We are looking for a super thick winter sports gun with tuning potential.
It's the winter sports season again. This means that everyone and their mother (in the appropriate mother-in-law box) go on holiday to the mountains. For us romantic car enthusiasts, it means that it is time for a winter sports cannon again.
A car that can do everything: fast, comfortable, spacious, lots of grip and nice and luxurious. Of course it will be a German party. If you hate Germans, we will soon have good news for you! For now we will almost go Deutsch, because everything comes from southern Germany.
Because look, a new M3 Touring or RS6 Avant is super cool and currently the HOTTEST winter sports guns available. But they are also quite pricey. What if you buy a big car for a fraction of the amount? And then tickles him? What are the possibilities? Of course, 600 plus hp will be difficult, but 400 or so hp should be possible, right? You find one Dickschiff with 300 hp marketplace and then gets to work. Can you manage that?
In short, we ask the question and answer it immediately for you, for your education and entertainment.
The wishes and requirements for a winter sports cannon with tuning potential can be viewed below:
Current car / previous cars | Something boring and reliable |
Private / business | Private, but may be representative |
Lease / Buy | Buy |
Budget | €20,000 |
Fuel preference | No |
Reason for purchasing another car | We are looking for a winter sports cannon with tuning potential |
Family composition | 2 adults, 2 children and a roof box |
Preferred brands/models | Big German stations |
No-gos | Something that is different from the above |
How do we get the numbers?
- Consumption via Sprit monitor
- Fuel price via United Consumers (2.309 per liter 98, 1.997 per liter diesel)
- Motor vehicle tax via tax authorities
- Average of various insurers, Utrecht resident, 40 years old, 10 claim-free years, all-risk
Audi A6 Avant 3.0 TFSI quatto S-Line (4G)
€19,945
2012
195,000 km
What is it?
An Audi with a special engine: the 3.0 V6 with mechanical compressor. This block is particularly easy to tickle. In the Audi A6 it delivers 300 hp and in the S4 333 hp. But there is much more space: with a different pulley, intercooler, air intake and chip you can easily achieve 450 hp and 550 Nm. Then suddenly 300 km/h is a piece of cake. The rest of the car is also great: the A6 still looks quite fresh and the interior is very nice.
How does it drive?
The quattro all-wheel drive system is unsurpassed. It's not an exciting car, but it is an extremely capable one. This 4G generation feels less obese than its predecessor, the 4F (which you can also get with this engine). The transmission itself is fine, but not as refined as the better automatics with torque converter. What is also striking is that the torque is relatively modest compared to the power. Tuned, there is more than enough torque, but it is not extremely excessive. If you rev it enough, the top power is really impressive. With this you can surprise many Porsches on the left side of the Autobahn.
Cost
- Consumption: 1 to 8.35
- Fuel costs: €461
- Weight: 1,790 kg
- Motor vehicle tax: €108
- Insurance: €105
- Total costs per month: €674
Maintenance forecast:
An Audi can be extremely expensive to maintain. And sometimes it's not that bad. It is important that you ensure that the chain does not make noise during a cold start. That is an extremely expensive fix, namely. Another thing to pay attention to is the S Tronic transmission, which shifts well and smoothly. Oil consumption is less of an issue with the 3.0, but it can certainly occur. So save 5k a year to keep the car up to date.
Depreciation forecast:
Big Audis often fall through a slightly deeper valley than big Benzes and BMWs. However, with the 3.0 TFSI there is something remarkable going on. They hold their value surprisingly well. That does not mean that you will not depreciate, it is mainly the engine that you want if you are looking for an A6 of this year.
BMW 535d xDrive Touring (F11)
€17,950 (Universal merchant)
2013
220,000 km
What is it?
A very big diesel, this time. The 535d had more power than the 535i and you can easily tune it to more power than the petrols. At least, a Stage I yields more than a 535d. There was also an even faster M550d and you can also find that in the budget, but those are not the most reliable engines (turbos, bearing shells, chain). With a different intercooler, air filter and ECU adjustment, 380 to 400 hp is possible. Of course the torque is more important: 700-800 Nm! Sounds like the ultimate BMW 5 Series!
How does it drive?
Different from the Audi. The BMW 535d xDrive has hydraulic steering and therefore actually has some feeling. Something that the Audi doesn't have. The engine runs very smoothly, but of course you can hear that it is a diesel. The engine and automatic transmission are tuned to each other. It's a great combination, even if you leave it as standard. Keep in mind that 400 hp always results in high consumption, yes, even with a diesel. In terms of handling, the 535d is a bit more of a boat than the Audi, although many examples have Adaptive Drive with active anti-roll bars.
BMW 5 Series costs
- Consumption: 1 to 12.05
- Fuel costs: €277
- Weight: 1,870 kg
- Motor vehicle tax: €189
- Insurance: €130 pm
- Total costs per month: €596
Maintenance forecast
It's a BMW, so that means you automatically have to replace the water pump. This is a car weighing almost two tons (in terms of weight) and over a ton (in terms of euros). So the maintenance costs are correspondingly. Especially because you have an older copy with a lot of miles. So check maintenance carefully! That is really extremely important in this case. But you lose 3-5 per year and nothing strange happens.
Depreciation forecast
Compared to the new price, this car will not depreciate much anymore. But you will still lose something. That anyway. A large, heavy diesel is not really common (although it is becoming increasingly rare). On the other hand, E61 535ds with 4-5 tons on the clock always yield 4-7 grand.
Mercedes-Benz E500 4Matic Estate (S212)
€15,800 (Germany, universal trader)
2012
315,000 km (yes, not turned forward)
What is it?
A very big Benz that we pulled our hair out for a while. Basically, this is YOLO material. The E500 of this generation E-Class (the S212) initially had the naturally aspirated 5.5 liter V8. That later became this 4.7 liter V8 with two turbos. Mercedes opted for relatively high compression with low turbo pressure. That's why it sounds and reacts more like a naturally aspirated engine. However, there are tuning options, with a simple ECU adjustment you can reach 530 hp and more than 800 Nm. These were not long ago pure AMG values.
How does it drive?
Not as sporty as an AMG. You will notice that the E500 is the largest and heaviest in this overview. The automatic transmission is behind the steering wheel, which is something of a precursor to the driving characteristics. The fact that the car is not made for winding back roads does not mean that the E500 4Matic cannot do it. However, on the Autobahn you are lord and master. The E500 is comfortable, but certainly not soft. Thanks to the engine, you can take huge steps and thanks to the large fuel tank (80 liters) you can drive a long way before you have to refuel again. The sound is wonderful!
Cost
- Consumption: 1 to 8.48
- Fuel costs: €454
- Weight: 1,975 kg
- Motor vehicle tax: €126
- Insurance: €135
- Total costs per month: €715
Maintenance forecast:
This will leave you running on empty, because an E500 is of course not cheap in terms of maintenance. When it comes to pure reliability, the E500 with 5.5 V8 is even better, but this Biturbo 4.7 is not as bad as BMW's 4.4. In any case, it is important to ensure that all maintenance is always done on time. These are not cars where you have to cut corners, to borrow a cliché.
Depreciation forecast
A big Benz in good condition is always worth money. Of course you will depreciate the necessary euros, but know that you are driving a car weighing more than a ton. Then it's not too bad again. If we look at older E500s, people still ask good money for them. They are special cars after all.
YOLO: Alpina B3 S Touring Allrad (E91)
€20,000 (Germany, private)
2011
255,000 km
What is it?
A very old BMW E91. Until recently, BMW did not build an M3 Touring and this car comes closest. The special thing about the Alpina B3 S is the engine. The regular 335i has the N55 engine, but the Alpina has the (much) more tickleable N54 engines. And then it has also been made slightly stronger by Alpina. This means even bigger margins! It is and remains an E91, so it is not a very spacious car. In fact, some Ford Focus Wagon owners are laughing their heads off.
How does it drive?
In the context of a winter sports cannon, we are looking for one with four-wheel drive. You actually want rear-wheel drive for the ultimate driving pleasure. A big BMW with xDrive is a bit like going out with a very beautiful girl plus her great-aunt as Nuchslep. The engine is an absolute old-school gem. The 'S' version is already good for 400 hp as standard, but it is quite easy to significantly increase that number.
Costs Alpina B3
- Consumption: 1 to 8.84
- Fuel costs: €436
- Weight: 1,705 kg
- Motor vehicle tax: €100
- Insurance: €100
- Total costs per month: €636
Maintenance forecast:
Take out your wallet! Yes, the N54 has greater tuning potential than the N55, but it is also more sensitive. In any case, Alpinas are never very cheap. The chassis is quite sensitive: so check the wishbones, tire wear and rim damage. And of course all engine items that can break, such as the injectors, bearing shells and water pump. It is better to replace the latter preventively, because they will break anyway.
Depreciation forecast:
You win points here, because Alpinas have a very stable value. Extremely stable in value. And yes, even if they make miles. Alpinas are made for a lot of riding. Alpinas are also frequently kept in various registers. Reversing an Alpina can hardly go unnoticed. Older Alpinas, with a lot of kilometers, are still worth a lot of money. The quality is often very good and there are simply more people who like it.
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This article Winter sports cannon with tuning potential (20K) – AB Advies first appeared on Autoblog.nl.
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