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Post by Tim on Feb 8, 2018 16:43:24 GMT
I've expanded my search for a petrol powered replacement for the 320d to 5 series saloons now and was actually quite surprised to see the newest shape 5s at fairly low prices. For example this one at £33,500
usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201712222227325?quoteref=2bf90009-c2ac-4fa4-bb6f-92ae55c3f99f
I made a note of the options it has, went on the configurator and to buy it new now would be just under £51k. It's lost 34% of its original price in 7 months and 9,000 miles. Were BMW offering big discounts on these from day 1?
There are a lot of cars registered in May & June 2017 available..... |
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Post by Martin on Feb 8, 2018 16:51:52 GMT
You could get close to 20% discount very shortly after launch. That’s a good spec and a lot of car for the money.
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Post by johnc on Feb 8, 2018 16:59:42 GMT
Discounts have been fairly generous on the 5 after the initial rush.
Discounts somewhere in the region of 13% to 18% are available depending on model
BMW are also doing PCP finance at 2.9% apr and are throwing in an extra £1500 to £4500 finance discount depending on model.
I think there were lots of cars pre registered around May/June because all BMW ranges (especially the more expensive) have lots of 6mth old cars with low miles and some with next to no miles.
If the doom merchants are to be believed, all German cars are going to increase in cost over the next year or two and interest rates are going to rise, so these deals are potentially better taken now, whilst available, rather than waiting. |
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Post by michael on Feb 8, 2018 17:46:22 GMT
I’m sure it’s great and all but for me BMW have lost their way when it come to making a decent looking car. The grill and headlights are cartoonishly big. They didn’t work on the X5 and 7 series and they don’t work here. All the details are a mess too. The exhausts seemingly styled for the sake of it and the complexity of the bumpers at both ends are just too much. I’m not a fan.
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Post by Big Blue on Feb 9, 2018 7:05:36 GMT
Yep: can't get on with the front end at all. Lovely car and a lot for the money but you'd need to look at that going front end every time you parked it.
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Post by Tim on Feb 9, 2018 10:30:14 GMT
I’m sure it’s great and all but for me BMW have lost their way when it come to making a decent looking car. The grill and headlights are cartoonishly big. They didn’t work on the X5 and 7 series and they don’t work here. All the details are a mess too. The exhausts seemingly styled for the sake of it and the complexity of the bumpers at both ends are just too much. I’m not a fan.
The current crop look much better in black because it hides some of the excesses and at least the black plastic doesn't stand out. Try following a silver X4 for sheer hideousness!
Oddly I think I prefer the current 5 to the last one (sorry Martin!).
Anyway it's all irrelevant at the moment as Mrs Tim has decreed that not only should the next car be petrol it needs to be an estate. She'd also like to keep red leather for the seats and have them electrically adjustable. If we stick to BMWs then that car basically doesn't exist.
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Post by Boxer6 on Feb 9, 2018 18:31:22 GMT
I’m sure it’s great and all but for me BMW have lost their way when it come to making a decent looking car. The grill and headlights are cartoonishly big. They didn’t work on the X5 and 7 series and they don’t work here. All the details are a mess too. The exhausts seemingly styled for the sake of it and the complexity of the bumpers at both ends are just too much. I’m not a fan.
The current crop look much better in black because it hides some of the excesses and at least the black plastic doesn't stand out. Try following a silver X4 for sheer hideousness!
Oddly I think I prefer the current 5 to the last one (sorry Martin!).
Anyway it's all irrelevant at the moment as Mrs Tim has decreed that not only should the next car be petrol it needs to be an estate. She'd also like to keep red leather for the seats and have them electrically adjustable. If we stick to BMWs then that car basically doesn't exist.
Other marques are available! |
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Post by johnc on Feb 9, 2018 18:57:38 GMT
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Post by chipbutty on Feb 9, 2018 19:49:18 GMT
Agree with the comments about the looks, the droopy front end and saggy arsed rear bumper are very disappointing.
I’ve also noted that all of the wheel designs are horrible and the car looks under wheeled even on 20s.
Can’t get excited about the 530i either. A 2.0 turbo four banger is the wrong engine for this type of car, you need a 540i in order to get the requisite number of cylinders and low end torque for wafting.
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Post by Tim on Feb 12, 2018 11:14:28 GMT
The current crop look much better in black because it hides some of the excesses and at least the black plastic doesn't stand out. Try following a silver X4 for sheer hideousness!
Oddly I think I prefer the current 5 to the last one (sorry Martin!).
Anyway it's all irrelevant at the moment as Mrs Tim has decreed that not only should the next car be petrol it needs to be an estate. She'd also like to keep red leather for the seats and have them electrically adjustable. If we stick to BMWs then that car basically doesn't exist.
Other marques are available! 
I've seen a few of those John but not sure how the 340 would work out as a 20k mile a year commuter car. I forgot to add in my earlier post that Mrs Tim would also like to have a 'keep fit' gearbox rather than the old man option that appears to be the only choice on the 6 cylinder cars! Having said that I did show her a link to one of the 340s at the weekend and she asked me if I was going to enquire about it.
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Post by Martin on Feb 12, 2018 11:51:17 GMT
I’m sure it’s great and all but for me BMW have lost their way when it come to making a decent looking car. The grill and headlights are cartoonishly big. They didn’t work on the X5 and 7 series and they don’t work here. All the details are a mess too. The exhausts seemingly styled for the sake of it and the complexity of the bumpers at both ends are just too much. I’m not a fan.
Oddly I think I prefer the current 5 to the last one (sorry Martin!).
I missed that! No apology required, even though you’re wrong!  I’m not a big fan of the new 5 either, it’s the best option available in the class at the moment, but that’s not too difficult. I think the 7 is much better looking overall and has a significantly higher quality interior, that’s the only BMW I’d consider (for me) right now. |
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Post by racingteatray on Feb 12, 2018 11:53:01 GMT
Has Mrs Tim tried the "old man option"?
I like a manual 'box as much as the next man but wouldn't swap the auto in my 4GC for a manual.
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Post by racingteatray on Feb 12, 2018 11:55:21 GMT
Oddly I think I prefer the current 5 to the last one (sorry Martin!).
I missed that! No apology required, even though you’re wrong! I’m not a big fan of the new 5 either, it’s the best option available in the class at the moment, but that’s not too difficult. I think the 7 is much better looking overall and has a significantly higher quality interior, that’s the only BMW I’d consider (for me) right now. 7-series? Good-looking?
There hasn't been a properly good-looking 7-series since the E38.
Rather like the Audi A8, the current and previous generations of which were no patch on the first two.
Of the German uber-barges, only Merc is presently on form with the current S-Class, which is a handsome piece of kit. Not least because it has a proper M-B grille and gunsight star, unlike the much less attractive (on a saloon/estate) SL-style grille that has now been inflicted on every other UK-spec Merc (in Europe, the C and E can still be had with the proper grille I've noticed).
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Post by Martin on Feb 12, 2018 12:07:04 GMT
I missed that! No apology required, even though you’re wrong! I’m not a big fan of the new 5 either, it’s the best option available in the class at the moment, but that’s not too difficult. I think the 7 is much better looking overall and has a significantly higher quality interior, that’s the only BMW I’d consider (for me) right now. 7-series? Good-looking?
There hasn't been a properly good-looking 7-series since the E38.
Rather like the Audi A8, the current and previous generations of which were no patch on the first two.
Of the German uber-barges, only Merc is presently on form with the current S-Class, which is a handsome piece of kit. Not least because it has a proper M-B grille and gunsight star, unlike the much less attractive (on a saloon/estate) SL-style grille that has now been inflicted on every other UK-spec Merc (in Europe, the C and E can still be had with the proper grille I've noticed).
Yes, it is. I like the recently facelifted S Class as well, but don’t like the new A8. We all have different tastes, one forum member even had nice things to say about that horrendous little Jeep iirc......  |
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Post by Tim on Feb 12, 2018 12:21:40 GMT
Has Mrs Tim tried the "old man option"? I like a manual 'box as much as the next man but wouldn't swap the auto in my 4GC for a manual. I think she got an auto Nissan Juke courtesy car when the 370 was in for its last service but then she would've only driven it about 2 miles! Other than that I don't think she's ever driven an auto.
What sort of economy do you get out of your 4GC?
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Post by Tim on Feb 12, 2018 12:31:57 GMT
Anyway it's all irrelevant at the moment as Mrs Tim has decreed that not only should the next car be petrol it needs to be an estate. She'd also like to keep red leather for the seats and have them electrically adjustable. If we stick to BMWs then that car basically doesn't exist.
Other marques are available!
I should've answered this properly.
As you know Mrs Tim is rather short and she can get comfy in the BM, she's decided she wants a petrol engine and if you add that to the other criteria you end up with a simple choice. Very, very few of the 2 litre variants have electric seats whereas the 3 litre ones do. So I reckon there's a very good chance of us ending up with a 300+ BHP, 6 cylinder petrol, rwd car for our daily driver.
I reckon that's a higher education level of man maths right there
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Post by racingteatray on Feb 12, 2018 13:18:32 GMT
Has Mrs Tim tried the "old man option"? I like a manual 'box as much as the next man but wouldn't swap the auto in my 4GC for a manual. I think she got an auto Nissan Juke courtesy car when the 370 was in for its last service but then she would've only driven it about 2 miles! Other than that I don't think she's ever driven an auto.
What sort of economy do you get out of your 4GC?
Reaching home from Stansted last night, I noted that it's just about 10 miles short of 10k miles and the rolling average for those first 10k miles has been something like 31mpg, which isn't at all bad if you consider that I live in central London and therefore it does quite a lot of short urban journeys. Certainly it's a few MPG better than what the M135i managed (which I can't remember off-hand).
On a long motorway run, it's been around 38mpg at French m/way speeds (ie 80-90mph). I guess you might get 40 sticking nearer the UK speed-limit.
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Post by racingteatray on Feb 12, 2018 13:20:32 GMT
7-series? Good-looking?
There hasn't been a properly good-looking 7-series since the E38.
Rather like the Audi A8, the current and previous generations of which were no patch on the first two.
Of the German uber-barges, only Merc is presently on form with the current S-Class, which is a handsome piece of kit. Not least because it has a proper M-B grille and gunsight star, unlike the much less attractive (on a saloon/estate) SL-style grille that has now been inflicted on every other UK-spec Merc (in Europe, the C and E can still be had with the proper grille I've noticed).
Yes, it is. I don't hate it but it tends to look slab-sided and under-wheeled to me in anything other than the Max Power V12 variant. There's something I don't like about the rear 3/4 and the rear detailing isn't very well done. |
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Post by Martin on Feb 12, 2018 13:33:26 GMT
I don't hate it but it tends to look slab-sided and under-wheeled to me in anything other than the Max Power V12 variant. There's something I don't like about the rear 3/4 and the rear detailing isn't very well done. It does need 20” wheels and M Sport trim plus de-chrome (essential).....then it looks good (imo!). |
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Post by Tim on Feb 12, 2018 14:09:51 GMT
What sort of economy do you get out of your 4GC?
Reaching home from Stansted last night, I noted that it's just about 10 miles short of 10k miles and the rolling average for those first 10k miles has been something like 31mpg, which isn't at all bad if you consider that I live in central London and therefore it does quite a lot of short urban journeys. Certainly it's a few MPG better than what the M135i managed (which I can't remember off-hand).
On a long motorway run, it's been around 38mpg at French m/way speeds (ie 80-90mph). I guess you might get 40 sticking nearer the UK speed-limit.
Cheers A work colleague has a new 320i xDrive and is getting 34 according to the OBC. Sounds like there's little penalty for having the 'proper' engine!
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Post by johnc on Feb 12, 2018 15:20:00 GMT
Cheers A work colleague has a new 320i xDrive and is getting 34 according to the OBC. Sounds like there's little penalty for having the 'proper' engine!
Given the economy of my wife's old 2 litre A5, I don't think we would have been penalised much if she had been running the 4 litre V8. |
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Post by ChrisM on Feb 12, 2018 20:38:55 GMT
I've expanded my search for a petrol powered replacement for the 320d to 5 series saloons now and was actually quite surprised to see the newest shape 5s at fairly low prices.
Apparently BMW are offering special discounts this year to celebrate their 100th year ?? It's not being widely advertised by the sounds of it, and I've just found out "by accident" on an on-line review site |
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Post by Boxer6 on Feb 12, 2018 21:07:04 GMT
Other marques are available!
I should've answered this properly.
As you know Mrs Tim is rather short and she can get comfy in the BM, she's decided she wants a petrol engine and if you add that to the other criteria you end up with a simple choice. Very, very few of the 2 litre variants have electric seats whereas the 3 litre ones do. So I reckon there's a very good chance of us ending up with a 300+ BHP, 6 cylinder petrol, rwd car for our daily driver.
I reckon that's a higher education level of man maths right there
Yes, I recall Mrs Tim's relative lack of stature! I must admit I've done little to no research into availability of 3-litre petrol powered cars with electric seats; mainly because I've got one!! Bit old, leggy (sorry!) and probably under-powered for to fit your criteria. Plus I get 28-30mpg on a (very) good dy, so that's not ideal either. |
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Post by PetrolEd on Feb 13, 2018 9:56:38 GMT
I've expanded my search for a petrol powered replacement for the 320d to 5 series saloons now and was actually quite surprised to see the newest shape 5s at fairly low prices.
Apparently BMW are offering special discounts this year to celebrate their 100th year ?? It's not being widely advertised by the sounds of it, and I've just found out "by accident" on an on-line review site Special discounts as its their 100 year anniversary, not discounted because BMW have fallen behind Merc and Audi and are struggling for sales. No not at all. |
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Post by johnc on Feb 13, 2018 10:28:28 GMT
Special discounts as its their 100 year anniversary, not discounted because BMW have fallen behind Merc and Audi and are struggling for sales. No not at all. On our visits to the dealers, BMW was really quiet and there was an air of desperation, Mercedes were busy(ish) with enough people about and a few sitting at desks crunching the numbers. However Audi was absolutely jumping with almost every desk filled and lots of people looking at cars - it does strike me as a bit strange that the make which offers the least discount, the highest apr rates and the worst service (at least in my part of the world) should apparently be getting all the business. Maybe the snow and ice have played into Quattro's hands when the likes of 4Matic and XDrive are perhaps less well known to Mr General Public. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 10:44:39 GMT
Last time I went in a BMW dealer no one spoke to me, despite being the only one in there. I obviously looked like a time waster, not a buyer.
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Post by Tim on Feb 13, 2018 10:55:20 GMT
Last time I went in a BMW dealer no one spoke to me, despite being the only one in there. I obviously looked like a time waster, not a buyer.
I've had that experience on the 2 occasions I've gone into a Merc showroom.
This alleged special discount for 100 years that BMW may be offering sounds intriguing. I might spend lunchtime on the configurator to spec up a 340i estate in anticipation of going to Perth at the weekend and fitting in a trip to the BMW garage there.
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Post by cbeaks1 on Feb 13, 2018 11:29:51 GMT
Are you going armed with a Coast 2 Coast quote?
A friend of mine got 9k of a mineral grey 340i Touring last year using Racing’s advice.
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Post by Tim on Feb 13, 2018 12:10:22 GMT
I'll have a look at that as well, thanks. This is starting to get a bit of momentum which is worrying for my bank account......  |
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Post by Martin on Feb 13, 2018 12:42:50 GMT
I'll have a look at that as well, thanks. This is starting to get a bit of momentum which is worrying for my bank account...... Have a look at CarWow as well, you enter your spec and dealers quote. I tested it on a Golf R and it was nearly about £600 less than coast2coast, which was lower than Broadspeed. |
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