Fleet update (WARNING - contains BMW E46 330Ci content)

[Peter C]

Update related to my recent acquisition thread.

 

The start of this tale goes back a few weeks, when we realised that the lease on my wife's BMW 420d is coming to an end and we didn't have a new replacement motor lined up. We decided that a cheap old motor should be purchased whilst we decide how to invest* another £20k on something new and flash.

 

The 4-series served us well in the time we had it although I must confess that I didn't drive it much. Mind you, I did have a bit of fun with it on the autobahn in Germany back in the summer.

 

 

With the replacement purchased four days before the 4-series was collected, there was a quick opportunity to snap both motors together. Both good looking motors but the total purchase price of the one on the left amounts the same as three months lease of the car on the right and that's without mentioning the £7.5k deposit. You do the maths.

 

 

We stayed home for Christmas so I had a little time to freshen up the E46.

 

Once washed, I parked up the BMW in my workshop, which meant kicking out my W123 into the cold. Here's my fleet.

 

 

Look closely and you'll spot my Boxster parked up in the garage.

 

 

And here it is, nice, dry and clean stored in the garage. The Boxster only comes out on dry days, hence it stays this clean pretty much all the time.

 

 

Anyway, here's the E46 tucked in my workshop awaiting a bit of TLC.

 

 

And again, this time coated with Autoglym's finest.

 

 

The job took a day and a half, which meant that the W123 had to spend a night outside. It was bloody foggy last night and the temperature didn't rise above two degrees - not ideal conditions for the old Merc.

 

 

Other than a spit and polish, I gave the car a good once over. All four tyres are recent, albeit cheap and nasty Three As. The entire exhaust system is shiny silver with fresh mounts. The front suspension has been mostly re-bushed. In the couple of hundred of miles that we've clocked up since buying the car the biggest worry I've noticed is a slightly noisy eco-gauge, which makes a little rattly sound as it goes up. Fortunately it quietens down after a few minutes. Everything works, including all the toys and the engine and 'box are smooth and quiet.

 

These are the results of my efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

The interior came up nice and clean although to be fair it wasn't in bad nick when we got the car.

 

 

 

 

 

BMW's leather is not great but the driver's seat is tidy enough after 100k miles.

 

 

Set of mats retained from the 4-series fit ok.

 

 

For an old design the interior architecture and ergonomics are still impressive.

 

 

Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase, other than minor cosmetics that I'll probably deal with in the summer, we've got ourselves a tidy, quick and cheap motor that still turns heads and is a pleasure to drive. Bearing in mind that my wife will drive the car daily, rain or shine and it will be kept outside on the drive, I won't be polishing it again or joining the 330Ci forum anytime soon, it's just not that sort of car.

 

Finally, once I finished with the BMW, I gave the W123 a good wash. Unless I am very much mistaken, this was the first time I washed this car this year (and today is the 30th of December). Admittedly, I've only clocked up about 300 dry miles this year and whilst it wasn't dirty, it looked a lot shinier once I finished with it.

 

 

Five minutes after this photo was taken I parked it up in the workshop, where it shall remain until the weather improves.

 

That's all for now but I will update again once we've clocked up a few more miles.

[gordonbennet]

Nice fleet, would give me eye teeth for your garaging and workshop facilities.

 

Those pics remind me, at least, that a decent colour combo E46 coupe is one of the prettiest cars of recent times, though for sheer good looks from all angles i'm still a facelift W124 saloon man, in Green/Black as my ideal Merc colour.

[Peter C]

Yep, I'm also besotted with W124s, but only saloons, estates, coupes and cabrios do nothing for me.

 

Here's an E200 that I owned about 8 years ago.

 

 

That was a lovely car, black with cream leather. I sold it when I bought a 300TD - big mistake. I miss that car although my current W124 (E220) is also a sweet car.

[gordonbennet]

Have been wondering for a long time now what to do with my W124 320 Coupe, on a P plate one of the last made, we've had it about 14 years now and i've spent a bloody fortune on it.

Just don't use it enough, 3 dogs now see so unless we go somewhere without them i really only use it for the odd work commute in nice weather.

Before the winter set in we'd finally decided to sell it come this spring, but now i've had a rethink and am more leaning towards keeping it in fine fettle, its around rock bottom of its value curve now and i probably wouldn't get back the engine work i invested over the past couple of years, s'only just over 100k.

If there's a wrong decision to make here i'll bloody make it.

 

I too prefer the saloons (this coupe was for SWMBO to swan about in at the time), and i'm still kicking mesen that i didn't go for one of those couple of E500s (yes not 500E) that came in as grey's from Japan couple of years ago absolutely rust free having never seen a grain of salt, circa £13k in as new condition with about 50k miles 80k kms on the blueblack, that was a sexy bloody motor.

 

We kicked ourselves for selling on our E300 Diesel saloon, low mileage too, the new owner put about 80k on it over three years and then it got written off by some pillock in a 4x4 ramming it up the arse, it was in perfect nick too, why do we do these things, sell good motors that is?

 

Pics are a few years old now, purists will hate the wheels.

 

 

 

Sod me those pics are old, the fence was replaced a long time ago and the little C2 VTS reflected in the side is long gone too.

 

 

[stillOrange]

Lovely cars, all of them!!!

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Fantastic collection

 

I regret selling most of my cars, but it's always been a lack of suitable space. If I had a barn or some garages I'd probably end up with a lot more......

 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[Guest Hooli]

W124s are great cars, I did like my 260e.

[alf892]

Have been wondering for a long time now what to do with my W124 320 Coupe, on a P plate one of the last made, we've had it about 14 years now and i've spent a bloody fortune on it.

Just don't use it enough, 3 dogs now see so unless we go somewhere without them i really only use it for the odd work commute in nice weather.

Before the winter set in we'd finally decided to sell it come this spring, but now i've had a rethink and am more leaning towards keeping it in fine fettle, its around rock bottom of its value curve now and i probably wouldn't get back the engine work i invested over the past couple of years, s'only just over 100k.

If there's a wrong decision to make here i'll bloody make it.

 

I too prefer the saloons (this coupe was for SWMBO to swan about in at the time), and i'm still kicking mesen that i didn't go for one of those couple of E500s (yes not 500E) that came in as grey's from Japan couple of years ago absolutely rust free having never seen a grain of salt, circa £13k in as new condition with about 50k miles 80k kms on the blueblack, that was a sexy bloody motor.

 

We kicked ourselves for selling on our E300 Diesel saloon, low mileage too, the new owner put about 80k on it over three years and then it got written off by some pillock in a 4x4 ramming it up the arse, it was in perfect nick too, why do we do these things, sell good motors that is?

 

Pics are a few years old now, purists will hate the wheels.

 

Merc.PNG

 

merc in snow.PNG

 

Sod me those pics are old, the fence was replaced a long time ago and the little C2 VTS reflected in the side is long gone too.

That's nice!..............Got to be worth £500 if you put a good warranty on it?