Love those wee things. Verging on HOT rather than WARM. The 1 series does have a tiny boot unfortunately. I seriously tried to convince myself i could live with one as i fancied a 123d but in reality my dog would not fit in the boot. Well he would but it would have been effectively animal cruelty.

The Coupé is a much better bet. Same wheelbase/interior room as the hatch, but with a useful boot extension.

The 123d is an awesome little car, the 0-60 time doesn't justify its true speed. The true headline grabbers are the same torque as the biturbo 135i, coupled with 200bhp and a real-world 40mpg+. If I had plenty of cash for a hire purchase, or just had a decent wodge to spend on a decent real-world car, I'd buy one of those.

Also worth looking at as far as hot diesels go is the Audi Allroad. The older 3.0 TDi is still pretty nippy at 240bhp, but the new BiTDi is simply stonking. 315bhp, 480lb/ft, 36+mpg (true tested, not bull**** manufacturer claims).

Oh... and BMW drivers aren't all bad.

The last model 5 and 3 series I really couldn't see me buying. Far too common and normally driven as company cars by people who are always "touching base" for some "blue sky thinking". Drives me mad. Old BMW's are much better. The E39 5 series was brilliant and I'd love an E30 M3

Bimmers = Drift toys with alot of make up on! Simples!

I'd happily have an m5 on my drive

Look at this monster

What about the BMW 123D, i know it's not the biggest car in the world. But that thing can fly, one left my cr vrs diesel for dust on the A9 when i was overtaking a car, i pulled out so did the car behind then the bmw. i thought i was flying as i left the second car standing, then the next thing i know this little rocket goes flying past. and you can get it in 3 or 5 door. think the 0-60 times about 6.9 ish.

Isn't it now the 125D?

215bhp & 332lbs/ft

0-60 6.5 sec

And economical to boot!

Having your cake and eating it!

I just have issues with the BMW brand image.

But hey, I drive a Skoda. What what do I know.

I'm with you on this one.

If I had £30k to spend one of the worst things you could do with it is spend it all on a car. Bye bye money. Bmws just depreciate as much as anything else. That's why I've got a Skoda and not a vw or Audi. Same car underneath, lot less money. Would a remapped Octavia vRS diesel move from warm hatch to hot hatch then?

that's not a moral barrier, that's just kinda...dumb and no different at all from someone not buying a Skoda because of the badge

THIS^

You buy the car that you want or the one that fits your needs. If the BMW is the car that best does this then not buying one because of someone elses perceived stereotypes is madness. Ive gone from 2 BMW's to a skoda. So if i was an arrogant ass in the BMW what am i know??

Actually dont answer that but you know what i mean,.

Edited 25 October, 201213 yr by Jockdooshbag

I'm with you on this one.

If I had £30k to spend one of the worst things you could do with it is spend it all on a car. Bye bye money. Bmws just depreciate as much as anything else. That's why I've got a Skoda and not a vw or Audi. Same car underneath, lot less money. Would a remapped Octavia vRS diesel move from warm hatch to hot hatch then?

This is something I say to people time and time again.

Depreciation figures are shown as a percentage. It's all wrong!

If you buy a £30k BMW and only lose 50% (15k) in three years, how on earth can that be better than buying a Skoda for £20k and losing 60% (12k) in the same period?

They always report that the BMW/Audi/other "premium" brands holds it's money well. But it generally doesn't if you look at the following facts:

1. There are certain "must have" options that you get on a new one to protect it's resale value, which are not reflected in the list price which depreciation is based on. So the real depreciation is higher unless you want a basic car nobody wants.

2. A lower rate of depreciation on a more expensive car is often still a bigger loss that a higher percentage loss on a cheaper car. I don't understand why people don't see this, it's all sales talk helped by the motoring press.

This is something I say to people time and time again.

Depreciation figures are shown as a percentage. It's all wrong!

If you buy a £30k BMW and only lose 50% (15k) in three years, how on earth can that be better than buying a Skoda for £20k and losing 60% (12k) in the same period?

They always report that the BMW/Audi/other "premium" brands holds it's money well. But it generally doesn't if you look at the following facts:

1. There are certain "must have" options that you get on a new one to protect it's resale value, which are not reflected in the list price which depreciation is based on.

2. A lower rate of depreciation on a more expensive car is often still a bigger loss that a higher percentage loss on a cheaper car. I don't understand why people don't see this.

BMW's depreciate just as badly as all other cars. I have first hand experience of this. As you said the best way to minimise these losses is to pay less to start with. Ignore what you read about certain cars being worth 50% of original value in 3 years. They cant predict the market in 2 weeks time let alone 3 years time. My BMW 320d i traded in for my VRS would cost about £32000 to buy it new now. My VRS just cost me £20000. Spec for spec they were near itentical i.e autos, estates, similar power, performance etc, they had exact same options ie parking sensors and cruise and the like. How can anyone justify the extra £12000 especially considering the BMW was a lot smaller. You cant. The BMW was a great car and is maybe worth a we bit more but no where near £12000 more.

The depreciation calculations on a £32000 car are terrifying. It will be a lot easier to stomach the smaller loses on my £20000 car plus im paying substantially less each month for the next 3 odd years on top of that. No brainer. Money no objetc though - id have the beemer again, but only just.

Im as guilty as the rest but we seemed to have strayed off topic somewhat here.

WARM / HOT diesel options...........Are Audi not getting a 200bhp+ diesel in the new generation of cars?? I thought i read somewhere they were to compete with BMW.

Edited 25 October, 201213 yr by Jockdooshbag

Like I said, I love BMWs. The M5 is probably my

favourite car available at the moment as it happens.

It's not image of the car I have an issue with.

Can I afford to buy and run an M5? Maybe? But at a push.

I do 4k a year in my cars if that and I simply couldn't justify

having one there on the drive losing money doing nothing

most of the time. Whilst simultaneously costing me an arm and

a leg on Tax and Insurance servicing and repairs while its

sitting there.

I'm old enough to remember all the stigma around Skodas

and it never put me off of buying two of them. But quality of product isn't

really the issue for me with the BMW. So it's not quite the same.

And I'm not joking either, the first two BMWs I had any regular 'contact'

with both belonged to people who had what I shall just call 'criminal

tendencies'. For me, it's just that I associate them with aggressively

ambitious people (in legal and illegal activities) and that's not really what

I'm all about.

It's all about power to weight.

200hp isn't what it used to be.

Cars have gotten so heavy now that power needs to keep going up just for performance to stay still.

The only cars that are 'sporty' dervs are the Beemers and more because they're rwd than the power. I've driven an E46 330d and I thought the performance was ok but nothing special.

It's all about power to weight.

200hp isn't what it used to be.

Cars have gotten so heavy now that power needs to keep going up just for performance to stay still.

The only cars that are 'sporty' dervs are the Beemers and more because they're rwd than the power. I've driven an E46 330d and I thought the performance was ok but nothing special.

I used to own an e46 330d and it was identically as quick a s an 225bhp Audi TT as i was sat right next to one from near standstill to reasonably high motorway speeds. Thats pretty quick in my book and faster than a petrol VRS. certainly plenty quick enough for virtually all scenarios you would likely come across. The newer ones i.e E90 are a lot more powerful and considerably more torquey so i would imagine they are seriously quick.

Im as guilty as the rest but we seemed to have strayed off topic somewhat here.

WARM / HOT diesel options...........Are Audi not getting a 200bhp+ diesel in the new generation of cars?? I thought i read somewhere they were to compete with BMW.

Audi do the A6 with a 3 litre twin turbo diesel rated to around 300bhp.

With all wheel drive that sounds to me like a good all round family car.

But at a cost.

edit: this one, http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/a6/first-drives/audi-a6-avant-3.0-tdi-biturbo-s-line

Audi do the A6 with a 3 litre twin turbo diesel rated to around 300bhp.

With all wheel drive that sounds to me like a good all round family car.

But at a cost.

edit: this one, http://www.autocar.c...-biturbo-s-line

But i thought they were making a 2.0 ltr 200bhp+ engine? Unless i imagined it.

I used to own an e46 330d and it was identically as quick a s an 225bhp Audi TT

I can only say what it felt like and it didn't feel faster than the VRS. I suppose if you were going from an average car to drive it it would feel like a rocket ship, but 197hp to 204hp, not enough of a difference. Plus it was overpriced.

Don't like the interior in that Audi, looks like an awesome car tho

Yes, 0-62mph in just over 5 seconds for a large diesel estate is quite impressive.

Wonder what a remap would make it!

I can only say what it felt like and it didn't feel faster than the VRS. I suppose if you were going from an average car to drive it it would feel like a rocket ship, but 197hp to 204hp, not enough of a difference. Plus it was overpriced.

Probably not much faster than a VRS but still faster none the less. VRS petrol is fast in my book so a car that is faster but a lot more efficient at the same time is even better. I would definately class an e46 330d as a hot diesel. Very smooth 6cyl engine also.

I paid sweety money for mine as it was a high miler, around 104000 when i bought it. Never had any issues with it other than i hated the manual gearbox.

Probably not much faster than a VRS but still faster none the less. VRS petrol is fast in my book so a car that is faster but a lot more efficient at the same time is even better. I would definately class an e46 330d as a hot diesel. Very smooth 6cyl engine also.

I paid sweety money for mine as it was a high miler, around 104000 when i bought it. Never had any issues with it other than i hated the manual gearbox.

Having driven both the manual and automatic version of the 330d and have to agree with you there. Auto everytime. Very smooth and what a lovely feeling to just prod the throttle and you were off!

Phil

Audi do the A6 with a 3 litre twin turbo diesel rated to around 300bhp.

With all wheel drive that sounds to me like a good all round family car.

But at a cost.

edit: this one, http://www.autocar.c...-biturbo-s-line

They don't feel as fast as you would hope, the are very smooth in there power delivery, but if you look at the speedo, they are quick!!

Drove one back from Swindon this week.