Would be interested in hearing opinions on buying a (new) 330d coupe with manual transmission and in metallic Barbera Red. If I planned on keeping it 5 years, would I be making a huge mistake re. depreciation / desirablility on the second-hand market?
Having had versions of the previous 2 3-series coupes, I much more enjoyed my manual 328i compared to the auto 330Ci but I also know that when it came to selling up I was inundated with calls for the 330Ci but only had one call for the 328i (although it did result in a sale).
As regards colour, the range of colours available is pretty dismal I think. I would love a blue but the shades available are either too light (brash) or too dark (can hardly tell the difference from black). Don't want black or silver (sorry, too common a sight on the road).
Edited by Pugugly on 03/09/2009 at 15:18
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Don't know about the colour (although very bright metallics date quickly) but the auto is a must I feel to ensure an easy resale. But that's my personal preference coming through.
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The reason that you see black BMWs on the road (as you said - common) , is because people want black BMWs.
the reason you dont see many barberra red BMWs around is because no-oine wants them
does that answer your question?
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Maybe all the black and silver cars are owned by people thinking exactlty the same thing and hence
it may be a myth that all of them actually like these colours.
Sheep mentality !
Get what you want, otherwise whats the point !
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...Get what you want, otherwise whats the point !....
Good point.
Colour becomes less relevant for resale the older the car gets and the OP is keeping this car for five years.
There's no way I would live with a car for five years in a colour I didn't like just for a possible, marginal, increase in resale value.
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Why drive a car that you don't really want, just to please the total stranger who will buy it off you in 5 years time?
Buy want you want. It will depreciate massively in 5 years anyway, regardless of gearbox and colour.
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Agreed, in 5 years time the car will be in the price bracket of younger chaps who probably will want manual and may well be fed up to the back teeth of seeing black and silver cars...i am.
Your money enjoy the car, which by the way is one of the nicest looking cars of recent years, so much easier on the eye than the saloon/estate.
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uksant - I've seen a few E92 coupes in red and they look great. Stick with your feelings on this - IMHO they are sound. The E92 is the handsomest car currently produced by BMW I reckon.
You are right about the Atlantic Blue being too pale, and the other blue (I forget what posey name they give it) is very dark. However, it does look classy with a light grey interior. Still, it is YOUR choice.
The auto gearboxes are much improved in recent years - and some models offer DCT, I believe. Give an Auto a test drive - I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
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A red BMW?
Magnet for plod and low life scum. So it will either be stolen, scratched or you WILL be done for speeding...
Anonymity is essential for urban survival...
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A red BMW? Magnet for plod and low life scum. So it will either be stolen scratched or you WILL be done for speeding...
Know what you mean, but Barbera red is quite a deep metallic 'plum' red, not the Crimson red that I think you're probably thinking of!
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Know what you mean but Barbera red is quite a deep metallic 'plum' red not the Crimson red that I think you're probably thinking of!
eg. www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58370
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>> eg. www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58370
Also reminds me we used to have a mk1 Mondeo 24v that colour, but it was 'aubergine' in Ford speak. Due to that vegetable's relative rarity, when told the colour people usually thought it was green.
Ah, to have a 6 cylinder car again...
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was 'aubergine' in Ford speak.
BMW are more up-market and have spurned the vegetable counter for the wine rack. Barbera is a red wine variety grown in Italy
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>>Barbera is a red wine variety grown in Italy
Having grown up with the Flintstones, Top Cat etc. I associate it with kids' cartoons :-)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera
Edited by Focus {P} on 03/09/2009 at 10:42
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The auto gearboxes are much improved in recent years - and some models offer DCT I believe. Give an Auto a test drive - I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
This may sound very strange, but I simply 'like' the feeling given by co-ordinating foot & hand in order to change gear (I've always wanted to ask other people if they feel the same way or is it just me!?). Just don't get the same feeling using tiptronic or paddles etc.
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It is strange - go for the auto - hood down - right arm on door - left leg on passenger seat - what more do you need.
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It is strange - go for the auto - hood down - right arm on door - left leg on passenger seat - what more do you need.
No offence to owners of 320's, but if that's all I needed then, sure, I'd get a 320d / 320i auto and take the badge off the back. But I'm hoping the 330 (coupe, not convertible, btw) is a bit more of a driver's car!
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Have you actually seen one in that colour? I've only seen a 5 series wagon in it, I really didnt go a lot on the shade, it was a gloomy day and I thought it looked awful.
Edited by J500ANT on 02/09/2009 at 23:49
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It looks almost brown in the pictures that Focus kindly posted: for my money it would look far better in good old-fashioned pillarbox scarlet.
Edited by Avant on 03/09/2009 at 00:06
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I think that colour looks great.
I'm no expert but it seems to me that most BMW drivers prefer/expect the auto, especially with a larger engine. That seems to be what most of the owners and co car drivers at my place go for. A manual would be expected with base spec and a smaller engine.
Mercedes manuals have always been cheaper than autos - both to buy secondhand and when p/x-ing them in.
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Fab colour in my view. Thing is about colour- they tend to be bought in the same ratio as people's preference. So, when you come to sell there'll be less competition in 'your' colour, but fewer buyers obviously - but sellers of silver/black (for example) will be competing with many more sliver/black car sellers - basically, it evens itself out.
Manual box? Another good choice - in 5 years an auto box might be a big manitenance liability - manuals just need a new clutch -good as new!
The BMW 6-cyl diesel is much more petrol like in its character - relatively revvy & sonorous (but more economical of course!) & involving to drive - so would suit a manual box in that respect.
Sounds lovely overall - I'd go for it. Cream leather would match the exterior colour nicely.
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I chose that colour because I like it and it is the only one in the area. In a manual the armrest may get in your way. The auto is smooth but almost too intuitive at changing down when turning in at a junction, for example. More importantly I have grown to hate the "tramlining" and hard ride on runflat tyres and that is on standard 17inch wheels and standard suspension, so make sure you are happy with that aspect. There are lots of special colours available. You could spend on that instead of M Sport and silly wheels.
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More importantly I have grown to hate the "tramlining" and hard ride on runflat tyres and that is on standard 17inch wheels and standard suspension so make sure you are happy with that aspect.
You are dead right - it gets like the Chinese Water Torture after a while.
However good news is at hand. The Bridgestone company are providing BMW with a third generation of runflat tyres which are almost as comfortable as normal ones (allegedly). This could help things considerably, I reckon.
BMW are starting to fit them on new cars. As soon as supplies increase they will be available to punters like me as replacements.
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