Suggestions for a new city driver?

[jasonbk]

If you're living in a city, it might be better off commuting with public transit or bikes. And use e30 for odd grocery shopping and weekend getaway.

Now you have less car payment, no loan, and more money towards to e30

[exhaust]

If you're looking into E46s avoid any automatic prior to 2001. 99-00 models had the GM 480LE transmission and it is notorious for failing at or around 100k miles. Since they were so bad, they were only around for a little while and finding a replacement that isn't trashed is both tough and expensive. First hand experience here. I'd also aim for the 2001+ models since that's when the M54 became standard.

Outside of a few quirks, the E46 is a great daily driver. I've had a few 328's and 330's and I loved them. 330s in particular. If you can find a 330i sport, you'll really enjoy it.

[pb34]

Frog:

Isn't that a bi-turbo model? But yeah that's what it has been sounding like to stay away from auto e46s. I think I'd rather take a chance at a decent auto gear box than go with one that is notably bad. Plus I get the perks of having a newer car and what not.


Kninja:

hahaha yeah my friends volvo 240 was a tank, but I would still like to have something with AC and a bit newer / nicer.

[pb34]

Any comments on e90 awd systems or their diesel counterparts? the 335d sounds like a blast and fairly reliable / economical.

[pb34]

jason: Oh yeah this is just a weekender and a grocery getter. Ill be on public transit through the week.

I just did all the math out on renting a car and it's looking pretty close to just buying one. So having the flexibility of owning a car is really worthwhile.


Exhaust:

Oh excellent. So the other 2001+ auto systems are fairly decent?

Yeah I was definitely leaning towards a later model e46 and the 328 or 330 for sure.

I was also thinking that I want an m54 in my e30, so that would be nice to have the same engine in both cars and then id get that specialty tool and information cross over that makes it more worth it. But lets not get too much into engine swaps! hahaha

[nando]

the E90 AWD is worlds better than the E46. it has an actual locking transfercase, instead of using the ABS system to fake it. It uses an electronically controlled multi-plate wet clutch to distribute torque.

on the turbo cars it seems like they sometimes break the transfercase actuators, but I haven't heard of that happening on the N/A cars. We have an E91 325xi 6mt and it's really solid.

[dirtythirtyboy]

We get a lot of x5's at my work, and trust me, they are very expensive to own and maintain. Especially if you pay a mechanic to do your work. If your interested in an x5, make sure there's lots of maintenance records and its decently low mileage!

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[Cephas]

I don't think you need another car...just being honest.

You are only going to need it on the weekends, and want to keep the e30,so having 2 cars you rarely use makes no sense, especially factoring in insurance, tags and maintenance (what about parking?).

Your GF can learn stick and the minor inconvenience of you having to drive stick in the city is limited to one, maybe two days at the most.

[pb34]

Nando: Interesting that sounds miles better except for those that could break

ThirtyBoy: Yeahhh sounds like I'll be avoiding those x5s then. Also just doesn't sit well with that city driver and gas milage qualities.

Cephas: The e30 will be parked at my family's farm about an hour away. No insurance, no plating because i'll have that transferred to the new car. There's just some stuff that makes an e30 not optimal; like no AC, small backseats, etc. and if I slowly start tearing out the engine that kinda makes it hard to drive it hahaha

And a sweetshit.com update, my e30 just blew out a sparkplug so I really need to take it off the road for at the minimum a heli coil job, a head swap or engine swap.

[kickinindian]

just buy a honda civic or someshit, bitches love those, or a subaru wagon bitches love those too!

[UlrichFennec]

Could always get a Rav-4, CR-V or a Legacy.

Volvo 240 estate as mentioned earlier is definitely not a bad idea.

[dirtythirtyboy]

GET AN E30 TOURING

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[stonea]

Get a new girlfriend.. :p

+1 Between Geico and being single and saving an insane amount of money.

But I vote for a e46, they're cheap reliable and 10k will get a very nice one. Also you bound to need help working on it and I don't know anything about the e90 :p