Thinking of selling 135i

[135iHusker]

Hi everyone!

I bought a 2008 135i M-sport (manual) about four years ago. I have absolutely loved the car, but since then I've taken a job where I work from home and now have two kids. Needless to say the car doesn't get used much - only 47k miles on the odometer right now.

My initial thought was to simply hold onto it as it should have hit the floor of the depreciation curve, but It seems to keep depreciating. KBB has a trade-in of only 10k now! Should I bite the bullet and cut it loose for a more practical car (thinking GTI) that would get more use? Or should I just hold onto it? My wife has a Touareg that gets all of the use at the moment.

I should mention that the water pump has already been replaced.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Dthltm]

Originally Posted by 135iHusker

Hi everyone!

I bought a 2008 135i M-sport (manual) about four years ago. I have absolutely loved the car, but since then I've taken a job where I work from home and now have two kids. Needless to say the car doesn't get used much - only 47k miles on the odometer right now.

My initial thought was to simply hold onto it as it should have hit the floor of the depreciation curve, but It seems to keep depreciating. KBB has a trade-in of only 10k now! Should I bite the bullet and cut it loose for a more practical car (thinking GTI) that would get more use? Or should I just hold onto it? My wife has a Touareg that gets all of the use at the moment.

I should mention that the water pump has already been replaced.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Sell. It won't stop depreciating for 12 more years

[shawnyeeah]

Low mileage, manual, with m-sport is going to fetch a bit more than what KBB says because it is not as common. The choice is yours. Personally, I don't see myself selling mine unless a 1m or m2 comes into possession.

[E91WAG3N]

Still plenty of deperciation left to go, take a look at what e46s and e36s sell for these days. E30s bottomed out about 5 ago and have started to climb up from the bottom but are still well under $10k. The floor on these cars will be a few grand once they're 15-20 years old.

[mr.fabulous]

Cars depreciate, any new(er) car is never a good investment. We buy these things for joy. If the car (still) brings you joy, keep it and relish in that happiness. Believe it or not, your wife wants you to be happy . If it's just a money pit and college for those kids is going to kill you no matter what (and it is), dump it and enjoy your family and your VW(s)... which will also be a horrible investment unless/until you buy something that has already depreciated to the floor... in which case you now have a new hobby keeping that old car running. Cars are pay-me-now or pay-me-later, there is no avoiding that, life costs money

Your kids will *love* their cool dad and his awesome little German sports car in another 10 years-ish

[135iHusker]

Thanks, guys. Good advice. Sports coupes with manuals will probably keep depreciating - we seem to be a dying breed with all the SUVs rolling out there. I'll probably list in the spring...

[c1pher]

I'd go with a Golf R or S3 as a replacement if you need to let it go. You'll get AWD vs FWD and power more comparable to the 135i.

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by yeezy4me

Low mileage, manual, with m-sport is going to fetch a bit more than what KBB says because it is not as common. The choice is yours. Personally, I don't see myself selling mine unless a 1m or m2 comes into possession.

This^^ Sell it privately, manual 135s are rare especially none modded ones with low mileage.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

This^^ Sell it privately, manual 135s are rare especially none modded ones with low mileage.

Agree, manual ones take a little more listing time but they sell. Put it on BMW CCA website and magazine. The one downside is that it's a midwest car, snow etc. But if you garage it over winter, should be OK.

I have a 1 series and wife drives a 2008 GTi. A lot of niggly things over the years but extremely practical and still fun. We bought DSG version but I would get manual with performance package. Wife was adamant about automatic but now she even says she would lean to manual GTI if we ever trade in. Periodically she drive my MT ZHP and likes it and we test drove manual Mk7 gti. Very light clutch, easy to drive and sounds great.

Best wishes.

[iminhell1]

Personally I don't feel they will depreciate much under the $10K mark (moderate/low miles). Unlike other series, the 1's are no longer in production and probably never will be again. So they have the rarity factor going for them as well as being very desirable to the tuner market due to ease of power and reliability at that power. If you have one that's well equipped, there are not really any new cars with things it doesn't have; Bluetooth, park assist, cameras, auto lights, etc. And they are the last with mechanical steering.
I think there's a lot of desirable things about the cars.

Now after miles add up and it's past all the extended warranties, then you have to be careful. Until then I think value should level out some.



As to selling the car, do you NEED the money?
If not just hold onto it for a fun car. Look at it this way, you've already thrown away $30,000 (car + expenses) and you're not going to find a much funner car for $10,000.

[135iHusker]

Good advice. Only mods are VMR wheels and PE (though I would likely put stock muffler back on before selling). Always garaged.

It looks like there are some maintenance items (walnut blast) and it's always possible something else can go, but given how little miles are put on it that seems unlikely.

Don't necessarily need the money. Its just the practical part of my brain speaking up - need to shut that down! 😊

[angler]

Keep the car. Where are you going to get a car for 10k or so that is as much fun as this one?

[x4WARNEDx]

I might be interested in th car, im in the market for a 135i right now

[ilikebmxbikes]

Keep the car - or sell it to me to be turned into a monster

[jmorriss33]

Sent you a Private Message!

[tommyb13662]

Also sent a private message.