[gangzoom]

So I’ve recently decided to make a drastic change in how I get from A to B..

For the last 4 year (46 months to be precise) my main mode of transport has been my much loved BMW 335i. When I finally sold it, it was running 380bhp, 0-60 in under 5 seconds, and could reach it’s 155mph limit without much trouble…..



So I’ve gone from the 335i, which is by far the best ICE (internal combustion engine car) I’ve owned to a Nissan Leaf!!! Which does 0-60 in 11.6 seconds….and looks like a overweight Micra.

So why did I ditch my much loved 335i for a Leaf??

Two reasons: Firstly the Cost - more on the cost of the 335i later, but I bought the Leaf on a 24 months Lease hire/PCP product. All you need to know is that I’m going to pay £200/month for 24 months and than hand it back. I pay for electricity (about £2 per charge), and servicing (£90 a year). Total cost per month will be about £250. Though the running costs of the 335i wasn't really a burden to me, swapping it for something cheaper will get me into my dream car (a Tesla S) that bit quicker.

But the Second and biggest reason is just curiosity…..I’ve alway been into technology and looked at the Leaf when it first came out. As much as I love my 335i, it pretty much represents the pinnacle of the ICE, even the new M3 which has a brand new design from the 335i, still has a twin-turbo engine in-line 6, like my 335i.

Where as the Leaf represents a first generation product, and hints at the potential of what EVs have to offer.

Before I go and pick up the Leaf I thought I work out how much my BMW 335i has cost me over 30K and 4 years of ownership.

Initial purchase: £21,000
Road Tax for 4 years: £1140
Insurance for 4 years: £2800
Modifications: £6500
Repairs: £2500
MOT: £160
Servicing/Tyre etc: £1500
Fuel costs (Assuming 25mpg, Petrol = £1.12/litre): £6110

Total spend on the car over 46 months = £41,700
Car sold for £12700

Total cost of ownership over 46 months = £29,000
So I’ve spent roughly £43,000 of my Pre-Tax income Or £630/month Or close enough £1/mile.

Clearly this is quite a lot of money to spend on a car, but bare in mind the 335i is a performance machine, so actually the figures aren’t terrible, and I’m lucky enough to be able to afford to waste that kind of money on a car. If I take out modification costs, and adjust for lower sale value of the car, the total cost of ownership has been around £26000, or £560/month, so still a substantial amount of £££, so for me the modification were worth every penny and I would do it all again without a second thought .

It’ll be interesting to see how I get on with the Leaf over the next 24 months, but purely on costs alone, the Leaf is going to cost £380/month less to run…..The question I suppose will be, how does the lure of EV technology and potential saving of £10K over 2 years balance out against the best ICE car I've owned ever??



To be honest I have no idea…But it’ll be interesting to see….Currently I’m on my bike to get from A to B, given the wind/rain around at the moment I cannot wait to pick the Leaf. I honestly never thought I would be this excited about picking up a 100bhp shopping trolley, that has a range of less than 100 miles

[Kerr]

Only £1500 for servicing and tyres?

I had mine for almost 4.5 years and done over 56,000 miles.

Roughly putting figures together, I was only £1010 for insurance. Was only £170-180 last year.

Servicing was almost £1100 at main dealer.

My road tax will be the same as yours as mine was lower group too.

I paid £1300 towards my BMW warranty and a £100 excess for my water pump claim.

Brakes £300 for parts all round.

Tyres £1100 plus optional £600 winter tyres.

I usually got nearer 28mpg with my driving. That's what many of the 2.0 hot hatches return. Still adds up to over £10,000 petrol at your £1.12 price.

Relative to the performance and the new price of the car, I still can't see anything that offers better value for money. You can go mental and spend a fortune tuning it, or like me, enjoy it for what it is.

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by Kerr

Relative to the performance and the new price of the car, I still can't see anything that offers better value for money.

100% agree with you, when I occasionally did have a look at petrol cars there simply wasn't another conventional powered car that interested me....Well nothing that didn't cost less than £1000/month to run.

Despite the reliability issue of the N54 block, I really think BMW out did themselves with the engine design, hence even now the M135/235, and M3/M4 are all still running the same design.....Which in a way is rather sad, and shows that the current internal combustion engines are close to as good as it'll get

[nicktyler]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Despite the reliability issue of the N54 block, I really think BMW out did themselves with the engine design, hence even now the M135/235, and M3/M4 are all still running the same design.....Which in a way is rather sad, and shows that the current internal combustion engines are close to as good as it'll get

Throughout history everything that is 'the best' seems as good as it will get until something better comes along...

Unless our EU overlords won't allow ICE progress.

[dy63]

need to come to leicester if petrol has been around £1.12 for the past 4 years

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by cupraraj

need to come to leicester if petrol has been around £1.12 for the past 4 years

LoL, I just tried to remember from recent figures.....So fuel costs are probably more, not thing I really paid attention to most of the time....Afterall what choice do you have, you have to fill up regardless of the price

[AdamC]

You had a very nice E90 and is certainly a big change!
Did you consider a BMW i3?
Good luck with electric motoring.

[AlanYoro35i]

Sad to see you go, you been a great help to this forum on many occasions. Likewise , i've spent very similar amount of money on my car or more.

I am getting the New car bug now and really want a 428i. i have to agree with the n54 engine was an over engineered piece of kit, that is probably why there is a big tunning scene. I just can't buy a N55 car knowing that my current N54 can make circa 450bhp which gives alot of cars a big scare.

[gangzoom]

I looked at the i3, but BMW are doing hardly any discount. I just couldn't ignore the £10K discount + interest free PCP deals Nissan were doing on the Leaf (also I've owned more Nissan's in my life than any other brand ). Pick up the Leaf tomorrow, my 'free' Ecotricity charging card came today, so potential between using fast chargers on M service stations (about 2 miles from my wifes work) and free charging at Nissan dealer (along with free coffee and newspapers), if I could be bothered I could easily recharge the Leaf for free for during the majority of ownership.

I will miss the 335i, but I made good use of it, owned it for close enough 4 years, and was lucky enough to do the pan European/Belgium GP road trip last summer that many people probably can only dream of doing once in their lifetime. So its all good memories

Now was also a good time to sell the 335i, petrol is cheapish still, not much deprecation in last 12 months, and at 60K not massive millage. I think I would have really struggled to sell it for anything above PX value, if it had done 80K and was another couple of years older. Even I wouldn't buy a 9-10 year old tuned 335i, with over 80K on the clock.

I also just cannot see why you would spend £20-30K upgrading from a N54 335i to a M135/235, or even a M3/M4. The only petrol cars that I've seriously considered as replacements for my 335i is the F10 M5, and Jag XJ-Supersport. Neither are that expensive to buy now, but their running costs are crippling.....unless my income doubles I cannot see ever been able to afford to run them without compromising on other parts of my life style.

Which is what lead to me to look a EV's, something like the Tesla S really does seem to good to be true. As quick as a F10 M5, more practical than a people carrier (with its 5+2 seating option), and running costs significantly lower than my 335i.....It's just the high sticker price which is the biggest barrier to ownership.....But it's not a un-summountable sum of money to save up for. After-all I've spent the best part of £40K on the 335i over the last 4 years, a brand new Tesla S starts at just £10K above that (380bhp version). So actually I couldn't care-less how slow the Leaf is going to be, my focus is firmly on the car that will replace it in 24 months

[old grey steve]

Interesting reading Gang. I've spent a fair few on mine haven't worked it out TBH but you have to go in to these things eyes wide open, I knew the issues re turbo's, water pump's, injectors little did I know that I was going to buy a clean looking car that'll have every single event take place, bar the HPFP(which I understand was replceed before I got mine)I've gone through it all and a little more with mine. And yes its cost.

Warranty situation wise I had a dealer provided one when the turbo went AWOL, sadly due to carbon build up that was their get ou of jail card. Apart from that with the warranty company I'm now with everything has been settled without complaint, which is a comfort.

As both yourself and Kerr and highlighted things like fuel cannot be ignored, my commute is short therefore on everage I see 22mpg (have seen 31mpg on a long journey)therefore consumption not so hot but again I knew this was the sort of figure to expect.

[Ess]

Some scary high numbers there when added up to make a grand total...

I admire your dedication - I personally couldn't run a car like the Leaf for two whole years even if there was a Nissan GTR or an Aston Martin V12 Vantage S at the end of the wait. The Tesla S is an incredible machine. Whether it's worth two years in a Leaf I suppose comes down to opinion!

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by Ess

Some scary high numbers there when added up to make a grand total...

I admire your dedication - I personally couldn't run a car like the Leaf for two whole years even if there was a Nissan GTR or an Aston Martin V12 Vantage S at the end of the wait. The Tesla S is an incredible machine. Whether it's worth two years in a Leaf I suppose comes down to opinion!

I've done a write up of my thoughts on the Leaf so far, in re-gards to running costs of the 335i, that didn't bother me, as I've said, it's the best ICE car I've ever owned, and I would happily spend all the £££ again. If I had a little bit more disposable income and could afford the £1000/month running costs of a M5 I wouldn't have given even the Tesla S a second glance...But for me, better technology is already here.