Time for a change
Discussion
Hi all, haven't been on here for a while.
I'm looking to change my car, I quite fancy a Z3M coupe, what's people opinions on these?
They seem to be going in the £15-£19K range which will probably be OK for me.
I've currently got an E34 540 V8 touring which is a great car, but I miss a manual and I no longer need the size and seats in the touring. I've owned a fair few other BM's inluding a couple of E30 M3's, 325, 535 so you could say I like BMWs
I've only had the 540 just over a year, I sold my E30 M3 to get it and whilst I miss the M3, they are too old now and there are too few around in decent condition for me to consider another.
My wife loves the 8's but I've no experience of them at all. The 540 is hardly great on fuel either so an 8 is obviusly not going to improve this? I'm used to 19mpg on the 540, but I'm expecting the M Coupe to be better than this, unless driven hard, is this reasonable?
I could be tempted by an M5 as well, E34 or maybe even a V8 but as I don't need a big car I'm not sure its the way to go?
Mags
I'm looking to change my car, I quite fancy a Z3M coupe, what's people opinions on these?
They seem to be going in the £15-£19K range which will probably be OK for me.
I've currently got an E34 540 V8 touring which is a great car, but I miss a manual and I no longer need the size and seats in the touring. I've owned a fair few other BM's inluding a couple of E30 M3's, 325, 535 so you could say I like BMWs
I've only had the 540 just over a year, I sold my E30 M3 to get it and whilst I miss the M3, they are too old now and there are too few around in decent condition for me to consider another. My wife loves the 8's but I've no experience of them at all. The 540 is hardly great on fuel either so an 8 is obviusly not going to improve this? I'm used to 19mpg on the 540, but I'm expecting the M Coupe to be better than this, unless driven hard, is this reasonable?
I could be tempted by an M5 as well, E34 or maybe even a V8 but as I don't need a big car I'm not sure its the way to go?
Mags
The E39 M5 is definately worth a look. I've only had mine for three months but I love it. It's big and refined enough to be a comfortable cruiser, if that's what you're in the mood for, or you can press the sport button and it sharpens up the throttle and steering, if you are in the mood for a blast. When driving it hard it certainly doesn't feel anything like the large, fairly heavy family saloon car it is. I've also found the handling to be generally more composed than my previous M3 Evo, which could snap it's back end out very quickly and without warning. I imagine the M Coupe would be even more prone to this type of behaviour.
On a practical note they go about 15,000 miles between services, which is twice as far as my previous M3 Evo, and the services also cost considerably less, with the most expensive inspection 2 being about £450.
Insurance for me this year was a quite reasonable £570(Aged 38, full no claims, 10,000 miles pa) and the car as so far averaged around 22mpg on mixed driving.
For the money you are spending there is a huge choice of privately advertised cars and also some AUC cars within the dealer network.
If you do your research and get a good one, I am confident you will not be disapointed with the experience. After all, many influential motoring magazines rated the E39 M5 as the best sports saloon car in the world, from the day it was introduced to the day it was discontinued, which is quite an achievement.
Hope this is of some help, and good luck whatever you decide. David.
On a practical note they go about 15,000 miles between services, which is twice as far as my previous M3 Evo, and the services also cost considerably less, with the most expensive inspection 2 being about £450.
Insurance for me this year was a quite reasonable £570(Aged 38, full no claims, 10,000 miles pa) and the car as so far averaged around 22mpg on mixed driving.
For the money you are spending there is a huge choice of privately advertised cars and also some AUC cars within the dealer network.
If you do your research and get a good one, I am confident you will not be disapointed with the experience. After all, many influential motoring magazines rated the E39 M5 as the best sports saloon car in the world, from the day it was introduced to the day it was discontinued, which is quite an achievement.
Hope this is of some help, and good luck whatever you decide. David.
Hey Mags!...Long time! Is it really already over a year since you bought the 540i?
Anyway...how much does you r wife like 840's?
This much?
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/840cisport01/index.html
But seriously, as said above...maybe an E39 M5 is the way to go?...Ok, there are some 'risk' issues but now prices are getting so long as to make it worh the risk!
Anyway...how much does you r wife like 840's?
This much?
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/840cisport01/index.html
But seriously, as said above...maybe an E39 M5 is the way to go?...Ok, there are some 'risk' issues but now prices are getting so long as to make it worh the risk!
Not sure of your budget but this looks stunning: www.pistonheads.com/sales/110926.htm
Timeless classic in my view.
Timeless classic in my view.
Hi Derin, Yes, I've had the 540 for coming up to a year now, I was expecting to keep it for quite some time but circumstances have changed and I don't need a large car anymore. I do like the car, but its pointless keeping it when I can go back to something a little more sporty with a manual 'box.
Yours looks incredible, and I remember reading what you had done, or is this not the one you were selling some time ago?
John, That does look good but I only want something with a manual. I need to take a look at some 8's though, they do look fantastic.
Cheers
Mags
Yours looks incredible, and I remember reading what you had done, or is this not the one you were selling some time ago?
John, That does look good but I only want something with a manual. I need to take a look at some 8's though, they do look fantastic.
Cheers
Mags
Hi Mags
No the one you see in the link above isn't the one I was previously selling...same colour etc but this one only has 24K miles on the clock and isn't for sale (well, unless someone wants to make me a very substantial offer!).
You may struggle a bit on the manual 8-Series front. Prinicipally only found commonly on the 850CSi.
But the Adaptive Steptronic is a seriously good bit of kit y'know?!
No the one you see in the link above isn't the one I was previously selling...same colour etc but this one only has 24K miles on the clock and isn't for sale (well, unless someone wants to make me a very substantial offer!).
You may struggle a bit on the manual 8-Series front. Prinicipally only found commonly on the 850CSi.
But the Adaptive Steptronic is a seriously good bit of kit y'know?!
Been looking at used E39 M5 prices, Blimey they've dropped a lot! and loads to choose from, I'm very suprised.
I'm going to get myself off to the nearest BMW dealer next weekend to see if they can arrange a drive in an M5 and a Z3 M coupe, does anyone know if they will let you test drive the used cars when your'e trying to decide on which model? my previous experience has found them to be not great, especially when the M coupe is going to have to come from another dealer as they seem thin on the ground.
The only thing that puts me off the M5 is the mpg, the 540 is rubbish, the M5 must be worse?
Mags
I'm going to get myself off to the nearest BMW dealer next weekend to see if they can arrange a drive in an M5 and a Z3 M coupe, does anyone know if they will let you test drive the used cars when your'e trying to decide on which model? my previous experience has found them to be not great, especially when the M coupe is going to have to come from another dealer as they seem thin on the ground.
The only thing that puts me off the M5 is the mpg, the 540 is rubbish, the M5 must be worse?
Mags
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