Interesting thread OP.
I had a similar issue - back in 2014 I sold my 123d and bought my first Z4C, which was obviously no good as transport for a nonagenarian parent! So I bought a 1996 Mazda 323f - only 1500cc so in the cheap tax bracket for pre-2000ish cars, and it did almost 40 mpg. I had it 6 months, but was bored with it within 3 months so it got sold when I found a good 325ti Sport Compact!
I got that insured with a firm that offered a deal to match No Claims Discount, so paid about £300 a year for each car.
The only other major additional cost is road tax on 2 cars in Band K - MOT is only expensive if there is anything that prompts a fail, but as has been said wear and tear, fuel, tyres and so on only happen about half as often as you only use one at a time.
Anyway last week I bought an E91 325i Touring (E92 is the Coupe) and sold the 325ti so I've pretty much got what you are thinking about!
The 325i is a daily and will do about 7K a year, my Z4C is my fun car and might do 5K a year. I use the Z4 all year, but not when the weather is like this - I don't want it sliding around and getting covered in salt so I put winter tyres on the daily and use that instead.
So I reckon the only additional costs are road tax and insurance, but £600 a year is a price I'll happily pay to be able to enjoy a Z4.
I had a similar issue - back in 2014 I sold my 123d and bought my first Z4C, which was obviously no good as transport for a nonagenarian parent! So I bought a 1996 Mazda 323f - only 1500cc so in the cheap tax bracket for pre-2000ish cars, and it did almost 40 mpg. I had it 6 months, but was bored with it within 3 months so it got sold when I found a good 325ti Sport Compact!
I got that insured with a firm that offered a deal to match No Claims Discount, so paid about £300 a year for each car.
The only other major additional cost is road tax on 2 cars in Band K - MOT is only expensive if there is anything that prompts a fail, but as has been said wear and tear, fuel, tyres and so on only happen about half as often as you only use one at a time.
Anyway last week I bought an E91 325i Touring (E92 is the Coupe) and sold the 325ti so I've pretty much got what you are thinking about!
The 325i is a daily and will do about 7K a year, my Z4C is my fun car and might do 5K a year. I use the Z4 all year, but not when the weather is like this - I don't want it sliding around and getting covered in salt so I put winter tyres on the daily and use that instead.
So I reckon the only additional costs are road tax and insurance, but £600 a year is a price I'll happily pay to be able to enjoy a Z4.
