used BMW 328i?

Late nineties BMW? Make damn sure the electrical system works, and by that I mean the dashboard, computers, and various sensors. The '98 BMW 7 series, for example, was so problem prone that even the dealers couldn't fix what at the time was an incomprehensibly complicated electrical system.

Of course, you could do worse and buy a 2000 Volvo S80 turbo. Ask me how I know.

I have a '98 323iC bought used (56k miles) w/ extended warranty. It's probably very similar to the 328.

I've had it a couple months. So far, I've had issues with the A/C - turned out to be caused by a bad control panel, which was replaced by the dealer. Also, for some mysterious reason, the "Check Control" light has been occasionally coming on, with the message "Brake Light Circuit - Check Owner Manual" on the control panel. That hasn't happened lately, but it hasn't been fixed either. Probably a bad rear window light, brake light switch, or god knows what.

German cars in general seem to have more complicated electronics. I had a late 90's VW Golf (made in Mexico) that had some weird electrical problems, not to mention leaky fluids and was burning oil.

the check brake light might possibly be triggered by a faulty wear sensor on the brake pads.

I used to have a 98 323 and now I have a 98 528i. Really nice cars but get one with a full and documented service history. Lots of problems start to occur with 2nd and third owners who don't upkeep the cars.

I bought a 2004 325xi last month and love it so far.

If you can go with a 325 instead of a 328, you might be able to get a slightly newer model.

I wouldn't be surprised if 60-70% of 3 series are leased to begin with, so very few owners are doing anything more than the bare minimum in maintenance. I don't know when the extended oil change intervals started (15-20K intervals in some cases), but I wouldn't want to be the 2nd or 3rd owner when it's out of warranty. Plan on spending $2000-3000 in repairs and maintenance each year (in addition to payments if you finance).

I had a 1998 M3 that I owned and loved for over 6 years until I sold it about a year ago. In general, the car was extremely reliable. It had a mechanical failure once in that time -- a bad idle control valve -- which is amazing in retrospect. Otherwise, the electric operation of the two back doors stopped working 2 or 3 years ago, but that was not a big deal to me as I rarely used the back seats. I looked into repair but it was going to be about $300/door, so I let it slide.

By the way, I think 1999 was the last year for the E36 body style, with 2000 being the first year for the E46 body. If I'm remembering that correctly, I guess you should start by picking which body and features you prefer. Among BMW enthusiasts, the E36 is lighter and is regarded as handling slightly better I think. But, the E46 is newer, has newer technology, perhaps more safety features, etc.

In any case, I'd recommend only buying one that has had the regular, recommended services. Generally, there's a major service (Inspection I, Inspection II, etc.) every 20,000 miles. Some people don't do those, or have a local mechanic rather than a BMW dealer replace a few belts and hoses. By the way, when I traded in my M3 at 71,000 miles, the brakes were going to have to be replaced soon, the shocks and struts were on their last legs (estimate to replace: $1,600), and the clutch was in the very early stages of slipping/going (estimate: $1,600). So, your best bet is to find one that's had all service done and has as low mileage as possible. From what I understand, it's better to get an older low mileage car than a newer high mileage car.

More car troubles with the 323iC today. I drove to San Diego, and I noticed it was acting sluggish and wasn't accelerating very well, even when I put the pedal to the floor. Also, the "Check Engine" light came on. On the way back, in OC, it started to die on the freeway -- decelerating and then jerking back and forth. So, I had it towed and tomorrow will see what the problem is.

Update: broken catalytic converter. Estimate: $2400. I want to cry.

Sounds like the ceramic element broke and blocked the outby of the converter or possibly the downstream resonator. Not terribly uncommon. Just about any muffler shop can replace the cat and resonator.

So do you think the estimate I got is reasonable? $1700 for the part, $700 for the labor. The guy tried to make it sound like some of the places that do it cheaper use after-market parts, take some shorcuts, etc., that would result in them not being able to service the vehicle in the future.

Got a second opinion from a guy that says he could do it for half ($1200), but he thinks there must be some other problem that caused the catalytic converter to break down. He also offered to buy the car for $5000 below blue book (I'm tempted).

I believe all catalytic converters have a longer guaranty to 7 years 80K miles(or is it 8 years 70k?) as mandated by the Federal gov't. So you may not to have pay the cat replacement.

Indeed true. All cars carry a federal or even longer CA emissions warranty. Be sure to check whether your repairs might be covered.

Regarding your estimate question, there are factory, aftermarket, and universal fit converters. They will all do the job for you but only the factory and specified aftermarket parts will fit like the original. A universal fit sometimes requires a little fabrication i.e. welding and tube work. As for the converter breaking down, hmmm, the thing about high flow cats is that the ceramic catalytic element tends to crack and chunk off after awhile simply due to age or possibly an impact from road debris. Sometimes the pieces get sucked into the exhaust pipe and plug it up. Since your car is a '98, have your mechanic check for an OBD code that might indicate an engine problem that could somehow contribute to a converter failure.

OBD code?