[- Paul -]

Gents,

In a quandry over which way to go here: I've been mulling this over for absolutely ages.

2 options

1: Stick with the 320D SE and upgrade

Wheels - £1000
Suspension - £300 - £1000
Tuning - £500

2: Buy a 335i, 335D, 330D

Now the cost to change to a new car is more than the upgrade but I get a new car etc etc.

I can afford to do this but it will set me back for longer in terms of expanding the family home (need an extension) Would need a loan for 3 years.

The missus is fantastic and will be happy with either decision.

I've never been a big fan of modded cars but after seeing what's been done on this forum, I think it can be done and still look good - not barry!

My car is 2 years old.

[squeezebm]

TWIST

[AndyB]

Depends what you want to do, what will give you the most reward in terms of happiness in the long term and if you can afford eventually to do the extension.. if so, get the car. And do it before she decides to spend that extra cash on a new kitchen. :-)

[Cafe.Racer]

At he end of the day a 320d, even a really nicely modded, one is not a 335i, 335D or 330D.

The other way of looking at it is that you could mod the 320d and get something nicer/ more individual. But it still wouldn't be a 335i, 335D or 330D and it'd have toi be really nice to be worth it, 19" wheels (and con't forget tyre replacements) etc which I'm not sure the budget you've suggested would do it.

I should argue differently.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by 1stnewcar

Gents,

In a quandry over which way to go here: I've been mulling this over for absolutely ages.

2 options

1: Stick with the 320D SE and upgrade

Wheels - £1000
Suspension - £300 - £1000
Tuning - £500

2: Buy a 335i, 335D, 330D

Now the cost to change to a new car is more than the upgrade but I get a new car etc etc.

I can afford to do this but it will set me back for longer in terms of expanding the family home (need an extension) Would need a loan for 3 years.

The missus is fantastic and will be happy with either decision.

I've never been a big fan of modded cars but after seeing what's been done on this forum, I think it can be done and still look good - not barry!

My car is 2 years old.

Assuming your 2 year old car has less than 30K miles on it then it will be excellent trade in material because your dealer will stick it straight back onto the forecourt.

Cars are always a cost item even if you own them outright because of depreciation. On that basis being 'loan free' is not that important (although you will avoid interest costs).

You have another option ... 1 year old 330d

[mjh93sa]

What about the 325d?

You'd have as much power as a tuned 320d, with the option of tuning for more. A smoother six cylinder engine and either more money left or more options on the car.

I don't have quite the same stick/twist quandry as my car is coming up on four years old, but I'm still struggling over the 325d/330d/335d decision. There are even times that a 130i sounds appealing, but they pass.

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by 1stnewcar

Gents,

In a quandry over which way to go here: I've been mulling this over for absolutely ages.

2 options

1: Stick with the 320D SE and upgrade

Wheels - £1000
Suspension - £300 - £1000
Tuning - £500

2: Buy a 335i, 335D, 330D

Now the cost to change to a new car is more than the upgrade but I get a new car etc etc.

I can afford to do this but it will set me back for longer in terms of expanding the family home (need an extension) Would need a loan for 3 years.

The missus is fantastic and will be happy with either decision.

I've never been a big fan of modded cars but after seeing what's been done on this forum, I think it can be done and still look good - not barry!

My car is 2 years old.

Well there is only 1 real option the 335i mate, you wouldn't want to have to live with a diesel now would you?

[Catscratch]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

Well there is only 1 real option the 335i mate, you wouldn't want to have to live with a diesel now would you?

I drove both the 335i and the 335d and I even ordered the 335d

[squeezebm]

oh good! this is gonna be another i v d thread.

We all know the D is the better car!! and we will assimilate all the i's soon

[NFS]

Originally Posted by squeezebm

oh good! this is gonna be another i v d thread.

We all know the D is the better car!! and we will assimilate all the i's soon

I knew it ... the diesel engines are a borg plot

[mjh93sa]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

I knew it ... the diesel engines are a borg plot

The disease-al is spreading

[NFS]

Originally Posted by mjh93sa

The disease-al is spreading

Resistance is futile.

[silverbmwz3]

I sense a disturbance in the dark (sapphire black) side of the force (torque).
Sorry, wrong film but couldn't resist

[- Paul -]

Update on current thinking - buy BBS CK wheels 19" now and order 335i/d (I need new tyres for the 320D so will buy wheels with tyres then swap them over to 335 and sell the 18" Msports)

Still haven't test driven a 335i and still not sure if I could live with the "adaptive" 335D box. If I go petrol, it wil give me a few extra quid for toys etc - need to cost in the extra tax and fuel costs. Cost per fuel mile for 335i and 335D would be useful if anyone has those figures? I do 13000 miles a year.

[squeezebm]

335............................................... .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..........d My friend

[rjs]

Join the resistance & get the i!

[squeezebm]

i d ....................... D

[- Paul -]

Just done some rough maths re i and D costs -

I reckon on £1700 for petrol (12kmiles)
and £1200 diesel (12kmiles)

D is around £1500 more than i so would get it back in 3 years, or if you include the new "road" tax - even quicker.

Don't know why I really bothered working that out though because the auto is my sticking point really!

Figs based on 29mpg petrol and 44 diesel
Petrol at 94p/l and diesel 98p/l

Head Heart

[silverbmwz3]

Is the D really 1500 quid more after you've taken auto into account ? Don't forget the D COMES with auto? I'm sure it ended up about 500 quid more after discount for me than an auto 335i (e90 that is).

If your decision comes down to a 500 quid a year saving but you can afford a £40k+ car then that seems insignificant in the scale of things.

Economy was appealing for me, but not a big factor as I don't do enough miles (probably less than you). The delay for the "i" was my issue so I went "d"

[- Paul -]

I didn't include the auto - its about the same price with the auto - I wouldn't get the i with auto though.

[rjs]

The official figs are 29.7 & 37.7, so using 94p & 98p, 12k miles gives:

i: £1,726
d: £1,418

That makes the difference even less. The d is 2k mor than the i as well

[BC4J]

Originally Posted by rjs

The official figs are 29.7 & 37.7, so using 94p & 98p, 12k miles gives:

i: £1,726
d: £1,418

That makes the difference even less. The d is 2k mor than the i as well

Don't forget VED - £300 now for 335i, going to £400 next year. My company's been doing some work at DVLA recently, word is £400 is only the beginning...£800 a real poss for 2009 with more to come.

Saving the earth from CO2 don't come cheap for us chump taxpayers.