3.0si E85 or 23i E89

[Mr Tidy]

I think the best thing you can do is get a drive in a 23i E89. Then you should know if it's for you or not.

Good luck anyway.

 

[Pondy]

I did some googling on them, the guide rails for the chains need doing dont they? They fail as a matter of when rather than if?

They made millions of N20 engines, put them in everything from the 1 series to the 5 series. IF the timing chain guides do fail, they seem to be a minimum of 70k miles. They seem to give warning too as start to get noisy before any problems. I asked my neighbour with a 90k mile 528 (he's had it from new), he hasn't had or got any problems. Mine at 31k is dandy!

 

[inkey$]

This one looks pretty honest...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175726296241?hash=item28ea1a7cb1:g:8ZkAAOSwPJlkYJUG&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwPAYsIYgtDMrCnUyAiPcVDSkYcc9Y3z0ClG4jXYrIuo5xUWC%2BRjrRoCDdxQwsEeWWN3BuZCLuAkWN5G%2B3KwB9hjCOcrQ996eo1WFOQqbvwQGKN2DimNL%2FpniBqgOr90fhtAyEjcWIlK3Ww2vieHbN8Qc7ECAflUtiuDm7N2QIh0TscRtLNKsDd2hmZgtgEm5mkZw%2B0V8fDjG5t9NLNqJ6zdmU%2F4K5z4ujl5Rb3HNxycvPGWqcLvqlB6%2ByAut7CK11w%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-aB1MWIYg

 

[inkey$]

...or this one with walnut interior...not a lot of detail on spec though.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115780777102?hash=item1af512748e:g:bfwAAOSw919kFYTl&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4ICuuAjPoNAGKsh1jpWhFJmj1wVHYbelRwbAwaal2OWTF3bpqtgtYw71ToFrpmOvOfu2H1Vq3G308Hgru%2FHfIamz8l4WVoxfxdRwV5QmsJ9TkpR%2F00tIVYsO2H%2F1A589CtO2BVMWIjK45vhVh%2B%2FovUGqu83qH9e%2B2%2FzIL4mUeF86CVD6DYTu9x%2F3%2BvOe1%2BPfecdIB6eRVLg%2FM8xwUQP9p%2BdGCs5ZI9gEAkuDPzdNA3CegicNl%2FCx1aff34ASEUM5AmJX1Dr6gHkhpZE%2Fb6QUFJWcyp9xFxF%2BhRmu8QGb0t8u%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-aB1MWIYg

 

[LeeZ4MR]

Sorry, didn't make that clear. You mentioned looking back a the car when walking away - that rear end design of the E89 (like the old 6 series) was so wrong imo that I could not live with that look. The rest looks fine, you just have to reverse park everywhere :lol:

I've always been the same as you on this as well Paul. I think the front of the E89 looks ace, and I like it from the side too, however the rear has never really grabbed me though(it still wouldn't stop me buying one in fairness).

 

[Silverstar]

Yeah I dont mind paying my money, but refuse to part with it for some tatty E85 3.0 just for the sake of it.

Another strange phenomenon lately has been the huge premium on low mileage. Seems mileage (or lack of) is King; condition and other things come a long way down in second.

I don't think this is recent. Old cars with low miles have always commanded more money. In terms of price mileage is king and usually old cars with low miles are in pristine condition, not always but usually. The older enthusiasts cars get and the lower the miles the higher the price. They then fall into hands of collectors who stare at them in their garage and don't really drive them because if they do the values plummet.

 

[mr.tourette]

This one looks decent value and great colour combo -https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302174365090?advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=M%20Sport%20Highline%20Edition&include-delivery-option=on&make=BMW&model=Z4&postcode=np45xf&price-from=6500&price-to=9000&sort=relevance&fromsra

That is a proper bargain

 

[Pondy]

That is a proper bargain

It's a cat S and not a private seller, even though claims to be from the ad! Pictures taken in the forecourt of a filling station. In Croydon.
I have looked at hundreds and hundreds and feckin hundreds of cars recently and I think I can confirm that there is no longer such a thing as a 'bargain' car anymore. Anywhere.

 

[Ole gits rule]

That is a proper bargain

It's a cat S and not a private seller, even though claims to be from the ad! Pictures taken in the forecourt of a filling station. In Croydon.
I have looked at hundreds and hundreds and feckin hundreds of cars recently and I think I can confirm that there is no longer such a thing as a 'bargain' car anymore. Anywhere.

Didn't see the Cat S bit

 

[mr.tourette]

That is a proper bargain

It's a cat S and not a private seller, even though claims to be from the ad! Pictures taken in the forecourt of a filling station. In Croydon.
I have looked at hundreds and hundreds and feckin hundreds of cars recently and I think I can confirm that there is no longer such a thing as a 'bargain' car anymore. Anywhere.

That explains the price then.. only flicked over the ad and didn't see a mention of a cat marker

 

[Ole gits rule]

That is a proper bargain

It's a cat S and not a private seller, even though claims to be from the ad! Pictures taken in the forecourt of a filling station. In Croydon.
I have looked at hundreds and hundreds and feckin hundreds of cars recently and I think I can confirm that there is no longer such a thing as a 'bargain' car anymore. Anywhere.

That explains the price then.. only flicked over the ad and didn't see a mention of a cat marker

Me either, naughty if it cat s and a dealer

 

[coldel]

Mr Tidy is right need to get my backside over to a dealer and try a 23i out.

 

[Pondy]

Me either, naughty if it cat s and a dealer

Cat S is in the ad. The text said 'part exchange welcome, call us'. Weirdly the price seems to have been revised and the 'px welcome' has gone. Maybe they are monitoring this forum?

 

[brillomaster]

Spanner in the works post... if you havent tried a 350z or a boxster, you really should - they're both excellent.

A 350z is such a complete car... weighty steering and clutch, great gearshift, and a torquey v6. Sounds great with a simple cobra cat back exhaust. Get a GT and you get leather, cruise, good stereo and lovely rays wheels. Real nice to drive as well, flows down a road great. More of a sports gt than an outright sports car, but no more than an e89... Had mine 4 years, only got rid as 27mpg was a bit low for a daily driver.

And as for the porsche... its not particularly unreliable, seen plenty with well over 100k on the clock. The ims thing is a non issue imo... if there were any problems, it would have been over a decade ago. And so many upsides, but boils down to one thing... its a porsche! So it goes, stops, steers and handles exactly as youd expect it to - perfectly. And you get a unique flat six, that revs out to 7k. And super practical, a big boot at each end.

Ive just got a 2005 boxster s 3.2, for £9k. And it really is spot on. Id try and drive good examples of both before discounting them.

 

[PointedMarlin]

Mr Tidy is right need to get my backside over to a dealer and try a 23i out.

Where are you based …

I’m in Sutton Coldfield own a 23i & would happily let you come over

I’m not selling but would let you see what one is like

 

[coldel]

Brillo, sure you dont recognise me from 350z-uk? I used to be admin on there :wink: I owned a 350z, and it wasn't quite the complete car, but it was fun to modify and a good ownership experience. So not really going to go back to another one.

Porsche just comes with too much bork factor for me, someone else just bought a 986 S and within weeks cracked a head. I know any car can do that but Porsches of that era seem to have more horror stories than other marques and the cost to repair is often x2 the amount. Ive driven a 986 S and agree its a great car.

Marlin I am in Twickenham west london so unfortunately a bit of a hike away, but thank you kindly for the offer!

 

[LeeZ4MR]

An E89 of some description is definitely a car that I'd like to have one day for sure. I love the interior in them, plus I'm already used to the GT side of things with the 370Z anyway. I've also always personally preferred the look of a folding metal roof to a fabric one as well. I think that they are really nice cars.