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[–] Craige 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

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[–] Andman17 ago 

Completely relevant.

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[–] thereddaikon ago 

This is probably the wrong subverse. You are better off finding a sub that focuses on cars and has a lot of gearheads. Having said that, all modern cars are reliable if well maintained. I've never had a BMW but I'm on my second used Mercedes and they have a similar reputation. If you stay on top of maintenance and get a car that was loved before hand you will be fine. A lot of the cost of owning a German car comes from paying German car shop prices. Avoid getting screwed and learn how to use a wrench. The vast majority of problems on any car are easy to fix with a few tools, a Haynes manual and a six pack of beer on your day off. You will save a lot of money and feel pretty manly having fixed it yourself. For the harder stuff that requires special tools or lifts you will want to find a reputable independent mechanic. The stealership will charge outrageous rates to work on the car. I've had the same independent mechanic for several years now and he has never done me wrong.

But most important of all if making sure you get a solid car to start with. Not all used cars are equal. Some were babied by their owners and have 0 issues, some were driven to hell and are falling apart and others were wrecked and had the damaged covered up and seem ok at first look. Have an independent mechanic perform a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) to check the car out. You will also want to see the carfax to check for accident history. Not all accidents get reported though so the PPI is essential. A good mechanic can spot repair work instantly and let you know if its anything to worry about.

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[–] Pawn ago 

don't buy. You'll fuck yourself over. Get a reliable car, not an expensive car. The only chicks you'll impress are the dumb ones, the smart ones will know it's unreliable and you're stressed about it dying on the freeway.

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[–] pinson101 ago 

If you don't enjoy working on cars (and/or don't have large sums of money to spend on parts/labor) do not get a BMW over ~100,000 miles. They are awesome cars and drive like nothing else but when something goes wrong (usually when the 1st owner is ready to sell it) they are expensive to maintain.

Honestly, with the information you posted I'd say stick to a Honda/Toyota. They're not as cool but they are perfect if you're in college and can't take large financial hits. Wait for the BMW when you can buy one that won't be a headache.

1st car was a 1997 BMW 318is

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[–] Yollasho ago 

Like others are saying, BMW makes good cars. Pretty much any car that's been maintained well will be reliable.

The problem is the part where you said you're in college. So I'm going to guess you may be interested in saving money. Parts for a BMW can get pricey, and since you said you can't do the work yourself you could end up paying quite a bit for some stuff that would be dirt cheap on a more budget minded car.

Honda civic, Ford focus, Mazda3... those types of cars are everywhere the parts are basically free and super easy to get. They'll drive down the highway just fine, and a used one will be so cheap you may be able to get much of your money back a year or two down the road if you decide to upgrade.

As far as driving in the winter, anything can drive in the winter just fine if you buy some half decent winter tires. Although if you've never driven a rwd car you may have to adjust to how a real car drives. ;)

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[–] Mandog ago 

Owner of a used 98 z3. My advice would be to do a lot of research into the 3 series, BMW forums are a great place to start. For example before I bought my z3 I knew that around 75,000 miles the cooling system almost always needed to be replaced so I factored that into the cost of the car. I would do the same thing with the 3 series and see if you can negotiate a lower price based on that. Also check out how reliable the car is overall. If its not a reliable make of BMW then I would avoid it. People are going to say mechanical repairs will cost more, and they may but that won't be a problem if you buy a reliable model and budget for the most common repairs needed.

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[–] Sinanju ago 

For any used car you should always have extra to pay for any "unforeseen" issues. That being said, BMW maintenance and repairs can quickly outweigh the price you bought it for. Seeing that you're from Canada, my personal say would be to pick something else, better safe than sorry, especially since you're a college student and the car sounds pivotal.

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[–] SkepticalMartian ago 

S54 engines are solid. The most common failure point is the cooling system. The coolant pump is sort of bad, and when they go they like to pretty much shatter since the impeller is made of plastic. Not necessarily a showstopper, and not horribly expensive to deal with, but it's a potential issue.

People are going to try to tell you that the cost of ownership is horrendous, but it really isn't. Certain parts may cost a bit more, but if you source them properly it's not bad. The only time cost of ownership gets a little high is when you get in to the M and Z series.

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