Got 15K to spend
- Thread starter ChillZ4
- Start date
So the main differences are:
1. The engine - not only more power, but lighter too, so the front end is a bit more agile
2. Facelift - obviously small changes to the front and rear
Not sure about the interior though, think its pretty much identical.
I've got he Si and am pleased I spent a bit extra.
1. The engine - not only more power, but lighter too, so the front end is a bit more agile
2. Facelift - obviously small changes to the front and rear
Not sure about the interior though, think its pretty much identical.
I've got he Si and am pleased I spent a bit extra.
I drive the prefacelift 2003 with the later front end and am very pleased with it.
They really are very close and aside the engine, bumper cover/lights (some 2005 had clear lights) and tail lights you'd be hard pushed to see any difference.
Of course the temptation when spending others money is to say bigger, newer, more toys, etc. and as a general rule buying the latest car you can get is the best bet. However I'd base the decision on do you really want and can you afford to spend the extra? The more you spend the more it depreciates. On top of that find the car you want in terms of colour, gearbox, interior, accessories and you'll know which is right.
Whatever you choose it's a great car and drive
They really are very close and aside the engine, bumper cover/lights (some 2005 had clear lights) and tail lights you'd be hard pushed to see any difference.
Of course the temptation when spending others money is to say bigger, newer, more toys, etc. and as a general rule buying the latest car you can get is the best bet. However I'd base the decision on do you really want and can you afford to spend the extra? The more you spend the more it depreciates. On top of that find the car you want in terms of colour, gearbox, interior, accessories and you'll know which is right.
Whatever you choose it's a great car and drive
Both are very good, and in fact there isn't much between them, but... I'd go for the 3.0Si. And I have a 2004 3.0i.
There's enough additional power to notice, and it's marginally less thirsty. However, whilst CO2 is down from 221g/km to 204g/km, any post-march 2006 car will cop for the new VED bands which means £260p.a. (IIRC) rather than £215. You'll also need to bear in mind that all pre-facelift cars were SE's and came with a lot of kit as standard, whereas post-facelift are either a slightly lower-spec SE trim or otherwise Sport, which gives a lot of nice kit but commands a premium on the used market.
There's enough additional power to notice, and it's marginally less thirsty. However, whilst CO2 is down from 221g/km to 204g/km, any post-march 2006 car will cop for the new VED bands which means £260p.a. (IIRC) rather than £215. You'll also need to bear in mind that all pre-facelift cars were SE's and came with a lot of kit as standard, whereas post-facelift are either a slightly lower-spec SE trim or otherwise Sport, which gives a lot of nice kit but commands a premium on the used market.
Whilst the N52 engine is lighter than the M54, the facelift car seems to be slightly heavier than the pre-facelift at 1,385kg to 1,365kg.csmith319 said:
Andrew D said:
Oh yes - you're right - what's that about? Are the new bumpers really that heavy?! haha - but seriously, I can't think why this should be - there is little or no difference other than the bumpers, lights and engines. If the engine is lighter, what is making the car heavier? Are they weighing like for like?
I found that strange too - that the facelift weights slightly more than the pre-facelift, even though it's not a big difference. It should be the other way around if the newer engine is lighter.
I didn't have the luxury of my budget stretching to the 3.0Si but you certainly won't be disappointed with an older 3.0i SE if you go down that route. I'm not. It's still a great car and plenty quick enough for most purposes. Added to that, I actually prefer the pre-facelift front end (although clear lights would help even more).
I didn't have the luxury of my budget stretching to the 3.0Si but you certainly won't be disappointed with an older 3.0i SE if you go down that route. I'm not. It's still a great car and plenty quick enough for most purposes. Added to that, I actually prefer the pre-facelift front end (although clear lights would help even more).
Well, whilst the N52 is the "lightest straight-six in the world", I'd suspect that it isn't drastically lighter than the all-aluminium-alloy M54. Add in the new electonic gubbins for aux-in and brake control features (Soft Stop, brake drying, hill start assist) and some flashier exhaust finishers (that were optional on the pre-facelift car), it quickly racks up.
That said, it's a paltry difference and might as well be identical.
That said, it's a paltry difference and might as well be identical.
Andrew D said:
Question - were all facelift cars supposed to have the aux-in? Mine doesn't have it (well, I can't find it anywhere and the stereo doesn't come up with the optin when you cycle through the modes, just the radio, single CD and CD changer) - whats the deal?
