[willjames]

Esteemed chaps,

I'm in a quandary and require your expert advice. My current 330d is 3 years old in less than a month and I'm wondering on my options.

I'm approx 28 months into a 48 month PCP contract and approx 6 months away from the VT point. With my car currently on the cusp of the 3 year warranty expiring I have enquired about the extended warranty. The one I'm considering is the comprehensive warranty which is approx £57.00 per month (£100 excess) however when I add everything up I can't help thinking that I could maybe get myself in a 340i for a similar cost or cheaper cost overall per month than what I'm paying now plus the warranty.

What are my options? Do I need to stick with until VT point, walk away and start again or can I exit early? Not sure on the penalties for that though.

I'd love the new G20 however I'm thinking that it will be a good while yet before they release the touring and engine I would want with a decent discount, so do I take advantage of a cracking deal now as they are looking to sell the current 3er before they start churning out the new one?

Any advice welcome and a thousand thanks in advance

[goodbyalfa]

Originally Posted by willjames

Esteemed chaps,

I'm in a quandary and require your expert advice. My current 330d is 3 years old in less than a month and I'm wondering on my options.

I'm approx 28 months into a 48 month PCP contract and approx 6 months away from the VT point. With my car currently on the cusp of the 3 year warranty expiring I have enquired about the extended warranty. The one I'm considering is the comprehensive warranty which is approx £57.00 per month (£100 excess) however when I add everything up I can't help thinking that I could maybe get myself in a 340i for a similar cost or cheaper cost overall per month than what I'm paying now plus the warranty.

What are my options? Do I need to stick with until VT point, walk away and start again or can I exit early? Not sure on the penalties for that though.

I'd love the new G20 however I'm thinking that it will be a good while yet before they release the touring and engine I would want with a decent discount, so do I take advantage of a cracking deal now as they are looking to sell the current 3er before they start churning out the new one?

Any advice welcome and a thousand thanks in advance

I was in a similar position, no way I was getting in a f30 with the g20 so close so went with the 4gc. Great choice for me. Can't see the point in spending on the warrenty when it could be used to get you in the 40i

[R0B]

Originally Posted by willjames

Esteemed chaps,

I'm in a quandary and require your expert advice. My current 330d is 3 years old in less than a month and I'm wondering on my options.

I'm approx 28 months into a 48 month PCP contract and approx 6 months away from the VT point. With my car currently on the cusp of the 3 year warranty expiring I have enquired about the extended warranty. The one I'm considering is the comprehensive warranty which is approx £57.00 per month (£100 excess) however when I add everything up I can't help thinking that I could maybe get myself in a 340i for a similar cost or cheaper cost overall per month than what I'm paying now plus the warranty.

What are my options? Do I need to stick with until VT point, walk away and start again or can I exit early? Not sure on the penalties for that though.

I'd love the new G20 however I'm thinking that it will be a good while yet before they release the touring and engine I would want with a decent discount, so do I take advantage of a cracking deal now as they are looking to sell the current 3er before they start churning out the new one?

Any advice welcome and a thousand thanks in advance

You don't need to spend that amount of dosh on warranty for a 3 year old BMW.

[thescouselander]

Even if you can't VT you can still buy your way out by either

1) Selling your car and paying off the balance on the PCP loan. By selling yourself you should get a better price Vs trade-in giving you a better shot at having some equity.

2) If you are in negative equity you could trade in anyway roll any outstanding loan amount in to the next PCP. Not sure I'd recommend that though.

Do you know what your car is worth Vs the outstanding loan amount?

I was in a similar situation recently and came out on top by selling my car via Wizzle who got me a good price which even left a good bit towards the deposit for the next car.

As to whether you should change that's up to you but personally I wouldn't swap into an end of line model unless I got a very significant discount. I also went for the 4 Series GC.

[willjames]

The 4 GC sounds like a good option actually.

[Alice Coupe]

You can also take out a further few years PCP with BMWFS.
You can pay some capital off if you wish (or none) to lower payments and they will set you up with a new GFV.
As for warranty, it's a personal choice. You could choose to put £57 in the bank every month and self insure.

Weigh up a new car carefully - new is always an expensive option!

[MashinBenzin]

Originally Posted by willjames

The 4 GC sounds like a good option actually.

I'd recommend that to you as well as long as it hits the financial numbers you need.

The 4s have a bit more about them than the 3s - I often roll up behind F36s and think how fine looking they are. Something about being at drivers eye level that really makes them look great. Frameless doors add a nice touch of differentiation. And the standard spec is better than the 3.

Whilst the G20 will undoubtedly date the F36, it will remain a current model and won't date as fast as the F30/1. Same with the E9x generation, a good E92 looks a lot more modern now than an E90.

More prosaically, it's a brilliantly practical big hatchback.

[goodbyalfa]

Originally Posted by willjames

The 4 GC sounds like a good option actually.

Love mine. It's awesome. Looks better in the flesh from all angles

[creepy coupe]

Will have you got any PX value on your car? i would, as Diesel values have been hit pretty hard. You might find it better to hold to the VT point and then PX values won't be your problem.

[DB118D]

You need a bit more info before you can make an informed decision

First thing to do is get a settlement figure from BMWFS. Then run your reg and mileage through We Buy Any Car and a few similar sites.

You'll then be able to judge what your equity position is likely to be

With regards to exiting early - you can exit your agreement whenever you like within the term by paying off the settlement figure. This will be calculated to include an interest rebate and there will be no "penalty" as such

If it turns out you have negative equity, the best thing to do would be to sit it out for 6 months and VT (assuming the car is in good condition and you've not breached your mileage cap, pro-rata). PX'ing with negative equity just eats your available discount, meaning higher monthlies, unless you pay the negative equity off yourself. You need to weigh up whether the negative equity amount is greater or less than 6 months payments

[willjames]

Originally Posted by DB118D

You need a bit more info before you can make an informed decision

First thing to do is get a settlement figure from BMWFS. Then run your reg and mileage through We Buy Any Car and a few similar sites.

You'll then be able to judge what your equity position is likely to be

With regards to exiting early - you can exit your agreement whenever you like within the term by paying off the settlement figure. This will be calculated to include an interest rebate and there will be no "penalty" as such

If it turns out you have negative equity, the best thing to do would be to sit it out for 6 months and VT (assuming the car is in good condition and you've not breached your mileage cap, pro-rata). PX'ing with negative equity just eats your available discount, meaning higher monthlies, unless you pay the negative equity off yourself. You need to weigh up whether the negative equity amount is greater or less than 6 months payments

Sounds good. My car is in mint condition and mileage is lower overall than original allowance. I know exactly what's remaining to pay so as you suggest I might start getting an idea of what mine is worth first and go from there. Time for another spreadsheet me thinks...🤓

[DB118D]

A few recommend Tootle as a way of selling. May net a higher return than the usual suspects

You post an ad and receive offers from interested dealers. Getting a couple of interested parties usually works in your favour

[Jeff123]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Will have you got any PX value on your car? i would, as Diesel values have been hit pretty hard. You might find it better to hold to the VT point and then PX values won't be your problem.

In terms of diesel values, I don't think that they have been hit too hard at all.

I have owned mine for 14 months and was casually looking at Autotrader for 6 months before that. I still have the link to Autotrader and the values don't seem a great deal different to me relative to the fact that time has elapsed.

If I wanted the same car again at 2 years old, I would be paying very similar money to when I was looking - maybe £1k less, but that could be due to the G20 being released.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by Jeff123

In terms of diesel values, I don't think that they have been hit too hard at all.

I have owned mine for 14 months and was casually looking at Autotrader for 6 months before that. I still have the link to Autotrader and the values don't seem a great deal different to me relative to the fact that time has elapsed.

If I wanted the same car again at 2 years old, I would be paying very similar money to when I was looking - maybe £1k less, but that could be due to the G20 being released.

Talking to a used car sales manager not so long ago. He said they had been hit to the tune of circa 12%. And that they didn't want too many diesel used on site.
So PX's were not as good as they might have been. I also know of at least four BMW forum member who have jumped back to petrol. If you look at that percentage nationally. There has got to be more used soot chuckers for sale.

[Jeff123]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Talking to a used car sales manager not so long ago. He said they had been hit to the tune of circa 12%. And that they didn't want too many diesel used on site.
So PX's were not as good as they might have been. I also know of at least four BMW forum member who have jumped back to petrol. If you look at that percentage nationally. There has got to be more used soot chuckers for sale.

You are probably right with the 12% figure. The values were being hit when I bought mine and some that I looked at seemed to drop maybe £2k before they were sold.

[Sasquartch]

Depends on whether EU5 or 6. I would think a late 2015 car would be definitely EU6 so I dont think the value will be hit as hard as older cars

[Alice Coupe]

I don't believe diesel prices have been hit. I valued my car on WBAC over 6 months ago and again just now. Apparently it's lost £300. That said, it's an EU6.

You really have to think why you want to change.
If cost is a concern, the extended warranty you cite is £650 per year - that's really nothing. So is it the car monthlies that's the problem? Well you've been paying them for 28 months. Perhaps it's the equity. It's normal to be in negative equity during a PCP. Don't let it scare you, things tend to level out.

Or maybe it's the lure of that new car? Many people chop cars regularly - that's their choice and that's ok. I looked at changing a year back and decided while I might go for a 440 or 435 engine, everything else would be no different. My car is still in a very new condition so for me, I felt it wasn't worth it.
Instead, I extended my PCP, which dropped my overall monthly cost of ownership right down and I'll now wait for the new G20 4 series (probably).

[willjames]

Originally Posted by Alice Coupe

I don't believe diesel prices have been hit. I valued my car on WBAC over 6 months ago and again just now. Apparently it's lost £300. That said, it's an EU6.

You really have to think why you want to change.
If cost is a concern, the extended warranty you cite is £650 per year - that's really nothing. So is it the car monthlies that's the problem? Well you've been paying them for 28 months. Perhaps it's the equity. It's normal to be in negative equity during a PCP. Don't let it scare you, things tend to level out.

Or maybe it's the lure of that new car? Many people chop cars regularly - that's their choice and that's ok. I looked at changing a year back and decided while I might go for a 440 or 435 engine, everything else would be no different. My car is still in a very new condition so for me, I felt it wasn't worth it.
Instead, I extended my PCP, which dropped my overall monthly cost of ownership right down and I'll now wait for the new G20 4 series (probably).

The reason for the change is the lure of a new car compared to the cost I'm currently paying with the warranty costs added on. I know I could self insure or get a different type of warranty but I'm quite risk averse so would rather pay a little more for a better product.

I've requested a settlement figure and got some figures back this morning from online websites. It was less than expected and the figure of 12% down on previous times seems accurate had others have said.

[Hugrov]

As others have said, I can also thoroughly recommend the move to a 4GC, I went from a F30 to a F36 earlier this year and I'm very happy I did, I honestly can't think of a more practical (and good looking) car, standard equipment is slightly better too.

[willjames]

Originally Posted by Hugrov

As others have said, I can also thoroughly recommend the move to a 4GC, I went from a F30 to a F36 earlier this year and I'm very happy I did, I honestly can't think of a more practical (and good looking) car, standard equipment is slightly better too.

Looks good. What colour is that? Is it silver or a fancy individual grey colour?

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by willjames

Looks good. What colour is that? Is it silver or a fancy individual grey colour?

It's Glacier Silver (standard colour), I personally think silver suits the GC shape/lines particularly well and you don't see that many about really.

[willjames]

I might be getting a bit ahead of myself but are the wheels on the 3 & 4 interchangeable? I.e will my OEM 405 winter wheels fit the 4 series?