Have you seen this. It’s Skoda so keeps STW happy. Great size for bikes and far from slow.

https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/skoda/superb-estate/20-tsi-280-se-l-executive-4×4-5dr-dsg/first-drive

My current BM dealer must be reading this – he phone me yesterday and is looking to make me an offer on a ’14 plate 320d SE – 40k miles upgraded with all the kits I’d want £16k.

Lol.

That 4×4 DSG Superb Estate linked a few posts up ^^^^. I was set on one, albeit the diesel version, and nearly pressed the button on it in February. Deal wise I was significantly less per month on a 4 yr pcp getting the same engine and gearbox in an A6 Avant quattro, which is what I did

My current BM dealer must be reading this – he phone me yesterday and is looking to make me an offer on a ’14 plate 320d SE – 40k miles upgraded with all the kits I’d want £16k.

Do it, do it, do it.

As long as the seats have been upgraded, Since getting sports seats in the new 2AT it made me realise how crap the standard seats are.

So you’re going to buy a car with the same engine as the one you have now, only smaller so it’ll be slower? And BORING if it’s anything like the one I had a go in. Yet previously you were considering an ST estate. What do you actually want?

What do you actually want?

There’s a loaded question….

Depends if he was looking at the ST or the STD (snigger) if it was the D then it’s only a bodykits worth of performance better than the 320, power and 0-60 are pretty much the same and having had a brand new Focus followed by a 4yo 3 series I know which I’d prefer.

If it’s the Petrol ST he’s looking at then who knows.

It was the STD I was looking at.

Flange you need to bear in mind my job involves me cruising the motorways of the South/Wales regions, and for that dull, boring and auto is what you want. I do significant bike carrying miles also.

I’m getting very frustrated and leg-ache in the 120d currently sitting in traffic, as I did yesterday sitting on the M25 in a queue at 6am. As I’ve said before if it were auto I probably would be content.

The 320 isn’t that much slower either in so much it’d make a difference, but it is slightly bigger, has more comfy ride (SE vs Sport), and is auto. On top it adds Nav and leather.

Mrs K is happy with the idea, I’ll see what magic numbers – if any – the dealer comes back with for me to exchange the cars on the PCP deal.

I’ve got a 118d sport with the sport auto box. It’s really good. Looking at a 320i touring next time and will be ticking the box for the auto option without hesitation.

Assume you are talking about the 3 series as a Tourer?
Saloon only has folding rear seats as an option unless that has changed of late?

If I was getting my own car for work a 320d Auto would be absolute top of the list, without question.

I used to think they were the boring obvious choice until I lived with one for a few months. Mine didn’t even have DAB, nav or bluetooth streaming, they brought that in as standard equipment in 2014.

Assume you are talking about the 3 series as a Tourer?

Yep. As per prawny its the >2014 spec.

What do you actually want?

What a stupid question, an RS4 obviously and he’s buying one next year 🙂 An no that was before the OP found inner peace 🙂

My current BM dealer must be reading this – he phone me yesterday and is looking to make me an offer on a ’14 plate 320d SE

I thought your car had to be less than 5 years old, so you’ll be in the same position in a year or two?

I thought your car had to be less than 5 years old

I had a look at the policy when I was in the office yesterday. Its been revised to “a car which of a suitable reflection of your job role”

BMW Touring vs Travelling Salesman = win! 😀

Its been revised to “a car which of a suitable reflection of your job role”

That opens up a whole world of possibilities 🙂

Boot and rear leg space on the 3 series in tiny !

That opens up a whole world of possibilities

Do me a favour and don’t list them. 😉 😀

Do me a favour and don’t list them.

You’ve probably started a thread about most 🙂

With the residuals on them when they work out the pcp deal, could a 5 series be a similar price per month to a 3 series

Boot and rear leg space on the 3 series in tiny !

You having a lend?!

Loads of leg room in the back of a 3 series, much better than a focus, much much much better.

Boot is big enough too, not as big as a passat obviously, but it’s a smaller more fun to drive car.

Nope my mate had a 335d and when he had his drivers seat set for him I couldn’t sit behind him.

His 14 year old struggles too.

Oh and …..

Bmw 3 series boot size : 480 litres

Skoda Octavia boot size : 590 litres

How tall is he? I’m 5’11 and I can comfortably sit in the back with my seat where I have it. It was a squeeze in the focus, which was the original car in question.

Are you looking at regularly carrying 6 footers in the back Kryton? If so, the GT has more rear legroom than the 5 series so might be worth a look.

We are both 6 footers.

Absolutely no problem in my Octavia.

Litres only tell half the story with boot size, my 2 series AT we bought on the strength that the boot was 470 litres compared to 480 in the 3 series saloon, but in the real world the 3 series boot is miles bigger. There’s no comparison between the two. But I’ve not lived with an Octavia so I don’t know.

Even if the boot is bigger though, if you’re the OP and you’re looking at a fun to drive but economical automatic estate car which would you seriously choose? I know which I’d have and I wanted an Octavia when we bought the 3 series.

Edit –

Me and the Mrs went in an octavia taxi over the summer – I didn’t find it better than the 3 series.

Aye but sometimes it comes down to cost too !

I would rather save myself quite a few quid with the Octavia over the 3 series.

I test drove one when I was looking for a new car and found the 3 series dull as dishwater to be honest.

Also you are going to have to spend a lot of cash on a beemer to get it to the equivalent spec of an Octavia vrs.

Comparing sporty against sporty….

320 m sport auto tourer : £36910
Octavia vrs Diesel dsg : £27910

The vrs octavia dsg comes in about £4k cheaper than than that if you shop around. Not looked at BMW prices though.

True – Octys are a lot cheaper RRP new, can’t deny that. If you were a cash buyer it would be a major draw

Not such a massive difference used though, or lease prices.

Plus Non VRS Octys are even more dull than a 3 series.

£28k for an Octavia??

Also you are going to have to spend a lot of cash on a beemer to get it to the equivalent spec of an Octavia vrs.

Comparing sporty against sporty….

320 m sport auto tourer : £36910
Octavia vrs Diesel dsg : £27910

those figures only mean anything if you are purchasing outright. On a PCP where dealer contributions, manufacturer contributions and residual value all impact, it is often the case that the BM/Audi will be less per month than the VW/Seat/Skoda

flange – Member
£28k for an Octavia

This is one of the reasons I like the vRS. A lot of badge snobs laugh at the thought of paying so much for a skip.

When compared against the equivalent golf gtd or a3, BMW etc, the money all of a sudden isn’t too bad.

‘but it’s a skoda’ usually comes back.

At that point I usually leave the conversation as they’ll never understand 😀

Rear passengers will be my 8 and 4yos on an infrequent basis. We have a family car, this is for me and the bike.

I did a pcp cost straight off the websites (so no dealer negotiation yet) and the 3yo 3 series 320d SE was £500 a month more than a brand new Octavia VRS diesel on pcp on a 48 month contract.

£500 a month more

Is that a typo, £500 a month over 48 months, so £24k more over 48 months. Shurley shum mishtake?

Nah he did mean C£900 a month 😆

I think..

Not.

3 yr old 3 series costs £500 a month more over 48 months than a new Octavia Vrs ???

Sorry – £500 a year!

^^ I guess the issue is that on a 3 yr old BMW, by the time the 48 month PCP is done, there is chuff all residual in it as a 7 yr old car, so monthly payments go up to cover. I think PCP only really works in favour for new or nearly new cars.

What spec is your current 1 series (msport isn’t it)
As mentioned earlier the non sports seats are bobbins for comfort. Had a 3 series ED model for a while. Nice car generally but couldn’t get on with the seats. Side support wasn’t deep and wide apart, so had a tendancy to slide around a bit. The sports seats with the pneumatic bolsters are great.

Kryton57 – Member

Car needs to be <5yo due to work rules. And if I came home with another Alfa I’ll be getting a divorce!

Why? There is only one reason you had to get rid of that! 😉

It’s a second car then, or could be a first car. That means you could buy an electric as one of the cars. It’s unlikely you’ll both be doing more than 300km on the same day (500km with a lunchtime charge). Try one before you dismiss the idea.

The other car – which will be replaced next year – is hybrid and already chosen by Mrs Kryton. There will be a full electric version at buying time to consider also.

Ian C – i may have one eye on buying it at the end of the pcp so low residual is ok. Porlus – one of the upgrades on this one is sport seats. Other cars are available though, even options on an auto 1 series.