Scaff's new car (at last) - now with better pictures and a rubbish video

[Scaff]

Well after being on order since mid November my new car has finally arrived, so with 84,500 miles on the clock it was bye-bye to my Celica...

..and hello to my new BMW 320 M-Sport

Sorry for the rather poor pictures off my phone, but I have only just picked it up, so better ones will be following, but I wanted to share my new toy with you all.

Regards

Scaff

 

[Bram Turismo]

Wow, that BMW looks really sweet but what I wonder is. What made you buying it? Did you just wanted a new car or was there something wrong with the Celica because it still looks in very good shape 👍 And only 90,000 miles...


*COUGH* I'm turning 18 soon *COUGH*

 

[TopHat]

Oooh, pretty red BMW, you hardly ever see red 3 series!

 

[Scaff]

Wow, that BMW looks really sweet but what I wonder is. What made you buying it? Did you just wanted a new car or was there something wrong with the Celica because it looks it's still in very good shape 👍


*COUGH* I'm turning 18 soon *COUGH*

Company car so I had no choice in the change (in fact the Celica was well overdue), the Celica itself was still running very, very well. So somewhere in the UK a dark metalic green Celica will be up for auction very soon, with 84k miles and four years old it should go out for a good price.

Oooh, pretty red BMW, you hardly ever see red 3 series!

One of the reasons I went for the colour, too many in silver and black around to go for those colours and my dad had a red 3-series a few years ago (last model) and I loved the colour. I must also admit I was very, very close to ordering it in white, but the thought of washing it as much as white would need in the UK put me off, so red it was.

Regards

Scaff

 

[Touring Mars]

Very nice Scaff 👍 I have one almost exactly the same, except 43 times smaller

 

[a112]

Nice car Scaff,good luck with it.

 

[daan]

Nice car.

Make sure you don't use your indicators, and remember to cut people up on motorways...

 

[kikie]

Yep, nice car. Although I'm not that keen on the latest BMW models. Good luck with it.

 

[G.T]

Great car, Scaff! Good colour too, as I also agree with silver and black ones being too common. Good decision to go for red, as white is too clinical.

 

[TheCracker]

Great car Scaff!, nice choice of colour too 👍

Nice car.

Make sure you don't use your indicators, and remember to cut people up on motorways...

Talking on your mobile without the handsfree headset is also essential now. I'll keep an eye out for a red 3-series no more than a cigerette papers width behind me on the motorway

 

[kikie]

as white is too clinical.

I like white cars. If i'm going to have another car, it's probably going to be in white.

 

[Sureboss]

Very nice Scaff 👍 I have one almost exactly the same, except 43 times smaller

Didn't know we had a pygmy population living in London, let alone a pygmy car factory!

 

[KSaiyu]

That looks cool in red, nice.

 

[Scaff]

Very nice Scaff 👍 I have one almost exactly the same, except 43 times smaller

Now that might be a bit too small for me to fit into.

Nice car.

Make sure you don't use your indicators, and remember to cut people up on motorways...

Talking on your mobile without the handsfree headset is also essential now. I'll keep an eye out for a red 3-series no more than a cigerette papers width behind me on the motorway

I know I now have to throw years of good driving habits out of the window, but that does remind me I need to get the handsfree kit installed (which work are also kind enough to pay for), you can get bluetooth prep for BMW's but I have heard of too many problems with compatibility to add that to the option list.


@All - thanks for all the feedback, I know the current 3-series does divide opinions when it comes to looks, but I like the M-Sport bodykit and in red it does look good (to me), anyway how it drives is the most important bit and more news on that after my trip back home. I just have to restrain myself for he running in period, under 4,500rpm for the first 1,000 miles.

Regards

Scaff

 

[daan]

Now that might be a bit too small for me to fit into.

Reminds me of the time my then 3 year old neice (She's 5 now) tried to get into one of my 1/18th scale models. She opened the door and tried to get her bum in...

 

[Rue]

Congratulations on the purchase. Good choice on the colour, I have never seen one in that shade before.

 

[TB]

So you had to buy it or work bought it for you? Either way, congrats on the new wheels! I'm not a huge fan of red, but black and silver BMW's are everywhere, so good call there.

 

[Dave A]

Nice car Scaff, the colour does suit it very well. You've been waiting for this for quite a while haven't you?

 

[Scaff]

So you had to buy it or work bought it for you? Either way, congrats on the new wheels! I'm not a huge fan of red, but clack and silver BMW's are everywhere, so good call there.

Technically its leased by work for me (and then the tax man steals all my money), but I got given certain limits (insurance group, £ per month, etc) and as long as it was within those I can get it.

Nice car Scaff, the colour does suit it very well. You've been waiting for this for quite a while haven't you?

Ta for the feedback, and yes I have been waiting a while, the order was placed back in the middle of November, it was a factory build so it took a while. Well worth the wait.

Congratulations on the purchase. Good choice on the colour, I have never seen one in that shade before.

The colour is quite a new shade I believe and I have to say it looks great in the metal.

Reminds me of the time my then 3 year old neice (She's 5 now) tried to get into one of my 1/18th scale models. She opened the door and tried to get her bum in...

Nothing broken or damaged on either party I hope.


Regards

Scaff

 

[///M-Spec]

It's here! Congratulations my friend, it looks great. 👍

Now you must bear the pain of exercising monk-like restraint during the run in period.

Please post some pictures of the interior when you get a chance. We don't get the M-Sport over here yet and I'd love to see the Alcantara bits. Did BMW put Bridgestone RE050A RTFs on the car or did you get something else?


M

 

[Slick Rick]

Really nice car man, how come the Celica had such high mileage, It doesnt look that old, do you drive a lot?

 

[Scaff]

It's here! Congratulations my friend, it looks great. 👍

Now you must bear the pain of exercising monk-like restraint during the run in period.

Please to post some pictures of the interior when you get a chance. We don't get the M-Sport over here yet and I'd love to see the lovely Alcantara bits. Did BMW put Bridgestone RE050A RTFs on the car or did you get something else?


M

Thanks M, the running in period is going to be a bit of a bind, but as the engine does feel rather tight at present it will be worth the effort, but the last 2k of the rev range is the fun bit for this one so I can hardly wait.

Tyres are indeed Bridgestone RE050A RTFs and I am currently trying to get some better pictures up at present (imageshack is playing silly buggers), including some of the interior. Which I have to say is bloody lovely, loads of alcantara, antracite coloured headlining (which looks great), and some nice brushed aluminium trim. The M-Sports seats are wonderfully supportive and the range of adjustment is stunning, I particularly like the electrically adjustable side bolsters, that toy I'm not going to get bored with.

Based on the short drive back from work (25 miles) its going to be a great car to live with and have fun with; its very, very easy to place on the road and the feel from the steering is good with a nice degree of weight to it (no stupid steering assist here - one box that did not get ticked). Primary ride is very, very good; far better than the Celica's. The one area I was slightly worried about, that of secondary ride, is actually not that bad at all, it takes a fairly big bump, pothole or road intrusion to send much back through the chassis. So the run-flats are not as bad as I had initially feared, although I'm glad I stuck with the standard 17" as anything larger may have made it a bit painful in this area.

I promise as soon as imageshack starts working again I will get the pictures loaded up.

Really nice car man, how come the Celica had such high mileage, It doesnt look that old, do you drive a lot?

The Celica was a shade over four years old, so it averaged 21,250 miles a year, so yes I do drive a fair mileage a year. Just part of the job, I have to train all over the country, so I average between 20k to 25k a year; unfortunately it looks like that could be higher this year so the new car came at the right time.



Regards

Scaff

 

[Duke]

Gorgeous! I remember from my search of AutoTrader that BMWs only come in black, charcoal grey, and silver. Nice to see someeone branching out, and I agree, it's stunning in red. I'm envious - congratulations!

Looking at it from the front, I'm reminded that alone among the new BMWs, I could love the 3 if it weren't for that chrome milk mustache above the grilles. They should have found a better way to make the hoodline work there. That's really the main thing that bothers me, which is a titanic improvement over the other Bangle-studio cars.

Funny how the new 5 is so dumpy and misproportioned, while the 3 managed to maintain some stance to it.

 

[Scaff]

At last imageshack wants to play...












plus a crappy video of the interior



Scaff

 

[Jay]

Nice car Scaff.

To be honest I am not to fond of red on most cars really but its nice to see a E90 that isn't black, grey or silver 👍

 

[Duke]

So that's what I'll be looking at driving in about 6 years 👍

 

[TheCracker]

I'm liking the interior Scaff 👍 - it look's quality.

The engine sits pretty well back in the bay - shame all modern engine bays look to be styled by Tupperware.

 

[Scaff]

I'm liking the interior Scaff 👍 - it look's quality.

The engine sits pretty well back in the bay - shame all modern engine bays look to be styled by Tupperware.

The interior is very, very nice. Standard I-Pod/MP3 player link and 'can-cooler' in the armrest are nice touches as well. The steering wheel is a little on the thick side after the Celica, but I'm sure I can get used to that.

The engine does indeed sit well back in the bay, which is nice to see (nearly resists Audi comment - oh damn it I can't - look Audi this is the place the engine goes, not right over the front wheels), and the battery is also boot mounted as well.

Another nice touch is a nice big boot-bin in place of the spare (no spare because of the run-flats).



Regards

Scaff

 

[TB]

Stupid question. In these 2 pictures:

what are the little panels in the drivers side front and rear bumper for?

 

[///M-Spec]

Good stuff, Scaff. I like that perforated leather on the wheel and shift knob.

The steering wheel is a little on the thick side after the Celica, but I'm sure I can get used to that.

You should try the M Coupe/Roadster's wheel... it's almost as thick around as my wrist!

Stupid question. In these 2 pictures:
what are the little panels in the drivers side front and rear bumper for?

They contain the attachment points for the tow eye. If you need to be towed out of the weeds, you pop the panel open, torque down the tow eye from the tool kit and hook the tow cable up to it. Much better than bending suspension components or tearing off the bumper.


EDIT: I just realised.. the video IS RUBBISH! I demand copious throttle blipping and a huge smokey burn out!


EDIT2: Toe.. tow.. to-MAY-tow... to-MAH-toe.


M