Downgrading from e92 M3, 420/430/A6 etc

[theone8181]

I suppose this depends on if your commute is 1/2mile or 50?

Metaphor hitting the limiter or literal? - your usually past peak power, certainly torque - not to mention I killed a car years back by redlining it once too often...

Literal , its there for a reason, i commute 16 miles each way with a nice mix of 60 roads.

 

[Mulder]

Going to test drive a 430d this weekend. Will scope the boot out for a bike. I guess worse case I could go roof rack.

Although part of me is now thinking of keeping it, enjoying it until the summer and then selling. People are persuading me values will hold/increase and now is a terrible time to sell a decent car.

Choices choices.

 

[Gaygle]

If you only drive the M3 at the weekend, surely your mileage and therefore the fuel costs are minimal? The only thing that I can think of which is way above newer more boring cars is the VED.

I can't work out why you'd have a 18k diesel car which will depreciate heavily to do hardly any miles in for 2 days a week? I would either keep something special which is worth the expense, or get a £3k A-B car. I certainly wouldn't get an expensive sensible/boring car.

 

[Mulder]

Took a 430d out yesterday and whilst nice, I did miss the poke and it felt kind of "samey" inside but without the fun. I also take the point about depreciation if spending up to 18k. I probably do about 75 miles a week on average in the M3 so whilst it feels like I'm filling it up all the time, it's nowhere near bad as it could be. Doesn't seem like the best time to be selling a high performance car so I might wait a few months and then re-list it and consider my options.

 

[olv]

Your usage sounds very similar to mine. You need a V8 Vantage, it's just a two seater e92 M3 but with an 80 litre tank so you don't have to fill it up every ten minutes

 

[Simon]

The 60 l tank isn’t tiny to be fair

 

[[TW]Fox]

The 60 l tank isn’t tiny to be fair

Well it is. It was annoying enough on my 335i, must be an absolute nuisance on an M3.

 

[Simon]

Well it is. It was annoying enough on my 335i, must be an absolute nuisance on an M3.

Nah bruv. I only put £20 in to save money

 

[LiE]

Nah bruv. I only put £20 in to save money

and to save weight and increase 0-60 by 0.1s.

 

[Gaygle]

Took a 430d out yesterday and whilst nice, I did miss the poke and it felt kind of "samey" inside but without the fun. I also take the point about depreciation if spending up to 18k. I probably do about 75 miles a week on average in the M3 so whilst it feels like I'm filling it up all the time, it's nowhere near bad as it could be. Doesn't seem like the best time to be selling a high performance car so I might wait a few months and then re-list it and consider my options.

Surely that means you only fill it up once every 3-4 weeks?! Surely we're talking a matter of a few hundred quid a year in fuel? If you just fancied a change, or your M3 is in bits at a garage more than it's working, or you did 1500 miles a month I could definitely understand the change. But if this is a financial decision - it doesn't make any sense at the moment.

Realistically speaking switching to a 430d will bring about the following:

Advantages:
- £150 ish VED rather than £550 odd
- Possibly cheaper insurance (if you live in car crime cities)
- £30 (ish) a month better off in fuel
- Less likely to get nicked?
- Better for longer journey's if you ever do them?
- A few extra small tech things on the iDrive.
- AUC warranty is nice to have for peace of mind, but that's only for 12 months.

Disadvantages:
- Depreciation, depreciation, depreciation, especially if you're buying from a dealer. An £18k 430d is probably a 16k private car, or a 15k trade in. Then expect a grand or two depreciation per year for the next couple of years.
- The M3 is far more exciting to own and more of an occasion to drive, especially when only getting to drive it two days a week.
- Looks better. Sounds better. Drives better.
- The M3 will hold it's value much better.
- Chances of falling asleep at wheel are drastically increased with the 430d.

 

[Scania]

Took a 430d out yesterday and whilst nice, I did miss the poke and it felt kind of "samey" inside but without the fun. I also take the point about depreciation if spending up to 18k. I probably do about 75 miles a week on average in the M3 so whilst it feels like I'm filling it up all the time, it's nowhere near bad as it could be. Doesn't seem like the best time to be selling a high performance car so I might wait a few months and then re-list it and consider my options.

Wrong time of year to sell and I don’t see any advantages in you doing so once sale conditions improve tbh, a 430d will be nothing but a let down after an M3, I do wonder what you’d think of say a 530d instead? Meaning it’s a different kind of car entirely and whilst imo a 430d is by comparison to the M3 nothing other than a downgrade other than in outright performance I can’t see a nicely specced 530d feeling like it.

Well it is. It was annoying enough on my 335i, must be an absolute nuisance on an M3.

Agreed - I find the 85litre tank (which is hardly small I grant you) annoying on mine with similar mpg & V-Power loving V8 (but there the similarities end alas) a 60 litre tank on a car that I’d imagine can munch through that over a weekend hoon must be infuriating!

 

[Mulder]

Sorry for the late reply, I've been able to drive the M3 more the last week or so and have been enjoying it (especially with the quieter roads around Xmas ) and weighing up the options.

I take the points above, particularly on depreciation, and I'd think (hope...) the M3 won't depreciate much more over the next year or so. So I'm thinking of keeping it until the summer, then seeing what it's worth and getting something else but spending less than 18k.

5 series is interesting and ticks a lot of boxes, might take something like this out and see how it feels.

 

[theone8181]

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Sorry for the late reply, I've been able to drive the M3 more the last week or so and have been enjoying it (especially with the quieter roads around Xmas ) and weighing up the options.

I take the points above, particularly on depreciation, and I'd think (hope...) the M3 won't depreciate much more over the next year or so. So I'm thinking of keeping it until the summer, then seeing what it's worth and getting something else but spending less than 18k.

5 series is interesting and ticks a lot of boxes, might take something like this out and see how it feels.

Ouch if the spiel is right at the bottom, that's some drop in performance. I find my wife's focus at quite slow and it's a similar power to weight as that car.

 

[NickXX]

Agreed - I find the 85litre tank (which is hardly small I grant you) annoying on mine with similar mpg & V-Power loving V8 (but there the similarities end alas) a 60 litre tank on a car that I’d imagine can munch through that over a weekend hoon must be infuriating!

Wow, does your e38 really only do low 20s mpg?

 

[Scania]

Sorry for the late reply, I've been able to drive the M3 more the last week or so and have been enjoying it (especially with the quieter roads around Xmas ) and weighing up the options.

I take the points above, particularly on depreciation, and I'd think (hope...) the M3 won't depreciate much more over the next year or so. So I'm thinking of keeping it until the summer, then seeing what it's worth and getting something else but spending less than 18k.

5 series is interesting and ticks a lot of boxes, might take something like this out and see how it feels.

I’d certainly wait and see how you feel come the summer, selling now is not a good move imo.

I’d try the f10 diesels too, Fox liked his 530d so much he bought another, I’m sure he could have sourced a petrol if he’d really preferred one...

I’d also try the 535d, the 530d is a lovely piece of kit but - coming from an M3 - the 535 might be where you’ll want to be performance wise.

The 530i is lovely too but - as I think Fox found - your extremely limited in choice given so few of them relative to the diesel variants are out there.

Wow, does your e38 really only do low 20s mpg?

With its current use worse than that unfortunately, it’s averaging 18.2 mpg but, that said, it goes to work and back which is just under a 10 mile round trip and on the way home invariably it’s stop start all the way (I start early so miss the morning crawl) so it’s barely upto temperature before I switch it off and hardly moves when it is!

On a run - with a light foot - it’ll get low 30’s but I don’t take it on many runs :/

Stoke-on-Trent to Abersoch and back in the summer returned 15mpg overall but I was towing a large caravan, Stoke-on-Trent to Taunton and back - and running around whilst there - without said caravan nor light foot was overall 28mpg which I thought not too bad.

 

[NickXX]

On a run - with a light foot - it’ll get low 30’s but I don’t take it on many runs :/

Stoke-on-Trent to Abersoch and back in the summer returned 15mpg overall but I was towing a large caravan, Stoke-on-Trent to Taunton and back - and running around whilst there - without said caravan nor light foot was overall 28mpg which I thought not too bad.

Ouch, that’s pretty poor for a 250(?)hp engine. Are you not tempted to go the whole hog and get a 750i? At least it would feel special for the outlay!

 

[Scania]

Ouch, that’s pretty poor for a 250(?)hp engine. Are you not tempted to go the whole hog and get a 750i? At least it would feel special for the outlay!

235bhp iirc, I thought of - and looked at - a few 740 & 750’s but settled on mine through condition, owners and mileage.
I love it, if I was to change it’ll be an e39 (borderline sensible option) or e60 (anything but) M5 I think, the V12 is lovely but I think I’d have gone for one we’re it a deal breaker....

Laugh as you may, it feels special every time I drive it, and I never tire of comments about it which I receive almost daily...

The rather larger elephant in the room is f10 M5’s which are doable (albeit with finance) with a warranty which is hard to overlook, plus I have always wanted a car with more than the 450bhp my truck has....

 

[NickXX]

Fair enough if you enjoy it- I suffer similar fuel economy in my car. So long as it feels special to you, it’s worth it.

 

[Mulder]

Hi all,

Reviving this thread as I sold the M3 yesterday after getting a reasonable offer. Need to pick up a replacement in the next couple of weeks. My criteria is pretty much the same as the OP, and I'm currently looking at either an A4, A6, or possible a 5 series, ideally in petrol. I know specifying a petrol will limit the choice (as most seem to be diesels) but I can't bring myself to buy a diesel given the likely cost of owning a diesel into the future. I also tend to do short journeys, with not many motorway miles.

Something like this seems to tick the boxes, or this, but I'd welcome any other suggestions.

Which would people pick out A# or 5 series? I need to test drive both I think but would welcome views. Also on the Audi's, I've heard the S Tronic is much better/more reliable than the Multitronic gear box - does anyone have experience of this?