bmw 1 series & golf clubs

[USER1999]

Whilst I agree whole heartedly with every thing MWJ has to say about BMs, I do disagree on the driving, I still think they drive like no other, whilst new. Sadly, that lasts about a week, after which they are a money pit. Mrs mog has had 7 3 series, a compact (325Ti) an a Z3Mcoupe (current). She loves BMs, I drive a Merc. Mine goes to the garage once a year for a service, hers lives there.

 

[medwayjon]

Not wrong there chris.

We have a couple of 3-series that spend so much time in our workshop business that we really could charge them rent.

Scary cars Beemers, my friend Abdul bought one recently from a main-dealer, 3 years old and through their approved-used scheme. He bought it into us and it required £700 worth of work.

He had bought it with a new MOT (the cars 1st) but it had no hazzard light switch, a headlight bulb out, 1 broken road-spring and 1 illegal tyre on the MOT side of things. Also the car hadnt been serviced since new (27,000 miles), the air-con wasnt working, the radio had lost its code & the n/s wing looked like it had been painted by a monkey with a rattle can.

Anyway, it ended up going through the local trding standards dept, abdul got his £700 back, got the whole side of the car painted FOC (you cant paint just 1 panel) and was give £1000 compensation for the inconvenience as hush-money effectively. He has also been promised a blinding deal when he replaces his wifes mini cooper there.

You wouldnt expect that off a main agent would you?

 

[gjbike]

What can I say as I own 2 BMW, HID as a 316ti compact can just get my golf bag in but I have to remove my driver from the the bag and place on the rear seat I have a 07 318i same thing again the driver has to to be removed from the the bag but will fit into the boot, but the powakaddy as to go on the rear seat but after saying that when I brought the 318 I was not playing golf. Have to say much better than a mondeo will still be running when the mondeo as gone to the scrap yard in the sky

 

[RGDave]

maybe a 320d would be a better bet then.

Still have to take the driver out and put diagonally across the boot - doesn't leave alot of room for other stuff, or you can put the back seats down, which is not ideal in the car park obviously....again forget about chauffeuring anyone to golf....

[/QUOTE]

Yes, sadly it's true. I can fit my clubs in a 320 estate, but only just, and that's with a cut down driver.

HOPELESS for golf.

 

[RGDave]

Beemers eh? Pot luck....

Mine's been (nearly) good as gold so far. My neighbours engine fell apart on 90k (2.2 petrol) and my friend spent a small fortune on theirs.

Absolute lottery, I'm afraid.

Despite being a good drive, I wouldn't have another.

Mine gets through springs like my 1983 Escort got through wheel bearings. Air Mass sensors won't last on the diesels and the electrics are on a par with Tatra from the 1960s.

I get mine done "independently" at £45 p/h.

 

[haplesshacker]

What surprises me here is the lack of reliability. It's something I would never of even questioned about a BM if I was in the market for one.

Who'd of thought that BMWs have Monday morning and Friday afternoon cars coming out of the factory. Good ole' BL lives on!

 

[medwayjon]

The reliability is awful.

We regularly service a lot of mondeo's, c-class' and octavia's owned by the local cabbies, some of these diesels have done 300,000+miles at only 3 years old, on the original engine and gearbox.

You wouldnt get that from a beemer.

 

[RGDave]

What surprises me here is the lack of reliability. It's something I would never of even questioned about a BM if I was in the market for one.

I followed car reviews and reliability reports for years. I bought used car guides, surfed the 'net and subscribed to which magazine.

The 3 series model 1992-1998 was the worst car they ever made for reliability....so much so, I couldn't find a single positive comment on reliability...

BMW "like" the fact that folk think they are reliable. As do Volkswagen (remember the old "if only everything in life was as reliable as a golf"). Certain models by both companies have been very reliable, unfortunately, neither 3 series or golf was one of those models. When BMW tried to sell me one on "reliability", I said..."don't even mention that issue to me, I drive Hondas and Toyotas and wasn't born yesterday!!"

 

[RGDave]

The reliability is awful.

We regularly service a lot of mondeo's, c-class' and octavia's owned by the local cabbies, some of these diesels have done 300,000+miles at only 3 years old, on the original engine and gearbox.

One of my local cab firm's bought a load of Mitsubishi Galants (I have one of these) and they are all going strong.
The driver that picks me up on Saturdays sometimes has a Vectra diesel on 325,000.....how cool is that!!

All my old japanese cars are still on the road....I see them frequently. 2 Hondas, 3 Toyotas.....the YOUNGEST one is a 1994 (?) M reg. I bought a 1990 Carina for £1.....it turned up at the pub the other day....some lad had bought it off a geezer for £350....I didn't have the heart to tell him it had been traded around/swapped for pints and single boxes of Titleists.

 

[Cernunnos]

I like the looks of the 1 series, and it drives nicely, I drove one when it was launched. It isn't much more than the equivalent A3 or Merc compact. However, you can't easily get your sticks in any of them, so useless for a golfer. Same with the MINI.

Go big, get an E class.

If you have the clubman version of the mini cooper which is about 18inches longer than the standard, fold the seats down you'd get two sets & two electric trolleys inb the back with the back seats down. How do i know...?I've tried it.

It wouldn't suprise me if you could fit clubs trolley & other kit in the back of a one series should you fold the rear seats down & treat it as a micro estate.

Which is Okay just so long as you have no intention of taking more than one passenger with you when you go golfing.

I considered getting a Mini clubman or a one series, but think for the time being I'll stick to my Picasso, though I may consider a Jaguar X-type (yeah i know its not a proper Jag) when the time comes to change. So it may or may not be an estate. tbh with a jag anything but the saloon is simply wrong. But I am getting off topic a bit now.

Not tried clubs in the back of a One series BMW but sure you'd get in whatever you needed, ask to try them at the dealership before you think of doing a deal.

 

[CliveW]

I have a 2003 330d Sport from new (First new car I've ever bought). Brilliant car! 68,000 miles later it still feels like new and I can get my clubs sideways in the boot along with my Powacaddy plus another set and trolly.
Once coming back from the airport afer a golf trip I managed three adults, three sets of clubs and three cases by folding the rear split seat down.

 

[Cernunnos]

Quite a recommendation Clive.

Just one thing if you folded the rear seat down how did you fit in passengers as well as all the kit? or do you mean you only folded down one part of the rear seat.



I can fit my clubs & trolley in the back of the xsara-picasso if I don't have the storage box secured in the boot. My Seats are a three way fold variety so I can get in three of us & clubs, electric trolleys batteries & cases. Well, overnight cases brimming for several days golf at any rate. Have had four sets four of us & all the usual rubbish, but it becomes a squeeze at that point.

Is certainly an amazing feat with a three series Beemer, might start looking at those too come time to change, when I get really bored of what I'm driving & crave luxury even more than I do now.

 

[RGDave]

I have a 2003 330d Sport from new (First new car I've ever bought). Brilliant car! 68,000 miles later it still feels like new

This is the engine to have! make no mistake.

Keep it a little longer then hold your breath.....

My 320d has just ticked over to 90k and the way I felt about it 2 years ago is wearing off. I'm not going to curse your luck, I hope it lasts for many more great years.

If I did it again, I'd opt for the 3 ltr diesel....such a cracking blend of performance and economy.....

 

[USER1999]

My mates 530d did 70k before the engine went pop. Massive bill, several (and more) ks to put right, went off and bought a saab. nuff said.

 

[Herbie]

Not a big fan of BMW these days, I prefer the old stuff, Im merc fan and for reliability and performance you can't beat a good japanese car(or bike for that matter) however if you want a good car that does almost all you will want it to do, nothing wrong with a Focus C-max

 

[EchtLoon]

My mates 530d did 70k before the engine went pop. Massive bill, several (and more) ks to put right, went off and bought a saab. nuff said.

Sound slike around the time the timing belt would need changed. Did he miss a service?

 

[EchtLoon]

Not wrong there chris.

We have a couple of 3-series that spend so much time in our workshop business that we really could charge them rent.

Scary cars Beemers, my friend Abdul bought one recently from a main-dealer, 3 years old and through their approved-used scheme. He bought it into us and it required £700 worth of work.

He had bought it with a new MOT (the cars 1st) but it had no hazzard light switch, a headlight bulb out, 1 broken road-spring and 1 illegal tyre on the MOT side of things. Also the car hadnt been serviced since new (27,000 miles), the air-con wasnt working, the radio had lost its code & the n/s wing looked like it had been painted by a monkey with a rattle can.

Anyway, it ended up going through the local trding standards dept, abdul got his £700 back, got the whole side of the car painted FOC (you cant paint just 1 panel) and was give £1000 compensation for the inconvenience as hush-money effectively. He has also been promised a blinding deal when he replaces his wifes mini cooper there.

You wouldnt expect that off a main agent would you?

Yes, almost exactly what I'd expect. Cut corners, lie and cheat just to get a sale. Par for the course imo.

 

[EchtLoon]

What can I say as I own 2 BMW, HID as a 316ti compact can just get my golf bag in but I have to remove my driver from the the bag and place on the rear seat I have a 07 318i same thing again the driver has to to be removed from the the bag but will fit into the boot, but the powakaddy as to go on the rear seat but after saying that when I brought the 318 I was not playing golf. Have to say much better than a mondeo will still be running when the mondeo as gone to the scrap yard in the sky

Had a mondeo from new for five years - my last car, never a days problem with it, and widely acjknowledged as one of the best if not the best in class. Probably far better bet than a beemer.

 

[USER1999]

It wasn't the belt, it just started using 5l of oil a day.

 

[medwayjon]

My mates 530d did 70k before the engine went pop. Massive bill, several (and more) ks to put right, went off and bought a saab. nuff said.

Sound slike around the time the timing belt would need changed. Did he miss a service?

Sorry to be a pedant but they dont have a timing belt, they are all chain driven.