1990 Micra 1.0;
We both came into this world in the same month, irrelevant I guess but always felt it was kinda cool we were ageing at the exact same rate! Dad "bought" it for me, I was still learning to drive and was a couple of months from taking my test, and he pulls up in this boxy Micra, then proceeds to ask me for the £500.00 that it cost. I was pretty miffed at the time as I hadn't chose what I wanted and got ripped by mates who were in Ibiza's and such (obviously they were much cooler than me), but in retrospect it's the only car I've ever owned where I sold it for the same value I bought it for. And it didn't let me down once.
2008 Aygo 1.0;
A mistake, but amazing economy. Peanuts to buy, run, insure etc.
2010 Yaris 1.33;
An even bigger mistake, an awful engine and car combo.
2011 Juke Dig-T 1.6;
Not a bad car, but horrendous economy for the performance on offer. 30mpg and 0-62 in 8s, meh.
2001 3 series 3.0;
One my favourite cars ever, was the SE spec but had all of the toys, Xenons, HK, heated and electrically adjustable seats, sunroof, black leather, silver colour and a manual box. Should never have sold it but hey ho, we all make mistakes. Guy I sold it to wrote it off a few months later.
2012 RS Clio 200;
Bought this on a whim when still owning the 330i. Absolutely the most fun car I've owned, which is great on roundabouts. For the rest of the time, an actual pain in the backside. Recaro seats and a screamer of an engine was the only reason I kept it so long. So long, being, 12 months. Thankfully I lost very little in the ownership.
2004 330Ci 3 series 3.0;
After 'done goofing' on the Clio purchase I knew I had to get back into an E46, so I went with the coupe version this time. I took the dealers word on it that the car had Xenons but it didn't, and I also took the dealers word on it that the service history was complete, but it wasn't. Both lessons learned the hard way, nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. Having said that the car was beautiful and drove even better than the 330i, not sure whether that was due to the coupe shape or the difference in Sport suspension or SE. Nothing to do with the pap tyres on the 330i
Eventually got the service history sorted by way of buying a new service book from BMW and sending it round all of the dealers where it was serviced, fortunately it was done at a main dealer every time, so it did technically have FBMWSH but a) the garage I bought it from (non BMW main dealer) didn't know that, and b) the actual service book was incomplete). Anyway, two years of ownership and a short stint in an LCI F31, I fancied something a little newer...
2013 M135i 1 series 3.0;
Brutally quick, decent economy, decent handling, best gearbox and engine combo I've experienced! Some niggles here and there but nothing too drastic. Not very exciting in some ways, and I keep flitting between the notion that, that's exactly why it's a brilliant everyday motor, and exactly why I don't want it. As soon as I buy something more hardcore, like an RS Clio, I'll miss it. Because I never learn
We both came into this world in the same month, irrelevant I guess but always felt it was kinda cool we were ageing at the exact same rate! Dad "bought" it for me, I was still learning to drive and was a couple of months from taking my test, and he pulls up in this boxy Micra, then proceeds to ask me for the £500.00 that it cost. I was pretty miffed at the time as I hadn't chose what I wanted and got ripped by mates who were in Ibiza's and such (obviously they were much cooler than me), but in retrospect it's the only car I've ever owned where I sold it for the same value I bought it for. And it didn't let me down once.
2008 Aygo 1.0;
A mistake, but amazing economy. Peanuts to buy, run, insure etc.
2010 Yaris 1.33;
An even bigger mistake, an awful engine and car combo.
2011 Juke Dig-T 1.6;
Not a bad car, but horrendous economy for the performance on offer. 30mpg and 0-62 in 8s, meh.
2001 3 series 3.0;
One my favourite cars ever, was the SE spec but had all of the toys, Xenons, HK, heated and electrically adjustable seats, sunroof, black leather, silver colour and a manual box. Should never have sold it but hey ho, we all make mistakes. Guy I sold it to wrote it off a few months later.
2012 RS Clio 200;
Bought this on a whim when still owning the 330i. Absolutely the most fun car I've owned, which is great on roundabouts. For the rest of the time, an actual pain in the backside. Recaro seats and a screamer of an engine was the only reason I kept it so long. So long, being, 12 months. Thankfully I lost very little in the ownership.
2004 330Ci 3 series 3.0;
After 'done goofing' on the Clio purchase I knew I had to get back into an E46, so I went with the coupe version this time. I took the dealers word on it that the car had Xenons but it didn't, and I also took the dealers word on it that the service history was complete, but it wasn't. Both lessons learned the hard way, nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. Having said that the car was beautiful and drove even better than the 330i, not sure whether that was due to the coupe shape or the difference in Sport suspension or SE. Nothing to do with the pap tyres on the 330i
Eventually got the service history sorted by way of buying a new service book from BMW and sending it round all of the dealers where it was serviced, fortunately it was done at a main dealer every time, so it did technically have FBMWSH but a) the garage I bought it from (non BMW main dealer) didn't know that, and b) the actual service book was incomplete). Anyway, two years of ownership and a short stint in an LCI F31, I fancied something a little newer...
2013 M135i 1 series 3.0;
Brutally quick, decent economy, decent handling, best gearbox and engine combo I've experienced! Some niggles here and there but nothing too drastic. Not very exciting in some ways, and I keep flitting between the notion that, that's exactly why it's a brilliant everyday motor, and exactly why I don't want it. As soon as I buy something more hardcore, like an RS Clio, I'll miss it. Because I never learn
)