a workmate is after a new car he has around 12-14k, he likes the looks of the Bmw 3series 330d, the 530d and also the M5, insurance isn't a problem.

Would the M5 be a dog for that kind of money? also which car is quicker the 330d or the 530d?

Is their any problems/ things to look out for the above models?

Thanks Phil

 

The 530D has a higher top speed; for that money you should get a decent M5.

Benni.

 

330ci clubsport?? Good spec car for the money mate..

 

i wud buy an M3....




plenty of change then!

 

M5 at that price will be rough or 120k miles+....possibly a little high for comfort

 

a mate has just bought a mint e39 m5 with 70k on the clock for Ł12,500 . the vanos had just been changed too. if you look hard enough you can find some awesome cars for very little money.

 

540i M Sport he could look at as well.

 

think i'd have a 330d sport...(M if u can)........re-map...........

 

Exactly what i bought a few years ago....330d M-Sport and had it remapped...

AWESOME fast car that did 40mpg all day long

 

Sorry to sound dumb but what is VANOS?

some more good suggestions, thanks.

He has seen a 330d sports M kit i think for 11k

Is the remap worth it? does Stu do the remaps for the 330d?

 

Remap on the 330d is superb..................... Makes it alot smoother and faster, and it sounds cool aswell for a diesel

 

mates got one the spoiler looks like its from halfords

 

M5 all day long

 

vanos is the variable cam timing system on BMW engines, it's known to go wrong if not well maintained and costly to fix

 

M coupe

Super rare. Very quick!

 

Agreed.

Brother recently sold his for 13k. Nice car to drive too!

 

z4 cough cough

 

E39 M5...

 

e46 m3 without a doubt

 

Z3 M Coupe OR 330 CD fookin awesome cars the 330CD will have you confused after a remap as you could keep up and prob chew an e46 M3

Tiff: you old car just gave me a boner

 

You could get a very tidy M5 for that kind of money. Top choice. Would also consider the E46 M3 - cheaper to run than the M5

JJ

 

Driven pretty much all of the cars in this price range when in the market for a car last time and personally chose, and indeed still own, the E39 M5.

 

If I had that money right now in my pocket to spend I'd be getting a 330d without a shadow of a doubt - then I'd get it remapped!!

 

have you tryed looking at alpina's ????

 

alpinas are nice but they all come with auto boxes iirc which is fine if you are looking for that sort of thing.

 

the 3.2 & 3.3 B10 have manuals & the rest are switchtronic so no diffent than the letest M cars

 

If it's on pure driving enjoyment and have no kids etc then M coupe no question. Mega car for the money and faster than E39 M5 E36/E46 M3. Total hoot to drive and feels perfect. Need a bigger car then E39 M5, any "lesser" model and you'll just always wish you'd bought one. Alpinas are more tourers and way over rated, at least the one and only version I drove was.

 

If fuel costs are considered......then a 330d sport. If your not bothered about fuel costs, then it would be an M5.

Relatively speaking the M5 will hold it's value "relatively well" purely because it's an M Power car. And of course it's built as an outright super saloon, and causes embarrasment to quite a few so called super cars.

But of course I'm rather biased.......LOL. But I did try an E46 M3 at the same time I was deciding what to buy, and the M5 was the better car for me. I don't use it as a daily driver, so fuel consumption wasn't a consideration. It's just the sound and power that the V8 produces that makes it such a great car. The M3 was more agile, but not by alot. Straight line performance the M5 is obviously the fastest, but the E46 M3 is a very close second, and on a point to point, there would be nothing in it.

Both great cars, and the 330d ........ Especially the M Sport Packaged model, is also a great car.

 

Why have the pretender when you can have the real deal for that kind of money.

I have driven several alpinas and M cars, and I have never found an Alpina that actually bested the equivalent M car.

Alpinas are great cars, dont get me wrong, and where the M cars are out of price (ie when they are new) the Alpinas make a lot of sense. But at the end of the day, on that budget, the M cars are plentiful

JJ

 

funny how everyone goes M 99% of the time and the Audi S Line or merc AMGs people hardly think about.

 

3.0 diesel X5

 

Benni 530d faster? waht you on about!? lol


As said what type of car do you want? If its all about performance then M5 but with that comes BIG running costs. If you want a mix a 330d Sport is awesome, but im go to top end of budget and get the 204bhp model! surprising how much different to 184bhp and also then get it remaped! I got mine booked in for June lol.

Just all down to what you want really. I do a fair bit of driving so M5 and even M3 was really out of the question so a 330d Sport it was.

Gaz you would also be lucky to get good X5 d in that budget

 

I do a "fair bit of driving" and run the M3. bought it on 39k last feb - its on 68k now.

One thing that was interesting - on the ring I eventually caught up an E46 3 series, he was really quick - stayed with me the second half of the lap. He was on what looked like standard "ish" brakes, R rated tyres and was a diesel on a re-map.

Just goes to show you can really go some in the 330d's!

RW

 

because AMG's in that price range are buckets of SHITE

 

did you not read the title of the thread???



i'd get a 330d sport

 

theres a silver x5 diesel on here for 13k.

thats about the going price for an early one now.

 

Than a 330D, not an M5.

Benni.

 

same engine, more weight in th 5 series

how is it going to be quicker???

 

I never said quicker, I said a higher top end speed.

 

arent BMW's limited to 155 if they will do it and geared for it anyways