Well, im in a position where Ive came into a bit of cash and am looking to trade in my 2004 Fabia vRS for one of the above.

The VXR8 does crap MPG, but looks far better in my opinion, and definatly sounds better being a V8, and is 5 door. The tax is also in the top band.

The build quality is generally regarded as inferior to a BMW's, but still quite good. It is a simple, unstressed, tried and tested engine with few reliability issues.

The BMW has aprox half the the fuel costs of the VXR8, and half the tax,although servicing is about twice as much. It has far less power (282bhp Vs 430 bhp) but does have slightly more torque. Although with a cheap remap, the real world performance figures are going to be very similar to a VXR8.

The BMW is a lovely car, but does tend to blend in with every other BMW on the road.

The VXR8 is exclusive, there are very few of them, and folk will approach you to chat about your car. Cant see that happening in a BMW 3 series.

It is kind of a head/heart decision. I only do about 10,000 miles a year so although the VXR8 will undoubtly cost more to run, would it really be that much more?

Anyone got opinions on what they would buy?

Whats the depreciation like on the holden ?

Whats the depreciation like on the holden ?

Both have steadied out quite well now. For similar money, I'd be looking at a low mileage (less than 20k) 2009 VXR8 or a 50,000 mile ish 2008 335d for about the same sort of money.

Neither should drop dramaticly from now on.

Edited 4 September, 201213 yr by chopper-lew

bmw cars look like cabbages in a field all the same

Here is food for thought maybe.

http://www.carpages.co.uk/vauxhall/vauxhall-vxr8-10-10-11.asp

Drive canny & go 10,000 miles for just over £2000

or boot it and spend £3000.

Best go and drive them and see what you decide.

What does the insurance man say,

& can you park the Vauxhall securely off the road?

george

How do they compare on insurance to one another? That may be a big decider?

Fuel wise as well may be surprising. It's getting late so I might have got this very wrong, but based on 10,000 miles a year the VXR8 might cost about £3,000 in fuel where as the BMW will be about £1,500. Based on the combined MPG figures

I'd go for the Vauxhall if it were me. As you say tthere is loads of bmw's. You only live once and all that.

In an ideal world I would have a proper Holden HSV Maloo but the VXR is a stonking car.

As you say, much more original than the BM.

Go on, you know you want to

10,000 miles at 21 mpg is 476 gallons @ £6.50 = £3095 , divide by 365 days is £8.50 a day or so.

10,000 miles at 35 mpg is 285 gallons @ £6.50 = £1857 , divide by £365 days is £5 a day or so.

Sounds like no difference untill you go filling the tank and want to take a 600 mile trip.

You just buy what you can afford, or give up something else so you can afford it.

Seen any good VXr8's around ?

There was a nice one for sale near Coupar Angus and one near Forfar recently.

Seen a few on Autotrader around Glasgow/Newton Mearns.

I see a 2009 Auto up in Buckie for a £19,495 asking price.

george

Here is food for thought maybe.

http://www.carpages....r8-10-10-11.asp

Drive canny & go 10,000 miles for just over £2000

or boot it and spend £3000.

Best go and drive them and see what you decide.

What does the insurance man say,

& can you park the Vauxhall securely off the road?

george

I have driven my mates Monaro with the similar performance(albeit 100 bhp less powered with the LS1 5.7L V8 lump) numerous times and it is an experience. Very brutish and vocal with plenty of grunt.

Not driven a 335d yet admitidly, but I have never read a bad review of them. Smooth and really tourquey, and rev like a petrol!

Secure parking not an issue.

Insurance not really an issue. Last two cars have been a highly modified (420 bhp Mk 2 focus RS and a Fabia vRS diesel. The insurance was 600 and 300 respectivly, so pretty much anything on the road will be between these figures.

10,000 miles at 21 mpg is 476 gallons @ £6.50 = £3095 , divide by 365 days is £8.50 a day or so.

10,000 miles at 35 mpg is 285 gallons @ £6.50 = £1857 , divide by £365 days is £5 a day or so.

Sounds like no difference untill you go filling the tank and want to take a 600 mile trip.

You just buy what you can afford, or give up something else so you can afford it.

Seen any good VXr8's around ?

There was a nice one for sale near Coupar Angus and one near Forfar recently.

Seen a few on Autotrader around Glasgow/Newton Mearns.

george

Yeah, I think the book figure for a 335d is 44 mpg and a VXR8 19 mpg. Factor in the additional cost of diesel, and it is basicly twice the fuel costs in a VXR8.

Edited 4 September, 201213 yr by chopper-lew

couldnt you get a xkr ? if going big ?

That's not a like for like comparison though, an E46 M3 is.

As a drivers car, the VXR8 clearly any day, but I suspect things would be reversed if you drove a M3.

Other option is buy a second car, a 7, Trevor or Elise if you have a garage. That's what I've done anyway.

Oh, definitely heart!

Also don't dismiss the 335 - by all accounts a better drivers car than the 335d, way more frugile than the LS engined cars and highly mappable, also fewer reliability

issues that potentially plague Beemers.

V8 > I6

VXR - Floppy big saloon made by the people who gave us Fosters "lager", Rolf Harris, "Dame" Edna Everage and "Sir" Lex Patterson.

BMW 3 series - Compact and potentially sporty, made by the people who gave us the German beer purity laws, Wagner, Beethoven, the DTM...

No contest unless all you want is an unusual car, in which case your budget might buy a Noble or a high end TVR.

I cant decide what i would do. Totally split between them. As a daily driver the BMW would win hands down but on the sunny days the noise of that V8 would make all the difference. I have always hankered after a V8 or any petrol car that sounds good but bloody company car rules dont allow it, dam it. On the boring daily drive you would curse the VXR8 for its crap economy and general poorer fit and finish but on the good days, window down on a cracking road you would regret being in a diesel BMW, no matter how good it is.

No matter what you pick you will regret it some days and be thankfull of it on other days, both have comprimises both excell in different ways.

Tough decision. But one i would love to have.

VXR - Floppy big saloon made by the people who gave us Fosters "lager", Rolf Harris, "Dame" Edna Everage and "Sir" Lex Patterson.

I've only encountered the supercharged versions, they handle very poorly - v.heavy 1800+Kg

Don't seem to able to accelerate well on real roads nor do they stop quickly

Lots of plastic front end parts too, look very early 90's to me

Not a patch on a Lotus Carlton

(seen both parked next to each other)

A member (or ex member on here) had a holden.

There was a lot of attention and it did get nicked (and found) but certainly not all the attention will be of the type you want.

Are you worried about re-sale? I would have thought the BMW would be easier to shift later on. Sounds really boring saying that but its a sad fact of life.

Get the VXR8 and run it into the ground, stuff it.

If you go for an older Holden, check out the old GTS/Monaro and such. What you save on the purchase price and potential depreciation, you can spend on fuel.

Not the same as a Monaro I grant you, but I was in the same place with my RX-8. While I could afford to run it, it got to the point where I started begrudging filling the car up, and just stopped using it. Granted, my bike got more use, but once the novelty had worn off it was just an annoyance! I also found there weren't many occasions when you could ever have enough fun to justify the 20mpg. Also made the prospect of long journeys annoying, and I'd often find myself looking for lifts places. . .

Just food for thought. . .

Steer clear of the BMW - too much of a -ve stigmer attached!

VXR8 - pretty good looking, got the head turning, rare-appeal to it...

OR

Look at a more standard(ish) car and play with it...a good example may be...

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/248877-black-mazda-rx-8-2004-1-owner-41k-235-bhp-fmsh/

M3

VXR8

I'm obviously biased but what about a V6T S4? Or a 4.2 RS4?