Where would you go next...

carsfan2

I was a bit of an Audi fan years ago. Had a couple of A4’s and that A6 I loved, also had A2 as second car which was way ahead of its time but kinda changed after a while and came to view them as posh VW. I felt they drove like any other car but just had better styling and interior plastics.
I think BMW still make a car that drives a little better in general than opposition and some that are streets ahead in driving dynamics and they have more cars that have enthusiast appeal.
One thing that annoys me though is the epic depreciation on BMW. It seems it doesn’t matter where in the life cycle in the first five or six years you buy one, they lose a ton of money.


That Audi S5 appeals to me in appearance and the effortless nature of its performance. I think for less than 50k it’s a good buy. You won’t get a new golf gti cheaper these days lads.

Heres Johnny

carsfan2 wrote: »

I was a bit of an Audi fan years ago. Had a couple of A4’s and that A6 I loved, also had A2 as second car which was way ahead of its time but kinda changed after a while and came to view them as posh VW. I felt they drove like any other car but just had better styling and interior plastics.
I think BMW still make a car that drives a little better in general than opposition and some that are streets ahead in driving dynamics and they have more cars that have enthusiast appeal.
One thing that annoys me though is the epic depreciation on BMW. It seems it doesn’t matter where in the life cycle in the first five or six years you buy one, they lose a ton of money.


That Audi S5 appeals to me in appearance and the effortless nature of its performance. I think for less than 50k it’s a good buy. You won’t get a new golf gti cheaper these days lads.

In summer 2018 I got a 2014 f10 530d msport from UK for the princely sum of 20k euro all in. In December 2018 the girlfriend got a 2014 A6 S Line 2.0d from an Irish dealer for 20k. Both cars had approx 55k kms on them so very, very fresh.
It's not just BMW that depreciates heavily, Audi does too. I'd love a current generation but the depreciation curve is just so steep I'm not going to buy anything under 4 years old again unless I plan to keep forever, which I won't, as my head is easily turned.

chalky_ie

Heres Johnny wrote: »

In summer 2018 I got a 2014 f10 530d msport from UK for the princely sum of 20k euro all in. In December 2018 the girlfriend got a 2014 A6 S Line 2.0d from an Irish dealer for 20k. Both cars had approx 55k kms on them so very, very fresh.
It's not just BMW that depreciates heavily, Audi does too. I'd love a current generation but the depreciation curve is just so steep I'm not going to buy anything under 4 years old again unless I plan to keep forever, which I won't, as my head is easily turned.

In the UK, most BMWs depreciate far quicker than their Audi counterparts.

carsfan2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ictvADjLB8


Great result for the m340i overall considering the RS is a M3/4 competitor and a price point above.

ILikeBoats

JoeA3 wrote: »

One thing that strikes me in this thread is the quality of the ads from NI and the UK compared to here. Really excellent high res photos and the cars look pristine. You'd be very confident of buying the car unseen when the photos are so good. Compare that to the majority of ads on carzone. Shocking phone photos (sometimes screenshots! Often with the salesman's brown shoes in shot lol) and the cars are often less-than-pristine looking too, although you wouldn't be sure, due to the poor quality photos...

I keep an eye on the i30n, just noticed Mooneys have upped their photo game!

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/hyundai-i30-n-2-0l-petrol-turbo-hot-hatch-here-at/23545477

Sexual Chocolate

I never owned an Audi but drove a 2015 A5 1.8 coupe for a few weeks last year and while not something I'd go out of my way to own I took a liking to it. My only serious gripe with it was the CVT gearbox, it did not suit the engine at all imo.

I think the only Audi I'd be willing to buy today would be either the A3 or A6 S-lines, haven't liked the last couple of A4s over the years.

bazz26

Does this seem a bit cheap for a 3 year old 7 Series?



https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2562418&r=s.php%3Fm%3D10%26o%3D89%26r%3D2017%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

You would struggle to find a similar 530d for that sort of money.

mickdw

Like for like they are cheaper than a 530d imo.
I dont think that is particularly cheap.

bazz26

Where are you seeing a similar cheaper M Sport for sale in Ireland Mick? There are a couple of SE alright which are always going to be worth a bit less.

Wailin

mickdw wrote: »

Like for like they are cheaper than a 530d imo.
I dont think that is particularly cheap.

Lol 38k for a 3 year old 7 series m sport isn't cheap?!

maddness

You could buy one from the UK for about 36/37 grand now including vrt and travel. Seriously good value for money as they come with a much higher spec than a 530.

mickdw

bazz26 wrote: »

Where are you seeing a similar cheaper M Sport for sale in Ireland Mick? There are a couple of SE alright which are always going to be worth a bit less.

Im working all my thinking from uk pricing.
When you consider what you can land cleared in a 7 series from the uk, be it a 730d or a 740e, that one is not stupid cheap.
530d seems overpriced when you see used 7 series pricing.

Marcusm

bazz26 wrote: »

Does this seem a bit cheap for a 3 year old 7 Series?



https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2562418&r=s.php%3Fm%3D10%26o%3D89%26r%3D2017%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

You would struggle to find a similar 530d for that sort of money.

Where is the chrome on the boot? Is this definitely a 7er?

Cyrus

Marcusm wrote: »

Where is the chrome on the boot? Is this definitely a 7er?

Blackpacked or shadowlined or whatever they call it I assume

bazz26

mickdw wrote: »

Im working all my thinking from uk pricing.
When you consider what you can land cleared in a 7 series from the uk, be it a 730d or a 740e, that one is not stupid cheap.
530d seems overpriced when you see used 7 series pricing.

Working from UK pricing is great and all but with Covid-19 travel restrictions, Brexit and the possibility of having a car to trade in, what you can buy one for in the UK is going to become less of an option for people.

Also many people don't want or need a big 7 Series when a 5 Series will do the same job so I can see why a 5 Series would be more appealing and hence retain a bit more resale value.

Marcusm

Cyrus wrote: »

Blackpacked or shadowlined or whatever they call it I assume

Hard to tell them apart due to the minute diffs in styling! Saw a 192 7 series today. That is one big mouth on it, even more dramatic than a Maserati Gran Turismo.

Cyrus

Marcusm wrote: »

Hard to tell them apart due to the minute diffs in styling! Saw a 192 7 series today. That is one big mouth on it, even more dramatic than a Maserati Gran Turismo.

it really does but you know what i kinda like it :eek:

theres a guy down near glasthule that has one in a flat grey / beigy colour, sports kitted with black trims, looks really good :cool:

Marcusm

Cyrus wrote: »

it really does but you know what i kinda like it :eek:

theres a guy down near glasthule that has one in a flat grey / beigy colour, sports kitted with black trims, looks really good :cool:

It’s like a big grin and did put a smile on my place. It seems more balanced than the Audi equivalent.

Wailin

2020 330e (used) or 2018 540i lads? Heart says 540i but head telling me 330e. Been said before, with the 540i I'd be married to it whereas the 330e would be a lot more desirable come trade in time a few yrs down the road.

bazz26

I suppose the question is could you live with the 330e knowing that you could have had a 540i instead and don't regret it? If the answer is yes then go for the 330e.

The way I see it with BMWs, no matter which one you buy it's going to cost you big money to get into the next one whether your selling a 330e or 540i.

maddness

Wailin wrote: »

2020 330e (used) or 2018 540i lads? Heart says 540i but head telling me 330e. Been said before, with the 540i I'd be married to it whereas the 330e would be a lot more desirable come trade in time a few yrs down the road.

A 330e is a nice car but nothing special at all.
A 540i is leagues above and it will be incredibly rare here too. B58 too!

You won’t be married to the 540i either, I’ll take it off you in a couple of years.

Voodoomelon

Not only that, a 540i whilst a special beast, is a very normal car in many ways compared to what it used to be engine-wise. It was and still is a big proposition taking on a V8 that the 540 always was; maintenance wise, reliability wise, running cost wise and of course motor tax. Now the turboed six makes for a much easier ownership proposition and the associated costs and risks are much more manageable.

I wouldn't even see that as a heart V head decision, the 540 G20 makes a lot of sense from a second hand point of view; they were outrageously expensive new but great value now.

Whilst the power upgrades are immense for the 330e, the two cars are still worlds apart and I wouldn't even compare the two in the same sentance.

GustavoFring

540i hands down.

330e is a fine car, and the new model is really refined too - feels almost like an F10 in that regard. But it wouldn't be an upgrade imo.

carsfan2

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2018-BMW-5-Series-540i-xDrive-M-Sport-Saloon-269574705?keywords=&make=2&model=9078&fuel_type=1&trans_type=0&age_from=2018&age_to=0&price_from=0&price_to=0&user_type=0&mileage_to=0&body_style=0&keywords=&location%5B%5D=0&location%5B%5D=0&homepage_search_attr=1&tab_id=0&search_type=1


you would have this brought in from north for 41/42k. Has plus pack and comfprt and visibility pack. Obviously change the grille!
A lot more car than a 330e and a 2020 330e would probably depreciate more over three years.

Wailin

In talks with the dealer about that particular 540i. Slightly high mileage for a 2 year old car but other than that it looks spot on and nicely specced.

Wailin

Also looking at this in Beshoffs

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/BMW/3 Series/fpa/202005279592638

carsfan2

The 5 would be the one for me I think If it added up. The steering wheel is a bit shiny in the photos, needs a good clean and refresh, and I would want the grille replaced But beautiful car.

Voodoomelon

I always wondered, how does it work with the likes of Beshoffs selling cars that are still in manufacturers warranty? If you have an issue, do they just wash their hands of it and pass you on to the main dealer? Not that its a bad thing, but say the retailing dealer is an hour away from the nearest main dealer and you're beside the retailer, it would be a pain for them to not be handling a claim from start to finish.

bazz26

Wailin wrote: »

In talks with the dealer about that particular 540i. Slightly high mileage for a 2 year old car but other than that it looks spot on and nicely specced.

Is the northern dealer willing to take your 535d as a trade-in or are you keeping it out of the equation. I know a good few of them would if they can sell it back to a southern dealer. Bavarian Motors who are a NI BMW dealer used to take southern BMWs as trade ins. They would probably want to buy it at trade price but it might still work out better than trying to trade it down here.

bazz26

I'm liking this:

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2019-BMW-3-Series-330i-M-Sport-Saloon-269351033?search_type=1&make=2&fuel_type=1&age_from=2019&price_from=0&user_type=0&model=139959&trans_type=0&age_to=2019&mileage_to=0&keywords=&location%5B%5D=0&body_style=0

Casati

Wailin wrote: »

2020 330e (used) or 2018 540i lads? Heart says 540i but head telling me 330e. Been said before, with the 540i I'd be married to it whereas the 330e would be a lot more desirable come trade in time a few yrs down the road.

I think you need to spend more time deciding on what you want from a car as those two options are both great but very different. If you can’t decide between them then it’s sounds like you should get a 2019 530e!

Wailin

I'd much prefer a 2019 330e over the equivalent 530e.

chalky_ie

From an M3 to a 2 litre hybrid, that is some painful reading

shanec1928

Wailin wrote: »

Also looking at this in Beshoffs

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/BMW/3 Series/fpa/202005279592638

whats the deal with the boot? is there storage under the main compartment or is there that massive angle all the time?

Wailin

conor-w wrote: »

From an M3 to a 2 litre hybrid, that is some painful reading

More like common sense. I see now how hard it is to shift a car that's outside the ordinary. No one wants the 535d and an m3 would be the same especially after the damage the greens will do in government.

You're selling your m4 after just 3 or 4 months...

Wailin

shanec1928 wrote: »

whats the deal with the boot? is there storage under the main compartment or is there that massive angle all the time?

The battery position to balance weight means the fuel tank eats into boot space. 100 litres smaller than standard 3 series, 530e is the same.

Heres Johnny

Wailin wrote: »

More like common sense. I see now how hard it is to shift a car that's outside the ordinary. No one wants the 535d and an m3 would be the same especially after the damage the greens will do in government.

You're selling your m4 after just 3 or 4 months...

Yep, plenty of people here recommend m3s and m4s and tell you to go for the 3 litre diesel instead of the piddly little 2 litre... Easy to spend other people's money for them.

crystalbrite

carsfan2 wrote: »

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2018-BMW-5-Series-540i-xDrive-M-Sport-Saloon-269574705?keywords=&make=2&model=9078&fuel_type=1&trans_type=0&age_from=2018&age_to=0&price_from=0&price_to=0&user_type=0&mileage_to=0&body_style=0&keywords=&location%5B%5D=0&location%5B%5D=0&homepage_search_attr=1&tab_id=0&search_type=1


you would have this brought in from north for 41/42k. Has plus pack and comfprt and visibility pack. Obviously change the grille!
A lot more car than a 330e and a 2020 330e would probably depreciate more over three years.

Why the hate for the grill?

Is changing it spraying it black or actually putting in a new grill?
How much would that cost?

hooch-85

Those fake ///M stripes are manky and immediately devalue any BMW you see them on, hence the hate for the grill.

But yeah, you might not need a new grill, depending how those stripes are put on, most of the time they are just sticker overlays.

Wailin

Wailin wrote: »

......No one wants the 535d............

All considered the offer from the trader wasn't bad at all IMO.

I do think if you go for a €40k+ 330e you'll be back to the same situation in 3 years time...... looking to change and not at all happy with the trade in offers and quite likely struggling to sell privately also. There'll be 3 year old Tesla model 3s about that will make a 330e appeal to a smaller number of buyers.

bazz26

I don't think a 330e or 530e is going to future proof you against taxation or demand. BMW are launching their range of full electric cars soon beginning with the i4. I read this morning that they will also launch a fully electric version of the current 3 Series also so I think these plug in hybrids could become obsolete very quickly and are really only a stop gap.

I know it's very easy to spend someone else's money but with all things considered there is no point in spending it on something your not going to be happy in either just to appease the masses who might buy it after you.

Just my 2c really.

carsfan2

Whatever car you buy at this price point is going to lose a fair whack over the next few years.
If you buy a 520d it still depreciates like a stone so buy the car you will enjoy owning and driving.

mickdw

No doubt if an all electric 3 or 5 series appears with a large battery and stupid levels of power, we will look at the 530e as being a silly idea.
At it stands currently though, and with pricing as it is for 1 to 2 year old, there is little better option around if your useage suits it.

chalky_ie

Wailin wrote: »

More like common sense. I see now how hard it is to shift a car that's outside the ordinary. No one wants the 535d and an m3 would be the same especially after the damage the greens will do in government.

You're selling your m4 after just 3 or 4 months...

It's hard to shift any nice car in Ireland without losing money. I had a sensible, low tax, relatively quick BMW before and it still took ages to shift. I'm selling the M4 for a very specific reason, and I'm buying something equally as stupid, so common sense is in direct conflict with my opinions .

Do you really think you'll be upset if you get 'stuck' in a M car? I'd get the one you like the most and just accept that it's going to lose money either way, I really don't think there is much you can do on that front when it comes to BMWs in Ireland.

Wailin

Was up in Ballymena earlier and drove the 540i. Lovely car lads, nice spec too. I got back into my own afterwards and it really hits home how dated the f10 interior is now. Deposit paid based on my own going Thursday. A trader is taking it and he put a deposit on it without seeing it.

The bluestone metallic is probably my least favourite colour in the G30 unfortunately but they agreed to put the black grills on it as part of the deal with a small bit off the asking too.

Wailin

Augeo wrote: »

All considered the offer from the trader wasn't bad at all IMO.

Turns out that offer wasn't genuine after all and another time waster on donedeal. Also had an offer of a 2013 520d and €6k....:D

bazz26

Wailin wrote: »

Was up in Ballymena earlier and drove the 540i. Lovely car lads, nice spec too. I got back into my own afterwards and it really hits home how dated the f10 interior is now. Deposit paid based on my own going Thursday. A trader is taking it and he put a deposit on it without seeing it.

The bluestone metallic is probably my least favourite colour in the G30 unfortunately but they agreed to put the black grills on it as part of the deal with a small bit off the asking too.

Nicely done, well wear with it and I don't think you will regret it.

Was the trader who is buying your car mediated through the NI dealer or totally separate?

GustavoFring

Excellent choice Wailin, well wear.

Wailin

bazz26 wrote: »

Nicely done, well wear with it and I don't think you will regret it.

Was the trader who is buying your car mediated through the NI dealer or totally separate?

Cheers bazz. Totally separate, a dealer based in Galway contacted me. A few grand off what I was looking for in a private sale but most dealers didn't want to touch it.

frozenfrozen

this the one you are getting? https://www.usedcarsni.com/2018-BMW-5-Series-540i-xDrive-M-Sport-Saloon-269574705

nice