Car Dilemma - Help!

Neiliboy

Ok so i've got two choices:

2000 W reg BMW 320d SE estate. for sale at £5000 needs about £300 worth of work - mainly cosmetic bits and bobs. Its had 5 previous owners, 128k on the clock but FSH to go with it. Oh and it has rear parking sensors for the missus

52 plate 2003 VW passat 1.9 tdi SE sport saloon. 1 previous owner, needs no work as far as i'm aware. 115k on the clock. for sale at £5000 no parking sensors

My heart keeps telling me to go for the BMW as its a prestige car and has phat 18" wheels on it....it really does look nice but just needs some attention and the mileage is a bit high.....but its a BMW and I'd love to have it on my drive!

My head keeps telling me to go with the passat as its the sensible (boring) option....will probably need no work and will also hold its value (both cars i would sell after 12-18 months.

Anyway....i really dont know which one to go for.....what would you do??

peterg1965

BMW wins. I have a 320d M Sport, although its a new one it is extremely well made and very economical. BMWs have always been thus. I have heard far too many horry stories about older Passats, faulty electrics in particular. If the Beamer has a full BMW service history go for it, barter the price down to compensate for the minor bits of work that need doing and enjoy!

movilogo

Both cars are pricey when consider the high mileage. Also, for BMW, you'll be the 6th owner which will hurt resale value in future.

Isn't there any chance that you consider a different car altogether? With your £5k+ budget, you can easily get one. You can even get a Lexus (W or X reg) in that price.

joshm_2

Have you driven the Beemer on the 18" rims? Consider the harsh ride and how they will look after they're scuffed. That said, the 2 litre BMW engine is a peach. Can you get a Honda Accord with one of the new gen diesel engines for that much cash?

balsingh

Dont worry too much about the high mileage on the BMW. As long as the car drives right, you can't go wrong. Over the last 15 years, we have had several BMWs in the family reaching mileages close to 150k and they still drive perfectly!!

Neiliboy

The beemer drove quite nicely for a 7 year old vehicle - it had a few stone chips one very small spot of rust (about the size of a 2 pence piece), it had one radio key fob, one 'manual' key fob and one plastic key thing. The gear knob was also quite worn so will need replacing too.

I really really want the beemer as i fell it does project a nice image too.

I have been to see the passat yet.

(my missus thinks i'm nuts and that money should be going towards the house deposit )

Also it has to be a diesel - Lexus didnt make them up until last year or so.

OrangeProse

Whereabouts was the rust?

I used to work in the trade, and if I'd seen rust on a seven year-old BMW I'd have run away. Quickly. I'm sure you'd do an HPI and have an independent inspection, that will tell you if there are any horrors lurking.

I'd second the point made about the 18" wheels too. They make the ride very harsh - fun for short bursts but hard work on longer runs. Also makes tyres eye-poppingly expensive.

On the plus side, the engine is really really nice in those, and it will probably hold its value a bit better than the Passat. The mileage wouldn't bother me personally, provided it has full BMW service history.

nej

Passat. Mine was lovely and I always regret getting rid of it.

Plus, people will let you out of side turnings in it.