Kind of done my usual trick of deciding to sell a car and things happening rather quickly.
As the Westfield was hopelessly impractical (no surprises there) as having recently getting back with my wife after an 8 month separation there are three of us rather than just me and our son it was time to sell and buy a 2+2 convertible that was still ideally a V8 so that no one would be left at home when 2nd car days were in the diary.
Numerous cars were considered, not all of them convertibles (C5 RS6, M6 coupe, Cayenne GTS, CL500, CLK55, 147GTa etc), only real criteria was to be cost neutral including all incidentals after selling the Westfield.
After doing some research the car that seemed to tick most boxes was a BMW 650 convertible.
Wanted to buy on condition and history rather than colour, mileage, spec or age and after much searching came up with a shortlist of cars, some LCI, others not but to be honest I was not really hung up on it needing to be an LCI.
Top of the list to view was a 2005 car 80 miles away from me (unusually close by my standards), so after the Westfield was collected on Saturday (a whole 6 days after being put up for sale and realising my full asking price) up the M6 I set.
All I can say is that if Carlsberg did buying experiences it would be this one - what an epic BMW specialist, knowledgeable, friendly, incredible prep (who ensures all hubs and calipers are cleaned and repainted prior to sale!!!) and reasonably priced.
The whole afternoon had been set aside for us but I knew within a couple of minutes I was buying the car - exactly as described. After a lengthy test drive a deal was done at the full asking price - I figured it simply was not worth losing any goodwill for the sake of maybe a couple of hundred pounds price reduction - it was also fairly priced to start with.
Spec is decent - nappa leather, HUD, heated steering wheel, comfort seats on top of a pretty lengthy standard spec
Only a 2 owner car, full BMW history, brand new Goodyears and the valve stem seals only just done (with paperwork to support)
Was not sure about Mineral Silver in the pictures - I feared it might be a very pale Jewish Racing Gold but in the metal its a lovely warm silver, neither did I think I'd like the wheels but again, in the metal they really suit the car
So I went from deciding to sell the Westfield through to its sale, collection and purchase of a replacement in 6 days - quietly impressed with myself.
Will be collected on Saturday and a leisurely drive home will ensue, have some plans for it but these will unfold and be shared in due course
Couple of the advert pics below
As the Westfield was hopelessly impractical (no surprises there) as having recently getting back with my wife after an 8 month separation there are three of us rather than just me and our son it was time to sell and buy a 2+2 convertible that was still ideally a V8 so that no one would be left at home when 2nd car days were in the diary.
Numerous cars were considered, not all of them convertibles (C5 RS6, M6 coupe, Cayenne GTS, CL500, CLK55, 147GTa etc), only real criteria was to be cost neutral including all incidentals after selling the Westfield.
After doing some research the car that seemed to tick most boxes was a BMW 650 convertible.
Wanted to buy on condition and history rather than colour, mileage, spec or age and after much searching came up with a shortlist of cars, some LCI, others not but to be honest I was not really hung up on it needing to be an LCI.
Top of the list to view was a 2005 car 80 miles away from me (unusually close by my standards), so after the Westfield was collected on Saturday (a whole 6 days after being put up for sale and realising my full asking price) up the M6 I set.
All I can say is that if Carlsberg did buying experiences it would be this one - what an epic BMW specialist, knowledgeable, friendly, incredible prep (who ensures all hubs and calipers are cleaned and repainted prior to sale!!!) and reasonably priced.
The whole afternoon had been set aside for us but I knew within a couple of minutes I was buying the car - exactly as described. After a lengthy test drive a deal was done at the full asking price - I figured it simply was not worth losing any goodwill for the sake of maybe a couple of hundred pounds price reduction - it was also fairly priced to start with.
Spec is decent - nappa leather, HUD, heated steering wheel, comfort seats on top of a pretty lengthy standard spec
Only a 2 owner car, full BMW history, brand new Goodyears and the valve stem seals only just done (with paperwork to support)
Was not sure about Mineral Silver in the pictures - I feared it might be a very pale Jewish Racing Gold but in the metal its a lovely warm silver, neither did I think I'd like the wheels but again, in the metal they really suit the car
So I went from deciding to sell the Westfield through to its sale, collection and purchase of a replacement in 6 days - quietly impressed with myself.
Will be collected on Saturday and a leisurely drive home will ensue, have some plans for it but these will unfold and be shared in due course
Couple of the advert pics below