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My BMW was the only car I've ever owned that emptied my bank account. It overheated on me and I pulled over right away. Just in that short amount of time it warped both the block and heads. They couldn't find any reason why it overheated but I got a real lesson on what a replacement motor costs. After that it was constantly breaking down and I couldn't get rid of it soon enough. Every single part on that thing was at least double compared to the Honda I had before it.
Was it a good looking car? Yes. Was it fun to drive? Yes. Was it worth it to own, oh heck no. I'll never have another one. A notch below it was my other german cars I tried out. All german all expensive to repair.
When I finally got rid of the Bavaria, bought a Datsun, small hatchback, when I was 25 or so. The BMW was used when I bought it. Traded it in for the Datsun.
Afterwards, got a call from the BMW dealership, saying they just found a cracked engine block on the Bavaria. They were angry but I told them I had no idea...how would I know that? Seriously?
Anyway, glad it wasn't me that was stuck with a cracked engine block! $$$$$$
Why? Because he wanted one. And thought as " the boss " he was entitled to drive a "nice car".
He came back screaming a simple oil change cost him $140!!!
A co-worker ( who drives his parents old lincoln) reminder boss " you drive a Mercedes now".
As,the costs go up owning the Mercedes, he decided to do uber and lyft.
Another coworker said " I'm just waiting for that first college student to throw up in your Mercedes ".
Things to think about when owning a vehicle is the maintenance costs. And for such an "expensive car ", why are peopke unloading them so cheap compared to similar aged Honda's???
Should give one pause for the cause.
Stick with the reliable Honda and be done with it.
Less maintenance,less likely to be stolen, better owner satisfaction.
In a way I want to say--get the BMW and get it out of your system for once and for all.
BUT really you should probably heed what others are saying.
My ex was into status. He wanted a BMW and he got a BMW. He was SO sorry. It just drained the bank account and always had something wrong with it. Repairs practically broke the bank. It was a terrible winter car too, although you probably don't have to worry about ice and snow.
Yes, when I drove it I got to feel "superior" to other people who drove less expensive cars.
I went back to practical cars and it feels better to me. I love my Subaru. I used to love my Toyotas and Saturns. They were good reliable cars and I felt that I was being true to myself and not trying to impress anyone.
What makes you happy? What serves your purposes? What can you afford? A friend of mine is moored in Atlanta with some plug-in mobile with a 50 mile radius and no more tax deductions.
First Porsche at 21, first Chevy Sierra at 25. The last Saturn red line turbo was a bit of a trip down memory lane which lasted a couple of hundred miles. Had the last Chevy S10 off the assembly line completely redone recently - 60k miles, one owner.
Last year I bought an extremely nice 65k mile 2008 328i coupe with sport package. It was a 2 owner car that was obviously garaged and taken care of, the carfax shows oil changes every 10k etc, no accidents. I paid $10,500. The ride/handling is so superior to something like an Accord that screw it, yolo. Anyone saying BMW's only draw is prestige has never owned a decent one. This is my second BMW, the first was the dumbest car I ever bought- a badly neglected 2002 325xi with 170k really hard miles. I spend a year replacing crap, but the engine and transmission were rock solid. It still drove fantastic, which was the reason I tried again - this time a lot more picky about condition. An e90 in great shape, low miles for the year with a good service history for $10k isn't a bad deal, I did it and would do it again so I'm not going to try to talk you out of it.
A car is nothing more than transportation. Don't go chasing the illusion of status based on the car you drive around. Last time I checked, the speed limit on the interstate is still 70mph, regardless of the car you drive. And if someone judges you on the car you drive, then that's someone you don't need to have in your life. Call it a litmus test.
Yes, have something that is pleasant to drive, but beyond a basic level of reliability and comfort, put your money into things that don't completely depreciate in a matter of a few years. Save your money for things that feed your mind and spirit. And, despite all the advertising that promises otherwise, a BMW isn't one of them.
My wife and I could afford a nicer model made by either Mercedes, BMW, or Audi. What do I drive? A Honda CR/V. She drives a Toyota Camry. We'd rather bank our money.
Food id nothing more than subsistence to survive. Don't go chasing the illusion that your food should taste good and have a variety of it. Pleasure is a no no. Last time I checked, food dissolves all the same despite taste and variety. If someone judges you on this and offers you a tasty meal, this is not the kind of person you need in your life.
Yes, you will need to eat without gagging it up, but beyond such basic level of taste, put your money into things you really could not care less about, but at least your money is going towards something you will take no pleasure out of. After all, when you die, you can use your savings to have a very nice funeral.
I'll say upfront that I currently own an e-39 series BMW 528. It is without a doubt the best car I have ever owned, and my last 2 vehicles were an Acura and a Lexus.
I will also say I've been very lucky with the maintenance on this car. I had to fix a few vacuum leaks, and put fresh spark plugs in it, and then I had 4 Koni shocks installed. I'm into it for about $8K total, and it would cost me well over 50 grand for something similar brand new. This is the aluminum 6 cylinder, the weight distribution is close to 50/50 and the rack & pinion steering is tight. It gets 24 mpg around town and close to 30 mpg on the highway. The Interior is the Tan Leather with wood accents, which the soul-less rigs of today don't seem to have.
I would suggest that the OP look for a late model bimmer with the 6 cylinder. Have your local independent BMW mechanic look it over. You have to be careful with the aluminum engine -- even the slightest overheating will warp the heads, and the only fix is a new engine....you might as well set fire to your money if the engine has been fried.
Once the newer BMW's depreciate to a certain point, they maintain their value and in some case start to rise. The key to hamppy motoring is to find a good indy service shop and don't pay a Dealer to servie it.
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After that it was constantly breaking down and I couldn't get rid of it soon enough. Every single part on that thing was at least double compared to the Honda I had before it.
