The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Well, I just did something today that I never thought I'd do.....

I just made a deal at my local BMW dealership to trade my much loved (and not very old) BMW 550i M Sport for something a little more..... er...... "sensible". Yes, I've just traded my top of the range petrol 5 series, for a 3 year old diesel 320d M Sport Saloon.

For someone who's into cars almost as much as they're into watches, this is something of a killer blow for me. However, with petrol reaching £1.35 GBP per litre where I live (that's almost $10 USD a gallon for you Stateside guys), and the fact that I've been getting 19.1 mpg recently from the 550, it's slowly becoming a practical necessity. I honestly believe big petrol-engined cars are going to be totally worthless in the UK if this carries on, so I've made a clinical decision to avoid being forced to bend over and take it from the government on fuel duty any longer than I have to.

So with the 320d being a much lighter car, with less than half the engine size, and being diesel instead of petrol, HOPEFULLY I'll see the difference in my wallet....... and that will HOPEFULLY go some way to cheering me up while I'm dealing with the lack of performance.

The UK Government - Sucking The Life Out Of Life.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Last year we had to go from two cars to one as the cost of tax,insurance,fuel etc etc was just nearly making it not worth going to work, Well not that bad but bad enough so we traded our 206 TDi & Fiesta for a Focus C Max TDCI, Its great and the C Max is surprisingly quick its the 2.0 135bhp and is 6 speed But its a pain if I dont have a works van like over xmas and then its car sharing time

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I'm guessing that diesel is less expensive for you guys D8? It's usually a bit more expensive than premium, at least in my part of the country.

Cars are one of the biggest differences that I noticed when I left the UK for Canada. Insurance is still pretty hefty - a combination of weather, longer average driving distances and more liability limits offsetting the lower number of cars per given area and lower theft rates.

Car cost is a lot lower than in the UK (although a lot higher than the US) and gas is still affordable - $1.10 per litre at the moment ($4.60 per UK gallon, $4.20 per US gallon).

We seem to have been fairly immune from the move to smaller / fuel efficient vehicles - the cities get hybrids and Smart cars, but up here in rural Ontario it's still dominated by trucks and SUVs - but we need them.

It is sad that things in the UK have got to the point where even people with good jobs have to scale back because of the crazy car related tax rates.

Sadly not - diesel is around 5p a litre more expensive than petrol (even though it's easier to make than petrol ), but the better fuel economy makes diesel an infinitely better bet than a big petrol engine.

The UK economy is going to grind to a halt soon as hauliers are really feeling the pinch, which means the price of everything else goes up. Sure the new goverment needed to sort out Labour's mess, but they're going about it entirely the wrong way and way too fast IMO.

(On a related note I saw a photo in the newspaper today of a guy in London filling up his Bugatti Veyron on Sloane Avenue. The 26 gallon tank cost him £164 GBP! Still, if you can afford a £1m car, you can't really complain about fuel prices! )

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I always look on auto trader at the most expensive cars and their prices should a lottery win come up, But what i have noticed in the last few years the few million pound plus cars are now a LOT less than they were even this time last year, For example most Veyrons were 1 - 1.2 mil and Enzos not far off that, The other day I looked and there were loads of Veryons and Enzos for £600,000-£800,000, One in particular made me laugh A FINANCE REPO a veryon finance repo WOW , Those bankers are having a tough time In fact McClaren Mercedes were £500,000 now there yours for half that. Its a tough time out there and it seams the rich are dumping their assets and prices are coming down.

enzo £850,000
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
Veyron £685,000
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
Finance Repo Veryon
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
McClaren £150,000
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

its tough at the top
by the way the rumour is this is Simon Cowels car £685,000
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

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WHY oh WHY 535d M

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.

'Cause that'd end up costing practically the same as the 550 to run! (OK not quite, but not enough of a difference to make it really worth my while changing).

The way I see it, whatever I bought all the time that fuel economy is a consideration is never going to be exactly what I want, so I made the decision to go pretty much to the other extreme. No halfway-houses for me!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Ya probably. I have had two 320d E-46 which I chanced from a IS200 you will soon forget the 550 as the visit to the pumps will be a lot lot less Towns no less than 40MPG motorways, Driving economically mind, 55+. And as you well know they are fun to drive. Thrown in the fact you get to still have those lovely M-sport seats ~45MGP and 170BHP...
You are on a winner..

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Breanach78

A Few Breitlings.

I have to say I dont know how you guys do it!

Driver, you need to come work over here for a few years! Zero taxes and $0.12 a gallon for Premium!

Look on the bright side, you guys have democracy!

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Certified watch nut.

Driver, the big question is what you're going to buy with all this extra cash that you'll have on hands? A nice new shiny watch on the wrist will be a nice distraction from all the cars passing you, no?

I'm quite certain that most Americans are ignorant as to gas prices and taxes in other countries. I guess I'll feel a little better next time I fill up at $3.09.

On a side note, last time gas was over $3/gallon here in the US, people were blaming the "big-oil Texan" in the White House. No one is saying a word about it this time around. Guess this time it's just supply and demand.

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Breitling Colt GMT
Breitling Navitimer World
IWC Portuguese Automatic
Breitling Transocean Chronograph LE

$0.12 a gallon?!?!?!?!?!? Now I know where half that truly amazing watch collection of yours comes from Altair!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I think that's a sure sign you've "grown up", D8.

'Tis a sad day, indeed.

In all seriousness, good luck with the car. At least the new Diesels don't have that awful ratchety tractor sound? And should fuel prices ever decrease, you might have saved enough to upgrade to something you like even more than the 550?

Not sure I fancy growing up just yet, Anez! I thought that only happened at 40!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Why the hell is gas so damn expensive over there? That's just ridiculous, I was flipping out when it went over $4 in Virginia.

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"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."