Quote:
Originally Posted by Pelo Cat
To answer your question first: the age when one wants luxury as their first criteria, usually after they have the need for speed out of their system.
But this is really only half the answer here in the UK, where BMW's are one of the most common brands on the roads...A 7 is still quite rare to see on UK roads and so a way to stand out a bit as well as being the choice for those looking to have great understated luxury, loads of technology and a bit of a sporty drive when your inner child comes to the fore!
I find the traffic density and increasing idiocy of the driving standard here in the UK are far less of a hassle when I'm cocooned in the 7 with some music going and adaptive cruise set...let the boy racers go by or cut you up...just smile as you are in comfort and enjoying your ride.
I'm late forties now and bought my first 7 while in my 40's but that means it just took me longer to get any need for speed out of my system before I realised that time is the one true luxury, and what better way to drive around the UK than in a 7? I tend to take off a bit earlier these days and just set the cruise for the speed limit and put some tunes on and enjoy a stress free drive now instead of trying to get there hell bent for leather and saving a few minutes but notching up the stress factor...
As to getting a 7 in the UK...buying brand new is a great option if you want/need to be the first registered keeper (due to 0% finance and dealer contribution of nearly 10k) but do consider a slightly used car as there are quite a few of those first G series 7's coming on the market now and decently loaded...especially the G12 models (due to the fact no one wants to try and find the parking space for the extra length or deal with the short turn radius of many NCP or other brand car parks these days)...You can generally talk to the dealers and get them to go down on price or on the finance interest rates for a used model 7 as these tend to still be 'outside' the standard BMW prospective buyer profile, so they are keen to sell them when they find an interested person.
The 6 is lovely, and effectively the room up front and luxury up front is similar to the F series 7, however, until the 6 gets the same interior update as the current G series, there is a world of difference in luxury and technology between the two...IMO.
Whatever age you move to the 7...you'll love it when you do!
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Interesting take and being from the UK I do sometimes question what the point of my current M5 is. There's either too much traffic or the weather is cold / raining and a 250 - 300hp hot hatch can leave me for dust. 4 wheel drive is a must on my next choice.
How do you find multistories in the UK with your 730d? Do you have the rear wheel steering package to make it easier?
Because of the amazing offers a fully loaded 740d isn't that much cheaper on a PCP than a M760Li which comes with all the toys pretty much as standard. There's about £100 in it on the monthlies so I'm very tempted to get rid of the M5 and go for that. Luxury and speed rolled into one. I've driven one and it comes with rear wheel steering and on the road doesn't feel bigger than my M5 to be honest.
However parking it with out bay sizes is the main concern. I figure multistories are a no go pretty much and I'll be sticking way out on most bays. For most not from the UK the bays are normally drawn out to 4.8 metres in length and the long wheel base is 5.2 metres...
I'm 39 by the way. It's like a mid life crisis and the other option of a 24 year old blonde would get me murdered by the wife so this is a safer choice
But joking aside at least in the UK people see my M5 who where happily cruising and all of a sudden they are tail gating me, cutting me up, wanting to race me in their 60bhp Ford Fiesta, etc. It's got a bit old so I'd have the M760Li debadged so hopefully no one would know what it was so an easy life. Or maybe I'll have a 316d put on the back
The fact the standard colours are so plain also helps blend in. Unless I spec an individual colour, my dealer has a M760Li in San Marino Blue which is amazing but you stand out even if you was debadged.
Think though it's just a chance to have a V12 before they are outlawed...