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

Look up front I'll acknowledge I'm hardly one to talk, but an R32/R36 is just a method of turning money into noise and that noise itself is very subjective, so many people don't even enjoy the sound of a VW V6.

The interior and performance of an R36 will not live up to the purchase price, and the ongoing running costs related to the fuel economy and VED (3.6 engine) will make you seriously consider why the fuck you bothered.

My N53 e91 330i is ULEZ, I imagine the N52s are too.

@christianSpaceman I would say that bespoke one is a bit spendy unless used prices have gone through the roof recently; I paid a little less than that for one with half the miles and similar options ~3 years ago. There's an e91 thread on pistonheads that's worth lurking on if you're really looking for one, they tend to spot them as they come to market.

Unlike @Colm89 who bought around the same time as me and had a bad run of it iirc, nothing has gone wrong with mine in my ownership and I still quite enjoying throwing it around (and my 2.5 year old giggles and screams for more when I do). I do now have a BMW specialist within walking distance (and downhill!) though, which is providing peace of mind of when it inevitably shits itself in an expensive fashion.

1 Attachment

On the "but I can't park it' front, my van is way easier to park than my 996, the position is up high so you can see everything and it's a big square box so you are reasonably confident of where the ends are - and it's got a reversing camera and parking sensors.

The 996 I sometimes reverse into a space with the drivers door open, sitting on the edge of the seat to see down the side of the car.

= I think trying to park something before saying 'no too hard' is a good idea.

I just bought an A4 Avant, I spent a bit more to get the B9 version as I want it to last us a while. Ended up with a 2.0 TDI S line Quattro it is very nice and a lot more spacious inside than I expected.

I added Tein coilovers, which I think are still on there..no idea what else. It's a 96 Rev4 IIRC, yes standard bi-tone colour and ahead of its time I think, 'Sonic Shadow', which was great but all faded badly at the front particularly. Thanks for info, will have a read..

Aye, because it's a 330i not a 330d, none of the diesels apart from the f31 will be ULEZ. (I was replying to the 535d suggestion)

The 996 I sometimes reverse into a space with the drivers door open, sitting on the edge of the seat to see down the side of the car.

IRTA I like to pretend I’m the sort of hip cat that has an 80s supercar.

https://youtu.be/r5Q4zZPuOig

Not that I could afford it..

See also Stanceworks. I like this one more though.

@christianSpaceman

I have to admit that the same scathing comments I made about the R32/36 could be made about the N52/N53, but the N52 is literally one of the best mass produced engines made. I'd want it in manual though.

Is there no fall back on the seller for the cracked wheel or was that considered to be in the price?

Salesman at the Renault garage has a fallback of sending the C63 to auction, sif I push too hard. So currently it’s all on me trying to source a fourth, uncracked wheel.

I’d just buy four 18” wheels (they’re dirt cheap) but then I have to buy four new tyres and store the 19’s. Might be worth it for winter wheels I suppose but I’d prefer to find a decent 19”.

Ah, I see. Good luck with the search.

What about buying an aftermarket set of 19's and swapping the tyres over? Could then wait happily until the right AMG wheel turns up and sell the other set on?

the oversteer thing was somewhat fixed from rev3 onwards (modified rear subframe and linkages), but there are still some issues related to the macpherson architecture. grassroots article is a good read

Estates generally easier to reverse park IMO, the back is the back unlike average blobby cars.

4 series gran coupe are nice, classy and big enough for most things, I think the rear seats fold reasonably flat and boot is big. 440i or 430d are the good choices, 435d are rare and often been messed with once they are out of warranty.

Thought about a passat R36 a few years ago when I was feeling spendy, a slightly cheaper, slightly more basic, less wanky looking S6 (or probably closer an A6 3.0 S line). But miles I was doing those years I couldn't really justify it. Miles are much less now so probably would have worked out. VR6 + DSG farts sounds good to me.

The VR series of engines are more inline 6 than V6 in many ways, hence why they sound as they do I suspect.

But which ones?

On that note, a mate was recently showing me that you can get the equiv age V6 A3 as the MK5 R32 for about £1.5k, which is an incredible price differential. I wonder if there's a similar A4 V6 estate to the R36?

I've just realised a Passat is S6 sized so you've already made that comparison...!

In a classic case of not knowing how good I've got it, can't stop thinking about selling the Superb and buying a big old 1JZ powered estate

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144751444136?hash=item21b3dbc0a8:g:Q4EAAOSwdfdjZaY3&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoHp%2F8%2Bylx9bdfn%2BNCpfPMGtgOTu6KwbMHegJO0PvablS3%2FWO5uuTESyk3Ob%2B1maUquGRG%2BEGtm5p106bOMZMsSBQ4Rv9%2BG9ivw1fe3Z8%2F3RGr%2BHb6OE69rSIa%2FZ7UPTpKvdXUyG9mblBTPMcCsDNRfyZ7AK3bLrcyHcwW%2BIsl5Ih4gzZEh2TCEgGZbmaMxQm2UJIfKDWAUkuIUMvGrChZLc%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8jFiNmPYQ

you can get the equiv age V6 A3 as the MK5 R32 for about £1.5k

£1.5k is what you’d have to pay me to drive a mk5 R32.

I had one back in the day. The motor has zero character and isn’t at all interested in being revved, it floated and bobbed about yet the ride was somehow crashy and loose and the steering was mad vague. And it wasn’t even that fast. It was just a wet lump of a thing compared to the 330 I swapped it for.

I reckon 250bhp NA sixes in big cars don’t feel quick enough to justify the running costs now EVs, diesels and turbo petrols have so much punch.

Shame about the auto but that is very nice. I would be hard pressed to choose between that and a Stagea though.

I’m making an assumption that the 1JZ has better parts availability than the RB26?

It was in way more models so they are easier to come by for sure. Also considerably cheaper.

Anyone looking to buy something like that though can't be going into it with shallow pockets.

I would have to have a Spanish waiter though.