What would you buy for R150 000

[ADT]

invest

+1

In property if i could

Why property?

Cause it's a good long term investment in our Country...

[ryanrich]

What are you going to buy for 150K, an RDP house?

You can get a decent little vacation spot in Mitchell's Plain for that...

I may not know all there is to know about BMW's because they are really the Macintosh computer of the car world

Damn right! Numerous engine of the year and design awards as well as top notch build quality and superior hardware, just like their Mac counterparts...

[ADT]

You can get a decent little vacation spot in Mitchell's Plain for that...

I was thinking more to the Elsiesrivier side my bru

[GreyWolf]

I may not know all there is to know about BMW's because they are really the Macintosh computer of the car world,

I see where you are coming from, but no. A BMW actually does have the performance to back up the talk.

After a google it seems that you are right that the 540i has a better rep than the lower spec'd models, but they are not immune to these, and other problems that will arise in an older car - yours must at least 7 years old now and when you do eventually need parts they wont be cheap.

I paid 65k for the car. I could buy ANOTHER WHOLE car and it would still be cheaper than a VIVO.

However you are a BMW enthusiast and your bias and the obvious joy you get from owning and driving the car will probably balance out any gripes a typical buyer would have in the long run.

Actually I am a Mercedes enthusiast. I used to slate BMWs every chance I got, but I baught the best car on the budget I had (including any repairs and maintenance), and I maintain that second hand offers better value than brand new.

[ryanrich]

I used to slate BMWs every chance I got, but I bought the best car on the budget I had (including any repairs and maintenance), and I maintain that second hand offers better value than brand new.

I remember that well, from when I had my BMW you bastich. Can't believe you own one now...

[GreyWolf]

I used to slate BMWs every chance I got, but I bought the best car on the budget I had (including any repairs and maintenance), and I maintain that second hand offers better value than brand new.

I remember that well, from when I had my BMW you bastich. Can't believe you own one now...

lol.. the thing is that beemers have always been awesome, but unfortunately they used to be driven exclusively by douches, fortunately for me, the douches now drive Audis and Polos

[KALSTER]

A real-estate agent customer once joked that if she won the lotto, that she would bomb Allenridge (a small, decrepit, waste-of-space town near Welkom).

[hamin_aus]

I maintain that second hand offers better value than brand new.

It depends on how you evaluate what better value is.

If you want to compare based solely on a scale of diminishing financial return, then yes, second hand almost always wins as a second hand car wont devalue by 15% as soon as you drive it off the lot - unless you drive it into something

But nobody considers a car an investment in that sense, it is at best a depreciating asset.

You have to factor ion the 3 - 5 years of worry free motoring you get with a new car.
And if you look after it, the 15 - 20 years of reliable running you can reasonably expect.

I really don't think either side can conclusively win an argument like this, I'm happy to buy new, and if others are happy to take the car off my hands when I'm tired with it that's fantastic as well.

[THE_STIG]

Why a BMW a merc will last way longer and is better built (but not as fun to drive), I saw a 1996 C200 with 500 thousand on the clock and everything worked and still went very well, my grandfathers BMW 740i with 220 thousand on the clock died (blew a head gasket and had some other epic problem) It is not the only BMW to do that.
By the way Mercs are more technicaly advanced since they have had electronic fuel injection back the 70's and not long after had ABS, ASR, BAS...
But yea its funny to see those noob's in their I10's, Indica's, sandero's.. who paid R100 000 thinking that is the only car they can afford, second hand is the way.

[GreyWolf]

Why a BMW a merc will last way longer and is better built (but not as fun to drive), I saw a 1996 C200 with 500 thousand on the clock and everything worked and still went very well, my grandfathers BMW 740i with 220 thousand on the clock died (blew a head gasket and had some other epic problem) It is not the only BMW to do that.
By the way Mercs are more technicaly advanced since they have had electronic fuel injection back the 70's and not long after had ABS, ASR, BAS...
But yea its funny to see those noob's in their I10's, Indica's, sandero's.. who paid R100 000 thinking that is the only car they can afford, second hand is the way.

Like I said, I am a BIG Merc supporter, but I did lots and lots of research before I made my choice. The fact is that Mercs of about the same age as my Beemer were really bad in terms of quality. It's because at the time they were partnered with Chrysler, and American cars are SHOCKINGLY built. Furthermore, show me a Mercedes with similar spec to my 540i and I will buy it, but unfortunately Mercedes just cannot compete with BMW in terms of handling and performance.

Take the current C63 and M3 as examples. The Mercedes is a freakin LUNATIC car, 6.5 litres of pure crazy power and torque, and I love it for that, but the M3 will completely eat it in any competition.

[hamin_aus]

Why a BMW a merc will last way longer and is better built (but not as fun to drive), I saw a 1996 C200 with 500 thousand on the clock and everything worked and still went very well, my grandfathers BMW 740i with 220 thousand on the clock died (blew a head gasket and had some other epic problem) It is not the only BMW to do that.
By the way Mercs are more technicaly advanced since they have had electronic fuel injection back the 70's and not long after had ABS, ASR, BAS...
But yea its funny to see those noob's in their I10's, Indica's, sandero's.. who paid R100 000 thinking that is the only car they can afford, second hand is the way.

This man is clearly very knowledgeable in the field of used vs new cars because he has several anecdotal stories about used cars.

Also, he is named after a fictional character from an entertaining but exceptionally bias television show about cars where the focus is not about the cars but the childish and dangerous antics of the hosts.

Bravo, sir - you have won a comprehensive victory for your side!

[GreyWolf]

This man is clearly very knowledgeable in the field of used vs new cars because he has several anecdotal stories about used cars.

Also, he is named after a fictional character from an entertaining but exceptionally bias television show about cars where the focus is not about the cars but the childish and dangerous antics of the hosts.

Bravo, sir - you have won a comprehensive victory for your side!

[ryanrich]

Take the current C63 and M3 as examples. The Mercedes is a freakin LUNATIC car, 6.5 litres of pure crazy power and torque, and I love it for that, but the M3 will completely eat it in any competition.

Around a track yeah, but not a drag race. The one thing I much prefer about Merc and Audi is the interior compared to BMW. BMW call their interiors "minimalistic", but they're just crappy IMO... My E46 also had a terrible sound system compared to the same Audi's at the time and the brand new ones are no better.

The last payment on my A4 is February, and then I think a new C-Class might be order of the day. This A4 has by far been the best car I've owned. Not a single days trouble with it, still on original clutch, turbo everything at 165,000 km's now. Feel like a change though, and none of the new Audi's really appeal to me, besides the RS5, which is slightly out of my price range...

[ADT]

Around a track yeah, but not a drag race.

+1

[GreyWolf]

Around a track yeah, but not a drag race.

If you can get all that power down properly without first tearing your rear tires off.

The one thing I much prefer about Merc and Audi is the interior compared to BMW. BMW call their interiors "minimalistic", but they're just crappy IMO... My E46 also had a terrible sound system compared to the same Audi's at the time and the brand new ones are no better.

You are right, a lot of good things have been said about new Audi interiors. I am quite surprised about you sound system comment. My e39 has the BMW professional set up, I listen to everything from Sinatra to Metallica and I love the way it all sounds in my car.

The last payment on my A4 is February, and then I think a new C-Class might be order of the day. This A4 has by far been the best car I've owned. Not a single days trouble with it, still on original clutch, turbo everything at 165,000 km's now. Feel like a change though, and none of the new Audi's really appeal to me, besides the RS5, which is slightly out of my price range...

Them new c-classes sure do look nice. You lucky bastid.

[THE_STIG]

Take the current C63 and M3 as examples. The Mercedes is a freakin LUNATIC car, 6.5 litres of pure crazy power and torque, and I love it for that, but the M3 will completely eat it in any competition.

Around a track yeah, but not a drag race. The one thing I much prefer about Merc and Audi is the interior compared to BMW. BMW call their interiors "minimalistic", but they're just crappy IMO... My E46 also had a terrible sound system compared to the same Audi's at the time and the brand new ones are no better.

The last payment on my A4 is February, and then I think a new C-Class might be order of the day. This A4 has by far been the best car I've owned. Not a single days trouble with it, still on original clutch, turbo everything at 165,000 km's now. Feel like a change though, and none of the new Audi's really appeal to me, besides the RS5, which is slightly out of my price range...

Hey our C-class(1999 c180) has 300 000 on the clock and still has the origional clutch, shocks, and most other parts. So the C class is definatly a good bet.

[ryanrich]

My e39 has the BMW professional set up, I listen to everything from Sinatra to Metallica and I love the way it all sounds in my car.

5 series is quite good yeah, my dad had one of those. 3 series not so good...

Another car I was maybe considering is a 335i. With a few mods that thing is an absolute beast...

[THE_STIG]

Why a BMW a merc will last way longer and is better built (but not as fun to drive), I saw a 1996 C200 with 500 thousand on the clock and everything worked and still went very well, my grandfathers BMW 740i with 220 thousand on the clock died (blew a head gasket and had some other epic problem) It is not the only BMW to do that.
By the way Mercs are more technicaly advanced since they have had electronic fuel injection back the 70's and not long after had ABS, ASR, BAS...
But yea its funny to see those noob's in their I10's, Indica's, sandero's.. who paid R100 000 thinking that is the only car they can afford, second hand is the way.

Like I said, I am a BIG Merc supporter, but I did lots and lots of research before I made my choice. The fact is that Mercs of about the same age as my Beemer were really bad in terms of quality. It's because at the time they were partnered with Chrysler, and American cars are SHOCKINGLY built. Furthermore, show me a Mercedes with similar spec to my 540i and I will buy it, but unfortunately Mercedes just cannot compete with BMW in terms of handling and performance.

Take the current C63 and M3 as examples. The Mercedes is a freakin LUNATIC car, 6.5 litres of pure crazy power and torque, and I love it for that, but the M3 will completely eat it in any competition.

Yes the mercs built under chrysler ownership were not so good, but now they are better so why did you not go for one of the old S class mercs (1998 S500 or something) they are very comfortable and still look good.

[GreyWolf]

Another car I was maybe considering is a 335i. With a few mods that thing is an absolute beast...

Even without the mods m8, and furthermore the only German car manufacturer who's cars may be modified is VW. You not buying a Nissan m8.

Yes the mercs built under chrysler ownership were not so good, but now they are better so why did you not go for one of the old S class mercs (1998 S500 or something) they are very comfortable and still look good.

Because its a freakin barge! I would need to hire a pair of tug boats to put me into parking spaces.

[THE_STIG]

Another car I was maybe considering is a 335i. With a few mods that thing is an absolute beast...

Even without the mods m8, and furthermore the only German car manufacturer who's cars may be modified is VW. You not buying a Nissan m8.

Yes the mercs built under chrysler ownership were not so good, but now they are better so why did you not go for one of the old S class mercs (1998 S500 or something) they are very comfortable and still look good.

Because its a freakin barge! I would need to hire a pair of tug boats to put me into parking spaces.

But it is cool, or maybe an old SL then.

[ryanrich]

Even without the mods m8, and furthermore the only German car manufacturer who's cars may be modified is VW. You not buying a Nissan m8.

lol what are you talking about. Tell that to Rob Green, Sav or Sherwin...

Whoever buys a twin turbo car and doesn't do some work to it, ai ai ai...

That car makes insane power with only a litlle work. Xcede Performance are among the best in the business IMO. When it comes to BMW few know more than Sherwin...

Stage one 335i of theirs sees a 77 HP increase on the wheels at altitude...

http://www.xcedeperformance.co.za/wp-co ... sStock.jpg

[GreyWolf]

Even without the mods m8, and furthermore the only German car manufacturer who's cars may be modified is VW. You not buying a Nissan m8.

lol what are you talking about. Tell that to Rob Green, Sav or Sherwin...

Whoever buys a twin turbo car and doesn't do some work to it, ai ai ai...

That car makes insane power with only a litlle work. Xcede Performance are among the best in the business IMO. When it comes to BMW few know more than Sherwin...

Stage one 335i of theirs sees a 77 HP increase on the wheels at altitude...

http://www.xcedeperformance.co.za/wp-co ... sStock.jpg

Fine.. as long as you stay away from vinyls and neons

[RuadRauFlessa]

Back on topic please.

[ryanrich]

Fine.. as long as you stay away from vinyls and neons

Definitely! I don't do the RICE thing, purely performance upgrades. Even if I had to change the wheels on something like an Audi or BMW I'd stick to OEM wheels...

Okay, back on topic, I'm with GreyWolf. For that money I'd get a good condition used 3 series or A4. I did just that in 2006 when I bought my A4 for around R170K. Buying a new enough model from an Audi or BMW garage should see you getting a 2 year or 60,000km motorplan as well, so no worries there...

[THE_STIG]

Brand new Polo Vivo 1.6 with all the extra's.

No rather get a second hand Merc/audi/Bmw or even a jag they are much more comfortable and even with all the Vivo's extras it won't have nealy as many features as a second hand one of those, Here is what you can get for R149 995(on Auto trader) 2004 C270 CDI sportpack,A/T, 120 000Km's, with every extra you can think of sun roof, climate controll, cruse controll.....