Buying an older (6-10 years) European luxury tank in Auckland How/why/where/etc!

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Buying an older (6-10 years) European luxury tank in Auckland How/why/where/etc!

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2798 posts

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#1328306 20-Jun-2015 14:00

Item:
joker97: Describe why you liked it?:)

From the outside it looks clean and unassuming - not lairy, not flash, but muscular all the same.

Inside I was able to tweak the seat and steering wheel to get a really comfortable driving position - plenty of driver space (I am a tallish fat bloke!)

Driving around at 50kph in normal auto, it felt smooth and composed - easy to drive and not too firm over the bumps...

...then when I flicked into "sport" and put some weight on the peddle out of a roundabout, the thing suddenly snarled into life, I got pushed back in to the leather and it bloody hurled itself up the hill like the hounds of hell were in it's wake. It gripped round the corners and threw itself into them with a re-assuring weight - the steering felt bang-on. Totally epic!

I honestly laughed out loud.

Jekyl & Hyde - calm enough and big enough to pootle around town with luggage and passengers but with that joyfully brutal acceleration and handling for those times when it seems appropriate.

I too originally drove a 335i msport and loved the engine noise and power (225kw roughly), however despite the size of the interior, the boot was far too small for my family. We then took an older 550i out for a spin and my partner fell in love with the engine and surprisingly the size, was the perfect fit... Now we have one! The 335i's are a great small executive car with ample interior and enough space for either an older family or those without kids...

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#1328317 20-Jun-2015 14:06

Benoire:

I too originally drove a 335i msport and loved the engine noise and power (225kw roughly), however despite the size of the interior, the boot was far too small for my family. We then took an older 550i out for a spin and my partner fell in love with the engine and surprisingly the size, was the perfect fit... Now we have one! The 335i's are a great small executive car with ample interior and enough space for either an older family or those without kids...

No kids here and not likely either!

Still like the idea of a wagon for those trips to Placemakers - agree the trunk on the sedan is a little small.

Cheers!

Benoire

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#1328322 20-Jun-2015 14:23

Make sure you go for a 2009+ model as a) you get the newer iDrive CIC which is so much better than the ccc which I have (5 series didn't get the cic till 2010 model :-( ) and b) the N54 engine is much better, although the 2010 N55 is the best 3l straight 6 twin turbo in the range.

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#1328325 20-Jun-2015 14:30

Benoire: Make sure you go for a 2009+ model as a) you get the newer iDrive CIC which is so much better than the ccc which I have (5 series didn't get the cic till 2010 model :-( ) and b) the N54 engine is much better, although the 2010 N55 is the best 3l straight 6 twin turbo in the range.

Good advice thanks - though 2009 is likely to be out of my price for the mileage I am looking for!

I did have a play with the controls for the iDrive and it was fine...oddly none of that mattered when I put my foot down!

Benoire

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#1328356 20-Jun-2015 15:30

No, it doesn't when you put you foot down, but the CIC will be much easier to use when driving (CIC is one with the extra buttons around the idrive knob, such as NAV, RADIO etc; the CCC has only a single menu button). I'm looking at spending circa $2k to upgrade mine because it is rubbish really!

blakamin

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#1328358 20-Jun-2015 15:52

Benoire: No, it doesn't when you put you foot down, but the CIC will be much easier to use when driving (CIC is one with the extra buttons around the idrive knob, such as NAV, RADIO etc; the CCC has only a single menu button). I'm looking at spending circa $2k to upgrade mine because it is rubbish really!

These days you can even put the 2014 NBT in an E38 for around $1500... :D

Inphinity

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#1328366 20-Jun-2015 16:12

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I then drove a 2008 BMW 335i M-Sport Wagon around New Lynn...and I bloody want one.

The 335i is a bloody nice car all round. The 535i is the same engine but in the 5-series body/feature spec, if you still preferred the larger styling. My only question mark would be whether it is an NZ New or Imported model, and if it was or could be affected by the fuel pump failure recall on some years of the N54 engine (I'm not sure if NZ New models were affected).

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#1328747 21-Jun-2015 17:19

mudguard: Fraser. Caterham, Lotus 7? It's a really tricky price bracket, I mean Japanese cars come to mind, 350Z, Evo, WRX. Heck even the 08 NZ New Accord has 200kW.

Yes a tricky price point. Really the only Japanese coupes are the 350Z and RX8. You'd get a really good late model 350Z - a neat car with a bomb-proof drive train, but it's a genuine 2-seater so you need a 2nd car. The RX8 still has reliability questions, although at $20K you'd get a low kms one.

In a couple of years the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ and 370Z will be options.

For something special, a top condition 968 would be cool, but they're rare so you'd have to wait for good one to come up. One usually comes up about a week after you've just bought something else.

networkn

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#1328754 21-Jun-2015 17:52

Inphinity:
Item:

I then drove a 2008 BMW 335i M-Sport Wagon around New Lynn...and I bloody want one.

The 335i is a bloody nice car all round. The 535i is the same engine but in the 5-series body/feature spec, if you still preferred the larger styling. My only question mark would be whether it is an NZ New or Imported model, and if it was or could be affected by the fuel pump failure recall on some years of the N54 engine (I'm not sure if NZ New models were affected).

I have a 2011 Touring for sale if anyone is interested! :)

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#1328757 21-Jun-2015 17:58

Benoire: Make sure you go for a 2009+ model as a) you get the newer iDrive CIC which is so much better than the ccc which I have (5 series didn't get the cic till 2010 model :-( ) and b) the N54 engine is much better, although the 2010 N55 is the best 3l straight 6 twin turbo in the range.

Can i ask how much it costs to Service a BMW

Benoire

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#1328770 21-Jun-2015 19:01

joker97:
Benoire: Make sure you go for a 2009+ model as a) you get the newer iDrive CIC which is so much better than the ccc which I have (5 series didn't get the cic till 2010 model :-( ) and b) the N54 engine is much better, although the 2010 N55 is the best 3l straight 6 twin turbo in the range.

Can i ask how much it costs to Service a BMW

The indi BMW shop in grey lynn is around $360 for my v8, not much more (about $80) than our 1997 Subaru RSB twin turbo.. I suspect a lower engine size would be cheaper due to less oil required etc.

Official BMW service shops follow the BMW servicing regime which is costly as they use Inspection I and IIs which have a costly regime with them and are more than just an oil/filter change, these cost ALOT, especially the Inspection II.

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#1328772 21-Jun-2015 19:06

As in $500, $1000, or $2000?

Benoire

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#1328780 21-Jun-2015 19:18

Depends on the work that needs doing, I've never taken it for an official BMW service and don't intend to. They're good in the sense that they do a lot of preventative work as part of the service requirements, but I have no idea exactly how much.

networkn

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#1328833 21-Jun-2015 20:42

I have used BMW Workshop for 4 years. I can't think of a single bad thing to say about them. I've had them do half a days work troubleshooting an issue, find it something simple and refuse to charge me despite my protests. I think it's cost me <1500 to keep my 2011 335i Serviced in the last 3.5 years.

Benoire

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#1328845 21-Jun-2015 21:16

That's them, somehow had forgotten the name!

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