Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

That will explain it, glad I asked. Thanks

Anyone know why they don't do an M3 Touring? Surely they'd be a masssssive market for them

can't you just build any M series shape now if you buy new?

Sorry, I totally forgot to follow this up. Did you mean third (I think) generation Mercedes? Do you know if the 4th gen ones from 2009/10 onwards are more or less reliable? Read conflicting stuff on the web. Ruling out C class as too small, but E class is quite appealing, particularly because the 7 seat fold down thing is potentially really useful for child transportation.

You can get any of the current BMWs in M-sport trim with decent enough engines but actual M cars are different.

M340i touring /= M3 touring

Yes yes I basically mean why don't they attempt to suck up some of the RS4/AMG estate milkshake

BMW want people to buy the M-SUV thing rather than an M3 Touring, which is handy for Alpina of course.

ah ok

BMW came late to the estate cars? and the hatchback market too. How big is the market? and how hard it is to produce a well though out estate. The examples being volvo and merc reputations.

Judging by the amount of 3 and 5 Tourings on the road I reckon they’ve kinda figured it out

Hence not entering the amg/rs4 market?

Anyone know why they don't do an M3 Touring?

Well the 3 and 4 series were meant to split the 3 into rep exec salon and coupe. Although BMW seem to have gone a bit nuts with their naming 'convention' now.

But before it's depended on the market in a given era. The first M3 wasn't planned to be a success in the way it was, and was very niche. The e36 M3 included a saloon - giving it the widest possible remit. The saloon wasn't that popular, so wasn't included in the next gen, and by extension a touring would have made even less sense. However, the e42 was even more performance driven and marketed as a practical sports car. If you're going to the effort of carbon and alu body bits, chucking a couple more doors and extra bodywork doesn't make much sense. Since then they've carried on that same trajectory.

Also there's a sampling bias on this forum due to people wanting to put bikes in their cars.

Normally people who want a big boot also want usable rear seats.

On the contrary BMW practically invented the estate car, and in the early M5s they invented the sleeper supersaloon.

It just baffles me that they haven't combined the two like their main german competitors have.

Late reply but congrats on the new arrival! The B is looking great too!

Is anyone interested in a very low mileage run around:

2007 VW Polo
1.4s Petrol
14,000 miles

This was my wife's grand fathers car. Its basically been used to go to Morrisons and back once a week for 12 years. It was garaged its whole life, washed once a month and serviced yearly.

We have had it for the past year and put around 4000 miles on it.
It drives like new, very tidy all round apart from a scrape on the bumper and slightly curbed alloy wheel. (the silver paint make this look worse, but Granddad obviously tried to hide it from Grandma....)

Its quite a nippy little motor, no idea on price.....

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Should get strong money, the 1.4 polo 9n3 are a solid small car, basically those and jazz the same age are great city + around type cars. Polo better on the motorway, handle like the heavy rolly things they are, but comfy and very quiet inside compared to others the same size (6r the newer style handle much better but much cheaper plastics and wind noise is bad). £2.5k you should get i reckon

@amey

looks like our 2006 micra isnt economical to fix the hole thats causing a leak on the underside, given its already got damp and mould problems, both wing mirrors are bodge job repairs, we’re thinking of letting it go to the scrapyard in the sky..

I’d quite like an automatic, hatchback, ~3 years old to buy and keep till it dies, a golf?

Oh where are you and what is the issue?

saaaff london, the rear right wheel arch is letting in water and has soaked the rear seat. O/H dropped it off at garage (needs MOT too) and just in passing they said they think it would be expensive to fix, but that was before looking..

Actually forgot about the 02 touring, that was a hatchback....or is it a shooting brake?

Got my dad's Kia piccanto low mileage. Will be selling soon. Also a rare auto.
He bought it used last year and barely used it before he died.
Going to get it MOT'd then will sell. Should still be under the Kia warranty.

Probs not of interest but thought I'd mention it.

Cheers dude!