| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 20:10 - Jan 7 with 6291 views | Vic |
My lad in Brum has a choice of either of these cars and can’t make up his mind. But roughly the same year, mileage and price
Please help him! |  |
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 12:54 - Jan 8 with 825 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 09:26 - Jan 8 by solomon |
I have a new Mercedes and I can tell you it’s fantastic quality, far better than anything else I’ve ever had, I would never now stray from the brand and I’ve owned the other 3 German brands in the past and although very good they don't match this Mercedes one bit. [Post edited 8 Jan 2022 9:29]
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German reliability is a myth these days take a look at the JD power surveys. Build quality is excellent as you say, but somehow they’ve managed to keep the myth going despite being well below the Japanese and Korean marques in terms of reliability.
And that’s not a bias comment, as I’ve just replaced one German car with another (under warranty of course!) |  | | |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 18:09 - Jan 8 with 783 views | solomon |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 12:54 - Jan 8 by SuperKieranMcKenna |
German reliability is a myth these days take a look at the JD power surveys. Build quality is excellent as you say, but somehow they’ve managed to keep the myth going despite being well below the Japanese and Korean marques in terms of reliability.
And that’s not a bias comment, as I’ve just replaced one German car with another (under warranty of course!) |
It’s context though. I’ve never been asked to take part in any survey, and every German care I’ve owned (there’s been a few) has been excellent and never let me down. |  | | |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 18:24 - Jan 8 with 776 views | WicklowBlue |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 18:09 - Jan 8 by solomon |
It’s context though. I’ve never been asked to take part in any survey, and every German care I’ve owned (there’s been a few) has been excellent and never let me down. |
There are issues with all cars along with horror stories. Remember the fabulous swirl flap issues on Beamer engines? The old meganes wiring issues?
It is true certainly in the early 00's Mercs build quality fell off a clif, iirc they moved production to South Africa and had a lot of issues. As I said ignore the badge, go look around for what suits you and then research research research. Also for the same price you are likely to get a higher spec of car outside of Audi/BMW/Merc/VW. Hence if I was thinking of buying a VW, I'd buy a Skoda. |  | | |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:05 - Jan 8 with 767 views | jeera |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 22:31 - Jan 7 by WicklowBlue |
As with all cars do your research into what's good and what's bad. Ignore the badge, my neighbour has many more troubles with their BMW 3 series than I have had with my Mazda CX5 Skytech diesel.
Ignore the user reviews on the older Mazda diesels, which were Ford based, the Skytech engines are really good once serviced ontime and have timing chains, much better than the French HDI stuff. When I was looking at the CX5 there were horror stories online along with the Volvo XC40 D4 engines. 3 years on with dealer servicing the CX5 hasn't missed a beat!
Ultimately if buying second hand, all cars that have a FSH and been serviced on schedule by a dealer you have some recourse and reassurance.
Being a previous Alfa owner and petrol head before family considerations, I'd go for the Mazda 3. 1 series just boring, the Mazda 3 is much better looking...
Ignore all of us though and checkout reviews and owner reviews on sites such as:
Honestjohn.co.uk
Parker's.co.uk
etc etc
PS I kinda miss my Alfa 147 twin spark even though bits fell off it every 5 miles! |
An old mate of mine years ago wouldn't have anything but Alphas.
Fortunately he was a a half-decent DIY mechanic as the things seemed to break down every five minutes and appeared to be next to useless! Nice cars but no good to the average joe who had to pay someone else all the time to keep them on the road.
As for BMs nowadays, I take it they're no longer mostly rear wheel drives, or are they?
I am so out of touch. |  |
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:24 - Jan 8 with 747 views | WicklowBlue |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:05 - Jan 8 by jeera |
An old mate of mine years ago wouldn't have anything but Alphas.
Fortunately he was a a half-decent DIY mechanic as the things seemed to break down every five minutes and appeared to be next to useless! Nice cars but no good to the average joe who had to pay someone else all the time to keep them on the road.
As for BMs nowadays, I take it they're no longer mostly rear wheel drives, or are they?
I am so out of touch. |
I fell in love with the 147 back in my 20s, after seeing one in my mates dealership. Luckily got a promotion in work and treated myself to one, the 2.0l twinspark. Luckily my dad was a mechanic so was ready to roll my hands up when the inevitable happened, plus there were several Alfistas's in work. Great car to drive, Aircon was pants, rear suspension arms made of paper, all suspension bushes made of playdoh, timing/balance belt needed changing every 10 miles (did this myself) but eventually parted with it when the airbag wiring died. Think it went 2 years without a NCT(Irish MOT) because as soon as I fixed something and got it tested something else was on the blink. But still adored it! Then family and sensibility arrived, along with no longer enjoying changing ridiculously positioned cam sensors in the freezing cold in the winter.
AFAIK the 3 series and above are still rear wheel drive, while the models below can be front wheel drive.
This reminds me of a fun moment waay back in 2010 during the big snow. Xmas Eve I went out for some supplies in the local supermarket and spent 5 mins watching someone in a 3 series try to drive up a moderate hill to get out of the car park. Admired the driver he wouldn't give in, tried a short run up in the Beamer loads of wheel spin sliding, gave up reversed back, revved her up and went for it...lost grip just at the top of the hill. Went for it again, still no joy kept revving harder and harder...
After 5 mins waiting so I could go home I got bored, and turned around and went out the non-hill exit.
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:37 - Jan 8 with 725 views | Coastalblue |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:24 - Jan 8 by WicklowBlue |
I fell in love with the 147 back in my 20s, after seeing one in my mates dealership. Luckily got a promotion in work and treated myself to one, the 2.0l twinspark. Luckily my dad was a mechanic so was ready to roll my hands up when the inevitable happened, plus there were several Alfistas's in work. Great car to drive, Aircon was pants, rear suspension arms made of paper, all suspension bushes made of playdoh, timing/balance belt needed changing every 10 miles (did this myself) but eventually parted with it when the airbag wiring died. Think it went 2 years without a NCT(Irish MOT) because as soon as I fixed something and got it tested something else was on the blink. But still adored it! Then family and sensibility arrived, along with no longer enjoying changing ridiculously positioned cam sensors in the freezing cold in the winter.
AFAIK the 3 series and above are still rear wheel drive, while the models below can be front wheel drive.
This reminds me of a fun moment waay back in 2010 during the big snow. Xmas Eve I went out for some supplies in the local supermarket and spent 5 mins watching someone in a 3 series try to drive up a moderate hill to get out of the car park. Admired the driver he wouldn't give in, tried a short run up in the Beamer loads of wheel spin sliding, gave up reversed back, revved her up and went for it...lost grip just at the top of the hill. Went for it again, still no joy kept revving harder and harder...
After 5 mins waiting so I could go home I got bored, and turned around and went out the non-hill exit.
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You were lucky, you had one of the reliable modern ones. One of my first cars was one of these, it was a great, great car but I reckon I fixed something on the way home from work about once a week on average.
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:49 - Jan 8 with 721 views | WicklowBlue |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:37 - Jan 8 by Coastalblue |
You were lucky, you had one of the reliable modern ones. One of my first cars was one of these, it was a great, great car but I reckon I fixed something on the way home from work about once a week on average.
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Nice!!! I've always thought that when I retire I'd buy a vintage car such as the GTV....it certainly would keep me busy.
Back in the day one of my mates pride and joy was the 145 he was huge into his Alfa's, then his 156 JTD snapped it's timing chain costing a 2k engine rebuild. Another good friend bought a 146 brand new, remember him taking me for a spin in it....within 12 months he'd switched to something else. | | | |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:55 - Jan 8 with 709 views | Coastalblue |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:49 - Jan 8 by WicklowBlue |
Nice!!! I've always thought that when I retire I'd buy a vintage car such as the GTV....it certainly would keep me busy.
Back in the day one of my mates pride and joy was the 145 he was huge into his Alfa's, then his 156 JTD snapped it's timing chain costing a 2k engine rebuild. Another good friend bought a 146 brand new, remember him taking me for a spin in it....within 12 months he'd switched to something else. |
Got to love an Alfa.
I was going to buy a 164 from Astons, used to walk past after the game and fell in love with it. Went early one Tuesday from Essex, cash on the hip ready to seal the deal.
Went for a test drive and something very major let go outside the builders merchants that used to be along from there (Buildbase?)
Oil all over the road! Ended up with one of the old shape supras instead if I remember correctly. | |
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 20:16 - Jan 8 with 699 views | BLUEBEAT |
I have a 1 series and it’s probably my favourite out of all the cars I’ve had.
I think a lot of my love is down to the rear wheel drive and how it grips the road. A fun ride.
I think newer models have front wheel drive. |  |
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 20:24 - Jan 8 with 689 views | jeera |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 20:16 - Jan 8 by BLUEBEAT |
I have a 1 series and it’s probably my favourite out of all the cars I’ve had.
I think a lot of my love is down to the rear wheel drive and how it grips the road. A fun ride.
I think newer models have front wheel drive. |
The ex-woman, (she's still a woman, just not mine), bought a 3 series tourer one year.
Lovely car but she lived out in the sticks and I dared to question her choice given the RWD and all that.
Several months later she showed up in a different car, (Mazda as it goes but no idea which model), and refused to say why she'd changed it. Gave me all sorts of nonsense reasons until finally admitting she'd lost control of the BMW down the wet country lane which frightened the life out of her.
Rather than just admit I was right straight away. | |
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| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 12:15 - Jan 9 with 617 views | solomon |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 19:05 - Jan 8 by jeera |
An old mate of mine years ago wouldn't have anything but Alphas.
Fortunately he was a a half-decent DIY mechanic as the things seemed to break down every five minutes and appeared to be next to useless! Nice cars but no good to the average joe who had to pay someone else all the time to keep them on the road.
As for BMs nowadays, I take it they're no longer mostly rear wheel drives, or are they?
I am so out of touch. |
Proper full blood M cars (not m sports) are rear wheel drive as they’re purists. Owned an M4 before my Mercedes and it was a great drivers car but with obvious constraints namely running costs, it was absolutely sublime and build quality was another level.
Sure there are other brands which are just as competent but lack the kudos of the Germans and that is reflected in the residuals, as much as many despise the German brands and what they perceive as the characteristics of the owners these manufacturers will always be an aspirational bench mark. | | | |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 13:05 - Jan 9 with 597 views | solomon |
| BMW 1 series or Mazda 3 on 20:16 - Jan 8 by BLUEBEAT |
I have a 1 series and it’s probably my favourite out of all the cars I’ve had.
I think a lot of my love is down to the rear wheel drive and how it grips the road. A fun ride.
I think newer models have front wheel drive. |
Rear wheel drive is driver orientated and focused, it’s the Perfect balance for anyone who’s a keen driver (this should be done on track days only though) rear wheel drive is playful and you can set the car up on the throttle much easier to feel the balance if the car and it’s more precise, much as you learn in karting when a nipper as opposed to front wheel drive to which you can be a bit more of a hooligan on the kerbs (again circuits only please) if you can deal with the understeer competently. | | | |
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