[ajmat]

Some of you would know, I have been perfectly happy with my Audi Q3. (Lucy, as named by the previous owner!). It has been utterly reliable, extremely comfortable and extremely chuckable. However, it lacked a little tactility but I easily lived with that.

Lucy's record has been spotless. I had not skimped on maintenance and was quite faithful and committed to her. However, like most committed and faithful men, one surfs the web for those forbidden sites - i.e olx.in, carwale.com (what on earth did you all think?). I had been teased by flirting with Viddys BMW 328i (you know where this is going!). During my clandestine midnight surfing, the dark side of the web told me that the resale value of a Q3 was pretty good. I could almost recoup what I paid for her. That fact stayed with me.

And thus the story begins....

Originally Posted by SithDefender

But that is a cliffhanger! What is the next car ?

Originally Posted by Utopian

. Curious to see what would be the next acquisition and name.

Read on.......

[ajmat]

Sorry - the heading is a bad parody of a Frank Zappa song

Meanwhile, windfalls, daughter off the payroll, more disposable income further agitated that monkey in my head. Then the Gorilla moved next door - Big Boyz Toyz (BBT). My desires started to unfold, I wanted something sporty, good to drive and reasonably affordable. One Sunday, I was walking back from breakfast and I spotted Shankar Balan kicking tyres at BBT. So, I walked in to say a quick hello! One thing led to another and I went upstairs and was smitten by an Audi TT. The price was within my budget. It had a lot going for it. Reasonable running costs, good handler, VW bits, well finished

2016 Model, GJ reg, 22000km, asking 42L (before negotiation).







My neighbour accompanying me quipped- "That car has your name on it!"

A couple of days later, I brought my wife along and she loved it (she loves Audi's - styling wise!). While showing her the car, I started to look closely at the paintwork and discovered orange peel. Hmmm, time for the Wingman.

Wingman Viddy came along, and we discovered paint overspray and evidence of accident damage. It looked well-repaired but we needed to know what happened. BBT had no service history on hand. We also discovered the tyres were the same brand but were different between the front and back. The ages were also different. This was strange for a four wheel drive car.

Things were becoming curiouser and curiouser, considering, BBT claims that cars are all hand-picked with service history and no accident damage. The next alarm bell was when Viddy started pointing out faults with other cars in the showroom.

1. A blue Panamera with a TechArt kit had a pitted windscreen and swirls (it disappeared and made an appearance in the showroom again 6 months later! Customer return?)
   
2. An AMG 63 S Class Coupe had a wonky grill

I needed to pull him out before either BBT declared shoot-on-sight orders or got him married and put under house arrest.

10 days later - BBT sent me the history. The bonnet, wing and windscreen had been replaced at some point. This pointed to aggressive driving unless someone reversed into you. What I also noticed was that the service was overdue by two years unless an undocumented non-dealer service had happened. However, one needs evidence. Most reputable dealers would get everything sorted as part of the sale preparation. You ideally walk in, pays yer money and drive out!

Putting those considerations aside - I might have been convinced by a test drive but this means a 10% deposit - 4 lakhs (the price had been reduced to 37L) which would be returned in 90 days. This sounded like a near-permanent lock-in. I am okay with a deposit, but the 90-day hold is not for me. My money was getting glued into my pocket. My head then took over. I also needed to consider the Karnataka lifetime tax, which would be another Rs 4 Lakhs. Most of BBT buyers are content with a fake rental agreement from the original place of registration, I was not at ease with a "small pad" in Gujarat.



https://www.bigboytoyz.com/faq

The Boys in Khaki would snatch my car key for sure

Some other points to add up. The Audi had style and dynamics on its side but equipment-wise, it was a little sparse. I would be losing the quality stereo and most importantly - dual zone AC for starters.

So let's do the math - Rs 37L + 4L (tax)+2L (repairs and rectification) = Rs 43L. Considering one could get a TT in Mumbai for around 28L, (they might have 10000 extra KM but it would be more honest!), it did not add up as good value. A landed cost of Rs 44L for a car 2 years younger than my present car, with less equipment did not cut it.

I cannot fault BBT for their customer service and friendliness but buyer beware, do your own checks!

[ajmat]

And then came double the fun!

An Audi RS5, 2014, 28000km. Rs 38L

Spotted this on OLX for the asking price of Rs 38l. I am usually wary about OLX ads as sellers here are either naive or dodgy. Most people usually sell higher-end cars via Carwale or through a reputable dealer. The car was parked at a dealer (Alfa) in JP Nagar on a park and pay basis. It was a WB reg but in the name of the first owner, resident in Mumbai. A total LTT evader. The owner was a kid who had bought it a year ago and was selling it off "to move to Canada". I found that story to be a little off. Why would anyone solder onto Canada in this day and age unless you had hopeless opportunities?


Cut to the chase, the car seemed to be in great shape









I drove it and loved it. It's a little heavy but very easy to drive. Very comfortable. My heart was smitten, but the head warned be about being bitten!

The owner had removed the centre muffler. This might not go down too well with the police (he had the original item with him though). The service records were up to date but the service schedule was not. It had not been serviced for over a year - "Only did 5000 km in it in 18 months" was the retort.

Too many things did not add up!

Strike 1: Complex car + neglected service would lead to early trouble. Missed services would equal a premature timing chain replacement. This would require an engine out, gearbox off, 5 individual chain replacement. I know a person who recently changed the timing chains of his RS5 and it cost him 3000 pounds and not at an Audi dealer. Even after changing the timing chains, a few other issues were encountered while putting the engine back. A potential Pandora's box.



Great way to spend my retirement and my retirement funds
Pic courtesy XLR8


Strike 2: Getting an NOC from a Mumbaiya for a car registered in WB

"The dealer will sort that out - Yep - another warning bong" . Again Rs 6-7L in pothole tax or might vaporise into the dealer's pocket. I did not get a very nice gut feel based on chemistry and the google reviews about the dealer. I could be wrong but my instincts have been fairly accurate in my old age.

Strike 3: Our intelligence found that the car was sold to the existing buyer for Rs 27L, and nice examples in Delhi were going for the same.

Thanks but no thanks.

As a 3rd car for 25L, I might have considered it

[ajmat]

I was not getting much sleep thinking about finding and living with these cars.

What does one do?

Simple - Throw money at the problem and up the budget


AMG A35



The AMG GLA35 was on the radar but none were available. (I was not really a fan of the mini-spud styling but it was practical).

However, there were a couple of A35's around. I found this 2022 model pictured above with 8000km going for Rs 45 L. Then the red flags appeared

1: It needed new brake pads and front rims were pitted. This car was with a dealer, Luxury Motors, in Indiranagar on a park and sell basis. Again, I would have to make a down payment to test drive the car. I also needed to do some research on whether I could really live with this car.

2: The service was due on this hence more unknown surprises. Like I said, a key sign of a good seller is one hands over a serviced and sorted vehicle.

Note: 6 months later, the car is still for sale.

3: It was low. I have low standards, but this was low. Bhp'ian RobiMahanta put me in touch with an A35 owner. He commented that it is horrible over bumps and it eats its brake pads. Maintenance costs are high. The owner needed to plan his journeys. Being in the NCR region, it had good roads so it was not so much of an issue, but with 4 up, one needed to be careful.

I decided against it, I later discovered that the same dealer sold a total lemon of a Laura to a colleague of mine and would not resolve any issue, hence I might have dodged a golden bullet.


A Quick Look at the other contenders



Audi A7. - The Audi pre-owned showroom is next to my office. Before the beginning of my search, this had appeared there one day. It was on Taxi Plates but had been used by the owner of the Marriot. It was in really good shape with 70000km. At that time, my funds had not come in. The car disappeared into their workshop and later reappeared sold (Rs 13.5 L). It would have been good value for a 2-year period and I would have preserved some capital.



Audi Q5 - Another part-ex, with 40000km. It was grimy, but there was a good car underneath. The interiors were plasticky and not a patch on my own Q3 in terms of quality. I hated the whiteish interiors. Again, it was boring (even my wife said so)- Pass

Also considered:

Used Kia EV6 - Ticked all the boxes - However, the interiors were not that great and stereo was below par. The resale value was also questionable.



2nd gen Cayenne - Great to drive. A little bigger than what I want. Part prices are horrific and most are diesel


By M 93 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=16947700

Jaguar XF-S Gen1 or an XJ - I still lust after these. The downer would be that parts availability would be an issue. - Again they are diesel. V8's petrols would be a laugh. However, these are a bit long for Bangalore.



Not pictured, was a used BMW X5. Some good examples were coming up but I decided to move up to these at a later stage.


BMW M340i - Out of budget but you just cannot not consider! This 2020 52000 km 2 owner car was quoted at 52L but it did have a warranty for another 2 years. I know the first owner. This car is still for sale now at 54000km!!!!



BMW 330i Msport - black - two owners - Rs 49 L -It was too expensive compared to that M340i so I did not even bite. It had featured in our classifieds

Plain Vanilla BMW 330i - Blue single owner - Rs 37L - When I looked into this, this was a downgrade from the Q3 except for the performance and dynamics. Itwasntme!

You know where this is going...

[ajmat]

In moderator terms, I was either viddified (totally indecisive) or suzied (totally confused!) or maybe jaggued (could repeat the same thing again). To get some logical thought into this, I could avail the rational samurai method of consulting the Tarot Cards to decide. I thought it best to be a smartcat and compute a scoring matrix with appropriate weightings and let the numbers talk!





The Kia made sense, but the 330iMSport was still the one. Why did I even bother to analyse! Please see a post of mine on the G20 from 2019

Originally Posted by ajmat

I examined one in BMW Park Lane last week. The exterior is neat but derivative, however, I sat inside and, I don't know how to say it, everything feels just right and where is should be. It felt like nice and snug and the controls were just right.

Not love at first sight but love at first touch!

Yeah, it is like not bothering about that capable, lovely, nice girl right in front of you for years and going after the psycho ones. This actually happened to an idiot friend of mine, and it was happening to me ( in car terms)

The 330iMSport it was!

I put the word out, Viddy and Robi helped broadcast my wants and desires. I expected to wait for a month for something to come up. 3 days later - Robi (and Viddy 10 min later) came with an option, rather two options on a Thursday night!

A choice of 2 2021 BMW Msport's - White, PPF, with a choice of 15000km or 32000km. All on sale with a dealer of repute

It's funny how you don't find cars, they find you!

[ajmat]

Gimme the phone details!

I messaged the dealer and we agreed to meet the next day. Lux Cars is the luxury car wing of Nandi Toyota and used to offload used Lexii and luxury part-exchanges. With their cash resources, they can procure good cars. Rohit was prompt in responses and was waiting for me at the appointed time.

Drove up in my humble Elevate and looked at the 15000km example and test drove it. It drove well. The only faults were some PPF scuffs, I needed to get used to being grounded and also the width.



It was going to be mine.

We went to their bodyshop and looked at the other 36000 km example

No it was not this, I forgot to take a pic, it was identical except for the km and no ppf scuffs. The difference was Rs 1.5L. I had done my research and had a target price in mind. Additionally, the 15000km car, had an extended warranty till end March 2025. All the paperwork was on hand for review.

They negotiated and we arrived bang on my target price and I paid Rs 50000 immediately and around Rs 5 Lakhs a day later. They were also interested in my Q3 but their price did not meet my target. However, their thoroughness in assessing my car and records said something about what I was going to buy

Note - Closing a deal before Dec 15th is great timing as:

1: Dealers want to get rid of stock before the car is a year older
2: Companies need cash for advance taxes for always try and close a deal before the 15th of March, June, September, December.

A WhatsApp group comprising of me, the sales person, the sales manager and the finance person was set up. After each payment, I received a confirmation. I agreed to delivery a week later once they deep cleaned it. It was delivered impeccably complete with cake and fireworks. Luxe Motors ensured a great experience. The ownership transfer happened within a month. After I cut the cake and drove away to celebrate over lunch with my wingman Viddy. Of course, he sends me a route near the Jail with loads of speed breakers and narrow roads.







Cheesy First Day First Show pics!!!


So why did I zero in on a 330i Msport beyond the numbers...

Above all, I was looking for a nice drivers car. A problem with a "driver's" car is that they are usually too frantic for normal use. The modified F30's that I have driven are a bit like that (but they are fun) and a little frantic, but the G20 was the Goldilocks moment for me. In Msport guise, it looks pretty squat compared to the Grand Limo which looks a little porky in a relative sense.








Quick Pics after frantic drive from Whitefield to the Airport for an emergency trip abroad. Itwasme!

I loved the welcome on my return





What do I like about it

• Accelerates like stink
• Brilliant handling
• Smooth steering
• Amazing brakes
• Great ergonomics
• Quality of the switchgear and the interfaces
• Engineered like no other (that's Mercs tag line!)

What I can (or have to!) live with

• Small boot
• Rear seats for two
• AC takes a while to chill
• The odd speed breaker scrape
• Firm ride but not bumpy
  

What I don’t like

1. Gesture controls are painful when you have passengers who talk with their hands. They keep shutting the music off.
   
2. Visibility - Small mirrors and thick pillars are thick means pulling out of junctions require attention. A week after I bought the car, I was using my phone on a windscreen mount and felt it was dangerous when driving up Chamundi Hills. Have removed the mount away. Yes, it has Apple Car Play.
   
3. Fear of busting the RFT's - after an episode with the Mini Cooper, I am so careful and fearful. Will replace with Tubeless once they wear out
   
4. Some ergonomic foibles - light switches, drive modes require eye off the wheel
   
5. Fitting a hard wired dashcam is too complicated and no one really wants to risk it.
   
6. They nixxed the Heads up Display

[ajmat]

Do I miss the Audi?



A lot! It was easy to park anywhere, comfortable seats and powerful AC. One could drive hard anywhere. The diesel torque gave it some drama. The BMW requires some care. If the Elevate had not been around. I would have kept it.



Why is a HiLux called a HiLux?



As mentioned earlier, the front wings had scuff marks. I have since replaced the PPF. Apparently, it was dog bites, and we worry about rats.



It is shod on staggered Michelin Pilot Sport XP tyre 255/235. The multispokes are not my cup of tea but they dont offend me so they stay (cant afford a change!). 4000 km, now at 19000km. It still has 4.5 mm of tread left.


The Boot



More for couples - Enough space for both of us for a week's trip. My daughter later joined us and returned with her clobber. Also add in a sack of mangoes from my Aunts (you dare never say no to them!). Hence a suitcase had to be strapped as a passenger at the back. I could ditch the space saver! Not in India



Interiors:

The Vernesca Brown leather interior discreetly relieves the black trim. The fit and finish takes things to another level compared to the Audi (it was a VW underneath but was well-built in itself)



Space-wise - the front seat space is infinite. I do have to keep the front passenger seat a little forward to avoid blind spots. I have never sat in the rear, no one complains except for lowering oneself in. Visibility is an issue as the pillars are thick and mirrors are small so one needs to peek hard and check for blind spots.



I love the cockpit. Great feel-good factor. I can stow my stuff and keep it covered. Stowage space is pretty good although stowage for a large water bottle is limited to the door. The Audi allowed me to stow this centrally.



I do find it distracting that the console switches are out of my line of sight though.



Even more irritating are the light switches. In older Germans, the light switch is a familiar as a spouse, one could feel and twist or pull. Nowadays, it's a bunch of switches that are invisible behind the wheel. Yes, I use Auto, but, some situations, I would like the fogs on, but I cannot find the switch unless I crawl under the wheel at speed.



The air-conditioning is adequate. It takes a while to cool. But once it stay it staysi. Fortunately, the rear has separate AC controls. The Ice Maiden in my life never complained about the AC even in Kerala's hot humid summer. A point to note is how well the car is insulated. The car was stored in the hot humid basement of our Kochi Apartment, yet the interior remained cool inside.

The MID is pretty comprehensive. The Apple CarPlay catches your phone immediately before you have even fired up. The Honda take a few minutes after you have set off. This is quite handy as you can set your music before you move off. The BMW navigation is pretty good but I use Google maps due to the need for dynamic updates.


I can also analyse my drive-styles and performance






The Reverse Assistant is a cool feature. I have not used it to find a parking sport but I use it for reversing out. It remembers the previous 50 meters. It was most useful once when I drove up a narrow road and found a truck blocking so I merely used this feature to reverse out. It is best ensuring the emergency stop is activated as it is not totally accurate (am talking 10mm!). I nearly took a pillar out once while parking. However, the emergency stop is violent and painful when these security folks think you are reverse illiterate and stomp in the path while reversing.

https://youtu.be/RN0YpHB4178?feature=shared

The Instruments



These are a bit busy and dyslexic. Normally, the Tacho is on the left and the Speedometer is on the right. Not over here. Again, the colours of the tacho are too fussy, and you really cannot read the engine speed at a glance. I judge speed by the digital reading in the centre.

Within the Tacho- one has the option to read - mileage/avg speed, g forces, Autobox mode, music playing. In Eco-pro Mode - The Tacho disappears, and one reads the instantaneous fuel consumption.

BMW have an excellent map in the middle. It is great for telling you where you are. Setting your destination is not easy, and there are no dynamic updates.

The Engine



258PS of pure bliss. It ain't the M52 sound-wise but it is worthy. The engine is the most powerful application of that used in the Cooper S. It is almost the same engine. However, it does not sound that sporty. I need to buy an Msport exhaust kit for this. When cold, there is a terrible flat spot below 1500RPM, making it a little jerky . Above 2500RPM, the power surges in and the acceleration is rapid. The cars hide the speed well, the only indication are the speed chimes.
[b]


So lets move on to the driving part.

[ajmat]

I've been taking things cautiously. The car is nicely balanced but it is heavy. Knowing my reputation with tyres, I have treated potholes and speedbreakers with much respect. As a result, my speeds have been slower than before.

Some Burning FAQ's

Low Car - does it scrape?


Strangely enough, it only scraped unscientific speedbreakers. I had been so cautious initially that I took the Honda to Chennai instead of the BMW due to the bad roads in Bethamangala. In hindsight, the BMW would not have been a problem. While getting the wheel alignment sorted, I took a peek underneath and was pleasantly surprised to find no signs of major underbody scrapes, only some minor ones.



Is the Ride Quality Wearing?

The ride is firm but not as crashy as the Mini Cooper. At higher speeds, things become smoother. None of my passengers have complained. I commute frequently to Mahadevapura and usually take the HAL/ORR road. It's an extra 10 mins as I get to experience some curves and acceleration instead of dodging trucks.


How does it all come together?

Being a turbo engine, it is fairly docile in town. It all comes together on the highway. It is obedient at 80km/h and a real go-getter beyond that. It has enough reserves of power to quickly overtake when required. I don’t see the need to upgrade the power - it is more than capable considering our conditions and very understated in power delivery. The acceleration is pretty aggressive, though. It makes stupid roads like the L&T Coimbatore By Pass tolerable

The gearbox is what makes everything come together. Yes, it engages a millisecond longer compared to a DCT, yet it is silky smooth. Additionally, you know it is reliable. One is always in the right gear. If I switch to Manual or Sport, it shifts smoothly with no aggressive thumps etc. I only used the paddle shifters on one occasion.

The steering is smooth and precise. You have much more feedback compared to the Audi. Love the directness and the turning circle is pretty good. The steering is sensitive to alignment. Will need to check frequently.


Tell us about the Drive Modes


Eco Pro - I never used this until my trip last week to Kerala. It was my fear of being underpowered. In the Mini, this mode made it feel throttled. In the G20, it's not bad. The acceleration is fine for more applications, and I do see my consumption in town reduce from 9.5km/h to 11 km/h. I use this for commuting and cruising.

Comfort - Gives decent performance. This was my default but I use this mainly when overtaking on crowded highways.

Sport - Love the pipe sound. Some pop/bangs are induced in. It behaves like a Mini in this mode - like a sprightly Boxer taking you for a walk.

How is it on a Road Trip?

The first maiden long trip was to Mysore and back in a day. I could not take it beyond 100km/h, but the car was smooth and relaxing. I did occasionally humour my daughter's young man by accelerating rapidly. He was content in the back seat taking his calls.

The second road trip was to Ramakuppam for the wedding of one of my computer engineers. The car was fully loaded with passengers of a wider choice. Despite the estimated 150 kg extra in the back, it did not make a difference on bumpy roads in AP. We took the car on the new Chennai highway. As traffic is sparse, we could travel at 120km/h continuously. It was like a high-speed train. The team had never been in a BMW (or any fast German car), and its acceleration featured in their respective reels over the next day. An observation was that no matter how fully loaded the car was, the balance was not compromised.

The most recently road trip was to Kochi and a foray into Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Athirapply. My wife found it most relaxing on the highway. Our trip took us around tight roads amongst the backwaters and rubber plantations. The visibility and surfaces were excellent so the BMW was a delight. Sport plus Shifter had me whizzing, popping and giggling, all within the 100km/h mark.









Stelvio Pass crowded? Environmentalist restricted speeds in the Black Forest? No probs - come to Kerala - God's Own Country and the Devil's own Driving Roads (and bus drivers) - best fun within the 40-80kmh band






Should I remove the Speed Chimes?

Their removal was on the cards, but I actually find this helps me. While accelerating, once I hear the first bong, it's time to back off. On highways, I rarely go beyond 120km/h except when overtaking a truck.


Should I have stepped up and bought an M340i ?




Itwasme, itwasntme, itgoesweee


From an aural point of view, yes! However, I am content for now for more practical reasons:

• More efficient fuel consumption
• Lighter and purer steering
• Balanced handling
• Better turning circle

However, things could change! The heart can take over!

You've spent time in the M4, the C63S and the C63S e - how do they compare

Cannot say I have driven them in the same context. Again these punch above my little 330i's weight!


The M4 is glorious, but it is a little heavy at low speeds. That engine . The 330i has a lovely chassis and little more nimble


The C63S
Loved it, might not be as balanced, but it is characterful and capable



The C 63 S electric
Nicely put together. More of a weapon than a car!

Two's Company, Three's are Wild



And to think - three years ago, I nearly bought a 2.

There have been some sacrifices made. Fuel consumption is around 8 km/l in town to around 10/11 km/l on the highway with press-on driving. Lowering myself in and out keeps me healthy. Luggage space is at a premium (if only the 330 Touring were available!).

Whatever it is, the Matrix delivered

A well-engineered, well-sized, performance car with delightful handling and poise! Look no further!!!



Ironically, my neighbours have bought 3's for the wrong reasons

One-(actually belongs to his parents who visit a lot) 330Li for the chauffeur-driven rear space
Two - 320Ld for having a discounted luxury car - it is hardly used, always covered, never seen and awaiting the rats to take a liking to it.

[ajmat]

Mod Note

Moving it to the the Initial Ownership Section

Enjoy

[Dr.AD]

Heartiest congratulations @ajmat! You got a very nice car. Welcome to the 3-series club :-)

Wish you many thousands happy miles on the 330i, and hopefully see you soon in one of the 3-er drives that we keep doing once in a while.

[agambhandari]

Congrats on the 3 and welcome to BMW Club! 330i is the best daily sports car on sale IMO. A fantastic combo of power, agility yet with the luxury you expect at this price and G20 is the best iteration of it.

Originally Posted by ajmat

Do I miss the Audi?
A lot! It was easy to park anywhere, comfortable seats and powerful AC. One could drive hard anywhere. The diesel torque gave it some drama. The BMW requires some care. If the Elevate had not been around. I would have kept it.

You have perfectly summed up why SUVs (or crossovers) have taken over the market and I still do think twice before buying a sedan. Depressing but true.

P.S. Add an M logo to the top of the speedometer and theres an option to control the exhaust flaps through a setting in the touchscreen by coding. Would highly recommend it.

[mobike008]

Congratulations Ajit, the car looks really nice and well taken care of.

Always good to see BHPian's getting into Bimmers.

BMW is a different emotion and I haven't been able to feel the same emotion with any other brand that I have driven till date.

Wish you safe and happy miles for a long time. !!

[sunikkat]

Congratulations on 3, that’s a great buy. Car looks as good as new.

Some of those issues that you mentioned in your search journey was the very reason for me not going for an used G20. I neither had the patience nor the expertise to identify those red flags. Else I would have got a 330i instead of a new 330Li last year.

Wish you many miles of happy driving

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Wish you many thousands happy miles on the 330i, and hopefully see you soon in one of the 3-er drives that we keep doing once in a while.

Thanks Doc, count me in, should have more time later on this year!

Originally Posted by agambhandari

You have perfectly summed up why SUVs (or crossovers) have taken over the market and I still do think twice before buying a sedan. Depressing but true.

P.S. Add an M logo to the top of the speedometer and theres an option to control the exhaust flaps through a setting in the touchscreen by coding. Would highly recommend it.

For me, it is the last hurrah before I eventually move to an SUV. Thanks for the tips!

Originally Posted by mobike008

BMW is a different emotion and I haven't been able to feel the same emotion with any other brand that I have driven till date.

!

Am not that emotional. I am emotional about older Mercs however, I seem to have grown out of the emotional aspect.

However, I am impressed on how well thought out the BMW is, especially the little things.

Originally Posted by sunikkat

Congratulations on 3, that’s a great buy. Car looks as good as new.

Some of those issues that you mentioned in your search journey was the very reason for me not going for an used G20.

Thanks, the key is not to be emotional and be prepared to walk away. That comes with age, i guess. I also found finding the issues, part of the fun!

[d3mon]

Congratulations Ajmat! Lovely read.

I always wondered why you got the "wrong 3" a few years back, but great to see that you've finally got the right one!!

Also, did you ever think of getting a 530i or a 530d? The former especially would not have been significantly more expensive than the 330i MSport, I believe.