Hi all,
Have just introduced myself in the other section!
I'm 21 years old and have currently got a a 2001 BMW 318ti SE Auto on LPG. Was my first 'big' car since I started working and have done 30,000 miles over the last 2 years in it. Around town its not actually great, it gets something like 22-24mpg which is offset by the cost of lpg. Something like £10 per 50-60 miles or so. On the motorway I get 33-38 mpg which on lpg translates to something like £10 per 95-100 miles.
I have a 600cc motorbike, so speed isn't everything to me (at least in my car) but the BMW is slow, doesn't change gear when I want it to and is now starting to feel 'tired' (at least to me).
I've always wanted a convertible (funny as I don't like drawing attention to myself). Don't want a BMW 3 coupe as they are literally everywhere and more and more chavvy people drive them, don't like the volvo C70, can't afford an Alfa (and don't want reliability issues).
I've started looking at A4 Cabriolets. Now I don't actually need one, this is purely a want thing if I can find the right one.
Whatever I get will be converted to LPG as it makes sense to me. Obviously at the age I'm looking at (2002-2006) there's the choice of 1.8t, 2.4 and 3.0.
I've discounted the 2.4 as looking at the figures it seems to be not much more pokey than the 1.8 and not much more economical than the 3.0 - Is this wrong?
In terms of real life town and motorway mpg what is the difference between the 1.8 and 3.0? My BMW 'book' says urban should be 28-30mpg but I get 22-24, without a heavy foot. I put this down soley to the rubbish gearbox but is it the same for the 1.8 & 3.0? I tend to do 2 thirds motorway, third town driving. My currently 2.0 BMW is fairly composed on the motorway (around 2.5k revs at 70), which one would be better for this?
Reading about the CVT gearbox seems like a no no. In the 3.0 much better is it made by a manual box and does it make a whole lot of difference with regards to mpg and performance?
Anything else I should look for?
Sorry for all the questions!
Piemuncher
Have just introduced myself in the other section!
I'm 21 years old and have currently got a a 2001 BMW 318ti SE Auto on LPG. Was my first 'big' car since I started working and have done 30,000 miles over the last 2 years in it. Around town its not actually great, it gets something like 22-24mpg which is offset by the cost of lpg. Something like £10 per 50-60 miles or so. On the motorway I get 33-38 mpg which on lpg translates to something like £10 per 95-100 miles.
I have a 600cc motorbike, so speed isn't everything to me (at least in my car) but the BMW is slow, doesn't change gear when I want it to and is now starting to feel 'tired' (at least to me).
I've always wanted a convertible (funny as I don't like drawing attention to myself). Don't want a BMW 3 coupe as they are literally everywhere and more and more chavvy people drive them, don't like the volvo C70, can't afford an Alfa (and don't want reliability issues).
I've started looking at A4 Cabriolets. Now I don't actually need one, this is purely a want thing if I can find the right one.
Whatever I get will be converted to LPG as it makes sense to me. Obviously at the age I'm looking at (2002-2006) there's the choice of 1.8t, 2.4 and 3.0.
I've discounted the 2.4 as looking at the figures it seems to be not much more pokey than the 1.8 and not much more economical than the 3.0 - Is this wrong?
In terms of real life town and motorway mpg what is the difference between the 1.8 and 3.0? My BMW 'book' says urban should be 28-30mpg but I get 22-24, without a heavy foot. I put this down soley to the rubbish gearbox but is it the same for the 1.8 & 3.0? I tend to do 2 thirds motorway, third town driving. My currently 2.0 BMW is fairly composed on the motorway (around 2.5k revs at 70), which one would be better for this?
Reading about the CVT gearbox seems like a no no. In the 3.0 much better is it made by a manual box and does it make a whole lot of difference with regards to mpg and performance?
Anything else I should look for?
Sorry for all the questions!
Piemuncher
