I have in my hand a brochure for a BMW 116 (well, the 1-series, but Contract Hire common sense will probably limit me to a 116 or 118 ES or SE).
I know about the badges. I know about the whole BMW thing; I'm one of those first to take the piss.
However...
It's small, RWD and cheap (relatively speaking). MX5s are out of the question (though some Icons remain, by February it'll be the expensive new model only), MR2s are a bit expensive and have NO luggage space (aside from a bit behind the seats). I don't want another Beetle, mostly because it leaked a bit.
I want RWD. My gf argues in favour of 5 door models.
The only other option I can think of is that odd small C-class thing, and I can't stand the build quality on the C-classes I've seen.
Save me from myself! Give me good reasons - not "BMW drivers are wankers" - Beetle Cabriolet drivers are probably gay, too - why I shouldn't, if I can't find other options I like. Space isn't an issue, neither is economy; so why choose a FWD hatchback over the 1 series?
Knowing what you do about the old BMW demographic, can you honestly see Richard the ubergoth in a BMW one - one - six ? You know, One-one-six, one-sixteen. 1600CCs, 4 cylinders, i.e., not a 535i, not a 2002tii, not a 3.0CSL batmobile or an M3 CSL, but a BMW lite ?
Come on, you can do better than that.
You could even - gasp - forego the option of a contract hire car and spend the money on something else. Besides, it looks so *desperate*, sort of like "I had to have a BMW, and this was the only one I could afford".
John F. Driver of a £400 diesel audi and therefore, frankly, no judge of anything.
It may be RWD, but it's a 1.6 (120bhp I guess), not a lot of torque, probably quite heavy and probably lots of electronic gizmos to keep you going straight. Are you really going to notice its not a FWD car apart from the transmisson tunnel getting in the way?
If space isnt an issue think more about the MR2. You can get a luggage rack :)
What about a Mini Cooper/Cooper S? Not 5 doors, but at least you get back seats and a boot!
My ALPINA is financed with exactly the same money that would get me something much newer and infinitely less interesting from Motability contract hire...
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3er Touring fits, 3er Compact is only 3 door but also comes with I6 motors.
Lexus IS Sportback(?) thingy? 2.0 is a bit sluggish though
No good reason. You do want the 130i or H1 though.
I don't really do powerslides, though, since I don't drive on the track.
9.5/10ths in the Scorpio at 110 past Soutra Ailse is about as lairy as I get (and that's still way above what most people are expecting from a Scorpio). Straight line speed is boring ;)
No, I'd like a 130 if I had the choice, but then, if I had the budget for a 130, I could have something I liked, like a 300C Hemi.
Beetle? 306 Cabriolet?
I like the A140 a lot more than I expected, and my Beetle is only a 1.6 after all! I've run through all these things myself.
It would, of course, be black.
I'd like to think so, but for a new car on contract hire for £250 a month all in, no, I don't know if I can. I USED to be able to; MX5s were £160 and still are but won't be in February, I could spend more to the detriment of other things like my computer collections or music (but then the appeal of used cars increases).
I'm considering it, but over the same period that gives me a budget of £5,000, and I can't think of anything for £5,000 that is As Reliable And Warrantied (in caps) as a new car whilst also being more interesting.
I considered this last time, with a '99 T MF TF 1.8. It was a heap of shit, and whilst it might have been worth something (as opposed to bugger all) after a few years, it would also have cost a bomb in maintenance, rusted, leaked and Been Old, even though that doesn't bother me a great deal - for the same money I could contract hire a brand new MG TF.
Now, the TF isn't an option anymore, but they have such horrid seats I wouldn't have one anyway.
That's the big hangup for me, because I /wouldn't/ like a BMW. I don't want one. I hate them. However, it is the only Golf-class RWD car, and that would be my motivation for owning it.
I could, for the budget, have a 3 series, but I'd rather pull out my eyes with forks. Rusty ones.
Yep, and I drive a 13 year old Japanese 1.5 coupe and a 16 year old Supra. I have no chance.
Yes, I reckon I would. I have to drive one to be sure, though, and the salesman isn't going to enjoy that test drive ;)
Not spending money on a rack for a car which isn't mine ;) Plus, the MR2 is overbudget from the dealer, and being discontinued.
Considering the Cabriolet Cooper. Cramped, but high on the list. I just haven't had the roof down on the Beetle that much overall (this year has been good).
IME, at £250 a month, yes. More than that, no. And only if I get a good, interesting car.
Yeah, but I can't really change what I do at the moment other than just not having a contract hire car.
I did consider what sort of Porsche 928 £5,000 would get me ;) Maybe £6,000 would be closer, actually.
3 series is just too "rep" for me, also, the Tourings aren't cheap. I didn't realise the compact still existed TBH!
After seeing the show that one put in chasing the Beetle? No chance ;)
If I could afford that, there'd be a 300C Hemi, or an Audi A4 Cabriolet (was in my budget a while ago but the new model is £70+ more - interestingly the A4 1.8T Cabriolet is the cheapest contract hire Audi!). I don't inherently want a 1-series, after all.
What other options, though? And it does weigh less than my Beetle, with a fraction more power. My Beetle's times/speed on paper are far worse than the 116, and I have a lot of fun with that (as well as upsetting quite a few people who expect it to be slow).
Remember the dreaded options list when considering a BMW, it won't be as cheap as it looks unless you don't mind winding windows manually and singing to yourself instead of listening to the radio.
Both in excess of budget, RX8 only a small amount but enough that I can't justify it. I'd like an RX8.
If I was buying, sure, but the Contract Hire spec is usually an ES or SE, so it has the usual six-speaker CD player with Aux in (I liked that feature), electric front windows (can't care less about the back ones), plus climate and stuff or at the very least, alloys. Nothing wrong with the spec list, only the rain sensing wipers and heated seats would be lost from my Beetle (and I'd gain a trip computer, a standard CD player and so forth).
I like the 1 series, opinion is that the 120d is the one to have and should be sensible on contract hire. Could even be chipped to a sensible power output too. Shame the 2.0 valvetronic 4 isn't dropped in there as it's damned good in the 3 series.
However - think of the alternatives - how about a five cylinder (front drive) S40/V50. Or a proper C class / 3 series (not that wierd C Sports Coupe that's neither sporty, nor really a coupe). Or something off the all - order a focus ST (Volvo T5 motor in a sweet innocent family hatchback).
If you take kill the ESP an A class will oversteer like it's rear drive (!)
When you got the beetle, we all thought you might be a bit, well, effeminate.
After hearing you'd rather have a 1 series than a 3 series, when the 3 gets better engines, doesn't look "odd" (note I didn't say ugly, I like the 1) and is a proper 3 box saloon with all the security and rigidity advantages, and you can get adults in the back seats without needing a chiropracter afterwards. After hearing all that I think the truth is that you're blind...
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