Anybody own or have owned a BMW car??? I have looked at some in the past but never pulled the trigger on one, always heard that they cost a ton more to keep on the road, or is that a rumor? Looking at a 2014 CPO 428I x-drive and can get it for a huge discount, but just wondering .
My wife has a 325Ci that's her baby....Its a great car, very solid and still going strong despite the many, many miles on it.
Repairs and maintenance are costly but it hasn't needed much. Around 110k the rear brakes needed a rebuild and an air valve went on the intake not long after that. Besides those repairs, just fluids and tires.
I wouldn't want to own a BMW car or motorcycle without a full warranty including all scheduled maintenance. They nickel and dime you to death otherwise. I used to own a lot of old BMW's and they cost way too much to maintain. Never again. BMW = break my wallet
I know a BMW tech and he sez you better hope all that's gonna break happens within the warranty cuz otherwise its big bucks.
My 2 cents, as a long time car and sport car fanatic (4 Alfa Romeos) is BMW is not the driver's car it once was cuz so many buy it as a driveway totem, they dulled its fun factor and softened it up. If you want cushy, then go for your Bimmer.
So tell me Paulie, what is it you want in a car and I can make some recommendations. If its the pleasure of tossing it around in the twisties and an occasional track day, then hands down, that for me that would be a Camaro with the V-6. Priced well under $30K new and the car mags all call it a true sports car. But that's just me. I ain't yet giving up my Chrysler 300C wit da Hemi. Hell, I even take it to our local road race course and shame kiddies in their Miatas and MR2s. Old age and skill....
I worked with two people who had beamers and I live in an area where it seems every second car is one. My son owns one as well but I can tell you, he's learned his lesson.
There's a reason BMW's and some other higher end cars are flipped every couple of years by their owners. It's done for a couple of reasons but did you know that a high percentage of late model ones are not owned? They're leased. And for a period that is less than the warranty term depending on the drivers habits.(I'm told by a couple of dealer friends that applies to most of the pricey cars, not just bmw)
That being said, I'd love to own a 700 series. There's also an M6 running around here I'd like to try out on all our twisty back roads.
It's like a Vic - Try one, you'll own one. But $hit happens.
It still has a six year, 100K warranty on it along with it being a CPO, car, I would more then likely trade in or sell before it came to that mark, it has 42,8XX on it now and its spotless, red and red leather interior, it would not be my daily driver, last sunny day, weekend car was a 2003 Ford Cobra, this would be in the same realm, rain and I drive my little beater, once winter hits, I drive my truck. I would drive it back and fourth to work and then take it on vacation.
Thats it. Good buddy of mine works there and can vouch for it, turns out he did most of the service work on it anyways, its spotless and was traded in by the original owner for a M5.
For that kind of money I'd go with a new V-6 Camaro, hands down. Zero miles on the odo and a long warranty can be arranged at purchase, for free if you do you bargaining right. Every car mag I get, sez if you are an enthusiastic driver, this is as good as it gets for the money. Its like a half price 'Vette.
However, if you do succumb to the BMW, please get this right: their car is a Bimmer, their bike is a Beemer. Yes, I spelled both correctly. Told you I'm a car fanatic.
Automatic??? Oooh, I didn't notice. Fuggedaboutit Paulie. Go for that 6 speed V-6 Camaro. Make it a red or yellow one. You will never be able to get that smile off your face.
That's what I was thinking, No go on a V-6 camaro, if I go that route, I would do a V-8, just does not make sense to me to get a V-6 when its suppose to be a muscle car, same thing with a Mustang, just get the V-8, I'm not gonna worry about gas mileage, its a toy to me, and after the Cobra, ergo that car did get 23 MPG cruising at 75-80mph and when ever you needed to pass someone you just push your foot in a little deeper, the dream car would have been one of the Shelby GT-500's but with a King of the road package, that's way to far out of my budget.
a good friend of mine has a 2009 3 series, pushing 200,000 miles and he loves that car, it needs a little TLC now but he says he'll drive till the wheels fall off.
Good luck with your choice
Paulie, apparently you're not subscribing to or reading the car mags as the ones I get (R&T, CandD, Motortrend) all say the Camaro V-6 ain't no slouch and the V-8 is for the power hungry, mine's bigger than yours crowd.
I completely agree! Todays V6's have more power and get better gas mileage than the V8's from just 10 years ago and a hell of a lot more power than V8's from the 90's on back. I am a TN ******* who has always owned a truck and keep them for a long time. I have had a 82, 92, 02, and now a 14 silverado, all with V8's but this go around I almost bought my latest silverado with a V6. That 4.3 which has been around forever is now direct injected and putting out as much power has my 02 model with the 5.3 V8. I ended up getting the 5.3 V8 (also direct injection) because the truck had the options I was wanting and most dealers in my neck of the woods don't keep many V6 trucks on the lot, mainly because the general public think they are still weak and they can't sell them.
Good perspective Paulie--there is a huge difference between need and want. I mentioned the V-6 cuz I have a 360 HP engine in a heavy car (4500 lbs or so w/ 2 aboard) and I find it scary powerful at times and I'm only just "breathing" on the right pedal. I can't imagine what happens if I put that pedal to the metal. But it does get over 30 mpg between 55 - 65 mph cuz it shuts off half the cylinders. Was gonna buy a 6, but the 8 came with more goodies not even available on a 6.
My 2010 chevy truck has the 5.3 flexfuel in it, I went and did the entire delete kit on it, cam, lifters, the whole kit, and a tune, this is how that truck should have ran, before hand it felt kinda flat and squishy when trying to just take off, mileage stayed the same, 15 all day around town, best I ever saw on the hwy was 23 heading down the smokies.
To be honest the most fun I ever had in a car or truck was my older 2004 standard cab short bed, took the little 4.8 out and put a 6.0 in it, the swap was the easiest you could ever do, everything bolts up the same, just watch out for the flywheel and spacer in the crank, but everything else bolts right up. Did a LS1 intake swap on it and added in a Eaton locker and a bigger stall converter....that truck was stupid fun and very fast, you could bury the speedo in like six seconds, it ate rear tires though.
To be honest the most fun I ever had in a car or truck was my older 2004 standard cab short bed, took the little 4.8 out and put a 6.0 in it, the swap was the easiest you could ever do, everything bolts up the same, just watch out for the flywheel and spacer in the crank, but everything else bolts right up.
We have a Shelby GT500 Super Snake here that I got to drive from the service building to the Dealer building , about a mile . 6 speed stick shift with 755 HP . :ltr: Holy Fukstick , this thing would make the space shuttle look S-L-O-W ....... If I only had 90 Grand , it would be mine . Picture a car that's accelerates faster then a 1000cc crotch rocket , scary FAST !
Does that Snake come with a cubby hole for collecting citations? Hell, I only have two of those things, but I only have 360 HP; one from VA and another in MT. In MT the cop comes to your car and sez $20 please...here's your receipt. Doesn't go on your record or to your ins. co. I love MT.
Its Orange with black racing stripes , the sticker says the stripes alone is a 5,000.00 option , they are painted on . No back seat , the engine is hand built , Carbon Fiber wheels , Factory mounted drag radials ... This thing is one Bad-Ass machine . I was so Giddy driving it I almost wet my pants . Grade A all American Muscle , still gets 21 MPG HWY . :grin
Beemers, I've owned two. Last one we had till around 160,000 miles when we traded it in. In regards to both the only problem I had was a water pump go out on the last one. Solid car, awesome ride, great handing. No more cost to maintain than any other car I've owned. Not a damn one out there that if something goes wrong it wont cost a bunch to fix at a dealer.
Come to California and you see them everywhere. Of course being out here most are very high mileage. My old neighbor had a 1982 633 2 door couple with over 300,000 miles. second clutch and starter and had to replace radiator once. He finally parted with it in 2010 when a model came out he really wanted. It still ran great wen he sold it and you knew you were in a solid car when you hear the door close. Personally I wont buy another because they have simply gotten to high priced.
German cars in general tend to be badly overengineered. So many extremely and often unnecessarily complex components, and you often end up with features and options you'll never use just because you don't have a choice to buy a car without one. All that extra stuff is more failure points and punishingly expensive to repair once out of warranty.
HOWEVER, according to what I've read recently, they've really moved up the chain in overall reliability. My personal experience is rather limited as the lube and tire shop I used to manage rarely saw newer BMWs as much because of the community as because of the name on the front of the building. The few I did see were usually several years old and often a little on the raggedy side. I can only offer armchair expertise here.
From what I understand the car to have in Europe is the Audi. Not sure which model is most well liked but it's the most popular car brand there. Maybe they know something we don't.
You see few Audis there....mostly see VWs, Renaults, Skodas (VW owned), Peugeots, very small Euro and Asian cars that we don't get here. Not a lot of high buck cars to be seen.
Better take another look at those Peugeots and Renaults. They are definitely high priced vehicles. I rented a Peugeot while in France and it was a dream to drive. No idea what it took in costs to maintain it though.
Oh yes, Oldman (I feel weird calling someone 11 years my junior "old man) there were some, but only some high buck cars running around. Mostly low buck cars are seen. But then, I was last in Poland, not a nation of high earners like Germany and Austria and Switzerland.
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