New Car---BMW?

[DNoMac]

I've been lookin for a new car now for a few months. I've been lookin the most at the Acura TL, but was wondering about the BMW 3 series. My biggest concern with these is the repair costs. Any owners out there who could give me some of their experience with them? Also, how reliable are they (how often are they in the shop)? Whatever I buy, it's probably gonna be an 04 or 05, so it won't have much left on the original warranty. Whats the word?!

[soulstealer]

I've been lookin for a new car now for a few months. I've been lookin the most at the Acura TL, but was wondering about the BMW 3 series. My biggest concern with these is the repair costs. Any owners out there who could give me some of their experience with them? Also, how reliable are they (how often are they in the shop)? Whatever I buy, it's probably gonna be an 04 or 05, so it won't have much left on the original warranty. Whats the word?!

Dude what are you talking about if I'm not mistaken a certified BMW 05 would have balance of factory warranty plus a 4 year 50,000mile power train warranty on top... Dude BMW is a good buy make sure its certified pre owned buy from a dealer.... A buddy of mine has an 04 330i and loves it...

[DNoMac]

I should probably restate that. I plan on keeping the car for a while, much longer than the original warranty will last. If I get an 04', i'll have around a year left on the warranty.

[juicejunkie2]

Dude what are you talking about if I'm not mistaken a certified BMW 05 would have balance of factory warranty plus a 4 year 50,000mile power train warranty on top... Dude BMW is a good buy make sure its certified pre owned buy from a dealer.... A buddy of mine has an 04 330i and loves it...

I agree .. I've owned a BMW since 1993 .. had a 93' 325IS for 10 years and now have a 03' 540i M-Sport. I NEVER had a problem with the 3 series in the 10 years I owned it minus the regular maint. stuff .. also had the fuel pump die on me for which the mechanics wanted 400 or so .. I found it on ebay for 80 bucks and changed it myself in 10 minutes. The drive is amazing .. and the 325IS was just as much fun driving 10 years later as it was the first time I test drove it. I LOVE the 540i ... a bigger car yet amazing handling. If I wanted to shell in some more cash for the DINAN upgrades it'd be a beast but not into that anymore.

[DNoMac]

Ahhhhh, your tempting me!!

[Doc M]

Had two BMW 7 series and loved them both. Great ride, beautiful interior, and very quiet ride. I would recommend a BMW to anyone.

Doc M

[Prada]

From an "investment" POV I would go for the TL. Amortization is less on Honda, albeit the 3 series is not bad compared to 5 and 7 series.

[juicejunkie2]

From an "investment" POV I would go for the TL. Amortization is less on Honda, albeit the 3 series is not bad compared to 5 and 7 series.

I do agree that the 3 series hold their value much better then the 5 and 7 series... not sure about how much so relative to the Acura or Honda though. Then again neither one of them is a BMW.

[soulstealer]

I should probably restate that. I plan on keeping the car for a while, much longer than the original warranty will last. If I get an 04', i'll have around a year left on the warranty.

And what I'm saying to you bro is if you buy an 04 you'll have 4-5 years left on the warranty because of the extra warranty they add

[Lexed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sTVwrOjMn4

[domeyeahaigh]

Lexus LS, classiest car you'll find. Lexus runs forever, bmw notorious for breaking down at about 100k

[dupa95]

Bmw kicks ass. I bought a 03 last year, Now with that I bout an extended warranty for 1000.00 this covers everything I mean everything including wiper blades and brakes. Love my beammer will aways own one from here on out. Anyone who says I hear they break down ALL the time. Really has NOT a clue about bmw. The bmw 6 cylinder has been around longer than most car makers. This info does NOT come from my dealer it comes from reaserch. Lexus is a toyota with lexus badges on it.Lexus was made for uninformed amrican car buyers "SUCKERS". There is a car for everyones bugget. Bmw is not for everyone.

[domeyeahaigh]

Your right Lexus is made by Toyota. But to say that that Lexus is a Toyota with Lexus badges is comparable to saying a Bently or a Lambo is a VW with a cool body kit and Bently or Lambo badges...they are NOT the same thing. BMWs are notorious for having (somewhat) short of a lifespan. They are extremely expensive to fix, might as well buy a new car by that time. Lexus on the other hand is notorious for lasting a long time, they are classy and timeless.

Experiment: When you drivin around watch how many really old Lexus' you see and how many really old BMW's you see. Plenty of Lexus' very few BMW I bet. There is a reason for that, I assure you.

[dupa95]

I buy cars every four years. So bmw is perfect for me. Lets just say I rarely by tires for my rides. I don't have kids I drive what i like.

[DNoMac]

From an "investment" POV I would go for the TL. Amortization is less on Honda, albeit the 3 series is not bad compared to 5 and 7 series.

You bring up a great point. Among other reasons, the depreciation of an Acura is definitely among the best. I've also owned two hondas (my current car), and they are great automobiles.

[DNoMac]

Bmw kicks ass. I bought a 03 last year, Now with that I bout an extended warranty for 1000.00 this covers everything I mean everything including wiper blades and brakes. Love my beammer will aways own one from here on out. Anyone who says I hear they break down ALL the time. Really has NOT a clue about bmw. The bmw 6 cylinder has been around longer than most car makers. This info does NOT come from my dealer it comes from reaserch. Lexus is a toyota with lexus badges on it.Lexus was made for uninformed amrican car buyers "SUCKERS". There is a car for everyones bugget. Bmw is not for everyone.

How long is your extended warranty? I did some research online and a lot of them were like 1700 for 36 months. 1000 seems like a good deal.

[DNoMac]

And what I'm saying to you bro is if you buy an 04 you'll have 4-5 years left on the warranty because of the extra warranty they add

I can see you are quite passionate about BMW's. I appreciate your enthusiasm.

[juicejunkie2]

Your right Lexus is made by Toyota. But to say that that Lexus is a Toyota with Lexus badges is comparable to saying a Bently or a Lambo is a VW with a cool body kit and Bently or Lambo badges...they are NOT the same thing. BMWs are notorious for having (somewhat) short of a lifespan. They are extremely expensive to fix, might as well buy a new car by that time. Lexus on the other hand is notorious for lasting a long time, they are classy and timeless.

Experiment: When you drivin around watch how many really old Lexus' you see and how many really old BMW's you see. Plenty of Lexus' very few BMW I bet. There is a reason for that, I assure you.

BS experiment .. Lexus has been around for only 18 years compared to almost 80 years BMW has been making cars .. their engines have been the best from day one .. so much so that the US had put sanctions on the company to keep them from making airplane engines during WWI cause the German planes flew higher and faster then the US counterparts. Don't get me wrong, I like Lexus BUT it's definitely no BMW. My 93' 325IS had 160K miles on it when I sold it ... the guy that purchased it 4 years ago still drives it with regular maint. only .. car has over 200K on it by now I bet.

[kman]

I've been lookin for a new car now for a few months. I've been lookin the most at the Acura TL, but was wondering about the BMW 3 series. My biggest concern with these is the repair costs. Any owners out there who could give me some of their experience with them? Also, how reliable are they (how often are they in the shop)? Whatever I buy, it's probably gonna be an 04 or 05, so it won't have much left on the original warranty. Whats the word?!

How much you looking to spend? I am into benzs, but have owed a 5 series BMW several years ago,,what a nightmare!!! You could look into some used E classes, I have an 05 and have had absolutely NO problems..

[Dizz28]

Lexus is a toyota with lexus badges on it.Lexus was made for uninformed amrican car buyers "SUCKERS".

Very true, the Lexus and Acura lines were developed for foreign "luxery" markets. If you go to Japan, the Lexus SC, GS etc. are all there but named differently (SC series was named the Toyota Soarer). The engines and chassis can be found in thier parent companies cars just not as fine tuned.

The luxery models have a lot more features and options, but they really are the same car. And I think you will be hard pressed to find someone that has reasonable knowledge of cars that doesn't agree that Honda and Toyota built cars are the most reliable on the road today

I also haven't personally heard too much about BMW's being unreliable, but CR has a couple BMWs and more than a few Mercedes and VW in their worst cars lists

Edit: And there isn't a single Toyota/Lexus or Honda/Acura on the worst list

[Prada]

You bring up a great point. Among other reasons, the depreciation of an Acura is definitely among the best. I've also owned two hondas (my current car), and they are great automobiles.

Exactly, not to mention Toyota/Lexus. Of course my heart goes with German cars but my mind tells me else wise. I had 2000 4runner that never broke down versus 2004 Series-3.....well had a few issues. Also to consider parts and labour.

[dupa95]

Wow all realy good points. The other reason I like Bmw when I have service done. I get a bmw for a loaner. They are allways newer. I don't get a dodge neon with the dealership logo on it. If the the ploy is to get me to buy a newer bmw, cool I'm in.

[CheddaNips]

My mom just got a Honda CRV about 4 months ago, then decided to give it away and get a BMW 528i because its her "birthday Beemer" (born May 28) and i was dumbfounded on why she would do it until i drove it and i have a new respect for the BMW

[Chuck_R]

can't go wrong w/ BMW, Acura, or Lexus...all good

[spywizard]

even in Minnesota, put blizacks on the back and i can drive it all winter long.. great car..

purchase the computer chip, it will change the shift points and make it perform more like the way americans drive..

just my experience..

if you don't blow the engine, ( i did on one of mine over reved it before the chip).. cost $2400 for a rebuilt engine installed.. was good for another 120k miles before i sold it..

[longhorn814]

Very true, the Lexus and Acura lines were developed for foreign "luxery" markets. If you go to Japan, the Lexus SC, GS etc. are all there but named differently (SC series was named the Toyota Soarer). The engines and chassis can be found in thier parent companies cars just not as fine tuned.

The luxery models have a lot more features and options, but they really are the same car. And I think you will be hard pressed to find someone that has reasonable knowledge of cars that doesn't agree that Honda and Toyota built cars are the most reliable on the road today

I also haven't personally heard too much about BMW's being unreliable, but CR has a couple BMWs and more than a few Mercedes and VW in their worst cars lists

Edit: And there isn't a single Toyota/Lexus or Honda/Acura on the worst list

All of my friends that drive German cars (BMW, Merc's) always seem to be taking their car into the shop b/c something is always going wrong with their car. Ive owned 2 japanese cars, an infiniti and a lexus, and never had any problems with them at all other than standard wear & tear (tires). I prefer to lease my cars b/c theyre always under warranty and I get a new car every 3-4 years!!!

[Dizz28]

But to say that that Lexus is a Toyota with Lexus badges is comparable to saying a Bently or a Lambo is a VW with a cool body kit and Bently or Lambo badges...they are NOT the same thing.

True, they are not the same thing, but thier parts are interchangable. Lambo brakes are on the RS4. VW's W12 motor is used in the VW Phaeton/Toureg and the Bentley Continental (although modified). The Porche Cayenne shares the same chassis as the Toureg also.

Comparing these classes of cars is completely different than comparing Lexus and Toyota though

And speaking of german cars, VW/Audi have some of the worst reputations for reliability...and they are more than just expensive to fix. Parts seem to be rare for them so if something breaks other than a belt, you usually have to wait for something to get shipped in or it takes 5 hours of labor to change.

[farrebarre]

I've been lookin for a new car now for a few months. I've been lookin the most at the Acura TL, but was wondering about the BMW 3 series. My biggest concern with these is the repair costs. Any owners out there who could give me some of their experience with them? Also, how reliable are they (how often are they in the shop)? Whatever I buy, it's probably gonna be an 04 or 05, so it won't have much left on the original warranty. Whats the word?!

BMW is a really nice car, i think it was the 3 series that had to change the camshafts belts every 25000miles (dont know if the new ones have the same defection).
As someone else said make sure its a certified pre owned buy from a dealer otherwise they could easily change the, dunno the name of it, the thing that shows how many miles you have driven. make sure the car havnt been own by to many ppl and if they say they have renovated the car or anything you always want a receipt for that.
One more thing, i dont know if this applies to the US, but here in sweden you should never buy an imported car, coz u always end up getting screwed by the seller and insurance company.

good luck

[TheKaz]

nice

[torontodude]

i have a 2005 TL and i love it, fully loaded with Navi and maintenance isn't that expensive. Very smooth ride, you should take one for a test drive....BMW is a great car too, little more expensive tho.

[DNoMac]

How much you looking to spend? I am into benzs, but have owed a 5 series BMW several years ago,,what a nightmare!!! You could look into some used E classes, I have an 05 and have had absolutely NO problems..

I wanted to limit my budget around 20k. I almost bought a TL for 26k, but didn't want to spend that much on something that depreciates so much. I've seen a lot of 04' TL's with around 40k miles for $19,500 from one particular dealership. I'm trying to be as patient as possible. Is it true that you can get a better deal in the winter because used car salesmen are more desperate to sell cars? I also figure that since the 08's just came out, the prices shoud drop further. On top of that, this is the last year for this generation of TL's, so I would think that would cause greater depreciation. I've never driven a 3 series (only an X5), but I have driven a few TL's. Maybe that will be the deciding factor.

[DNoMac]

i have a 2005 TL and i love it, fully loaded with Navi and maintenance isn't that expensive. Very smooth ride, you should take one for a test drive....BMW is a great car too, little more expensive tho.

Yea, I've read a lot of reviews that rate the TL and the TSX the best value for it's class. They offer all the options except navigation. Any idea how the maintenance costs compare to BMW's?

[PROTEINSHAKE]

drive the lexus is 350.. I have it.... awesome!

[dupa95]

Yea, I've read a lot of reviews that rate the TL and the TSX the best value for it's class. They offer all the options except navigation. Any idea how the maintenance costs compare to BMW's?

Maintenance is covered for 4 years and that's everything widsheild wipers included and brakes.

[PROTEINSHAKE]

Maintenance is covered for 4 years and that's everything widsheild wipers included and brakes.

all that means to me is that they will pay for all the shit that breaks......my bmer broke all the fkn time..... my lex doesnt break..

[juicejunkie2]

my boy's Lex breaks down all the time ... does that make it a shitty company? Maybe I should opt for a Pontiac since noone here mentioned them breaking down!

[Dizz28]

my boy's Lex breaks down all the time ... does that make it a shitty company? Maybe I should opt for a Pontiac since noone here mentioned them breaking down!

We are talking about foreign cars...but since you brought up pontiac, they are quiet popular on CR worst car list also. If fact, over half the worst list is american made cars.

Interestingly though, I don't see Ford on either the best or the worst list...


http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...-406/index.htm

[juicejunkie2]

We are talking about foreign cars...but since you brought up pontiac, they are quiet popular on CR worst car list also. If fact, over half the worst list is american made cars.

Interestingly though, I don't see Ford on either the best or the worst list...


http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...-406/index.htm

LOL .. I was being sarcastic about the Pontiac thing .. as a matter of fact I would probably never purchase an American car... they plain suck. Well I would consider a Corvette and I do like the caddy but even then as a last resort.

[Dizz28]

LOL .. I was being sarcastic about the Pontiac thing .. as a matter of fact I would probably never purchase an American car... they plain suck. Well I would consider a Corvette and I do like the caddy but even then as a last resort.

Corvette, yes. I think they are classic and well built. Almost like they have more time spent making sure they are built right....and fast. I would live to drive a C7, red

And Caddies are a status symbol also, don't know about thier reliability

[juicejunkie2]

Corvette, yes. I think they are classic and well built. Almost like they have more time spent making sure they are built right....and fast. I would live to drive a C7, red

And Caddies are a status symbol also, don't know about thier reliability

Not sure about status symbol but man do they feel like I'm driving down the road sitting on my sofa!!