It's time to swap ... :( feeling sad.

[jayware33]

So, I've been getting told I need to get a more "practical" car. With kids being planned soon and parents getting on at me for lack of space on the zed, I have reluctantly, been looking at other cars. Below, is a link to the one I've been checking out. Keen to get your thoughts on it.

I'm trying to hold off as long as possible as I love my Z4 and I fear I will miss the performance of it in replacement for the 523i. It's still a 3L straight 6 but I think it will be as slow as a week in jail.

Should I just bite the bullet and swap for a more family oriented car seeing as kids will be arriving soon (next year). Just keen to get some views on what you all think of the 5 series.

I had dreams of handing my Z4 back after the deal and stepping into a used M3. Got too much time left on my currnet PCP to make that a reality any time soon

Thanks.

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/bm ... -u-526237/

[TitanTim]

5 Series is a great motor, my only reservation would be buying as an AUC if using BMWs finance as the APR is generally alot higher than going for new. To me £350 a month seems alot for a 4 year old car with 25K on the clock. If the Zed is on BMW finance then I would have a chat with the dealer to see what unregistered stock they have in and what deal they could do you on one or a new factory order. Depends where you are with your current PCP if you have one and if your in negative equity or not. I was pleasantly surprised when I chopped in the Zed at 2 years into a 4 year PCP for a M135i as I ended up paying the same £299 monthly I was paying on the 2.0 Zed.

Alternative if you like the Zed so much is buy a really cheap people carrier of something similar outright, just that then your running 2 cars.

Tim.

[jayware33]

5 Series is a great motor, my only reservation would be buying as an AUC if using BMWs finance as the APR is generally alot higher than going for new. To me £350 a month seems alot for a 4 year old car with 25K on the clock. If the Zed is on BMW finance then I would have a chat with the dealer to see what unregistered stock they have in and what deal they could do you on one or a new factory order. Depends where you are with your current PCP if you have one and if your in negative equity or not. I was pleasantly surprised when I chopped in the Zed at 2 years into a 4 year PCP for a M135i as I ended up paying the same £299 monthly I was paying on the 2.0 Zed.

Tim.

Thanks for the reply!

Well, my z has 2k negative equity at the moment. They said they could wipe it all and give me the car for 330 a month.
That sounds pretty reasonable?

Would miss the performance but I know I need to swap pretty soon and this seems like an equal car without downgrading too much.

[mr wilks]

From past experience transporting a family & its belongings if you are trading to gain space i would skip straight to estates/tourers .
Try the car you have linked then try a 330d tourer or similar , the 5s are nice but more suited to a late 40s early 50s golf enthusiast who's nippers have flown the nest
The C Class Sport spec estates & Audi A4 Avants also offer good things to consider ? Maybe even the Audi Allroad for practicality with functionality & a more youthful look ?

[jayware33]

Agree with you there. Some nice Audi's about too. Just liked the fact it has the straight 6. Not just for space, it's a nice looking car too and I like BMW so, will probably end up staying with BMW.

Do you think 330 a month is a reasonable price for the 5? Considering they're also wiping off my z4.

[Angie4m]

I assume the urgency now is due to the fact it's summer, better time to sell the Zed on and your mrs is already pregnant? If she's not then can I ask why the rush? She might not fall pregnant as soon as you've planned. Instead you could keep the Zed a little longer, pay off a bit more of it and maybe get a better deal and better car next year?

If your set on changing and your happy with the deal then that's all that matters. After all it's going to be you paying for it and running it. I just wouldn't do anything too hasty, with August next month dealers will start looking to shift stock in time for the new reg come September and the part ex stock that they will get in. So space will need to be made.

[rhys4]

I would study the figures carefully.2 K negative can easily be absorbed by dealers if you go for a new one.They may also have low rate finance on new cars.I would do a bit more research.

[mr wilks]

Do you think 330 a month is a reasonable price for the 5? Considering they're also wiping off my z4.

The monthly figure doesn't mean much without the number of payments + are they wanting a balloon at the end for you to own the car ?
Recently a pal who was BMW through & through made a switch & bought a Jag XF he loves it so far & feels he has a better car for £5k less than equivalent 5 series he was considering ? His wildcard was the Passat CC which also impressed but not as much as the Jag

[jayware33]

Been good getting some views.

Thanks to all for your input. @Angie4m - she's not pregnant yet but we're currently trying for kids. I could indeed hold off as you're right, no rush just get and I would get a better deal. Also, half way through my finance deal I can hand the car back using voluntary termination, start a new deal early

[jayware33]

Do you think 330 a month is a reasonable price for the 5? Considering they're also wiping off my z4.

The monthly figure doesn't mean much without the number of payments + are they wanting a balloon at the end for you to own the car ?
Recently a pal who was BMW through & through made a switch & bought a Jag XF he loves it so far & feels he has a better car for £5k less than equivalent 5 series he was considering ? His wildcard was the Passat CC which also impressed but not as much as the Jag

The Jag would be nice but would make me feel old ... Unless it's the XK R or F Type but now I'm dreaming

[imported]

From past experience transporting a family & its belongings if you are trading to gain space i would skip straight to estates/tourers

I've noticed that so many people do that, or even go for an SUV. When I grew up we had an E-Class, then a Mitsubishi saloon, a 3-series and then a Jag S-Type; never a car that wasn't a saloon so I still never got why people needed all the extra space considering the bike or large sport equipment went on the roof or hung at the back. I always thought it was something wives did to make sure their husbands never got any 'ideas'. But then again I'm a 26yo.

[R.E92]

You could look into that new male contraceptive pill. Just say you want to hold onto the Z until the baby is on the way. Problem solved

[mr wilks]

From past experience transporting a family & its belongings if you are trading to gain space i would skip straight to estates/tourers

I've noticed that so many people do that, or even go for an SUV. When I grew up we had an E-Class, then a Mitsubishi saloon, a 3-series and then a Jag S-Type; never a car that wasn't a saloon so I still never got why people needed all the extra space considering the bike or large sport equipment went on the roof or hung at the back. I always thought it was something wives did to make sure their husbands never got any 'ideas'. But then again I'm a 26yo.

Have always found saloons limited in their capacity to do it all
Soon as our 2nd child arrived life was pram's , scooters, bikes, dogs,bags , baby kit & toys not to mention transporting white goods , beds & furniture to France for the best part of 15 years along with countless camping holidays in the South of France
We found C class,E Class , 3 & 5 series estates & more recently A6 Avant & 2 X3s do what we need that a saloon car just couldn't , drop the seats & you can get most things into a estate , saloons just didn't work for us then or now

[imported]

From past experience transporting a family & its belongings if you are trading to gain space i would skip straight to estates/tourers

I've noticed that so many people do that, or even go for an SUV. When I grew up we had an E-Class, then a Mitsubishi saloon, a 3-series and then a Jag S-Type; never a car that wasn't a saloon so I still never got why people needed all the extra space considering the bike or large sport equipment went on the roof or hung at the back. I always thought it was something wives did to make sure their husbands never got any 'ideas'. But then again I'm a 26yo.

Have always found saloons limited in their capacity to do it all
Soon as our 2nd child arrived life was pram's , scooters, bikes, dogs,bags , baby kit & toys not to mention transporting white goods , beds & furniture to France for the best part of 15 years along with countless camping holidays in the South of France
We found C class,E Class , 3 & 5 series estates & more recently A6 Avant & 2 X3s do what we need that a saloon car just couldn't , drop the seats & you can get most things into a estate , saloons just didn't work for us then or now

Do you carry a large holdall everywhere you go because of the off chance that you might need to carry more items? Of course not, most of the time just a wallet will do!

Having a large car seems silly, lugging around a house on wheels when 95% of the time it's just you driving and you could have had all of that stuff delivered, palletised or even head up to Enterprise rental occasionally. Same thing goes for a 2 seater car, I always use the example of a wallet vs the holdall. I know things were different a decade ago but theses days there is no excuse for be

[mr wilks]

Having a large car seems silly, lugging around a house on wheels when 95% of the time it's just you driving and you could have had all of that stuff delivered, or even head up to Enterprise rental occasionally. Same thing goes for a 2 seater car, I always use the example of a wallet vs the holdall.

How is a estate any larger than a saloon ? Its just designed with different functions in mind
If you don't need a estate don't buy one but i would always prefer them simply because they work for the requirements i want from a car .
Horses for courses , ive always looked at saloons as a compromise i dont have to make if i buy a estate ?