arry Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 After a little over 4 years and circa 70,000 miles, I've just waved goodbye to my E46 as it departed off to be with its new owner - my ol' man It's been a fabulous car - it really has. Just shy of 200,000 miles in total, it's been a loyal servant thumping me up and down the A12 every day in comfort and with epic reliability. I don't think I've ever spent less maintaining a car, it just ran and ran and ran. So goodbye Mr E46: You will be missed So what have I replaced it with? Let me see, what were my original requirements: 1) Reliable 2) Economical 3) Practical 4) Under £8k 5) A good drive So I may have applied a little weighted scoring to the parameters and ended up with something which ticked approximately the sum total of the square root of NONE of those in categories 1) through to 4), but did tick the 5) box nicely There could be only one option Yes, Man maths said this was a worthy financial 'investment' and therefore not a potential lead balloon. Oh well, decisions made with the heart are just the best way to financially cripple your liquidity - just ask my wife. Onwards and upwards. I'll pop in from time to time to see what's old in the world of BMW. Thanks for everything you guuuuuuuuyyyys Cannockwolf, Rich_D, B0B and 16 others 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B0B Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 A stretched Beatle, nice What's the specs on it mate? Let's hope the E46 doesn't fall apart on your old man! dunk1 and The_Judge_ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuBeeDoo Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hhmmm 996! Enjoy. I'm not jealous.......... Much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjn Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Seems to be missing some doors StuBeeDoo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shabaza Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 So much win Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I used to hate Porsche, as a child, but I'm now starting to really like them (never been in one mind!). Very nice though, bet it makes the 330d feel slow! If you're ever wondering why the rear wiper looks such an afterthought - it's heritage! http://www.petrolicious.com/the-unlikely-story-of-how-porsche-dna-probably-ended-up-on-your-car Shabaza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Everyone needs to own something special at some point, enjoy M3NXN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) A stretched Beatle, nice What's the specs on it mate? Let's hope the E46 doesn't fall apart on your old man! It has earned the nickname Binky The Beetle in its few weeks in my ownership. I'm not calling it a Stretched Beatle though - that's Paul McCartney after a facelift The E46 will be fine. If it's not fine he's had it off me for a touch over scrap value and the spare parts I've amassed alone pretty much gives him half of his money back. The specs are it's a late 2001 plate 996 Carrera 2 with the 3.4 engine so circa 300bhp. It's not so much fast, although it is, especially from 2nd to 3rd, but as a package it's fantastic. The brakes are phenomenal, and the front end response and steering feel is just gorgeous. The sound is epic. I'd love a beefier exhaust but they're £1500 upwards so that'll have to wait LOL I bought it from a guy that had owned it near 7 years. The service history comes in box files it's that extensive. It was kept in a garage alongside his Caterham. I can only say it was so clean in there I'd have thought it was hermetically sealed. The car is immaculate from a bodywork perspective, almost immaculate from an interior perspective and you could eat your dinner off the engine bay (what you can see of it under the boot!). It's been loved. And will continue to be so. Oh and it's a manual..... NATCH Edited May 11, 2015 by arry TriggerFish, Phantom Mark, B0B and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B0B Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 It sounds like a cracking motor Arry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuBeeDoo Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 I'm not calling it a Stretched Beatle though - that's Paul McCartney after a facelift FPMSL! You could end-up with a bill for my next laptop. I just spat a mouthful of a rather nice Merlot over this one! Testaculese and dunk1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 FPMSL! You could end-up with a bill for my next laptop. I just spat a mouthful of a rather nice Merlot over this one! Soz dude - try something fuller bodied next time; and I don't mean his ex wife as she was a bit light on body in certain areas Pic of the front that a mate took last week when I turned up as his place Oh and if you do go shopping, make sure you don't buy much Todd1983 and Alpina99 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbesy1 Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Nice motor arry, Mate of mine has had a 2000 3.4 C4 convertible for about a year now, hasn't stopped smiling since he got it, he's now planning 911's for the rest of his natural. Whilst it has been quite reliable it does cost him a few bob every now and again, if you have / are signing up on 911UK forum you're sure to bump into him. (alex yates) There are a few scary stories / myths about the 996, IMS and bore scoring being the main ones but don't be paranoid just enjoy it!! arry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks guys I'm hoping the scare stories are similar to E46 gearboxes dropping like flies. And of course that I get lucky again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 I owned an 986 Boxster and ran it for 3 years I bought it in spite of the ims horror stories. Loved it to bits. I'd buy another 986 Boxster or 996 911 in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbesy1 Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks guys I'm hoping the scare stories are similar to E46 gearboxes dropping like flies. And of course that I get lucky again!! My mate has some stats on the IMS with data collected on the 911UK forum, he's shown me a few times the thread he posted and i'm sure he'd tell you that you bought the right car Last of the 3.4's are probably the most reliable 996's you can get and don't really suffer from IMS failure or bore score, the riskier ones being the 3.6 and 3.8 (997) engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 I did see all of that - but TBH the sample sizes were pretty tiny on cars where there'd been left alone. Either way, I takes my chances M3NXN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forbesy1 Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 I did see all of that - but TBH the sample sizes were pretty tiny on cars where there'd been left alone. Either way, I takes my chances Add to the data then and help the cause Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob- Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Love it. Always like the 996. In fact I don't think there's a 911 I haven't liked. I'd love a 964 turbo in blue but it's never going to happen lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Syxx Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Awesome mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasa Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 A stretched Beatle, nice What's the specs on it mate? Let's hope the E46 doesn't fall apart on your old man! It has earned the nickname Binky The Beetle in its few weeks in my ownership. I'm not calling it a Stretched Beatle though - that's Paul McCartney after a facelift The E46 will be fine. If it's not fine he's had it off me for a touch over scrap value and the spare parts I've amassed alone pretty much gives him half of his money back. The specs are it's a late 2001 plate 996 Carrera 2 with the 3.4 engine so circa 300bhp. It's not so much fast, although it is, especially from 2nd to 3rd, but as a package it's fantastic. The brakes are phenomenal, and the front end response and steering feel is just gorgeous. The sound is epic. I'd love a beefier exhaust but they're £1500 upwards so that'll have to wait LOL I bought it from a guy that had owned it near 7 years. The service history comes in box files it's that extensive. It was kept in a garage alongside his Caterham. I can only say it was so clean in there I'd have thought it was hermetically sealed. The car is immaculate from a bodywork perspective, almost immaculate from an interior perspective and you could eat your dinner off the engine bay (what you can see of it under the boot!). It's been loved. And will continue to be so. Oh and it's a manual..... NATCH thats the only way to but a car of that type,an enthusiast,i love seeing loads of bills etc, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewerz01 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Always lusted after a 930 myself after having drove a customers Turbo once when I was at the very young and impressionable age of just 18 years, the experience has stuck with me ever since. And I was big into the Charlie Sheen film 'No Man's Land' too Nice investment Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 So I've had it a month, and the last lot of wax was starting to wear off. So what did that mean? It meant I had to clean my own car for the first time in over 5 years It's so clean. So so clean. I've never had a car with so few blemishes. There's not a single dent in the whole thing. The paint came up mirror like. Sorry for the crap bin reflections but you get the idea I heart it so much..... Mark_F and B0B 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissyp83 Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) You cant beat a nice Porsche, this era are amongst my favorite. A bit like the E46 prefer that to the e90 etc ... Edited May 25, 2015 by Chrissyp83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arry Posted May 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 I'd much rather have an earlier oder but I missed the boat so to speak. The prices have gone mental. Luckily the 996 is a really good car in its own right which softens the blow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MICK 330 Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Nice motor!!!This reminds me of a story 20 years ago about a chap who went out to replace his Volkswagon Polo estate thingy...he came home with a Jensen Intercepter & became the club chairman lol Mark_F and arry 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
