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Some of you may remember that I wrote-off my EP3 back in January but only got the pay out a few months later. Anyway, that’s all sorted now and I’ve been busy looking for a replacement ever since.
Thought I’d share with you guys what I’ve been driving around in over the past few weeks and do a mini comparison against my EP3 which having owned for almost 10 years, will be sorely missed.
Decided against a new one as I found this which is only 18mths old with less than 10k miles when I bought it so it’s practically new and I don’t get the massive hit on depreciation. Plus it’s got A LOT of toys (think the previous owner got a bit happy with the options list!) and you’d be pleased to know it includes the optional indicator stalk! lol
I decided not to go for the popular dual-clutch transmission despite it being faster and more economical, I just knew I would miss the feeling of having full control of the car and being able to heel and toe after a while, not to mention the manual box is a joy to use.
It drives really well, much easier than I had thought it would be coming from a FWD car (all those hours on GT5 paid off! lol). The ride is firm but not as harsh and raw as my EP3. Very quiet inside compared to the civic but you can still hear the blow-off valve whistle and the exhaust when giving it the beans. I had a look at a 335i but decided against it due to its size and it being so common these days. I definitely prefer the look and proportion of the 1-series although it is obviously a bit smaller with less room in the back – though not by much. One thing I like about the 1-series is that BMW didn’t really seem to skimp on the quality of materials as you’d expect in a lesser car, I’d say it’s the same as the 3-series only in a smaller package.
It corners better than my EP3 but in a different way, not quite as nimble but definitely faster on fast sweeping corners. The suspension is stiff but not EP3 stiff and is very well damped. The extra weight compared to my ep3 doesn’t feel that bad probably because max torque (double the ep3) is available from 1500rpm! Pulls like a train, obviously faster than my civic but doesn’t give you the same kick in the back as vtec does – more like a constant but strong pull. Very little turbo lag and the low down torque makes it really easy to drive. Fuel economy is about the same as my Civic. Around town I get low 20s but on the motorway I have seen 40+mpg! Pretty good for a 3.0 turbo!
Mods – only cosmetic so far, tinted rear windows, LED angel eyes and LED interior lights. Will add a Black grill later and have just done the golf-tee mod which makes the standard exhaust louder. Cold starts are quite loud especially when you live in a quiet residential area!
I’ll have it remapped later to improve throttle response and give it another 80-100bhp to take it close to 400bhp which I think is all I will need. A cat back exhaust and a new diffuser will finish her off. Other than that I’ll probably keep it stock though I’ve been told an intercooler will be a good mod to do too…
Some cr4ppy iphone photos…
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Thought I’d share with you guys what I’ve been driving around in over the past few weeks and do a mini comparison against my EP3 which having owned for almost 10 years, will be sorely missed.
Decided against a new one as I found this which is only 18mths old with less than 10k miles when I bought it so it’s practically new and I don’t get the massive hit on depreciation. Plus it’s got A LOT of toys (think the previous owner got a bit happy with the options list!) and you’d be pleased to know it includes the optional indicator stalk! lol
I decided not to go for the popular dual-clutch transmission despite it being faster and more economical, I just knew I would miss the feeling of having full control of the car and being able to heel and toe after a while, not to mention the manual box is a joy to use.
It drives really well, much easier than I had thought it would be coming from a FWD car (all those hours on GT5 paid off! lol). The ride is firm but not as harsh and raw as my EP3. Very quiet inside compared to the civic but you can still hear the blow-off valve whistle and the exhaust when giving it the beans. I had a look at a 335i but decided against it due to its size and it being so common these days. I definitely prefer the look and proportion of the 1-series although it is obviously a bit smaller with less room in the back – though not by much. One thing I like about the 1-series is that BMW didn’t really seem to skimp on the quality of materials as you’d expect in a lesser car, I’d say it’s the same as the 3-series only in a smaller package.
It corners better than my EP3 but in a different way, not quite as nimble but definitely faster on fast sweeping corners. The suspension is stiff but not EP3 stiff and is very well damped. The extra weight compared to my ep3 doesn’t feel that bad probably because max torque (double the ep3) is available from 1500rpm! Pulls like a train, obviously faster than my civic but doesn’t give you the same kick in the back as vtec does – more like a constant but strong pull. Very little turbo lag and the low down torque makes it really easy to drive. Fuel economy is about the same as my Civic. Around town I get low 20s but on the motorway I have seen 40+mpg! Pretty good for a 3.0 turbo!
Mods – only cosmetic so far, tinted rear windows, LED angel eyes and LED interior lights. Will add a Black grill later and have just done the golf-tee mod which makes the standard exhaust louder. Cold starts are quite loud especially when you live in a quiet residential area!
I’ll have it remapped later to improve throttle response and give it another 80-100bhp to take it close to 400bhp which I think is all I will need. A cat back exhaust and a new diffuser will finish her off. Other than that I’ll probably keep it stock though I’ve been told an intercooler will be a good mod to do too…
Some cr4ppy iphone photos…