Looking at 3 series BMW convertables

[MikeyH]

Thank you all for your really good and sensible advice. Although I prefer a hardtop convertible 4 seater because it is less dingy with the roof up and let’s face, that’s how it will be used most of the time in the winter, I am put off by the trouble we have had with the wife’s Ford Focus CC roof. At the moment I am erring towards the Audi A5 convertible but as always I will change my mind often before I settle on one. When I was looking for a 2 seat roadster I started with mx5s through SLKs, 986 Boxters and Audi TT and ended up with an E85. I haven’t regretted buying it yet. I like the look of the BMW 4 series but they are more than I want to pay for a car, the Audi is more affordable for me. Once again thank you all again your advice as always is very welcome and appreciated

 

[Ole gits rule]

Thank you all for your really good and sensible advice. Although I prefer a hardtop convertible 4 seater because it is less dingy with the roof up and let’s face, that’s how it will be used most of the time in the winter, I am put off by the trouble we have had with the wife’s Ford Focus CC roof. At the moment I am erring towards the Audi A5 convertible but as always I will change my mind often before I settle on one. When I was looking for a 2 seat roadster I started with mx5s through SLKs, 986 Boxters and Audi TT and ended up with an E85. I haven’t regretted buying it yet. I like the look of the BMW 4 series but they are more than I want to pay for a car, the Audi is more affordable for me. Once again thank you all again your advice as always is very welcome and appreciated

The four is pretty reliable although I do like the A5 as well and did look at one before I bought the M4.

What is your budget / spec requirements etc as four series can be got for 12k these days

 

[Huzee4]

I owned this 2013 320d cabriolet for 8 years, part ex’d last month for a granddaughter friendly X3.
It was a fabulous car had all the toys and a pleasure to drive.
No issues at all with the roof, but did feel a bit chilly on occasions with it folded down unlike my Zed. Rear seat passengers freeze most of the time and leg room is non existent.
On the day I was due to pick up the new car I was emptying the boot and in the plastic lidded storage bin situated in the floor which I hadn’t opened for possibly years I found about six inches of water.
I’d heard other 320 cab owners complaining of boot leakes and always thought I’d escaped as I’d always cleaned the rubbers and used gummi fledge. Dealership gave me £5,500 for it with 54k on the clock, it was back on the forecourt a week later for £9,995 and sold almost immediately.

 

[Ole gits rule]

Wow thats a nice looking motor for £5,500k, they are going for well over that surely with only 54k on the clock

The boot water could be form the rear quarter, this can normally be heard sloshing about when starting / stopping the car.

 

[enuff_zed]

My wife wants a hard top convertible as 3 quarter vis is better but yes I had wondered about the reliability of the roof.

My missus had a couple of 220d convertibles. Very nice cars and no issues with visibility that I recall.

 

[MikeyH]

Thank you all for your really good and sensible advice. Although I prefer a hardtop convertible 4 seater because it is less dingy with the roof up and let’s face, that’s how it will be used most of the time in the winter, I am put off by the trouble we have had with the wife’s Ford Focus CC roof. At the moment I am erring towards the Audi A5 convertible but as always I will change my mind often before I settle on one. When I was looking for a 2 seat roadster I started with mx5s through SLKs, 986 Boxters and Audi TT and ended up with an E85. I haven’t regretted buying it yet. I like the look of the BMW 4 series but they are more than I want to pay for a car, the Audi is more affordable for me. Once again thank you all again your advice as always is very welcome and appreciated

The four is pretty reliable although I do like the A5 as well and did look at one before I bought the M4.

What is your budget / spec requirements etc as four series can be got for 12k these days

We don't spend anything like that much on a car, never have. I wont be going past £8,000.00, will be cash don't like that HP malarkey, that is enough considering the wife will park it in sainsbury and lidl car parks Limits us to A5, series 3 and another focus CC. Not buying French crap again. Keeping to 70,000 miles or less, they are about but miles away. Just need to be patient and of course the wrong time of year. Wife doesn't want hard suspension, says 'If I want a crappy ride I'll go out in the Z4 :rofl:

 

[Ole gits rule]

Thank you all for your really good and sensible advice. Although I prefer a hardtop convertible 4 seater because it is less dingy with the roof up and let’s face, that’s how it will be used most of the time in the winter, I am put off by the trouble we have had with the wife’s Ford Focus CC roof. At the moment I am erring towards the Audi A5 convertible but as always I will change my mind often before I settle on one. When I was looking for a 2 seat roadster I started with mx5s through SLKs, 986 Boxters and Audi TT and ended up with an E85. I haven’t regretted buying it yet. I like the look of the BMW 4 series but they are more than I want to pay for a car, the Audi is more affordable for me. Once again thank you all again your advice as always is very welcome and appreciated

The four is pretty reliable although I do like the A5 as well and did look at one before I bought the M4.

What is your budget / spec requirements etc as four series can be got for 12k these days

We don't spend anything like that much on a car, never have. I wont be going past £8,000.00, will be cash don't like that HP malarkey, that is enough considering the wife will park it in sainsbury and lidl car parks Limits us to A5, series 3 and another focus CC. Not buying French crap again. Keeping to 70,000 miles or less, they are about but miles away. Just need to be patient and of course the wrong time of year. Wife doesn't want hard suspension, says 'If I want a crappy ride I'll go out in the Z4 :rofl:

Huzzee 4 series would have been cracker at £6k and 54k miles and not too far from your daughter in Newport.

The 5 is a lovely looking car but feels much bigger than the 4 series IMHO but the interiors are great.

£8k is a decent amount on a car - just got to to be patient and something will pop up somewhere.

 

[Pondrew]

What about a nice old Jag XK8 convertible (pre-2006)? Lovely comfortable ride, V8 engine and come with free rust!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306178633249?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&body-type=Convertible&make=Jaguar&maximum-mileage=80000&model=XK8&page=2&postcode=PE11%201XN&fromsra

A few quid over budget but it's a 'green badge' S. Rare run-out model of the old XK. Not a million miles away and decent mileage. They don't all have bad rust, just most!

 

[MikeyH]

The four is pretty reliable although I do like the A5 as well and did look at one before I bought the M4.

What is your budget / spec requirements etc as four series can be got for 12k these days

We don't spend anything like that much on a car, never have. I wont be going past £8,000.00, will be cash don't like that HP malarkey, that is enough considering the wife will park it in sainsbury and lidl car parks Limits us to A5, series 3 and another focus CC. Not buying French crap again. Keeping to 70,000 miles or less, they are about but miles away. Just need to be patient and of course the wrong time of year. Wife doesn't want hard suspension, says 'If I want a crappy ride I'll go out in the Z4 :rofl:

Huzzee 4 series would have been cracker at £6k and 54k miles and not too far from your daughter in Newport.

The 5 is a lovely looking car but feels much bigger than the 4 series IMHO but the interiors are great.

£8k is a decent amount on a car - just got to to be patient and something will pop up somewhere.

Yes would have been, I have to be patient

 

[MikeyH]

What about a nice old Jag XK8 convertible (pre-2006)? Lovely comfortable ride, V8 engine and come with free rust!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306178633249?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&body-type=Convertible&make=Jaguar&maximum-mileage=80000&model=XK8&page=2&postcode=PE11%201XN&fromsra

A few quid over budget but it's a 'green badge' S. Rare run-out model of the old XK. Not a million miles away and decent mileage. They don't all have bad rust, just most!

Hmm. Need a cloth cap, cravat and a pipe to drive one of those, looks good though

 

[Pondrew]

Hmm. Need a cloth cap, cravat and a pipe to drive one of those, looks good though

Sorry. I thought everyone in Devonshire over the age of 30 had those already. oke:

 

[True-Blue]

Don’t buy anything with a N43 in it.

I had a 3 series folding hard top with this engine, nothing but problems. A local BMW Indy told me to move it on, and I did.

Google N43 problems

 

[True-Blue]

No it will be the N43 engine. N20 in the E89.
The E93 325i has the N52 six pot which is he same as in the E85 2.5i.

I’m not sure the second part is correct, the 1 series Cab and Coupe designated 125i had the 3.0 N52 that’s fitted to the E85/E89 and was software restricted, I think this is also the same for the 325i. One of the only NA cars where a remap gave a big power increase. It’s something like vanos is disabled but is enabled by the remap, still only a handful of tuners who can do this though.

I had a 125i Cab remapped, was like night and day afterwards

Here you go;

 

[MikeyH]

Hmm. Need a cloth cap, cravat and a pipe to drive one of those, looks good though

Sorry. I thought everyone in Devonshire over the age of 30 had those already. oke:

Ooo arrr :rofl:

 

[MikeyH]

Don’t buy anything with a N43 in it.

I had a 3 series folding hard top with this engine, nothing but problems. A local BMW Indy told me to move it on, and I did.

Google N43 problems

How would I know it has the N43 engine?

 

[MikeyH]

No it will be the N43 engine. N20 in the E89.
The E93 325i has the N52 six pot which is he same as in the E85 2.5i.

I’m not sure the second part is correct, the 1 series Cab and Coupe designated 125i had the 3.0 N52 that’s fitted to the E85/E89 and was software restricted, I think this is also the same for the 325i. One of the only NA cars where a remap gave a big power increase. It’s something like vanos is disabled but is enabled by the remap, still only a handful of tuners who can do this though.

I had a 125i Cab remapped, was like night and day afterwards

Here you go;

IMG_0530.jpeg

That is exactly what I would buy but it's the wife who will be using it most of the time. So prefer Manual gearbox, smaller wheels and the non sport version for comfort. But I love the red seats and sat nav, moves the car to another level IMO.

 

[True-Blue]

No it will be the N43 engine. N20 in the E89.
The E93 325i has the N52 six pot which is he same as in the E85 2.5i.

I’m not sure the second part is correct, the 1 series Cab and Coupe designated 125i had the 3.0 N52 that’s fitted to the E85/E89 and was software restricted, I think this is also the same for the 325i. One of the only NA cars where a remap gave a big power increase. It’s something like vanos is disabled but is enabled by the remap, still only a handful of tuners who can do this though.

I had a 125i Cab remapped, was like night and day afterwards

Here you go;

IMG_0530.jpeg

That is exactly what I would buy but it's the wife who will be using it most of the time. So prefer Manual gearbox, smaller wheels and the non sport version for comfort. But I love the red seats and sat nav, moves the car to another level IMO.

I wasn’t suggesting that car specifically, I was pointing out that it’s designated 325i but has 3.0 N52 engine - you’re a remap away from an extra 40+ BHP and more torque

 

[MikeyH]

I’m not sure the second part is correct, the 1 series Cab and Coupe designated 125i had the 3.0 N52 that’s fitted to the E85/E89 and was software restricted, I think this is also the same for the 325i. One of the only NA cars where a remap gave a big power increase. It’s something like vanos is disabled but is enabled by the remap, still only a handful of tuners who can do this though.

I had a 125i Cab remapped, was like night and day afterwards

Here you go;

IMG_0530.jpeg

That is exactly what I would buy but it's the wife who will be using it most of the time. So prefer Manual gearbox, smaller wheels and the non sport version for comfort. But I love the red seats and sat nav, moves the car to another level IMO.

I wasn’t suggesting that car specifically, I was pointing out that it’s designated 325i but has 3.0 N52 engine - you’re a remap away from an extra 40+ BHP and more torque

Oh I see

 

[True-Blue]

Don’t buy anything with a N43 in it.

I had a 3 series folding hard top with this engine, nothing but problems. A local BMW Indy told me to move it on, and I did.

Google N43 problems

How would I know it has the N43 engine?

Basically, avoid anything from that era that has a 2.0, 4 cylinder non-turbo engine. I think there was a second engine of the same ilk, can’t remember the designation, that was nearly as bad… the one in the E85 2.0.

 

[MikeyH]

Don’t buy anything with a N43 in it.

I had a 3 series folding hard top with this engine, nothing but problems. A local BMW Indy told me to move it on, and I did.

Google N43 problems

How would I know it has the N43 engine?

Basically, avoid anything from that era that has a 2.0, 4 cylinder non-turbo engine. I think there was a second engine of the same ilk, can’t remember the designation, that was nearly as bad… the one in the E85 2.0.

So anything after 2010 should be okay for the 2.0 engine?