VW Golf II

I bought my first car at the end of my military service, in April 1999. It was a dark blue two-door 1990 Golf Madison (VW had many special models at the time to push the aging Golf II) with the 70 HP 1.6L electronic carburetor engine, that already had run 188,000km. This was before digital cameras where everywhere, so I don’t even have a picture of it. I put in a Sony radio with CD changer, added alloy wheels, a dual-exhaust muffler and darkened front turn signals (the rear ones where dark from the factory). Sold to my brother two years later, by this time it had run 220,000km.

I got it back for free two years later in poor condition. I invested € 500 and then sold it for € 500. By then it was 13 years old and had run 240,00km, but the engine was still doing fine and the body was practically rust-free. The EA827 engine is in my opinion one of VW’s classic engines, along with the 1.9 TDI, VR6, and the 1.8 Turbo. I also still like the lines of the Golf II, and an original GTI 16V is high on my wishlist.

BMW 316i compact (E36)

Bought in 2001, six years old with only 40,000km. Montreal blue metallic with blue interior – my dream car back then. I could afford it only due to a generous loan from my uncle. This was a big step up from the Golf and I really loved this car. I had it lowered by 40mm (a bit much for a car with this wheelbase) with Eibach springs and Koni shocks installed, which made it an excellent car for getting to know the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The handling was really neutral in fast corners, and it had enough power for having fun while not having enough to kill you in case you made a mistake. Later on I also got original BMW wheels (style 27) for it.

The BMW emigrated to the Netherlands with me, but stayed German since I never bothered to get it registered here (which I could have done without paying import fees, I simply was too lazy). It continued to be my daily driver but started to show the signs of aging. Besides some dents and scratches, there were problems with the driver-side window mechanism, first gear would pop out all the time, and the door panels let loose. It also did not have air-conditioning. I sold it in 2008, 13 years old with 135,000km, the engine running better than the day I got it. I had tears in my eyes when it was loaded on the buyer’s trailer. The compact is my favorite E36 body style (the coupé is a bit too long and low to me), so I might have to revisit this model at some time. I’d look for Avus Blue instead, though.

Seat Arosa

After I moved in with my then-girlfriend now-wife, we became a two-car family, with her contribution being a yellow Seat Arosa (facelift model) that she had bought new in 2001. It had the 1.4L 60HP engine under the hood, which was a good engine that had much more torque and power than the 1.0L 50HP I had suffered through in my parents’ Polo 6N. This became my daily driver in 2009 when I got a job that required me to drive quite a bit and we wanted to spare the main car. It eventually developed engine trouble, which turned out to be two burnt-out valves which meant it was only running on three cylinders. It was 11 years old but had barely run 100,000km at the time. It was traded in for the generous sum of € 1,000. Someone apparently fixed it and drove it for a couple of years, as the Dutch Motoring Authority showed it as being registered for several years after, but it is gone now.

Skoda Octavia I

Bought in December 2007, not yet four years old (facelift model) and with 40,000km on the odometer. 1.6L model with 100HP. It had been sitting at the dealer for more than a year and looked like new. It then decided not to start when we wanted to pick it up (faulty fuel pump solenoid), which was the start of a relatively trouble-free car life. We bought it for the air-conditioning and the space it offered (600L trunk), and it did not disappoint. It had two water pumps and two lambda probes replaced, but was mostly trouble-free otherwise. In 2015, another timing belt replacement was quickly approaching, so once the lease car had arrived I sold it at 155,000km run and 11 years old. It was gone within 24 hours, destined to become a taxi in Egypt (apparently a common fate for Octavia hatchbacks).

Peugeot 107

When the Arosa was diagnosed with three-cylinder-itis, we needed a new small car. The logical choice was something that was cheap to run, like the very popular (in the Netherlands) Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo. I went to our local Peugeot dealer, asked for a four-door 107 with air conditioning, and walked out with a silver car, two years old with 22,000km. I like this car from an engineering point of view, as its makers clearly tried to create a car that is cheap to build while not being a cheaply made car. Of course it is quite noisy with the three-cylinder engine revving to produce its 68 HP and the steering is a bit dead around center, but it does 130 kph quite fine and there are no squeaks or rattles. This was also the most trouble-free car we ever had, with two new tires (the Michelin Energy Saver tires mounted by the factory are infamous for developing cracks) being the only unplanned maintenance costs. But then, it was also the car we owned the shortest and drove the fewest (except for the E46 and W211 mentioned below). Sold in 2017, six years old with 45,000km.

Peugeot 308 SW

I finally decided to get a company lease car in early 2015. In the Netherlands, when you are provided with a car by your employer and drive it privately as well, you have to pay taxes over a certain percentage of a car’s new value. In 2015, this percentage was still based on the fuel consumption of the car (it is a flat 22% as of 2017), and Peugeot just managed to squeeze the Peugeot 308 SW Diesel below the 14% threshold in 2015, making it the biggest car in this 14% range. Where I had previously considered a Skoda Octavia III, the Peugeot 308 was now the logical choice, and I ordered a dark blue one at our lease company (as did everybody else in the Netherlands who got a new company car in 2015 – it was the best-sold car in 2015 by a fair margin, with a staggering 12,000 being sold in December 2015 to profit from the 14% rule). They were everywhere for five years.

We actually had to wait for three months, but it arrived just in time for out 2015 summer vacation. While still a 1.6L four-cylinder like the Golf, BMW, and Skoda, this was the first Diesel I owned. I had always jokingly referred to Diesels only being suitable for trucks, trains, and ships, but this engine turns out 120 HP and 300Nm of torque. Of course, everything happens between 1,800rpm and 3,000rpm, but there is never a lack of power. With its six-speed transmission and long final gearing, it does 1,900rpm at 130kph. Yes, it’s quiet. After five minutes behind the small steering wheel, you start to wonder why other manufacturers still put big steering wheels into their cars. It does of course have issues (the Italian navigation system does not do a good job at taking traffic jams into account, and other assorted strange behavior), but I really like the uncluttered dash that results from having everything controlled via a big touch screen. An excellent car, quick, comfortable, and spacious (at least the trunk, grown-ups will find the leg space in the back a bit cramped). Returned to the lease company in July 2020.

BMW 318ti compact (E46)

I mentioned Dutch tax laws above. There is a special rule for cars older than 15 years. If you are provided a company car for private use that is older than 15 years, you do not pay a tax percentage over the new value, but over the current value. So instead of shelling out income tax over 22% of a new 3-series’ > € 40,000 price tag, you pay tax over 35% of the current value, which is much less for a 15 year-old 3-series. Being a car lover, I saw this as quite the opportunity to have my own company pay the costs (which means less profit and thus less taxes, while being able to deduct sales tax/VAT) while keeping private costs down. I immediately knew I once again wanted to own and drive a BMW. I first looked at the E30 (I quite like the early models with chrome bumpers and small tail lights), but they have become quite expensive and are, in my opinion, not really suitable as daily drivers since they lack airconditioning and other modern amenities.

I then decided to look for an E46 in good condition. It could be a coupé or compact since we’ve got the 308 SW as practical family car. I wanted a car in good original condition, with low mileage, and it had to be blue. The engine had to be at least the 2-liter four-cylinder (143 HP). I briefly considered importing one from Germany, but prices aren’t that different so the extra effort did not seem worth it, even though the choice in the Netherlands is quite limited – especially when it comes to the more powerful six-cylinder versions, as those were really expensive here. I was unsure whether to go automatic (quite common) or manual transmission since I like automatics for daily use, but I had I light preference for manual in case the car would ever see a track or a twisting road.

With these parameters determined, I started searching the Internet. The choice really was quite limited. There aren’t that many coupés around that haven’t racked up > 250,000km already, and often they are modified quite a bit. 330s are quite expensive if in good condition. But the compact, which probably was regularly bought as second car, is both cheaper (since many people don’t like the looks of it) and more commonly found with lower mileage. I would have liked a 325ti, but the choice there is very limited. In the end I decided to stick to a four-cylinder (also cheaper when it comes to taxes, insurance, and probably fuel) when I saw a nice 318ti advertised. It was blue, had run 144,000km, and was traded in by the first owner. It was also loaded with options, including the (at the time very expensive) Navigation Business and telephone option – not that those are very useful 15 years later.

A visit to the dealer revealed a car with some minor cosmetic issues (scratches on all four corners had already been dealt with), but in otherwise very good condition. No rust whatsoever, and a clean interior. The trunk even contained the original BMW damage report set with single-use camera. All instruction booklets where there and the car was regularly serviced at a BMW dealer. Both air-conditioning and cruise control worked during the test ride and the car handled well, so I bought it.

More about this car can be found on this page. Sold in October of 2019.

BMW 530i (E39)

New requirements led to the sale of the compact and the acquisition of an E39 5-series sedan, as chronicled here. Personal circumstances led to the requirement of the second car being a four-door car that can be used to transport a large dog. As I wanted to make use of the same tax benefits as with the compact, it needed to be 15 years old as well. I wanted something that would keep its value, hence an E46 330i or E39 530i. The latter turned out to be cheaper, so I went down that route.

The car is a Toledo blue Edition Exclusive model, built in March of 2002. Towards the end of the E39’s production run, BMW offered three editions (Exclusive, Lifestyle, Sport) with lots of options to keep the old model selling. This means lots of nice stuff like leather, heated seats, and park distance control front and rear. This car also has exactly what I want: black interior, manual seats (the electric ones are very heavy and will break down), no sunroof (unnecessary weight up high).

Being a 530i, there is of course plenty of power. The ZF 5HP is an old-fashioned five-speed automatic transmission with torque converter, so it’s more of a cruiser than a sports car, but putting your right foot down and waiting for a short time (the transmission usually tries to keep the engine below 2,000 rpm, so it will have to shift down one or two gears) leads to proper acceleration and a flashing traction control light. The downside: fuel consumption. It’s usually around 10 to 11l for 100km, but has been as bad as 15l when only driving short distances. Cruising at 100 kph this goes down to 7 to 8l. Oil use, a known issue with the M54B30, does not seem to be excessive so far.

The standard suspension is quite soft and comfortable and there’s quite a bit of body movement, so I can see the benefit of the optional sports suspension. The power steering is of course still hydraulic and quite heavy, offering plenty of feedback. Cargo space is somewhat limited as mine doesn’t have fold-down seats and even lacks the optional ski hatch. At least the trunk hinges don’t protrude into the trunk. The interior oozes build quality, which is clearly a step up from the E46, even though the basic dash and control layout is very similar. My car is equipped with an Android navigation system that includes a reversing camera, a very useful feature.

After owning this car for almost a year, I can understand why the E39 is sometimes called BMW’s best car ever. It’s a combination of classic BMW styling, six-cylinder engines, build quality, comfort, and performance that might be unmatched by anything else. I really enjoy this car for long-distance driving and would not be happy to see it go, even if changing circumstances might require it in the future. The only car that I might consider an upgrade would be a manual transmission Edition Sport 530i.

Traded in in August of 2023 after I had enough of developing issues like windows not opening anymore.

VW Tiguan Allspace

With the five year lease term of the Peugeot 308SW coming to an end, we started to look around for alternatives. My wife really wanted something a bit taller, and we also wanted that had at least the same amount of luggage space. This brings one to the larger SUVs from the VAG stable – the Seat Tarraco, Skoda Kodiaq, and VW Tiguan Allspace. We test drove both the Kodiaq and the Tiguan and liked the latter more, so we ordered one in Silk Blue, with the 1.5 TSI engine, DSG, and the package including panoramic roof and ergonomic seats. This was at the beginning of Covid 2020 with the factory in Mexico being closed at the time, so we had to wait six months for it.

I’m not  a SUV guy, but this is a good car. It is very spacious, there’s lots of leg room in the back with the bench all the way backwards. The engine has enough power and the DSG is very smooth. That this car still has a four-cylinder engine instead of the three-cylinder ones that are now so common in this displacement range is a big plus for me. Fuel efficiency is actually quite Ok – around 7l/100km with highway use, going up to 10l/100km when driving short distances only. Given the size and weight it’s Ok in my opinion – I got similar fuel consumption with my Golf II, which had half the power and was 700kg lighter.

This version still has the physical controls instead of the stupid touch-only controls that VW introduced with the Golf VIII and the Tiguan II facelift. Combined with the lightweight power steering, usable adaptive cruise control, and a decent navigation system with wired CarPlay, this is a very decent car for daily use. It hasn’t let us down yet and I’ve extended the lease contract for a sixth year.

Mercedes-Benz E280 (W211)

While I loved my E39, there was no denying that it was getting a bit old and issues started to arise. I enjoyed the comfort of a big sedan so much that I knew that I did not want to drive something smaller or with manual transmission. As I have a dislike for the E60 5-series, both due to its looks and its reported unreliability, I had to look for alternatives. There actually weren’t that many. I’m not an Audi guy, and while a Passat might offer similar amounts of space, it’s not in the same class. I took a look at a few E90 3-series but it was quite obvious that these are much smaller on the inside. So the only real alternative was an E-class of the W211 range.

There wasn’t that much choice when looking for a car in good condition and a six-cylinder engine. The four-cylinder models have a poor reputation. The M272 V6s aren’t without problems either though. I eventually found a black (not my color, but as I said, not much choice) E280 with light grey leather interior, garage kept, with only two previous owners and 230,000km on the odometer. The test drive showed the clear difference to an E39. The throttle response is much more docile (despite identical power) and the Mercedes is even quieter than the BMW. The interior is nicer in my opinion, though Mercedes took the roundedness quite far. The car must have sat in a showroom for almost a year and a half, as it was registered in March of 2007, but produced in October of 2005. This makes it a pre-facelift model with the infamous SBC brake, but at the price that was being asked I was willing to take the risk.

The jury is still out concerning fuel consumption. I was expecting to be better than with the E39, thanks to a more modern 7-speed transmission, but so far this does not appear to be the case. I’ve also had to replace an ignition coil and both batteries already, so we”ll have to see how the reliability develops. The car still has its original COMAND NTG1 radio/navigation system, which thanks to a Viseeo MB-2 and a cheap Bluetooth audio receiver on its AUX input supports both phone calls and audio streaming. It’s a quiet and comfortable highway cruiser, and that the trunk is quite a bit larger than the E39’s (540l vs. 460l) is a nice plus, too. And yet it’s not unlikely that it will be replaced by an F10 5-series or something small and electric in a couple of years.

Sold a few months after I got the Porsche as three cars was a bit much.

Porsche 911 Carrera (997)

In early 2024, I was given the opportunity to buy my dream car, a 997-model Porsche 911. There wasn’t that much choice, especially given my requirements of blue exterior color and manual transmission. I eventually found an all-original 2006 Carrera in Midnight Blue with a nice set of options and a recently rebuilt engine. Being 18 years old and with more than 200,000 km on the odometer it does show some interior wear, so plenty of opportunities for me to work on the car. My DIY experiences with this car are chronicled on my other website.