far2000

hi people, i am a benz fan and i currently own a toyota corolla 140i 2006 model and within this week will trade in my car 4 a new vehicle..this was my third toyota and has given me excellent service with me doing aroound 65000km in 16months...i will no longer be doin this much mileage and lookin at getin a decent luxury compact...

my first option is a brand new 116i prefacelift with power sunroof and partial leather combo.....the local bmw dealer has this prefacelift model in stock 4 the last 4-5months and is willing to give the car at BASE MODEL PRICE...which basically means im scoring a sunroof and leather interior (around 2000 dollars options) for free while also trading my car..the downside is the arrival of the facelift.....

is the above deal worth it 4 me or should i just order a new f/l base model...as i can not afford the extras...this is goin 2 be a purchase over 60months .......

anytin i should look at concernin the pre f/l models?????

my second option is a MAZDA 3 2.3individual full house with all options except nav/dvd and heated seats.....

third option is runx RSI (141KW)


ALL 3 VEHICLES ARE IN THE $30 000- RANGE WHICH IS MY BUDGET....

Im serioulsy confused!!!!!!

thanx guys 4 ure time.......

NarutoRamen

Honestly man...if you're getting a good deal then you might as well take the best deal. But other then that take what you really want.

Centurion

You want that bimmer badly don't you Since you can't afford any extras I would unquestionabably rule out the face lifted model. Although the 1er is a desirable car the most reasonable thing to do in your situation is to buy the Mazda.

The whole point of buying a luxury car is have the opportunity to opt for fantastic engines and options not available for non-premium car. If you can't afford to properly spec a luxury car with leather seats, metallic paint cd-disc changer and one or two other goodies like sunroof or heated seats, then you can IMO not afford the car.

Further more cars with entry engines like the 116i are pretty much unwanted since most people who opt for a BMW, MB or Audi buy one with atleast a 1.8 or 2l engine. That is the reason why you are being offered a 116i with two nice options at base price. No body wants bimmers with 1.6l engines which is why they have terrible resale values.

You might not look like a stunner in the Mazda but I think it is a good looking car and with a 2.3L(260hp!!) engine it will offer much more joy than then a bare 116i, aka a poor man's bimmer.

This ia a no brainer.

far2000

yea, well i would like 2 own a bimmmer, but also lookin 4 value 4 money...i will be getin a confirmation on my trade in on monday then i have 2 make a choice...

far2000

thanx 4 the advice bro, u have some good points... ...yea, i was looking 4 value 4 money and thats how i saw the mazda 3....the owner of the bmw dealership also owns the mazda/ford dealership.....the 116 is coming with cd-changer, black metallic, power sunroof, partial leather, full 100000km motorplan and fogs....the mazda has the better engine and mayb also looks..... and is silver..both the 116 and mazda3 are on the showrroom and the mazda 3 is slightly cheaper than 116i....
im leaning more towards the mazda, but i think i will decide on monday after lookin at both cars then mayb i will let the heart choose ... ....
but the status of owning a bmw in africa is verrry pleasing as well...!!!

Centurion

I can understand you Farouk, I would be temted to opt for the bimmer myself but do this. Take the cars out for a thorough 30min drive on high ways, twisty roads and then let your heart decide.

far2000

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the last 1 - mazda 3 2.3 Individual.....

Mr. Mercedes

I'd go for the Mazda in this instance. The 1.6 engine in the BMW is just too small.

But the only way for you to decide properly is like luw said, extended test drives. But I think you need more than 30 minutes. In 30 minutes you're still impressed by little things (design etc.) and dont have enough time to accurately way up the real world pros and cons. Over longer periods issues like seat comfort, road noise, refinement, ergonomics, engine responsivness etc. become more apparent.

You feel every bump and thump and a lot of road noise in the BMW, and for me this would negate the attractivness of the superb handling. Not sure about the mazda.

Good luck with the decision.

Mr. M

Difficult decision if you ask me. Owning a BMW at your stage is definitely something very exhilarating. I think if you find the engine to be sufficiently powerful, then get the 1er. If not, then get the Mazda. I seriously do think you will stick with the 1er longer if you can live with the engine.

Just_me

I have owned two Mazda's, the latest I own was a 323F from year 2000.

+ Incredible reliable car
- Very noisy, (meaning you hear a lot of windnoise and tirenoise, same problem with Mazda 3 but still mazda 3 is slightly better)
- bumpy ride on potholes


My mum currently own a bmw 118i, 3 months old, no problems so far.
I dont agree with Mr M. that the ride is bumpy, only in the cities where there are bumps and potholes the ride is being affected. Take the car to the freeway or a country road and the ride is comfortable and very good. In the end I think it depend on how good roads your country has and depending on that the ride can be affected in a negative or a positive way.
I dont find the 1er to have annoying windnoise, its after 150km/h you hear windnoise but below that speed the car doesnt sound much, its a lot more worse in the Mazda.

A bimmer is a lot nicer to drive than a Mazda 323, better steeringfeeling, better fuelconsumption and better handling but not as fast as a 323F. In the long run I think a japanese car is more reliable.

My conclusion: I find the engine in 116i to be a little underpowered ( 118i is a better choice imo) but If the engine in 116i is no problem for you I pick it over a Mazda. 1er is so much nicer to drive.


My advice to you is to try to drive them before you decide.


PS if resale value is important you might choose Mazda 3 instead, (however I dont know which car has better resale value, bmw 116i or mazda 3????)