New car help

[naplesZ]

I was going to purchase a 05 MCS this Friday for my daily driver. Then all of the sudden my wife says our you sure about the mini? How about a bmw 3 series? Now saying this to a normal person wouldn't be that big of a deal but to a person who is always looking at card no matter what I currently own this is trouble. So here are my choices. Please give me your opinions on which one and why.

1. 05mcs-used fully loaded $22.500

Pros-price,sc gives upgrade potential, big after market.

cons-runflats,fw drive,small (2 kids),really low,can be considered girl car.

2.05 bmw 325ci-new sport pkg $27k

Pros-rwd,new,loved my last bimmer,looks great,great deal compared to states,new warranty

cons-price, expensive upgrades,waite slightly longer for it to arrive,new model comes out in sep. with 30 more hp.

[Mike C]

We have an E36 325IS and it has been a great car. Ours is a '95 that we purchased as a lease return in '98 with 34k on it. It now has 112k. My wife likes the mini as well and we have talked about it as a possible replacement. But I work on these things since we keep cars so long, and I REALLY don't enjoy the thought of the mini's absolutely tiny engine compartment.

 

Also, the little gerbil that resides under the mini's hood will be stressed significantly more than the much higher torque output 6 cylinder. Especially compared to the super charged S version you are considering IMO. Foced induction units don't seem to last as long as the rest of teh car, so a supercharger replacement could be a significant expense.

 

Personally, as much as I like the Mini, the Bimmer makes a LOT more sense if you keep cars for a long time like we do. Smoother, quieter, more room than the mini with proven longevity. But as you can tell, my choices are based on LONG term ownership.