Back in June I part-exchanged my lovely Z4 Roadster for a 120d M Sport, because the Z4 was costing me a bit too much to run. The irony is I got a pay rise a few months later, and have now taken a job that pays a LOT more money, starting December >.<
I'd chopped in my E46 for the Zed, plus borrowing the rest from the ever-generous Bank of Mum & Dad.
I swapped the Zed pretty much car-for-car, and looked forward to a life of lower fuel bills. That's when the trouble started. You can read all about it here, if you have a spare hour!
The short version is:
- Timing chain was faulty
- Timing chain snapped
- Engine was replaced
- Replacement engine had failed head gasket
- Rejected the car under Sale of Goods Act
- Trader refused to accept this, repaired the car and forced it back on me
- Legal battle about to get underway
- Trader threatened his business would fold if I sued
I ended up settling for a small sum, and took the car back. It works - has a problem with its glow plugs but will get that sorted - but now I need to decide what to do with it.
My parents have offered to "buy" it off me for the amount I owe them, plus the difference between that value and its second-hand value, and I'll have their Ford Focus as a run around.
I'll be starting work in December ... in Boston (for three weeks), then London when I get back, so the car will be station commute, plus driving at the weekends. With the greatly reduced costs, plus the payment for the car, minus the monthly payments I was making to the family, I should be able to clear the rest of my debt (solictors fees, insurances, etc.) by sometime mid-2014.
And then I want my fun back :evil:
My gut says that I should get another Z4. My girlfriend reckons 'something practical', but I'm thinking I'll just get a Z4 Coupé instead of a Roadster this time ... plenty of boot space!
Mileage will be minimal. If I didn't love to drive so much, I'd just keep the Focus until it fell apart, but I do. A good blast down the lanes is what cheers me up after a bad day/week/breakfast and I'm determined to get that back
Any other suggestions for a good car other than the Zed? I want something that can shlep long distances if it has to (say, road trip to Scotland, which is still on my to-do list), so maybe a 3 Coupé should be on the cards ...
I'd chopped in my E46 for the Zed, plus borrowing the rest from the ever-generous Bank of Mum & Dad.
I swapped the Zed pretty much car-for-car, and looked forward to a life of lower fuel bills. That's when the trouble started. You can read all about it here, if you have a spare hour!
The short version is:
- Timing chain was faulty
- Timing chain snapped
- Engine was replaced
- Replacement engine had failed head gasket
- Rejected the car under Sale of Goods Act
- Trader refused to accept this, repaired the car and forced it back on me
- Legal battle about to get underway
- Trader threatened his business would fold if I sued
I ended up settling for a small sum, and took the car back. It works - has a problem with its glow plugs but will get that sorted - but now I need to decide what to do with it.
My parents have offered to "buy" it off me for the amount I owe them, plus the difference between that value and its second-hand value, and I'll have their Ford Focus as a run around.
I'll be starting work in December ... in Boston (for three weeks), then London when I get back, so the car will be station commute, plus driving at the weekends. With the greatly reduced costs, plus the payment for the car, minus the monthly payments I was making to the family, I should be able to clear the rest of my debt (solictors fees, insurances, etc.) by sometime mid-2014.
And then I want my fun back :evil:
My gut says that I should get another Z4. My girlfriend reckons 'something practical', but I'm thinking I'll just get a Z4 Coupé instead of a Roadster this time ... plenty of boot space!
Mileage will be minimal. If I didn't love to drive so much, I'd just keep the Focus until it fell apart, but I do. A good blast down the lanes is what cheers me up after a bad day/week/breakfast and I'm determined to get that back
Any other suggestions for a good car other than the Zed? I want something that can shlep long distances if it has to (say, road trip to Scotland, which is still on my to-do list), so maybe a 3 Coupé should be on the cards ...