With my Range Rover being a dick I am looking at finally getting rid of her. Probably well timed as the winter is due soon, so could sell for a premium.

Got my eyes on a 2004 BMW 525 Touring. Although the frugal in me keeps looking at 530D. Sort of want to leave the derv camp, but 50MPG? That is double what I get now.

Aaaaand here she is !

Nice. You will love it.

Nice car jabba!

i was thinking about getting a 318 some days ago, cant afford anything above that insureance wise :/

Quote from e2mustang :

Aaaaand here she is !

Nice!

Trying to find a new car as I'm getting a bit bored of my ZT... currently thinking an e46 330i with LPG as I want a car that sounds *good*. But for some reason I am being drawn to the convertibles, especially with an individual colour scheme...

Quote from Jakg :

Nice!

Trying to find a new car as I'm getting a bit bored of my ZT... currently thinking an e46 330i with LPG as I want a car that sounds *good*. But for some reason I am being drawn to the convertibles, especially with an individual colour scheme...

Don't get LPG. It causes big problems with new engines (mostly valve seats wearing badly). Couple that with the increase in the costs of gas make the "savings" marginal at best. The annual LPG service will wipe out any savings you make by running gas. Plus plus plus, you will wipe out what little boot space 3 series have in the first place.

Stick to straight petrol or get a derv. If all you want is the sound, get the ECU remapped for fuel efficiency. It'll sound the same but be much more frugal, obviously at the cost of all out POWA... you know, that or get a job that pays well enough that fuel costs don't concern you.

I cant really justify a petrol doing 15k mile a year - were talking over a hundred quid a month extra on fuel, a month!

But also, don't really want a diesel again

Don't care about boot space (already ruined that in my current car with a massive sub anyway, having an LPG tank would be an improvement!)

I also don't really believe in remapping "for economy", especially on an NA car. I think BMW are quite good at that bit...

I understand the high miles, when I was going to and from work in my RR it was costing about £90 a week in fuel. After getting a company van I now pay that a month.

But I've seen too many people suffer issues with LPG when fitted to modern cars. Couple in the increased costs of LPG, the costs of a kit*, the servicing costs, the kit on a mates 4.4 V8 costs him £120 a year to service. You're not really saving money.
You'll get some people saying "what about the fire risks"... you're driving a car driven by volatile chemicals, doesn't matter what fuels it, there is always a fire risk. Otherwise it wouldn't move.

Maybe time to learn how to use a lighter right foot? The 2.5 should get ~40MPG anyway. That is loads. ;D



* (make sure it is declared to DVLA, you will save around £50 on VED plus insurance will cover it, otherwise your policy is invalid in the event of a crash)

My journey to work is all country roads, and I wanted the 3L one - so I don't think I'll get be getting 40MPG!

LPG won't handle being driven hard, you'll piss through gas at an alarming rate. Either drive like you have you balls under the throttle or swallow the increased fuel bills from running a big engined vehicle.

Oh yes, if you do go LPG, prepare for a long time standing around waiting for it to fill up. They taken an absolute life time to fill from empty and then spend the rest of your time trying to find somewhere that sells LPG. A bit crude, but I can find one garage that sells LPG in a 20 miles radius of the address used to register your website... hopefully it is on your way to work.

That said I know a lot of Landy owners who rock V8s on LPG and they all sing about how great it is they can run a V8 for roughly the same costs as a derv. A rough understanding of man maths is required as true maths tells you that they are talking bullshit. ;D

Theres an LPG station round the corner from where I work, which is handy!

EDIT - I'm not one of those people who expects 60mpg equiv from a V8, but if I can run a petrol on LPG for roughly the same sort of cost (or close) to a diesel it makes it a viable proposition. If it's going to cost me £thousands more a year (like a petrol would) then I just can't justify it

Don't know how true this is in your side of the pond, but over hear the only time it makes sense to buy a diesel is if you can get the car for tbe same or cheaper cost of a petrol motor. The amount it costs to step up to a tdi golf over a petrol golf state side is so much that it takes several years to make the cost equivalence up.

The 2.5 BMW engines are really not that bad consumption wise.

Quote from Blade3562 :

Don't know how true this is in your side of the pond, but over hear the only time it makes sense to buy a diesel is if you can get the car for tbe same or cheaper cost of a petrol motor. The amount it costs to step up to a tdi golf over a petrol golf state side is so much that it takes several years to make the cost equivalence up.

In the US the fuel costs are much much lower (for petrol especially) that fuel costs aren't such an overriding factor.

Here is £1.40 a litre (yes I'm aware that thats cheap ish by Euro standards) which makes $8.25 a Gallon (US Gallon that is). My weekly fuel bill is about £70 ($110) just going to work and back really.

Quote from Jakg :

Theres an LPG station round the corner from where I work, which is handy!

EDIT - I'm not one of those people who expects 60mpg equiv from a V8, but if I can run a petrol on LPG for roughly the same sort of cost (or close) to a diesel it makes it a viable proposition. If it's going to cost me £thousands more a year (like a petrol would) then I just can't justify it

You will need to research how LPG conversions react with the engine you're going with. I know a lot of modern engines have valve issues as the metals aren't hard enough to handle the extra heat you get when running LPG. If the BMW 6cyl is one of the engines (and there are a lot out there) that require extensive headwork to cope with LPG, it might be worth looking else where. Bear in mind no warranties will cover engine issues if it is an LPG conversion, regardless of the fact they will happily sell you one.

Given the way LPG prices have spiked recently (more so than petrol and derv), they are fast becoming unaffordable when compared to petrol or diesel. They are also enjoying a reduced duty, that won't be around forever, so keep that in mind and watch the budgets like a hawk. The second the gov't announce LPG will be charged at the same duty as other fuels it will cost about 25-30p/l less than petrol.

In theory LPG should cost the same per mile as an equivalent diesel car. But I am yet to see anyone who can back up those claims. That said for now it is probably half way between petrol and derv.

Oh! Forgot I took a picture with my phone.

Here it is

Still needs to be about 20 metres lower.

And more hella stanced flush with bigger steel rimz

and a bit more camber so you dont have dat mexi-poke

Quote from el pibe :

and a bit more camber so you dont have dat mexi-poke

This will be covered when i get my coilovers. Was hoping to get stuff finished before a meet, but since the delivery of those took long I am fitting them hopefully tomorrow. Besides, I kind of like the wheels to poke a bit... Which is why they are ET3 and -3





E: definitely.
|
v

Quote :

20 metres lower

That's some serious lowering.

Quote from Keling :

That's some serious lowering.

Yea... then only Satan himself will see the car.

Quote from nikopdr :

Still needs to be about 20 metres lower.

http://s18.postimg.org/tfl7kv8xl/IMG_20130823_210002.jpg

Well, personally I would lift it even more.

Oh yes! One more night sleeping and tomorrow after work picking up the "new" car