running costs + high milers 318 ci

DOnt know about the mechanicals but can tell you the 318Ci is a fantastic car and will make your Vectra feel like a Lada. It may be bottom of the BMW heap but that is only on engine size as the build quality of the car is still there.

If you can afford it try to get the 143bhp 2.0L car rather than the older

Hi Rick,

I have a 99 323ci in the UK with 120k miles on it.

Runs as new, ive even driven a mates brand new 325ci and apart from the newness worn off on mine there isn't a huge amount of difference.

I think the important thing with BMW is simply maintenance, if its been properly serviced and cared for then the miles on the clock mean nothing.

Just be careful where the car has been, I.e don't buy a car that's done 50k in the centre of London, buy one with 100k that's been up and down the M1!

Cheers

Ash

Hi,

I've got a '02 318Ci with 70k on the clock, and running costs have never been an issue. Services cost me about £150 or so (can't remember exactly) for an oil service, inspections around double. Oil services have been around every 17,000 miles for me, although the engine decides when it wants to be serviced, so it depends on how it's driven.

Average mpg has been very good. According to the on-board computer, I'm averaging 36mpg. That's driving fairly rapidly over quite fast A roads for 3 hours each day (Nottingham - Lincoln and back again). Taking things easy on a motorway would definitely bring mpg to around the 40 mark, possibly more.

The cost of running, apart from insurance, will not be too different from your Vectra, I'm sure. The 318Ci is a great car- mine has been completely reliable from day one and is undoubtedly the best car I've owned.

Matt

Ta very much for the pointers everyone...

just one thing - is around £8k or £9k enough to pick up a decent 318ci? What Milage shoul i look at at these prices for a good deal?

Also - is the new engine gonna be out of my price range (uprated from 1.9 to

I would go for a six cylinder engine but insurance would sting me - even with 5 years no claims they still want £1200 ish for a 318ci.

ta

Rick

Whoa there matey! £1200???

- I'm only 1 year older than you (so not hit the 25-year-old mark that insurers seem to be obsessed with)

- Car parked on driveway 1 mile from Nottingham city centre

- '02 318Ci (with the uprated valvetronic engine) valued at £12k

- Full no claims

I'm only paying around £700! Unless you're a serial speeder, there's something funny there! Go and get a quote from Tesco or Admiral, your insurers are ripping you off!

Anyway, back to your point about car prices... 9k should find you something reasonable, but only if you go for private purchase. You'll not find anything from a dealer I wouldn't have thought. Goes without saying, go for FSH and would be worth getting it thoroughly checked out before purchase.

Matt

So you're saying that you will have paid for your car, again after 8 years of insuring it. I don't know what the excact South African Rand conversion to your currency is, but usually around R12 = £1.

So I'll have to pay R1,200 a month insurance on a car worth R100,000. That is preposterous. In South Africa, as a 35 year old, you should pay much less than R400 a month which roughly translates to £400 per year. Even as an under 25, they are milking you...

MW

hmmm - i'm 23yr old - car parked on road (well - on a 10ft wide pavement next to the road) in rossendale. got 5 years ncd + 1 SP30 and 1 SP60 (98mph on empty, straight, dry motorway at 3am in middle of summer!!! - yes i'm bitter about that one :))

Startin to get your point ere - the new vectra 2.2 sri only costs me £700 a year - did a straight vehicle change on policy with old car (irmscher astra

shopping around time me thinks :)

Rick