stockers 1 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 without any vw bias which is the best?bmw 330igolf r32 (not the new one)audi s3all around an 02 plate Link to post Share on other sites
fabio_vr6 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 i would look at the audi and the bmw if i where u Link to post Share on other sites
Seademon 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 For me it would be S4, R32 then the 330iNew car for Mrs Stockers? Link to post Share on other sites
stockers 1 Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 interesting.......unfortunately its my girlfriend and not me who is in the market for a new motor !shy i've not driven any of them, but i think she is keen on the beemer Link to post Share on other sites
Seademon 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 A friend of mine has an 03 325i - really nice car for cruising around in and for motorways etc but wouldnt be as good as the S4 or R32 for some 'spirited' driving on the twisty bits a really nice car overall. Link to post Share on other sites
chris harrison 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 if you have the money for an s4 or a 330i then go for 1 of them. i've driven all three and the r32 dosen't come close to any of the others. the r32 is alot like the vr6, in the way that all of its power is high up the rev range (good for mpg) but when you are in the others it doesn't matter what gear your in or what revs you are at, it will shift when you put your foot down. but sayin that the r32 will be alot cheaper to insure and mantain. which s4 is it? the 4.2 v8 or the earlyer twin turbo. i've only driven 1 of these and it did feel alot quicker than the 4.2, but the 4.2 sounds the bollocks. !amazed Link to post Share on other sites
stockers 1 Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 its the S3 1.8 T quattro (sorry not the s4) Link to post Share on other sites
Eat this 2 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 id pesronally have the r32 cheaper to run and should be quicker (just) all the way through the rev range Link to post Share on other sites
Seademon 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Adam, u remember Andy that came to the RR day? My mate thats always laughing? Hes got the S3 & whilst thats a very nice car - a clutch costs just under Link to post Share on other sites
purple highline monster 0 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 i would get her to buy an r32! audi is nice too! wouldnt entertain a bmw im afraid! get a mk4 r32 then convince her she dont like the interior! so you can put the oh so lurvly konig leather in your vr6!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Eat this 2 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 just tell her how much the bm costs to run!! Link to post Share on other sites
badboyV6 4 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 R32 all the way. Like the beemer- my mum used to have a 325 with tiptronic.. nice car but the build quality wasnt all what weve come to expect from bmw imho. Leather wore really quikly too.S3 is nice, but it would have to be the R32... its more unique than the bmw 330, and it has a nice, smooth 6 pot to cruise along in which the audi unfortunatly doesnt. S4 is a different ball game mind- especially the new one! ;-) Link to post Share on other sites
stockers 1 Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 mmmmm....i keep saying r32, the beemer is nice but there are so many around they don't look very special.but you know what its like, all her colleages drive beemers and mercs, peer preasure loli reckon i can get her (and me from time to time) into an r32 Link to post Share on other sites
purple highline monster 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 look into my eyes not around the eyes...... is ringing in my head!!! Link to post Share on other sites
antera309 3 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I wouldn't bother with the 330i. Good performance, but looks way to bland. If you want a Beemer, save up for an E46 M3. You can pick these up for less than Link to post Share on other sites
TVR6 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Guys, I would ahve to disagree with some of the comments on the 330. The VR6 and R32 both have 'V6s' whereas the 330 has a straight 6, which means that the power delivery is allot more linear i.e. less in the way of flat spots and progressive delivery throughout the rev range. Granted they are a little common but the Ci Sport version with the facoty fitted body kit, 18" rims etc is the one (not at all common) to go for as opposed to the straight Ci or i. The Ci is the coupe, the i a saloon. The coupe looks much better, the sport more agressive and then there's always the cabrio. Been looking for one myself and you can get a decent one on a 2000/2001 plate (Ci sport) loaded (leccy memory seats, climate, etc) with low miles (40 to 50k) for anything between 10k to 13k. My wife's uncle (complete petrol head and all round perfectionist) has the saloon version which he's owned from new and loves it. He bought it for his wife and ended up keeping it for himself Servicing is not much more than our VRs and i would expect no more, probably less than the R32. Build quality, engine sound, comfort, handling are all superb and it's a RWD too. No need to touch the suspension either. The sport version comes with the M-Tech setup and all 330's site fairly low to the rubber as it is.Just my opinion guys, please don't slate me Link to post Share on other sites
purple highline monster 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 sounds cool, but its still a bmw! you would have to start playing golf wear lyle and scott jumpers, and pull out on everyone rear wheel drive! ergghhhhh, about time bmw admitted defeat and put the 4wd system on their "sports" cars, even the japs are way ahead of the "german ford" just imo of course !shy Link to post Share on other sites
TVR6 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 LOL True enough but after a while you begin to demand more for your hard earned (I do anyway) I don;t have much experience of Beemers, mostly what I have been told but have driven the 330i, 328ci, and E36 M3. I loved them all but found the 330 to be the best 'compromise'. If it's a 330, I would have to opt for the Ci sport, you'll see the difference immediatly between the rest in the range. I would prefer 4wd but do prefer RWD to FWD but then it can be handful on some cars. For the same money a similar aged S3 just doesn't cut it for me value for money wise. Now if the 330 was stupidly priced (higher) then an S3 would be on the cards !lol Link to post Share on other sites
matth76 1 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I would choose the R32 - purely because it is (in my eyes) the most unique and exclusive out of the three, then the S3 (which would be slightly slower than the R32) but cheaper to buy, then the BMW (which I know is equally good build quality but not as exclusive as some owners would like to think). But all three cars are nice choices. The 330 is just a step down from the M3 - if she was set on the BM then I'd go for the top model. Only my personal opinions though Link to post Share on other sites
silverline 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 i personally would go for the beemer, thinking it would be more comfortable and easier/nicer to drive (not meant in a sexist way)the beemer would be tammer than the R32. Link to post Share on other sites
TVR6 0 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I hate to harp on and no, I don't own one, yet but the 330 is not 'tame'. Not exactly a beast either but not tame. The R32 is a lovely machine (I take it we're talking the Mk4?) but still priced allot higher than a comparable 330 which makes the beemer better value imo. If the R32 were equally priced and equally specd then there would be no question. The 330 is more than a step down from the M3 but then the M3 is a good deal dearer. TBH I wasn't a very big fan of BMW and only really ever loved the original E30 325i & E30 M3, until I drove the 330. I'm not easily impressed but have to say I enjoyed the ride thoroughly. I haven't driven the R32 so may well be missing out but would say drive all 3 and then decide Link to post Share on other sites
badboyV6 4 Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 now e48 m3 is a different kettle of fish.... nearly went to look at one of these last week... but i need to get a house lol... Dont forget the 330 club sprt which is a much rarer car than the 330 sport.. These coupes have taken a real hamering of late due to them being sooo common. My mum for instance bought her 325 ci at 21k - 2 years later she got offered 9.5k for it at a bmw dealer!!! Same thing happened to my mates dad with a 330 club sport individual.. lost over 3.5k in 5 months! Not the car you really want to go for if she plans on getting anything back on it.Z3 coupe?Porsche boxter?nissan 350z?Audi convertible? All nice motors... depends on what kind of money she has to spend really...and what she wants the car for... Best you take her out and get her to drive them and see what happens- if you dont like it keep mentioning the bad points ;-) Link to post Share on other sites
stockers 1 Posted January 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 cheers guys, she's mostly doing the motorway run (st albans to m.keynes) she loves driving my vr but she isn't a real petrol head so won't be thrashing or racing peeps she keeps on about an automatic cos of the 'sheer weight of traffic' on the m1/A1, which is why she's thinking beemer.but as some peeps have said the r32 seems to be holding its price and i think it will always be a sought after car, so will be better value.i think when we test drive the r32 at the weekend she will choose it, but i'll let you know Link to post Share on other sites
TVR6 0 Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 For an auto, I don't think the others will compare with the beemer. On the point that Warren made regarding the beemers taking a hammering due to being so common, surely this is a good thing for the buyer. Let's face it a 2000/2001 plate car, loaded with circa 40k miles, which originally cost Link to post Share on other sites
vr6matt 0 Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I would say and R32 aswell, The 330 is a nice car but is quite common and nothing special in my opinion, and in my experience they are not as quick as a VR6 - will stay pretty much level to about 90, then VR will start to pull away. As for an S3 they are a cool car with outstanding traction and if you chip it they are pretty potent and not much will touch it of the line - plus the fact they have great build quality, looks and spec. Only downside is maintenece (as people have mentioned) the Hadlex 4WD service is expensive and air flow sensors and coil packs have a habit of going.The R32 seems the best all round package with good handaling, looks, sound, pace, and reasonable ownership costs.Matt Link to post Share on other sites
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