off and see how quickly it comes down, but appreciate the right spec won’t come along often.

To answer some of your questions, I’m sure it would do 40mpg; it will sound better than an LCI car; as John says, they are runflats but BMW * rated which is a positive imo;

Don't runflats have quite a hard compound?

I got something like 30k+ miles out of them on my 320d although that was 4wd and clearly not as powerful or torquey as a 440i.
It was usually driven quite enthusuastically though

My tyres lasted over 18K before I replaced them but I was 4WD. My rears were the ones which were down to about 2.5mm but the fronts were fine. Being 4wd though I had to change them all!

You can fit normal tyres without any issues but you would need to carry a pump and some gunk just in case.

I think you probably can but I wouldn't want to do it. There is a difference in the way RFT and normal tyres work with much harder sidewalls for the RFT. I would think that could cause some handling issues.

I mean it sounds like you just need a Giulia QF to me?

I think the price is fine and the dealer may well stick to their guns with an unusual spec. I love the leather and the better spec softer stuff (standard BMW leather being like Elephant's skin) is not that common on 3/4 series, not sure if memory seats are standard but they are always sought after, as is the (very good) HK stereo.

While their folding hard tops are not my fave, all flavours of 440i seem a great proposition. Yes you'll get 35-40 MPG on a run, and RFT are a lot better than they were, even tyre reviewers seem to think so. You can get the much newer Turanza in a RFT, S001's are old (I have RE050 on the rear of the Boxster, soon to be replaced, old spec tyres feel old, buy the newer models). Our 2020 330e Touring rides very well indeed and is on budget RFT on 19" rims. It also rides silently over the harshest roads, the Alfa and Boxster have things to say at times. If you don't like them, you can stick normal tyres on wheels designed for RFT (you can't do the reverse). Don't mix them either. 

If our 2020 one is anything to go by, the materials quality is not amazing, the screen/MMI is however very good. The digital dash thing and HUD on ours both wind me up, despite me really wanting them both when looking at 440iGC's myself (ironically I far preferred the normal 440i looks, but disregarded it for having 4 seats, before buying a Qf with.... 4 seatbelts). Both dash and HUD are too bright for me, and display too much info which is too bright. I cull it down on the HUD but still when navigating it blinds me with turn instructions. The analogue dash on this one is nicer in my book.

You've mentioned a fair few cars on here. My only issues with the QF are: its too refined if anything for short local drives, and you need to be doing warp speed to really enjoy it. Those are both modern car irks in general - something like a 997 is going to be much, much more special to drive in normal use, just much more expensive to run (not when you consider depreciation though) and probably less dependable... This 440 may be too quiet/comfortable/sensible for you?

PS I want a go in the 928!!!!

Runflats are the work of Hitler, Stalin, Satan and Saddam Hussein combined. First thing I got rid of on my 3330d. I reckon you'd be lucky to see an actual measured 40mpg from a 440i.

You can switch the HUD off in BMWs, although I’m not sure why you would you want to.

You can assign loads of things, from opening sub menus to selecting individual options or settings. eg switching off the HUD….

Ageing eyes concerned about glare at night, probably not an issue

Probably not.  You can adjust the brightness right down and it dims at night anyway.   If it’s the same as the 7 series, you can also select a simplified display if needed.

Same. If it weren't for the need of an estate, I would snap that up in a minute! 


Then regret it, as my 20d is returning 52+mpg on a gentle burble round the Highlands this past couple of days! 

I wouldn't have necessarily have gone to see that. Somehow the Dakota leather looks at its cheapest when black - the coloured choices at least add some visual variety. Also I hear the standard headlights on the LCI model are a bit pants.