330D... (expanded - needing a car for longish commute)

[Eagle 1662]

Paint and bumpers look rough as, must of been a hard 161,000km

[Palazzo 477]

4 hours ago, Eagle said:

Paint and bumpers look rough as, must of been a hard 161,000km

161,000 miles. Amazed it went so quick.

[balancerider 757]

11 hours ago, Gaz said:

E39 530d?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/listing/4456543195

@aja540i had what could best be described as 'not trouble free' time with that one

[aja540i 1906]

7 hours ago, balancerider said:

@aja540i had what could best be described as 'not trouble free' time with that one

Close but different, mine is currently a lawn ornament that I curse on a daily basis! This one looks mint by comparison! 😂

[lord_jagganath 421]

how would you like a 520d Graham? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/338634632489049

 

or a 120d ,albeit tiny https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/742590861201650/ 

Edited December 7, 2023 by lord_jagganath

[gjm 3258]

9 hours ago, lord_jagganath said:

how would you like a 520d Graham? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/338634632489049

 

or a 120d ,albeit tiny https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/742590861201650/ 

The 520 is quite nice but a little more than I was planning to spend. The 120 is higher mileage than would be ideal - I'll add at least 50000 a year.

And the E39 530D? Oh. Look... https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/530d/listing/4456543195

 

[Driftit 2078]

I feel like I can see how brittle the plastics are in the engine bay of that E39. 

[gjm 3258]

Funny how early leaders drop by the wayside and recent finds become leading contenders.

2005 Mercedes CLK320

2006 Mercedes E280

2007 BMW 320d (M47 engine)

All about the same price ($500 between them), mileage, good history, NZ new...

The BMW looks to be the sensible choice but is the furthest away.

The CLK is the prettiest, but higher (not too high) mileage and needs some paint tidying.

The E280 is..  Well, an E-class Mercedes. Great car for longer journeys.

[balancerider 757]

@gjm have you ruled out that 325d in Auckland? That is the best engine option imo

[gjm 3258]

25 minutes ago, balancerider said:

@gjm have you ruled out that 325d in Auckland? That is the best engine option imo

Can't get any traction with the seller.

(Worthy of a rant thread entry.)

[Palazzo 477]

What about this?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/mercedes-benz/c-220/listing/4457291713

[gjm 3258]

4 hours ago, Palazzo said:

What about this?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/mercedes-benz/c-220/listing/4457291713

We now have to ask why my search for Mercedes diesel under $7500 didn't bring this one up. (Quick rant about TradeMe search?!)

[Palazzo 477]

Pretty sure they’ve dropped the price substantially, I think it was $8.5-9.5k.

[GorGasm 563]

There's an F10 520d M-sport on facebook at the moment for $8100.  A lot of car for the money!

[lord_jagganath 421]

43 minutes ago, GorGasm said:

There's an F10 520d M-sport on facebook at the moment for $8100.  A lot of car for the money!

i saw the car. it needed work. and reeked of cigarette smoke. 

[GorGasm 563]

Ahh old smokey.  A shame.

[gjm 3258]

Christmas is great. The pressure to get a car sorted eases, which is just as well given the dearth of anything vaguely decent at a sensible price at present!

Have found a 630i... The brief 645i idea was quashed after more research because while great when i is running, it's natural habitat (according to more than one review) is in a workshop. That's not going to work.
The 630i I found has a N52 engine. Not impervious to issues but much better. It also has an early iDrive which can be an issue - I need to do more reading/learning around that.
Very nice-looking car, and originally designed for the sort of use I'd need. Whether it'd continue to be good at that over a longer period is also something I don't know.

Also found a nice-looking E46 325i, M54B25.

Considered a Lexus IS350, but don't think budget will go to a decent example.

2007 Mercedes C220CDi looks promising.

The very sensible suggestion has been a Mazda. 

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:36 AM, gjm said:

The very sensible suggestion has been a Mazda. 

just not a mazda diesel.

M54 and N52 are both very good.

but your little M47 is here waiting. I havent touched it for three weeks. we both know it will bump over first turn and take you all the way back to waipuk. something something devil you know.

[KwS 2425]

On 12/29/2023 at 11:36 AM, gjm said:

Have found a 630i... The brief 645i idea was quashed after more research because while great when i is running, it's natural habitat (according to more than one review) is in a workshop. That's not going to work.
The 630i I found has a N52 engine. Not impervious to issues but much better. It also has an early iDrive which can be an issue - I need to do more reading/learning around that.
Very nice-looking car, and originally designed for the sort of use I'd need. Whether it'd continue to be good at that over a longer period is also something I don't know.

If you can, try to find one that has as few gimmicks as possible. Active steering, active headlights and dynamic drive are the three i would try to avoid if possible, due to unreliability. Otherwise it should be a pretty solid, albeit big, car. 

[Gaz 1060]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/4502024002

One dollar reserve e90 320d

[balancerider 757]

@Gaz that's tidy. picking ~5.5-6k as the resting place for it?

[gjm 3258]

Well... A deal has been struck and I have been driving a bright(ish) blue 2004 CLK320 to work and back for a few days. It's much brighter than the pic suggests.

It'd been for sale for a few months, mainly because the rear bumper had been 'tapped' at some point, and poorly repaired. That can be sorted. It also has a number of small dents and similar around the body.

Near new tyres, albeit shockingly poor ones (HiFly and cheap Nankang), rebuilt rear brakes (I'll being doing all the brakes), and a lot of history. Interior is generally tidy although a previous owner has made a mess of the centre arm rest - like many, it opens to a cubby space, but the lid also opens for small storage. Or should. It looks like it is glued shut.

Rides well, drives well, comfortable, quick when pressed, has a very good 5m 'look' to it. 

At about 25% of the price of any even vaguely decent 6-cylinder BMW coupe it was a deal that proved impossible to say no to.

Mega service time.

 

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

On 1/27/2024 at 5:29 PM, gjm said:

 

Near new tyres, albeit shockingly poor ones (HiFly and cheap Nankang),

Not the worst out there by any means. Id be more than happy driving on those until they wear out if i were you.

[gjm 3258]

On 2/10/2024 at 9:55 PM, _ethrty-Andy_ said:

Not the worst out there by any means. Id be more than happy driving on those until they wear out if i were you.

The HiFlys are the oddest tyres I've driven on in a long time. They manage to feel hard, squidgy, unfeeling and yet blocky, all at the same time.  Checked tyre pressures, checked alignment... No change in character.
 If I were at all attempting any sort of <ahem> enthusiastic driving they'd need to be changed.

As it is, so long as they keep rolling in a circle they should be fine.

[Eagle 1662]

4 hours ago, gjm said:

They manage to feel hard, squidgy, unfeeling and yet blocky, all at the same time

Just another rubbish tyre with a dumb name category, not the worst maybe but its like comparing a dog crap with cow crap. We sell both at work and lots of customers have switched over to Continental UC6's, just regular drivers and most are happy with the extra cost for very noticeable difference. When you got old and worn vehicles the tyres do a lot of work.