[–] 1072462? 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago (edited ago)
BMW vehicles are awesome if well maintained, but have a poor resale value because of unreliability and expensive to maintain and fix, so, you can either consider it a bargain if you know how to take care of a BMW, or you can consider it a money pit if you will be at the mercy of BMW mechanics. You would be better off with a used subaru, toyota, or honda.
[–] SkepticalMartian 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Depends on the model and the year. The M series cars in the E46 lineup actually still sell for a decent amount - especially the M3 which is often sought after by enthusiasts due to it's incredible handling.
[–] A_Fringe_Element 0 points 8 points 8 points (+8|-0) ago
You're in college - you can't afford a used BMW nor will it impress chicks. The kind of materialistic bitches that care about your car are smart enough to know it's used.
A used BMW is also incredibly unreliable and the replacement parts are expensive. Go buy a used Honda or Nissan.
[–] curbstickle 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
A well maintained vehicle is reliable, and poorly maintained vehicles are not.
I've seen plenty of well maintained and poorly maintained BMW's. Some with hundreds of thousands of miles on them, some of them sounding like they are ready to be made into a crushed metal cube with less than 100k. I say this as someone driving a car with over 350k miles, and having owned a Mercedes diesel with over 400k miles. Which I then sold and ran beautifully until it was in a nasty accident (though the driver came out fine).
Parts can be expensive, but they also can be expensive for VW's, Nissan's (especially Altimas of certain years that have a poorly designed exhaust and frequent sensor problems), and many others.
tl;dr, if you don't know cars, bring a mechanic to check out any vehicle you are interested in purchasing. Make and model play a role, but not so significant of one as good maintenance.
[–] escapetomars 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
You're in college - you can't afford a used BMW nor will it impress chicks. The kind of materialistic bitches that care about your car are smart enough to know it's used.
Everyone in California has a BMW, it's not to "impress chicks". Having a nice car is a sign of maturity and class. It's like making sure you don't show up to a cocktail party in some ripped up suit bought from a payless 15 years ago.
A used BMW is also incredibly unreliable and the replacement parts are expensive. Go buy a used Honda or Nissan.
I'm sorry, but you just have no idea what you're talking about. Nissans consistently rates worse than many BMW models in reliability. E46 BMWs are some of the most reliable, solid cars BMW has ever made.
[–] A_Fringe_Element 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Having a nice car is a sign of maturity and class.
There's quite a few "nice" cars that cheaper and of the same or higher quality. Maturity means buying something that's reliable, affordable and meets all of your needs. There's two kinds of people who buy used luxury brands - ghetto trash and enthusiasts. Unless you're an actual BMW fanboy and OK with the warts you're wasting money.
http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-BMW-M3-d390#listing=107474929
There's tons of brand new vehicles with factory warranty's you can buy for that kind of money.
Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but me buying a BMW has nothing to do with what others think. I simply came across a good deal, and while I do have an interest in cars, I simply do not know about this generation well enough to make a sound decision. Of course there have been many options that have presented themselves in terms of cars from the "more reliable" Japanese car makers, but I am trying to look for the best thing I can buy with my budget.
[–] SkepticalMartian ago
A used BMW is also incredibly unreliable and the replacement parts are expensive.
These are both essentially lies. Propagated by people who have never had any experience with them.
Dont. BMW's have higher than average repair costs because they were high end cars when they were made. As for reliability, my personal experience with a BMW product was absolutely awful. i owned the car for 3 months and in that time, i had to replace the BOV and the coil packs went. on a car with 50k miles.
Depends on how many miles it has on it. BMW's can last relatively forever if they are maintained right. And your inexperience with working on cars doesn't really matter because they really can't be worked on by the average person. That said if it's in good shape it will last but when something does break it will cost you an arm and leg to fix.
[–] SkepticalMartian ago
I was with you until you came to "can't really be worked on by the average person" which is pretty much bullshit. For any given model you'll find tons of videos and information on how to do various common tasks. They can be worked on just like any other car.
[–] ZapptheBrannigan 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Speaking from experience, I owned an ol' 1980 E320i, Don't get me wrong I loved that car. It was my baby.
She had a good owners history, very well maintained and as expected ran like a dream. But she was old, and tired. First the gas tank rusted through, no big deal for me. Got a new cell and did a swap in the driveway.
Then the starter went. Took her down to a buddies place with a proper garage. Took us almost 2 weeks to get the starter out. The starter. 2 weeks. We get it out fix it up and rebuild it. Put it back in 'er still no go. fuck.
so we got it towed to a shop, lowest rate in CAD was 72 bucks/hr then the parts. They took weeks to find, let alone get ordered, Cost another 300 bucks for a computer from the 80s. seriously?
So 1500 bucks later for my 500 dollar car and then, the clutch blew out. FUCK ME
got a quote for 5000 bucks on a new clutch plate, plus installation etc. Sold it for scrap.
Don't do it.
[–] escapetomars ago
One experience with a 1980 320i isn't exactly indicative of BMW's reliability. (Also, it's E21, not an E320. 320i is the series (3) and the engine size in deciliters (20). E21 is the chassis code.)
[–] SkepticalMartian ago (edited ago)
You're talking about a 35 year old car. OF COURSE it's going to have problems. Any car would. I challenge you to find a 35 year old car on its original parts that has no rust. Don't be such an idiot.
[–] ZapptheBrannigan ago
This was like 5 years ago, and as stated the maintenance was very very good. It just so happened to crap out on me, unluckily and from that I would say buying a used BMW can be costly. Not for certain but possibly.
Im not an idiot, just sharing my experience and opinion.
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.
[–] KelsoCal 0 points 12 points 12 points (+12|-0) ago
No idea where you are from. That being said if you live in the states the cost to fix your BMW might outweigh the great "buy" you got. You will have people who swear by the BMW and others who have had nothing but nightmares with it. If you have a mechanic friend take him with you to see the vehicle. Best of luck in your purchase or research.
[–] lola18 [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
I am from Canada, so I suppose it would be similiar here? Yes, I am planning to bring a friend who is a mechanic to inspect it. I am mostly concerned that our harsh winters will wear down the old car even more. Thank you for your advice!