Some of you will probably know, my previous pride n joy was an E82 LMB 135i, known as “Blue” in the household, which had some amendments sympathetically applied ;-) , see
http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30839. Blue had been owned since Nov 2011.
So now to my ramblings, apologies if it goes on a bit ;-)
It was around a year ago that the need to move up to something bigger began, my main objective was the need for a taxi. But I didn’t want to take a step back in terms of performance over functionality, so this limited my choice somewhat. Candidates were the E9x M3, S4/RS4 and also the 340i. The only drawback with the 340i was that once you added the cost of sorting out the suspension/tyres (including an LSD), added some factory options that I would have expected should have been standard and took into account the cost of insurance on a heavily modified car it was just not making sense.
Then came the infamous “Insane F8x Deal” from TRL, around March time I recall. Using a combination of rational and man maths thinking, I reckoned I could just about scrape into one. I would save on not modding, options that I wanted were already standard and insurance on a “standard” car would be a lot cheaper.
So, first I needed to sell Blue as I needed to be confident that I could realise a minimum price. Part exchange, WBAC was not an option as my budget was down to the wire. I think it took around 8 weeks to sell Blue and by that time the TRL deal had sold out. Damn!!! What to do? What to do?
So then the graft began. I started with some of the local dealers to me but also asked some members on the forums, from whom I got some decent contacts. Thank you to everyone who did respond, BTW.
Then came what I call the “dance”. I found there was little point cold calling dealers and asking for a deal. It made more sense to start and build up a bit of rapport first. If possible I tried to meet up face to face or a least start telephone conversations going. Then I would let them get on with their sell but eventually would drop the bombshell of showing them other deals out there, ask why I should go with their deal rather than the better deal and see what they can do? Some were completely useless but a couple were prepared to get close to the TRL deal.
So, on 27-Apr the taxi was ordered (now christened “Grey”). Poverty spec, this is what I went for:
- ZCP1 F80 M3 Competition Package Saloon S55
- B39 Mineral Grey
- LKSW Black Extended Merino Leather
- 2MK Seven-speed Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) w/ DRIVELOGIC
- 320 Model designation deletion
- 3AG Reversing Assist camera
- 3AP Windscreen with grey shade band
- 403 Electric Glass Sunroof
- 420 Sun protection glass
- 441 Smokers package
- 493 Extended storage
- 688 Loudspeaker system - harman/kardon surround sound
- 7M9 BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line with extended contents
- 7MA Competition package
Fast forward to today. Here are some pics on collection:
Short term plans are to get the car detailed and protected but that will probably be it for now. Thank you for reading and hoping for a long / happy relationship.
Dead chuffed to say the least, my first M